# US 11,992,587 B2 · Electric breast pump, method of controlling electric breast pump, and control program for electric breast pump

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- Number: US 11,992,587 B2
- Document ID: US11992587B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/972,689
- Filed: 2019-06-07
- Published: 2021-08-19
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-08
- Assignees: Pigeon Corporation
- Applicants: Pigeon Corporation
- Inventors: Yuichiro Tanaka; Satoru Saito; Sumiko Kuroishi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992587B2

## CPC

- A61M 1/0693: {with programmable or pre-programmed sucking patterns}
- A61M 1/06: Milking pumps
- A61M 1/062: {Pump accessories}
- A61M 1/0697: {having means for massaging the breast}
- A61M 1/06935: {imitating the suckling of an infant}
- A61M 1/74: {Suction control (underwater drainage A61M1/61)}
- A61M 1/75: {Intermittent or pulsating suction (A61M1/63, A61M1/772 take precedence)}
- A61M 1/82: {Membrane pumps, e.g. bulbs}
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}

## Abstract

An electric breast pump 1 includes a breast placement part 12 at which a breast part including a breast and a nipple of a subject is placed and suction-pressure generating units 10 and 50 that generate a suction pressure in the breast placement part. The suction-pressure generating unit generates a suction cycle including a plurality of different suction pressures. The suction cycle includes basic suction, increased suction with an increased suction pressure, and reduced suction with a reduced suction pressure. A suction pressure difference between a suction pressure increasing in the increased suction and a suction pressure reducing in the reduced suction is an equal pressure and is a pressure difference at a borderline at which a user perceives a change of a suction pressure. In the suction cycle, the basic suction, the increased suction, and the reduced suction are each repeated multiple times consecutively at an equal suction pressure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electric breast pump comprising:
a breast placement part in which a breast part including a breast and a nipple of a subject is placed; and
a suction-pressure generating unit that generates a suction pressure in the breast placement part, wherein
the suction-pressure generating unit generates a suction cycle including a plurality of different suction pressures,
the suction cycle includes basic suction, increased suction with an increased suction pressure, and reduced suction with a reduced suction pressure,
a suction pressure difference between a suction pressure increasing in the increased suction and a suction pressure reducing in the reduced suction is an equal pressure and is a pressure difference at a borderline at which a user perceives a change of a suction pressure,
in the suction cycle, the basic suction, the increased suction, and the reduced suction are each repeated multiple times consecutively at an equal suction pressure, and
the suction pressure difference is 2.5 kPa to 3.5 kPa.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electric breast pump according to claim 1, wherein
the increased suction includes first increased suction with a suction pressure increased from the basic suction and second increased suction with a suction pressure increased from the first increased suction,
the reduced suction is suction with a suction pressure reduced from the second increased suction, and
in the suction cycle, the basic suction, the first increased suction, the second increased suction, and the reduced suction are each repeated twice.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The electric breast pump according to claim 2, wherein between a plurality of the suction cycles, an interval at which a suction pressure is not generated is formed, and a time of the interval is always same.

### Claim 4

A method of controlling an electric breast pump including a breast placement part in which a breast part including a breast and a nipple of a subject is placed, and a suction-pressure generating unit that generates a suction pressure in the breast placement part, the method comprising:
causing the suction-pressure generating unit to generate a suction cycle including basic suction, increased suction with an increased suction pressure, and reduced suction with a reduced suction pressure;
with a suction pressure difference between a suction pressure increasing in the increased suction and a suction pressure reducing in the reduced suction being a pressure difference at a borderline at which a user perceives a change of a suction pressure,
causing the suction cycle to be generated in which the basic suction, the increased suction, and the reduced suction are each repeated multiple times consecutively at an equal suction pressure, and
the suction pressure difference is 2.5 kPa to 3.5 kPa.

### Claim 5

A non-transitory computer readable medium with a control program for causing an electric breast pump including a breast placement part in which a breast part including a breast and a nipple of a subject is placed and a suction-pressure generating unit that generates a suction pressure in the breast placement part to execute:
a function of generating a suction cycle including basic suction, increased suction with an increased suction pressure, and reduced suction with a reduced suction pressure;
a function of setting a suction pressure difference between a suction pressure increasing in the increased suction and a suction pressure reducing in the reduced suction to a pressure difference at a borderline at which a user perceives a change of a suction pressure;
a function of generating the suction cycle in which the basic suction, the increased suction, and the reduced suction are each repeated multiple times consecutively at an equal suction pressure;
the suction pressure difference is 2.5 kPa to 3.5 kPa.

### Claim 6

An electric breast pump comprising:
a breast placement part in which a breast part including a breast and a nipple of a subject is placed; and
a suction-pressure generating unit that generates a suction pressure in the breast placement part, wherein
the suction-pressure generating unit generates a suction cycle including a plurality of different suction pressures,
the suction cycle includes basic suction, increased suction with an increased suction pressure, and reduced suction with a reduced suction pressure,
a suction pressure difference between a suction pressure increasing in the increased suction and a suction pressure reducing in the reduced suction is an equal pressure and is a pressure difference at a borderline at which a user perceives a change of a suction pressure,
in the suction cycle, the basic suction, the increased suction, and the reduced suction are each repeated multiple times consecutively at an equal suction pressure,
the increased suction includes first increased suction with a suction pressure increased from the basic suction and second increased suction with a suction pressure increased from the first increased suction,
the reduced suction is suction with a suction pressure reduced from the second increased suction, and
in the suction cycle, the basic suction, the first increased suction, the second increased suction, and the reduced suction are each repeated twice.