Abstract: An example vacuum motor device for facilitating milk extraction from a breast of a user can include: a first chamber; a second chamber coupled to the first chamber; and a voice coil motor configured to cause air to flow into the second chamber and out of the first chamber during a breast pumping cycle to create suction for extracting the milk.

Abstract: Breast pumps allow for increased milk volume flow rates and/or increased pump efficiency. Various devices and techniques are used to introduce a more diverse set of vibration patterns which enable users to customize the performance of the vibration and/or enable vibrations to be present or absent in ways not currently enabled by the state of the art. This can involve applying vibrations to the breast during the breast pump cycle (or “waveform”), to increase the volume flow rate of expressed milk for a given cycle speed and suction level.

Abstract: An example breast pump system can include: a control unit including a processor and memory, the control unit including an interface to control the breast pump system; a vacuum unit controlled by the control unit, the vacuum unit including pump motors to create suction for pumping milk; a support mechanism located remotely from the control unit; and a member extending between the control unit and the support mechanism, the member being movable to allow the control unit to be repositioned relative to the support mechanism. The memory encodes instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the breast pump system to: select at least a first pump motor from the plurality of pump motors for a first pumping timeframe; and select at least a second pump motor from the plurality of pump motors for a second pumping timeframe.

Abstract: An example breast pump system can include: a control unit including a processor and memory, the control unit including an interface to control the breast pump system; a vacuum unit controlled by the control unit, the vacuum unit including pump motors to create suction for pumping milk; a support mechanism located remotely from the control unit; and a member extending between the control unit and the support mechanism, the member being movable to allow the control unit to be repositioned relative to the support mechanism. The memory encodes instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the breast pump system to: select at least a first pump motor from the plurality of pump motors for a first pumping timeframe; and select at least a second pump motor from the plurality of pump motors for a second pumping timeframe.

Abstract: A breastmilk collection device includes breast contacting flange, a vacuum reservoir, flexible diaphragm separating the breast contacting flange and the vacuum reservoir, and a flange receiver between the breast contacting flange and the flexible diaphragm. The breast contacting flange has a wide portion for accepting the breast and a narrow portion. The flexible diaphragm is located between the narrow portion and the vacuum reservoir. The flexible diaphragm moves between a sealed configuration, in which the breast contacting flange is sealed off from the vacuum reservoir, and an open valve configuration, in which the flexible diaphragm acts as a one-way valve to allow expressed milk to flow through a milk flow opening between the flexible diaphragm and the breast contacting flange when an opening pressure is reached in the breast contacting flange.

Abstract: A method for facilitating milk extraction from a female breast may involve applying a breast contacting portion of a breast pump system to a breast, activating the breast pump system to administer multiple breast pumping cycles, and applying vibrations to the breast during at least a portion of each of the breast pumping cycles, using a vibration device. A vibration generating device may be a component of a breast pump system, an added attachment on a breast pump system or a separate component that works in conjunction with a breast pump system.

Abstract: A method for facilitating milk extraction from a female breast may involve applying a breast contacting portion of a breast pump system to a breast, activating the breast pump system to administer multiple breast pumping cycles, and applying vibrations to the breast during at least a portion of each of the breast pumping cycles, using a vibration device. A vibration generating device may be a component of a breast pump system, an added attachment on a breast pump system or a separate component that works in conjunction with a breast pump system.

Abstract: A wearable breastmilk collection device includes a storage compartment with a flange and a cup, a breast accepting flange separated from the storage compartment by a one-way valve, a vacuum source attachment, and a reservoir in communication with the vacuum source attachment. A method of expressing and collecting breastmilk from a breast may involve using the wearable breastmilk collection device described above to express breastmilk from the breast, while the device is positioned in the woman's brassiere.

Abstract: A breastmilk collection device includes breast contacting flange, a vacuum reservoir, flexible diaphragm separating the breast contacting flange and the vacuum reservoir, and a flange receiver between the breast contacting flange and the flexible diaphragm. The breast contacting flange has a wide portion for accepting the breast and a narrow portion. The flexible diaphragm is located between the narrow portion and the vacuum reservoir. The flexible diaphragm moves between a sealed configuration, in which the breast contacting flange is sealed off from the vacuum reservoir, and an open valve configuration, in which the flexible diaphragm acts as a one-way valve to allow expressed milk to flow through a milk flow opening between the flexible diaphragm and the breast contacting flange when an opening pressure is reached in the breast contacting flange.

Abstract: A method for facilitating milk extraction from a female breast may involve applying a breast contacting portion of a breast pump system to a breast, activating the breast pump system to administer multiple breast pumping cycles, and applying vibrations to the breast during at least a portion of each of the breast pumping cycles, using a vibration device. A vibration generating device may be a component of a breast pump system, an added attachment on a breast pump system or a separate component that works in conjunction with a breast pump system.

Abstract: A method for facilitating milk extraction from a female breast may involve applying a breast contacting portion of a breast pump system to a breast, activating the breast pump system to administer multiple breast pumping cycles, and applying vibrations to the breast during at least a portion of each of the breast pumping cycles, using a vibration device. A vibration generating device may be a component of a breast pump system, an added attachment on a breast pump system or a separate component that works in conjunction with a breast pump system.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein are relevant to breast pumps. Disclosed examples include breast pumps that automatically adjust various pumping parameters based on data obtained from one or more sensors. The one or more sensors can produce data regarding an amount of milk expressed by a user. The adjusting of the pumping parameters can be configured to, for example, help the user efficiently express milk by utilizing a closed-feedback system that monitors the flow rate of the expressed milk.

Abstract: A method for facilitating milk extraction from a female breast may involve applying a breast contacting portion of a breast pump system to a breast, activating the breast pump system to administer multiple breast pumping cycles, and applying vibrations to the breast during at least a portion of each of the breast pumping cycles, using a vibration device. A vibration generating device may be a component of a breast pump system, an added attachment on a breast pump system or a separate component that works in conjunction with a breast pump system.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein are relevant to breast pumps. Disclosed examples include breast pumps that automatically adjust various pumping parameters based on data obtained from one or more sensors. The one or more sensors can produce data regarding an amount of milk expressed by a user. The adjusting of the pumping parameters can be configured to, for example, help the user efficiently express milk by utilizing a closed-feedback system that monitors the flow rate of the expressed milk.

Abstract: A method for facilitating milk extraction from a female breast may involve applying a breast contacting portion of a breast pump system to a breast, activating the breast pump system to administer multiple breast pumping cycles, and applying vibrations to the breast during at least a portion of each of the breast pumping cycles, using a vibration device. A vibration generating device may be a component of a breast pump system, an added attachment on a breast pump system or a separate component that works in conjunction with a breast pump system.

Abstract: A method for facilitating milk extraction from a female breast may involve applying a breast contacting portion of a breast pump system to a breast, activating the breast pump system to administer multiple breast pumping cycles, and applying vibrations to the breast during at least a portion of each of the breast pumping cycles, using a vibration device. A vibration generating device may be a component of a breast pump system, an added attachment on a breast pump system or a separate component that works in conjunction with a breast pump system.

Abstract: A method for facilitating milk extraction from a female breast may involve applying a breast contacting portion of a breast pump system to a breast, activating the breast pump system to administer multiple breast pumping cycles, and applying vibrations to the breast during at least a portion of each of the breast pumping cycles, using a vibration device. A vibration generating device may be a component of a breast pump system, an added attachment on a breast pump system or a separate component that works in conjunction with a breast pump system.

Abstract: An example breast pump system can include: a control unit including a processor and memory, the control unit including an interface to control the breast pump system; a vacuum unit controlled by the control unit, the vacuum unit including pump motors to create suction for pumping milk; a support mechanism located remotely from the control unit; and a member extending between the control unit and the support mechanism, the member being movable to allow the control unit to be repositioned relative to the support mechanism. The memory encodes instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the breast pump system to: select at least a first pump motor from the plurality of pump motors for a first pumping timeframe; and select at least a second pump motor from the plurality of pump motors for a second pumping timeframe.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein are relevant to breast pumps. Disclosed examples include breast pumps that automatically adjust various pumping parameters based on data obtained from one or more sensors. The one or more sensors can produce data regarding an amount of milk expressed by a user. The adjusting of the pumping parameters can be configured to, for example, help the user efficiently express milk by utilizing a closed-feedback system that monitors the flow rate of the expressed milk.

Abstract: A method for assessing the state of the condition of asthma in a patient may involve sensing individual patient data using one or more sensors on or near the patient, transmitting the individual patient data to a processor, comparing, with the processor, the individual patient data with baseline patient data related to the patient and/or population data related to a patient population comparable to the patient, to provide comparison data, and providing an assessment of the current state of the patient's asthma condition, based on the comparison data. In some embodiments, the individual patient data is related to at least one physiological parameter of the patient, and at least one of the sensors is a passive sensor that does not require the patient to apply it or activate it.