Breastmilk handling apparatus particularly useful for warming of breastmilk containers such as bottles and syringes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10327585-B2
Application number	US-201414470446-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2014
Priority date	Feb 19, 2008
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

The present invention relates to an infant feeding warming system useful to repeatedly and precisely warm breastmilk or formula for use in the NICU. The system in one form comprises a bedside unit that is attachable to an IV pole. The system may also comprise a centralized warming station with multiple chambers, wherein one chamber heats a bottle or syringe, and the remaining chambers are used for storage and/or refrigeration. The system will use a non-liquid heating system to heat feedings. A disposable liner may be used inside the chamber. The system may also contain heating algorithms that are based on a user inputting milk parameters such as volume and initial temperature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A liner configured to be used with an infant feeding thermal treatment system, the liner comprising:
a flexible-receptacle defining an interior;
a rim member having a first portion defining a receptacle opening for airflow from the thermal treatment system to pass into and then out of the interior,
the rim member having a widened second portion extending from the first portion;
a port formed in the widened second portion of the rim member such that the receptacle opening and the port are arranged eccentric to each other in the rim member, the port adapted to allow a container to be passed at least partially therethrough and into the receptacle interior; and
at least one of a plurality of frangible sections and a plurality of slits arranged within the port such that each of the plurality of frangible sections and the plurality of slits have a first end that terminates in a center of the port and a second end extending radially away from the center of the port, each of the plurality of frangible sections and the plurality of slits configured to conform to the container when the container is pushed through the port.

2. The liner of claim 1 , wherein heated air is conveyable into the receptacle interior to warm a container comprising infant feed placed therein.

3. The liner of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle is a bag, and wherein the container is a syringe.

4. The liner of claim 1 , wherein the liner is disposable and configured to be used with an apparatus configured for circulating a fluid medium through the liner, the liner comprising:
a material defining the interior of the liner within which the airflow is able to be circulated and contained;
the material being attached to the rim member, the rim member being mountable to the apparatus and when mounted thereby held in place for use, the receptacle opening being closed by the apparatus, when mounted, to all but the circulating airflow in use; and
the receptacle opening defined in the rim member adapted to receive a vessel therein so as to pass the vessel into the interior when the liner is mounted in the apparatus in use.

5. The liner of claim 1 , the first portion being in a first plane, and the widened second portion extending from the first portion in a second plane of the rim member.

6. The liner of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle is formed of a first material and the first portion of the rim member is formed of a second material.

7. The liner of claim 6 , wherein the second portion of the rim member is formed of the second material.

8. The liner of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the rim member comprises an indented line allowing the rim portion to flex at the line and allowing the rim portion to lie flat during manufacturing or storage of the liner and then to flex as needed for insertion into the thermal feeding treatment system.

9. The liner of claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the receptacle is designed to cooperate with a detector for detecting when the liner is in place within a chamber.

10. The liner of claim 1 , comprising:
a material forming a liner body defining the receptacle and the receptacle opening into which a container of infant feed is receivable, the liner being adapted to be supported within a liner support structure so as to be selectively disposed to receive the airflow within the receptacle interior, the liner constructed to receive the airflow being at a temperature including temperatures that differ from an initial temperature of the infant feed.

Assignees

• Medela Holding Ag

Inventors

• Bauer Ryan
• Miller Amanda
• Hunt Jill M
• Wach Joseph

Classifications

• G16H20/60

  relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets · CPC title

• A47J36/2433 Primary

  with electrical heating means · CPC title

• A61J9/001

  with inner liners · CPC title

• B65D25/02

  Internal fittings (of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44) · CPC title

• A47J39/003

  with forced air circulation · CPC title