Device and method for expressing human breast milk

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9956331-B2
Application number	US-201013497347-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2010
Priority date	Sep 22, 2009
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A device for expressing human breast milk has a breast shield for bearing against a mother's breast, a vacuum pump for generating a vacuum, a line which connects the vacuum pump to the breast shield and is intended for transmitting the vacuum generated to the breast shield, and a chamber. The line ends on the pump side in a first port of the chamber. The chamber has a second port for connection to a milk collecting container. The two ports in the chamber are connected to each other in terms of fluid communication. During the expressing operation, the line forms a milk line for transporting breast milk expressed in the breast shield to the chamber and from the chamber to the milk collecting container. The pump can be designed to be quiet and small.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for expressing human breast milk, wherein the device has a breast shield for bearing against a mother's breast, and a vacuum pump for generating a vacuum, wherein the device further comprises a line which connects the vacuum pump to the breast shield and is intended for transmitting the vacuum generated to the breast shield, and wherein the device comprises a chamber with a breast-shield side and a pump side, the chamber having a first port on the breast shield side, the line starting at the breast-shield and ending in said first port of said chamber, thereby connecting the breast-shield side of the chamber to the breast shield, wherein the chamber has a second port on the breast-shield side for connection to a milk collecting container, wherein the two ports in the chamber are connected to each other in terms of fluid communication, wherein, during an expressing operation, the line forms a milk line for transporting breast milk expressed in the breast shield to the chamber, and from the chamber to the milk collecting container, wherein the chamber comprises a diaphragm dividing the chamber into the breast-shield side and the pump side, wherein the diaphragm is driven from the pump side only and is designed for conveying the expressed milk, and wherein a drive of the diaphragm serves to generate the vacuum in the chamber and to convey the flow of milk, the device changing during use from an initial pneumatic pumping system to a hydraulic pumping system using said line in the hydraulic pumping system, wherein the expressed milk acts in said line as a working fluid in order to express further milk from the mother's breast, and wherein the second port is provided with a nonreturn valve, which prevents the expressed milk from flowing back from the milk collecting container to the chamber, wherein the breast shield and the chamber remain in fluid communication throughout the duration of the expressing operation.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm has a substantially circular outline.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm is driven in the central region thereof.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the breast shield has a tubular connector and a funnel, which is integrally formed thereon and is intended for resting on a mother's breast, wherein the funnel widens toward the free side thereof that faces away from the connector, and wherein there is a passage, which extends continuously from a breast-side end of the funnel as far as a pump-side end, being opposite said breast-side end, of the connector and which serves to apply a vacuum to the mother's breast and for the flowing away of the expressed breast milk, wherein the funnel is of more flexible design than the connector, wherein the funnel has a main region extending over a substantial part of the length thereof with a first opening angle of the passage, and a breast-side end region with a second opening angle of the passage, and wherein, when not in use, the first opening angle is smaller than the second opening angle, and wherein, in use, at least the first opening angle can be enlarged by axial pressure on the breast shield.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the breast shield has a tubular connecter and a funnel that is integrally formed thereon and is intended for resting against a mother's breast, wherein the funnel has a breast-side diameter of 5 mm to 40 mm and a length of 10 mm to 40 mm, such that, in use, the nipple, and at maximum the areola, is surrounded by the breast shield.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the breast shield is arranged in a coupling part, the coupling part having a marking defining an upper side with an upper region, wherein the upper region has a port for the connection of the line.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm is driven in the center thereof.

8. A coupling part for use in the device according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling part connects the breast shield with the line, wherein the line connects the breast shield with a vacuum pump and wherein the line forms a milk line for transporting expressed breast milk, wherein the coupling part comprises a port for connection of the line.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the line is a flexible line.

Assignees

• Weber Beda
• Furrer Etienne
• Schlienger Andre
• Silver Brian H
• Waeckerlin Daniela
• Felber Armin
• Medela Holding Ag

Inventors

• Weber Beda
• Furrer Etienne
• SCHLIENGER André
• Silver Brian H
• Wäckerlin Daniela
• Felber Armin

Classifications

• A61M2202/0014

  removed from the body · CPC title

• A61M1/064

  Suction cups · CPC title

• A61M1/066 Primary

  Inserts therefor · CPC title

• A61M1/06 Primary

  Milking pumps · CPC title

• A61M1/067

  with means for hands-free operation · CPC title