A private, enclosed facility allowing women to express milk or breastfeed in complete privacy in a public place or on company premises.

Abstract

The invention relates to a structure that allows women to breastfeed or express milk in a safe and suitable space, which can be installed indoors or outdoors. The structure according to the invention is characterized in that it is enclosed, lockable, easy to assemble / disassemble and move, and visually and acoustically isolated from the outside environment. It is also characterized in that it is individual, dedicated to breastfeeding, and designed accordingly. It can incorporate additional options that improve the comfort and experience of all users. Such a structure is essentially intended to allow women to breastfeed or express milk outside their homes in an optimal manner, enabling them to live their daily lives without it becoming an obstacle to breastfeeding.

Description

Title of the invention: DESCRIPTION Title of the invention

[0001] Individual and enclosed structure allowing women to express milk or breastfeed in complete privacy in a public place or on company premises. Technical field of the invention

[0002] The present invention relates to the establishment of a specific structure enabling women who are breastfeeding or who wish to express their milk to do so under suitable conditions in a public place, at their workplace or any other common place in which a woman may move within the framework of her social and family life. Technological background of the invention

[0003] In 2023, 65% of women breastfed their infants upon leaving the maternity ward. Furthermore, the WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant's life. Therefore, breastfeeding women, if they wish to follow this recommendation (which is a very personal choice—the best choice remains that of the parents), must have the opportunity to breastfeed or express milk daily, that is, during their workday and / or as part of daily activities associated with their family and social life: shopping, taking their other child(ren) to school and extracurricular activities, spending time with friends in a public place, etc. Currently, there are no dedicated, accessible, and suitable facilities allowing women to express milk / breastfeed in a safe, private, and comfortable environment outside their homes.However, it is now recognized that lactation requires the production of oxytocin, a hormone that a woman only produces in abundance when she feels calm and safe. It therefore seems essential to allow women who wish to continue breastfeeding to do so without being forced to stay home or do so in an unsuitable environment, which can clearly cause distress and hinder the establishment of breastfeeding.

[0004] If we focus specifically on the workplace, many companies provide rooms for expressing breast milk (required by labor law for companies with more than 100 female employees over the age of 15). However, these facilities are often unsuitable, poorly designed, and rudimentary. The main reason for choosing to stop breastfeeding before the first six months of a baby's life is, in fact, the return to work. One of the main arguments related to this decision is the inability to express their milk. in a comfortable environment at their workplace. Innovative solutions exist for setting up specific breastfeeding chairs in dedicated rooms, but these solutions require companies or various municipal facilities to dedicate rooms for this purpose, which adds constraints and necessitates careful planning of placement in locations where space is limited. If a specific area is designated in a high-traffic but not enclosed space, the woman finds herself in a non-private environment (even if her breast is concealed), exposed to potential surrounding noise and interruptions, which remains a barrier to breastfeeding.The purpose of this patent is to protect an innovative solution dedicated to women, installable in common areas, open space or outdoors, allowing the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding their infant while enabling them to remain active participants in their multiple lives: social, family and professional.

[0005] Beyond the practical aspect, it is a matter of the mental health of women who experience a major upheaval during their postpartum period and who deserve to be helped to best understand all the issues inherent in this key period of their life and that of their infant, including breastfeeding. General description of the invention

[0006] The present invention is intended in particular to avoid the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0007] To this end, it proposes a closed, individual, soundproof structure allowing a woman wishing to breastfeed or express milk to do so in a secure, private capsule. This structure, which can be rectangular or take other shapes, represents a volume of between 2 and 10 m³. The present invention incorporates a door (opaque, fitted with a curtain, or other). It can be locked from the inside and opened using a suitable system such as a badge, key, payment method, or other. Its structure can be assembled / disassembled on site (therefore delivered as a kit), moved, and does not require major adaptation work. It is equipped with a power outlet (2 x 220V and 1 x USB A minimum), lighting (with dimmer), and an integrated air renewal system with a filter.The overall structure is made from recyclable materials and the project aims to implement a low-energy consumption structure.

[0008] Inside, there is, at a minimum, a way to hang personal belongings (such as a bag / coat), an ergonomic chair allowing breastfeeding / expressing milk in a comfortable position, a fold-down shelf for placing a computer or other device to continue an activity while expressing milk, for example, a mini-fridge that can be used to store milk, a side table, cozy-style decor (mirror, rug, illustrations, etc.), a way to clean the milking equipment, the breast pump itself (to allow for safe reuse), as well as The chair before / after use. Labels and pens are provided to write the name, date, and time of expression on milk storage bags. This type of capsule can be installed in workplaces, public places such as streets / parks / bus shelters, town halls, schools, health centers, supermarkets – in short: any place where women might spend time.

[0009] The capsule, according to the invention, may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics, which may be combined with each other: a. Provision of a breast pump compatible with each user's personal breast shields (if not, the user must bring their own breast pump). This prevents women from having to carry their breast pump everywhere with them. b. Provision of milk storage bags. c. Presence of lockable lockers, allowing users to deposit their breast pump in a locked locker as well as other personal belongings inherent to breastfeeding. d. Presence of a free library for sharing books related to parenting or other topics, and provision of accessories to promote activities inherent to well-being and / or parenting. e. Proposal of relevant food products in the context of breastfeeding as well as the possibility of quenching thirst (herbal teas, teas, water, always targeted to help / advise the mother in the context of her breastfeeding). f. A "Mamawall" photo wall will be set up, which users can add to using any available device (for selfies or other purposes), along with a "Mamabox" message box for sharing thoughts with other users of the capsule. The aim here is to strengthen the sense of sisterhood and the idea of ​​a community that is not isolated, even though the invention is used individually. g. Possibility of playing relaxing music, sophrology audios, meditation audios, or audios related to parenting if the user feels the need. h. Possibility of integrating a bench seat into the capsule to accommodate one or more of the user's children. It is essential that a woman who needs to breastfeed or express milk be able to enter the capsule with any children accompanying her at that moment, who can sit in the designated space while the mother completes her activity. i. This capsule can be adapted if necessary for disabled users (accessibility, interior ergonomics, other).

Claims

Demands

1. A dedicated structure enabling women to express milk or breastfeed, characterized by being enclosed, individual, visually and acoustically insulated, and of cubic, spherical, or other shape, including a door. It has a volume between 2 and 10 m³. It is delivered as a kit, allowing for assembly and disassembly at the target installation site without major integration work. It is movable and can be installed both indoors and outdoors. It is made of recyclable materials, incorporates an air renewal system with a filter, a power supply (minimum 2 x 220V outlets and USB ports), and a water point (self-contained hydraulic system or water tank). Lighting is integrated into the structure with a dimmer switch, allowing the user to adjust the brightness according to her needs.

2. A structure according to claim 1, characterized in that it has an internal door locking device and the ability to integrate the capsule only if the capsule is empty and if the user has the option to unlock it from the outside. Said device comprises: • a) A mechanical or electronic locking and unlocking system for the door inside the capsule. An emergency opening system installed inside the cabin allowing the door to be automatically unlocked in case of a specific problem. • b) An external indicator light showing whether the system is locked from the inside, i.e., occupied by another user. • c) If the capsule is free, there are several possible options for unlocking it: • c1) Use of a key with an integrated lock on the capsule door. • c2) Use of a badge providing access to the capsule.In this specific case, the capsule is equipped with a badge system. Only users with an authorized access badge will be able to enter the cabin.

3. • c3) Use of a credit card to integrate the capsule. In this specific case, the capsule is equipped with a system combining payment and unlocking functionality, where payment by bank card allows access or unlocking. • d) Optional: possibility of adding a countdown timer after which the capsule unlocks to prevent prolonged use. The time will be chosen by the target user. Structure according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it is arranged so that users can express their milk or breastfeed in good physical and mental condition. a. A comfortable and ergonomic seat will allow women to express milk or breastfeed in a suitable and relaxing posture. A footrest will be integrated, either directly on the chair or via an attached piece of furniture (such as an ergonomic footrest). Armrests integrated into the chair or adjustable as needed will allow the woman to rest her arms, which is especially important for breastfeeding. Towels and disinfectant will be included in the capsule for cleaning the chair (and any related accessories) before leaving or using it. A fold-down or integrated shelf will be available if the user wishes to place a computer, book, or other personal items in front of her. b. Side table to accommodate the breast pump needed for pumping. c. Presence of labels and pens to annotate the milk storage bags (name, date, time, etc.). d. A means of cleaning the user's personal items (breastplates) in case of breastfeeding is made available. This may be a drinking water point or wipes specifically designed for this purpose. e. The capsule is designed as a safe cocoon, therefore incorporating the necessary materials / illustrations / comforts

4. to mental calming. Here we mean the integration of, for example, rugs, blankets, cocooning materials, and the use of warm colors. Structure according to claims 1, 2 and 3 characterized in that it can integrate the following options: a. Integration of a bench seat into the capsule to accommodate one or more of the user's children. It is essential that a woman who needs to breastfeed or express milk be able to enter the capsule with any children accompanying her at that moment, who can sit there while the mother completes her activity. b. Adaptation of the capsule for disabled users with access ramp, capsule dimensions and adapted interior layout. c. Provision of a breast pump compatible with each user's personal breast shields (if not, the user must bring their own breast pump). This prevents women from having to carry their breast pump everywhere with them. d. Presence of a means of storing milk during the day. Depending on the target use of the capsule, particularly in private places such as businesses, it is necessary to integrate a means of storing milk at low temperature such as a fridge / mini fridge as well as lockers that are mechanically or electronically closed in order to be able to store the breast pump and other personal items related to breastfeeding. e. Provision of breast milk storage bags. f. Provision of food suitable for breastfeeding self-service or purchase via a payment method, as well as the possibility of getting refreshments (water, herbal teas, teas, others). g. Possibility of playing relaxing music, sophrology audios, meditation audios, or audios related to parenting if the user feels the need, through speakers installed in the structure. h. Setting up a “Mamabox” box allowing women to leave notes for other users (paper / pens are provided in this specific case). i. Provision of a means to take a photo in the capsule and to instantly print the photo in order to display it on one of the walls of the capsule dedicated for this purpose, the "Mamawall" (via pins, clips, etc.).