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Breast cup

a breast cup and cup body technology, applied in the field of breast cups, can solve the problems of affecting the flexural region of the region, the drawback of the ytteborg breast cup, and the inability to flex the region, so as to facilitate the flexural region, reduce the thickness, and the effect of less thickness

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-07-06
PLAYTEX PROD INC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a breast cup with massaging and stimulating action to selected areas of the breast and nipple. The breast cup has flexible regions that are integrally formed with the rest of the inner part of the breast cup. The flexible regions can be made from the same material but a different grade of the material, or a combination of varying thickness and grades to facilitate flexure of the region while maintaining the rigidity of the rest of the inner part. The breast cup can also use a pressure conduit to provide a massaging pressure through flexure of the flexible regions. The flexible regions can have a wave-like shape and can be divided into regions for more targeted massaging. The outer and inner parts can be selectively removable."

Problems solved by technology

The Ytteborg breast cup suffers from the drawback of requiring separate manufacturing of the inner part and the flexible membranes, and then a secondary process of attaching the flexible membranes over the openings.
This is a more costly and time-consuming process.
Over time and usage, this configuration may also become susceptible to separation and leakage.

Method used

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second embodiment

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, there is shown the breast cup of the present invention generally represented by reference numeral 200. Breast cup 200 has an outer part 210 and an inner part 220. In the embodiment shown, outer part 210 is the prior art outer part shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, which has pressure conduits 215. However, the present invention contemplates the use of other structures for outer part 210, and alternative pressure supplying structures and methods, such as, for example, pressure conduits formed in the walls of the outer part.

[0043] Similar to inner part 120 of the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 5 through 7, inner part 220 has a first flexible region 230 and a second flexible region 240. However, flexible regions 230 and 240 are formed entirely about the circumference of the inner part. The first and second flexible regions 230 and 240 are integrally formed with inner part 220 during the molding process. First and second flexible regions 230 and 240 are made f...

third embodiment

[0052] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, there is shown the breast cup of the present invention generally represented by reference numeral 300. Breast cup 300 has an outer part 310 and an inner part 320. In the embodiment shown, outer part 310 is the prior art outer part shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, which has pressure conduits 315. However, the present invention contemplates the use of other structures for outer part 310, and alternative pressure supplying structures and methods, such as, for example, pressure conduits formed in the walls of the outer part.

[0053] Inner part 320 has a first flexible region 330 and a second flexible region 340. The boundaries of the first and second regions 330 and 340 are represented by reference numerals 331 and 341, respectively. The first and second flexible regions 330 and 340 are integrally formed with inner part 320, preferably during the molding process. In the preferred embodiment, the first and second flexible regions 330 and 340 are made from a ...

first embodiment

[0057] Unlike the flexible regions 130 and 140 of the first embodiment which have a wave-like shape, the flexible regions 330 and 340 of breast cup have a flat or substantially flat surface. However, the present invention contemplates the use of other shapes for the surface of flexible regions 330 and 340.

[0058] When the outer part 310 is connected, removably connected and / or attached to the inner part 320, as indicated by arrow 350, cavities are formed between the flexible regions 330 and 340 and the outer part 310. The cavities are in communication with the pressure conduits 315 to provide a positive massaging pressure through flexure of the flexible regions 330 and 340, similar to the prior art breast cup of FIGS. 1 through 4. However, due to the use of the same material but with different properties and / or the simpler manufacturing process, the breast cup 300 of the present invention has distinct advantages of the breast cup of FIGS. 1 through 4.

[0059] The inner part 320 also h...

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Abstract

A breast cup for obtaining breast milk is provided that has flexible regions integrally molded with the rest of the inner part of the breast cup which provide massaging or stimulating action to selected areas of the breast and nipple.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority in co-pending U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 600,226, filed on Aug. 10, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for obtaining breast milk. More particularly, the present invention relates to a breast cup that applies a massaging or stimulating action a breast and nipple to express breast milk. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Breast pump systems for obtaining breast milk, both manually and automatically, are known in the art. In U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 220,034 to Ytteborg (publication no. 2003 / 0153869 A1), a breast cup is disclosed having inner and outer parts joined together. The inner part has a number of openings formed therein and has flexible membranes covering the openings. The flexible membranes are in communication with a pressure source throug...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A41C3/04
CPCA41C3/04A61M1/064A61M1/0697
Inventor ROUSSO, JOHNRENZ, CHARLES J.
Owner PLAYTEX PROD INC