Breast pump
By setting a channel between the reservoir and the nozzle in the breast pump, the problem of milk leakage is solved, achieving a more hygienic and economical milk collection effect.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- MEDELA HLDG AG
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-21
AI Technical Summary
Existing breast pumps are prone to milk leakage from the nozzle during use, and additional components may not be hygienic and increase costs.
A channel is provided between the milk container and the nozzle, the channel being defined by the gap between the reservoir and the nozzle. The height, width, and length of the channel are perpendicular to each other. The channel is designed to restrict the flow of milk and prevent spillage, while eliminating the need to use a plug to seal the nozzle.
It effectively prevents milk leakage, simplifies the cleaning process, reduces manufacturing and maintenance costs, and improves hygiene and convenience of use.
Smart Images
Figure CN224523694U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to a breast pump shaped to be at least partially fitted inside a bra and including a breast shield having a nipple channel adapted to receive the nipple of a lactating user. The breast pump also has an assembly for providing cyclic suction pressure within the nipple channel for expressing milk from the lactating user's breast. Furthermore, the breast pump has a milk container defining a reservoir adapted to hold a predetermined amount of expressed milk; the milk container includes a nozzle for pouring out the expressed milk contained therein. Background Technology
[0002] Such breast pumps are known, for example, from WO 2022 / 238348 A1. In this prior art, a breast pump suitable for fitting inside a bra includes a milk container and a breast shield, and the assembly is positioned away from the unit that can be fitted inside the bra and thus worn by the user as a hands-free breast pump, which does not require support from the user to be held in the use position. In the use position, the nozzle is located in the upper portion of the milk container, typically at its highest point in the vertical direction, making it unlikely that milk contained in the milk container will spill from the nozzle even if the user is moving and, for example, bending forward at the waist.
[0003] For example, a breast pump is known from WO 2018 / 229504 A1, which is shaped to be at least partially fitted inside a bra. This breast pump has a hemispherical housing with a convex front surface adapted to rest against the bra. This front surface mimics the natural shape of the breast; the rear portion of the housing is concave and provides a receiving portion for inserting a breast shield element and a nipple passage within the breast shield element.
[0004] Another type of breast pump is described in WO2022 / 268998, which is shaped to be at least partially fitted inside a bra. This prior art breast pump has an annular housing sandwiched between a flange of a breast shield element and a milk container connected to a nipple channel of the breast shield element, thereby sandwiching the housing between the flange and the milk container.
[0005] Although the nozzle can usually be fitted with a nozzle plug suitable for closing the nozzle, additional components of a breast pump may not be considered entirely in line with the user's conception of a hygienic design for the breast pump. Furthermore, additional components may increase the cost of manufacturing the breast pump; in particular, the rather small plug for the nozzle may shift or eventually become lost. Utility Model Content
[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a breast pump that reduces the risk of milk spilling out of the milk container.
[0007] As a solution to this objective, the present invention provides a breast pump in which a channel is provided between a reservoir and a nozzle. The channel is typically defined by a slightly longer configuration between the reservoir and the nozzle. The channel can be provided by a gap with a finite width, wherein the width is the dimension of the channel in the height direction of the pump, which corresponds to the longitudinal extension of the nipple canal. In other words, the height direction is the direction in which the breast pump protrudes from the body parallel to a mid-plane. A second dimension of the channel defines the width of the channel within a transverse cross-section through the breast pump. Therefore, the width is the extension of the channel perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the nipple canal. The height and width directions extend in a transverse plane parallel to the longitudinal extension of the nipple canal. A third dimension defines the length of the channel, which is typically the vertical extension of the channel in the conventional use position, where the breast pump rests against the breast of the breastfeeding user. The directions in width, height, and length are substantially perpendicular to each other.
[0008] The channel extending between the reservoir and the nozzle will greatly prevent the expressed milk collected in the reservoir from unintentionally reaching the nozzle. On the other hand, the extension of the channel is adapted to allow all the milk to be poured out of the reservoir at appropriate time intervals. The channel can have a height between 2 mm and 6 mm. In the width direction, the channel can extend only a portion of the maximum width of the milk pump. However, the channel can extend across the entire width of the milk pump. In fact, two or more channels can be provided, extending separately from each other in the width direction between the reservoir and the nozzle, wherein multiple channels merge at the nozzle.
[0009] The cross-sectional shape of the channel can vary along its length. Specifically, the downstream section of the channel can have a smaller cross-sectional area compared to the upstream section, where upstream and downstream refer to the direction of milk flow when milk is poured from the reservoir through the channel and from the nozzle.
[0010] Breast pumps typically have a shape symmetrical along a longitudinal axis that extends in the height direction and corresponds to the direction of the midplane. Along this axis, and on this axis, the downstream section of the channel can be narrower than the upstream section along the longitudinal axis. The lateral sections of the channel, i.e., the outermost sections in the width direction, can generally be at least larger than the downstream section along the pump's longitudinal axis, such that the flow from the reservoir to the nozzle primarily flows through the two lateral sections of the channel, which converge toward the upper end of the breast pump and thus toward the nozzle. In this way, any milk advancing toward the nozzle must travel a path extending within the channel, resulting in further flow resistance towards the nozzle.
[0011] Due to the specific design of this invention, the nozzle does not need to be combined with a plug element for sealing the nozzle. In fact, the relatively narrow channel extending between the reservoir and the nozzle prevents milk from overflowing through the nozzle.
[0012] To thoroughly clean the milk container and nozzle, the milk container and channel are preferably disposed between the milk container element and the breast shield element, wherein the breast shield element is releasably connected to the milk container element.
[0013] Based on conventional design, a breast pump element includes a nipple channel and a flange having a concave contact surface adapted to contact the breast of a lactating user, and this contact surface is incorporated into the nipple channel. Therefore, the front surface of the flange oriented toward the nipple channel is typically convex, with a pronounced curvature along the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the breast pump. This convex front surface of the flange typically defines and thus delineates the channel. The opposite side of the channel is typically provided by a rear wall of a milk container element, which includes a generally spherical outer shell section defining a reservoir. The rear wall protrudes toward the nozzle from the spherical outer shell section. Thus, the flange of the breast pump element, which hermetically mates with the milk container element, defines the reservoir and the channel, which protrudes toward the nozzle from the reservoir.
[0014] The distance and shape of the flange and the rear wall can be appropriately selected to provide a channel to prevent milk in the reservoir from overflowing toward the nozzle.
[0015] The breast shield element can be clamped to the milk container element, for which the breast shield element can have one or more protrusions that mate with the outer peripheral surface of the milk container element.
[0016] For example, in a transverse cross-sectional view, the channel can be defined between the concave rear surface of the rear wall and the convex front surface of the flange. As mentioned earlier, in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the transverse direction, the flow area of the flow channel increases towards the nozzle. In other words, the downstream flow surface defined by the channel can be smaller than the upstream section of the channel immediately adjacent to the nozzle.
[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the breast pump has a housing that at least accommodates an assembly, preferably a controller for controlling the assembly, and may accommodate a power source, such as a battery, for energizing the assembly. The breast pump preferably has a hemispherical front surface that preferably protrudes from a flange of a breast shield. The lower portion of the hemispherical front surface is defined by a reservoir. The upper portion of the hemispherical front surface is defined by the housing, which can be releasably connected to the reservoir, i.e., the milk container element providing the reservoir.
[0018] This milk container element has, for example, a transparent or translucent appearance, allowing the user to observe the fill level of the reservoir from the outside. Furthermore, the breast shield element can also be made of transparent or translucent plastic material to, for example, confirm the correct positioning of the nipple within the nipple canal.
[0019] In a side view of a breast pump, the front surface of the breast pump is basically convex, wherein half of the semi-circular front surface in the side view may be provided by the surface of the reservoir, while the rest of the front surface is usually provided by the housing.
[0020] Preferably, the housing is arranged between the upper and rear walls of the reservoir. The upper wall of the reservoir typically extends orthogonally to the extension of the rear wall. The corresponding upper wall may be provided with a suction opening connecting the working fluid side of the membrane to the working fluid side of the assembly. As previously mentioned, the assembly is located on one side of the upper wall, and the membrane is located on the other side. The membrane may abut against the inner surface provided by the upper wall to thereby define a working fluid chamber, which is typically surrounded by a membrane that seals the contact portion of the upper wall and surrounds the suction opening. The opposite side of the membrane defines a pumping chamber that communicates with the nipple channel via a pumping inlet. The seat provided for the membrane is typically an integral part of the breast shield element and is connected to the nipple channel. The upper wall provided by the milk container housing element typically extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal extension of the nipple channel.
[0021] To securely connect the milk container element and the breast shield element to define the reservoir, a resilient seal may be provided between the milk container element and the breast shield element. Although the breast pump has a hemispherical front surface, a support may be provided at the bottom of the breast pump so that it can be supported on a flat horizontal surface, allowing the nozzle to be positioned at the highest point of the breast pump. Attached Figure Description
[0022] Other details, advantages, or features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of specific embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:
[0023] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the various components and elements of the breast pump according to the present invention;
[0024] Figure 2 The first embodiment, in its assembled state, is along the... Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the line LSA;
[0025] Figure 2A yes Figure 2 An enlarged view of the dashed circle in the image;
[0026] Figure 3 This is a rear view of the implementation method;
[0027] Figure 4 It is along according to Figure 3 The cross-sectional view of line VI-VI, and
[0028] Figure 5 It is along according to Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of line VV. Detailed Implementation
[0029] In the accompanying drawings, reference numeral 100 identifies a breast pump having a hemispherical front surface 102. In this specification, "front" refers to the side of the breast pump 100 oriented towards the front of the body of the user wearing and using the breast pump 100. The breast pump 100 is manufactured for fitting into a bra, so that it can be used hands-free and fully supported within the bra. As further detailed below, the breast pump 100 is autonomous and does not require an external power supply or tubing to deliver expressed milk to an external milk container.
[0030] In the accompanying drawings, reference numeral 200 identifies a breast shield element 200, which provides a breast shield 202. The breast shield element 200 is made of a transparent plastic material and forms a nipple channel 204 projecting forward from a flange 206. The flange 206 has a concave rear surface 208 adapted to seal against a user's breast. The opposite side of the flange 206 defines a convex front surface 210. The nipple channel 204 is substantially closed at its front end and is provided with a milk outlet 212 and a pumping inlet 214 located at its lower side. At its upper side, both the milk outlet 212 and the pumping inlet 214 are arranged close to the front end of the nipple channel 204. The pumping inlet 214 connects the nipple channel 204 to a pumping chamber 216 defined by an edge segment 218 protruding from the nipple channel 204 and formed by the breast shield element 200. The edge segment 218 defines the membrane seat 220.
[0031] Reference numeral 300 identifies a milk container element having a circumferential sealing edge 302. The lower portion of the milk container element 300 provides a milk container 306 defined between a spherical outer shell section 308 of the milk container element and an upper wall 310, which is substantially flat and protrudes through a male plug connection section 312 surrounding a suction opening 314 in fluid communication with a reservoir 316 of the milk container 306.
[0032] Opposite to the upper wall 310, the milk container 306 is provided with a support 318 adapted to position the milk container element 300 and thus the breast pump 100 in an upright position in which, if the breast pump 100 is supported on a flat horizontal surface by means of the support 318, the nozzle 104 presents the highest point of the breast pump 100 in the vertical direction. On the side of the upper wall 310 opposite to the support 318, the milk container element 300 provides a rear wall 320. This rear wall 320 projects upward from the milk container 306 and is defined by a circumferential sealing edge 302 of the milk container element 300. The uppermost end of the rear wall 320 defines a pouring lip 322 that projects beyond the circumferential sealing edge 302 of the milk container 300.
[0033] exist Figure 1 In the diagram, reference numeral 400 identifies the housing, which contains... Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The assembly is identified by reference numeral 402 in the accompanying drawings. The cross-sectional view also schematically illustrates other components housed within the housing 400, such as the battery 404 and the controller 406 in the form of a PCB 408, which is operatively connected to a user interface 410 exposed on the outer side of the spherical housing shell 412 of the housing 400.
[0034] like Figure 2A and Figure 4 As depicted, the lower part of the housing 400 is provided with a female plug connection section 414 communicating with the working fluid side 416 of the assembly 402. The assembly 402 provides a circulating suction curve, which is transmitted to the pumping chamber 216 via a plug connection formed by the male plug connection section 312 and the female plug connection section 414.
[0035] In the accompanying drawings, reference numeral 500 identifies a flexible media separation element defining a membrane 502, which is adapted to be seated in a sealed manner on a membrane seat 220. The media separation element 500 also defines a valve 504 that cooperates with a milk outlet 212 to selectively open and close the milk outlet 212 based on the pressure difference between the nipple channel 204 and the reservoir 316. Reference numeral 506 identifies a wing section of the media separation element 500, which is provided with a fixed opening 508 that cooperates with a fixed engagement 222 of a breast shield element 200 located at the closed end of the nipple channel 204.
[0036] The membrane 502 has a working fluid side 510 that defines a working fluid chamber 512 in communication with a working fluid side 416 of the assembly 402.
[0037] The opposite side of the membrane defines the milk side 514 of the membrane 502 covering the pumping chamber 216.
[0038] As from Figure 2 As can be seen, in the installed state with all components of the breast pump 100 assembled, the outer peripheral edge 516 of the membrane 502 seals against the inner surface of the upper wall 310, thereby sealing the working fluid chamber 512 within the milk container 306 relative to the remaining volume defining the reservoir 316 within the milk container 306.
[0039] In the installed state, the outer circumferential surface of the flange 206 seals against the circumferential sealing edge 302, thereby defining a channel 330 in the upper portion of the breast pump 100. For this purpose, the flange 206 has a sealing edge 224 extending around the rear wall 320 and is provided with an elastic seal 226 that contacts the circumferential sealing edge 302 formed by the rear wall 320.
[0040] For example, in particular Figures 2 to 5 As illustrated, the channel 330 extends between the rear wall 320 and the flange 206. The channel 330 is in fluid communication with the reservoir 316 and connects the reservoir 316 to the nozzle 104, which is defined between the convex front surface 210 of the flange 206 and the tilting lip 322.
[0041] The following description illustrates the geometry of channel 330, which varies along its longitudinal direction L, corresponding to an extension of the longitudinal axis of symmetry LSA. (As from...) Figure 3 It is evident that the longitudinal axis of symmetry LSA intersects with the longitudinal axis LAN of the nipple channel 204 and defines the axial symmetry plane for the breast pump 100. In other words, the outer contour of the breast pump 100 is identical on both sides of the longitudinal axis of symmetry LSA.
[0042] Figure 4 and Figure 5 Both illustrate a transverse cross-sectional view of the implementation in a plane extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of symmetry, the LSA. Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the image, it can be seen that the channel 330 is generally formed between the convex front surface 210 of the flange 206 and the rear wall 320, the rear wall 320 having a substantially flat lateral wall section 332 and a curved intermediate wall section 334 defining the concave rear surface 336.
[0043] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the upstream portion of channel 330 is shown. The location of the upstream portion of channel 330 can be determined from... Figure 3 and Figure 2 It is found that, here, the lateral wall segment 332 of the rear wall 320, together with the lateral side of the flange 206, defines the lateral height LH of the channel 330 at the longitudinal axis of symmetry LSA. The lateral height LH corresponds to the distance between the milk container element 300 and the lateral side 228 of the breast shield element 200. A center height CH is provided between the convex front surface 210 and the concave rear surface 336. This center height CH in the upstream segment of the channel 330 is less than the lateral height LH, and less than... Figure 5 The center height CH in the upstream section of the channel 330 shown corresponds to the distance between the milk container element 300 and the breast shield element 200. Figure 5 In the middle, the lateral height LH is basically the same as Figure 4 Corresponding to the lateral height LH, the flow area FA of the flow channel 330 increases as the distance guided from the inlet opening 338 of the flow channel 330 to the downstream section 340 at the upper end of the reservoir 316 increases. This, along with the small flow area FA at the inlet opening 338, prevents accidental spillage of milk from the reservoir 316. Even if the user of the breast pump 100 is very active, any sloshing milk in the reservoir 316 is unlikely to reach the nozzle 104 and thus spill accidentally when the breast pump 100 is worn and used. Furthermore, as the center height CH increases towards the nozzle 104, the milk can collect near the nozzle 104 when poured out, thereby increasing the yield of milk to be poured from the reservoir 316. In fact, Figure 3 An arrow is shown indicating the main flow direction of the poured milk. This is specifically illustrated by referring to... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The described geometry of the flow channel 330 is such that the milk flow will be primarily transmitted in the lower portion of the channel 330 located on its lateral sides and thus between the lateral wall sections 332 on the two lateral sides and the corresponding lateral side sections 228 of the flange 206, while the flow is concentrated in the upstream section of the channel 330 and thus proceeds toward the nozzle 104.
[0044] As is clear from the accompanying drawings, channel 330 is disposed between reservoir 316 and nozzle 104. Furthermore, the drawings illustrate a breast pump 100 having a lower portion 106 of a hemispherical front surface 102 provided by a milk container element 300, while the upper portion 108 of the hemispherical front surface 102 is defined by a housing 400 and a shell 412 with a specific earth-shaped shape. Typically, the front surface mimics the natural appearance of a female breast, while the rear surface is adapted to conform to the female breast so that the surface of the breast pump 100 contacts the breast skin when the nipple is received within the nipple channel 204.
[0045] This invention can also be broadly interpreted to include any or all combinations of any two or more of the parts, elements, and features individually or jointly referred to or indicated in the description of this application, and where a particular whole is mentioned herein, that particular whole has a known equivalent in the field to which this invention pertains. Such known equivalents are considered to be incorporated herein as if separately stated. The (s) following a term as used herein may refer to the plural and / or singular form of that term.
[0046] List of reference numerals
[0047] 100 breast pumps
[0048] 102 Hemispherical front surface
[0049] 104 nozzles
[0050] The lower part of the 106 hemispherical front surface
[0051] The upper part of the 108 hemispherical front surface
[0052] 200 breast shield components
[0053] 202 Breast Support Bra
[0054] 204 Nipple passage
[0055] 206 flange
[0056] 208 Concave rear surface
[0057] 210 Convex front surface
[0058] 212 Milk export
[0059] 214 Pumping Inlet
[0060] 216 Pumping Chamber
[0061] 218 Edge Section
[0062] 220 membrane holder
[0063] 222 Fixed joint
[0064] 224 Sealing edge
[0065] 226 Resilient Seal
[0066] 228 Lateral side of the flange
[0067] 300 Milk Container Components
[0068] 302 circumferential sealing edge
[0069] 306 Milk Container
[0070] 308 Spherical shell section
[0071] 310 upper wall
[0072] 312 Male plug connection section
[0073] 314 Suction opening
[0074] 316 Memory
[0075] 318 bracket
[0076] 320 rear wall
[0077] 322 Pour on the lip line
[0078] Channel 330
[0079] 332 Lateral wall section
[0080] 334 Intermediate wall section
[0081] 336 Concave rear surface
[0082] 338 Entrance opening
[0083] 340 Downstream section
[0084] 400 housing
[0085] 402 Assembly
[0086] 404 battery
[0087] 406 Controller
[0088] 408PCB
[0089] 410 Interface
[0090] 412 Spherical shell outer casing
[0091] 414 Female plug connection section
[0092] 416 Working fluid side of the assembly
[0093] 500 Media Separation Element
[0094] 502 membrane
[0095] 504 valve
[0096] 506 wing section
[0097] 508 Fixed Opening
[0098] 510 Working fluid side
[0099] 512 Working Fluid Chamber
[0100] 514 Milk side
[0101] 516 Outer perimeter edge
[0102] FA flow area
[0103] L - Flow area in the longitudinal direction
[0104] LSA longitudinal axis of symmetry
[0105] Longitudinal axis of LAN nipple canal
[0106] Lateral height of LH channel
[0107] CH center height.
Claims
1. A breast pump (100), characterized in that, The breast pump (100) is shaped to be at least partially fitted inside the bra. The breast pump (100) includes a breast shield (202) having a nipple channel (204) adapted to receive the nipple of a breastfeeding user, an assembly (402) for providing circulating pressure within the nipple channel (204) to express milk from the breast of a breastfeeding user, and a milk container (306) defining a reservoir (316) adapted to hold a predetermined amount of expressed milk. The milk container (306) includes a nozzle (104) for pouring out the expressed milk contained in the milk container (306). The nozzle (104) is disposed in the upper portion of the milk container (306) in a conventional use position where the breast shield (202) rests against the breast of a breastfeeding user. A channel (330) is provided between the reservoir (316) and the nozzle (330).
2. The breast pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The milk container (306) and the channel (330) are disposed between the milk container element (300) and the breast shield element (200), the breast shield element (200) being releasably connected to the milk container element (300).
3. The breast pump according to claim 2, characterized in that, The milk container element (300) includes a housing section (308) and a rear wall (320) protruding from the housing section (308) toward the nozzle (320), and wherein the breast shield element (200) includes a flange (206) that hermetically engages with the milk container element (300) to define the reservoir (316), wherein the channel (330) is defined between the rear wall (320) and the flange (206).
4. The breast pump according to claim 3, characterized in that, The downstream section of the channel (330) has a larger flow area (FA) compared to the upstream section of the channel (330).
5. The breast pump according to claim 3, characterized in that, In a transverse cross-sectional view, the channel (330) is defined between the concave rear surface (336) of the rear wall (320) and the convex front surface (210) of the flange (206).
6. The breast pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the transverse direction, the flow area (FA) of the channel increases toward the nozzle.
7. The breast pump according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the transverse cross-sectional view of the channel (330) and along the longitudinal axis of symmetry (LSA) intersecting the nipple channel (204), the distance (CH) between the milk container element (300) and the breast shield element (200) is smaller in the downstream section (340) of the channel (330) than in the upstream section adjacent to the nozzle.
8. The breast pump according to claim 7, characterized in that, In the transverse cross-sectional view of the channel (330), the distance (LH) between the milk container element (300) and the lateral side (228) of the breast shield element (200) is approximately constant in the longitudinal direction (L) of the channel (330).
9. The breast pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The breast pump has a front surface (102), wherein a lower portion (106) of the front surface (102) is defined by the milk container (306), and an upper portion (108) of the front surface (102) is defined by a housing (400) that houses the assembly (402) and a controller (406) for controlling the assembly (402).
10. The breast pump according to claim 9, characterized in that, The breast pump also includes a milk container element (300) comprising a housing section (308), the milk container element (300) having an upper wall (310) covering the reservoir (316) and a rear wall (320) protruding from the upper wall (310) toward the nozzle (104), wherein the housing (400) is disposed between the upper wall (310) and the rear wall (320).
11. The breast pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The channel (330) protrudes from the upper wall (310) of the milk container element (300), which covers the reservoir (316) and is provided with a suction opening (314) connecting the working fluid side (510) of the membrane (502) to the working fluid side (416) of the assembly (402).
12. The breast pump according to claim 11, characterized in that, The membrane (502) is releasably connected to a membrane seat (220) provided by the breast shield element (200) to define a pumping chamber (216) in fluid communication with the nipple channel (204).
13. The breast pump according to claim 11, characterized in that, The breast pump also includes a housing (400) that houses the assembly (402) and a controller (406) for controlling the assembly (402), the housing (400) being arranged above the upper wall (310) covering the reservoir (316).
14. The breast pump according to claim 12, characterized in that, The channel (330) is defined between the rear wall (320) of the milk container element (300) and the flange (206) of the breast shield element (200), wherein the rear wall (320) protrudes from the upper wall (310), and wherein the flange (206) is sealingly engaged with the milk container element (300) to define the reservoir (316).