Passive milk collector

Abstract

A passive milk collector (2) comprising a body (4) comprising a compressible milk bag (6), a sealing surface (12), and an opening (14), wherein the compressible milk bag (6) is designed to be manually compressed by the user to create a negative pressure inside the milk bag (6), wherein the opening (14) is designed to receive the user's nipple, wherein the sealing surface (12) is designed to seal the milk collector (2) against the user's breast while the nipple is received in the opening (14), wherein the opening (14) is surrounded by the sealing surface (12) and is in fluid communication with a reservoir (16) provided by the milk bag (6), and wherein the body (4) is molded from a single piece of plastic, characterized in that the body (4) has a hollow portion (46) providing the milk bag (6),and a solid tip portion (10) which is arranged above the hollow portion in a use position of the collector (2).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a passive milk collector.

[0002] Such a milk collector is generally known from WO 2021 / 084283 A1.

[0003] The passive milk collector has a compressible milk sac that can be manually squeezed by the user to create negative pressure inside the milk sac to express milk from the user's breast. During use, the corresponding milk sac can be fitted into and worn by the user's bra. The passive collector is wearable within the bra. In other words, the user does not need to hold the milk sac. Even if the manual action of squeezing the milk sac is interrupted, the milk sac remains in place, with the user's nipple positioned in an opening that is in fluid communication with the milk sac. The milk sac acts as a reservoir for the expressed milk. The opening is the only aperture of the milk sac. Apart from the opening, the milk sac is sealed from the environment.Thus, when the collector is in use, the milk bag is predominantly, if not exclusively, positioned below the opening.

[0004] In the following description, the position of use refers to a position in which the milk collector rests against the user's breast in an orientation in which a longitudinal axis of the milk collector body runs substantially parallel to the sagittal plane. The longitudinal axis is usually the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the body. The corresponding body is usually shaped with mirror symmetry to this longitudinal axis. Thus, the passive milk collector can be used to express milk from the left or right breast in the same way. In the position of use, the body of the collector may be slightly inclined relative to the sagittal plane when viewed from above, so that the upper part or top of the body is positioned outwards and the lower part or bottom of the body is positioned inwards relative to a plane parallel to the sagittal plane.

[0005] A milk collector must generally meet several requirements. The milk collector should be lightweight, as it is supported by the bra, but at the same time be rigid enough to retain its shape during use, for example, when fitted into the bra. Such rigidity must not cause the milk collector to compress and collapse when squeezed by hand. Furthermore, the milk collector must be inexpensive and easy to manufacture. The materials used should be pleasant to the skin, especially those that come into direct contact with the user's breast. The breast of a breastfeeding mother is particularly sensitive.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a passive milk collector that solves at least some, if not all, of the above-mentioned problems and requirements.

[0007] To this end, the present invention proposes a milk collector having a body shaped at least partially for receipt within the user's bra. The body comprises a compressible milk bag, a sealing surface, and an opening. As in the prior art, the compressible milk bag is designed to be manually compressed by the user to create a negative pressure inside the milk bag. The opening of the body shape is designed to accommodate the user's nipple. Typically, this opening is the only opening to and from the milk bag. The body of the milk collector also has a sealing surface designed to seal the collector against the user's breast while the milk bag is manually compressed and the nipple is received in the opening.The opening is surrounded by the sealing surface and is in fluid communication with the milk bag, particularly a reservoir within the milk bag. The body of the passive milk collector of the present invention is molded from a single piece of plastic. Thus, the body of the present invention is a unitary plastic body. The entire passive milk collector is formed by a single unitary body made from a single piece of solidified or cured plastic.

[0008] To facilitate the manufacture of the housing, it is preferably molded from a single plastic material. This single plastic material is preferably the only material used to manufacture the milk collector. This plastic material is preferably a silicone material.

[0009] In order to improve the tight closure of the breast during use, the opening is preferably surrounded by a collar that projects outwards beyond the sealing surface, which in this embodiment can form a concave contact surface suitable for contacting the user's breast when the milk bag is squeezed to express milk, since at least the opening in this embodiment can be closed by the collar. The collar will not only have a corresponding concave surface. It will also offer a relatively large contact surface for the breast, so that the negative pressure inside the milk bag can be maintained. Thus, the collar can form a funnel-shaped elastic sealing surface that can be applied to the breast in a sealing manner and that can be deformed by the sealing application to the breast, for example.The funnel formed by the funnel-shaped surface is widened and / or the inclination of the funnel-shaped surface is changed. Furthermore, the sleeve can be deformed within a stem section, wherein the stem section of the sleeve provides a specific distance between a sealing surface of the sleeve and the concave contact surface.

[0010] The collar may have a varying wall thickness in the circumferential direction of the collar. The lower part of the collar may have a rather thin wall thickness corresponding to the wall thickness of the milk bag, while an upper peripheral portion of the collar may have a thick wall surface and / or be rigid, without any cavities, in order to improve the rigidity of the collar. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the upper part of the body of the collection container must not be significantly deformed during use of the collection container, i.e., upon its activation, while the lower part of the body, including the milk bag, is elastically deformed and displaced to a certain extent without losing contact with the user's breast, thereby maintaining the negative pressure in the milk bag.The peripheral portion of the collar, farthest from the milk bag and with the greatest wall thickness, may also be formed by a tip of the housing. The tip may be rigid to form a stiffener that forces the milk bag to assume a home position when the milk bag's compression is released during use of the collector.

[0011] Compared to a part of the body that at least partially surrounds the opening and has a greater wall thickness, the part of the body that at least partially forms the milk bag has a thinner wall thickness. Therefore, the milk bag is preferably completely surrounded by a thin wall. The part of the body that has the thin wall can terminate with an inlet channel defined by the opening and the above-mentioned collar projecting outwardly from the concave contact surface, or with a funnel-shaped recess projecting inwardly from the sealing surface into the body. The inwardly projecting funnel-shaped depression improves the seal against the user's chest. For better sealing, it is proposed to provide an intersection point between the funnel-shaped recess and the outer concave contact surface, this intersection point defining an elongated contour.This elongated contour extends along a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the body, whereby the longitudinal axis of symmetry runs essentially parallel to the sagittal plane in a use position of the milk collector.

[0012] In plan view, the body has the shape of a drop or an avocado with a large base area and a conical but rounded tip area. More specifically, within the outer periphery defined by this drop shape, the milk bag is defined between a lower periphery of the body and a boundary line extending convexly between two points arranged on the lower periphery. The points are namely arranged mirror-symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of symmetry. The points are provided in the region of the greatest width of the body in plan view. In other words, the intersection line extends convexly from opposite lateral portions of the lower part of the outer periphery of the body. Preferably, the opening is enclosed by the connecting line. In other words, the opening is provided between the connecting line and the lower periphery in plan view.Preferably, the section above the dividing line is solid. The section of the body below the dividing line forms the milk bag, which is preferably completely surrounded by a wall of constant thickness, wherein the thickness is comparatively small. Preferably, the dividing line separates the part of the milk collector with the thinner wall thickness from the part with the thicker wall thickness.

[0013] The aforementioned tip section preferably has a concave outer surface and a concave inner surface in cross-section along the longitudinal axis of symmetry. Preferably, the tip section forms part of the collar.

[0014] Preferably, the outer concave surface, which may come into contact with the user's breast during use, is provided with a scale indicating the volume of expressed milk in the milk bag. Such a scale is preferably located below the opening.

[0015] The unique configuration of the milk collector, with a hollow section forming the milk bag and a solid tip section, has proven to be rigid while allowing the bag to be compressed without risk of collapse. The design with a convex connecting line extending between the tip section and the milk bag, and with an opening enclosed by the connecting line in the top view of the body, further improves rigidity without inhibiting compression.

[0016] The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the milk collector along a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the embodiment; Fig. 2 is a rear view of the first embodiment; Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the first embodiment; Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of the first embodiment; Fig. 5 is a side view of the first embodiment; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the milk collector along a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the embodiment; Fig. 7 is a rear view of the second embodiment; Fig. 8 is a rear perspective view of the second embodiment; Fig. 9 is a front perspective view of the second embodiment; Fig. 10 is a side view of the second embodiment; Fig. 11 is a rear view of a variant of the first embodiment and Fig. 12 is a rear view of a variant of the second embodiment.

[0017] In the drawings, reference number 2 designates the passive milk collector, wherein the passive milk collector 2 is defined by a body 4. This body 4 consists of a milk bag 6 in a lower portion 8 and a fixed tip portion 10 in an upper portion of the body 4.

[0018] A rear side of the body 4, which is placed against the user's chest, has a sealing surface 12. The respective sealing surface 12 is concave in the longitudinal direction of the body 4 and in a direction transverse thereto.

[0019] Fig. Figure 1 also shows an opening 14 within the sealing surface 12, which leads into a reservoir 16 of the milk bag 6. Accordingly, the opening 14 is surrounded by the sealing surface 12. The opening 14 lies on a longitudinal axis, which in the embodiments illustrated in the drawings is the longitudinal axis of symmetry L. The body 4 is shaped mirror-symmetrically to this longitudinal axis of symmetry L.

[0020] The housing 4 of each embodiment is molded from a single piece of plastic. The body 4 is molded from a silicone material, which is the only material the body is made of.

[0021] By printing or deforming the plastic against a negative contour, 12 elements of a volume scale 18 are applied to the sealing surface, which extends along the longitudinal axis of symmetry L.

[0022] In Fig. 1, the reference numeral 20 designates a funnel-shaped recess that projects inward into the body 4. This funnel-shaped recess 20 extends from the sealing surface 12. An intersection point 22 of this funnel-shaped recess 20 and the sealing surface 12 defines an elongated contour that extends along the longitudinal axis of symmetry L of the body 4.

[0023] While the sealing surface 12 is substantially completely concave in shape to provide a concave contact surface for the user's chest, an outer surface 24 of the body 4 is strictly convexly curved; see Fig. 3. The intersection point between the outer surface 24 and the sealing surface 12 forms the outer circumference of the body 4, which is marked with the reference number 26.

[0024] In the use state, in which the longitudinal axis of symmetry L runs substantially parallel to the user's sagittal plane, the opening 14 is provided in the upper vertical half of the body 4. The milk bag 6 is arranged substantially below the opening 14.

[0025] The user's breast can rest against the sealing surface 12. The user's nipple protrudes through the opening 14. The funnel-shaped recess 20 improves the seal on the breast while the user squeezes the milk bag 6 to create a negative pressure within the milk bag 6 to pump the milk from the user's breast. Relative movement can lead to an incomplete seal across the entire sealing surface 12. However, the funnel-shaped recess 20 regularly ensures a complete, circumferential seal around the opening 14. Squeezing the milk bag 6 thus creates a negative pressure inside the milk bag 6. The elastic properties of the body force the body to assume an initial shape of the body 4 when the compression is released, this initial shape corresponding to the shape that the body 4 assumes without an external force exerted on the body 4.

[0026] The design of the thickness of the various sections of the housing 4 will also be apparent from the following description.

[0027] The opening 14 is located in an inlet channel 28, which has a further surface running perpendicular to the opening 14. The lower boundary of this inlet channel 28 has the shape of a lip 30 in cross-section. The upper boundary of this inlet channel 28 is formed by the solid tip section 10.

[0028] As from Fig. As can be seen in Figure 1, the wall thickness t1 surrounding and thus defining the milk bag 6 is substantially less than the wall thickness t2 of the solid tip portion 10. The wall thickness is generally defined by the distance between the outer and inner surfaces of a portion of the body 4 extending along a line intersecting at least one of the inner and outer surfaces at a right angle. The thicknesses t1 and t2 may vary in any case, but the thickness t2 must be sufficiently large to ensure the rigidity of the solid tip portion 10.

[0029] Due to the thin wall thickness, the walls of the body 4 that define the milk sac 6 can be easily compressed by a user's hand, with the breast possibly exerting at least a partial counterforce. The walls of the body 4 that define the milk sac 6 offer only limited resistance to a user's hand enclosing the body 4 and compressing the milk sac 6. The solid tip section 10 forms a stiffener that has a higher resistance to deformation. Because the tip section 10 is solid, the section itself cannot be considered manually compressible.

[0030] In Fig. 2, the reference number 32 denotes a boundary line that clarifies the boundary between the milk bag 6 and the solid tip part 10. In other words, above this boundary line 32, the body 4 is solid, while below the boundary line 32 it is hollow. This boundary line 32, together with a lower circumference 34 of the outer circumference 26, is purely convex. The dividing line 32 runs between two points 36 on the lower circumferential surface 34. These points 36 are arranged opposite one another transversely to the symmetrical longitudinal extension L of the body 4. The opening 14 is enclosed by the connecting line 32. In other words, the opening 14 is in a plan view as in Fig. 2 is positioned below the interface line 32 and above the lower perimeter 34. This has the advantage that the bag is located entirely below the entrance channel 28, so a user only needs to insert the brush from one direction to clean the bag. This is a feature that facilitates daily cleaning.

[0031] As shown in the top view of Fig. As can be seen in Figure 2, the body 4 has the shape of a drop. The entire outer surface is evenly curved. The solid tip section 10 has a cross-section that tapers wedge-shaped toward the free upper end of the body 4.

[0032] The Fig. 6 ff. illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a collar 38 surrounds the opening 14. The collar 38 projects outwardly beyond the sealing surface 12. In the second embodiment, the collar 38 is positioned outwardly from the sealing surface 12 by a shaft 40, with the shaft 40 providing an inlet channel 28.

[0033] As in Fig. 1 denotes t1 in Fig. 6 the wall thickness of the body part 4 surrounding the milk bag 6, wherein the first thickness t1 is approximately three times thinner than the thickness t2 of the solid tip portion 10, which is part of the collar 38. A peripheral portion 42 of the collar 38, which is furthest from the milk bag 6, has the greatest wall thickness, while the smallest wall thickness is formed by a lowermost peripheral portion 44 of the collar 38. From this description, it can be seen that the opening 14 is surrounded by a part of the housing 4 with a varying wall thickness. As a result, the upper part of the collar 38 fits better against the user's breast, while the lower part can bend during use of the passive collector 2, whereby the sealing contact of the breast with the collar 38 is also maintained in the lower part thereof, since the lower peripheral portion 44 of the collar 38 can be pressed against the breast with a higher degree of power, but not with a higher degree of pressure.

[0034] As in the previous embodiment, the reference number 32 in Fig. 7 is the interface line. Below this boundary line, the body 4 has a hollow section 46, which forms the milk bag 6. Above the connecting line 32, the body 4 forms the solid tip section 10.

[0035] As from Fig. 6, this tip portion 10 has a concave outer surface 48 and a concave inner surface 50, wherein the concave inner surface 50 forms part of the upper peripheral portion 42 of the collar 38.

[0036] The Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 show variants of the above-described embodiments for the transition between the sealing surface 12 and the reservoir 16. In the embodiment of Fig. 11, a funnel-shaped recess 20 is convexly curved, whereby a smooth transition and thus a seal against the breast is achieved.

[0037] In the embodiment of Fig. 12, the collar is spaced from the sealing surface 12 by a cylindrical shaft 40. Thus, the collar 38 is spaced equidistant from the surrounding sealing surface 12.

[0038] The flexible material from which the body 4 is made can be such that a single embodiment can take on the inwardly directed funnel-shaped recess 20 and the outwardly projecting collar 38. In other words, the Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 could represent different situations provided by the same body / product. List of reference symbols 2 passive milk collectors 4 bodies 6 milk bags 8 Lower part 10 Fixed lace part 12 Sealing area 14 Opening 16 containers 18 volume scale 20 funnel-shaped recess 22 Intersection 24 exterior area 26 outer circumference 28 input channels 30 lips 32 interface 34 Lower circumference 36 points 38 collar 40 shaft 42 Circumference part of the collar 44 Circumference part of the collar 46 hollow profile 48 concave outer surface 50a concave inner surface. L I Longitudinal axis of symmetry t1 wall thickness of the milk bag t2 Wall thickness of the solid tip section QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] WO 2021 / 084283 A1

[0002]

Claims

[1] A passive milk collector (2) comprising a body (4) comprising a compressible milk bag (6), a sealing surface (12) and an opening (14), wherein the compressible milk bag (6) is designed to be manually compressed by the user to create a negative pressure inside the milk bag (6), wherein the opening (14) is designed to receive the user's nipple, wherein the sealing surface (12) is designed to seal the milk collector (2) against the user's breast while the nipple is received in the opening (14), wherein the opening (14) is surrounded by the sealing surface (12) and is in fluid communication with a reservoir (16) provided by the milk bag (6), and wherein the body (4) is molded from a single piece of plastic, characterized bythat the body (4) has a hollow portion (46) providing the milk bag (6) and a solid tip portion (10) arranged above the hollow portion in a use position of the collector (2). [2] Milk collector according to claim 1, wherein in a plan view of the body a boundary line (32) runs convexly between the tip portion (10) and the milk bag (6). [3] Milk collector according to claim 2, wherein in a plan view of the body (4) the opening (14) is enclosed by the dividing line (32). [4] Milk collector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the tip section (10) is arranged in a plan view on a longitudinal axis of symmetry (L), which longitudinal axis of symmetry (L) runs substantially parallel to the sagittal plane in a position of use of the milk collector (2), wherein the tip section (10) is formed in a plan view mirror-symmetrical to the longitudinal axis of symmetry (L), wherein the tip section (10) has a concave outer surface (48) and a concave inner surface (50) in a cross-sectional view along the longitudinal axis of symmetry (L). [5] Milk collector (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the milk bag (6) is defined in a plan view of the body (4) by a lower circumference (34) of the body (4) and a convex cutting line (32) between two points (36) on the lower circumference (34), wherein the points (36) are arranged mirror-symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis of symmetry (L), wherein the longitudinal axis of symmetry (L) in a use position of the breast pump (2) runs substantially parallel to the sagittal plane. [6] Milk collector (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (4) is formed from a single plastic material. [7] Milk collector (2) according to claim 6, wherein the body (4) is formed from a silicone material. [8] Milk collector (2) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the opening (14) is surrounded by a collar (38) which projects outwards from the sealing surface (12). [9] Milk collector (2) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the opening (14) is defined by an open end of a funnel-shaped recess (20) which projects inwardly into the body (4) from the sealing surface (12). [10] Milk collector (2) according to claim 9, wherein an intersection point (22) of the funnel-shaped recess (20) and the sealing surface (12) defines an elongated contour extending along a longitudinal axis of symmetry (L) of the body (4), which longitudinal axis of symmetry (L) runs substantially parallel to the sagittal plane in a position of use of the milk pump (2). [11] Milk collector (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a portion of the body (4) which at least partially defines the milk bag (6) has a thinner wall thickness (t1) than a portion of the body which at least partially surrounds the opening (14). [12] Milk collector (2) according to claim 11, wherein the ratio between the wall thickness (t2) which at least partially surrounds the opening (14) and the wall thickness (t1) which at least partially delimits the milk bag (6) is between 3 and 8, preferably between 3 and 6, particularly preferably between 4 and 5. [13] Milk collector (2) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the opening (14) is surrounded by a collar (38) which has a different wall thickness in the circumferential direction, wherein a circumferential section (42) of the collar (38) which is furthest away from the milk bag (6) has the greatest wall thickness. [14] Milk collector (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (4) is at least partially shaped to fit into a user's bra.

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