GB2082920A - A device for expressing breast milk - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for expressing breast milk has a hood (1) provided with connections (2, 3) for a suction line and for a receiving container or receptacle (4). Additionally, there is arranged at the suction hood (1) a collecting or catch chamber (5), at the outlet of which there is provided a valve (6) formed by a bore 8 in the base 5'' of the chamber (5) and a ball (9) in a housing (10). When a negative pressure is applied to the suction line theball 9 seals the bore 8 and milk collects in the chamber (5). When the negative pressure is removed, the ball (9) is released from the bore (8) and the milk flows to the receiving container (4). Suction construction renders possible a more balanced and reliable operation of the entire suction device. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Suction hood for a device for expressing breast milk The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a suction hood for a device for expressing breast milk, comprising a hood body or member, a connecting stud or connection for a vacuum line or conduit and a connection stud or connection for a receiving container or receptacle.

Suction hoods of this general type are known to the art and constitute an essential component of suction equipment or devices for expressing breast milk. Of course, such devices contain a suction pump which, as a rule, intermittingly generates a vacuum or negative pressure. Apart from the purely hygienic requirements for such equipment there also exist technical problems which are at least partly insufficiently solved with the prior art constructions.

Thus, it repeatedly happens that the milk reaches the vacuum line or even the pump. This is counteracted by arranging so-called safety volumes between the hood and the pump which, however, is associated with a fairly great technical expenditure. Additionally, new problems are created, for example, with reference to the system or the actual operation, since varying degrees of vacuum or negative pressure can occur.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved construction of a suction hood which is not associated with the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations of the prior art.

Another and more specific object of the present invention is directed to devising a new and improved construction of suction hood for equipment for expressing breast milk, which suction hood is relatively simple in construction and design, economical to manufacture, extremely reliable in operation, not readily subject to breakdown or malfunction, requires a minimum of maintenance and servicing, and is effective in positively expressing breast milk without fouling the equipment.

Now in order to implement these and still further objects of the invention, which will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, the suction hood of the present development is manifested by the features that following the hood body or member there is arranged a collecting or catch chamber, at the outlet of which there is provided a valve. This valve closes a throughpassage or passage leading from a collecting or catch chamber to the receiving container when there is applied a vacuum or negative pressure, but opens such throughpassage or passage during the remainder of the operation.

Owing to the provision of the collecting or catch chamber which is equipped with a valve, milk can be pumped, for instance, to a receiving container which is in the form of a plastic bag or sack, since the vacuum or negative pressure no longer affects the receiving container. Moreover, an overflow can be avoided, since the valve opens promptly and the sucked-off milk can flow into the receiving container.

The novel embodiment of suction hood according to the invention solves leakage or sealing problems and makes it possible to employ smaller pumps, since the volume of the vacuum or negative pressure which is necessary for intermittent operation can be considerably smaller in comparison to known solutions; it is unnecessary to create a vacuum for either the volume of the receiving container because of the valve or for the safety volume because of the nonexistence of any such safety volume.

A particularly important advantage of the present invention resides in the fact that there can be applied a constant negative pressure or vacuum, since no variable volumes are present in the system. Heretofore the volume of the receiving container changed during the filling thereof.

Finally, it should be here mentioned that the new hood is exceedingly simple in its construction and design.

The collecting or catch chamber is removably attached, preferably together with the valve arranged therein, to the rest of the hood, by means of a suitable snap closure or threaded or rotatable closure element.

Advantageously, the valve is formed by providing a bore in the floor or base of the collecting chamber and through the provision of a closing body or closure element which is arranged beneath such bore. Such closing body or closure element can be formed of a light material and constructed in the form of a cage.

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed single drawing which depicts a vertical sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a suction hood according to the invention.

Turning now to the single Figure of the drawing, the therein illustrated suction hood or suction hood arrangement will be seen to comprise an actual hood body or hood member 1.

a connection stud or connection 2 which flow communicates with the internal space 1 a thereof and leads to a not particularly illustrated vacuum suction line or conduit, and a further connection stud or connection 3 for a container or receptacle 4 which is indicated by broken or phantom lines.

The container or receptacle 4 may be formed of plastic and is constructed as one piece.

Inside the connection 3 there is additionally provided a collecting or catch chamber 5, at the lower end or base region 5' of which there is arranged a valve 6. This valve 6 is composed of a bore 8 formed in the floor or base 5" of the collecting chamber 5 and a valve body 9. The valve body 9 can be formed, for instance, as a ball consisting of any suitable light material and can be arranged in a cage or cage-like housing 10.

The collecting or catch chamber 5 is desirably removably attached to the rest of the hood body 1 by means of a suitable releasable closure or attachment means 7, which may be for instance a standard snap closure or a rotatable or threaded closure or locking means. Thus, the entire device can be cleaned relatively effortlessly.

When the hood body 1 is held against the breast of the user and a vacuum or negative pressure is formed, the valve body 9 is lifted to the position 9r, which has been indicated by broken lines, and thus closes the bore 8 and therewith the collecting or catch chamber 5. As soon as the negative pressure or vacuum is discontinued, the valve body 9 drops into the lower position 9 shown in full lines and the milk which has been collected in collecting chamber 5 can flow off downwardly through the cage-like housing 10 into the receiving container 4.

Of course, the valve body 9 which is here constructed, by way of example and not limitation, as a ball in the embodiment under discussion, also could be replaced by a valve body of a different design, such as, for instance, a semi-spherical cup equipped with a guide which extends through the bore 8. Other valve or flap means which can be activated by negative pressure or vacuum are also conceivable.

Claims (8)

1. A suction hood arrangement for a device for expressing breast milk comprising: a hood body; connection means capable of connecting said hood body with a vacuum line; connection means for connecting said hood body to a receiving container; means defining a collecting chamber provided for said hood body; said collecting chamber having an outlet; a valve provided for said outlet of said collecting chamber; said valve being capable of closing a passageway from the collecting chamber to the receiving container when a vacuum is applied; and said valve freeing said passageway in the absence of said vacuum.

2. The suction hood as defined in claim 1, further including: means for releasably connecting said collecting chamber and said valve with said hood body.

3. The suction hood as defined in claim 2, wherein: said releasably connecting means comprises a snap closure arranged betwen said hood body and said collecting chamber.

4. The suction hood as defined in claim 2, wherein: said releasably connecting means comprises i rotatable locking means located between said hood body and said collecting chamber.

5. The suction hood as defined in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: said valve comprises a bore provided in a floor of said collecting chamber and a closing body arranged beneath said bore.

6. The suction hood as defined in claim 5, wherein: said closing body is arranged in a cage.

7, The suction hood as defined in claim 6, wherein: said closing body comprises a ball.

8. A suction hood for a device for expressing breast milk substantially as herein described with reference to and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.