GB2366732A

GB2366732A - Breast pump and shoulder support

Info

Publication number: GB2366732A
Application number: GB0022901A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Ivan Mccarroll
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-09-19
Filing date: 2000-09-19
Publication date: 2002-03-20
Anticipated expiration: 2020-09-19
Also published as: GB0022901D0; GB2366732B

Abstract

A combination breast pump and shoulder support comprises a j-shaped support 10A for location on the shoulder of the user, and a pump 16A mounted on the distal end of the support. The support is preferably padded, and the pump may be integral or detachable from the support.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> "THE COMBINATION OF A BREAST PUMP AND SHOULDER SUPPORT THEREFOR" This invention relates to the combination of a breast pump and a shoulder support therefor.

Breast pumps are well known per se. They are used by women who have excess milk in order to prevent discomfort. They are also used by women who wish to return to work after giving birth but still want their child to have the advantages which breast milk can offer. Many women now also donate excess milk to "milk banks" which in turn provide the milk for sick infants in hospitals.

Use of such a pump may have to be over fairly long periods of time, during which the pump has to be hand held. This makes it difficult for a woman using a breast pump to engage in any other activity at the same time and denies her the use of at least one of her hands.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide in a simple and economical manner a solution to this problem, enabling a breast pump to be used "hands free" and so that the user has full mobility while the pump is in use. A woman using the combination of the present invention will be able to move about the home and engage in other activities while the pump is in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a combination which will provide for adjustment to suit women of different build.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided the combination of a breast punp - and a shoulder support therefor, the support being substantially of inverted J-shape to have a portion for location on the shoulder of a user and a depending stem to pass in front of the user, the pmp being mounted on the distal end of the stem of the support.

Said portion of the support for location on the shoulder is preferably rounded and padded. The shoulder pad may be adjustable along the length of said shoulder portion of the support,

The breast pump may be integral with the stem of the support. In this case preferably one of said stem and of said portion for location on the shoulder is hollow and the other is telescopically received therein so that the effective length of the stem is adjustable.

Alternatively the breast pump may be detachable from the support. In this case the stem may have a longitudinal slot through which a spigot on the breast pump can be inserted, clamping means being provided to clamp the pump to the support with the spigot at a chosen position along the slot. The stem may comprise parallel frame members joined at their opposite ends, a shoulder pad -spanning the frame members in the region of the portion of the support for location on the shoulder and being movable along the length of the frame members. Means is preferably provided for locking the shoulder pad at a chosen position along the frame members.

The breast pump may have on a side thereof remote from the breast cup thereof a spigot rotatably supporting a toggle member adapted releasably to secure the breast pump to the support.

The toggle may be elongated and may be dimensioned to pass between the frame members when in a generally vertical orientation and to clamp the breast pump to the frame members when rotated to a generally horizontal orientation.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a first embodiment of a combination in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the combination of Figure 1, showing the support located on a shoulder while the pump is applied to a breast; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the combination of Figures 1 and 2 illustrating its adjustment features; Figure 4 shows the combination of Figures 1-3 in use; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a second embodiment of a combination in accordance with the invention;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 of the combination of Figure 5, and Figure 7 illustrates the combination of Figures 5 and 6 in use.

Referring first to Figures 1-4, a breast pump support 10 comprises parallel frame members 11, 12 joined at their ends and bent generally to an inverted J-shape to have a rounded portion 13 and a stem portion 14 depending therefrom. Thus the greater part of the stem portion 14 has a longitudinal slot through which may be inserted a spigot 15 projecting from a side of a breast pump 16 which is remote from the breast cup 17 thereof - Rotatable on the spigot 15 is an elongated toggle 18 dimensioned to pass through the slot between f rame members 11, 12 when in a generally vertical attitude, but which can be twisted to a generally horizontal attitude after passing through the slot so as to clamp the breast pump 16 to the support 10 at a chosen position along the stem 14.

The rounded portion 13 of the support comprises a shoulder pad 19 which spans the frame members 11,12 and is movable longitudinally thereof. the shoulder pad 19 incorporates a mechanism (not shown) whereby it can be locked against movement relative to the frame members when in a chosen position, this mechanism being operable by a twist grip 20.

Referring to Figure 3, the position of the breast pump 16 along the stem 14 is adjustable in the directions of double arrow and the position of the shoulder pad 19 is adjustable in the directions of double arrow B to accommodate the combination as a whole to a particular user. The breast pump 16 is locked in the chosen position by manipulating toggle 18 and the shoulder pad 19 is locked in position by manipulating twist grip 20.

Thus with the shoulder pad 19 comfortably located on the shoulder (Figure 4) the cup 17 of the breast pump can be brought to an optimum position to engage a breast (Figure 2).

In the alternative embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figures 5-7 the breast pump 16A is integral with the distal end of the stem 14A of the support 10A. The support 10A is hollow and telescopically receives the stem 14A so that the effective length of the latter is adjustable. Dimples 21 on the front of the stem 14A are selectively engageable by a catch (not shown) of the shoulder portion 10A to hold the stem 14A at a chosen extension out of the shoulder portion. A thumb slide

22 on the shoulder portion is operable to disengage the catch to enable the stem 14A to be moved.

Indicated at 23 is a control incorporated in the shoulder portion 10A whereby the suction of the breast purnp 16A may be varied.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. The combination of a breast pump and a shoulder support therefor, the support being substantially of inverted i-shape to have a portion for location on the shoulder of a user and a depending stem to pass in front of the user, the pump being mounted on the distal.end of the stem of the support.
2. The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said portion of the support for location on the shoulder is rounded.
3. The combination claimed in either preceding claim, wherein said portion of the support for location on the shoulder is padded.
4. The combination claimed in claim 3, wherein the shoulder pad is adjustable along the length of said portion of the support for location on the shoulder.
5. The combination claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the breast pump is integral with the stem of the support.
6. The combination claimed in claim 5, wherein one of said stem and of said portion for location on the shoulder is hollow and the other is telescopically received therein so that the effective length of the stem is adjustable.
7. The combination claimed in any one of claims 1-4, wherein the breast pump is detachable from the support.
8. The combination claimed in claim 7, wherein the stem has a longitudinal slot through which a spigot on the breast pump may be inserted, clamping means being provided to clamp the pump to the support with the spigot at a chosen position along the slot.
9. The combination claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the stem comprises parallel frame members joined at their opposite ends, a shoulder pad spanning the frame members in the region of the portion of the support for location on the shoulder and being movable along the length of the frame members.

<Desc/Clms Page number 6>
10. The combination claimed in claim 9, wherein means is provided for locking the shoulder pad at a chosen position along the frame members.
11. The combination claimed in any one of claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the breast pump has on a side thereof remote from the breast cup thereof a spigot rotatably supporting a toggle member adapted releasably to secure the breast pump to the support.
12. The combination claimed in claim 11, wherein the toggle is elongated and is dimensioned to pass between the frame members when in a generally vertical orientation and to clamp the breast pump to the frame members when rotated to a generally horizontal orientation.
13. The combination of a breast pump and a shoulder support therefor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1-4 or Figures 5-8 of the accompanying drawings.
14. A shoulder support for use in the combination claimed in any one of the preceding claims.