JP2015152144A - Valve device, breast pump using valve device and artificial nipple - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a valve device capable of realizing an accurate valve opening action or a breast pump using the valve device and an artificial nipple.SOLUTION: This invention relates to a valve device comprising a cylindrical base part 101, and a valve body having a pair of planer movable segments 104 and 105 which extend continuously from the lower end of the base part 101 and integrally downwardly, with a distance therebetween decreasing gradually and which are closed as a normal-closed state at the lower end. An alignment line at the lower ends of the pair of planer movable segments is formed with a slit-like cutting line 106, one planer movable segment 105 of the pair of planer movable segments shows a lower rigidity than that of the other planer movable segment 104, and the one planer movable segment having a lower rigidity is deformed before the other planer movable segment is deformed to cause the slit to be opened or closed.

Description

  The present invention relates to a valve device, and an improvement of a breast pump and an artificial nipple provided with the valve device.

In a breast pump used by a mother or the like for milking milk, a trumpet-shaped milking portion is brought into contact with the breast of the user, and negative milk is sucked by intermittently forming a negative pressure. At this time, a structure with a valve body that draws a certain amount of breast milk into the milking part and drops it to the bottle side when the drawn breast milk has accumulated a little so that it falls into a bottle connected to the milking part when it reaches a predetermined amount Is known (Patent Document 1).
Further, for example, a duckbill valve is also used for a ventilation valve of an artificial nipple that is used by being attached to and detached from a sucker (Patent Document 2, FIG. 1, FIG. 2, etc.).

Japanese Patent No. 4767328 US Patent Publication 2005 / 0252875A1

Here, the valve body used in the breast pump of Patent Document 1 and the vent valve used in the artificial nipple of Patent Document 2 are so-called “duck bill valves” as shown in FIG.
FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a valve device 1 of a general duckbill valve.
The valve device 1 includes two valve bodies 2a and 2b, which are planar movable parts having the same shape below the base part 4, depending on the weight of the liquid guided to the base part 4 and the air pressure as indicated by an arrow A. The check valve is displaced in the directions of arrows B and B, the slit 3 is opened, and the accumulated liquid or air is allowed to pass through. The check valve is normally closed.

Here, the valve device 1 shown in FIG. 11 is formed integrally with a synthetic resin or the like, and then a cutter (cutting blade) at an accurate position at the lower joint vertex of the two valve bodies 2a and 2b shown in the figure. The slit 3 is formed by cutting or cutting using a press or the like.
However, this cutting or incision is not performed at the exact position of the lower joint apex of the two valve bodies. For example, the cutting or incision is performed at the positions 3a and 3b in FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the valve device 1 causes a malfunction as a check valve, for example, the slit 3 is partially adhered and does not open properly, or a gap is always generated in the slit 3. There is.

  Moreover, when the weight and pressure of the arrow A in FIG. 11 are equally applied to the two valve bodies, the slit 3 is difficult to open, and malfunction may occur.

  Then, this invention aims at providing the valve apparatus which can implement | achieve exact valve opening operation | movement, and the milking machine and artificial teat using the same.

The present invention has a cylindrical base and a pair of surfaces that extend downward integrally and continuously from the lower end of the base so that the mutual distance gradually decreases and is closed as a normally closed at the lower end. A slit having a slit-like cut, and one surface of the pair of planar movable parts. The planar movable part is configured to have lower rigidity than the other planar movable part, and the one planar movable part having low rigidity is deformed before the other planar movable part is deformed, so that the cut is generated. A valve device configured to open and close.
According to the above configuration, one of the pair of planar movable parts constituting the valve device is necessarily inferior in bending resistance to the other planar movable part. Therefore, it can be easily deformed, easily deformed and opened. Accordingly, the planar movable parts do not stick to each other at the tip part for forming the opening, and the valve is easily opened, so that the opening operation can be reliably performed.

Preferably, the pair of planar movable parts are made of the same elastic material, and the thickness of the one planar movable part is smaller than the thickness of the other planar movable part.
According to the above configuration, according to the above configuration, since the thickness of one planar movable portion is formed thinner than the thickness of the other planar movable portion, as long as it is formed of the same material, the surface Since the planar movable part is necessarily inferior to the other planar movable part in bending resistance, the thinner planar movable part is easier to open than the other planar movable part due to pressure such as the weight of the liquid. Accordingly, the planar movable parts do not stick to each other at the tip part for forming the opening, and the valve is easily opened, so that the opening operation can be reliably performed.

Preferably, the base and the valve body are integrally formed of a synthetic resin, the joint line at the lower end is thinner than the pair of planar movable parts, and the cut acts on the stress from the outside. It is formed by these.
According to the above configuration, when the slit is formed by applying a stress to the joint between the planar movable parts at the lower end of the valve body, it is correct as compared with the case where the slit is formed by cutting with a cutter or the like. Since a uniform cut without distortion can be formed at the position, a valve element that can be reliably opened can be formed. For this reason, when the pressure of liquid etc. applies equally to both planar movable parts, the slit 3 is hard to open and it can prevent appropriately that it causes a malfunction.

In addition, the present invention includes a substantially conical milking portion that comes into contact with a user's breast, a milking device main body that includes the milking portion, is attached and detached so as to communicate with a bottle, and is connected to the milking portion. A breast pump comprising a negative pressure state and pressure changing means for alternately generating at least an atmospheric pressure state as a pressure higher than the negative pressure state, wherein the milking unit is in contact with a breast of a user A milk chamber by milking is guided downward through a sealed space that can be provided, and is provided with a small chamber valve that is a space in which the breast milk is temporarily stored. The small chamber valve has a cylindrical base portion and a lower end of the base portion. It has a small chamber valve that includes a valve body that has a pair of planar movable parts that extend continuously and integrally downward, gradually decrease in distance from each other, and are closed as a normally closed at the lower end. , A gap between the lower ends of the pair of planar movable parts The one-side movable part of the pair of planar movable parts is configured to have a lower rigidity than the other planar movable part, and the one of the pair of planar movable parts has a low rigidity. A breast pump configured to open and close the cut when the planar movable part is deformed before the other planar movable part is deformed.
According to the above configuration, after the breast milk guided from the milking part is temporarily stored, one of the two planar movable parts constituting the small chamber valve is movable in the other planar form. Since the bending resistance is always inferior to that of the portion, it is easily deformed by pressure such as the weight of the liquid, and is easily deformed and opened. Accordingly, the planar movable parts do not stick to each other at the tip part for forming the opening, and the valve is easily opened, so that the opening operation can be reliably performed.

Further, the present invention is a molded product made of an elastic material such as a soft resin, which is formed into a generally conical hollow body, and has a connection portion that is expanded in accordance with the diameter of a container to be attached, and the connection portion. Are formed continuously, and are provided with an areola portion that is gradually reduced in diameter and extended from the areola portion, and a nipple portion that is further reduced in diameter than the areola portion, An artificial nipple provided with a flange portion provided at a connection portion and having a predetermined thickness, and a check valve on the flange portion, wherein the check valve is continuous from a cylindrical base portion and a lower end of the base portion. And a valve body having a pair of planar movable portions that are gradually extended downward, gradually decreasing in distance from each other, and closed as a normally closed at the lower end, and the pair of surfaces A slit-like cut is formed at the joint at the lower end of the movable part Of the pair of planar movable parts, one planar movable part is configured to have lower rigidity than the other planar movable part, and the one planar movable part having low rigidity is movable to the other planar movable part. The artificial nipple is configured such that the cut is opened and closed by being deformed before the portion is deformed.
According to the above configuration, one planar movable part of the pair of planar movable parts of the check valve as a vent valve provided in the flange part is surely inferior in bending resistance to the other planar movable part. Therefore, it is easily deformed by pressure such as the weight of the liquid, and is easily deformed and opened. Accordingly, the planar movable parts do not stick to each other at the tip part for forming the opening, and the valve is easily opened, so that the opening operation can be reliably performed.
For this reason, the artificial nipple provided with the function to ventilate reliably can be provided.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a valve device that can realize an accurate valve opening operation, a breast pump and an artificial nipple using the valve device.

The schematic perspective view which looked at the valve apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention from diagonally downward. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal end view of the valve device of FIG. 1. The enlarged view of the lower end vicinity of FIG. The bottom view of the valve apparatus of FIG. The schematic perspective view of the milking machine which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The schematic sectional drawing of the milking unit of the milking machine of FIG. The schematic sectional drawing of 1st Embodiment of the artificial nipple of this invention. The expanded sectional view of FIG. The expanded sectional view of 2nd Embodiment of the artificial nipple of this invention. FF schematic sectional drawing of FIG. The cutting end surface which shows an example of the conventional duckbill valve. FIG. 12 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a state of a tip of the duckbill valve in FIG. 11.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The embodiment described below is a preferred specific example of the present invention, and thus various technically preferable limitations are given. However, the scope of the present invention is particularly limited in the following description. Unless otherwise stated, the present invention is not limited to these forms.

(Embodiment of valve device)
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the valve device 100 according to the embodiment as viewed from below, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal end view thereof.
In the figure, for example, the entire valve device 100 is integrally formed of synthetic resin or the like, and is preferably formed of an elastic body such as silicone rubber, elastomer, or natural rubber.
The valve device 100 includes a base 101 and a valve body 102.
In this embodiment, the base 101 has a cylindrical shape, and can be attached to, for example, a tubular passage of fluid such as liquid or gas. In particular, the base 101 of the valve device is flexible and elastic. A rigid tube can be attached and detached with one touch using its elasticity. For this reason, disassembly and cleaning are easy.

  If such a function can be exhibited, the base 101 does not necessarily have a cylindrical shape, and may be a rectangular tube or an elliptical cylinder corresponding to the shape of a pipe line or the like to be attached. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which exhibits the function as a small chamber which can store a fluid temporarily by giving a certain amount of length and volume to base 101 itself.

  A valve body 102 that extends continuously from the lower end of the base 101 and extends downward is formed.

  Specifically, the hollow valve body 102 is provided so as to extend downward, and as is understood with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. . That is, the two sheet-like movable parts 104 and 105 are continuously joined as a plane in which the distance from each other gradually decreases, and the bottom end is a butted portion that is closed as a normally closed state by elastic action. Becomes an opening (opening / closing opening) 106 formed of slit-like cuts.

Particularly important here is that one of the two sheet movable parts 104 and 105 is configured such that one of the sheet movable parts 105 has lower rigidity than the other sheet movable part 104. In order to provide a difference in rigidity in this way, for example, a method is considered in which the materials of the respective parts of the pair of planar movable parts 104 and 105 are made of different materials by, for example, two-color molding, and the rigidity of each part is made different. .
Alternatively, a method may be considered in which the thickness of one planar movable portion 105 is formed to be thinner than the thickness of the other planar movable portion 104. In this embodiment, the thickness of one planar movable part 105 is made thinner than the thickness of the other planar movable part 104 to reduce the rigidity of one planar movable part 105 and the other planar movable part 105. It is easier to deform than the movable part 104.

  Accordingly, one planar movable portion 105 formed thinner than the thickness of the other planar movable portion 104 is necessarily inferior in bending resistance to the other planar movable portion 104, and is indicated by an arrow in FIG. Due to the weight or pressure of the fluid, the lower planar portion of one of the thinner planar movable portions 105 is easier to open than the other planar movable portion 104. As a result, the planar movable parts 104 and 105 do not adhere to each other at the tip part forming the cut line 106, and the valve is easily opened, so that the opening operation of the cut line 106 can be performed reliably. .

Here, when silicone is selected as the entire material of the valve device 100, the thickness of one planar movable portion 105 is preferably about 0.20 mm to 0.55 mm, and the thickness of the other planar movable portion 104 is. The thickness is preferably 150% or more with respect to the thickness of one planar movable part 105.
Furthermore, the thickness of the joint at the lower end of the pair of planar movable parts 104 and 105 is preferably 20% or less of the thickness of one planar movable part 105. In the embodiment, the thickness of one planar movable portion 105 is 0.35 mm, the thickness of the other planar movable portion 104 is 0.7 mm, and the material thickness of the lower end joint (the portion of the cut 106) is 0. About 0.03 mm.
In this case, if the thickness of one planar movable part 105 is less than 0.20 mm, it is below a significant level in terms of ease of deformation, and if the thickness of one planar movable part 105 exceeds 0.55 mm. Since it becomes difficult to deform | transform, all will interfere in the reliable opening and closing of the cut | interruption 106.
If the thickness of the other planar movable part 105 is less than 150% of the thickness of one planar movable part 104, the planar movable parts are likely to adhere to each other, which hinders reliable opening and closing of the cut 106. coming out.
Furthermore, if the thickness of the joint at the lower end of the pair of planar movable parts 104 and 105 exceeds 20% of one planar movable part 105, the cut 106 cannot be formed due to a slight stress. Distortion occurs in the planar movable part 105 side, or the cut 106 is formed at an inappropriate position such as entering one planar movable part 105, thereby hindering the reliable opening and closing of the cut 106. There is a case.

In this valve device 100, in order to form the cut 106 of the valve body 102 at an accurate position and improve the opening / closing accuracy, a method of forming the slit-like cut 106 by a cutting method such as a cutter is not adopted. Is preferred.
Instead, at the time of manufacturing, stress is applied toward the tip of the valve body 102 (where the slit 106 is to be formed) in the valve device 100. As a result, since the portion is a portion where the material thickness is extremely thin, it can be broken along the thin portion of the material by the stress, so that a cut is formed at an accurate position, and the cut 106 is accurately positioned at the tip position of the valve body 102. Provided.

As a result, it is possible to prevent the valve body from being distorted or burred, so it is effective that the slit-like cut 106 of the valve device 100 partially adheres and does not open properly or does not close properly. Can be prevented.
Note that the thickness of the pair of planar movable portions 104 and 105 does not necessarily have to be uniform as a whole.
That is, the above-described thickness range applies particularly to the distal end side (cut 106 side) of each planar movable part, and the proximal end side (base 101 side) of each planar movable part. May be larger than the thickness range.
In addition, it is preferable that the front end side (the cut | interruption 106 side) of the said planar movable part includes the range of about 1/3 at least in the length direction from the front end part of this planar movable part.

(Embodiment of breast pump)
FIG. 5 shows the whole milking machine 20 as an embodiment to which the valve device of the present invention is applied. In the figure, the milking machine 20 is a milking unit 50 and a pressure connected by this milking unit 50 and a pipe 43. And a pump unit 51 as changing means.

First, the milking unit 50 will be described.
FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the milking unit 50. In the drawing, the milking unit 50 includes a breast pump body 21 (hereinafter referred to as “main body”) that can be attached to and detached from a bottle 47 that is a container for storing milked milk. I have.
This milking machine 20 is applied as an embodiment of the present invention to a valve device that temporarily stores milk that has been milked and drops it into a bottle 47 as will be described later.
In the breast pump 20, the main body 21 is formed of, for example, a relatively light and strong synthetic resin material, for example, polycarbonate, polycycloolefin, polyethersulfone, polyamide, polypropylene, or the like. Yes.
As shown in FIG. 7, the main body 21 includes a detachable part 25 that attaches and detaches with a bottle 47 for storing milked milk. The detachable part 25 is, for example, a flat cylindrical part, and has an internal thread part 25a on the inside, and is screwed with an external thread part formed around the bottle mouth of the bottle 47. Yes. The bottle 47 may be a dedicated product for the breast pump 20 or a bottle body such as a baby bottle adapted to the detachable portion 25.

In FIG. 6, a conical or trumpet milking portion 22 that opens outward in an inclined state is provided on an upper portion of the attaching / detaching portion 25 of the main body 21.
The milking section 22 includes an opening passage 11 that is slightly expanded to constitute the air passage 23, and an opening distal end portion 12 that is integrally provided on the distal end side of the opening passage 11 and is greatly expanded in a trumpet shape. These are formed of the same material as that of the main body 21, have a relatively high rigidity, and are not easily deformed.

  In addition, a cylindrical milking mouth deforming member 13 having substantially the same shape as the open front end portion 12 is provided inside the open front end portion 12. The milking mouth deforming member 13 is attached to and detached from the open distal end portion 12. The milking mouth deforming member 13 is formed of an elastic body such as silicone rubber, elastomer, or natural rubber.

The air passage 23 is a passage for breast milk that has been aerated and milked, and has a cylindrical shape that gradually expands obliquely upward. The lower end is bent downward and directed toward the bottle 47.
In addition, a ventilation path 27 that constitutes a pressure transmission unit 28 to be described later is provided in parallel with the ventilation path 23 of the main body 21.
An opening M1 on the lower end side of the air passage 23 of the milking section 22 and an opening M2 on the lower end side of the air passage 27 are integrated with a lower end passage 56 that extends downward as it is. Is connected to the valve device 100 as an embodiment.

That is, the valve device 100 is fixed by fitting the base 101 of the valve device 100 into the lower portion of the lower end passage 56. Preferably, the valve device 100 and the lower end passage 56 are detachable and can be cleaned.
Here, the valve device 100 of the breast pump 20 has the same structure as the valve device 100 described in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of overlapping structures is omitted. In addition, the valve device 100 of the breast pump 20 is a “small chamber valve” that can store a small amount of breast milk milked inside.

  When the milked milk is stored up to a predetermined amount, the valve device (small chamber valve) 100 of the breast pump 20 has a valve device (with a change in weight when the negative pressure is released as will be described later). The cut 106 provided at the tip of the planar movable parts 104 and 105 provided in the valve body 102 of the small chamber valve 100 is opened so that the breast milk is dropped into the bottle 47. The valve device (small chamber valve) 100 also functions as a “check valve” that prevents air in the bottle 47 from entering the sealed space 29 when a sealed space 29 (described later) of the main body 21 is in a negative pressure state. It has become.

  The pressure transmission part 30 of the main body 21 is formed with a cylindrical connecting part 28 continuing to the upper part of the air passage 27 and a seating surface part 18 along the periphery of the upper opening of the cylindrical connecting part 28. A case 31 to be described later is connected to 28. The seat surface portion 18 is a flat or slightly concave dish-shaped portion adapted to receive the bottom surface of the case 31 when the case 31 is attached or detached, and a flange portion is provided on the outer edge thereof. 19 is formed.

In FIG. 6, a case 31 is a longitudinally long cylindrical body made of a molded product of hard synthetic resin, for example, and its internal space is also a long space in the longitudinal direction, and accommodates a deformed portion. . In this embodiment, the deformable portion is a separate member that is separate from the case 31 and is configured as a deformable member 32 that is attached to and detached from the case 31.
The deformable member 32 is a bottomed cylindrical member having one end that is inscribed in the inner space of the case 31 and is closed at the other end. For example, the deformable member 32 is made of an elastic body such as silicone, elastomer, or natural rubber. It is made of a material that does not allow air to pass and is extremely flexible and can be easily deformed, and has no fear of breakage due to repeated deformation of expansion and contraction.

As shown in FIG. 6, the deformable member 32 is integrally provided with a flange portion 32 a at the opening peripheral portion of the upper end thereof, and is placed and abutted on the peripheral portion of the upper end opening of the case 31. It has become.
Attaching / detaching means 34 such as a male screw part is formed on the outer edge of the upper end opening of the case 31, and the lid member 35 is screwed into the lower inner periphery 35 a of the lid member 35. 35 is detachable.

Thereby, in a state where the lid member 35 is attached to the case 31 by screwing or the like, the flange portion 32a of the deformable member 32 is located on the inner surface of the deformable member 32 and the upper surface of the opening peripheral edge portion of the case 31 and the lid member 35. Since it is sandwiched in close contact with the lower surface of the pump unit 51, it communicates with the pump unit 51 side following the attachment portion 38 side.
Further, in the case of this embodiment, the upper end of the lid member 35 has a mounting portion 38 that slightly protrudes in the lateral direction, and is attached to the end portion of the flexible pipe 43 as shown in FIG. By inserting, the pipe 43 can be attached and detached. In the state of FIG. 6, the pipe 43 communicates with the inner space of the deformable member 32 via the lid member 35. Therefore, this space becomes a secondary space communicating with the pressure changing means described later via the pipe 43.

  This secondary space is connected via an air passage 27 communicating with the inside of a small chamber valve (valve device) 100 continuing from the air passage 23 of the milking section 22 in FIG. 6 and an attaching / detaching means 33 described later. The sealed member 29 is liquid-tightly separated from the sealed space 29, which is the primary space including the outside of the deformable member 32, and the deformable member 32. That is, it is hermetically and liquid tightly sealed so that neither gas nor liquid leaks completely.

At the lower end of the case 31, a central portion of a flat bottom portion 39 is thin and vertically protrudes downward, and a tubular protrusion 33 having a hollow inside is formed. The tubular protrusion 33 is preferably configured such that the outer diameter gradually decreases toward the tip.
The inner diameter of the cylindrical connecting portion 28 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the tubular projecting portion 33 of the case 31, so that when the tubular projecting portion 33 is inserted, it is closely circumscribed by this. Have been to.

Next, the pump unit 51 as pressure changing means will be described.
FIG. 5 shows a schematic perspective view of the pump unit 51.
The pump unit 51 is connected to the milking unit 50 by a flexible pipe 43. When the switch is turned on as a vacuum pump, the pump unit 51 can make the secondary side space of the milking unit 50, that is, the space in the case 31 of the pressure transmission unit 30 and the space communicating therewith negative pressure. It is like that. In this case, negative pressure formation can be realized in a pulsating state based on the structure described later. That is, by changing the pressure, the pressure fluctuation that causes pulsation is performed in which the fluctuation from the negative pressure state to at least the atmospheric pressure state is continuously performed.

In FIG. 5, the casing 52 of the pump unit 51 includes an on / off switch (knob) 54 for turning on / off the driving of the pump unit 51, a cycle knob 55 for adjusting the period of pulsation in the formation of negative pressure, A knob 53 for adjusting the pressure is exposed, and a flexible pipe 43 is attached.
A motor unit, a cylinder unit, a pressure adjusting unit, and the like are accommodated inside the casing 52 of the pump unit 51.
Thereby, the negative pressure for performing the milking operation in the milking unit 50 is formed, and the mechanical configuration is not particularly different from that widely used in the related art, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The breast pump 20 according to this embodiment is configured as described above. In FIG. 5, when the pump unit 51 is started by operating the on / off switch knob 54 of the pump unit 51, the built-in motor rotates. The drive shaft rotates through a predetermined gear unit and is converted into a reciprocating motion through a predetermined eccentric cam. The negative pressure formed in the cylinder by this reciprocating motion changes in a pulsating manner and is transmitted to the pressure transmitting unit 30 of the milking unit 50 via the suction tube 85 and the flexible pipe 43.

Thereby, in FIG. 6, the atmospheric | air pressure inside the deformation member 32 in case 31 falls. For this reason, the internal space of the deformable member 32 is deformed so as to be crushed due to a pressure difference with the space outside the deformable member 32 in the case 31, and the bottom thereof rises and approaches the lid member 35 side. That is, the deformation member 32 greatly reduces the volume in the case 31, so that the atmospheric pressure is greatly reduced in the sealed space 29 communicating with the space of the case 31 outside the deformation member 32.
That is, since the negative pressure increases in the sealed space 29, the breast milk is sucked from the breast, and the milked milk falls into the small chamber 101 through the air passage 23.

Next, when the negative pressure state is released by the operation of the pump unit 51, the deformable member 32 is displaced again to restore its form as shown in FIG. As a result, the deformable member 32 increases the volume in the case 31, so that the suction pressure of the breast milk decreases when the air pressure in the sealed space 29 increases.
By repeating the above operation, the operation of the pump unit 51 as the pressure changing means is transmitted to the sealed space 29 by the movement of the deformable member 32 of the pressure transmitting unit 30, and the negative pressure in the sealed space 29 is increased or decreased. Thus, it is possible to realize a state close to an infant feeding operation and store the milk milked in the bottle 47.

  In the breast pump 20 of the present embodiment, one planar movable part among the two planar movable parts 104 and 105 constituting the small chamber valve (valve device) 100 in which the breast milk guided from the milking part 22 is temporarily stored. The thickness 105 is formed thinner than the thickness of the other planar movable portion 104. For this reason, the planar movable part 105 is surely inferior in bending resistance to the other planar movable part 104, so that the thinner planar movable part 105 becomes the other planar movable part due to the weight or pressure of breast milk. It will be easier to deform than 104. As a result, the cuts 106 do not stick to each other and are easily opened, so that the opening operation can be performed reliably.

By the way, when applying a valve apparatus to a milking machine in this way, the structure is not limited to the said embodiment.
For example, the deformable member accommodated in the case may be configured integrally with the case and may be a “deformed portion” as a part thereof.
The deformable portion is not a mere bottomed cylindrical body but can take various forms such as a bellows structure.
The tubular projecting portion 33 that is the attaching / detaching means can be appropriately modified to have a shape and structure different from the embodiment.
The pressure changing means is not provided with a motor unit or the like and a negative pressure is not electrically formed, but may be formed based on the configuration of the manual breast pump by adding an appropriate manual lever.
The pump unit 51 is not limited to one milking unit, and may be configured to drive two or more milking units at the same time.
Further, the valve body 102 may be integrally provided in the lower end passage 56. In this case, the lower end passage 56 also serves as the base 101 and constitutes the valve device 100.

(Embodiment of artificial nipple)
Next, an embodiment of an artificial nipple to which the valve device of the present invention is applied will be described.
FIG. 7 is a schematic (longitudinal) cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the artificial nipple of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG.
FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged view of a schematic (longitudinal) cross section of the main part of the second embodiment of the artificial nipple of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a schematic cross sectional view taken along the line FF of FIG.

The artificial nipple described below is used by being attached to and detached from an upper end opening of a bottle such as a baby bottle (not shown), that is, a container.
First, the first embodiment of the artificial nipple will be described.
7 and 8, the artificial nipple 220 is integrally formed of an elastic material such as a soft synthetic resin. As such a material, silicone rubber, isoprene rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, or natural rubber having a hardness of 10 to 40 (according to A-type durometer in JIS-K6253 (ISO7619)) is used. In this embodiment, silicone rubber is selected, and those having a hardness of 15 to 35 (according to an A-type durometer in JIS-K6253 (ISO7619)) can be used.
In particular, when the valve device 100 common to the above-described embodiment is integrally formed as the ventilation valve 244 of the artificial nipple 220, silicone rubber is suitable.

  The artificial nipple 220 is formed continuously from the lower part 221 and gradually reduced in diameter and extends from the areola part. And a nipple portion 223 extending while gradually reducing the diameter at a smaller diameter reduction rate than the diameter reduction rate of the areola portion. An opening 225 for ejecting a beverage is formed at the upper end of the nipple portion. Depending on the cut shape of the opening 225, an appropriate form such as a round hole, a Y shape, a cross shape, or a slip shape in one direction is selected.

As shown in FIG. 7, the areola portion 222 is configured to have a larger wall thickness than the nipple portion 223.
The lower part 221 of the artificial nipple 220 will be described with reference to FIG.
The lower portion 221 includes a bulging portion 242 that bulges outward in the radial direction over the entire circumference at a lower portion of the areola portion 222, an overhang portion 247 formed on the lower surface of the bulging portion, Opposite to the overhang portion 247, the lower end of the artificial nipple 220 is provided with, for example, a flange portion 241 having a predetermined thickness bulging outward in a ring shape over the entire circumference.

A characteristic structure is provided in the region of the lower portion 221.
Between the bulging portion 242 and the flange portion 241, a constricted portion 251 made of a groove or a slit having a size into which a flange portion of a cap (not shown) for mounting attached to the container is inserted is formed.
The flange 241 has an artificial nipple 220 attached to a bottle or the like via a cap, and when the internal pressure of the bottle is reduced by sucking milk or the like in the bottle during feeding, A ventilation valve 244 is provided as a check valve that closes when the air is taken in and the liquid inside is about to go out.
The ventilation valve 244 is a valve device provided in a through hole 241 a formed in the flange portion 241.
This vent valve 244 has the same structure as the valve device 100 described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and exhibits the same effects. Therefore, in the vent valve 244, since the part which attached | subjected the code | symbol same as the valve apparatus 100 is the same structure, the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted and a difference is demonstrated hereafter.

  Specifically, at a position immediately above the vent valve 244 described below, the flange portion 241 is provided with a through shell 241a in the vertical direction, and the bulging portion 242 immediately above is provided with a through hole 246 in the vertical direction. Yes. A valve body 102 including a base portion 101-1 and a pair of planar movable portions 104 and 105 is formed as a vent valve 244 below the through hole 241a of the flange portion 241.

That is, a hollow short cylindrical portion is provided as the base portion 101-1, and the valve body 102 is provided so as to extend downward following the base portion, and the base portion 101-1 is exactly the same as the configuration described in FIGS. A pair of side surfaces extending from and facing each other are flat. That is, the pair of planar movable parts 104 and 105 are continuous as a plane in which the distance from each other gradually decreases, and the bottom end is a butted portion that is closed as a normally closed by an elastic action. It is a slit-like cut 106 that opens and closes.

Of the pair of planar movable parts 104 and 105, one planar movable part 105 is configured to have lower rigidity than the other planar movable part 104. In order to provide a difference in rigidity in this way, for example, a method is considered in which the materials of the respective parts of the pair of planar movable parts 104 and 105 are made of different materials by, for example, two-color molding, and the rigidity of each part is made different. .
Alternatively, as in the present embodiment, a method may be considered in which the thickness of one planar movable portion 105 is formed to be thinner than the thickness of the other planar movable portion 104. In this embodiment, the thickness of one planar movable part 105 is made thinner than the thickness of the other planar movable part 104, the rigidity on the planar movable part 105 side is lowered, and the other planar movable part 105 is moved. It is easier to deform than the portion 104.
Thus, one planar movable part of the pair of planar movable parts of the vent valve 244 is surely inferior in bending resistance to the other planar movable part, so that it is easily deformed and easily deformed by pressure such as the weight of the liquid. Will be transformed to open. Accordingly, the planar movable parts do not stick to each other at the tip part for forming the opening, and the valve is easily opened, so that the opening operation can be reliably performed.
For this reason, the artificial nipple provided with the function to ventilate reliably can be provided.

Next, a second embodiment of the artificial nipple will be described.
9 and 10, the vent valve 244-1 is formed so as to fit within the thickness of the flange 241 so as not to protrude from the upper and lower surfaces of the flange 241.
Specifically, for example, a cylindrical forming portion 243 is provided in a predetermined region of the flange portion 241. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10, the planar movable parts 104 and 105 which are thin movable pieces are formed obliquely downward from the integral parts 249 and 249 provided on the inner wall of the formation location 243, and a pair of The planar movable parts 104 and 105 are continuous as a plane in which the distance from each other gradually decreases, and is a butt portion that is closed as a normally closed at the lower end by an elastic action, and is a slit shape that opens and closes the lower end. This is a break 106.

Here, as shown in FIG. 9, the integral parts 249 and 249 are integrally formed with the two planar movable parts 104 and 105 in a crescent or arc shape at the base.
In other words, the vent valve 244-1 is configured such that the parts other than the pair of planar movable parts 104, 105 and the cut line 106 of the valve device 100 described in FIG. It is an integral structure.

Of course, one of the pair of planar movable parts 104 and 105 is configured such that one planar movable part 105 has lower rigidity than the other planar movable part 104. As one aspect thereof, for example, a method is conceivable in which the materials of the respective parts of the pair of planar movable parts 104 and 105 are made of different materials by, for example, two-color molding or the like so that their rigidity is different.
Alternatively, as in the present embodiment, a method may be considered in which the thickness of one planar movable portion 105 is formed to be thinner than the thickness of the other planar movable portion 104. In this embodiment, the thickness of one planar movable part 105 is made thinner than the thickness of the other planar movable part 104, the rigidity on the planar movable part 105 side is lowered, and the other planar movable part 105 is moved. It is easier to deform than the portion 104.

Thus, also in the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, one of the pair of planar movable parts of the vent valve 244 is necessarily inferior in bending resistance to the other planar movable part. Therefore, it is easily deformed by pressure such as the weight of the liquid, and is easily deformed and opened. Accordingly, the planar movable parts do not stick to each other at the tip part for forming the opening, and the valve is easily opened, so that the opening operation can be reliably performed.
For this reason, the artificial nipple provided with the function to ventilate reliably can be provided.

  In addition, in the second embodiment of the artificial nipple, the ventilation valve 244-1 is completely accommodated in the flange portion 241 and does not protrude downward from the flange portion. Thus, it can be safely used without being damaged by hitting or catching other parts or the user's hand during handling such as cleaning.

  Note that the individual configurations of the above-described embodiments and modifications may be omitted if necessary, or may be combined with other configurations not described.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 ... Milking machine, 100 ... Valve apparatus, 101 ... Base part, 102 ... Valve body, 104, 105 ... Planar movable part, 106 ... Cut (opening), 200 ...・ Artificial nipple

Claims (5)

A tubular base,
A valve body having a pair of planar movable parts extending downward integrally and continuously from the lower end of the base, gradually reducing the mutual distance, and being closed as a normally closed at the lower end. And
A slit-like cut is formed at the joint of the lower ends of the pair of planar movable parts,
One of the pair of planar movable parts is configured such that one planar movable part has lower rigidity than the other planar movable part,
The valve device is characterized in that the cut is opened and closed by deforming the one planar movable portion having low rigidity before the other planar movable portion is deformed. The pair of planar movable parts are made of the same elastic material, and the thickness of the one planar movable part is configured to be thinner than the thickness of the other planar movable part. Item 1. Valve device   The base and the valve body are integrally formed of a synthetic resin, the joint line at the lower end is thinner than the pair of planar movable parts, and the cut line is formed by applying stress from the outside. The valve device according to claim 1, wherein the valve device is provided. A substantially conical milking part that comes into contact with the breast of the user, a milking machine main body that includes the milking part, and is attached and detached so as to communicate with the bottle, and is connected to the milking part. A breast pump comprising pressure changing means for alternately generating at least an atmospheric pressure state as a pressure higher than a negative pressure state,
Through a sealed space formed by the milking part being in contact with the breast of the user, the breast milk by milking is guided downward, and includes a small chamber valve that is a space in which the milk is temporarily stored,
The small chamber valve has a cylindrical base,
A chamber that includes a valve body that has a pair of planar movable parts that extend continuously downward from the lower end of the base portion, gradually decrease in mutual distance, and are closed as a normally closed state at the lower end. With a valve and
A slit-like cut is formed at the joint of the lower ends of the pair of planar movable parts,
One of the pair of planar movable parts is configured such that one planar movable part has lower rigidity than the other planar movable part,
A breast pump, wherein the cut is opened and closed by deforming the one planar movable part having low rigidity before the other planar movable part is deformed. A molded product made entirely of a conical hollow body made of an elastic material such as a soft resin,
A connecting portion that is expanded to correspond to the diameter of the container to be attached;
An areola part that is continuously formed in the connection part, and is gradually reduced in diameter and extends,
Extending from the areola part, comprising a nipple part that is further reduced in diameter than the areola part,
A flange portion provided at the connection portion and having a predetermined thickness;
An artificial nipple having a check valve on the flange,
The check valve is
A tubular base,
A valve body having a pair of planar movable parts extending downward integrally and continuously from the lower end of the base, gradually reducing the mutual distance, and being closed as a normally closed at the lower end. And
A slit-like cut is formed at the joint of the lower ends of the pair of planar movable parts,
One of the pair of planar movable parts is configured such that one planar movable part has lower rigidity than the other planar movable part,
The artificial nipple characterized in that the cut is opened and closed by deforming the one planar movable portion having low rigidity before the other planar movable portion is deformed.

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