NZ198182A - Breast pump - Google Patents

Description

1 98 1 8 2 RflOflty iiiiiii«»#I« Complete Specification Filed: Class: .fiMl.Wkk Pubftoation Date: .... 3.1 .4UL13B5... ■P.-0»- Joumel, No: ..... 1?^.......

Patents Form No.5.

Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION "SUCTION HOOD FOR A DEVICE FOR SUCKING OFF BREAST MILK" I, KARL OLOF AXEL HELMER LARSSON, a Swiss citizen, of Alpenstrasse 2, CH-6300 Zug, Switzerland, hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed, to be 1 particularly described in. and by the following statement:- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1S8182 The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a suction hood for a device for sucking off 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 sucking off breast milk. Of course, such devices contain a suction pump which, as a rule, inter-laittingly 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. 1C-8182 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 sucking off 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 sucking off breast milk without fouling the equipment.

The present invention provides: A suction hood arrangement for a device for expressing breast milk comprising: a hood body having a first part tapering from a first end to a second end, a second part including first connection means for connecting the hood body to a vacuum line and second connection means for connecting the hood body to a receiving chamber, and a hollow passageway extending from the second end of the first part of the hood body so that the interior of the passageway communicates with the interior of the first part of the hood body, the passageway extending within the second part of the hood body beyond the inlet of the first connection means; a collecting chamber communicating with the interior of the hood body and having an outlet to the receiving chamber, the outlet including a valve capable of closing the outlet when a vacuum is applied to the vacuum line and opening the outlet in the absence of a vacuum; and means for releasably connecting the collecting chamber to the hood body. 1 98 1 8 2 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 off 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 non-existence 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. 198182 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.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 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.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 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 -S- 1 98 1 8 2 the internal space la 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 materialand canbearranged 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 9', which has been indicated by broken lines, and thus closes the bore 8 and 1 98 1 8 2 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 (7)

1&81S2 What I Claim is: 5 C;'/-1:" 1 •— "

1. A suction hood arrangement for a device for expressing breast milk comprising: a hood body having a first part tapering from a first end to a second end, a second part including 5 first connection means for connecting the hood body to a vacuum line and second connection means for connecting the hood body to a receiving chamber, and a hollow passageway extending from the second end of the first part of the hood body so that the interior of the 10 passageway communicates with the interior of the first part of the hood body, the passageway extending within the second part of the hood body beyond the inlet of the first connection means. J a collecting chamber communicating with the interior of the hood body and having an outlet to the receiving chamber, the outlet including a valve capable of closing the outlet when a vacuum is applied to the vacuum line and opening the outlet in the absence of a vacuum; 20 and means for releasably connecting the collecting chamber to the hood body.

2. The suction hood arrangement as defined in claim 1, v;herein the releasable connecting means comprises 25 a snap closure arranged between the hood body and the collecting chamber. 1S8182 - 9 -

3. The suction hood arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein the releasable connecting means comprises rotatable locking means located between the hood body and the collecting chamber. 5

4. The suction hood arrangement as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the valve comprises a bore provided in a floor of the collecting chamber and a closure element arranged beneath the bore.

5. The suction hood arrangement as defined in 10 claim 4, wherein the closure element is constrained in a cage.

6. The suction hood arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein the closure element is a ball.

7. A suction hood arrangement for a device for 15 expressing breast milk substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. 20 KARL OLOF AXEL HELMER LARSSON by his authorised agents P.L. BERRY & ASSOCIATES per: I, ) / _CL—IX-