WO2000018450A1

WO2000018450A1 - Breast pump

Info

Publication number: WO2000018450A1
Application number: PCT/SE1998/001636
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ildiko Kovacs; Bo Sonelius
Original assignee: Bo Sonelius; Ildiko Kovacs
Priority date: 1998-09-15
Filing date: 1998-09-15
Publication date: 2000-04-06
Also published as: AU9562198A

Abstract

The present invention is for a device for suctioning and collecting of breast milk. The device does not require connection to an external energy source for its functioning. The breast pump of the invention combines the suction mouthpiece and the suction cup into one unit within which both vacuum is achieved and the breast milk is collected. This makes the use easier and hygienic advantages are obtained by easy cleaning and handling without spill. The breast pump has a main party (1) which comprises a suction cup (2), a container (3) which is arranged in direct connection therewith and evacuation tube (4) in connection with the suction cup and the container. A pressure equalising membrane (10) is arranged at the breast pump.

Description

BREAST PUMP

The present invention is for a device to suction and collect breast milk. The device is herein named breast pump although it does not include any mechanical means to obtain the necessary low pressure.

The technical assistance means being various breast pumps which are available to keep up a production of breast milk have technical and psychological deficiencies and gives and entirely passive role to the woman. In connection with breast-feeding and perhaps on other occasions many women have a need to pump out a surplus of breast milk. This milk may often be used, primarily to feed children, and it is essential that the milk which has been pumped out is handled in such a way that it does not become infected or is otherwise affected in an unsuitable way. Also the pumping should take place in a way which is simple and kind to the woman. It is also important that one can maintain a production of breast milk by new mothers which for some reason can not breast-feed their children, it is for example sometimes not possible to breast-feed prematurely born children or children who are ill. It also happens that normal breastfeeding is impossible because it causes too much pain to mothers who have wounds at or close to the nipple.

Various designs of breast pumps are known at which the underpressure which is required is obtained by mechanical pumping means and in some cases by that the air in the pumping device is sucked out by the mouth. During the pumping there is placed over the nipple of the woman a sucking cup which by a tube is connected to a larger container and underpressure is brought about within the whole device. The container is intended to take the entire volume which is pumped out on one occasion which brings with it that a corresponding, large volume of air has to be pumped out in order to achieve the correct underpressure. If the device has a mechanical pump to achieve the underpressure there is usually a need for an electrical connection to drive the pump. These devices easily get big and clumsy in handling.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a breast pumping device which is easy to handle for the woman and which fulfils the hygienic requirements. The device does not require any connection to an outer energy source for its function. It is another object to provide a means which is so light weight and has so small outer dimensions that it always may be brought along without causing any inconvenience. It is a further object that the underpressure can be controlled rapidly and easily so that the pumping means as little discomfort as possible for the woman.

The invention has those characteristics which are apparent from claim 1.

The invention will below be described more in detail with reference to the examples of embodiments thereof which are shown in the enclosed figures.

Figure 1 shows the device of the invention in side view.

Figure 2 shows the device in top view.

Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 shows another preferred embodiment of the invention.

The breast pump according to the invention has a main part 1 which preferably is made as one piece and includes a suction cup 2, in immediate connection therewith a container 3 and an evacuation tube 4 which is connected to the suction cup and the container. The evacuation tube 4 is bent upwards as shown in the figures. Hereby one achieves a reduced risk for sharp bends on the tube 5, which may cause stops in the tube, and the handling is made easier. A tube 5 is slipped over the evacuation tube. At the other end of the tube there is a mouth-piece 6 and a saliva separator 7 may be positioned at any suitable location at the tube. The underpressure which is required for use is obtained by that the woman herself sucks at the mouth-piece.

The volume of the device is small, a suitable volume of the collecting container might be 25-50 cm³ and the total volume of the device might be 50-100 cm³. Hereby it is achieved that only a small volume of air has to be sucked out in order to obtain the required underpressure. As the volume is small it is also easy to rapidly change the underpressure and adjust it so that any discomfort may be reduced or totally avoided.

An alternative embodiment with a detachable container is shown in figure 3. In use the suction cup and the container are a unit from which the container may be detached after the pumping. The glass container which is shown in the figure may be substituted for by a plastic bag or other container, for example to enable freezing or transportation immediately upon pumping and without transfer to another container. In this case the size of the container may be varied within wide limits, for example 25-250 ml. Also in this embodiment there is the essential advantage that the evacuation takes place directly from the suction cup without any flow of air through the collecting container.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in figure 4. Most of the parts of the device are shown in cross-section. A pressure equalising means, preferably being a membrane 10 is then mounted over the open, rear end of the breast pump 1. The membrane is made from a resilient, air-tight material. The evacuation tube 4 is positioned on the upward side of the breast pump and extends itself a certain distance inwards in the breast pump passed the upper edge of a dividing wall 9 which devides the breast pump into two separate chambers. Preferably the dividing wall 9 extends itself upwards about half of the inside height of the breast pump and delimits a volume 8 which together with the dividing wall 9 constitute a saliva separator. In order to prevent an overflow of breast milk to the saliva collecting chamber 8 the dividing wall may be made higher and possibly be supplemented by another co-operating wall part. When there is an underpressure in the breast pump then the membrane deflects inwards as shown by the position indicated 10A. The deflection becomes bigger or smaller depending upon the underpressure, i. e. depending upon how strongly the user sucks. The membrane may also have various shapes a greater functioning span may be obtained for example by a conical membrane which extends itself outwards from the rear, open part of the breast pump. By means of the membrane one achieves an evening out of occasional or sudden changes of the pressure in the breast pump which makes its use more comfortable.

The possibility to exchange the membrane makes it easy to adapt the breast pump to individual users. As the membrane is not fixed but slipped over the rear part of the breast pump it may be removed and the breast pump may be cleaned without risk that bacteria or other contamination remain in places inside the breast pump which otherwise are difficult to reach to.

The underpressure which is required is preferably achieved by that the user of the breast pump sucks through the tube 5 and the mouthpiece 6. The mouthpiece has a flange 13 which may be placed in front of or behind the teeth and which separates a thick part 13 and a slim part 14 of the mouthpiece. Preferably the mouthpiece is made from flexible, elastic material and closing of the mouthpiece may be achieved by that the user bites it closed or by that the tongue is put to the opening within the slim part 14. The breast milk which has been pumped out flows into a collecting container 3 through a tube 11. In the embodiment which is shown in the figure the container is a glass bottle having a threaded top which is screwed into a corresponding thread in a mounting piece 12 which forms the end of the tube 11. In other embodiments various types of connections may exist, for example bayonet joint or other quick connection and the glass bottle may be substituted for by another container, plastic bag or the like.

The device may be made from glass, plastic or other material which fulfils primarily the hygienic requirements at use and cleaning. Special advantages of glass are that it is easy to see how much that has been collected in the container and that it brings with it advantages from a hygienic point of view by the properties of the surfaces and by that it stands cleaning at high temperature. The use of plastic may give lower production costs if a large number of the product are produced.

The breast pump of the invention combines the suction mouthpiece and the suction cup in one unit within which both vacuum is caused and the collecting of the breast milk takes place. The separate functional units for application to the nipple and collection of the breast milk are made as one unit which simplifies design, production and handling in use but primarily is of a great hygienic importance. Hereby the use is made simpler and hygienic advantages are obtained by easy cleaning and handling without spill. By the design of the device and that the woman may entirely herself handle it in use and is in complete control of the process damages to the nipple may be avoided and thus also the pain which follows from such damages.

Claims

1. Breast pump for pumping out breast milk from women, where a suction cup (2) is placed over the nipple and the milk which has been pumped is collected in a container (3), the suction cup and the container being a dividable unit within which an underpressure may be created characterized in that the breast pump also comprises a pressure equalising means (10).

2. Breast pump according to claim 1 characterized in that the pressure equalising means is a membrane (10) which is made from elastic, air-tight material.

3. Breast pump according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that it also comprises a tube (5) which is connected to the unit (1) for evacuation of the air inside the unit.

4. Breast pump according to any of the preceding claims characterized by a mouthpiece (6) of flexible, elastic material which is provided in the distal end of the tube.

5. Breast pump according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the evacuation is through a tube (4) which is arranged so that there is no flow of air through the collecting container (3).

6. Breast pump according to claim 5 characterized in that the evacuation tube (4) opens at a rear, saliva separating part (8) of the breast pump which is delimited by a separating wall (9).

7. All individual methods, means, uses and other characteristics, which directly or indirectly are disclosed in the above description and/or the enclosed drawings.