Abstract: A barrier of a vacuum pump prevents contamination from entering a vacuum pump air line. The barrier separates parts of the pump and is moveable between an initial state and a distended state. The barrier is assembled within the pump with a pre-load. When the vacuum source is applied to the barrier, the barrier achieves a distended state and when the vacuum source is released, the barrier incrementally self returns to an initial state. The geometry and material construction of the barrier, along with the pre-load, assists in returning the barrier on its own to the initial state from the distended state.

Abstract: A barrier of a vacuum pump prevents contamination from entering a vacuum pump air line. The barrier separates parts of the pump and is moveable between an initial state and a distended state. The barrier is assembled within the pump with a pre-load. When the vacuum source is applied to the barrier, the barrier achieves a distended state and when the vacuum source is released, the barrier incrementally self returns to an initial state. The geometry and material construction of the barrier, along with the pre-load, assists in returning the barrier on its own to the initial state from the distended state.

Abstract: A teat for connection to a receiving unit of a drink container has a main body and, adjoining the main body and tapered relative to the main body, a mouthpiece with at least one suction opening. The teat has a first connector element for connection to the receiving unit, a second connector element for connection to the receiving unit, and a suction channel. The suction channel extends within the mouthpiece, extends and opens via a first end into the suction opening and is directed via a second end towards the main body. This second end forms the first connector element for leaktight connection to the receiving unit. The main body is designed such that it is adapted to be turned back towards the suction opening of the mouthpiece. This teat is adapted to be connected to the feeding bottle in a simple and hygienic manner and is easy to clean.

Abstract: A portable breast pump has a suction unit and a collecting unit which is connected to this suction unit via a flexible suction line. The collecting unit comprises a breast shield, a milk-receiving container and a coupling element which connects the breast shield to the milk-receiving container. The suction unit has a housing with an operating means for operating the pump and a fastening means for fastening the housing on a carrying means, which can be fastened on the mother's body. This breast pump is easy to operate, allows the milk to be expressed even in confined areas with no set-down surfaces and, in addition, does not hinder the mother's mobility.

Abstract: A breast shield support is provided which in one embodiment includes a central harness body adapted to hold a breast shield. The central harness body may include three spaced straps connected to or extending from the central harness body. Each of the harness straps includes a clip, for example, for attaching a respective strap to a portion of a nursing brassiere and at least one strap includes a plurality of protrusions or grooves formed along the length of the strap for engaging a respective clip and permitting the clip to be easily adjusted and held in a desired position along the length of the strap.

Abstract: A teat unit has a teat, a securing device for securing the teat on a liquid container, and an air valve, the securing device having a first securing part and a second securing part. The air valve has a first valve part, which is arranged in the first securing part, and a second valve part, which is arranged in the first or in the second securing part. The air valve opens and closes with respect to the second securing part. The valve is preferably a diaphragm valve, and the first valve part is a valve diaphragm. This teat unit functions very reliably even at very small pressure differences between the bottle and the environment. Moreover, the range of function of the various teat units of the same type is relatively narrow, such that different teat units function very similarly and the air valves are actuated at similar pressure differences.

Abstract: A mouthpiece has a bite-off-prevention feature. The mouthpiece has been manufactured from an elastomeric parent material with at least one first component, where a reinforcing component embedded within the parent material forms the bite-off-prevention feature and derives from the same group of substances or group of materials as the first component. The reinforcing component is preferably composed of fibers.

Abstract: A portable breast pump has a suction unit and a collecting unit which is connected to this suction unit via a flexible suction line. The collecting unit comprises a breast shield, a milk-receiving container and a coupling element which connects the breast shield to the milk-receiving container. The suction unit has a housing with an operating means for operating the pump and a fastening means for fastening the housing on a carrying means, which can be fastened on the mother's body. This breast pump is easy to operate, allows the milk to be expressed even in confined areas with no set-down surfaces and, in addition, does not hinder the mother's mobility.

Abstract: A teat unit for sucking a liquid from a liquid container includes a teat and a flow restrictor with a through-opening. The teat comprises a mouthpiece, with a suction opening, and a main body which is formed integrally on the mouthpiece and widens relative to the mouthpiece. The flow restrictor defines a maximum flow of the liquid passing through the suction opening from the liquid container. According to the invention, the flow restrictor is arranged outside the mouthpiece, and the suction opening has a greater cross-sectional surface area than the through-opening of the flow restrictor. The teat unit permits a feeding action that is as true to nature as possible, since the mouthpiece can be deformed very considerably, without substantially impairing the flow restriction.

Abstract: A teat for connection to a receiving unit of a drink container has a main body and, adjoining the main body and tapered relative to the main body, a mouthpiece with at least one suction opening and a free end. The teat has a first connector element for connection to the receiving unit, and a second connector element for connection to the receiving unit, and a suction channel. The suction channel extends within the mouthpiece, opens via a first end into the suction opening and is directed via a second end towards the main body. This second end forms the first connector element for a substantially leak-tight connection to the receiving unit. The main body is designed such that it can be turned back towards the free end of the mouthpiece. The teat is designed such that it can be turned back at least a second location. The teat according to the invention can be connected to the feeding bottle in a simple and hygienic manner, is easy to clean and permits a feeding action that is as true to nature as possible.

Abstract: A teat unit has a flexible teat, a receiving head and a dimensionally stable base part. The teat is arranged on the receiving head. The receiving head and the base part are connected to each other by a releasable plug connection, and the receiving head has a securing element for securing the teat unit on a drinks container. This teat unit permits a great many possible configurations of the individual parts and, therefore, an optimization of their individual functions.

Abstract: A teat has a main body, a mouthpiece with a suction opening, and at least one milk channel extending from the main body to the suction opening. During use, the mouthpiece has an upper side directed towards a palate of a baby, and a lower side directed towards the baby's tongue. It is designed, on its upper side, with at least two walls, and with at least one air space arranged between said walls. The at least one air space extends separately from the at least one milk channel. The mouthpiece is designed on the upper side in such a way that this at least one air space inflates in the presence of an underpressure. This allows the palate, tongue and teat to interact in a manner that imitates breastfeeding.

Abstract: A teat for connection to a receiving unit of a drink container has a main body and, adjoining the main body and tapered relative to the main body, a mouthpiece with at least one suction opening. The teat has a first connector element for connection to the receiving unit, a second connector element for connection to the receiving unit, and a suction channel. The suction channel extends within the mouthpiece, extends and opens via a first end into the suction opening and is directed via a second end towards the main body. This second end forms the first connector element for leaktight connection to the receiving unit. The main body is designed such that it is adapted to be turned back towards the suction opening of the mouthpiece. This teat is adapted to be connected to the feeding bottle in a simple and hygienic manner and is easy to clean.

Abstract: A breast shield support is provided which in one embodiment includes a central harness body adapted to hold a breast shield. The central harness body may include three spaced straps connected to or extending from the central harness body. Each of the harness straps includes a clip, for example, for attaching a respective strap to a portion of a nursing brassiere and at least one strap includes a plurality of protrusions or grooves formed along the length of the strap for engaging a respective clip and permitting the clip to be easily adjusted and held in a desired position along the length of the strap.

Abstract: A portable breast pump has a suction unit and a collecting unit which is connected to this suction unit via a flexible suction line. The collecting unit comprises a breast shield, a milk-receiving container and a coupling element which connects the breast shield to the milk-receiving container. The suction unit has a housing with an operating means for operating the pump and a fastening means for fastening the housing on a carrying means, which can be fastened on the mother's body. This breast pump is easy to operate, allows the milk to be expressed even in confined areas with no set-down surfaces and, in addition, does not hinder the mother's mobility.

Abstract: A method and a device for determining the rectilinearity of guide rails wherein a guide rail is oriented substantially parallel to a reference axis. At least one light beam is emitted along the reference axis by a light source and is detected by a light detector. When the light source or the light detector is displaced along the guide rail, warping and twisting of the guide rail can be detected as changes in the spacing between the guide rail and the reference axis.