Abstract: A breast pump device and associated methods for extracting breast milk are disclosed. A pump head comprises an external shell with an elastic membrane disposed and bonded therein to define at least one hermetically sealed chamber. Manipulation of the elastic membrane, for example, by adjusting suction or pressure in the sealed chamber or within an interior volume defined by the elastic membrane permits radial mechanical compression (positive pressure) to be applied to a nipple positioned in the pump head to simulate compression of the nipple by the infant's tongue and simultaneously permits axial hydraulic or pneumatic suction (negative pressure) to be applied to the nipple to simulate the infant's minimum intra-oral vacuum. The breast pump device of the present invention can generate these simultaneous compressions and suctions with a single vacuum source, which may be an electric pump or a hand-operated mechanical pump.

Abstract: The human nipple functions for both nutritive and non-nutritive suckling with the only difference that in the first instance nutritive fluid is delivered. The present invention conflates these two suckling devices. A nipple device comprises a first reinforcing member provided at the exterior surface of a nipple portion, and surrounding an interior elastomeric core. A second reinforcing member, such as a mesh reinforcement, can be added to improve bite resistance without compromising stretchiness or compressibility. The nipple device is bite-resistant to guard against biting damage and stretching-to-failure by an infant; and compressible, so forces applied by an infant's tongue will be transmitted (in the case of an artificial feeding teat) through a solid nipple core to compress and shutoff central duct(s) to facilitate swallowing without gagging, or (in the case of a pacifier) to reshape the nipple portion so it conforms to the shape of the infant's oral cavity.

Abstract: A breast pump device and associated methods for extracting breast milk ate disclosed. A pump head comprises an external shell with an elastic membrane disposed and bonded therein to define at least one hermetically sealed chamber. Manipulation of the elastic membrane, for example, by adjusting suction or pressure in the sealed chamber or within an interior volume defined by the elastic membrane permits radial mechanical compression (positive pressure) to be applied to a nipple positioned in the pump head to simulate compression of the nipple by the infant's tongue and simultaneously permits axial hydraulic or pneumatic suction (negative pressure) to be applied to the nipple to simulate the infant's minimum intra-oral vacuum. The breast pump device of the present invention can generate these simultaneous compressions and suctions with a single vacuum source, which may be an electric pump or a hand-operated mechanical pump.

Abstract: The human nipple functions for both nutritive and non-nutritive suckling with the only difference that in the first instance nutritive fluid is delivered. The present invention conflates these two suckling devices. A nipple device comprises a first reinforcing member provided at the exterior surface of a nipple portion, and surrounding an interior elastomeric core. A second reinforcing member, such as a mesh reinforcement, can be added to improve bite resistance without compromising stretchiness or compressibility. The nipple device is bite-resistant to guard against biting damage and stretching-to-failure by an infant; and compressible, so forces applied by an infant's tongue will be transmitted (in the case of an artificial feeding teat) through a solid nipple core to compress and shutoff central duct(s) to facilitate swallowing without gagging, or (in the case of a pacifier) to reshape the nipple portion so it conforms to the shape of the infant's oral cavity.