Abstract: An electric breast pump is disclosed as including a hood to be fitted over a breast of a user, a chamber in fluid communication with the hood member via a one-way valve, a pump motor operatively associated with a pump diaphragm movable to draw air from the hood into the chamber via the valve, in which the chamber has an opening and a lid which is operatively associated with the motor, in which the lid is movable between a first position to close the opening and a second position in which the opening is open, and in which the lid is at the first position when the motor is in operation and is at the second position when the motor is not in operation. The breast pump also includes sensors for detecting the passing of milk, and a microcontroller for calculating the rate of flow of milk on the basis of data received from the sensors.

Abstract: A method of forming a thermoplastic article, including the steps of (a) forming a workpiece of a thermoplastic material of a first colour by injection molding; (b) applying a second colour on the workpiece by over-molding part of the workpiece with the thermoplastic material of the second colour by injection molding; (c) raising the temperature of the workpiece to at least the forming temperature of the thermoplastic material; and (d) enlarging the workpiece by blow molding.

Abstract: A spill-proof cup assembly is disclosed as including a cup with an open end, a cover for covering the open end of the cup to define a cavity for containing a liquid, the cover having a drinking spout, a vent, and support columns leading from the drinking spout towards the cavity, and a flow control mechanism engageable with the cover, and the flow control mechanism includes a first valve membrane and a second valve membrane, in which the first valve member includes an edge which is movable, when the flow control mechanism is engaged with the cover, between a first position in which the edge is in abutment with an interior surface of the cover to prevent fluid communication through the vent into the cavity, and a second position in which the edge of the first valve member is out of abutment with the interior surface of the cover to allow fluid communication through the vent into the cavity, and the second valve membrane is movable between a first position in which a generally convex surface of the second valve

Abstract: An electric breast pump is disclosed as including a hood to be fitted over a breast of a user, a chamber in fluid communication with the hood member via a one-way valve, a pump motor operatively associated with a pump diaphragm movable to draw air from the hood into the chamber via the valve, in which the chamber has an opening and a lid which is operatively associated with the motor, in which the lid is movable between a first position to close the opening and a second position in which the opening is open, and in which the lid is at the first position when the motor is in operation and is at the second position when the motor is not in operation. The breast pump also includes sensors for detecting the passing of milk, and a microcontroller for calculating the rate of flow of milk on the basis of data received from the sensors.