Abstract: A portable, hands-free and user friendly breast pump for facilitating breast-feeding, incorporates a dome-shaped housing having a servomotor mechanism; a hat-shaped flange having a chamber portion, a brim portion and an outlet, the chamber portion being formed so as to be placed over a nipple on a breast so as to define a chamber between the flange and the breast, and the brim portion being formed to surround the nipple and thereby form a suction seal therebetween; and a one-way venting element formed to operatively communicate with the chamber so as to vent pumped milk from the chamber via the outlet. The housing, the flange and the venting element are connected into an integral device held against the breast and underneath clothing so as to keep the integral device hidden. Breast milk is collected via a plastic collection bag that connects directly with the pump underneath clothing such that the milk is isolated from any contaminants in the air and may be easily stored immediately after being collected.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 19, 2002
Date of Patent:
May 29, 2007
Assignee:
Whisper Wear Inc.
Inventors:
Kenneth E. Myers, Ellen Lundy, Drew F. Meincke, Sharon Birdseye
Abstract: A portable, hands-free and user friendly breast pump for facilitating breastfeeding, incorporates a dome-shaped housing having a servomotor mechanism; a hat-shaped flange having a chamber portion, a brim portion and an outlet, the chamber portion being formed so as to be placed over a nipple on a breast so as to define a chamber between the flange and the breast, and the brim portion being formed to surround the nipple and thereby form a suction seal therebetween; and a one-way venting element formed to operatively communicate with the chamber so as to vent pumped milk from the chamber via the outlet. The housing, the flange and the venting element are connected into an integral device held against the breast and underneath clothing so as to keep the integral device hidden. Breast milk is collected via a plastic collection bag that connects directly with the pump underneath clothing such that the milk is isolated from any contaminants in the air and may be easily stored immediately after being collected.
Type:
Application
Filed:
June 19, 2002
Publication date:
December 19, 2002
Applicant:
Whisper Wear, Inc.
Inventors:
Kenneth E. Myers, Ellen Lundy, Drew F. Meincke, Sharon Birdseye