BREAST PUMP CONTAINER ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS
Systems and methods for pumping milk from a breast, wherein the milk is expressed from the breast under suction and milk is expulsed from the pumping mechanism to a collection container assembly.
The present disclosure generally relates to container assemblies for portable breast pump systems and methods for collecting milk from a breast of a nursing mother.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSUREAs more women become aware that breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for a baby, and also offers health benefits to the nursing mother, the need is increasing for breast pump solutions that are user-friendly, quiet, discrete and versatile for use by a nursing mother in various situations. This is particularly true for the working mother, who is away from the home for eight to ten hours or more and needs to pump breast milk in order to have it available for her baby, but it is also a requirement for many other situations where the mother is away from the privacy of the home for an extended period, such as during shopping, going out to dinner or other activities.
Although a variety of breast pumps are available, a number are awkward and cumbersome, requiring many parts and assemblies and being difficult to transport. Hand pump varieties that are manually driven are onerous to use and can be inconvenient to use. Some powered breast pumps require an AC power source to plug into during use. Some systems are battery driven, but draw down the battery power fairly rapidly as the motorized pump continuously operates to maintain suction during the milk extraction process. Certain other of the breast pumps available are lacking in convenient storage containers. The storage containers can be difficult to package, install, remove and store thereby creating a barrier to effective use.
There is thus a continuing need for conveniently usable and effective container assemblies for portable wearable breast pump. The present disclosure addresses these and other needs.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREBriefly and in general terms, the present disclosure is directed toward container assemblies for a breast pump system. The system includes breast contacting structure and a storage container, and structure that delivers milk or other liquid from a breast to the storage container. The method involves pumping milk from a breast and delivering the pumped milk into the container assembly.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a system for pumping milk from a breast includes a container assembly in combination with one or more of: a skin contact member or flange configured to form a seal with the breast; a conduit in fluid communication with and connected to the skin contact member; a driving mechanism configured to establish a vacuum profile within the conduit; an external shell; and a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing devices to perform functions associated with and directed by the firmware; wherein the external shell comprises a compartment facing a distal end of the external shell, the external shell further comprising a proximal end surface facing away from the proximal end; wherein the skin contact member, the conduit and the driving mechanism are received in the compartment of the external shell; wherein the milk collection container is positionable within the shell; and wherein the system is shaped and configured to be contoured to the breast of a user.
In various embodiments, the storage container can be specifically configured to prevent kinking and for durability and handling. A flow feature can be incorporated into the storage container, valves and materials can be chosen to facilitate removing air or gases, tabs and wings can be provided for handling, and structure adapted for the removal of milk from a container assembly. The container can be pre-formed to optimize or maximize space within a pump system. Further, the container can be placed into a flattened configuration to facilitate effective packaging.
In at least one embodiment, the flange or skin contact member, the conduit, the driving mechanism, the external shell and the milk collection container are all contained within a cup of a brassiere.
In at least one embodiment, the milk collection container comprises a one-way valve that permits milk inflow into the milk collection container but prevents milk backflow from the milk collection container to the conduit.
In at least one embodiment, the system further includes a milk collection container, wherein the milk collection container is in fluid communication with the conduit.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of operating a system for pumping milk into a storage container includes one or more of: providing the system comprising a skin contact member configured to form a seal with the breast, a conduit in fluid communication with and connected to the skin contact member; a driving mechanism including a compression member configured to compress and allow decompression of the conduit in response to inward and outward movements of the compression member, a sensor, and a controller configured to control operation of the driving mechanism; sealing the skin contact member to the breast; operating the driving mechanism to generate predetermined pressure cycles within the conduit; monitoring by the controller of at least one of position and speed of movement of the compression member relative to the conduit; measuring or calculating pressure within the conduit; maintaining or modifying motion of the compression member as needed, based upon feedback from the calculated pressure and at least one of position and speed of movement of the compression member, to ensure that the predetermined pressure cycles continue to be generated.
These and other features of the disclosure will become apparent to those persons skilled in the art upon reading the details of the systems and methods as more fully described below.
Before the present systems and methods are described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to particular embodiments described, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present disclosure will be limited only by the appended claims.
Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limits of that range is also specifically disclosed. Each smaller range between any stated value or intervening value in a stated range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range is encompassed within the disclosure. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included or excluded in the range, and each range where either, neither or both limits are included in the smaller ranges is also encompassed within the disclosure, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the disclosure.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present disclosure, the preferred methods and materials are now described. All publications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to disclose and describe the methods and/or materials in connection with which the publications are cited.
It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a sensor” includes a plurality of such sensors and reference to “the pump” includes reference to one or more pumps and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth.
The publications discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. The dates of publication provided may be different from the actual publication dates which may need to be independently confirmed.
Various details of the present system can be found in PCT Application Nos. PCT/US15/41257, PCT/US15/41271, PCT/US15/41277, and PCT/US15/41285 each filed Jul. 21, 2015, and PCT/US15/50340 filed Sep. 16, 2015, each of which are hereby incorporated herein, in their entireties, by reference thereto
In order to connect the flex conduit or tube assembly 32 to the system 10, there are provided a flex conduit or tube ring 80 and a flex conduit or tube collar 82. The flex conduit or tube collar 82 is sized and shaped to be received into a pair of spaced snap buttons 84. In one specific embodiment, a fluid container fitment 86 (shown in isolation from the container) can be sized and shaped to be received into the flex conduit or tube collar 82. A door assembly 90 is attached to the flange 14 and configured to swing open and closed to both provide access to an interior of the system 10 as well as to support a robust connection between the fitment 86 and flex conduit or tube collar 82 as described in more detail below.
As shown in
In alternative approaches to the plug 102, there can also be included one or more annular rings 106 configured about the body of the plug to facilitate sealing of the plug 102 with the nipple receiving portion 101 of the flange 14 (
As described in connection with the embodiments presented below, the system 10 can be configured to pump into a sealed container assembly, or one that includes an integral valve or an otherwise airtight container assembly, or combinations thereof. In one or more approaches, the valve can be integrally formed with a bag assembly such that it is molded along with one or more sheets defining bag structure. Sealed and/or airtight containers can hold liquids and gases without permitting a leak. Gas or liquids can be removed from such containers through a valve that is configured to be opened or defeated temporarily or permanently. Alternatively, an opening separate from the valve can be provided in the container, or the container can be configured to be split open or include scoring to aid in opening the container. Moreover, there are contemplated a range of disposable and durable combinations of container and valve fitment arrangements such that one or both of the container bag and fitment are disposable or reusable. Further, the container assembly has features to avoid failures such as the fitment rubbing through container bag film during vibrations associated with transport or use. The assembly can also have features so that the container bag and fitment are not damaged during loading or unloading and while in storage. Moreover, in at least one embodiment, the milk collection container can comprise a one-way valve that permits milk inflow into the milk collection container but prevents milk backflow from the milk collection container to the conduit. In one embodiment, the collection container or container assembly includes an extra part, valve or fitment that is attached thereto and facilitates creating a seal with the container to establish a closed system. In one embodiment, the milk container can include a one-way valve that cannot be removed without destroying milk container or valve function. The valve can assume a myriad of shapes and kinds including an umbrella valve, a duckbill valve, a ball valve or other valve. Moreover, in one or more embodiments, the container can be flexible or rigid, or disposable or reusable.
Turning now to
Moreover, in one particular embodiment, the container assembly 120 can be made from polyethylene and can be bisphenol A free, as well as food grade material. It is freezable without tearing and withstand approximately 0-80 degree Celsius temperatures. Additionally, tensile strength can be from 2300-2900 psi and tear strength from 440-600 psi, with a water vapor transmission rate max of about 0.5 g/100 in2/24 hrs and an oxygen transfer rate of about 150 cc/100 in2/24 hrs. In alternate embodiments, the material of the container assembly can be Gore-tex or Tyvek, for example. Such alternative materials can permit out-gasing such that any air that is pumped into the container assembly will escape through the material while the container assembly retains the fluid. In this specific regard, other vents or approaches to venting the system can be incorporated into one or more embodiments. Thus, self-venting of the container assembly or active venting while using the pump system or after use can be accommodated. In one approach, a pressure valve can be incorporated into the system and configured to activate after some system pressure is reached, and further the valve can be designed to act as a fluid barrier, only allowing air and not fluid to escape. The container assembly can also additionally or alternatively include a rigid or flexible sealing component, such as a ring or gasket into which the pump or container valve is pushed or twisted and sealed.
The container assembly 120 can further include a relatively stiff grommet 130 adhered to the material forming the container assembly. A hole 132 can be formed in one layer of the sheet material 121 of the container assembly 120, a central hole 134 formed in the grommet providing access to and supporting the hole 132 which is undersize with respect to the central hole 134. A pump outlet 138 having a through hole 140 and a barbed body 141 can be provided and can be formed from turned Delrin for example. Utilizing plastic deformation of the sheet material 121, a one-time seal can be created by stretching the sheet material 121 over the barbed body 141 creating the completed assembly depicted in cross-section in
Various steps in loading a container assembly 120 into the system 10 is shown in
It is contemplated that the door assembly 90 (See
In at least one embodiment, the pressure at which a valve between the pump system and the container assembly opens to allow flow into the milk collection container is about 25 mm Hg. The valve can be configured and designed such that it allows fluid to flow through it when the pressure in flex conduit or tubing 32 is positive, e.g., about 25 mm Hg, or some other predesigned “opening pressure”. The action of compression elements on the flex conduit or tube 32 cycles between increasing vacuum when the compression elements move in a direction away from flex conduit or tube 32 and decreasing when the compression elements compress the flex conduit or tube 32, but typically should not increase the vacuum to greater than the predetermined maximum vacuum. As the compression elements compress the flex conduit or tube 32, the pressure in the system 10 goes up and reaches the minimum suction level (e.g., latch suction level, such as −60 mmHg, −30 mm Hg, or some other predetermined latch suction level), at which time a compression member (pinch valve) seals off a portion of the flex conduit or tube 32 thereby maintaining the minimum suction (latch suction) against the breast. Continued compression of the flex conduit or tube 32 continues to increase the pressure downstream until the opening pressure is reached (e.g., 25 mm Hg or some other predetermined, positive opening pressure), that opens the valve. The compression elements continue compressing flex conduit or tube 32, pumping fluid (milk) through the valve and into the collection container assembly.
In another approach (
Installation of a container assembly with the port 140 is a simple process. The port 140 is pressed onto the pump outlet, and the support structure 144 is rotated into place. A latch 150 associated with the support 144 can be placed on securing structure to hold the support 144 in place.
Turning now to
In a related approach (
In one or more approaches (
As shown in
Turning now to
In yet another approach (
Referring to
In yet a further approach (
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to the specific embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation, material, composition of matter, process, process step or steps, to the objective, spirit and scope of the present disclosure. All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present disclosure.
Claims
1. A system, comprising:
- a breast contacting structure configured and dimensioned to form a seal with the breast;
- a container assembly for storing milk pumped from the breast; and
- a conduit in fluid communication with the container assembly;
- wherein the container assembly and system define a sealed or sealable arrangement.
2. The system of claim 1, the container assembly further comprising a valve, wherein the valve is integral with the container assembly.
3. The system claim 1, wherein the container assembly defines a sealed structure.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the container assembly is airtight.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the breast contacting structure includes a nipple receiving portion, and further comprising a plug sized and shaped for sealing the nipple receiving portion closed.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the plug includes a handle for grasping.
7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a storage container for receiving and carrying a plurality of container assemblies.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the storage container stores container assemblies in a flat orientation.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the storage container stores container assemblies so that the neck portions are staggered.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage container can be pre-formed to optimize or maximize space within a pump system.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein storage container can be placed into a flattened configuration by applying a vacuum to facilitate effective packaging.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 15, 2022
Publication Date: Apr 20, 2023
Inventors: John Chang (Los Altos, CA), Brian Mason (Lexington, MA), Fred Co (Santa Clara, CA), Erica Keenan (San Francisco, CA)
Application Number: 18/081,802