Suction bell for breast pump

Details Suction bell for breast pump Suction bell for breast pump

2000-03-06

2002-10-08

Hayes, Michael J. (Department: 3763)

Surgery

Means for introducing or removing material from body for...

Treating material introduced into or removed from body...

Reexamination Certificate

active

06461324

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to the collection of breast milk and specifically to an improved suction bell for a breast pump and to an insert or liner for such a suction bell.
PRIOR ART
Breast pumps of various designs have been known since early in the twentieth century and a large number of patents relating to that subject matter have issued since. Common features of such devices are a generally flared member (commonly termed a “suction bell”) adapted to encompass the nipple region of a mother's breast, a source of cyclic sub-atmospheric pressure (also termed a suction device or pump), and milk collecting means usually in the form of a bottle.
Obviously, an essential factor, both with regard to a user's comfort as well as to stimulation of the lactation process are the feel of the suction bell when in contact with a breast and the impact of the cyclic pressure changes. In line with these requirements, U.S. Pat. No. 2,542,505 (to G. H. Gascoigne) discloses a shell made of metal and consisting of a recessed disc-like head connected with a conical body provided with a central hub, and an elastic liner connected with the conical body at the liner's upper and lower ends. Two separate inter-spaces are formed between the liner and the shell; a first inter-space is formed between the hub, the disk near its front face, and the liner, and a second inter-space is formed between the liner and the conical portion of the shell's body.
The aim of the the Gascoigne device is to simulate natural actions produced by the facial movements and mouth suction of a suckling baby by pneumatically-produced pulsation. To that end, periodic pressure pulses are applied at the first inter-space while suction pulses are applied both inside the liner as well as inside the second inter-space; in other words, suction pulses are combined weith pressure pulses.
However, the Gascoigne device was not and is not suitable for practical use for a variety of reasons. First, its complicated structure would be costly with regard to production and maintenance. Second, and even more essential for user acceptance, is the virtual impossibility of cleaning and sterilizing the device between uses by normal means available in a household. Other disadvantages result from the need to apply both pressure and suction pulses, requiring three pneumatic lines, one for continuous suction applied inside the liner and acting directly upon the breast, and two pulse lines, one for suction pulses and one for pressure pulses applied outside the liner at different portions thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,912 (F. H. Adams) discloses milking devices suitable for both humans and cows. The element common to both embodiments is a flexible liner which, in the case of a breast pump, is disposed within a shell with an inter-space formed between the shell and the liner. Suction is applied periodically to the inter-space. While the structure of the breast pump embodiment is relatively simple, compared with Gascoigne, cleaning and safe sterilization are not easily possible. So, again, this device has not, to the best of applicant's knowledge, been widely accepted, nor has another device disclosed by the same inventor in U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,067 which requires two suction means and where the suction bell is made of an elastic material and integrally forms a membrane-closed suction chamber for periodic suction pulses.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved suction bell for a breast pump that avoids the aforementioned drawbacks of prior art suction bells by means of a simple and effective structure for simulating a normal suckling action when operated, and which can be easily assembled and disassembled for cleaning and sterilization by means readily available in the home, that is, by immersion in boiling water.
Another object is to provide a suction bell that meets the above objects yet can be manufactured at low cost.
A still further object is to provide a suction bell that can be used with a variety of breast pumping devices, including electrically-operated pumps and manually-operated pumps.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an integral or monolithic liner that can be easily mounted in and disassembled from a rigid shell for a suction bell while providing the following advantages: optimum contact with a mother's breast for stimulating the flow of milk and for simulating the mouth action of a nursing infant; smooth withdrawal of milk while preventing direct exposure of the milk to air flowing to and from the pumping means; easy and simple cleaning and sterilization of the liner and shell apart from each other and apart from other components of the breast pump assembly; and low production costs. With respect to the latter, it is a specific object to provide a one-piece liner and valve combination that can molded in its entirety from a suitable elastomeric material with a minimum of processing steps.
Briefly, and according to a first general embodiment, the suction bell comprises a rigid outer shell that is generally funnel-shaped, that is, one that is substantially Y-shaped in longitudinal section, having a conical top portion with an open upper end and a cylindrical body portion with an open lower end. The conical top portion of the shell has an outwardly extending rim at its upper end and the cylindrical body portion has first connecting means for connecting the interior of the shell with a source of cyclic sub-atmospheric pressure such as, for example, a conventional manually- or electrically-operated pump, such as a membrane pump. The lower end of the shell is provided with an annular shoulder and is detachably joined to connecting means for attachment to a standard milk collecting receptacle (bottle).
A thin, flexible elastic liner is detachably mounted within the shell, the liner having a conical upper portion disposed within the conical top portion of the shell and provided with a peripheral lip for sealingly engaging the shell's rim. The liner also includes an elongated tubular portion that extends through the shell's cylindrical body portion and has an outer surface spaced inwardly from the shell's inner surface when the pressure within the cylindrical body portion of the shell is at ambient or atmospheric pressure. The tubular portion of the liner includes a resilient annular flange that sealingly engages the shoulder of the shell so that the liner is held in an axially stretched and tensioned state between its upper and lower connections with the shell. Further, the liner includes an integral one-way valve at the lower end of the liner's tubular portion and below the shoulder of the shell. In a preferred embodiment, the valve has a calotte-shaped end portion with at least one slit that has offset portions extending from opposite inner and outer surfaces, resulting in a one-way valve structure that opens easily to allow the flow of milk, seals effectively when the pressure external to the liner is reduced, and may be inexpensively manufactured with a minimum of production steps. In a further embodiment, the calotte-shaped end portion of the valve has a pair of crossed slits, each with offset portions wich provide the described advantages. The offset of the slit portions allow the slit or slits to be formed at the time the liner is molded rather than in one or more subsequent cutting operations.
The conical upper portion of the liner is provided with a multiplicity of coaxial corrugations for contacting the breast in the area of the nipple, such corrugations promoting effective sealing against the breast without sticking to the skin and tending to spread and contract during operation of a breast pump in a manner that is believed to stimulate and enhance the flow of milk.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the connecting means for joining the rigid funnel-like shell to a collection receptacle (bottle) permits swivel action of the shell to increase user comfort and help i

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