BREAST MILK COLLECTING DEVICE

DISPOSITIF SERVANT A RECUEILLIR LE LAIT MATERNEL

English Abstract

ABSTRACT
The invention relates to a human breast milk collecting device
having a breast nipple enclosing and sealing cap with a lower
side drain connection and an upper side air release
perforation. The drain connection is connected by flat oval
tubing to a collecting tank which is adapted to replace the
absorbent material, held in place by a plastic liner, in a
standard nursing brazier. The collecting tank is provided with
removable end plugs so that the tank can be readily cleaned and
sanitized and, hence, reusable.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS.
1. A human milk collecting device comprising, a breast
nipple enclosing cap provided with a wide flexible annular
skirt for pressing against the human breast to seal the cap
thereto, a drain connection outlet on the lower side of the
cap, a vent hole in the upper side of the cap to provide means
to release air pressure, and a horizontally elongated milk
collecting tank adapted to replace the absorbent material and
be supported in a nursing brazier, conduit means connecting the
cap drain outlet to the tank, removable sealing means for the
ends of the elongated tank providing ready access for cleaning
the tank, and wherein the connection conduit and the tank are
of low silhouette configuration in order to render the device
inconspicuous in use.
2. The device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the tank
and the connection conduit are of, vertically oriented,
flattened oval configuration.
3. The device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the
cap, conduit and tank are constructed of a neoprene type
material.

Description

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BREAST MILK COLLECTING DEVICE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to milk collecting devices for
breast feeding mothers and others who have a problem with
breast milk let down.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The problem of inadvertent mother's milk let down is
very well known. For instance, it is known that when an infant
feeds on one breast of its mother the other breast will,
simultaneously, also let milk down. There can also be
inadvertent breast milk let down whether or not breast feeding
is taking place. There have been and are many devices in the
market place which can be used to alleviate the problem of milk
let down. For instance, a 'breast feeding brazier' is supplied
with absorbent material, usually enclosed in a plastic liner of
the brazier, into which the let down milk may flow. Such
absorbent devices are not the best solution Eor the problem in
that the milk is wasted and, furthermore, the absorbent
material must be disposed of, when wet, and this is objectional
from an ecological point of view. The brazier itself may
become wet and produce objectionable odors. As an example of
such a brazier reference may be made to United States patent
4,164,228 issued to Georg Weber-Unger on August 14, 1979.
Devices, provided with collector tanks are also known
and comprise a means for encompassing a breast and collecting,
by means of a funnel shaped device, the let down milk and
feeding it to a reservoir which may be emptied when necessary
or disposed of when full. Examples of such devices may be
; found in United States patents; 166,686 issued to T. E. Daniels
on August 17, 1985, 4,270,538 issued to Michael K. Murphy on
June 2, 1981 and 4,501,585 issued to Laura L. Friedman on
.

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February 26, 1985.
All of the collecting devices shown in the patents
mentioned immediately above suffer from many defects not the
least of which is that the breast contacting part is designed
to cover substantially all the breast and thus becomes hot, wet
and uncomfortable in use. The device shown in U. S. patent
166,686 uses a remote collector tank to collect milk from two
breasts simultaneously. Because of the extended tubing
required the device is not readily cleanable and further
presents a problem as to how to utilize the device for one
breast only.
STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is believed to overcome the
disadvantages of the devices of the prior art, described above,
and comprises single breast units which include a nipple
cover.ing and sealing unit provided with a drain connection, a
short length of connecting tubing and a collecting tank which
is configured to replace the absorbent material found in the
well known 'Nursing Bra".
The parts are designed for low silhouette contour so that they
may be worn comfortably and inconspicuously. The individual
parts are made of a milk and moisture impervious material such
as neoprene, which parts are readily cleanable and can be
maintained sanitary. The collecting tank is provided with end
stoppers which can be readily removed to allow cleaning by
brushing through the tank.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure shows a plan view of the milk collecting
device, according to the present invention, in position, on a
human breast, to collect milk being let down;
Figure 2 shows a side view of the device as
maintained in position by a nursing brazier; and

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Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the device
according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the device,
according to the invention, is shown mounted in position, on a
human breast, to collect milk being let down. The device
comprises a nipple covering cap and sealing part 1 provided
with a thin flexible sealing flange 8 which, preferably, is
pressed against the breast and held in position by a nursing
brazier worn by the user of the device. A drain connection 9
is provided in the lower side of the cap to allow gravitational
flow of milk therethrough. In the upper part of the cap an air
escape vent 5 is provided. A hose 2, preferably ln flattened
oval configuration for low silhouette purposes, provides a
drain connection to an elongated holding tank 3 which is also
of flattened oval configuration and of such a size as to
replace the absorbent material in a nursing brazier. Holding
tank 3 i~ provided with removable end plugs 4 which may have
ears 6 to facilitate removal of the plugs from the tank. When
the plugs are removed the tank can be readily cleaned by using
a flat cleaning brush. Alternately, the holding tank may be of
such a wall thickness that it is sufficiently flexible to allow
turning inside for thorough cleaning.
In order to more clearly illustrate the collecting
device, according to the invention, an exploded view thereof,
in a dismantled state, is shown in Figure 3. For leak
prevention purposes the connections are designed so that the
upper part of a connection is inserted into the lower part of
the connection in each case.
It will now be apparent that the present invention
provides a human milk collecting device which is compact,
readily maintainable in a sanitary condition and individual

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parts thereof readily replaceable. Variations oE -the
invention, which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the
invention, are covered by the claims appended hereto.

Representative Drawing