CA2023580A1 - Breast pump adapter for filling infant nursers having disposable liners - Google Patents

Abstract

BREAST PUMP ADAPTER FOR FILLING INFANT
NURSERS HAVING DISPOSABLE LINERS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

Infant nursers use a disposable, flexible plastic liner in a rigid, reusable shell. Previously it has been the practice when breast pumps are used to pump the breast milk into an intermediate storage container and then pour it into the dis-posable liner of the nurser, or another intermediate container for freezing. The present invention provides an adapter for use with existing breast pumps which allows the breast milk to be pumped directly into the liner of the nurser without the need for any valves or moving parts. The adapter snaps onto the existing nipple-retaining cap and uses the liner of the nurser itself to form a valve. In a second embodiment, the adapter is provided with a unitary threaded circular rim to attach directly to the threaded end of the nurser shell. A third embodiment has a unitary trigger control, which allows this adapters use with air pumps which produce unmodulated negative pressure.

Description

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~8E~53_E~MP ~ALAp~ FOR FILLT~9LINE~
NURSERS HAVI~G DISPOSABLE LINERS

9~QUND OF THE INVF.~TION

The present invention relates to the field of breast pumps and ~ore particularly to an adapter for allowing existing brsast pU~p5 to fill infant nursers.
The oo~bination of an increased awareness of the health benefits of breast-feeding an infant and the increased nu~ber of wo~en returning to the work force shortly after giving birth has led to an increased use of breast pU~p5 for maintaining a supply of breast ~ilk for the infant when the ~other is unavailable.
Banks of donors breast ~ilk have also been established to nourish needy infants. A wide variety of types of breast pu~ps is available, both manual and electrically operated. The ~ost effective breast pu~ps provide alternating positive and negative pressure at 45 to 60 cycles per ~inute to si~ulate the sucking action of the infant. Most such pu~ps provide a receptaole for te~porarily receiving the extracted ~ilk. The ~ilk is then transferred to the baby bottle or to a freezer container for freezing and long ter~ storage.
Infant nursers, such as those ~anufactured and sold under the PLAYTEX and GERBER trade~arks, consisting of a disposable polyethylene plastic liner fitted inside a rigid, reusable plastic ~33~

shell, have become very popular due the convenience and added cleanliness and safety which comes from not having to wash and reuse the baby s bottle. Disposable bags of a nylon/polysthylene laminate have also been developed to reduce the loss of nutrients when ths milk is stored over a long period of time. Where the mother ~ishes to utilize a nurser to feed her own breast ~ilk to her child, it has been necessary for the ~other to express the-milk by hand into the disposable liner or use a breast pump and transfer the extracted milk by hand from the pump container to the nurser. Both procedures are time-consuming, messy and unsanitary.
One breast pu~p known to the inventor, disclo~ed in U.S.
patent no. 4,70S,504, issued November 10, 1987 to Viers, uses a disposable, removable bag to receive the pumped milk, but this design involves using a sgueezable rubber bulb to create ths negative pumping pressure, and the disposable bag is held onto the rubber bulb by an elastic band. The bag has no rigid support.
Consequently this pump is difficult and inefficient to use and still requires that the user transfer the filled bag of milk to the nurser or some other dispenser.
There is therefore a need for an effective adapter which allows existing breast pumps to be used to fill infant nursers directly.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an adapter for filling infant nursers fro~ a breast pu~p. The adapter co~prises a breast shield adapted to receive a female breast, a storage reservoir co~unicating at its upper end with and extending downwardly fro~
the shield and substantially closed at its lower end by a surface extending obliquely to the plane nor~al to the longitudinal direGtion of the reservoir, and an air passageway co~nunicating with the reservoir for connecting the pu~p. The air passageway ~ay be shielded by a baffle. According to one e~bodi~ent, there is a clip extending fro~ the exterior wall of the reservoir near the upper end thereof and beneath the shield for bearing against an ~ interior edge of the nipple-retaining cap. The olosed end of the reservoir has a groove across its upper portion for seating on the lip of the nipple-retaining cap of the bottle, and a orifice for the passage of ~ilk. In a second eobodi~ent the reservoir is connected to a threaded cap which thread~ onto the end of the nurser shell. In a third e~bodi~ent, a unitary trigger extension extends horiæontally fro~ the exterior wall of the upper surface of the storage reservoir and adjacent to the closed end of the reservoir. The "C"-shaped trigger extension is of varying thickness, so as to control it's deflected and at rest shape, with radius and di~ensions to allow it to pass through the o ~ ln the wall of the nurser shell. The trigger's lower end i9 7~

substantially ball-shaped and coincides with orifice in lower end of the storage reservoir, when the trigger i5 deflected horizontally toward the nurser shell. The third embodi~ent has a second groove, for seating on the lip of the nipple-retaining cap.
This ~roove horizontally opposes the groove in closed end of the reservoir and relies on the circular nipple-retaining cap's istorted oval-shape during insertion. The trig~ar was .,~ .
incorporated in this e~bodie~ent t~allow the ~other to ~odulate air pressure fro~ constant suction pu~ps, such aB those ~old under the Gerber trade~ark9 ~RI~EF DES~RIPTTQN QF T~E ~RAWIN55 In drawings which illustrate a preferred e~bodi~ent of the invention:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first e~bodi~ent of the invention installed on an infant nurser;
Fig. 2 is a cross-section along lines II-II of Fig.1;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the adapter of the invention separated fro~ the nurser;
Fig. 4 detail of cross-section taken along lines II-II of figure 1. with nurser and baffle re~oved and nipple- retaining cap attached;
Eig. 5 is a rear view of the adapter shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 i8 a perapective view of the removable baffle insert of the invention;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the-invention;
Fig. 8 is a side view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 7 ;
Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-section of the embodiment shown in Fig. 7 installed on a nurser; and Fig. 10 is a plan view looking into the breast shield of the adapter shown in Fig. 7.
Fig. 11 is a side view of the third embodiment, the breast shield with trigger extension installed on a nurser.
Fig. 12 is a rear view of breast shield with trigger extension installed on a nurser.
Fig. 13 is a view of the third embodi~ent, from below the nurser with breast shield installed.
Fig. 14 is prior art disclosed in U.S. PAT$NT No. 4238J040 is~ued Dec 9th lg80 to Fitzpatric - complete nurser with nipple installed.

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~A~LE~ BI~TlON QF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The adapter of the invention is designated generally by reference numeral 1. It includes a plastic breast shi~ld 3 of existing design which has a conical section 5 which i8 pressed against ths female breast. The adapter is shown in Figures 1 and 2 in~talled on a standard infant nurser 9, such as that sold under the trademarks P~AYTEX and GERBERJ ~hich consists Gf a cylindrical, rigid plastic shell 11 and a disposable liner 13 of flexible polyethylene fil~. Laminates of nylon and polyethylene are also used for the disposable liner. The bottle has a circular cap 15 which is threaded onto threaded end 17 in the ~pper outer surface of the shell and nor~ally retains the rubber nipple in the opening of the nurser. The central area of cap 15 is thus open, leaving a horizontally-extending annular rim 29. The upper edge of the liner is held in place between the cap 15 and shell hen cap 15 is screwed onto threaded end 17 over the liner.
Around the inner, upper edge of the shell 11 in such nur~ers in the area of the threaded end 17, there is an inwardly pro~ecting horizontal ledge 33 meeting inner surface 34.
The adapter has a cylindrical section 19 which for~s a lower reservoir section 20 and an upper neck section 22.

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Projecting horizontally fro~ the upper edge of the reservoir section is a connecting tube 21 to which the pumping source of alternating higher and lower pressure or modulated negative pressure is attached. Projecting downwardly from the lower surface of the upper neck section is a clip 23. A circular cover flange 40 extends horizontall~ from the cylindrical section 19. This flange covers the open areas of the mouth of the nurser when the adapter is installed to prevent the entry of foreign natter into the milk being collected. It has an opening 41 to allow air to escape from the nurser liner as it is filled.
The lower end of the reservoir 20 is substantially closed off by a curved surface 25 which cuts obliquely across the reservoir section as shown in Figure 2 so that when surface 25 i9 parallel to the curved vertical sides of shell 11, the axis of the cylindrical section 19 forms an acute angle with the horizontal. A slot or groove 27 is provided across the upper edge of surface 25 to receive the inner lip 28 of cap 15. A orifice 31 is formed in the lower part of the surface 25, typically of about 1/8" to 1~4" in diameter. The di~ension of cylindrical section 19 is chosen 90 that the orifice 31 is located belo~ the ledge 33.
Thus while the flexible liner 13 is in contact with both surface 34 and surface 25 in the area above orifice 31, the liner has a slight freedom of movement in the horizontal direction in the vicinity of orifice 31. Surface 25 conforms in curvature to that of the shell 11 and has rounded edges to allow the cap 15 to be screwed or unscrewed onto or off of end 17 with the adapter 2 ~ 1 r~ ~3 installed on the cap.
In order to prevent the splashing of milk into the air outlet 21, a removable baffle 35 shown in Fig. 2 and 5 may be provided which shields the inlet. The baffle is preferably removable for ease of cleaning. It has a circular plastic ring 43 to which is attached a shield plate 42 which extends to cover about one-half of the diameter of the cylindrical section. The plate 4Z is attached at an angle to the ring 50 that it is roughly parallel to surface 25 when installed. In this wayt milk i5 directed downwardly towards the nurser rather than being splashed back at the breast. The ring 43 has a lower slit to allow flow of milk and to make the circumference flexible, and a orifice 48 which aligns with the orifice for inlet 21. A thin projecting ridge 49 around the outside edge of orifice 48 is aligned to extend into the orifice for air passageway 21 and thus holds the baffle in place in the adapter. By making the diameter of the baffle insert slightly greater than the inner diameter of cylindrical section 19, the insert is held in place by friction.
In US2, the liner 13 is placed in position in nurser shell 11, the edge of the liner is stretched over threaded end 17 and the nipple-retaining cap 15 is threaded over th~ threaded end 17 of the shell 11 and the upper edge of liner 13, securing the liner in place. The breast pump, whether electric or manual, is connected to inlet 21 by hose 26 or other suitable means of connection. Groo~e 27 is then placed over ri~ 29 and adapter 1 is snapped into a firm friction fit with the ri~ 29 by rotating the q ~ . I

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shield end of the adapter downwardly, bringing clip 23 into contact with the rim 29 and causing it to snap over the rim as the adapter is further pressed down. In this position the cover flanges 40 rest snugly against the upper surface of rim 29 and serve to stabilize the adapter as well as preventing the entry of foreign ~atter. The breast may then be positioned within cone 5 for ~ilk extraction. When negative pressure i8 applied to inlet 21, the flexible liner 13 is drawn against surfacs 25 and ssals orifice 31, and milk collects in the lower part of reservoir 20.
When positive pressure is applied, liner 13 is forced away from orifice 31 and the milk flows into the liner 13. Air is able to be displaced from the liner through opening 41 in flange 40. The seal formed between the liner and surface 25 on the negativs prsssure stroke is so~ewhat imperfect, but this i9 in fact desirable for the breast pu~p application since too great a period of suction on the breast without relief can rupture the nipple skin. The choice of breast pump used with the adapter will of course determine the length and degree of the negative pressure portion of the cycle. A
similar action takes place where the type of breast pu~p used does not provide cycles of alternating positive and negative pressure, but rather only intermittent negative cycles~ Rather than the ~ilk held in reservoir 20 being forced through orifice 31 on the positive portion of the cycle, the milk si~ply flows through the orifice by gravity when the negative pressure is released.
Currently available small diaphrag~ elect_icJ unmodulated output, pu~ps may be used with a third embodiment and modulated by the lD
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mother using a trigger extension.
In the second embodiment of the invention shown in Fig.7 through 9, the adapter is moulded in a unitary piece with a threaded circular ri~ 60. To use this variation of the invention, the liner 13 is placed in position in the nurser shell 11, the edge of the liner is stretched over threaded end 17 an~ the rim portion 60 of the adapter is threaded down cver the edge of the liner to secure the liner for filling. Otherwise the second embodiment operates in the sa~e manner as the first enbodiment.
The third e~bodiment is shown in Fig. 11 through 13. The requirement to modulate suction at the pump for embodi~ents one and two has been removed. The modulation of the suction becomes the duty of the mother, through operation of a trigger.
The adapter has a cylindrical section 19 which forns a lower reservoir section 20 and an upper neck section 22.
Projecting horizontally fro~ the upper edge of the reservoir section is a connecting tube 21 to which the pumping source of unmodulated negative pressure is attached. The lower end of the reservoir 20 is substantially closed off by a curved surface 25 which cuts obliquely across the reservoir section and a surface 76 which is perpendicular to the axis of cylindrical section 19 as shown in Figure 10. A orifice 31 is for~ed in the lower part of the surface 76.
Shell 11 has a two series of slots or orifices running longitudinally and opposing each other) i~ shown in figure 14. Slot 71 refers to the slots closest to the threaded end 17. ~hen c~3 ~ a d,~ ~
t~r~ E~9~ l tl1 th~ urY~--I v~rti~l sides of shell 11, ~eraK~s~of the cylindrical section 19 for~s an acute angle with the horizontal.Proiecting downwardlY fro~ the lower surface of the upper neck section is a thicken rigid wall section 77 provided with a groove or slot 78. Groove 78 is horizontally opposed to a slot or groove 27 which is provided across the upper edge of surface 25 and both grooves 27 and 78 receive the inner lip 29 of cap 15. A circular cover flange 40 extends horizontally fron the cylindrical section 19. This flange has an aperture 41 to reduce pressure differentials between the interior of liner 13 and the exterior of the shell 11.
The adapter has a trigger extension 72 extending fro~ the upper exterior wall surface of cylinder l9 in the area adjacent to the closed end 25. The trigger extension is "c"-shaped, and has a relative thin profile section 73 joining cylinder 19 and relatively thicker profile sections 74 and 75. Section 74 in use is in contact with the hu~an finger. The lower end of the trigger extension has a ball-shaped ending 70 which is joined to finger contact area 74 by solid neck section 75.
To use this variation, the liner 13 is placed in position in nurser shell 11, the edge of the liner is stretched over threaded end 17 and the nipple-retaining cap lS is threaded over the threaded end 17 of the shell 11 and the upper edge of liner 13, securing the liner in place. The suction device is connected to inlet 21 by hose 26 or other suitable ~eans of connection.
Ball-shaped ending 70 is ihserted slot 71 of shell 11, it is ~ ~ ~ e3 ~ ~3 ~

releasably retained having a diameter slightly larger than the width of slot 71. The trigger extension is resilient enough to allow groove 27 to be placed over rim 29 and adapter 1 is snapped into position when groove 78 also beco~es engaged with rim 29 by rotating the shield end of the adapter downwardly. The circular nipple -retaining cap 15 can be distorted to oval-shape and is resilient to the circular shape securely engaging grooves 78 and 27 of the adapter 1 In this position the cover flanges 40 rest snugly against the upper surface of rim 29 and serve to stabilize the adapter as well as preventing the entry of foreign ~atter.
The breast ~ay then be positioned within cone S for ~ilk extraction. Negative pressure is applied to inlet 21 by a pu~p.
Trigger extension 72 is squeezed horizontally toward nurser 9, neck section 75 having a s~aller dia~eter than the width of slot 71, is free to move horizontally. Ball-shaped ending 70 pivots about thin section 73 ~oving liner 13 to seal orifice 31.
Negative air pressure increases in adapter 1, milk can fiow fro~ ths breast into the lower part of reservoir 20. If the suction acting on the breast is felt to be too great, or the reservoir 20 is full, the trigger 72 can be released. The resilience of the trigger extension 72 draws the ending 70 away fro~ orifice 31 to rest against the inner surface of shell 11 at slot 71. Liner 13 falls away fro~ orifice 31, and the ~ilk flows into the liner. This cycle of closing and opening orifice 31 may be repeated to empty the breast.
The adapter 1 may be re~oved for cleaning fro~ the nipple ~3~9 -retaining cap 15 by squeezing the cap so as to distort it to oval-shape and release the engagement of rim 29 at groove 78. The .
adapter is further removed by following the reverse sequence of installation.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure above described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is to be construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.

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Claims (11)

1. An adapter for filling infant nursers from a breast pump, where said infant nurser comprises a flexible, liquid-containing liner supported in a solid shell, said adapter comprising:
a) a breast shield adapted to receive a female breast;
b) a hollow chamber communicating at its upper end with and extending downwardly from said shield and substantially closed at its lower end, and having an extension of said lower end comprising an aperture for the passage of milk;
c) an air passageway communicating with said hollow chamber for connecting a pump; and d) means for fixing said adapter relative to a flexible liner supported in a nurser whereby said extension is placed in sufficiently close proximity to a section of said flexible liner to thereby cause said section of to act as a valve with respect to said aperture.

2. The adapter of claim 1 wherein said extension comprises a surface lying substantially parallel to the wall of said flexible liner and said aperture is formed in said surface.

3. The adapter of claim 1 wherein said means for fixing comprises threaded means for engaging a shell of a nurser.

4. The adapter of claim 1 wherein said nurser comprises a nipple-retaining cap having a central opening forming an inner annular lip and said means for fixing comprises two horizontally opposed grooves in said adapter for releasably securing said adapter to said lip of said nipple-retaining cap.

5. The adapter of claim 1 wherein said nurser comprises a nipple-retaining cap having a central opening forming an inner annular lip and said means for fixing comprises:
e) clip means extending from the exterior wall of said chamber near the upper end thereof and beneath said shield for releasably securing said adapter to said lip of said nipple-retaining cap; and f) a groove in said adapter for seating for seating on the inner edge of said inner annular lip .

6. The adapter of claim 1 further comprising flange means extending horizontally from said hollow chamber and adapted to contact the upper surface of said lip of said nipple-retaining cap, wherein said flange is provided with an aperture to allow the passage of air between the interior of said flexible liner and the atmosphere outside said shell.

7. The adapter of claim 1 further comprising of a trigger extension means for the conveying of said section of said flexible liner to cause said liner to act as a valve with respect of said aperture.

8. A breast pump system comprising;
a) a pump;
b) the adapter of claim 1;
c) air-conveying means connecting said pump to said adapter.

9. An adapter for filling infant nursers from a breast pump, where said infant nurser comprises a flexible, liquid-containing liner supported in a solid shell, said adapter comprising:
a) a breast shield adapted to receive a female breast;
b) a hollow chamber communicating at its upper end with and extending downwardly from said shield and substantially closed at its lower end, and having an extension of said lower end comprising an aperture for the passage of milk;
c) an air passageway communicating with said hollow chamber for connecting a pump; and d) means for fixing said adapter relative to a flexible liner supported in a nurser whereby said extension is placed in sufficiently close proximity to a section of said flexible liner to thereby cause said section of said flexible liner to be releasably drawn toward and to cover said aperture for the passage of milk upon a temporary reduction of pressure in said hollow chamber caused by a pump, thereby restricting the flow of air through said aperture, sufficiently quickly to prevent significant reduction of pressure in the interior of said flexible liner and to be released from said aperture upon a temporary increase of pressure in said hollow chamber

10. The adapter of claim 9 wherein said extension comprises a surface lying substantially parallel to the wall of said flexible liner and said aperture is formed in said surface.

11. The adapter of claim 9 wherein said means for fixing comprises threaded means for engaging a shell of a nurser. 12. The adapter of claim 9 wherein said nurser comprises a nipple-retaining cap having a central opening forming an inner annular lip and said means for fixing comprises:
e) clip means extending from the exterior wall of said chamber near the upper end thereof and beneath said shield for releasably securing said adapter to said lip of said nipple-retaining cap; and f) a groove in said adapter for seating on the inner edge of said inner annular lip.
13. The adapter of claim 12 further comprising flange means extending horizontally from said hollow chamber and adapted to contact the upper surface of said lip of said nipple-retaining cap, wherein said flange is provided with an aperture for the passage of air between the exterior of the adapter and the interior of said flexible liner.
14. A collecting and storage apparatus for extracting milk from a breast using a breast pump, providing air pressure, comprising a) an infant nurser comprising a flexible liquid-containing liner supported in a solid shell; and b) an adapter for filling said nurser from a pump, said adapter comprising:
i) a breast shield adapted to receive a female breast;
ii) a hollow chamber communicating at its upper end with and extending downwardly from said shield and substantially closed at its lower end, and having an extension of said lower end comprising an aperture for the passage of milk;
iii) an air passageway communicating with said hollow chamber for connecting said pump; and iv) means for fixing said adapter relative to a flexible liner supported in a nurser whereby said extension is placed in sufficiently close proximity to a section of said flexible liner to thereby cause said section of said flexible liner to be releasably drawn toward and to cover said aperture for the passage of milk upon a temporary reduction of pressure in said hollow chamber caused by a pump, thereby restricting the flow of air through said aperture, sufficiently quickly to prevent significant reduction of pressure in the interior of said flexible liner and to be released from said aperture upon a temporary increase of pressure in said hollow chamber.
15. The adapter of claim 14 wherein said hollow chamber has a longitudinal axis which forms an angle with the longitudinal axis of said rigid external shell lying in a range of 0 degrees to 90 degrees.
16. The adapter of claim 15 wherein said means for securing comprises a circular cap secured to said hollow chamber and adapted to be removably attached to said container, and provided with an aperture to allow the passage of air from said container.
17. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a pump for providing air pressure reduction, a means for communicating said pressure reduction between said pump and said adapter and a trigger means for the purpose of modulating said pressure reduction.
18. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a pump for providing modulated pressure reduction and means for communicating said pressure reduction between said pump and said adapter.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said pump provides alternating positive and negative pressure to said adapter.
20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said adapter further comprises removable baffle means adapted to removably shield said air passageway, comprising an annular ring adapted to slide within said hollow chamber and a planar surface extending across the centre of said annular ring in a location to shield said air passageway.
21. An adapter for filling infant nursers from a breast pump, where said infant nurser comprises a flexible, liquid-containing liner supported in a solid shell and a nipple-retaining cap having a central opening forming an inner annular lip, said adapter comprising a breast shield adapted to receive a female breast and means for securing said adapter to a nipple-retaining cap, said securing means comprising;
a) clip means extending from an exterior wall of said breast shield for releasably securing said adapter to said lip of said nipple-retaining cap; and b) a groove in said adapter at a position opposite to said clip means adapted for seating on the inner edge of said inner annular lip; and c) flange means extending horizontally from said adapter and adapted to contact the upper surface of said lip of said nipple-retaining cap.
22. A collecting and storage apparatus for extracting milk from a breast using a breast pump, comprising the adapter of claim 1 and an infant nurser comprising a rigid external shell, a flexible disposable liner and a nipple-retaining cap.
23. The adapter of claim 18 wherein said means for securing comprises a circular cap secured to said hollow chamber and adapted to be removably attached to said container, and provided with an aperture to allow the passage of air from said container.