The present invention provides a negative pressure generator such as a suction cup and so on, with which the shape of the negative pressure transmitter remains constant when the negative pressure transmitter deforms so that no part thereof comes into contact with another member.

The negative pressure transmitter 80 includes an opening 81, a closed bottom portion 83, and an intermediate portion 82 connecting the opening to the bottom portion, wherein the intermediate portion includes at least a plurality of rigid portions 84a that are formed at predetermined intervals so as to inhibit deformation, and flexible portions 86a that are formed between the plurality of rigid portions from a flexible material.

A device for expressing human breast milk has a breast shield for bearing against a mother's breast, a vacuum pump for generating a vacuum, a line which connects the vacuum pump to the breast shield and is intended for transmitting the vacuum generated to the breast shield, and a chamber. The line ends on the pump side in a first port of the chamber. The chamber has a second port for connection to a milk collecting container. The two ports in the chamber are connected to each other in terms of fluid communication. During the expressing operation, the line forms a milk line for transporting breast milk expressed in the breast shield to the chamber and from the chamber to the milk collecting container. The pump can be designed to be quiet and small.

A device for expression and collection of breast milk includes an actuatable assembly and a breast interface. The breast interface is sized to receive a breast and form a fluid tight seal against the breast. The breast interface includes an expandable membrane disposed within at least a portion of the breast interface. The expandable membrane reversibly deforms in response to actuation of the actuatable assembly, thereby applying vacuum pressure at the breast to express milk. The expandable membrane comprises a plurality of expandable pleats which extend radially outward from a central longitudinal axis of the breast interface.

A breast shield for a breast pump for expressing human breast milk, comprising a funnel for applying to the human mother's breast and a connection part, wherein the funnel widens in the direction of the mother's breast and encloses at least one nipple and one areola surrounding the nipple of the mother's breast. The funnel comprises an end near to the breast, which forms a contact edge for contacting the mother's breast. The breast shield has a through-opening which extends from the end of the funnel near the breast up to the end of the connection part further from the breast, and which serves to apply a negative pressure to the mother's breast and to discharge expressed breast milk. The contact edge of the funnel is formed by a space curve that is not positioned in one plane, wherein the funnel has at least two planes of symmetry. The breast shield permits an application on the mother's breast that is optimally sealing and comfortable for the mother.

The breastfeeding device comprises a suction assembly that attaches to one of the mother's breasts, a pump assembly that provides suction to express milk from the mother's breast and collect it in a reservoir, a pacifier that allow a baby to feed on collected breast milk, and interconnecting flexible tubing. In some embodiments, the breastfeeding device may also comprise a breastfeeding garment which may allow the mother to use the suction assembly while wearing clothing and which may help to hold the suction assembly in place. A shutoff valve on the outlet of the pump assembly may allow the pacifier and associated tubing to be disconnected without loss of breast milk when the baby is not feeding.

The production of a protein free synthetic polyisoprene which has both low levels of chemical impurities and good physical properties has yet to be realized. It has now been envisioned that the use of neodymium catalyzed polyisoprene will offer the combined advantages of both a clean, as well as, high cis-1,4 polymer. Synthesis of polyisoprene rubber using a neodymium based catalyst system is described. Characterization of the material shows the absence of an ultra high molecular weight fraction and the presence of very high cis-1,4-microstructure. Gum stock and black filled compound studies comparing neodymium polyisoprene with natural rubber, titanium polyisoprene, and lithium polyisoprene have been performed. Results indicate that polyisoprene rubber synthesized using a neodymium catalyst system (NdPI) has similar stress-strain and tear properties as synthetic titanium polyisoprene. Analysis of residual volatile, extractable, and oligomer levels indicates NdPI is indeed a clean source of high cis synthetic polyisoprene.

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 under positive pressure.

A manual breast pump is disclosed. The manual breast pump comprises a breast cup configured to engage with a mother's breast and a reservoir at a base of the breast cup configured to collect milk extracted from the mother's breast. The reservoir is defined by a wall. The wall comprises a varying thickness from a top of the reservoir toward a bottom of the reservoir.

An expression kit (2) for use in a breast pump device (1) for extracting breast milk from a human breast comprises a breast pump body (20) having a first pressure chamber (21), a second pressure chamber (22), and a membrane portion (5) separating the first and the second pressure chamber (21, 22) from each other. The membrane portion (5) is configured to form a barrier between the first and the second pressure chamber (21, 22) for preventing leakage of human breast milk from the second pressure chamber (22) to the first pressure chamber (21), yet to allow for air exchange between the first and the second pressure chamber (21, 22), wherein the membrane portion (5) is hydrophobic and has the shape of a solid sheet being provided with holes (50) which are configured for rendering the sheet permeable to air and impermeable to liquid.

A breast pump has abreast shield for fitting over at least the nipple of a breast thereby to create a cavity over the breast. A stimulation unit is used to apply a physical stimulus to the nipple and/or to a portion of the breast for stimulating the milk ejection reflex. A negative pressure source is used to apply a static negative pressure to the cavity for holding the breast shield on the breast during milk expression, and promoting expression, while milk is collected in a milk collection container. This provides a low cost and low noise breast pump.