A concealable breast pumping device is provided, including a primary unit, a squeezing unit, a milk collection bag, a stop valve unit, and a driving unit. The primary unit includes a channel, a protruding portion, and a concave portion. The protruding portion has a port. The port communicates with the channel. The inner wall of the concave portion has a spiral convex portion. The squeezing unit is covered on one end of the primary unit. One end of the milk collection bag is connected to the protruding portion, and the other end has an opening. The opening is gripped by a gripping tool. The stop valve unit is positioned in the milk collection bag. One end of the stop valve unit is connected to the protruding portion. The other end has a gap, and the gap is able to opened and closed movably.

The present invention provides a negative pressure generator such as a suction cup, the negative pressure generator comprising a negative pressure transmitter with a shape that remains constant after deformation so that no part of the negative pressure transmitter comes into contact with another member of the negative pressure generator. 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 and formed from a flexible material.

A breast pump device and associated methods for extracting breast milk are disclosed. A pump head comprises an external shell with an elastic membrane disposed and bonded therein to define at least one hermetically sealed chamber. Manipulation of the elastic membrane, for example, by adjusting suction or pressure in the sealed chamber or within an interior volume defined by the elastic membrane permits radial mechanical compression (positive pressure) to be applied to a nipple positioned in the pump head to simulate compression of the nipple by the infant's tongue and simultaneously permits axial hydraulic or pneumatic suction (negative pressure) to be applied to the nipple to simulate the infant's minimum intra-oral vacuum. The breast pump device of the present invention can generate these simultaneous compressions and suctions with a single vacuum source, which may be an electric pump or a hand-operated mechanical pump.

Based in the field of breastfeeding, a breast pump apparatus (100) for expressing breast milk is disclosed. The breast pump apparatus (100) comprises a container unit (110) for receiving expressed breast milk, and a pump unit (120) including a pump body (130) and a pumping device (140) for applying negative pressure to a pump volume defined by the pump body (130). The pump body (130) comprises an inlet portion (132) adapted to be received on a female breast and an outlet portion (134) adapted to channel expressed milk to the container unit (110). The pump body (130) comprises an actuator element (200, 300, 400) comprising an active material capable of deforming upon application of a control signal to it, wherein deformation of the actuator element modifies at least one of a shape and size of the pump volume.

A progressive sequencing lactating breast milk extraction apparatus comprising a series of compression segments arranged forming a conical shape extending between a wider chest end and a narrower extracted milk collection end, at least one vibration generating apparatus in vibrational communication with at least one compression segment of the series of compression segments; and an operational mechanism to contract and expand each compression segment. In use, the operational mechanism cycles each compression segment of the series of compression segments between a compressed state and a relaxed state and the cycles are provided sequentially from a rear of the progressive sequencing lactating breast milk extraction apparatus to the extracted milk collection end. The vibrational energy applied to the breast aids in flow of the milk through the breast.

A breast pump arrangement having an expression kit with a milk flow sensor (200) is provided. The milk flow sensor (200) comprises a container (240) with a first end with a first opening (242) and a second end with a second opening (243). The second opening (243) allows an outflow of milk with a predefined outflow characteristics out of the container (241). The first opening (242) is larger than the second opening (243). A milk amount sensor (250) is provided to measure a height or volume of milk in the container. A calculating unit (260, 240) calculates a milk flow based on the height or volume measurements and the predefined outflow characteristic of the second opening (243).

Systems and methods for pumping milk from a breast responsive to a controller, 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.

An apparatus for biomimetic expression of breast milk can comprise a breast interface having an expandable membrane configured to mimic the geometry of an infant's mouth. Various regions of the expandable membrane may be configured to simulate the structure and/or function of various parts of an infant's mouth. The expandable membrane may comprise one or more of a distal sealing region configured to simulate the lips, a superior region configured to simulate the hard palate, an inferior protruding region configured to simulate the gums, an intermediate curved region configured to simulate the tongue, and one or more internal expansion regions configured to simulate the soft palate and the throat. The expandable membrane may have a varying thickness throughout the one or more various regions to enable movement of the regions similar to the movement of the corresponding regions of an infant's mouth during nursing.

A breast interface (70) for a breast pump (1) includes a liner support frame (200) and a liner (100). The liner support frame defines an interior liner support frame space (202) configured to receive at least part of the liner (100). The liner support frame comprises a front ring (204) and a split rear ring (206) including at least two complementary circumferential rear ring portions (206a, 206b) that are rearrangeable relative to each other to facilitate passage of a flanged rear end of the liner (100). The liner (100) comprises a rear section (170) including a tubular wall part configured to be fittingly enclosed by the rear ring (206) and provided with a first annular flange (172) with an outer diameter that is greater than an inner diameter of the rear ring (206) of the liner support frame (200), and that, in an assembled condition of the breast interface, abuts the rear ring (206) on end.

Systems and methods for pumping milk from a breast responsive to a controller, 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.