A breast milk collection device includes a reservoir volume and an adaptor having one end to receive a woman's breast. The adaptor has a drip tube communicating with the reservoir. A source of cyclical application and relief of vacuum force is applied to the woman's breast located in the adaptor for the expression of breast milk. A one-way assembly permits breast milk to enter the reservoir and to submerge the valve element. The valve assembly includes a flexible barrier having an interior hollow chamber in fluid communication with said cyclical source of vacuum force and relief pressure, the flexible barrier fluidly isolating the source from the reservoir. The flexible barrier inflatably expands when relief pressure is applied to the interior of the flexible barrier, the flexible barrier becoming deflated when a vacuum force is applied to the hollow interior of the flexible barrier.

A sound suppression system for reducing or eliminating sound produced by the operation of a breast vacuum pump includes a sound suppressing muffler assembly having an air entry port adapted to communicate with an air outlet port of a vacuum pump or other air flow generating device. The sound suppressing muffler assembly also includes a muffler housing defining an internal space communicating with the air entry port, and an opening in the housing leading to atmosphere. The muffler housing has a tortuous air path in the muffler housing. In one embodiment, sound absorbing porous foam structure is disposed in the tortuous air path. The at least one sound absorbing porous structure absorbs sound energy from the air as the air moves through the at least one air path toward the opening in the muffler housing. In further embodiments, a tortuous air path is provided between an air entry port and an opening to atmosphere in the muffler assembly.

A wearable and hidden breast pump includes a shell, a flange, a negative pressure chamber, a negative pressure pump, a milk container and a solenoid valve. The flange is arranged on a front surface of the shell; the negative pressure chamber is arranged in the shell and connected with the flange to form an lactation chamber; the negative pressure pump and the solenoid valve are arranged in the shell, the negative pressure pump, the solenoid valve and the negative pressure chamber are communicated; the negative pressure pump intermittently extracts air from the negative pressure chamber, and the solenoid valve intermittently inflates air into the negative pressure chamber, thus controlling an air amount in said negative pressure chamber, thereby controlling the lactation chamber to form a negative pressure or a positive pressure; the milk container is arranged under the shell and communicated with the lactation chamber.

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.

The disclosure provides embodiments for collecting breast milk (such as colostrum). Collection devices for collecting the breast milk include a breast shield having a first open end, a second open end, and a breast covering material positioned between the first open end and the second open end, wherein an interior surface of the breast shield is configured to abut a portion of a breast inserted through the first open end, wherein the second open end is configured to surround a nipple of the breast, and wherein a diameter of the second open end is less than a diameter of the first open end. The devices further include a collection tube having an open end and a closed end, wherein the open end of the collection tube is configured to connect with the second open end of the breast shield.

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.

A breast pump device for pumping breast milk is disclosed. The breast pump device may include a breast shield for receiving a breast, a collection container for receiving breast milk, a tubing connecting the breast shield to the collection container, and a pump connected to the collection container, configured to draw breast milk from the breast shield, through the tubing, and into the collection container. The breast shield may include a channel extending from an interior portion of the breast shield located near a nipple of the breast to an exterior portion of the breast shield. The various components of the breast pump device may be made out of antimicrobial materials. One or more sensors and/or computing devices may be incorporated to measure the amount of milk produced, monitor temperature of the milk, and provide alerts regarding pumping schedules.

A liner (100) for use in a breast interface (70) comprises a front section (110) including a front wall part (112) defining a breast contact surface (118) and an opening (116b) provided in the breast contact surface. The breast contact surface (118) is configured to abut a woman's breast during use, while a nipple of the breast protrudes at least partially through the opening (116b). The breast interface further comprises a rear section (170), connected to the front section (140), that includes a tubular wall part (171) having a rear end opening. The front and rear sections (110, 170) together define a milk passage (190) that extends from the opening (116b) in the breast contact surface (118) to the rear end opening of the tubular wall part (171), wherein the milk passage slopes downwardly in the rearward direction.

The invention is a wearable breast pump system including a housing shaped at least in part to fit inside a bra and a piezo air-pump. The piezo air-pump is fitted in the housing and forms part of a closed loop system that drives a separate, deformable diaphragm to generate negative air pressure. The diaphragm is removably mounted on a breast shield.

The present invention relates to a breast shield used in a breast pump configured to pump human breast milk. The breast shield includes a hard base portion including both ends and a sidewall connecting the both ends to include a hollow in the base portion in which the both ends are open and a human mamma is accommodated in the hollow through any one of the both ends, through holes passing through the sidewall, and a soft portion configured to surround an outer surface and an inner surface of the base portion, prevent an airflow through the through holes, and have flexibility.