A breast pump includes a main body, a breast milk suctioning shield, and one or more air pumps. The breast milk suctioning shield is assembled in an accommodation space of the main body and detachably connected to the main body. A front end of the breast milk suctioning shield has a breast shielding portion, and a nipple passage extends from a rear end of a center portion of the breast shielding portion. One or more deformable members and a non-deformable supporting member are assembled with an annular connection portion located between the breast shielding portion and the nipple passage. The air pump has an intake port and an exhaust port. The intake port is controlled by a first valve controller to suction the nipple passage and generate a negative pressure, and the exhaust port is controlled by a second valve controller to inflate or deflate the deformable member.

A breast milk collecting method by stimulating the mammary gland of a breastfeeder to eject breast milk includes providing an audio-playing device to generate an auditory stimulation, providing a video-playing device to generate a visual stimulation, and providing a breast pump to generate a tactile stimulation and collect the breast milk. In this method, the breast pump is placed on a breast of the breastfeeder, and one or more deformable members of the breast bump is inflated or deflated alternately to touch and press the breast so as to mimic a breastfeeding condition to generate the tactile stimulation, so that the pituitary gland of the breastfeeder can be directly stimulated by the multiple sensory stimulations to secret prolatine or oxytocin, thereby allowing the mammary gland of the breastfeeder to eject the breast milk to be collected by the breast pump and treated collectively.

A connection device and process connect a patient-side coupling unit to a source/sink of a gas including oxygen. The connection device includes a valve device with a first valve (40.1) and with a second valve (40.2). A source-side fluid guide unit establishes a fluid connection between the source or the sink and the valve device. A patient-side fluid guide unit establishes a fluid connection between the patient-side coupling unit and the valve device. The valves are connected in parallel and are arranged between the two fluid guide units. A gas flows from the source through the first and/or second valve to the patient-side coupling unit or through the first and/or second valves to the sink. A control pressure is set at each valve. As a result, the time course of the volume flow downstream of the valve device follows a predefined time course.

A dry powder inhaler includes a powder storage element configured to hold a powdered medicament and an inlet channel receives, powdered medicament from the powder storage element that is entrained in an airflow. The inlet channel has a first diameter and defines an opening. The inhaler includes a dispersion chamber that receives the airflow and the powdered medicament from the opening. The dispersion chamber has a second diameter. The inhaler includes an actuator housed within the dispersion chamber. The actuator oscillates within the dispersion chamber when exposed to the airflow to deaggregate the powdered medicament entrained by the airflow passing through the dispersion chamber. A ratio between the first diameter and the second diameter is between about 0.40 and 0.60 such that an audible sound is produced as the actuator oscillates. The inhaler includes an outlet channel through which the airflow and powdered medicament exit the inhaler.

The present invention provides for the integration of drug dispersion methods into a drug or medicine delivery system. The drug dispersion methods used include shear (e.g., air across a drug, with or without a gas assist), capillary flow or a venturi effect, mechanical means such as spinning, vibration, or impaction, and turbulence (e.g., using mesh screens, or restrictions in the air path). These methods of drug dispersion allow for all of the drug in the system to be released, allowing control of the dosage size. These methods also provide for drug metering, fluidization, entrainment, deaggragation and deagglomeration. The present invention also provides for the integration of a drug sealing system into the device. The drug sealing system provides a way of blocking the migration of drug from one area of the package to another. The drug seal system can also provide a method of tightly containing the drug until the package is opened, of directing airflow through the package and of managing and containing the drug during the package/device manufacturing process.

An apparatus (1) for supplying a gas mixture to a patient, having a gas inlet line (30) with a gas inlet orifice (30a) that splits into a first gas line (31) and a second gas line (32); at least one permeation module (33) arranged on the second gas line (32), the said permeation module (33) having a feed port (33a) in fluidic communication with the second gas line (32), a retentate port (33b) and a permeate port (33c); a third gas line (34) in fluidic communication with the retentate port (33b) of the permeation module (33); a fourth gas line (35) in fluidic communication with the permeate port (33c) of the permeation module (33), and coupling fluidically to the said first gas line (31); and a source (360) of air in fluidic communication with the first gas line (31) and the fourth gas line (35).

A nitric oxide delivery system, which includes a gas bottle having nitrogen dioxide in air, converts nitrogen dioxide to nitric oxide and employs a surface-active material, such as silica gel, coated with an aqueous solution of antioxidant, such as ascorbic acid. A nitric oxide delivery system may be used to generate therapeutic gas including nitric oxide for use in delivering the therapeutic gas to a mammal.

A treadmill may include two separate left and right belts rotating around two sets of rollers, four legs having an adjustable height via air suspension to customize an inclination of the treadmill, a thermoelectric assembly, a fragrance assembly having a rotating fragrance cartridge to emit various smells toward a user of the treadmill, a display on which exercise programs are played, and an attachment module having a dispensing tray on which treats are dispensed. A handle of the treadmill may have a sensor to sense a height and front-rear position, and a belt divider provided between the left and right belts may have position or proximity sensors to sense a left-right position. An inclination of the treadmill may be automatically adjusted according to positions detected by the sensors, and the fragrance assembly, attachment module, and inclination may be automatically operated in accordance with an exercise program played on the display.

A treadmill may include two separate left and right belts rotating around two sets of rollers, four legs having an adjustable height via air suspension to customize an inclination of the treadmill, a thermoelectric assembly, a fragrance assembly having a rotating fragrance cartridge to emit various smells toward a user of the treadmill, a display on which exercise programs are played, and an attachment module having a dispensing tray on which treats are dispensed. A handle of the treadmill may have a sensor to sense a height and front-rear position, and a belt divider provided between the left and right belts may have position or proximity sensors to sense a left-right position. An inclination of the treadmill may be automatically adjusted according to positions detected by the sensors, and the fragrance assembly, attachment module, and inclination may be automatically operated in accordance with an exercise program played on the display.

Systems and methods for opening the eustachian tubes of a subject are provided. Aspects of the systems include: a swallow inducer; a nasal passage seal; a pressure source configured to apply positive pressure to a sealed nasal passage; a sensor configured to detect a parameter indicative of a swallow resultant palate closure; and a controller operably coupled to the pressure source and the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to cause the pressure source to apply positive pressure to a sealed nasal passage upon detection by the sensor of the parameter indicative of a swallow resultant palate closure. Also provide are methods of using the systems to open eustachian tubes. The systems and methods find use in a variety of different applications, e.g., the treatment of a subject for Otitis Media with Effusion (OME).