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Patent Searching and Data


Title:
A BREAST PUMP APPARATUS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2018/060698
Kind Code:
A4
Abstract:
A breast pump apparatus, the apparatus comprising at least one collection unit, a pump, the pump comprising a piston, and a chair, wherein the collection unit is in fluid communication with the pump, such that upon actuation the pump creates suction impulses which are transmitted, in use, to the user's breast via the collection unit, thereby expressing milk from the breast into the collection unit, and wherein the pump is connected to the chair, such that, in use, the relative movement of a first portion of the chair relative to the other parts of the chair, manually actuates and drives the piston of the pump.

Inventors:
PAGET NICHOLAS (GB)
BATCHELOR MATT (GB)
VANNS NATALIE (GB)
HODGE GRAHAM (GB)
Application Number:
PCT/GB2017/052889
Publication Date:
May 17, 2018
Filing Date:
September 27, 2017
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
CLIFSON LTD (GB)
International Classes:
A61M1/06; A47C7/62; A61M1/00
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
IP21 LIMITED (GB)
Download PDF:
Claims:
AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 26 March 2018 (26.03.18)

Claims

1. A breast pump apparatus, the apparatus comprising at least one collection unit, a pump, the pump comprising a pumping chamber, and a chair, wherein the collection unit is in fluid communication with the pump, such that upon actuation the pump creates suction impulses which are transmitted, in use, to the user's breast via the collection unit, thereby expressing milk from the breast into the collection unit, and wherein the pump is connected to the chair, such that, in use, the relative movement of a first portion of the chair relative to the other parts of the chair, manually actuates and drives the pumping chamber of the pump, and wherein the chair is flat-folding.

2. A breast pump apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pumping chamber comprises at least one of the following; a piston, an impeller and bellows.

3. A breast pump apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the chair comprises an upper backrest portion and a lower seat portion, and wherein the pump is actuated by the movement of the upper portion relative to the lower portion.

4. A breast pump apparatus according to either claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the chair is configured such that the pump is actuated and powered by the motion of the user rocking back and forth in the chair.

5. A breast pump apparatus according to either claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the upper, backrest portion has a first surface, which, in use, supports the user's back, and an opposite, second surface, and wherein the pump has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being attached to the second surface and the distal end engaging, in use, with the floor.

6. A breast pump apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the pump is a syringe pump and wherein the apparatus further comprises a spring also attached to the second surface, said spring being, in use, floor-engaging, and wherein in use, when the user rocks, in use, backwards, the pump is moved from a first, compressed position into a second, extended position and the spring is also moved from a first extended position to a second, compressed position and wherein the resultant opposing force in the compressed spring

1 pushes the backrest in use forward, such that both spring and pump are returned to their respective positions.

7. A breast pump apparatus according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the upper and lower portions are connected by at least one elongate belt, wherein the piston is attached to an end of the belt and the pump further comprises a spring, and wherein in use, when the user rocks, in use, backwards, the pump is moved from a first, extended position into a second, compressed position and the spring is also moved from a first extended position to a second, compressed position and wherein the resultant opposing force in the compressed spring pulls the backrest in use forward, such that both spring and pump are returned to the first extended position.

8. A breast pump apparatus according to either claim 6 or claim 7, wherein there are two belts, driving, in use, two pumps, and wherein each pump is in fluid communication with a separate collection unit.

9. A breast pump apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the stroke length of the pump is adjustable.

10. A breast pump apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pump further comprises an impeller.

11. A breast pump apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the chair comprises one or more embedded reinforcing struts at or adjacent the perimeter of the chair.

12. A breast pump apparatus, the apparatus comprising at least two collection units, and two manually operated pumps, wherein the collection units are in fluid communication with two manually operated pumps, such that upon actuation, each pump creates suction impulses which are transmitted, in use, to the user's breasts via the collection units, thereby expressing milk from the breasts into the collection unit, the pump further comprising a stroke length controller wherein the stroke length of each pump may be adjusted and set separately from the other pump, such that the suction impulses on each breast may be independently adjusted.

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13. A breast pump apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the chair is hinged comprises a hinge pump located at a join between a chair back and a base. 14. A breast pump apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the chair is provided with two hinge pumps.

15. A hinge pump for a breast pump apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, having an input shaft for transferring a torque from the join between the chair back and the base to an input shaft, a planetary gear assembly having a sun gear and at least one planet gear, a support ring, a lead screw having a threaded portion on an outer surface thereof, a piston having a threaded portion on an inner surface which corresponds to the threaded portion of the lead screw, and a cylinder head aperture suitable for moving substantially axially within a cylinder bore, wherein a piston seal provides a substantially fluid-tight seal between the piston and cylinder bore.

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