Patent ID: 7479125
Filing Date: 2009-01-20
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. A breast pump, comprising: a milk container main body capable of accommodating sucked mother's milk; a deformable member configured to provide a sealed space by contacting a breast; a horn member disposed outside the deformable member; an internal space pressure altering device that is configured to alternately provide a negative pressure condition and an atmospheric pressure condition in the sealed space; and a communicating portion configured to connect the internal space pressure altering device and the sealed space, wherein the horn member is configured such that it does not deform when internal pressure within the sealed space varies and has a base end disposed near the communicating portion, an inner surface, and an opening end disposed near an entrance through which the breast is inserted; the deformable member is configured to cover the inner surface of the horn member, to deform when internal pressure within the sealed space varies, and has an attachable and detachable portion which is attachable to and detachable from the horn member; the attachable and detachable portion has a base end side attachable and detachable portion configured to be fixed to the base end of the horn member and an opening side attachable and detachable portion configured to be fixed to the opening end of the horn member; and the horn member has an atmospheric pressure condition creating structure configured to maintain an atmospheric pressure condition in a space between the deformable member and the horn member, wherein the atmospheric pressure condition creating structure is at least one vent opening formed by only the horn member so as to directly open the space between the deformable member and the horn member to atmosphere, and a first side of the at least one vent opening in the horn member is exposed directly to the space between the horn member and the deformable member, and an opposite side of the at least one vent opening in the horn member is exposed directly to atmosphere exterior to the breast pump, and the atmospheric pressure condition creating structure is configured to maintain an atmospheric pressure condition in the space between the deformable member and the horn member continuously during operation of the internal space pressure altering device during both a time at which the negative pressure condition is present in the sealed space and a time at which the atmospheric pressure condition is present in the sealed space, wherein the horn member includes a substantially conical shaped surface and the vent opening occupies a minority portion of the conical shaped surface.