Abstract:
A manual breast pump comprising a pump housing defining an inlet orifice, an outlet orifice, and a pump orifice all in fluid communication with one another, the pump housing including a pump chamber, a repositionable actuator disposed within the pump chamber and repositionable within the pump chamber between a retracted position and an extended position, and a resilient band concurrently mounted to the pump housing and operatively mounted to the repositionable actuator.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/366,645, entitled, “MANUAL BREAST PUMP WITH RESILIENT RETURN,” filed Jul. 22, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     INTRODUCTION TO THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is directed to breast pumps and, specifically, to manual breast pumps having an automatic return using a resilient return. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevated perspective view of an exemplary breast pump in accordance with the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a right side, profile view of the exemplary breast pump of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the exemplary breast pump of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary breast pump of  FIG. 2  taken along a midline plane. 
         FIG. 5  is a right side, profile view of an alternate exemplary breast pump. 
         FIG. 6  is an elevated perspective view of the alternate exemplary breast pump of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described and illustrated below to encompass manual breast pump devices and methods of operating and assembling a manual breast pump. Of course, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments discussed below are exemplary in nature and may be reconfigured without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. However, for clarity and precision, the exemplary embodiments as discussed below may include optional steps, methods, and features that one of ordinary skill should recognize as not being a requisite to fall within the scope of the present invention. 
     Referencing  FIGS. 1-4 , an exemplary breast pump  100  includes a primary housing  102  that connects to a milk reservoir bottle  104  in order to store milk withdrawn from a woman&#39;s breast. The primary housing  102  includes a funnel  106  having a generally circular cross-section that is hollow and defines an enclosed fluid path for the milk to travel and ultimately be deposited in the bottle  104 . In exemplary form, the funnel  106  decreases in diameter as the distance from the mouth  108  increases. Proximate the mouth  108 , the funnel  106  includes a circular flange  110  that provides a foothold for an elastomeric insert  112  that is seated within the funnel. This elastomeric insert  112  is also funnel-shaped to generally match the interior topography of funnel  106 , but includes a distal lip  114  that includes a circumferential cavity that receives the circular flange  110 . In this manner, the lip  114  wraps around the flange  110  to secure the insert  112  to the funnel  106 . But the insert  112  is also mounted to the funnel  106  by a compression fit formed between a proximal portion  116  of the insert and the funnel. Specifically, the proximal portion  116  includes a circular cross-section having a smooth external diameter that is slightly larger than the corresponding internal smooth diameter of the funnel  106 . Accordingly, when the proximal portion  116  is inserted fully into the funnel  106 , the proximal portion is in compression and this creates a compression fit to also secure the insert  112  to the funnel. 
     A proximal portion  118  of the funnel  106  is constricted to direct milk through a central orifice  120  that is recessed below the mouth  108  of the funnel  106 . The central orifice  120  is defined by a circumferential flange  122  that extends perpendicularly from a cylindrical wall  124 . The cylindrical wall  124  defines a hollow, cylindrical conduit in selective communication with the interior of the bottle  104 . The selective communication occurs, in part, from an elastomeric valve  126  that circumscribes the cylindrical wall  124  to form a seal between the valve and cylindrical wall. The valve  126  includes a cylindrical wall  128  that joins a perpendicular wall  130  and transitions into a bounded conduit  132 . The bounded conduit  132  includes a cylindrical wall  134  that joins two planar walls  136 ,  138  in order to taper the bounded conduit into a V-shaped profile at one end  140 . But this V-shaped profile is not a true V-shape because the end  140  does not include a rigid connection between the planar walls. Rather, the planar walls are not continuously, rigidly joined at the end  140  because of a horizontal slit  142 . This horizontal slit  142  allows milk to pass therethrough and into the interior of the bottle  104 . As will be discussed in more detail hereafter, operation of the pump mechanism is operative to selectively force the two planar walls  136 ,  138  against one another at the end  140  to effectively close off communication through the slit  142  with the piston is retracted. 
     In order to couple the primary housing  102  to the milk reservoir bottle  104 , the housing includes a shroud  150  that covers the top of the bottle. Specifically, the interior of the shroud  150  is threaded to mate with threads  152  on the exterior of the bottle neck  154  so that twisting of the bottle  106  with respect to the housing  102  is operative to engage and disengage the bottle from the housing. The bottle neck  154  is generally circular in horizontal cross-section and includes a generally planar upper, circumferential surface  156  that contacts a generally planar, upper interior surface of the shroud  150  in order to form a seal between the housing  102  and the bottle  104  when the bottle is fully secured to the housing. 
     In order to withdraw milk from a woman&#39;s breast, the exemplary breast pump  100  creates an area of lower pressure proximate the breast using a pump mechanism  160 . The pump mechanism  160  includes a repositionable piston  162  that draws in air through an orifice  164  and into a cavity of the housing that is defined by a cylindrical wall  166 . By drawing air from the funnel  106  and through the orifice  164  while the woman&#39;s breast is sealed against the elastomeric insert  112 , a lower pressure area proximate the woman&#39;s breast is created. In order to draw in air from within the funnel  106 , the piston  162  is vertically repositionable within the cylindrical wall  166  away from the orifice  164  (i.e., retracted). 
     The piston  162  includes a circumferential recess  168  proximate its distal end  170  that receives a piston ring  172  in order to form a seal between the piston and cylindrical wall  166 . In this exemplary embodiment, the piston ring is a resilient material such as, without limitation, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, and other elastomeric materials. A proximal end  174  of the piston includes a pair of parallel, vertical walls  176  that each include an elongated through opening  178 . This elongated through opening  178  receives a solid, cylindrical projection  180  extending from opposite sides of a pair of vertical walls  182  that are spaced apart by perpendicular vertical wall  184  mounted to a handle  188 . Each of the three vertical walls  182 ,  184  extend from the roof  186  of the handle  188 , where the handle is pivotally mounted to the primary housing  102 . Specifically, the primary housing  102  includes an appendage  190  extending from the exterior of the cylindrical wall  166 , opposite the funnel  106 . The appendage  190  includes a pair of solid cylindrical projections  192  extending from opposite sides, proximate the top of the appendage. In exemplary form, the solid cylindrical projections  192  are received within corresponding cavities formed within the interior of the handle  188  so that the handle pivots about the solid cylindrical projections when actuated. 
     In order to actuate the handle  188 , a user pushes against the curved, exterior portion  194  of the handle so that that the handle pivots on the solid cylindrical projections  192 . As the handle  188  is pivoted by pushing on the curved, exterior portion  194  and directing it toward the bottle  104 , the solid, cylindrical projection  180  extending from opposite sides of a pair of vertical walls  182  are repositioned along an arcuate path. This arcuate path allows the solid, cylindrical projections  180  to be repositioned within the elongated through opening  178  and correspondingly retract the piston  162  and piston ring  172  within the interior of the cylindrical wall  166 . While the handle  188  is pivoted to retract the piston  162  and piston ring  172  within the interior of the cylindrical wall  166 , an elastic strap  198  is concurrently being stretched between a first mounting fixture  200  at the front, top portion of the handle and a second mounting fixture  202  located at the top of the funnel  106 . 
     The elastic strap  198  includes two through holes  204  that are spaced apart from one another. Each hole  204  is adapted to receive one of the two mounting fixtures. The profile of the hole is inversely hourglass shaped so the hole diameter narrows from both the top and bottom to a minimum at the middle of the hole, in a vertical direction. In this exemplary embodiment, the mounting fixtures  200 ,  202  each comprise a rounded, hourglass shaped projection. The rounded nature of the mounting fixtures  200 ,  202  allows the elastic strap  198  to be stretched so that the holes  204  are deformed to accommodate throughput of the ends of the mounting fixtures. After the holes  204  are deformed and the mounting figures extend through the holes, the holes are then relaxed so that the narrow part of the hourglass shape is where the strap  198  is seated to mount the strap to the mounting fixtures  200 ,  202 . 
     When the elastic strap  198  is concurrently mounted to the handle  188  and housing  106 , the elastic strap  198  provides resistance to the pivoting movement of me handle  188  and thus the retraction of the piston  162 . So when the user is no longer applying a sufficient force to the handle  188  pushing it toward the bottle  104 , the elasticity of the strap  198  causes the handle  188  to be pulled away from the bottle and, thus, pulls the piston  162  and piston ring  172  toward the orifice  164 . 
     The components of the foregoing exemplary breast pump  100  may be fabricated from various materials. For example, the housing  102  may be fabricated from a polymer. The handle  188  may also be fabricated from a polymer. And so too can the bottle  108  be fabricated from a polymer. Obviously, the strap  198  is preferably fabricated from a resilient material such as an elastomer. By way of example, the strap  198  may be fabricated from natural rubber, silicone rubber, and/or latex. But it should be understood that different materials may be utilized and still fall within the scope of the invention such as, without limitation, ceramics, glass, and metals. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , while the foregoing exemplary breast pump  100  has been described using mounting fixtures  200 ,  202  that each comprise a rounded, hourglass shaped projection, it is also within the scope of the disclosure to use differently shaped mounting fixtures  230 ,  232 . For example, the mounting fixtures  230 ,  232  may comprise a pair of J-shaped projections that are oriented in parallel to provide a gap therebetween. Depending upon the angle, size, and spacing of the J-shaped projections, one or both projections  230 ,  232  may be received through corresponding holes  204  in the strap  198 . In this alternate exemplary configuration, the J-shaped projections  230  extend from a front, top portion of the handle  188  with the end of the J-shaped projections extending upward, whereas another pair of J-shaped projections  232  extend from the top of the funnel  106  so that the ends of the projection do not extend upward. And the alternate mounting fixtures  230 ,  232  may also accommodate an alternate strap  234 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , this alternate strap  234  is adapted for use with the alternate mounting fixtures  230 ,  232 . In exemplary form, the alternate strap  234  is also at least partially elastic and includes a series of transverse lengths  236  that intersect the primary longitudinal aspect of the strap  234  at generally right angles. The transverse lengths  236  are generally evenly spaced apart. Once the strap  234  is stretched to be taught and a corresponding transverse length  236  is captured by each of the mounting fixtures  230 ,  232 , the strap is securely mounted to the handle  188  and the primary housing  102 . In this manner, the alternate strap  234  provides generally the same functionality as the primary strap  198   
     It is also to be understoodthat while the foregoing embodiment and alternate embodiment have been described using components of a piston pump, it is also within the scope of the invention to utilize components of a diaphragm pump. 
     Following from the above description and invention summaries, it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that, while the methods and apparatuses herein described constitute exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the invention contained herein is not limited to this precise embodiment and that changes may be made to such embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Additionally, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the claims and it is not intended that any limitations or elements describing the exemplary embodiments set forth herein are to be incorporated into the interpretation of any claim element unless such limitation or element is explicitly stated. Likewise, it is to be understood that it is not necessary to meet any or all of the identified advantages or objects of the invention disclosed herein in order to fall within the scope of any claims, since the invention is defined by the claims and since inherent and/or unforeseen advantages of the present invention may exist even though they may not have been explicitly discussed herein.