Abstract:
The present disclosure provides for a hands-free battery operated breast pump system having a battery operated breast pump, tubing, connector pieces, flask-type storage containers, funnels, a stretch bra and a vest with pockets. The vest provides covers the mother and baby sufficiently to provide privacy during a breastmilk expressing process such that the breast is not outwardly exposed, while also allowing the mother to perform other tasks unhindered while expressing breastmilk for storage.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This is a non-provisional and claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/437,421 filed on Jan. 28, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present document provides a breast pump system, and in particular to a breast pump system having a vest or jacket operatively associated with a breast pump that provides complete coverage to a lactating woman during a breast milk expressing process such that the breasts of the woman are not exposed, while also allowing her to perform other tasks when expressing breast milk. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A nursing mother (or one who expresses milk exclusively), may use her breast pump every two to three hours for a year or more. Discounting the night hours, it is easy to conclude a woman may average three to six 20-30 minute pumping sessions per day (with variations for personal use/need). Assuming four 20 minute sessions per day, a woman could easily spend one and a half hours per day (as a conservative estimate) connected to the breast pump. Conservatively, a woman could spend 10 hours a week and close to 500 hours in the baby&#39;s first year, connected to her breast pump. While there are currently hands-free breast pump devices or systems available, they are cumbersome to use and difficult to assemble. In addition, although conventional breast pump devices may use clips to engage the breast pump device to an existing bra worn by the woman, such a clip arrangement can also pull down on the breast during pumping operation, which can cause leakage of breast milk and/or disconnection of the breast itself from the breast pump device. Therefore there is a need for a breast pump system which allows a lactating woman to maximize her time when expressing breast milk in order to be more productive by being able to concurrently perform other duties around the house or out in the public. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In an embodiment, a breast pump system may include a garment including an interior portion and an exterior portion with the garment defining a first sleeve opening and a second sleeve opening configured to permit passage of an individual&#39;s arms. The breast pump system further includes a bra secured to the garment with the bra having a first bra portion defining a first aperture and a second bra portion defining a second aperture, wherein the first bra portion and the second bra portion are positioned along the interior portion of the garment proximate the first sleeve opening and the second sleeve opening, respectively. 
         [0005]    In another embodiment, a method of manufacturing a breast pump system may include:
       providing a garment material including an interior portion and an exterior portion,   forming a first sleeve opening and a second sleeve opening in the garment material configured to permit passage of an individual&#39;s arms;   securing a bra having a first bra portion and a second bra portion to the interior portion of the garment material; and   forming a first opening through the first bra portion and a second opening through the second bra portion.       
 
         [0010]    Additional objectives, advantages and novel features will be set forth in the description which follows or will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the drawings and detailed description which follows. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a vest used in a breast pump system showing the interior portion of the vest; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the vest with the vest in a partially closed configuration. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of the vest; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a collection member used with the vest of the breast pump system; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a front view of one embodiment for the breast pump connected to a dual tubing arrangement of the breast pump system; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the breast pump system showing a pair of collection members operatively connected to the vest; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a front view showing another embodiment of the vest configured to engage a different embodiment of the breast pump; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a front of a jacket used with another embodiment of the breast pump system; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a front view of another embodiment of the breast pump connected to a single tubing arrangement of the breast pump system. 
       
    
    
       [0020]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding elements among the view of the drawings. The headings used in the figures should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the claims. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    The detailed description herein describes for systems and methods for a breast pump system that ensures a degree of privacy during the milk expressing period by a lactating woman. The breast pump system allows a lactating woman to walk and/or perform other tasks during the milk expressing process for collecting expressed breast milk. In some embodiments, the breast pump system may comprise a garment, such as a vest or jacket, that engages a bra for supporting a breast pump, tubing arrangement, and one or more collection members for collecting expressed breast milk as well as provide substantial coverage of a lactating woman&#39;s upper body, especially her breasts during the milk expressing process. As such, the breast pump system described herein allows a lactating woman to recapture some of the nursing time required to express milk and be more productive with her time since the garment and bra arrangement for a breast pumping system provides a degree of privacy to the user when expressing breast milk, allows for unencumbered use in operating the breast pump system, and permits hands-free operation of the breast pump. 
         [0022]    Referring to the drawings, various embodiments of the breast pump system are illustrated and generally indicated as  100   200  and  300  in  FIGS. 1-9 . In one embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the breast pump system  100  may include an outer garment, such as a vest  102  configured to receive a breast pump  130  ( FIG. 5 ) connected to a dual tubing arrangement  105  having a first tube  126  and a second tube  128  that are each configured to be connected to respective collection members  115 A and  115 B ( FIG. 4 ) for collecting breast milk expressed from a lactating woman. The vest  102  defines a first sleeve opening  104  and a second sleeve opening  106  configured to permit the lactating woman&#39;s arms to pass through when the vest  102  is being worn. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , one embodiment of the vest  102  includes an interior portion  112 , such as an inner liner, connected or otherwise sewn to a front exterior portion  113  and a rear exterior portion  117  that form the outside portions of the vest  102 . In some embodiments, the interior portion  112  may be made from a flexible material, such as fabric or plastic material, connected or otherwise sewn to the front and rear exterior portions  113  and  117  of the vest  102  to form an inner space  107  between the interior portion  112  and exterior portions  113  and  117 . 
         [0024]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , a pocket  114  may be formed along the vest  102 , which communicates with a first channel  116  and a second channel  118  in which the pocket  114  and channels  116  and  118  are sewn or otherwise formed along the interior portion  112  and/or exterior portions  113  and  117  of the vest  102 . The pocket  114  may be configured to receive and store the breast pump  130  therein and the first and second channels  116  and  118  may be configured to receive the dual tubing arrangement  105  with the first tube  126  inserted through the first channel  116  and the second tube  128  inserted through the second channel  118  in one method of assembly. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , one embodiment of the breast pump system, designated  200 , includes a vest  202  which is similar to vest  102  in that the vest  202  defines a first sleeve opening  204  and a second sleeve opening  206  along an interior portion  212 . In some embodiments, the vest  202  may include first pocket  219  and a second pocket  221  positioned on either side of vest  202 . In some embodiments, the first pocket  219  may be configured to receive a first breast pump  230  and the second pocket  221  configured to receive a second breast pump  231  for expressing breast milk into first and second collection members  115 A and  115 B ( FIG. 6 ). In those embodiments of the breast pump system  200  having a single breast pump  132  with a separate battery pack, the first pocket  219  may be configured to receive one of the first and second breast pumps  230  and  231 , while the second pocket  221  may be configured to receive a separate battery pack for operative connection to the breast pump  230 . In such an embodiment, a channel (not shown) may be formed that communicates between the first and second pockets  219  and  221  to allow passage of an electrical line from the battery pack to the breast pump  230  to provide electrical power. In addition, the first pocket  219  may communicate with a first channel  216  and the second pocket  221  may communicate with a second channel  218  for establishing a pathway for tubing arrangement  105  ( FIG. 3 ) or tubing arrangement  305  ( FIG. 9 ) As shown, the first channel  216  includes an opening  232  and the second channel  218  includes a second opening  230  for permitting passage of the tubing arrangements  105  or  305 . In addition, the vest  202  includes a bra  203 , similar to bra  103 , which is configured to engage the vest  203  as well as collection members  115  for collecting expressed milk. 
         [0026]    In another embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 , the breast pump system, designated  300 , includes a jacket  302 , which is substantially similar to the vests  101  and  202  with the exception that the jacket  302  includes sleeves  324  and  326  extending from the sleeve openings. In some embodiments, the jacket  302  is configured to engage a bra  303  having a first bra portion  308  defining a first opening  320  and a second bra portion  310  defining a second opening  322  in which the first and second bra portions  308  and  310  are coupled to the interior portion  312  of the jacket  302 . In some embodiments, the jacket  302  may include a single pocket  314  configured for receiving a breast pump  330  and a single channel  315  extending from the pocket  314  for receiving tubing arrangement  305 . In some embodiments, the jacket  302  may include first and second pockets in communication with respective channels as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . In addition, the embodiment of the tubing arrangement  305  shown in  FIG. 9  includes a first tube  326  and a second tube  328  that extend from a connector  332 , such as a Y-connector, for connection to respective collection members  115 , while a third tube  332  extends between the connector  332  and the breast pump  330 . 
         [0027]    Referring back to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , one embodiment of the vest  102  may include a first channel  116  defining an opening  152 , while the second channel  118  defines another opening  150 , which are both configured to permit passage of the first and second tubes  126  and  128 , respectively, of the tubing assembly  105  during assembly of the breast pump system  100 . The first and second openings  150  and  152  may be located proximate the first and second bra portions  108  and  110 , respectively. In other embodiments, the vest  102  may lack the first and second channels  116  and  118  such that the tubing arrangement  105  passes directly through the inner space  107  between the interior portion  112  and exterior portions  113  and  117  without being confined within the first and second channels  116  and  118  for passage of the first tube  126  and second tube  128  directly through first and second openings  150  and  152 , respectively. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the flexible bra  103  defines a first bra portion  108  and a second bra portion  110  located proximate or adjacent the first and second sleeve openings  104  and  106 , respectively. In some embodiments, the first bra portion  108  includes a respective flexible body  160  defining a first opening  120  with one end of body  160  sewn or otherwise engaged to the interior portion  112  and an opposing end of body  160  having a zipper arrangement  125 A. Similarly, the second bra portion  110  includes a flexible body  164  defining a second opening  122  with one end portion sewn or otherwise engaged to the interior portion  112  and an opposing end having a complementary zipper arrangement  125 B configured to engage zipper arrangement  125 A for securing together the first and second bra portions  108  and  110 . 
         [0029]    The first and second bra portions  108  and  110  may have any suitable configuration, such as a square-shaped configuration, a rectangular-shaped configuration, a circular-shaped configuration, an oval-shaped configuration, an irregular-shaped configuration, and combinations thereof which are sized and shaped to receive the breasts of the lactating woman when wearing the bra  103 . As noted above, the first bra portion  108  and the second bra portion  110  may be separate, distinct portions sewn or otherwise engaged to the interior portion  112  proximate the first and second sleeve openings  104  and  106  of the vest  102  ( FIG. 1 ), while in other embodiments the flexible bra  103  may be of unitary construction in which a middle portion  144  ( FIG. 6 ) extends between the first and second bra portions  108  and  110  with a part of the middle portion  144  being engaged between the interior portion  112  and the exterior portion  117  of the vest  102  to engage the bra  103  to the vest  102 . 
         [0030]    Referring back to  FIG. 2 , some embodiments of the vest  102  may include the zipper arrangement  124  for securing together the front portions of the vest  102  such that the interior portion  112  of the vest  102  is not outwardly visible when the breast pump system  100  is being used. In other embodiments, the vest  102  may include various other means for securing the front of the vest  102 , such as a button arrangement, a clasp arrangement, a VELCO® arrangement, a snap-on arrangement, or a tie-string arrangement. The above means for securing the front of the vest  102  may also be used to secure the first and second bra portions  108  and  110  together. 
         [0031]    In some embodiments, the breast pump  130  may be battery operated and the battery (not shown) rechargeable. In another embodiment, the breast pump  130  may include a separate battery pack (not shown). In one embodiment, the breast pump  130  may be made into a comparable size and substantially flat in shape so that it can be housed in the pocket  114  of the vest  102 . In an alternative embodiment, the breast pump  130  may be housed in one or more pockets  114  located along the interior and/or exterior portions  112 ,  113  and  117  of the vest  102 . In one embodiment, the battery pack may be an integral part of the breast pump  130 . In another embodiment, the battery pack and the breast pump  130  may be two separable components. In such an embodiment, shown in  FIG. 7 , the battery pack may then be housed in pocket  219  on one side of the vest  202  to balance the weight of the breast pump  130  disposed in another pocket  221  on the other side of the vest  102 . In one embodiment, the breast pump  130  may be located outside the vest  102  and plugged in to an external power source, such as an electrical outlet or automobile charger. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the breast pump system  100  includes at least one collection member  115  for collecting expressed breast milk. The collection member  115  includes a collection chamber  132  configured to collect expressed breast milk. The collection chamber  132  is in fluid flow communication with a manifold  134  having a port  138  configured to engage one of the first and second tubes  126  and  128  to apply a negative pressure to the collection chamber  132  produced by the breast pump  130 . The collection member  115  further includes a funnel  136  connected or integral with the manifold  134 . The funnel  136  is configured to receive a woman&#39;s breast during the lactating process such that sufficient suctioning action is applied to the breast for causing breast milk to be expressed into the collection chamber  132  through the funnel  136  and manifold  132 . As such, engagement of the funnel  136  to the woman&#39;s breast and operation of the breast pump  130  generates sufficient negative pressure for producing a suctioning action to the lactating woman&#39;s breast to express breast milk into the collection chamber  132 . 
         [0033]    In one method of assembling the breast pump system  100  illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the first and second collection members  115 A and  115 B are engaged to the first bra portion  108  and second bra portion  110 , respectively, by inserting the neck portion  137  of each funnel  136  through respective openings  120  and  122  of first and second bra portions  108  and  110 , and then engaging each funnel  136  to a respective first and second collection members  115 A and  1158 . Once the first and second collection members  115 A and  1158  are mounted to the bra  103  in this manner, the proximal ends  190  and  192  of the dual tubing arrangement  105  may be connected to the breast pump  130  and the distal ends  194  and  196  of the dual tubing arrangement  105  may be inserted through respective openings  150  and  152  for connection to ports  138  of first and second collection members  115 A and  115 B, respectively, to establish fluid flow communication between the breast pump  130  and the first and second collection members  115 A and  115 B when applying the suctioning action to the breasts of the lactating woman. In one embodiment, the first and collection members  115 A and  115 B may be disposed in a pocket  114  located along the front breast area of the vest  102  that is accessible to the tubing arrangement  105 . 
         [0034]    In some embodiments of the collection member  115 , the collection chamber  132 , manifold  134  and funnel  136  collectively define a low profile relative to the vest  102 ,  202  and jacket  302 . In this low profile configuration, the collection member  115  does not extend or extend substantially outwardly from the front of the vests  102 ,  202  and jacket  302 . 
         [0035]    In some embodiments, the breast pump  130  and the collection member  115  may be manufactured by Medela (Model Nos. 57040 and 57062) or the First Year&#39;s miPump™ breast pump system (Model No. Y4613/Y4614. 
         [0036]    It should be understood from the foregoing that, while particular embodiments have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teachings of this invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.