Patent ID: 7396339

Claim:
An apparatus for use in extracting milk from a human breast, the apparatus comprising: a pliant receiving member having an inner receiving portion sized to receive a human breast and an adjacent inner connecting portion defining an opening extending therethrough, the receiving member having an inner surface adapted to contact at least a portion of the human breast, the inner surface including a recess located in the inner receiving portion and a passageway having a length extending from the recess to the opening to provide fluid communication between the recess and the opening during use; wherein the passageway includes a width smaller than a width of the recess along its length, and provides fluid communication between the recess and the opening such that negative pressure can be developed within the recess at the breast; a rigid outer member connected to the receiving member, the outer member defining an outer opening through which the inner connecting portion of the receiving member extends; wherein the rigid outer member has an outer receiving portion sized and configured to receive the inner receiving portion of the receiving member; and wherein the receiving member includes a peripheral passageway to inhibit negative pressure from being generated between the outer member and the receiving member.