Patent ID: 7988661

Claim:
A breastshield for breastmilk pumping, comprising: a rigid outer shield part, said outer shield part having first and second portions which join together; an inner shield part mounted within said outer shield part, said inner shield part forming an inner sidewall to the breastshield and defining an interior adapted to receive therein and surround at least some of a woman's breast including a nipple in a substantially airtight engagement with the breast; a flexible area formed on said inner shield part, said flexible area capable of movement relative to a breast received within said breastshield; a first space defined between said flexible area and said outer shield part; a first port communicating with said first space to connect a source of fluid pressure to said first space, whereby application of a source of positive fluid pressure to said first space causes said first space to expand to thereby move said flexible area; a second space defined between said flexible area and said outer shield part, said second space being isolated relative to said first space; a second port communicating with said second space to connect a source of fluid pressure to said second space, whereby application of a source of positive fluid pressure to said second space causes said second space to expand to thereby move said flexible area, wherein said first and second spaces are capable of expanding and contracting independently of each other; an indented portion of the inner shield part, wherein at rest said indented portion is shaped such that the indented portion is concave to said outer shield part, thereby defining a third space between said inner shield part and said outer shield part; and a source of negative pressure communicating with said third space, whereby application of said source of negative pressure to said third space causes said indented portion to move outwardly toward said outer shield part, thereby generating a negative pressure in said interior operating on the breast to express milk.