Patent ID: 8444596

Claim:
A breast milk collection apparatus comprising: (a) a milk collection bottle; (b) a breast shield including: (i) a unitary funnel member formed from a relatively rigid polymer including a tubular portion and a substantially conical portion for receiving a breast, the conical portion having a substantially conical profile and defining an outer opening; and (ii) an annular deformable lip portion consisting of elastomeric material secured about the outer opening of the funnel member, the deformable lip portion extending outwardly a substantial distance with respect to the conical profile of the funnel member of relatively rigid polymer; wherein the annular deformable lip portion and the unitary funnel member are joined by way of a scarfed joint which includes overlapping sections of the elastomeric material and the relatively rigid polymer, such that a thickness of each of the elastomeric material and the relatively rigid polymer is reduced in the scarfed joint so as to provide more contact area between the annular deformable lip portion and the unitary funnel member of the breast shield, while maintaining a flush inner surface in an interior of the breast shield across the scarfed joint; and (c) a suction transfer assembly for mounting on the collection bottle including: (i) a suction housing member defining a suction cavity and being adapted for connection to the breast shield; (ii) a vacuum housing member defining a vacuum cavity adapted for assembly with the suction housing member and also adapted for connecting to a vacuum line of a vacuum pump; and (iii) a diaphragm made of a deformable elastomeric material configured to mount between the suction housing member and the vacuum housing member so as to isolate the vacuum cavity from the suction cavity and to provide vacuum to the suction cavity from the vacuum cavity upon deformation of the diaphragm.