1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a pump-to-bottle bag which allows breast feeding mothers to transfer milk from a breast pump directly into the bag.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art includes a non-reclosable bag, by Playtex, which freezes the breast milk in one large cylindrical piece. This makes thawing of the milk more time-consuming. Moreover, it is believed that most breast-feeding mothers would prefer to lay a reclosable bag on its side so that the breast milk would freeze in a long thin layer which typically would thaw more quickly. The Playtex system is also problematic in that there are a number of different adapters and fixtures, all of which need to be cleaned and maintained sterile between uses.
The prior art further includes a Medela bag which uses adhesive tape that goes over the pump and does not create an airtight seal. As a result, suction is reduced while the possibility of contamination is increased. This bag cannot be used as the feeding bag, so the mother must, after pumping, pour the milk into a separate bottle feeding system in order to feed the child. This likewise involves additional components that need to be cleaned and maintained sterile between uses.
It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a storage bag for receiving breast milk directly from the pump, and wherein the milk can subsequently be thawed quickly.
It is therefore a further object of the present disclosure to provide a storage bag for breast milk which reduces the risk of contamination, maintains a closed seal so that pumping is more efficient and reduces the number of parts that need to be cleaned and maintained as sterile between uses.
These and other objects are obtained by providing a bag for receiving breast milk wherein a polymeric bag is engaged between a cylindrical support and a pump receiving ring. The pump receiving ring is received within the interior of the top of the cylindrical support. A sealing relationship is formed between the pump receiving ring and the cylindrical support with the upper portions of the polymeric bag extending therebetween. The pump receiving ring further includes a locking mechanism for engaging the breast pump.
Further objects and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, one sees that
Pump receiving ring 34 is shown in more detail in
The lower support engaging portion 46 of pump receiving ring 34 includes a central cylindrical seal 50, which is typically made of rubber or some similar material, for engaging against a central portion of concave arcuate surface 32 (with a portion of the walls of polymeric bag 12 therebetween). The lower support engaging portion 46 further includes a lower cylindrical seal 52, which is likewise typically made of rubber or some similar material, for engaging against internal lip 28 (with a portion of the walls of polymeric bag 12 therebetween).
To use apparatus 10, the user places the polymeric bag 12 within the cylindrical support 22, adjusts the position of the upper edges 18 of polymeric bag 12 and snap engages the pump receiving ring 34 to cylindrical support 22. The user then engages the pump 100 to the pump receiving ring 34 and operates the pump 100 to express milk into the polymeric bag 12. The polymeric bag 12 is then removed from apparatus 10 and then typically sealed and chilled or frozen for later use.
Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/513,006 filed on Jul. 29, 2011, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61513006 | Jul 2011 | US |