Vessel for breast milk collection, preservation, transportation, and delivery
AssigneeCeres Chill Co.
InventorElizabeth Joy Myers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vessel includes an inner container, an outer container, a connector, a cap, and a lid. The outer container includes a first coupler and an outer chamber. The inner container includes a second coupler and an inner chamber to hold a liquid. The inner container is receivable at least partially within the outer chamber. The connector includes a third coupler that is complementary to the first coupler, and a fourth coupler that is complementary to the second coupler. When both the first coupler is engaged with the third coupler and the second coupler is engaged with the fourth coupler, the outer chamber is entirely enclosed within a liquid-proof barrier.
Claims21
A method of pumping and storing breast milk, the method comprising:
- contacting a breast shield with a breast;
- while contacting the breast with the breast shield, applying suction to the breast, thereby withdrawing milk from the breast;
- transferring the withdrawn milk from the breast to an inner chamber of an inner container, the inner container coupled to the breast shield by a first connector;
- decoupling the inner container from the breast shield by disengaging the first connector from the inner container;
- depositing a cooling medium into an outer chamber of an outer container;
- coupling the inner container to a second connector;
- inserting the inner container into the outer chamber;
- and
- after coupling the inner container to the second connector, coupling the outer container to the second connector such that a gap is formed between the inner container and the outer container, at least a portion of the gap occupied by the cooling medium.
A method of storing liquid, the method comprising:
- transferring liquid to an inner chamber of an inner container;
- coupling an inner container coupler of the inner container to a first coupler of a connector;
- inserting the inner container into an outer chamber of an outer container;
- coupling an outer container coupler of the outer container to a second coupler of the connector such that the connector defines a gap between the inner container and the outer container;
- and
- providing a third coupler of the connector for coupling to a lid coupler of a lid, wherein the lid coupler is complementary to the coupler of the outer container.
A method of connecting containers, comprising:
- coupling a first coupler of a connector to an outer container coupler,
- wherein the first coupler of the connector is discontinuous with a second coupler of the connector such that the outer container coupler cannot transition from engagement with the first coupler to engagement with the second coupler without first disengaging from the first coupler;
- and
- coupling a third coupler of the connector to an inner container coupler,
- wherein the third coupler is different than the first coupler and the second coupler and
- the third coupler is radially inward of the first coupler and the second coupler.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.