Breast shield with vacuum isolation element

A breast shield assembly for use in expressing breastmilk using a vacuum source, comprising:

• a shell having an interior adapted to be applied over the breast;
• a liner portion generally conforming to the interior of the shell and forming a liner between the shell and the breast;
• a collapsible portion forming an enclosure, with an opening defined in the enclosure which communicates with the vacuum source;
• a passageway defined within the liner portion which communicates with the breast for milk flow through the passageway;
• the collapsible portion isolating the passageway and the breast from the vacuum source, with vacuum from the vacuum source causing the collapsible portion to collapse and thereby transmit the vacuum as a suction force within the shell to pull on the body part.

A breast shield assembly for use with a vacuum source comprising:

• a hood body having an outer rim within which a breast is received, and
• a hood extension portion extending downstream from the outer rim;
• and
• a vacuum isolation element including a collapsible membrane portion, a liner portion which attaches to the outer rim, and a portion defining a passageway to the breast located within the hood extension portion of the hood body, the collapsible membrane portion having an interior cavity adapted to be connected to the vacuum source and being effective to communicate a negative pressure from the vacuum source to within the shield extension portion when in a collapsed state and to isolate the vacuum source from the breast.

A breast shield assembly for use with a vacuum source comprising:

• a hood body having an outer rim within which a breast is received, and
• a hood extension portion extending downstream from the outer rim;
• a milk drain connected to the hood extension portion;
• a collector for expressed milk connected to the milk drain;
• and
• an insert attached to the outer rim and the shield extension portion of the hood body, the insert having a funnel shaped portion including an insert extension portion, a collapsible membrane portion and a valve which opens and closes, the insert extension portion further defining a milk passageway to the valve, the funnel shaped portion generally conforming in shape to the outer rim of the hood body, the insert extension portion including the collapsible membrane portion being located within the hood extension portion and forming an enclosure within the hood body isolating the vacuum source from expressed milk, the collapsible membrane portion communicating with and transmitting air pressure changes from the vacuum source to the breast within the funnel shaped portion, and milk being directed through the milk passageway through the valve and to the collector.

A breast shield assembly for use in expressing breastmilk using a vacuum source, comprising:

• a shell having an interior adapted to be applied over the breast;
• a funnel shaped portion having a hemispherical part generally conforming to the interior of the shell and forming a liner between the shell and the breast, and a tubular extension portion extending from the hemispherical part;
• a collapsible portion forming an enclosure, with an opening defined in the enclosure which communicates with the vacuum source, with the collapsible portion being formed within the extension portion;
• a passageway defined between the collapsible portion and the extension portion which communicates with the breast for milk flow through the passageway, the insert portion isolating the passageway and the breast from the vacuum source, with vacuum from the vacuum source causing the collapsible portion to collapse and thereby transmit the vacuum as a suction force within the shell to pull on the breast;
• the funnel shaped portion including the extension portion, and the collapsible portion being formed integral and adapted as an insert which is removably attached to the shell.

A breast pump comprising:

• a shield having an outer rim within which a breast is received, and a
• shield extension portion extending downstream from the outer rim;
• a milk drain connected to the shield extension portion;
• a collector for expressed milk connected to the milk drain;
• and
• a monolithic insert attached to the outer rim and located within the shield extension portion of the hood body, the insert having a funnel shaped portion including an insert extension portion, a collapsible portion, a passageway defined by the insert extending from the funnel shaped portion, and a valve which opens and closes the passageway, the funnel shaped portion generally conforming in shape to the outer rim of the hood body, the insert extension portion including the collapsible portion being located within the shield extension portion and forming an enclosure within the insert adapted to isolate a vacuum source communicating with the shield from expressed milk, with the collapsible portion communicating with and transmitting air pressure changes from a vacuum source to the shield, and milk being directed through the passageway to the milk drain and the collector.