Medela Holding Ag

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Joseph Wach

Ryan Bauer

Jill M Hunt

Amanda Miller

Steven L Bivens

Kathryn Mizuchi

Raymond Holtz

Calvin H Derr

Paul Avanzino

Kalpesh Patel

Natalie Stevens

A visible valve system for a breastmilk expression system is set forth. The visible valve system includes an outer member, graspable by a human hand. The outer member provides a visual indication that the system is properly assembled. The visible valve system can reduce spillage from a breastmilk container by providing at least a portion of a spill reducing tortuous path in the system, or the spill-reducing tortuous path may be provided in another component of a breastmilk expression system of which the visible valve system is a part.

Visible valve system and spill reducing system

The present invention relates to an infant feeding warming system useful to repeatedly and precisely warm breastmilk or formula for use in the NICU. The system in one form comprises a bedside unit that is attachable to an IV pole. The system may also comprise a centralized warming station with multiple chambers, wherein one chamber heats a bottle or syringe, and the remaining chambers are used for storage and/or refrigeration. The system will use a non-liquid heating system to heat feedings. A disposable liner may be used inside the chamber. The system may also contain heating algorithms that are based on a user inputting milk parameters such as volume and initial temperature.

Breastmilk handling apparatus particularly useful for warming of breastmilk containers such as bottles and syringes

Breastmilk warmer

A breastpump assembly is disclosed. The breastpump assembly includes a breast shield within which a woman's breast is received, a conduit structure communicating with the breast shield, a container for collecting milk, and a valve mechanism closing the breastpump assembly from ambient air when initially provided to a user, the valve mechanism being opened to allow ambient air to pass into the breastpump assembly through removal of the container, so as to substantially disable the breastpump.

One time use breastpump assembly

The damper includes a damper housing and a piston assembly reciprocating therein. The damper housing includes an attachment device formed of an interior partially circular wall with a triangular cross section thereby forming an interior partially circular apex for engaging a cylindrical boss. This allows the damper to rotate about an axis of the interior partially circular wall and pivot about an axis perpendicular to the rotational axis. Additionally, the piston assembly includes a detent protrusion formed from a stem supporting a head, the radius of the head being greater than that of the stem. The detent protrusion is engaged by a keyhole-shaped aperture with a first portion with a radius of curvature substantially equal to that of the stem and a second portion with a radius of curvature substantially equal to that of the head. The detent protrusion can therefore rotate within the keyhole-shaped aperture. Additionally, the cap of the damper housing is formed of elastic O-rings to allow the piston assembly to rotate within the damper housing.

Direct mount snap-in air damper

The damper includes a piston assembly which travels within a cylindrical damper housing between an extended position and a retracted position. A transverse channel is formed proximate to the open end of the damper housing. A latching diamond travels within the transverse channel. The piston assembly includes a piston shaft with a camming wall sub-assembly formed thereon which engages the latching diamond so that the piston assembly is latched in a &ldquo;push-push&rdquo; configuration in the extended position. In this latched configuration, the latching diamond is detent engaged by a concave detent apex formed on an island which includes a longitudinally chamfered portion. Additionally, the flexibility of the island in which the concave detent apex is formed may be increased by transverse passageways or &ldquo;cored-out&rdquo; areas in the piston shaft immediately adjacent to the island. While the open latched configuration is normally released by incrementally extending and then releasing the piston assembly, it is possible that a user will attempt to release the open latched configuration by urging the piston assembly toward the retracted position. In this case, the island flexes and the latch diamond travels over a longitudinally chamfered portion of the concave detent apex free of damage to the island, the latch diamond, and other portions of the damper.

Reverse air damper with latching mechanism

The push--push latch mechanism includes a latching body which includes a mouth, first camming walls, second camming walls, third camming walls, an inlet channel, an outlet channel and a detent island. During the latching cycle, the user pushes the door or other structure attached to the pin and the pin enters the mouth of the latching body and is guided by first camming walls to the inlet channel and second camming walls. The user then releases the door or other structure attached to the pin and the pin travels to detent engagement with the island. During the unlatching cycle, the user again pushes the door or other structure attached to the pin and the pin travels from detent engagement with the island to third camming walls which guide the pin to the outlet channel. The pin traverses the outlet channel and exits the mouth of the latching body.

Growing community of inventors

Ingleside, IL, United States of America

Joseph Wach