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

• US 10,136,759 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medela Holding AG (Olle Larsson Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Medela Holding AG (Olle Larsson Holding AG)
• Inventors: Bauer, Ryan, Miller, Amanda, Hunt, Jill M., Wach, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): STAPLETON, ERIC S
• Application Number:
  US14/479,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20140376894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 392382
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/04 the materials being non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2433 with electrical heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/003 with forced air circulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/001 with inner liners
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/02 Internal fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A liner configured to be used with an infant feeding thermal treatment system, the liner comprising:

a flexible receptacle defining an interior;

a rim member having a first portion defining a receptacle opening for airflow from the thermal treatment system to pass into and then out of the interior and adapted to allow a container to be passed at least partially therethrough and the rim member having a second portion extending from the first portion, the rim member having a living hinge arranged between the first portion and the second portion such that the second portion is configured to flex downward relative to the first portion; and

a port formed in the second portion of the rim member such that the port is off-center in the rim member relative to the receptacle opening, the port adapted to allow a container to be passed at least partially therethrough and into the receptacle interior,

wherein heated airflow from the thermal treatment system warms the container when at least a portion of the container is within the receptacle interior.

2. The liner of claim 1, wherein the receptacle is a bag, and wherein the container is a syringe.

3. The liner of claim 1, wherein the liner is disposable and configured to be used with an apparatus configured for circulating a fluid medium through the liner, the liner comprising:

a material defining the interior of the liner within which the airflow is able to be circulated and contained;

the material being attached to the rim member, the rim member being mountable to the apparatus and when mounted thereby held in place for use, the receptacle opening being closed by the apparatus, when mounted, to all but the circulating airflow in use; and

the receptacle opening defined in the rim member adapted to receive a vessel therein so as to pass the vessel into the interior when the liner is mounted in the apparatus in use.

4. The liner of claim 1, the first portion being in a first plane, and the second portion extending from the first portion in a second plane of the rim member.

5. The liner of claim 1, wherein the receptacle is formed of a first material and the first portion of the rim member is formed of a second material.

6. The liner of claim 5, wherein the second portion of the rim member is formed of the second material.

7. The liner of claim 1, wherein the living hinge comprises an indented line allowing the rim portion to flex at the line and allowing the rim portion to lie flat during manufacturing or storage of the liner and then to flex as needed for insertion into the thermal feeding treatment system.

8. The liner of claim 1, comprising;

a material forming a liner body defining the receptacle and the receptacle opening into which a container of infant feed is receivable, the liner being adapted to be supported within a liner support structure so as to be selectively disposed to receive the airflow within the receptacle interior, the liner constructed to receive the airflow being at a temperature including temperatures that differ from an initial temperature of the infant feed.

9. A liner for use with an infant feeding thermal treatment system, the liner comprising:

a receptacle having an interior that defines a container-receiving volume, a receptacle opening through which the interior is accessed to circulate air, and a rim member having a perimeter surrounding at least a part of the receptacle opening;

the rim member having a section with a port formed therethrough such that the port is off-center in the rim member relative to the receptacle opening;

a living hinge formed in the perimeter adjacent the section of the rim member with the port, the section of the rim member with the port configured to flex downward relative to the first perimeter of the rim member;

the receptacle being sized to fit into the thermal treatment system; and

the liner forming an enclosure for an infant feed container selectively inserted through one of the receptacle opening and the port into the interior.

10. The liner of claim 9, wherein the liner is configured to selectively engage a liner support structure in the thermal treatment system and to selectively cooperatively engage with a thermal delivery section of a thermal treatment system.

11. The liner of claim 9, wherein the section of the rim member and the port remain visible when in use by the thermal treatment system.

12. The liner of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the receptacle is configured to direct air flow selectively in the interior.

13. A liner for use with a thermal treatment system comprising:

a flexible receptacle defining an interior; and

a rim defining an opening to access the interior, the rim having a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion, the second portion having a port for selective access to the interior, the port arranged such that the port is off-center in the rim relative to the opening, the rim having a living hinge such that the second portion is configured to flex downward relative to the first portion;

wherein the rim is configured to engage a support structure of the thermal treatment system, and when engaged, the opening of the liner is coverable by the thermal treatment system and thereby configured to receive airflow from the thermal treatment system while the port remains uncovered by the thermal treatment system.