Storage Device for Infant Feed

Abstract

The present invention provides for pressure indication within the vacuum storage container, as well as a way to isolate mother's milk in a container from air. The present invention utilizes sub-atmospheric pressure to reduce, or at least slow down, the oxidation reactions in breastmilk in order to preserve vitamins, lipids, and other important compounds in the milk, and includes means to measure that sub-atmospheric pressure, so as to provide indications to the user that the correct container pressure has been obtained and maintained.

1 . A storage container for infant feed, comprising:
 a container for holding infant feed, said container being capable of maintaining a reduced pressure at least for a temporary timeframe; and   a pressure indicator that determines a pressure within the storage container and displays said pressure on said container.   
   
   
       2 . The storage container of  claim 2 , wherein the infant feed is a liquid stored at a sub-atmospheric pressure. 
   
   
       3 . An improved storage container for infant feed, the infant feed being stored at a sub-atmospheric pressure, wherein the improvement comprises:
 a pressure indicating member, said member being moveable in response to a pressure difference between an inside of the storage container and atmospheric pressure, and providing a visual indication of the pressure inside the container.   
   
   
       4 . The storage container of  claim 3 , wherein said container comprises a valve and a cap, wherein said cap provides an additional seal over said valve to prevent pressure leakage for long term storage. 
   
   
       5 . The storage container of  claim 3 , wherein said container is opaque to ultra-violet light. 
   
   
       6 . A pressure indicator for use with a container for storing infant feed, wherein said pressure indicator comprises a member that is mounted on said container to move in response to an applied vacuum within said container, and thereby provides an indication viewable to a user of the pressure within the container. 
   
   
       7 . The pressure indicator of  claim 6 , wherein said pressure indicator is present on a lid of said container. 
   
   
       8 . The pressure indicator of  claim 6 , wherein said pressure indicator is on a wall of said container. 
   
   
       9 . A method of preserving breastmilk in a container from oxidation by air, comprising injecting a layer of argon gas into the interior container in an amount sufficient to blanket the milk surface, and closing the container against air ingress to said container interior. 
   
   
       10 . A storage container for breastmilk, comprising:
 a container having an interior for holding breastmilk therein, said container being capable of maintaining a reduced pressure for at least a temporary timeframe; and   a pressure indicator mounted on said container that communicates with said container interior a pressure within the storage container, and displays an indication of that pressure in a manner viewable on said container.   
   
   
       11 . The storage container of  claim 10 , wherein said pressure indicator is a moveable member mounted within a chamber, said chamber having one side open to atmosphere and another side communicating with said container interior, said member being biased to a first position when said container interior is at equilibrium with atmosphere, and moveable against said bias in a predetermined manner when said container interior is subjected to a reduced pressure relative to atmosphere. 
   
   
       12 . The storage container of  claim 11 , wherein said moveable member has at least one marker thereon which registers with a scale to indicate relative pressure in said container interior. 
   
   
       13 . The storage container of  claim 11 , wherein said moveable member has a scale thereon which registers with a marker to indicate relative pressure in said container interior. 
   
   
       14 . The storage container of  claim 11 , wherein said chamber is formed within a removable cap which closes said container interior. 
   
   
       15 . The storage container of  claim 11 , wherein said container has a port adapted for connection with a source of vacuum, said port having a one way valve therein closing said port against ingress of air when said container interior is at a reduced pressure. 
   
   
       16 . The storage container of  claim 10 , wherein said pressure indicator is a resilient tube that is closed at one end and open at another end, said open end being in communication with said container interior, said tube collapsing upon itself to indicate a relative reduced pressure in said container interior. 
   
   
       17 . The storage container of  claim 11 , wherein said moveable member is a bellows. 
   
   
       18 . The storage container of  claim 11 , wherein said moveable member is a bellows that is closed at one end and open at another end, said open end being in communication with said container interior, said bellows collapsing axially upon itself to indicate a relative reduced pressure in said container interior, said bellows having at least one marker thereon which registers with a scale on said chamber to indicate relative pressure in said container interior. 
   
   
       19 . A method for the storage of breastmilk, wherein the method comprises:
 providing a source of a non-oxidizing barrier from air gas in a delivery device;   connecting said delivery device to a port in a container within which breastmilk is contained; and   delivering a sufficient amount of said gas to said container to yield a non-oxidizing layer of said gas over the breastmilk.