MEDICAL SUCTION PUMP

Abstract

A motorized medical suction pump has a pump assembly for generating an underpressure, a pump assembly carrier for supporting the pump assembly, and a seat for receiving an energy accumulator. The pump assembly arranged in the pump assembly carrier defines a first longitudinal axis, and the seat defines a second longitudinal axis. The pump assembly carrier forms the seat. The second longitudinal axis extends at an angle to the first longitudinal axis. This suction pump is small and compact and has good sound damping.

Claims

1. A motorized medical suction pump with a pump assembly for generating an underpressure, with a pump assembly carrier for supporting the pump assembly, and with a seat for receiving an energy accumulator, wherein the pump assembly arranged in the pump assembly carrier defines a first longitudinal axis, and the seat defines a second longitudinal axis (L2), wherein the pump assembly carrier forms the seat, and in that wherein the second longitudinal axis extends at an angle to the first longitudinal axis.

2. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 1, wherein the pump assembly carrier is designed substantially as a frame and has a substantially elongate, rounded basic shape.

3. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a pump housing with a first pump housing part and a second pump housing part, and wherein the pump assembly carrier is held between the first pump housing part and the second pump housing part.

4. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 1, wherein an air inlet opening is present, which is covered by a sound-damping element.

5. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 1, wherein at least two elastic bearings are present for supporting the pump assembly in the pump assembly carrier.

6. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 5, wherein at least a first of these bearings forms a vacuum port, and at least a second of these bearings is arranged at a motor-side end of the pump assembly and in a continuation of a motor shaft of the pump assembly.

7. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 5, wherein exactly two bearings are present, which are arranged at opposite ends of the pump assembly along the first longitudinal axis.

8. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 7, wherein the two bearings are mutually offset with respect to the first longitudinal axis.

9. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 1, wherein the pump assembly is arranged in a sound-damping housing, and the sound-damping housing is held in the pump assembly carrier.

10. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 9, wherein the sound-damping housing has a case with a receiving opening for receiving the pump assembly, and a lid for closing the case, wherein the lid has a curved shape.

11. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 5, wherein the sound-damping housing is supported in the pump assembly carrier by means of the at least two elastic bearings.

12. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 11, wherein the at least two elastic bearings on the one hand support the sound-damping housing in the pump housing (1, 3, 4) and on the other hand support the pump assembly (7) inside the sound-damping housing.

13. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 12, wherein the first bearing is an elastic insert element, which is held in the sound-damping housing and passes through the latter.

14. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 12, wherein the second bearing is part of a lid of the sound-damping housing, wherein the entire lid is elastic.

15. A medical suction pump with a pump housing, with a pump assembly arranged in the pump housing for the purpose of generating an underpressure, and with at least a first elastic bearing and a second elastic bearing for supporting the pump assembly in the pump housing, wherein the first elastic bearing is located at a first end of the pump assembly and the second elastic bearing is located at a second end of the pump assembly opposite the first end, characterized in that the first elastic bearing forms a vacuum port.

16. A medical suction pump with a pump assembly, a sound-damping housing for receiving the pump assembly, and a pump housing for receiving the sound-damping housing, characterized in that the sound-damping housing has a case for receiving the pump assembly and a lid for closing the case, wherein the lid is elastic and has an elastic bearing for supporting the sound-damping housing in the pump housing.

17. A medical suction pump with a pump assembly, a sound-damping housing for receiving the pump assembly, and a pump housing for receiving the sound-damping housing, wherein at least a first elastic bearing and a second elastic bearing are present, wherein at least one of these two elastic bearings on the one hand supports the sound-damping housing in the pump housing and on the other hand supports the pump assembly inside the sound-damping housing.

18. The motorized medical suction pump according to claim 1, wherein the pump assembly carrier is designed substantially as a frame and has a substantially elliptic or oval basic shape.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings, which serve only for explanatory purposes and are not to be interpreted as limiting the invention. In the drawings:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a suction pump according to the invention in a first embodiment;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a first cross section through the suction pump according to FIG. 1;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a second cross section through the suction pump according to FIG. 1;

[0034] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of a sound-damping housing with a pump assembly of the suction pump according to FIG. 1;

[0035] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a part of the suction pump according to FIG. 1 without sound-damping element;

[0036] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a part of the suction pump according to FIG. 1 with sound-damping element;

[0037] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a first bearing module of the suction pump according to FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 8 shows a top view of the first bearing module according to FIG. 7;

[0039] FIG. 9a shows a cross section through an attachment opening of the first bearing module according to FIG. 7 in a first variant;

[0040] FIG. 9b shows a cross section through an attachment opening of the first bearing module according to FIG. 7 in a second variant;

[0041] FIG. 9c shows a cross section through an attachment opening of the first bearing module according to FIG. 7 in a third variant;

[0042] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a second bearing module of the suction pump according to FIG. 1;

[0043] FIG. 11 shows a top view of the second bearing module according to FIG. 10;

[0044] FIG. 12a shows a cross section through an attachment opening of the second bearing module according to FIG. 11 in a first variant;

[0045] FIG. 12b shows a cross section through an attachment opening of the second bearing module according to FIG. 11 in a second variant;

[0046] FIG. 12c shows a cross section through an attachment opening of the second bearing module according to FIG. 11 in a third variant;

[0047] FIG. 12d shows a cross section through an attachment opening of the second bearing module according to FIG. 11 in a fourth variant.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a preferred illustrative embodiment of a suction pump according to the invention. It is a breast pump for expressing human breastmilk.

[0049] The suction pump has a first pump housing part 1, a sound-damping housing 2, a pump assembly carrier 3, a second pump housing part 4, and a cover 5. In the assembled state of the suction pump, the sound-damping housing 2 is located inside a pump housing, which is formed substantially by the first pump housing part 1, the second pump housing part 4, and the pump assembly carrier 3 arranged and clamped between these two parts 1, 4. The pump assembly carrier 3 is therefore preferably visible from the outside as a circumferential strip.

[0050] The first pump housing part 1 forms the bottom of the suction pump. It has a shell-shaped base body 10, of which the underside (facing upwards here) is almost flat and forms a support surface 11. The base body 10 is oval in longitudinal section. First connection elements 12, preferably snap-fit elements or other known connection means, are distributed at the circumference of the base body 10.

[0051] The second pump housing part 4 has a substantially oval base plate 40 and a peripheral channel 43 for receiving the pump assembly carrier 3. The electronic components customarily present in suction pumps are arranged on the base plate 40. They are only indicated schematically here. A control and electronics unit is designated by reference sign 41. Second connection elements 42, which engage in the frame 30, are distributed about the circumference of the second pump housing part 4.

[0052] The cover 5 forms, together with the second pump housing part 4, the upper part of the pump housing, even though these components are arranged at the bottom in this view. The cover 5 can be secured on the second pump housing part 4. It preferably has a plane-parallel, stiff and oval cover plate 50 with a display/operation window 51. By means of the display/operation window 51, it is possible, for example, to input user data and to visually present the operating mode of the suction pump.

[0053] The pump assembly carrier 3 is preferably stiff or semi-stiff. It is preferably made of a plastic and is preferably in one piece. It has an oval frame 30. At a narrow end face, the frame 30 transitions into an elevated end wall 31, which has a through-opening 33. The rear face of the end wall 31 is provided with a first bearing seat 36, which surrounds the through-opening 33. Third connection elements 32 are distributed about the circumference of the frame 30 and engage in the first pump housing part 1 in order to hold the pump housing together.

[0054] An energy accumulator seat 35 is arranged at the end of the frame 30 opposite the through-opening 33. It is configured according to the shape of an energy accumulator 6. In this example, the energy accumulator 6 is a cylindrical rechargeable battery. Other shapes and types of energy accumulators can also be used. The energy accumulator seat 35 is configured as a box that is open to the top in FIG. 1, with respective clip elements 34 protruding upwards on two opposite sides. All of these elements are preferably formed jointly in one piece with the frame 30.

[0055] A second bearing seat 37 is formed adjacent to the energy accumulator seat 35. In this example, this second bearing seat 37 is also configured as a rectangular, upwardly open box that is formed integrally on the frame 30. The rear end of the frame 30 opposite the through-opening 33 is configured as a power supply connection 38. This can be seen clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0056] The sound-damping housing 2 has a case 20 for receiving a pump assembly 7. The case 20 is preferably stiff or semi-stiff and is in particular made of plastic. It preferably has an oval, rounded shape matching the shape of the pump housing, wherein the case 20 is bevelled in the region of its opening. The bevel is preferably curved, such that the case is step-shaped and longer on one side than on the other side. This can be seen clearly in FIG. 1.

[0057] This step-shaped edge is closed by means of a lid 21. The lid 21 has a correspondingly curved closure body 210. The latter transitions preferably in one piece into an approximately cylindrical transition region 211. The diameter of this transition region 211 preferably corresponds approximately to the diameter of the longer region of the case 20. The transition region 211 is followed by a connection pin 212, which is adjoined by a second bearing module 23. This can be seen clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3. A first bearing module 22 is located at the opposite end of the case 20 and is described in more detail further below in the text.

[0058] The second bearing module 23 can be plugged onto the connection pin 212. However, it is preferably formed integrally with the latter and with the rest of the whole lid 21. The lid 21 is preferably formed elastically with the second bearing 23. It is soft in particular. It is preferably made of an elastomer or of silicone.

[0059] In the region of the first bearing module 22, the case 20 has a recess 200, which has a window 202 in the upper region. A sound-damping element 25, here a foam cube, is arranged in this recess 200.

[0060] The arrangement of the sound-damping housing 2 and of the energy accumulator 6 inside the frame 30 of the pump assembly carrier 3 can be seen clearly in FIG. 2. The sound-damping housing 2, more precisely the case 20, is supported in the first bearing seat 36 by means of the first bearing module 22. The second bearing module 23 is located in the second bearing seat 37 of the pump assembly carrier 3, such that the sound-damping housing 2 is also supported in the pump assembly carrier 3 at this opposite end. A two-point bearing is therefore present.

[0061] A through-opening of the first bearing module 22, which here forms a vacuum port 24, is in alignment with the through-opening 33 of the pump assembly carrier 3, as can be seen clearly in FIG. 3. This through-opening 33 thus forms a seat for a plug of a suction hose, which leads to a breast shield for placing on the mother's breast. Plug, suction hose and breast shield are not shown here. However, they are well known from the prior art.

[0062] As can be seen from FIG. 2, the case 20 defines a first longitudinal axis L.sub.1, which is aligned with the longitudinal centre axis of the vacuum port 24. The energy accumulator 6 defines a second longitudinal axis L.sub.2, which extends at an angle to this first longitudinal axis L.sub.1. The second bearing module 23 defines, with its longitudinal centre axis, a third longitudinal axis L.sub.3, which is parallel and offset with respect to the first longitudinal axis L.sub.1.

[0063] As can be seen clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the available room inside the pump assembly carrier is optimally utilized by virtue of the bevelling of the case 20 and by the oblique arrangement of the energy accumulator 6, and empty spaces are largely avoided. The pump housing overall can be made very small and compact. It is sound-damped and yet stiff and robust.

[0064] The arrangement of the pump assembly 7 inside the sound-damping housing 2 is shown in FIG. 3. An exploded view matching this is found in FIG. 4.

[0065] Preferably, the pump assembly 7 corresponds substantially to the pump assembly described in WO 2006/032156 A1. However, other forms and designs can be used in the device according to the invention. The pump assembly, however, preferably comprises an electric motor and a pump unit, in particular a diaphragm pump, preferably a pump chamber with a pump diaphragm.

[0066] In the figures, the electric motor is designated by reference sign 70 and the pump unit by reference sign 71. The third longitudinal axis L.sub.3 of the second bearing module 23 forms the alignment of a motor shaft (not shown) of the electric motor 70. The electric motor 70 is thus arranged adjacent to the second bearing module 23.

[0067] The pump unit 71 has a vent 710, a vacuum opening 711 and a ventilation opening 712. This can be seen clearly in FIG. 3.

[0068] In the assembled state of the device, the ventilation opening 712 is adjacent to an air inlet opening 201, which is located in the recess of the sound-damping housing 2. This air inlet opening 201 can be seen clearly in FIG. 5. It is covered by the sound-damping element 25, as is shown in FIG. 6. For reasons relating to injection moulding, a window 202 is present in the case 20.

[0069] The vent 710 leads into the interior of the sound-damping housing 2, more precisely of the case 20. Air, which escapes from the pump unit 71 via this vent 710, leaves the sound-damping housing 2 via leakage points, for example via a receiving element 26 of a plug connection to a plug-in element 213 of the lid 21.

[0070] The vacuum opening 711 is aligned with a connection channel 222 of the first bearing module 22, as can be seen in FIG. 4. In the interior of the first bearing module 22, the connection channel 222 has an angled profile, i.e. a non-rectilinear profile, and terminates in the vacuum port 24, more precisely in the attachment opening 225 present in the latter. This attachment opening 225 can be seen clearly in FIG. 7.

[0071] The pump assembly 7 is supported in the sound-damping housing 2 at the vacuum side by means of the first bearing module 22 and is supported in the sound-damping housing 2 at the motor side by means of the second bearing module 23, more precisely the lid 21. For this purpose, the lid 21 simply has to be plugged onto the case 20 and plugged with the aforementioned plug-in elements 213 into the corresponding receiving elements 26.

[0072] The first bearing module 22 is not, as shown in FIG. 4, located in front of the case 20 but instead located inside the case 20. For this purpose, it can simply be pushed in via the curved opening and pushed partially through a through-opening 27 at the end face of the case 20. An attachment body 221 protrudes from the opening, a neck 226 stands free, and a base body 220 seals off the interior of the case 20 on the inner face thereof. These parts can be seen clearly in FIGS. 7 and 8. A clamp element 223 in the form of a resilient tongue is preferably used to secure the base body 220 in the case 20. This tongue 223 likewise seals off the interior of the case 20.

[0073] The base body 220 has a ventilation channel 224 which creates the connection between the ventilation opening 712 of the pump unit 71 and the air inlet opening 201 of the case 20.

[0074] The entire first bearing module 22 is formed in one piece and is preferably elastic, in particular soft. It thus forms bearing points at two opposite sides: at a first side between the sound-damping housing 2 and the pump assembly carrier 3 and thus the pump housing, and at an opposite side between the sound-damping housing 2 and the pump assembly 7, more precisely the pump unit 71.

[0075] The lid too is formed in one piece with the second bearing module 23 and is preferably elastic, in particular soft. It thus also forms bearing points at two opposite sides: at a first side between the sound-damping housing 2 and the pump assembly carrier 3 and thus the pump housing, and at an opposite side between the sound-damping housing 2 and the pump assembly 7, more precisely the electric motor 70. Since the pump assembly carrier 3 is part of the outer pump housing, a further bearing is not needed.

[0076] The sound damping or the vibration damping can be further optimized by suitable choice of the attachment opening 225. Shapes of the kind shown in FIGS. 9a to 9c have proven useful. The neck 226 of the first bearing module 22 is shown in cross section, and also the attachment opening 225 located therein. The cross sections of the neck 226 and the shapes of the attachment opening 225 can be combined with one another in any desired manner. In FIG. 9a, the neck 226 is cross-shaped and the attachment opening 225 is round. In FIG. 9b, the neck 226 and the attachment opening 225 are oval, and in FIG. 9c they are round. The combination according to FIG. 9b is most preferred.

[0077] FIGS. 10 to 12d show the lid 21 with the second bearing module 23. As has already been described, it has the curved closure body 210, the transition region 211, the connection pin 212 and the second bearing module 23. The second bearing module 23 preferably has a cuboid frame with connection struts extending therein. It is thus elastic and adapts optimally to its associated second bearing seat 37.

[0078] Cable feedthroughs 214 in the form of through-openings are preferably present in the transition region 211 in order to connect the electric motor 70 to the control and electronics unit 41 via the base plate 40. The plug-in elements 213 are formed integrally on the curved closure body 210.

[0079] The sound damping and the bearing arrangement can be additionally optimized through the configuration of the connection pin 212. Preferred variants are shown in FIGS. 12a to 12d. The connection pin 212 is preferably solid. It is preferably relatively stiff.

[0080] Its cross section is cross-shaped in FIG. 12a, round in FIG. 12b, rectangular in FIG. 12c and oval in FIG. 12d. It is preferably cross-shaped.

[0081] The suction pump according to the invention is small and compact and has good sound damping.

TABLE-US-00001 LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 1 first pump housing part 10 shell-shaped base body 11 support surface 12 first connection element 2 sound-damping housing 20 case 200 recess 201 air inlet opening 202 window 21 lid 210 curved closure body 211 transition region 212 connection pin 213 plug-in element 214 cable feedthroughs 22 first bearing module 220 base body 221 attachment body 222 connection channel 223 clamp element 224 ventilation channel 225 attachment opening 226 neck 23 second bearing module 24 vacuum port 25 sound-damping element 26 receiving element 27 through-opening 3 pump assembly carrier 30 frame 31 end wall 32 third connection element 33 through-opening 34 clip element 35 energy accumulator seat 36 first bearing seat 37 second bearing seat 38 power supply connection 4 second pump housing part 40 base plate 41 control and electronics unit 42 second connection element 43 channel 5 cover 50 cover plate 51 display window/operating window 6 energy accumulator 7 pump assembly 70 electric motor 71 pump unit 710 vent 711 vacuum opening 712 ventilation opening L.sub.1 first longitudinal axis L.sub.2 second longitudinal axis L.sub.3 third longitudinal axis