IP Library › Granted Patent US 12691205
Granted Patent B2
US 12691205 · App. 16/973,470 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Pump arrangement, configured to be used with a double breast pump device

Inventors: Paul Aelen (Eindhoven, NL); Johannes Petrus Antonius Maria Van Asseldonk (Best, NL); Arjan Teodor Van Wieringen (Malden, NL)
Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
A61M1/06A61M1/74A61M1/80F04B9/1207A61M1/06935A61M1/0697A61M2205/3337
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12691205
App. No.
16/973,470
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A pump arrangement ( 5 ) for use with a breast pump device comprises a pump element ( 51 ), an expression kit air conduit ( 55 ) designed to allow for air connection of an expression kit ( 2 ) of the device to the pump arrangement ( 5 ), a volume element ( 54 ) configured to store vacuum in the pump arrangement ( 5 ), and a storage switching mechanism ( 58 ) arranged between the expression kit air conduit ( 55 ) and the volume element ( 54 ), configured to switch between a position of direct connection of the expression kit air conduit ( 55 ) to the volume element ( 54 ) at a bypass position with respect to the pump element ( 51 ) and a position of disconnection of the expression kit air conduit ( 55 ) from the volume element ( 54 ). Through a direct exchange of vacuum between an expression kit ( 2 ) and the volume element ( 54 ), support of the functioning of the pump element ( 51 ) is realized.

Claims (35)

1 . A pump arrangement, configured to be used with an expression kit designed to subject a breast of a user to a pressure profile and to receive milk expressed from the breast, the pump arrangement comprising:

a pump element configured to create the pressure profile in the expression kit;

an expression kit air conduit configured to allow for air connection of the expression kit to the pump arrangement;

a volume element configured to store vacuum in the pump arrangement; and

a storage switching mechanism arranged between the expression kit air conduit and the volume element, wherein the storage switching mechanism is configured to switch between a position of direct connection for connecting the expression kit air conduit to the volume element, bypassing the pump element, and a position of disconnection for disconnecting each of the expression kit air conduit and the pump element from the volume element.

2 . The pump arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the volume element comprises an air container having a larger diameter than the expression kit air conduit.

3 . The pump arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the storage switching mechanism comprises a solenoid valve.

4 . The pump arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an environment switching mechanism arranged between the expression kit air conduit and an environment of the pump arrangement, wherein the environment switching mechanism is configured to switch between a position of connection for connecting the expression kit air conduit to the environment of the pump arrangement and a position of disconnection for disconnecting the expression kit air conduit from the environment of the pump arrangement.

5 . The pump arrangement according to claim 4 , comprising

a controller configured to control operation of the pump arrangement by repeating the following successive steps:

setting a condition of the pump arrangement in which the storage switching mechanism is in the position of disconnection for disconnecting the expression kit air conduit from the volume element, and the environment switching mechanism is in the position of disconnection for disconnecting the expression kit air conduit from the environment;

setting a condition of the pump arrangement in which the storage switching mechanism is in the position of direct connection for connecting the expression kit air conduit to the volume element, and the environment switching mechanism is in the position of disconnection for disconnecting the expression kit air conduit from the environment;

setting a condition of the pump arrangement in which the storage switching mechanism is in the position of disconnection for disconnecting the expression kit air conduit from the volume element, and the environment switching mechanism is in the position of connection for connecting the expression kit air conduit to the environment; and

setting a condition of the pump arrangement in which the storage switching mechanism is in the position of direct connection for connecting the expression kit air conduit to the volume element, and the environment switching mechanism is in the position of disconnection for disconnecting the expression kit air conduit from the environment.

6 . The pump arrangement according to claim 5 , further comprising:

at least one pressure sensor arranged and configured to determine when pressure has reached a certain threshold and a switch is to be made from a step in which the storage switching mechanism is in a position for connecting the expression kit air conduit to the volume element to a subsequent step in which the storage switching mechanism is in a position for disconnecting the expression kit air conduit from the volume element.

7 . The pump arrangement according to claim 4 , wherein the expression kit air conduit is directly connected to a suction side of the pump element without application of a switching mechanism.

8 . The pump arrangement according to claim 4 , wherein the environment switching mechanism comprises a solenoid valve.

9 . The pump arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one resistance is arranged in the expression kit air conduit.

10 . The pump arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the volume element is arranged as an integral part of the pump arrangement.

11 . The pump arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the volume element is arranged in a module that is connectable to and disconnectable from the pump element and the expression kit air conduit.

12 . The pump arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the pump arrangement is accommodated in a vacuum unit of a breast pump device comprising the expression kit, wherein the expression kit is connectable to and disconnectable from the vacuum unit.

13 . A breast pump device, comprising:

an expression kit designed to subject a breast of a user of the breast pump device to a pressure profile and to receive milk expressed from the breast; and

a pump arrangement comprising:

a pump element configured to create the pressure profile in the expression kit;

an expression kit air conduit configured to allow for air connection of the expression kit to the pump arrangement;

a volume element configured to store vacuum; and

a storage switching mechanism arranged between the expression kit air conduit and the volume element, wherein the storage switching mechanism is configured to switch between a position of direct connection for connecting the expression kit air conduit to the volume element, bypassing the pump element, and a position of disconnection for disconnecting each of the expression kit air conduit and the pump element from the volume element.

14 . The breast pump device according to claim 13 , further comprising a vacuum unit, wherein the expression kit is connectable to and disconnectable from the vacuum unit, and the pump arrangement is accommodated in the vacuum unit.

15 . The breast pump device according to claim 13 , wherein the volume element comprises an air container having a larger diameter than the expression kit air conduit.

16 . The breast pump device according to claim 13 , wherein the storage switching mechanism comprises a solenoid valve.

17 . The breast pump device according to claim 13 , wherein the pump arrangement further comprises:

an environment switching mechanism arranged between the expression kit air conduit and an environment of the pump arrangement, wherein the environment switching mechanism is configured to switch between a position of connection for connecting the expression kit air conduit to the environment of the pump arrangement and a position of disconnection for disconnecting the expression kit air conduit from the environment of the pump arrangement.