The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 18, 2024
Filed:
Mar. 12, 2020
Medela Holding Ag, Baar, CH;
Adrian Honegger, Lucerne, CH;
Charles Giezendanner, Morschach, CH;
MEDELA HOLDING AG, Baar, CH;
Abstract
The present invention relates to a motor-driven suction pump and a method for connecting such a pump. The suction pump has a pump unit for generating a negative pressure which is accommodated in a housing. Further, a terminal box is provided which can be connected to a power source via a connecting cable and has contact elements for supplying the pump unit with a power current. The contact elements are electrically conductively connected to the contact counter elements provided on the housing side and leading to the pump unit when the terminal box is coupled to the housing. In order to increase electrical safety, a sensor, an evaluation unit, and a switch are provided. The sensor is configured to check the coupling of the terminal box. The switch switches a power supply to at least one of the contact elements. The evaluation unit is data-based connected to the sensor and the switch such that the switch connects the contact element to the power current supply when a signal of the sensor confirming the coupling is present and disconnects the power current supply when a signal of the sensor confirming the coupling is absent. In the method according to the invention, at least one contact element which is switched off is first electrically connected to the counter contact element on the housing side, which is provided for supplying current to the pump unit. The power current is then applied to the contact element on the basis of a signal confirming the corresponding contacting.