Flexible tee joint and breast pump
The one-piece flexible three-way design solves the problem of inconvenient assembly and cleaning caused by the many parts of existing breast pumps, and achieves a more efficient breast pump user experience.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422698821.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-03
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-11-05
AI Technical Summary
The existing breast pumps have a separate three-way valve structure, which results in a large number of parts and makes assembly and cleaning inconvenient.
The flexible three-way design integrates the breast bra, suction bowl, and flow guide tube into one piece, reducing the number of parts. It uses a negative pressure source to create negative pressure to draw out the milk, and the flow guide tube connects to the milk storage container.
It improves the ease of assembly and cleaning, ensuring the smooth operation of breast pumping.
Smart Images
Figure CN223861113U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of maternal and infant products, specifically to a flexible three-way valve and a breast pump. Background Technology
[0002] A breast pump is a tool used to express milk that has accumulated in the mammary glands. Breast pumps are convenient to use, allowing milk to be expressed and stored in advance for the baby's use, thus avoiding milk leakage and waste.
[0003] Most breast pumps currently available have a three-way valve that is a separate structure. It needs to be assembled before use and disassembled for cleaning, resulting in a large number of parts and inconvenience for assembly and cleaning. Utility Model Content
[0004] This invention provides a flexible three-way valve and a breast pump, which can reduce the number of parts in the breast pump, thereby improving the ease of assembly and cleaning.
[0005] The embodiments of this utility model can be implemented as follows:
[0006] An embodiment of this utility model provides a flexible tee, which includes:
[0007] Breast bra, suction cup, and deflector;
[0008] The suction bowl is located at the rear end of the breast bra, dividing the breast bra into a front cavity and a rear cavity. Under the action of a negative pressure source, the rear cavity causes the suction bowl to deform, thereby creating a negative pressure in the front cavity. The top end of the guide tube is connected to the front cavity, and the bottom end of the guide tube is used to connect to a milk storage container. The breast bra, the suction bowl, and the guide tube are integrally formed.
[0009] Optionally, the side wall of the guide tube is provided with an exhaust hole, and the outlet of the exhaust hole is set higher than the inlet of the exhaust hole.
[0010] Optionally, the exhaust port is arranged in a circumferential spiral along the guide tube;
[0011] Alternatively, the exhaust port may be arranged in an arc shape;
[0012] Alternatively, the vent hole may be angled.
[0013] Optionally, the flexible tee also includes a one-way flow guide, which is integrally formed with the bra, the suction cup, and the flow guide tube.
[0014] Alternatively, the one-way flow guide can be detachably attached to the bra.
[0015] Optionally, the center position of the suction bowl is located away from the front end of the bra relative to the edge position of the suction bowl.
[0016] Optionally, the bra defines a positioning guide groove on the inner wall of the front cavity, the positioning guide groove being used to cooperate with the lining assembly.
[0017] Optionally, the bra defines a sealing boss on the inner wall of the rear cavity, the sealing boss being used to mate with the rear cover;
[0018] And / or, the inner wall defining the rear cavity of the bra is formed with a positioning groove for engaging with the rear cover;
[0019] Optionally, the outer wall of the rear end of the bra is formed with a mounting boss for engaging with the back cover.
[0020] Optionally, the outer wall of the bra has anti-slip protrusions.
[0021] An embodiment of this utility model also provides a breast pump, including a back cover, a negative pressure source, a milk storage container, and the aforementioned flexible tee.
[0022] The inner liner assembly is disposed in the front cavity, the milk storage container is connected to the bottom end of the guide tube, the rear cover is connected to the rear end of the breast bra, and the negative pressure source is connected to the flexible tee and provides negative pressure.
[0023] The beneficial effects of the flexible three-way valve and breast pump of this utility model embodiment include, for example:
[0024] This flexible tee includes a breast shield, a suction bowl, and a flow guide tube. The suction bowl is located at the rear end of the breast shield, dividing it into a front and rear chamber. Under negative pressure, the rear chamber deforms the suction bowl, creating negative pressure in the front chamber. The top of the flow guide tube connects to the front chamber, and the bottom connects to a milk storage container. The breast shield, suction bowl, and flow guide tube are integrally molded. By integrating all components, this flexible tee reduces the number of parts while ensuring normal milk expression, thus improving ease of assembly and cleaning. Attached Figure Description
[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this utility model and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0026] Figure 1This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the flexible tee provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible tee provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the breast pump provided in an embodiment of this utility model.
[0029] Icons: 100-Flexible tee; 110-Breast cover; 111-Front cavity; 112-Rear cavity; 113-Liquid guide groove; 114-Sealing boss; 115-Positioning slot; 116-Assembly boss; 117-Limiting guide groove; 118-Anti-slip boss; 120-Suction bowl; 130-Flow guide tube; 131-Vent hole; 140-One-way flow guide; 200-Back cover; 300-Negative pressure source; 400-Milk storage container; 1000-Breast pump. Detailed Implementation
[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this utility model described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.
[0031] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0032] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.
[0033] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," or "outer" are used to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the utility model product is usually placed during use, they are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.
[0034] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0035] The terms “comprising,” “including,” or any other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase “comprising one…” does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.
[0036] Unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, terms such as "setup" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.
[0037] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the features in the embodiments of this utility model can be combined with each other.
[0038] Example 1
[0039] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 An embodiment of this utility model provides a flexible three-way valve 100, which includes a bra cup 110, a suction bowl 120, and a guide tube 130. The suction bowl 120 is connected to the rear end of the bra cup 110 and divides the bra cup 110 into a front cavity 111 and a rear cavity 112. Under the action of a negative pressure source 300, the rear cavity 112 causes the suction bowl 120 to deform, so that the front cavity 111 forms a negative pressure. The bra cup 110, the suction bowl 120, and the guide tube 130 are integrally formed.
[0040] When in operation, the flexible tee 100 can be used in conjunction with the negative pressure source 300 to draw out the milk by creating negative pressure in the front chamber 111, and then the milk is transferred to the milk storage container 400 by the guide tube 130. The flexible tee 100 reduces the number of parts while ensuring normal milk suction, thus improving the ease of assembly and cleaning.
[0041] It is worth noting that in this embodiment, the front end and front side refer to the end or side that is relatively close to the breast, while the rear end and rear side refer to the end or side that is relatively far away from the breast.
[0042] In this embodiment, the breast shield 110 is integrally formed with the suction bowl 120 and the guide tube 130, and is also bonded together. Furthermore, to further improve cleaning capabilities, the flexible tee 100 can be made of silicone, making it easy to fold and achieve all-around cleaning.
[0043] It is worth noting that during the milk pumping process, the presence of the suction bowl 120 can also provide a certain degree of isolation for the milk, thereby preventing the milk from entering the rear cavity 112. Under the negative pressure, the milk moves in the direction close to the suction bowl 120. When it moves to the upper side of the guide tube 130, it is affected by gravity and then falls into the guide tube 130 and the milk storage container 400 in sequence.
[0044] It should be noted that the front end of the bra 110 is usually designed as a flared structure, which is used to cover the breast. The front cavity 111 is the cavity on the side of the suction bowl 120 closer to the breast. The rear end of the bra 110 is the end opposite to the front end. The rear cavity 112 is the cavity on the side of the suction bowl 120 away from the breast.
[0045] In this embodiment, in order for the suction bowl 120 to play a negative pressure transmission role while separating the front cavity 111 and the rear cavity 112, the middle position of the suction bowl 120 can be set away from the front end of the breast bra 110 relative to the edge position of the suction bowl 120.
[0046] In some alternative embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The side wall of the guide tube 130 is provided with an exhaust hole 131, which can be used for exhaust operation to avoid gas accumulation and affect the liquid absorption effect.
[0047] Please refer to Figure 1 To prevent emulsion leakage during venting operations, the outlet of the vent 131 is positioned higher than its inlet. Even if some emulsion splashes or falls into the inlet of the vent 131 during the process of the guide tube 130 conveying the emulsion, the emulsion can move towards a lower position under its own gravity and will not continue to move towards the outlet located at a higher position.
[0048] Preferably, in order to improve the anti-leakage effect, the vent hole 131 can be arranged in a circumferential spiral along the guide tube 130, so that when the emulsion enters the vent hole 131 and flows towards the outlet, there is a sufficiently long flow path, which can further prevent the emulsion from leaking out.
[0049] In some alternative embodiments, for ease of processing, the vent hole 131 can be arranged in an arc shape or at an angle. When the vent hole 131 is arc-shaped, its arc can be bent upwards or downwards, which can effectively prevent the emulsion from leaking out of the outlet of the vent hole 131.
[0050] In some alternative embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 To prevent the emulsion from flowing back after re-entering the guide tube 130, the flexible tee 100 may also include a unidirectional guide element 140, which is disposed between the front cavity 111 and the guide tube 130 so that the front cavity 111 can deliver the emulsion to the guide tube 130.
[0051] Furthermore, the one-way flow guide 140 can be integrally formed with the bra 110, the suction cup 120, and the flow guide tube 130; or, the one-way flow guide 140 can be detachably connected to the bra 110.
[0052] In some optional embodiments, the one-way flow guide 140 is a one-way valve; in other embodiments of this utility model, the one-way flow guide 140 may also be a one-way diaphragm or other structure with one-way transmission capability, and there is no limitation on its specific structural type.
[0053] Please refer to Figure 1 In order to facilitate the smooth entry of the extracted emulsion into the one-way flow guide 140, the breast shield 110 is provided with a liquid guide groove 113, which is connected to the one-way flow guide 140. The inner diameter area of the liquid guide groove 113 is larger than the inner diameter area of the one-way flow guide 140.
[0054] When the emulsion enters the front chamber 111 and moves toward the suction bowl 120, it will first enter the liquid guide trough 113 under the influence of gravity. The liquid guide trough 113 will gather the emulsion, and then the emulsion will enter the guide tube 130 to move toward the milk storage container 400.
[0055] In this embodiment, to facilitate processing and molding, the bottom wall of the liquid guiding groove 113 can be flat, and the side wall of the guide vane groove can be perpendicular to the bottom wall. Of course, in other embodiments of this utility model, the side wall of the liquid guiding groove 113 can be inclined, thereby making the liquid guiding groove 113 have a V-shaped structure with a wide opening and a narrow bottom, which helps to accelerate the flow rate of the emulsion in the liquid guiding groove 113. Furthermore, the cross-section of the liquid guiding groove 113 is circular. Of course, the cross-section of the liquid guiding groove 113 can also be rectangular, triangular, fan-shaped, or other shapes. The specific shape of the liquid guiding groove 113, i.e., the cross-sectional shape, is not limited.
[0056] Please refer to Figure 1In order to facilitate assembly and connection with the lining assembly, the inner wall of the breast bra 110 defining the front cavity 111 can form a limiting guide groove 117, which is used to cooperate with the lining assembly.
[0057] It is worth noting that the limiting guide groove 117 can be an annular groove arranged along the circumference of the bra 110 and has a certain axial extension length; of course, the limiting guide groove 117 can also be multiple arc-shaped grooves arranged at intervals along the circumference of the bra 110.
[0058] Please refer to Figure 1 In order to ensure the sealing performance of the rear cavity 112 and to form negative pressure as soon as possible under the action of negative pressure source 300, the inner wall of the rear cavity 112 defined by the breast bra 110 is provided with a sealing boss 114, which is used to cooperate with the rear cover 200.
[0059] In this embodiment, the sealing boss 114 is annular and is arranged in two groups along the axial direction of the bra 110. Of course, in other embodiments of this utility model, the sealing boss 114 may also be arc-shaped, or may be arranged in one, three, or five groups along the axial and circumferential directions of the bra 110. The specific shape, arrangement and number of sealing bosses 114 are not limited.
[0060] Similarly, in order to improve the stability of the fit with the back cover 200, the inner wall of the back cavity 112 defined by the bra 110 is formed with a positioning groove 115, which is used for the fit with the back cover 200. Specifically, the positioning groove 115 is formed on the inner wall defining the back cavity 112 at one end near the suction cup 120.
[0061] Meanwhile, in order to improve the assembly accuracy with the back cover 200, a mounting boss 116 can be formed on the outer wall of the bra 110 away from the rear end. The mounting boss 116 is used to mate with the back cover 200. Specifically, the mounting boss 116 extends radially along the bra 110, and the rear end face of the mounting boss 116 abuts against the end face of the back cover 200.
[0062] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 To improve the anti-slip performance of the flexible tee 100, making it easier for the operator to hold the breast shield 110 for breast pumping, anti-slip protrusions 118 can be formed on the outer wall of the breast shield 110. The anti-slip protrusions 118 are in the form of a ring or an arc-shaped structure spaced apart circumferentially. Furthermore, the anti-slip protrusions 118 are arranged in two groups in the axial direction.
[0063] Of course, in other embodiments of this utility model, the number of anti-slip protrusions 118 arranged axially can be one, three, five, etc., and the specific number and arrangement of the anti-slip protrusions 118 are not limited.
[0064] Example 2
[0065] Please refer to Figure 3 This utility model also provides a breast pump 1000, including a back cover 200, a negative pressure source 300, a milk storage container 400, and a flexible tee 100; wherein, the milk storage container 400 is connected to the bottom end of the guide tube 130, the back cover 200 is connected to the rear end of the breast shield 110, and the negative pressure source 300 is connected to the flexible tee 100 and provides negative pressure. The breast pump 1000 includes the flexible tee 100, which possesses all the functions of the flexible tee 100.
[0066] In this embodiment, the breast pump 1000 includes a flexible tee 100. By making the breast shield 110, suction bowl 120, unidirectional flow guide 140 and flow guide tube 130 integrally molded, it helps to reduce the number of parts, realize the overall assembly and cleaning of the flexible tee 100, and thus improve the convenience of assembly and cleaning operations.
[0067] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A flexible tee, characterized in that, For use in a breast pump, the flexible tee includes: Breast bra (110), suction cup (120), and deflector (130); The suction bowl (120) is located at the rear end of the bra (110). The suction bowl (120) divides the bra (110) into a front cavity (111) and a rear cavity (112). Under the action of the negative pressure source (300), the rear cavity (112) causes the suction bowl (120) to deform, so that the front cavity (111) forms a negative pressure. The top end of the guide tube (130) is connected to the front cavity (111), and the bottom end of the guide tube (130) is used to connect to the milk storage container (400). The bra (110), the suction bowl (120), and the guide tube (130) are integrally formed.
2. The flexible tee according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side wall of the guide tube (130) is provided with an exhaust hole (131), and the outlet of the exhaust hole (131) is set higher than the inlet of the exhaust hole (131).
3. The flexible tee according to claim 2, characterized in that, The exhaust port (131) is spirally arranged along the circumferential direction of the guide tube (130); Alternatively, the vent (131) may be arranged in an arc shape; Alternatively, the vent (131) may be angled.
4. The flexible tee according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The flexible tee also includes a one-way flow guide (140), which is integrally formed with the breast bra (110), the suction cup (120) and the flow guide tube (130); Alternatively, the one-way flow guide (140) can be detachably connected to the bra (110).
5. The flexible tee according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The middle position of the suction bowl (120) is located away from the front end of the bra (110) relative to the edge position of the suction bowl (120).
6. The flexible tee according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The breast bra (110) defines a limiting guide groove (117) on the inner wall of the front cavity (111), the limiting guide groove (117) being used to cooperate with the lining assembly.
7. The flexible tee according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The breast bra (110) defines the inner wall of the rear cavity (112) with a sealing boss (114) for engaging with the rear cover (200); And / or, the breast bra (110) defines a positioning groove (115) formed on the inner wall of the rear cavity (112) for engagement with the rear cover (200).
8. The flexible tee according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The outer wall of the rear end of the bra (110) is formed with a mounting boss (116) for engaging with the rear cover (200).
9. The flexible tee according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The outer wall of the bra (110) has anti-slip protrusions (118).
10. A breast pump, characterized in that, Includes a negative pressure source (300), a milk storage container (400), a back cover (200), and the flexible tee as described in any one of claims 1-9; The milk storage container (400) is connected to the bottom end of the guide tube (130), the back cover (200) is connected to the rear end of the breast bra (110), and the negative pressure source (300) is connected to the flexible tee and provides negative pressure.