Elastomeric Damping Arrangement for Breast Pump Motor Vibration Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current breast pump systems require costly and difficult-to-assemble steel springs for vibration and noise isolation, which occupy significant space and lack controlled end-stop mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A damping arrangement using a frame with radially extending limbs and connecting pieces to suspend the pump motor assembly, eliminating the need for metal springs, providing easier assembly, reduced space usage, and controlled damping properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If steel springs are used for motor suspension, then vibration and noise isolation is achieved, but cost increases and assembly difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive steel springs with inexpensive elastomeric material elements that provide equivalent vibration and noise isolation. These elastomeric elements are cheaper to manufacture and simpler to assemble, directly addressing the cost and assembly difficulty issues while maintaining the harmful factor isolation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal (steel springs) to elastomeric material, which provides similar damping properties but with easier manufacturing and assembly characteristics. This material substitution resolves the contradiction between achieving vibration isolation and ease of manufacture.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If steel springs are used for motor suspension, then vibration and noise isolation is achieved, but device space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the suspension element from bulky steel springs to compact elastomeric material elements. This material substitution maintains the vibration and noise isolation function while significantly reducing the space required around the pump motor, resolving the contradiction between isolation performance and space efficiency.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If steel springs are used for motor suspension, then vibration isolation is achieved, but end-stop control is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates hard stops within the elastomeric material elements, creating a composite structure that provides both vibration isolation through the elastomeric material and precise end-stop control through the embedded hard stops. This resolves the contradiction by combining the benefits of both soft damping and hard positioning within a single integrated element.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces assembly costs and space requirements while offering improved noise reduction, vibration isolation, and controlled end-stop functionality, enhancing the overall efficiency and portability of breast pump systems.
Implementation Method 1
The pump motor or motors need to be suspended by flexible elements to isolate vibrations and noise that may otherwise emanate to the housing and the environment
Implementation Method 2
The damping arrangement comprises a set of elastomeric material elements arranged in a predetermined pattern
Data Source
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AI summary
A pump arrangement is provided for a breast pump system having a pump motor assembly and a damping arrangement, providing a coupling between an outer surface of the pump motor assembly and an inner surface of a housing for the pump arrangement. A set of one or more limbs extends outwardly from a frame. For example, cushions are formed by a pair of radially extending limbs and a connecting piece connecting to the pair of limbs. This arrangement provides positioning within the housing as well as damping.