# US 9,518,575 B2 · Vacuum pump > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,518,575 B2 - Document ID: US9518575B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/348,560 - Filed: 2012-09-27 - Published: 2014-08-14 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2011-10-04 - Assignees: Medela Holding AG - Applicants: Medela Holding AG - Inventors: Armin Felber - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518575B2 ## CPC - A61M 1/06: Milking pumps - A61M 1/80: {Suction pumps (A61M1/64, A61M1/71, A61M60/00 take precedence)} - A61M 1/82: {Membrane pumps, e.g. bulbs} - F04B 43/0081: {systems, control, safety measures} - A61M 2205/3306: Optical measuring means - A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) ## Abstract A vacuum pump for generating an underpressure has a pump chamber (14, 15) with an inlet (143) and an outlet (150), wherein the outlet (150) is equipped with a valve (3). According to the invention, the pump chamber (14, 15) is provided with a pressure sensor (23, 23′, 24). This vacuum pump has a relatively precise and inexpensive vacuum sensor. It is also advantageous that the sensor, being integrated in the pump chamber, is not susceptible to failure and takes up a small amount of space. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Vacuum pump for generating an underpressure, wherein the vacuum pump has a pump chamber with an inlet and an outlet wherein the outlet is equipped with a valve, wherein the pump chamber is provided with a pressure sensor, wherein the pump chamber has a first chamber area and a second chamber area, which is connected to this first chamber area via a through-opening, wherein the inlet is arranged in the first chamber area, and the outlet is arranged in the second chamber area, the pressure sensor comprising a sensor diaphragm, the vacuum pump having a vacuum diaphragm for generating the underpressure in the pump chamber, the vacuum diaphragm covering the first chamber area, and the sensor diaphragm covering the second chamber area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Vacuum pump according to claim 1, wherein a vane is arranged on the sensor diaphragm, and the position of the vane relative to the pump chamber is detectable. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) Vacuum pump according to claim 2, wherein an optical detection means is present in order to detect the position of the vane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) Vacuum pump according to claim 3, wherein the optical detection means comprises a light emitter and a light detector, and wherein the vane is movable, by deflection of the sensor diaphragm, into a light path between light emitter and light detector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Vacuum pump according to claim 1, the vacuum pump having a vacuum diaphragm for generating the underpressure in the pump chamber, and the vacuum diaphragm and the sensor diaphragm are formed together in one piece. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) Vacuum pump according to claim 5, wherein the sensor diaphragm is an extension of one side of the vacuum diaphragm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Vacuum pump according to claim 1, the vacuum pump having a vacuum diaphragm for generating the underpressure in the pump chamber, and the vacuum diaphragm and the sensor diaphragm are two parts formed separately from each other. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Vacuum pump according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum diaphragm has substantially a round cross section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) Vacuum pump according to claim 8, wherein the vacuum diaphragm has a central point, and wherein this central point is connectable to a drive element for the actuation of the vacuum diaphragm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) Vacuum pump according to claim 9, wherein a connection head for connection to the drive element is arranged at the central point. ### Claim 11 A vacuum pump unit for generating an underpressure, comprising: a vacuum pump; a pump chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being equipped with a valve; a pressure sensor including a sensor diaphragm having a vane arranged thereon; an optical detection means including a light emitter and a light detector, the vane being movable, by deflection of the sensor diaphragm, out of and into a light path between the light emitter and light detector, an amount of light passing from the light emitter to the light detector varying in relation to an extent to which the vane of the sensor diaphragm is moved out of the light path, which extent is determined by an amount of underpressure generated by the vacuum pump; and an evaluation electronics unit that assigns vacuum value based on the amount of light passing between the light emitter and the light detector, wherein the pump chamber includes a first chamber area and a second chamber area, the first and second chamber areas connected to one another via a connecting channel, whereby the first chamber area and the second chamber area always lie at a common pressure level, the sensor diaphragm covering an outlet of the second chamber area, the assigned vacuum valve corresponding to the underpressure in the pump chamber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vacuum pump unit of claim 11, the vacuum pump unit including a vacuum diaphragm for generating underpressure in the pump chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vacuum pump unit of claim 12, the vacuum diaphragm and the sensor diaphragm being formed together in one piece. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The vacuum pump unit of claim 12, the vacuum diaphragm and the sensor diaphragm being two parts formed separately from each other.