Tube pummp
First Claim
1. A tube pump for transferring a fluid, comprising:
- a tube defining a flow path therein through which the fluid is transferred, the tube being capable of being deformed elastically, the tube having two opening/closing portions provided at two spaced portions of the tube for opening and closing the flow path; and
two opening/closing mechanisms which are provided so as to correspond to the two opening/closing portions respectively for closing the flow path at the two spaced portions of the tube by folding the corresponding opening/closing portion of the tube and opening the flow path by unfolding the fold of the opening/closing portion;
wherein, when one of the two opening/closing portions is further folded after closing the flow path at the corresponding portion of the tube by operating the corresponding opening/closing mechanism in a state where the other opening/closing portion is folded, an internal pressure in the tube between the two opening/closing portions is increased due to the further fold of the opening/closing portion, and the tube pump transfers the fluid using the increased internal pressure in the tube.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a tube pump 1, two curved portions 3, 6 are respectively provided at both ends of a tube 2, and two opening/closing mechanisms 11 are provided at the portions corresponding to opening/closing portions 4, 7. The opening/closing mechanisms 11 includes cams 16, 23 protective frames 12 for converting the rotational motions into linear motions, and an actuator for rotatively driving the cams 16, 23. When the cams 16, 23 are rotatively driven with the operation of the actuator, the curved portions 3, 6 are pushed via the protective frames 12, and the flow path is closed and opened by folding the opening/closing portions 4,7 and releasing the pushing state of the opening/closing portions 4, 7 to be restore to the original shape. By carrying out fold and unfold of the tube it is possible to effectively transfer the fluid at a small amount of energy.
16 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A tube pump for transferring a fluid, comprising:
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a tube defining a flow path therein through which the fluid is transferred, the tube being capable of being deformed elastically, the tube having two opening/closing portions provided at two spaced portions of the tube for opening and closing the flow path; and
two opening/closing mechanisms which are provided so as to correspond to the two opening/closing portions respectively for closing the flow path at the two spaced portions of the tube by folding the corresponding opening/closing portion of the tube and opening the flow path by unfolding the fold of the opening/closing portion;
wherein, when one of the two opening/closing portions is further folded after closing the flow path at the corresponding portion of the tube by operating the corresponding opening/closing mechanism in a state where the other opening/closing portion is folded, an internal pressure in the tube between the two opening/closing portions is increased due to the further fold of the opening/closing portion, and the tube pump transfers the fluid using the increased internal pressure in the tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A tube pump for transferring a fluid, comprising:
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a tube defining a flow path therein through which the fluid is transferred, the tube being capable of being deformed elastically, the tube having two opening/closing portions provided at two spaced portions of the tube for opening and closing the flow path, and the two opening/closing portions being arranged so as to face to each other through a predetermined space therebetween; and
an opening/closing mechanism provided in the space between the two opening/closing portions for closing the flow path at the portion corresponding to each of the two opening/closing portions by folding the tube at the opening/closing portion and for opening the flow path by unfolding the fold of the opening/closing portion;
wherein, when one of the two opening/closing portions is further folded after closing the flow path at the corresponding portion of the tube by operating the opening/closing mechanism in a state where the other opening/closing portion is folded, the degree of fold of one opening/closing portion becomes differentiated from that of the other opening/closing portion so that an internal pressure of the tube between the two opening/closing portions is increased due to the further fold of the opening/closing portion, and the tube pump transfers the fluid using the increased internal pressure of the tube. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22)
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21. A tube pump for transferring a fluid, comprising:
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a tube defining a flow path therein through which the fluid is transferred, the tube being capable of being deformed elastically, the tube having two opening/closing portions provided at two spaced portions of the tube for opening and closing the flow path; and
two opening/closing mechanisms which are respectively provided so as to correspond to the two opening/closing portions, one of the opening/closing mechanisms closing the flow path at one of the two spaced portions of the tube by folding the corresponding opening/closing portion of the tube and opening the flow path by unfolding the fold of the opening/closing portion, and the other opening/closing mechanism closing and opening the flow path at the other portion of the tube without folding and unfolding the corresponding opening/closing portion of the tube;
wherein, when the opening/closing portion is further folded after closing the flow path at the corresponding portion of the tube by operating the corresponding opening/closing mechanism in a state where the other opening/closing portion is closed, an internal pressure in the tube between the two opening/closing portions is increased due to the further fold of the opening/closing portion, and the tube pump transfers the fluid using the increased internal pressure in the tube.
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Specification