MULTI-CHANNEL PUMP

• US 3,816,033 A
• Filed: 11/21/1972
• Issued: 06/11/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George Fried, Oscar Botero
• Original Assignee: George Fried, Oscar Botero
• Inventors: Fried, George, Botero, Oscar
• Primary Examiner(s): Freeh, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gluck, Richard E.
• Application Number:
  US05/308,418
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 417/429,475,477,476
• US Class Current: 417/429
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/1292 Pumps specially adapted for several tubular flexible members

Abstract

A multi-channel pump and more particularly a peristaltic pump having a single casing carrying drive means, the casing including a portion for receiving from 1 to 10 or more individual pump units which are arranged in side by side relation, each of the pump units being independently operable by the drive means on the casing; each of the pump units being removably mounted on the casing for independent use or removal; each of the pump units carrying flexible tubing for peristaltic action by the pump unit; the drive means on the casing comprising a pair of spaced drive units operating at respectively different speeds, the pump units being adapted to be selectively arranged in either of two positions on the casing so as to operatively engage one of the drive units for operation at one speed or to operatively engage the other of the drive units for operation at the other speed.

Claims

1. A multi-channel pump apparatus comprising base means, motor means mounted on said base means, plural pump units adapted to be selectively mounted on said base means, an elongated rotatable drive means mounted on said base means, said rotatable drive means being coupled to said motor means and adapted to drive said pump units, means for removably mounting each of said pump units on said base means, each of said pump units including fluid carrying tubing means extending into said units, means within each pump unit for progressively compressing said tubing means during operation, rotatable driven means formed on the outer periphery of each of said pump units and adapted to engage said elongated rotatable drive means at selected positions along the length thereof to be driven thereby, said progressive compressing means mounted on said rotatable driven means, means for disengageably mounting each of said rotatable driven means of said pump units to said pump unit drive means for individual and simultaneous operation.

2. Pump apparatus as in claim 1 wherein each of said pump units comprises a flat pump assembly, said assemblies being adapted to be selectively arranged in side by relation on selected portions of said base means for disengageable connection of each said operating means with said rotatable drive means.

3. Pump apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said drive means comprises an elongated gear member and each said driven means comprises gear means for meshing with said elongated gear member at selected positions along the length thereof in accordance with the position of the pump unit and its associated gear means relative to said base means.

4. Pump apparatus as in claim 2, and further including interengageable means on each of said pump assemblies and said base means for releasably locking said assemblies to said base means.

5. Pump apparatus as in claim 2, and further including latch means for selectively releasably locking said pump units to said base means in one position in which said drive means is in disengaged relation to said driven means, or in another position in which said drive means is in engaged relation to said driven means.

6. Pump apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said drive means comprises a pair of elongated gear members, means for rotating each of said pair of elongated gear members at respectively different speeds and said driven means comprises gear means, means for selectively positioning said pump assemblies on said base means, whereby in one of said positions, said gear means engages one of said pair of gear members for operation at one speed and in another of said positions said gear means engages the other of said pair of gear members for operation at another speed.

7. Pump apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said elongated gear members are diSposed in laterally spaced relation to each other, the axis of said gear means being in laterally offset relation to the center of the lateral spacing of said pair of elongated gear members, whereby each of said pump assemblies may be selectively disposed in one position on said base means whereby said gear means theroof meshes with one of said pair of elongated gear members or in another position on said base means whereby said gear means thereof meshes with the other of said pair of elongated gear members.

8. Pump apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said base means comprises a pair of longitudinally extending side walls providing an open top, and a pair of end walls connecting said side walls, said motor means being disposed outwardly of one of said end walls, said elongated gear member extending longitudinally between said base side walls, said side walls including longitudinally extending flange portions extending from the upper edges thereof, each of said pump units including laterally related, shoulder portions for seating on said base flange portions to locate the lower peripheral edge portion of said driven gear means between said base walls for engagement with said elongated gear member.

9. A pump apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said each pump unit comprises a pair of opposed, spaced plate members, spacer means between said plate members, a roller plate carrying roller members extending from one side of said roller plate and along the periphery thereof, said roller plate being rotatably mounted between said spaced plate members.

10. A pump as in claim 9 wherein said driven means comprises peripheral gear means on said roller plate.

11. A pump unit as in claim 9, and further including movable latch means mounted between said spaced plate members to releasably lock said pump unit to said base support means.

12. A pump unit as in claim 9 and further including movable latch means mounted on said pump units for selectively releasably locking said pump units to said base means in one position in which said drive means is in disengaged relation to said driven means, or in another position in which said drive means is in engaged relation to said driven means.

13. A pump unit as in claim 9, and further including a backing member disposed between said plate members, in opposed relation to said roller members, said roller plate including driven means thereon for engaging with the drive means on said base means when said pump unit is associated with said base means.

14. A pump unit as in claim 13 wherein flexible tubing is adapted to be disposed between said backing member and the roller members on said roller plate, and adjustable friction means mounted on said spacer means for frictionally holding said tubing against shift relative to said backing means.

15. A pump unit as in claim 10 wherein said roller plate is disposed adjacent said spacer means, and further including shield means for the gear means on said roller plate for protecting said tubing against wear.

16. A pump unit as in claim 13, and further including coacting means on said backing member and said plate members for removably mounting said backing member between said plate members.