Collapsible conduit for linear peristaltic pump and method of making the same
First Claim
1. A conduit for transmitting fluids, comprising a one-piece, flexible, resilient, non-elastomeric, thermoplastic tube having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and intermediate portion disposed between said inlet and outlet portions;
- all of said portions being integral with each other;
said inlet and outlet portions having flow passages of the same cross sectional area and walls of the same thickness, respectively;
said intermediate portion including an enlarged section having a flow passage of substantially greater cross sectional area, a wall with at least a part thereof having substantially lesser thickness, and a substantially lower resistance to deformation, than those of said inlet and outlet portions;
said enlarged section includes a cup-shaped body portion defining a cavity and an integral membrane portion extending over said cavity;
said membrane portion having a wall thickness substantially less than that of said body portion; and
said membrane portion generally extending along a plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of said conduit when said conduit is in a linear undeformed state.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tubular conduit formed of resilient, flexible, thermoplastic material having an intermediate portion with at least one enlarged section that has a flow passage of substantially greater cross-sectional area, and a wall portion of lesser thickness and lower resistance to deformation, than found in the remainder of the conduit. The method of making the collapsible conduit, involving the steps of reshaping a preformed thermoplastic tube by molding it under heat and internal pressure, and the utilization of such a formed conduit in a linear peristaltic pump, are also disclosed.
74 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A conduit for transmitting fluids, comprising a one-piece, flexible, resilient, non-elastomeric, thermoplastic tube having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and intermediate portion disposed between said inlet and outlet portions;
- all of said portions being integral with each other;
said inlet and outlet portions having flow passages of the same cross sectional area and walls of the same thickness, respectively;
said intermediate portion including an enlarged section having a flow passage of substantially greater cross sectional area, a wall with at least a part thereof having substantially lesser thickness, and a substantially lower resistance to deformation, than those of said inlet and outlet portions;
said enlarged section includes a cup-shaped body portion defining a cavity and an integral membrane portion extending over said cavity;
said membrane portion having a wall thickness substantially less than that of said body portion; and
said membrane portion generally extending along a plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of said conduit when said conduit is in a linear undeformed state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 8)
- all of said portions being integral with each other;
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6. A conduit for transmitting fluids, comprising a one-piece, flexible, resilient, non-elastomeric, thermoplastic tube having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and an intermediate portion disposed between said inlet and outlet portions;
- all of said portions being integral with each other;
said inlet and outlet portions having flow passages of the same cross sectional area and walls of the same thickness, respectively;
said intermediate portion including an enlarged section having a flow passage of substantially greater cross sectional area, a wall with at least a part thereof having a substantially lesser thickness, and a substantially lower resistance to deformation, than those of said inlet and outlet portions;
with a peristaltic pump having a series of bearing assemblies each with concentric inner and outer bearing members freely rotatably with respect to each other;
said inner members being eccentrically mounted upon a drive shaft with the centers of said inner members being equidistant from the axis of said drive shaft and spaced at uniform angular distances thereabout to describe a helix about said axis;
power means for rotating said shaft;
support means provided by said pump for clamping said inlet and outlet portions of said tube in longitudinal alignment and for supporting said intermediate portion along a line parallel with said axis for sequential compression by each of said bearing assemblies when said shaft is rotated;
said support means supporting said enlarged section at a point between said series of bearing assemblies and said outlet portions of said conduit; and
sensing means engageable with said enlarged section for sensing changes in dimension thereof resulting from changes in the pressure of fluid therein;said pump includes a spring-loaded flow restrictor engageable with the intermediate portion of said conduit between said series of bearing members and said enlarged section for partially constricting said conduit. - View Dependent Claims (7, 9, 10)
- all of said portions being integral with each other;
Specification