Peristaltic pump with constrictions at fixed locations
First Claim
1. A pump comprising:
- a) a flexible tube, wherein said pump is configured to provide an output constriction of said flexible tube, wherein said output constriction is at a fixed output location on said flexible tube during operation of said pump;
b) a pump body;
c) a pump member, wherein said pump member is moveable relative to said pump body;
wherein said pump member is capable of moving to at least a refill position, a seal position, and an expel position, all relative to said pump body;
wherein said pump member and pump body at said seal position and at said expel position form an input constriction of said flexible tube at a fixed input location, wherein said input constriction impedes flow through said flexible tube more than said output constriction;
wherein part or all of said flexible tube between said input constriction and said output constriction defines a pump chamber having a pump chamber volume;
wherein said pump member and pump body at said expel position cause said pump chamber volume to be substantially less than said pump chamber volume when said pump member and pump body are at said seal position; and
wherein said pump member and pump body at said refill position allow flow through said flexible tube past said fixed input location.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a pump, a flexible tube passes through the pump and is held “normally closed” at an output constriction. The pump includes a pump body and a pump member that can perform two functions by their relative motion. The first function is to open and close an input constriction of the flexible tube. The second function is to compress the section of flexible tube between the input constriction and the output constriction. This section of tube acts as the pump chamber. When closed, the input constriction provides a greater impediment to fluid flow than the output constriction. Therefore, when the input constriction is closed and the pump chamber is compressed, fluid flows out of the pump past the output constriction. When the input constriction is open and compression of the pump chamber is removed, the output constriction closes and fluid can enter the pump by flowing past the location of the input constriction.
-
Citations
35 Claims
-
1. A pump comprising:
-
a) a flexible tube, wherein said pump is configured to provide an output constriction of said flexible tube, wherein said output constriction is at a fixed output location on said flexible tube during operation of said pump; b) a pump body; c) a pump member, wherein said pump member is moveable relative to said pump body; wherein said pump member is capable of moving to at least a refill position, a seal position, and an expel position, all relative to said pump body; wherein said pump member and pump body at said seal position and at said expel position form an input constriction of said flexible tube at a fixed input location, wherein said input constriction impedes flow through said flexible tube more than said output constriction; wherein part or all of said flexible tube between said input constriction and said output constriction defines a pump chamber having a pump chamber volume; wherein said pump member and pump body at said expel position cause said pump chamber volume to be substantially less than said pump chamber volume when said pump member and pump body are at said seal position; and wherein said pump member and pump body at said refill position allow flow through said flexible tube past said fixed input location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
-
Specification