TUBE RETAINER SYSTEM

• US 20080175734A1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masterflex LLC (Avantor, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cole-Parmer Instrument Company (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Reedy, Michael, LaBanco, Sam
• Granted Patent: US 7,980,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/474
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/12 having peristaltic action
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/1253 by using two or more rollers as squeezing elements, the rollers moving on an arc of a circle during squeezing
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/1284 Means for pushing the backing-plate against the tubular flexible member

Abstract

A retaining assembly comprising a base and a retainer comprising a wall and a notch in the wall. The notch in the wall has an arcuate first portion and an arcuate second portion that converge at a juncture. The first and second arcuate portions of the notch are oriented toward the base and the retainer is slidably translatable from a first open position to a second closed position with the base.

Claims

1. A tube retainer for retaining a fluid carrying tube in a peristaltic pump comprising:

a first wall; and

a first notch in the wall having an arcuate first portion and an arcuate second portion that converge at a juncture,

wherein the arcuate first and second portions are configured to retain the fluid carrying tube.

2. The tube retainer of claim 1, wherein the first portion is convex.

3. The tube retainer of claim 1, wherein the second portion is convex.

4. The tube retainer of claim 1, wherein the juncture is arcuate.

5. The tube retainer of claim 1, wherein the arcuate first portion has a length and the arcuate second portion has a length, and further wherein the length of the arcuate first portion is greater than the length of the arcuate second portion.

6. The tube retainer of claim 1, further comprising:

a second wall; and

a second notch in the second wall having an arcuate first portion and an arcuate second portion that converge at a juncture,

wherein the arcuate first and second portions are configured to retain the fluid carrying tube.

7. The tube retainer of claim 6, wherein the arcuate first and second portions of the second notch correspond to the arcuate first and second portions of the first notch.

8. The tube retainer of claim 6, wherein the first wall has a top surface and the second wall has a top surface, and further wherein the top surface of the first wall and the top surface of the second wall are inclined toward each other.

9. The tube retainer of claim 6, wherein the first wall and second wall are separated by a distance.

10. A tube retaining system for retaining a fluid carrying tube in a peristaltic pump comprising:

a base having a tube engaging surface; and

a retainer comprising;

a wall; and

a notch in the wall having an arcuate first portion and an arcuate second portion that converge at a juncture;

wherein the first and second arcuate portions of the notch are oriented toward the base; and

wherein the retainer is slidably translatable from a first open position to a second closed position with the base.

11. The tube retaining system of claim 10 wherein the retainer is spring biased toward the second closed position with the base.

12. The tube retaining system of claim 10 wherein the arcuate first portion of the notch has a length and the arcuate second portion of the notch has a length, and further wherein the length of the arcuate first portion is greater than the length of the arcuate second portion.

13. The tube retaining system of claim 10 wherein the first and second arcuate portions of the notch in the wall of the retainer are convex.

14. The tube retaining system of claim 10 wherein the juncture of the notch in the wall of the retainer is arcuate.

15. The tube retaining system of claim 10 wherein the base further comprises:

a first wall having a first tube engaging surface; and

a second wall having a second tube engaging surface,

wherein the first wall and second walls are separated by a distance forming a channel, and

wherein the channel is sufficient to receive the wall of the retainer, and

wherein the first and second tube engaging surfaces are oriented towards the retainer.

16. The tube retaining system of claim 10 further comprising:

flexible tubing,

wherein the flexible tubing is positioned between the base and the retainer, and

wherein the flexible tubing contacts the tube engaging surface of the base and the top surface of the wall of the retainer.

17. A peristaltic pump comprising:

a housing;

a rotor assembly supported by the housing; and

a first tube retaining system supported by the housing and comprising;

a first base having a tube engaging surface; and

a first retainer comprising;

a wall; and

a notch in the wall having an arcuate first portion and an arcuate second portion that converge at a juncture;

wherein the first and second arcuate portions of the notch are oriented toward the first base; and

wherein the first retainer is slidably translatable from a first open position to a second closed position with the first base.

18. The peristaltic pump of claim 17 further comprising:

a second tube retaining system supported by the housing and comprising;

a second base having a tube engaging surface; and

a second retainer comprising;

a wall; and

a notch in the wall having an arcuate first portion and an arcuate second portion that converge at a juncture;

wherein the first and second arcuate portions of the notch are oriented toward the second base; and

wherein the second retainer is slidably translatable from a first open position to a second closed position with the second base.

19. The peristaltic pump of claim 18 wherein the first tube retaining system is aligned with the second tube retaining system and separated therefrom by a distance.

20. The peristaltic pump of claim 19 wherein the first retainer of the first tube retaining system and the second retainer of the second tube retaining system are slidably translatable toward each other.