Peristaltic Pump Construction

Abstract

A rotor for a peristaltic pump assembly which is formed of a unitary element having radial arms recessed at the distal ends to receive pressure rollers for the pump and wing formations at the distal ends for carrying guide rollers extending radially of the axis of the rotor and spaced axially on either side of the rollers to serve as a tube guide. The assembly includes a mount on the rotor for a drive crank which can be utilized in one position as a manual crank for the rotor and which can be stored within the rotor in a second position in which it also serves as a connection drive between a power shaft and the rotor. Movement of the crank to the manual position disconnects the rotor from the power drive.

Description

This invention relates to a Peristaltic Pump Construction and more particularly to a drive and control system for such a pump. Reference is made to the following U. S. patents which are illustrative of the prior art: U.S. Pat. No. 419,461 Jan. 14, 1890 to Lee; U.S. Pat. No. 473,546 Apr. 26, 1892 to Carroll; U.S. Pat. No. 2,035,159 Mar. 24, 1936 to Henry.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved and simplified drive device for a pump which is normally motor-operated but which can be manually disconnected from the power drive and operated by a retractable handle crank, and an improved control for maintaining pressure on the pump rollers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple pump construction which permits rapid and easy dismantling of the pump for the purpose of repair or cleaning by persons who are not mechanically trained; and it is also an object to provide a pump which can have a closely controlled pressure system manipulated by the operator.

Other objects and features of the invention relating to details of construction, including a simplified head design, will be apparent in the following description and claims in which the principles of the invention and the operation are set forth in connection with the best mode presently contemplated for the practice of the invention.

Drawings accompany the disclosure and the various views thereof may be briefly described as:

FIG. 1, a top view of a pump assembly.

FIG. 2, a sectional view on line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3, a sectional view on line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

The peristaltic pump principle is known and embodies a pump construction in which a circular wall serves as a pressure wall for a tube extending around the wall and a rotor with pressure rollers rotates within that wall causing the rollers to revolve in proximity to the wall to provide circumferentially progressing pressure around the tube to effect a pumping action.

In FIG. 1, a pump housing is shown generally at 10 having an inner circular wall 12 which terminates at walls 14 and 16 at side openings 18 and 20. The forward wall of the housing at 22 completes the enclosure although this portion of the wall does not function in connection with the pumping action.

The housing 10 has a bottom wall 24 through which projects a rotor shaft 26 located centrally of a flat raised boss 28. The shaft 26 projects downwardly through a mounting hub 27 (FIG. 3) on the basic housing 10 and is suitably mounted in bearings 29 in this hub. The rotor or pump head in FIG. 1 comprises a hub portion 30 mounted on shaft 26, the hub being retained by a O-ring 32 which fits in a groove in the shaft above the head. A sleeve bearing 34 having flanged ends 36 is provided as a mount for the rotor hub as shown in FIG. 3.

The head has opposed, radially extending arms 38 and 40, each of which branches into circumferentially extending wing portions 42. The distal end of the arms 38 and 40 is apertured to receive a roller pin to be later described to mount rollers 48 and 50. The wings 42 each carry a pair of axially spaced radially extending guide rollers 52 mounted on suitable pins 54.

The details of the mount of the rollers 48 are shown in FIG. 3. Here it will be seen that the radial arms 38 at the distal end have recesses 60 which leave two spaced parallel mounting plates, the bottom plates being apertured to receive one end 62 of a mounting pin 64. The other end 66 of the mounting pin, which is co-axial and concentric with the end 62, is mounted in a control button 68 having a portion 70 which is rotatably mounted in an opening in the top plate of the radial arm 38. A screw 72 acting in a groove in the portion 70 retains this control button which has an axially extending cross-knob portion 74. A small detent 76 in top plate above recess 60 has an end which is received in openings in the bottom surface of a flange 78 on the button 68 to locate the button in any particular rotated position.

It will be seen that the pin 64 is larger than and eccentric to the mounting extensions 62 and 66, and on this enlarged portion are mounted the rollers 48 on suitable bearings 80. A pin 82 transfixes the portion 66 and the portion 70 so that the button can rotate the pin 64 to various positions of eccentricity, thus varying the radial position of the rollers 48 and controlling the dimension A between the wall 12 and the rollers.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the hub 30 also has a radial bifurcate extension 84 at 90.degree. to the arms 38 and 40. This bifurcate extension pivotally mounts an arm 86 on a pivot pin 88 so that the portion of the arm adjacent the pivot can move in the slot of the extension 84. The arm is formed in an open U-shape so that when positioned in the full line position of FIG. 2 a portion 90 lies in a diametrical groove through the top end of the shaft 26.

The distal end 92 of the arm 86 has fastened on it a knob 94 which ordinarily recesses into the space between the wing portions 42 of the rotor. When moved to the dotted line position of FIG. 2 wherein the root portion of the arm 86 is pivoted downwardly to contact a stop pin 96, the arm can be used as a crank for rotating the rotor independently of the shaft 26. When the arm is in the full line position, it creates a drive as previously indicated between the rotor and the power shaft 26.

It will be noted that the basic pump head, including hub 30, arms 38 and 40, bifurcate extension 84, and wings 42, is a one-piece integral construction so designed that it can be and is formed as an extruded piece, the extrusion being cut off to the proper axial length and recessed suitably for the rollers. Thus, the head can be formed with a minimum of machining and yet be an accurate and attractive piece.

At the bottom corners of the housing 10 as shown in FIG. 1, there are two corner plates 100 held in place by releasable screws 102, these plates engaging a tube 104 at both sides of the unit in a conventional manner. Accordingly, it will be seen that the rotors 48 can be adjusted properly for a particular application by determining the proper dimension A and setting the buttons 68. The device then can be manually rotated for checking by utilizing the handle in knob 94 in its lifted position. When it is desired to drive the device through a power source acting on shaft 26, the handle is moved to the full line position shown in FIG. 2.

It will also be seen that simply by elevating the handle and removing the rubber or neoprene O-ring 32, the rotor may be lifted off from the shaft 26. This can be accomplished without any tools whatsoever permitting a nurse or technician to clean the device or apply a substitute rotor. When the handle is in the power drive position, it will retain the O-ring in place and also provide the necessary mechanical engagement.

Claims

I claim:

1. In a peristaltic pump assembly of the type utilizing a housing having a circular recess and rotor to rotate in said recess carrying rollers to revolve adjacent a circular wall of said recess, that improvement which comprises:

a. a rotor formed as a one-piece integral unit having opposed radial arms, and wings extending circumferentially from the distal end of said arms,

b. pressure rollers mounted on each said arms to rotate on an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotor, and

c. guide rollers on said wings mounted to extend radially of said rotor to guide a peristaltic tube along said circular wall.

2. In a peristaltic pump assembly of the type utilizing a housing having a circular recess and rotor to rotate in said recess carrying rollers to revolve adjacent a circular wall of said recess, that improvement which comprises:

a. a rotor formed as a one-piece integral unit having opposed radial arms, and wings extending circumferentially from the distal end of said arms, said arms and wings being recessed between the axial ends to provide spaced mounting plates at the distal ends of said arms and axially spaced wing projections at said distal ends,

b. a pressure roller mounted between said plates on each arm to rotate on an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotor, and

c. guide rollers on each said wing projections mounted to extend radially of said rotor to provide spaced guides for a peristaltic tube lying along said circular wall.

3. A peristaltic pump as defined in claim 1 in which said rotor includes an integral projection extending radially of said circular housing recess at 90.degree. to said radial arms formed as a clevis, and a crank pivotally mounted in said clevis movable to a crank position over said rotor and to a storage position within said rotor.

4. A peristaltic pump as defined in claim 3 in which a power shaft to drive said rotor extends through said rotor, and means on said shaft and means on said crank arranged for mutual engagement wherein rotating motion of said shaft will be imparted to said rotor through said crank.

5. A peristaltic pump as defined in claim 3 in which a power shaft to drive said rotor extends through said rotor, and has a diametrical notch through the end thereof, and means on said crank movable into said notch when said crank is in a storage position to impart a drive motion from said shaft to said rotor.

6. In a peristaltic pump assembly of the type utilizing a housing having a circular recess and rotor to rotate in said recess carrying rollers to revolve adjacent a circular wall of said recess, that improvement which comprises:

a. a rotor body having an axis of rotation and formed of a one-piece integral unit having opposed arms extending radially from said axis, and wings extending circumferentially in each direction from the distal end of said arms, and a radial clevis extension between said arms on one side thereof, said arms and wings having a recess therein between the ends of the rotor body,

b. pressure rollers mounted on each said arms in said recess to rotate on an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotor, and

c. guide rollers on the respective remnants of said wings above and below said recess mounted to extend radially of said rotor axis to guide a peristaltic tube along said circular wall fore and aft of said pressure rollers.

7. A pump assembly as defined in claim 6 in which a handle element is pivotally mounted at one end in said radial clevis extension movable from a storage position overlying the center of said rotor body to an operating position above and radial of said rotor, and a power drive shaft extending through a recess on the axis of said rotor when the handle element is in said storage position body having a notch in an exposed end wherein a portion of said handle element can nest in said notch to effect a drive relationship between said shaft and said rotor.