Peristaltic pump with tube pinching members capable of biasing the tubing away from the pump rollers

Claim 2

In a peristaltic pump comprising a base member, means for biasing said base member toward a pumping position, a plurality of spaced pump rollers mounted for movement along a predetermined path, and pump tubing compressed between said base member and said pump rollers when said base member is in its said pumping position such that movement of said pump rollers along said predetermined path effects peristaltic pumping of any fluid within said pump tubing, movement of said base member to a non-pumping position being effective to release said compression of said pump tubing such that continued movement of said pump rollers along said path is ineffective to produce said peristaltic pumping action, the improvement which comprises at least one actuating member cooperable with said pump tubing and base member and mounted for movement from a retracted position wherein it is substantially out of compressive contact with said pump tubing against the bias of said biasing means toward an actuating position in which said pump tubing is compressed between said actuating and base members such that fluid flow through said tubing is prevented and said base member is held thereby in a non-pumping position.

Claim 3

A peristaltic pump according to claim 1 wherein there are two actuating members mounted for simultaneous movement.

Claim 4

A peristaltic pump according to claim 1 wherein said base member has a pump segment against which said pumping tubing is pressed when said base member is in its said pumping position, and there are two actuating members mounted for simultaneous movement, one of said actuating members being located upstream of said pumping segment of said base member and the other being located downstream thereof.

Claim 5

A peristaltic pump as in claim 1 wherein there is means for biasing said at least one actuating member toward said actuating position.

Claim 6

A peristaltic pump as in claim 4 wherein there is first means providing said biasing of said base member toward its said pumping position and there is second means for biasing said at least one actuating member toward said actuating position, said second biasing means being sufficiently strong to overcome the bias of said first biasing means.

Claim 7

A peristaltic pump as in claim 1 wherein there is means associated with said base member for preventing excessive compression of said pump tubing by said pump rollers.

Claim 8

A peristaltic pump as in claim 1 wherein there is means associated with said at least one actuating member for preventing excessive compression of said pump tubing by said at least on actuating member.

Claim 9

A peristaltic pump as in claim 1 wherein there is means associated with said pump rollers and said at least one actuating member for preventing movement of the latter from said actuating position toward said retracted position unless said pump rollers are in a predetermined location along said pump tubing.

Claim 10

A peristaltic pump as in claim 1 wherein there is means for moving said pump rollers along said predetermined path, means for moving said at least one actuating member between said retracted and actuating positions, and control circuit means for controlling the operation of said pump roller moving means and said means for moving said at least one actuating member.

Claim 11

A peristaltic pump as in claim 9 wherein there is sensor means associated with said pump rollers and said control circuit means for preventing movement of said at least one actuating member from said actuating position toward said retracted position unless said pump rollers are in a predetermined location along said pump tubing.

Claim 12

In combination a peristaltic pump as in claim 9 and a computer connected to said control circuit means of said pump, said control circuit means being responsive to signals received from said computer.

Claim 13

In a peristaltic pump comprising a base member, said base member having a pumping segment and being mounted for rectilinear movement between a pumping position and a non-pumping position, spring means for biasing said base member toward its said pumping position, a plurality of spaced pump rollers mounted for movement along a predetermined path, means for moving said pump rollers along said path, and pump tubing compressed between the pumping segment of said base member and said pump rollers when said base member is in its said pumping position such that movement of said pump rollers along said predetermined path effects peristaltic pumping of any fluid within said pump tubing, movement of said base member to its said non-pumping position being effective to release said compression of said pump tubing such that continued movement of said pump rollers along said path is ineffective to produce said peristaltic pumping action, the improvement which comprises first and second actuating members cooperable with said pump tubing and base member and mounted for simultaneous movement from retracted positions wherein they are substantially out of compressive contact with said pump tubing against the bias of said spring means toward actuating positions in which said pump tubing is compressed between said actuating and base members such that fluid flow through said tubing is prevented and said base member is held thereby in its said non-pumping position, spring means biasing said actuating members toward said actuating positions and capable of overcoming the bias of said spring means associated with said base member, said first actuating member being located upstream of said pumping segment, and said second actuating member being located downstream of said pumping segment, and actuating means for moving said actuating members toward said retracted positions against the bias of the spring means associated therewith.

Claim 14

In a peristaltic pump comprising a base member, said base member having a pumping segment and being mounted for rectilinear movement between a pumping position and a non-pumping position, spring means for biasing said base member toward its said pumping position, a plurality of spaced pump rollers mounted for movement along a predetermined path, means for moving said pump rollers along said path, and pump tubing compressed between the pumping segment of said base member and said pump rollers when said base member is in its said pumping position such that movement of said pump rollers along said predetermined path effects peristaltic pumping of any fluid within said pump tubing, movement of said base member to its said non-pumping position being effective to release said compression of said pump tubing such that continued movement of said pump rollers along said path is ineffective to produce said peristaltic pumping action, the improvement which comprises first and second actuating members cooperable with said pump tubing and base member and mounted for simultaneous movement from retracted positions wherein they are substantially out of compressive contact with said pump tubing against the bias of said spring means toward actuating positions in which said pump tubing is compressed between said actuating and base members such that fluid flow through said tubing is prevented and said base member is held thereby in its said non-pumping position, spring means biasing said actuating members toward said actuating positions and capable of overcoming the bias of said spring means associated with said base member, said first actuating member being located upstream of said pumping segment, and said second actuating member being located downstream of said pumping segment, and actuating means for moving said actuating members toward said retracted positions against the bias of the spring means associated therewith.

Claim 15

A peristaltic pump as in claim 12 wherein there is means associated with said base member for preventing excessive compression of said pump tubing by said pump rollers.

Claim 16

A peristaltic pump as in claim 12 wherein there is means associated with said actuating members for preventing excessive compression of said pump tubing by said actuating members.

Claim 17

A peristaltic pump as in claim 12 wherein said actuating means for moving said actuating members is solenoid means.

Claim 18

A peristaltic pump as in claim 12 wherein there is control circuit means for controlling the operation of said means for moving said pump rollers and of said actuating means for moving said actuating members.

Claim 19

A peristaltic pump as in claim 16 wherein there is sensor means associated with said pump rollers and said control circuit means for preventing movement of said actuating members from said actuating positions toward said retracted positions unless said pump rollers are in a predetermined location along said pump tubing.

Claim 20

A multiple channel pump assembly comprising in combination a plurality of peristaltic pumps as in claim 1 disposed in side-by-side relation, the corresponding pump roller of each of said pumps being coaxially joined to form a elongated roller common to all of said pumps.

Claim 21

A multiple channel pump assembly comprising in combination a plurality of peristaltic pumps as in claim 12 disposed in side-by-side relation, the corresponding pump rollers of each of said pumps being coaxially joined to form an elongated roller common to all of said pumps.