Tube pump

Abstract

A tube pump comprising a tube formed beforehand into a shape adapted for the inner circumferential face of the housing. With this configuration, the tube can be used without problems even when the inner circumferential face of the housing is small and when the curvature of the inner circumferential face is large, and squeezing can be carried out by applying a small pressure force to the tube. Hence, the size of the pump is prevented from being made larger, and breakage of the tube owing to repeated deformations does not occur because the amount of deformation of the tube is reduced. Furthermore, synthetic resins having high chemical resistance can be used as materials of the tube. Hence, unlike a rubber tube, the tube of the present invention is suited for a wide range of applications.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A tube pump comprising a tube disposed in a ring shape along a circular inner circumferential face formed in a housing, said tube being squeezed sequentially in the longitudinal direction thereof by a pressure application member disposed inward so as to feed fluid from the inside of said tube, wherein said tube is formed by blow molding beforehand into a shape adapted for said inner circumferential face of said housing.  
     
     
         2 . A tube pump in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said tube is made of a synthetic resin, and a squeezed portion thereof is flat in cross section such that an outer side of said tube on a side of said housing and an inner side of said tube on a side of said pressure application member are joined to each other at acute angles.  
     
     
         3 . A tube pump in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the outer side and the inner side of said tube have circular arc shapes in cross section.  
     
     
         4 . A tube pump in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the outer side and the inner side of said tube have broken line shapes in cross section.  
     
     
         5 . A tube pump in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein one of the pressure application face of said inner circumferential face of said housing and the pressure application face of said pressure application member has a convex circular arc shape and the other has a concave circular arc shape in cross section.  
     
     
         6 . A tube pump in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein either one of the outer side and the inner side of said tube, making contact with said concave pressure application face, has a wall thickness thicker than an other, and the wall thickness of the other, making contact with said convex pressure application face, is thinner.  
     
     
         7 . A tube pump in accordance with any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein the outside of said tube is covered with a rubber tube.  
     
     
         8 . A tube pump in accordance with any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein a connection portion is formed at each end of said tube so as to be integrated therewith.  
     
     
         9 . A tube pump in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein a connection portion is formed at each end of said tube so as to be integrated therewith.