Peristaltic pumping mechanism with geared occlusion rollers

Abstract

A peristaltic pumping mechanism includes a spacer plate having a plurality of axle shafts for rotatably engaging a plurality of geared occlusion rollers. A rotatable drive gear meshes with the geared occlusion rollers and causes them to rotate. Smooth roller portions of the geared occlusion rollers frictionally engage and compress a flexible tube. Rotation of the geared occlusion rollers in contact with the flexible tube causes the occlusion rollers to migrate along the tube, thereby providing peristaltic pumping.

1 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism for a peristaltic pump having a flexible tube, said pumping mechanism comprising: 
 a first rotatable geared occlusion roller having a first roller portion and a first geared portion, the first roller portion of the first geared occlusion roller being configured to compress the flexible tube upon contact therewith, and    a rotatable drive gear having a geared portion configured to operably engage the first geared portion of the first rotatable geared occlusion roller, said rotatable drive gear being configured to rotate and cause the first rotatable geared occlusion roller to rotate.    
   
   
       2 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism as in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a spacer plate, said spacer plate having a first axle shaft for rotatably engaging the first rotatable geared occlusion roller, and a drive shaft opening for receiving a drive shaft;    wherein the rotatable drive gear is positioned to engage the drive shaft.    
   
   
       3 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism as in  claim 2 , wherein said spacer plate further includes a second axle shaft, said pumping mechanism further comprising: 
 a second rotatable geared occlusion roller having a second roller portion and a second geared portion, the second roller portion of the second geared occlusion roller being configured to compress the flexible tube upon contact therewith, and the second geared portion being configured to operably engage the geared portion of the rotatable drive gear, said second rotatable geared occlusion roller being rotatably mounted on the second axle shaft of the spacer plate.    
   
   
       4 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism for a peristaltic pump having a flexible tube, said pumping mechanism comprising: 
 a plurality of rotatable geared occlusion rollers, each having a first roller portion and a first geared portion, each first roller portion being configured to compress the flexible tube upon contract therewith; and    a rotatable drive gear having a first driving geared portion configured to operably engage the first geared portion of each rotatable geared occlusion roller, said rotatable drive gear being configured to rotate and to thereby cause each rotatable geared occlusion roller to rotate; and    a spacer plate having a plurality of axle shafts, one axle shaft for rotatably engaging each rotatable geared occlusion roller, said spacer plate also having a drive shaft opening for receiving a rotatable drive shaft to engage and rotate the rotatable drive gear.    
   
   
       5 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism according to  claim 4 , configured to cause the spacer plate to rotate upon rotation of the rotatable geared occlusion rollers in contact with the flexible tube.  
   
   
       6 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism according to  claim 5 , wherein each rotatable geared occlusion roller is the same or approximately the same size.  
   
   
       7 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism according to  claim 6 , wherein the drive gear is the same or approximately the same size as each rotatable geared occlusion roller.  
   
   
       8 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism according to  claim 7 , wherein the drive gear is interchangeable with any rotatable geared occlusion rollers.  
   
   
       9 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism according to  claim 6 , wherein the drive gear is a different size than each rotatable geared occlusion roller.  
   
   
       10 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism according to  claim 6 , said mechanism having a pumping rate, the pumping rate being a function of the rotational speed of the drive gear and the ratio of the pitch diameter of the drive gear to the pitch diameter of the plurality of geared occlusion rollers.  
   
   
       11 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism according to  claim 6 , wherein each rotatable geared occlusion roller includes a second geared portion, and the rotatable drive gear includes a second driving geared portion, and the second geared portion of each rotatably geared occlusion roller is configured to engage the second driving geared portion of the drive gear.  
   
   
       12 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism according to  claim 11 , wherein the first geared portion of each rotatable geared occlusion roller is a protruding geared portion and the first driving geared portion of the drive gear is a recessed geared portion.  
   
   
       13 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism according to  claim 12 , wherein the second geared portion of each rotatable geared occlusion roller is a recessed geared portion and the second driving geared portion of the drive gear is a protruding geared portion.  
   
   
       13 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism according to  claim 4  wherein each rotatable geared occlusion roller is comprised of a plastic or polymeric material.  
   
   
       14 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism according to  claim 4  wherein the drive gear is comprised of a plastic or polymeric material.  
   
   
       15 . A peristaltic pumping mechanism according to  claim 4  wherein the spacer plate is comprised of a plastic or polymeric material.  
   
   
       16 . A peristaltic pump comprising: 
 a housing,    a flexible curved tube within the housing, the flexible curved tube having an inlet end and an outlet end;    the housing having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet end of the flexible curved tube being fluidly connected to the inlet of the housing, and the outlet end of the flexible curved tube being fluidly connected to the outlet of the housing;    a rotatable drive shaft; and    a peristaltic pumping mechanism according to  claim 4 , an end of said drive shaft passing through the opening for receiving a drive shaft in the spacer plate, said drive gear fixedly engaging said end of the rotatable drive shaft, and at least one of said plurality of rotatable geared occlusion rollers frictionally engaging and compressing the flexible tube.    
   
   
       17 . A peristaltic pump according to  claim 16 , wherein rotation of the drive shaft causes the drive gear to rotate, rotation of the drive gear causes each rotatable geared occlusion roller to rotate, rotation of the at least one of said plurality of rotatable geared occlusion rollers frictionally engaging and compressing the flexible tube causes the spacer plate to rotate.  
   
   
       18 . A peristaltic pump according to  claim 17 , wherein the drive gear and each rotatable geared occlusion roller is comprised of a plastic or polymeric material.  
   
   
       19 . A peristaltic pump according to  claim 18 , wherein the drive gear and each rotatable geared occlusion roller are the same size.  
   
   
       20 . A peristaltic pump according to  claim 18 , wherein the drive gear and each rotatable geared occlusion roller are interchangeable.