Peristaltic pump head and tube holder

Abstract

A tube holder for use with a peristaltic pump includes a housing having a recess for receipt of a pump rotor and a tube race around the recess. The tube race has a first race part and a second race part, a first tube inlet into the first race part and a first tube outlet from the first race part, a second tube inlet into the second race part and a second tube outlet from the second race part. The tube is insertable in the tube race by movement in a substantially orthogonal direction relative to the tube race so that it extends in through the first tube inlet, around the first race part, out through the first tube outlet, in through the second tube inlet, around the second race part, and out through the second tube outlet.

1 . A container holding at least one fluid for dispensing by a peristaltic pump, the container comprising a plurality of discrete magnetic or magnetisable areas in predetermined positions on the container to identify the container, which magnetic or magnetisable areas (once magnetised) are configured for detection by a pump assembly having a plurality of sensors in predetermined positions corresponding to the positions of the magnetic or magnetisable areas.  
   
   
       2 . A container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the container is a flexible container having a reservoir holding fluid and comprising a tube holder directly connected to the flexible container, the tube holder having a tube race around a tapered aperture or recess configured for receipt of a tapered rotor of a peristaltic pump head, and a tube connector configured for connection to a resiliently flexible tube and in fluid communication with the reservoir, which tube holder can be brought into operable connection with the pump head to occlude fluid through a tube connected to the tube connector and extending around the tube race to dispense fluid from the container; and wherein the magnetic or magnetisable areas are located on the tube holder.  
   
   
       3 . A container as claimed in  claim 2 , comprising a resiliently flexible tube connected to the tube connector and extending around the tube race.  
   
   
       4 . A container as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the flexible container comprises a plurality of reservoirs sealed from one another, and the tube holder comprises a corresponding number of tube races so that the contents of the reservoirs can be independently dispensed via respective tubes  
   
   
       5 . A container as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the tube race has a first race part around one part of the recess and a second race part around another part of the recess, a first tube inlet into the first race part and a first tube outlet from the first race part, a second tube inlet into the second race part and a second tube outlet from the second race part; the tube being insertable in the tube race by movement in a direction substantially orthogonal to the tube race so that it extends in through the first tube inlet, around the first race part, out through the first tube outlet, in through the second tube inlet, around the second race part, and out through the second tube outlet.  
   
   
       6 . A container as claimed in  claim 5 , comprising a lip or projection between the first outlet and second inlet, behind which the respective tube can be located to maintain the tube in position within the tube race.  
   
   
       7 . A container as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the container comprises a neck portion and two separate reservoir portions in a Y-configuration.  
   
   
       8 . A container as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the tube holder comprises at least one mounting boss which is located in an aperture in a neck of the container.  
   
   
       9 . A container as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein an aperture extends through the mounting boss and into a spigot which comprises the tube connector to which a respective tube is connected, such that the tube is in fluid communication with a respective reservoir.  
   
   
       10 . A container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the container is a flexible container having a reservoir holding fluid and comprising a tube holder directly connected to the flexible container, the tube holder having a tube race around a tapered aperture or recess configured for receipt of a tapered rotor of a peristaltic pump head, and a resiliently flexible tube in fluid communication with the reservoir and extending around the tube race, so that the tube holder can be brought into operable connection with the pump head to occlude fluid through the tube extending around the tube race; and wherein the magnetic or magnetisable areas are located on the tube holder.  
   
   
       11 . A container as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the flexible container comprises a plurality of reservoirs sealed from one another, and the tube holder comprises a corresponding number of tube races so that the contents of the reservoirs can be independently dispensed via respective tubes.  
   
   
       12 . A container as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the tube race has a first race part around one part of the recess and a second race part around another part of the recess, a first tube inlet into the first race part and a first tube outlet from the first race part, a second tube inlet into the second race part and a second tube outlet from the second race part; the tube being insertable in the tube race by movement in a direction substantially orthogonal to the tube race so that it extends in through the first tube inlet, around the first race part, out through the first tube outlet, in through the second tube inlet, around the second race part, and out through the second tube outlet.  
   
   
       13 . A container as claimed in  claim 12 , comprising a lip or projection between the first outlet and second inlet, behind which the respective tube can be located to maintain the tube in position within the tube race.  
   
   
       14 . A container as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the container comprises a neck portion and two separate reservoir portions in a Y-configuration.  
   
   
       15 . A container as claimed  claim 10 , wherein the tube holder comprises at least one mounting boss which is located in an aperture in a neck of the container.  
   
   
       16 . A container as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein an aperture extends through the mounting boss and into a spigot which comprises a tube connector to which a respective tube is connected, such that tube is in fluid communication with a respective reservoir.  
   
   
       17 . A container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of magnetic areas are provided by magnets.  
   
   
       18 . A container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of magnetisable areas are provided by one or more strips of material, discrete part(s) of which can been magnetised.  
   
   
       19 . A container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of magnetisable areas are provided by a plurality of items of a material which has no magnetic properties until magnetised.  
   
   
       20 . The combination of a container as claimed in  claim 1  and a pump assembly comprising a plurality of sensors in predetermined positions corresponding to the positions of the magnetic or magnetisable areas, the sensors configured to sense whether the corresponding positions are magnetic or magnetised when the container is in close proximity or contact with the pump assembly.  
   
   
       21 . The combination as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein there are a greater number of sensors than there are magnetic or magnetised areas on the container.  
   
   
       22 . The combination as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the pump assembly further comprises a microprocessor and a memory, which microprocessor is configured to determine from the sensors the numbers and positions of the magnetic or magnetised areas, and to then access the memory to determine the substance(s) in the container.  
   
   
       23 . The combination as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to activate a software routine associated with the substance(s) of the container if the number and position of the magnetic or magnetised areas corresponds to a value stored in the memory.  
   
   
       24 . The combination as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the software routine determines when pump(s) of the pump assembly should be actuated, for how long, and in which combination.  
   
   
       25 . The combination as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the sensors are Hall Effect sensors.