Fluid Pump System

Abstract

A fluid pump system has a housing having a housing cover removably connected to a housing base. A plurality of fluid pump assemblies are inside of the housing. Each fluid pump assembly has an electric motor operatively connected to a fluid pump. Each fluid pump has a fluid inlet extending through a wall of the housing to an exterior of the housing and a fluid outlet extending through the wall of the housing to the exterior of the housing. An electrical component inside of the housing is electrically connected to each electric motor. The electrical component has an electrical connector extending through a wall of the housing to connect to a source of electrical power. The fluid pump system can dispense three different fluids, such as two detergents and a fabric softener in a laundry machine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid pump system for delivering multiple fluids to an operation, the system comprising:
 a housing having a cover removably connected to a base;   a plurality of fluid pump mounting locations integral to the housing base;   a plurality of fluid pump assemblies, with one fluid pump assembly positioned on each of the fluid pump mounting locations within the housing, each fluid pump assembly comprising an electric motor operatively connected to a fluid pump, wherein the fluid pump is resistant to constant vibration and comprises:
 a pump casing having front and rear portions, an inlet, and an outlet; 
 a flexible tube passing through the pump casing with a first end extending from the inlet of the casing and a second end extending from the outlet of the casing; 
   a plurality of fluid ports passing through the housing, with one of the plurality of ports connecting to a first end of the flexible tube to create an inlet fluid port and one of the plurality of ports connecting to a second end of the flexible tube to create a corresponding outlet fluid port for each fluid pump;   a fluid source coupled to each fluid port connected to the first end of the flexible tube for each fluid pump assembly;   an electrical component inside of the housing and electrically connected to each electric motor of the plurality of fluid pump assemblies, the electrical component having an electrical connector extending through the wall of the housing to the exterior of the housing; and   a controller connected to the electrical component via the electrical connector, wherein the controller directs power from a source to each of the electric motors to cause operation of the fluid pump and delivery of a fluid from the fluid source to a corresponding outlet fluid port.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical component is a circuit board having a common lead electrically connected to all of the electric motors and having separate power leads, wherein each power lead is electrically connected to one electrical motor. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the front and rear casing portions of the fluid pump comprise snap-fitting devices for snap-fitting securely together. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid pump system of  claim 3 , wherein the snap-fitting devices comprise:
 a plurality of open-ended boxes on one of either the front casing portion and the rear casing portion; and,   a plurality of spring clip pairs on the other of the front casing portion and the rear casing portion, wherein each of the plurality of spring clip pairs is snap-fitted into a corresponding one of the plurality of open-ended boxes;   at least one sleeve on one of either the front casing portion and rear casing portion; and,   at least one boss on the other of the front casing portion and rear casing portion, wherein the at least one sleeve receives and engages the at least one boss.   
     
     
         5 . The fluid pump system of  claim 4 , wherein the snap-fitting devices further comprise a tongue on one of the front and rear casing portions and a mating recess in the other of the front and rear casing portions, the tongue extending into the recess and forming a seal. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid pump for each of the plurality of fluid pump assemblies comprises a peristaltic fluid pump. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid pump system of  claim 6 , wherein each of the peristaltic fluid pumps comprises a rotor confined between the front and rear portions of the casing, the rotor having a front face with three tips and a rear face with three tips, each tip of the front face aligned with a corresponding tip of the rear face, and the rotor having a roller mounted at each aligned front and rear face tip. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid pump system of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible tube passing through the pump casing is compressed by the rotor within the casing at at least one point. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the housing base has a fluid drain passage through the wall of the housing for allowing fluid leaking from a pump assembly to drain from inside of the housing to outside of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet fluid port is slidably mounted to the housing and is slidable relative to the fluid pump. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid pump system of  claim 10 , wherein the outlet fluid port includes a guide notch and the fluid pump system further comprises a tab positioned in the guide notch and the outlet fluid port slides back and forth along the tab. 
     
     
         12 . A fluid pump system for delivering multiple fluids to an operation, the system comprising:
 a housing having a cover removably connected to a base;   a plurality of fluid pump mounting locations integral to the housing base;   a plurality of fluid pump assemblies, with one fluid pump assembly positioned on each of the fluid pump sites within the housing, each fluid pump assembly comprising an electric motor operatively connected to a peristaltic fluid pump, wherein the peristaltic fluid pump is resistant to constant vibration and comprises:
 a pump casing having front and rear portions, an inlet, and an outlet; 
 a rotor confined between the front and rear portions of the casing, the rotor having a front face with three tips and a rear face with three tips, each tip of the front face aligned with a corresponding tip of the rear face, and the rotor having a roller mounted at each aligned front and rear face tip; and 
 a flexible tube passing through the pump casing with a first end extending from the inlet of the casing and a second end extending from the outlet of the casing and the flexible tube being compressed by the rotor within the casing at at least one point; 
   a plurality of fluid ports passing through the housing, with one of the plurality of ports connecting to a first end of the flexible tube to create an inlet fluid port and one of the plurality of ports connecting to a second end of the flexible tube to create a corresponding outlet fluid port for each fluid pump;   a fluid source coupled to each fluid port connected to the first end of the flexible tube for each fluid pump assembly;   an electrical component inside of the housing and electrically connected to each electric motor of the plurality of fluid pump assemblies, the electrical component having an electrical connector extending through the wall of the housing to the exterior of the housing;   a controller connected to the electrical component via the electrical connector, wherein the controller directs power from a source to each of the electric motors to cause operation of the fluid pump and delivery of a fluid from the fluid source to a corresponding outlet fluid port.   
     
     
         13 . The fluid pump system of  claim 12 , wherein the electrical component is a circuit board having a common lead electrically connected to all of the electric motors and having separate power leads, wherein each power lead is electrically connected to one electrical motor. 
     
     
         14 . The fluid pump system of  claim 12 , wherein the front and rear casing portions of the fluid pump comprise snap-fitting devices for snap-fitting securely together. 
     
     
         15 . The fluid pump system of  claim 14 , wherein the snap-fitting devices comprise:
 a plurality of open-ended boxes on one of either the front casing portion and the rear casing portion; and,   a plurality of spring clip pairs on the other of the front casing portion and the rear casing portion, wherein each of the plurality of spring clip pairs is snap-fitted into a corresponding one of the plurality of open-ended boxes;   at least one sleeve on one of either the front casing portion and rear casing portion; and, at least one boss on the other of the front casing portion and rear casing portion, wherein the at least one sleeve receives and engages the at least one boss.   
     
     
         16 . The fluid pump system of  claim 15 , wherein the snap-fitting devices further comprise a tongue on one of the front and rear casing portions and a mating recess in the other of the front and rear casing portions, the tongue extending into the recess and forming a seal. 
     
     
         17 . The fluid pump system of  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of mated inserts and barrels formed integrally on the rotor and carrying the rollers. 
     
     
         18 . The fluid pump system of  claim 17 , further comprising a dowel mounted inside the rotor and inserted into a bore such that the plurality of mated inserts and barrels are aligned with each other. 
     
     
         19 . The fluid pump system of  claim 12 , further comprising a T-shaped support on at least one of the front and rear faces of the rotor. 
     
     
         20 . The fluid pump system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a barrel having a motor shaft bore on one of the front and rear faces of the rotor;   a first support extending from the barrel in a first direction and being connected to one of the front and rear faces; and   a second support extending from the first support in a second direction and being connected to one of the front and rear faces.   
     
     
         21 . The fluid pump system of  claim 20 , wherein the first support and the second support form a T-shape.