Fluid transporting apparatus and fluid transporting method

Abstract

A fluid transporting apparatus includes a plurality of fingers arranged along a transporting direction in which fluid is transported by a tube having elasticity, the fingers reciprocatingly moving to compress or release the tube, and a driving section configured to move the plurality of fingers in a compressing direction. The fingers move in the compressing direction and crush the tube with ends of the fingers to transport the fluid on the inside of the tube in the transporting direction. The shape of the crushed tube is restored to fill the fluid in the inside of the tube. In a releasing action, in a state in which the ends of the fingers are in contact with the tube, movement of the fingers in a releasing direction is limited to a predetermined position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid transporting apparatus comprising:
 a tube having elasticity;   a plurality of fingers arranged along a transporting direction in which fluid is transported by the tube, each of the fingers reciprocatingly moving in a compressing direction for compressing the tube and a releasing direction opposite to the compressing direction; and   a driving section configured to move each of the plurality of fingers in the compressing direction,   the fluid transporting apparatus transporting, with a compressing action of the fingers moving in the compressing direction and crushing the tube with ends of the fingers, the fluid on an inside of the tube in the transporting direction and filling the fluid in the inside of the tube with a releasing action of the fingers for restoring a shape of the crushed tube, wherein   in the releasing action, in a state in which the ends of the fingers are in contact with the tube, movement of the fingers in the releasing direction is limited to a predetermined position.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid transporting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a clearance is present between the driving section and the fingers when the fingers move to a highest position in the releasing direction. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid transporting apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a limiting section configured to limit the movement of the fingers in the releasing direction, wherein
 when the fingers perform the releasing action, upper surfaces of brim sections provided on sides of the fingers in contact with the tube are pressed by the limiting section.   
     
     
         4 . The fluid transporting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a crushing amount of the tube crushed when the fingers move to a highest position in releasing direction is larger than an amount of permanent distortion that occurs in the tube when the compressing action and the releasing action are repeated. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid transporting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the releasing action, the fingers move in the releasing direction with a restoring force of restoration of the shape of the crushed tube. 
     
     
         6 . A fluid transporting method comprising:
 reciprocatingly moving, in a compressing direction for compressing a tube having elasticity and a releasing direction opposite to the compressing direction, each of a plurality of fingers arranged along a transporting direction in which the fluid is transported by the tube;   transporting, with a compressing action of the fingers moving in the compressing direction and crushing the tube with ends of the fingers, fluid on an inside of the tube in the transporting direction;   filling the fluid in the inside of the tube with a releasing action of the fingers for restoring a shape of the crushed tube; and   limiting, in the releasing action, in a state in which the ends of the fingers are in contact with the tube, movement of the fingers in the releasing direction to a predetermined position.