Dual syringe fluid pump

Abstract

A dual syringe fluid pump ( 100, 200, 300, 400 ) includes a motor ( 110, 210, 310, 410 ) with a rotatable shaft ( 112, 212, 312, 412 ), a first syringe ( 120 a, 220 a, 320 a, 420 a ) with a first syringe plunger ( 122 a, 222 a, 322 a, 422 a ) coupled to the rotatable shaft ( 112, 212, 312, 412 ), and a second syringe ( 120 b, 220 b, 320 b, 420 b ) with a second syringe plunger ( 122 b, 222 b, 322 b, 422 b ) coupled to the rotatable shaft ( 112, 212, 312, 412 ). The motor ( 110, 210, 310, 410 ) rotates the rotatable shaft ( 112, 212, 312, 412 ) to simultaneously move the first syringe plunger ( 122 a, 222 a, 322 a, 422 a ) and the second syringe plunger ( 122 b, 222 b, 322 b, 422 b ) and at least one of the syringes ( 120 a,b, 220 a,b, 320 a,b, 420 a,b ) is adapted to convert the rotation of the rotatable shaft ( 112, 212, 312, 412 ) to a linear movement of at least one of the syringe plungers ( 122 a,b, 222 a,b, 322 a,b, 422 a,b ).

We claim: 
     
         1 . A dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ) comprising:
 a motor ( 110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) with a rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 );   a first syringe ( 120   a,    220   a,    320   a,    420   a ) with a first syringe plunger ( 122   a,    222   a,    322   a,    422   a ) coupled to the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ); and   a second syringe ( 120   b,    220   b,    320   b,    420   b ) with a second syringe plunger ( 122   b,    222   b,    322   b,    422   b ) coupled to the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 );   wherein the motor ( 110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) rotates the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) to simultaneously move the first syringe plunger ( 122   a,    222   a,    322   a,    422   a ) and the second syringe plunger ( 122   b,    222   b,    322   b,    422   b ); and   at least one of the syringes ( 120   a,b    220   a,b    320   a,b    420   a,b ) is adapted to convert a rotation of the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) to a linear movement of at least one of the syringe plungers ( 122   a,b    222   a,b    322   a,b    422   a,b ).   
     
     
         2 . The dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ) of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the syringes ( 120   a,b ) further comprises a barrel ( 124   a ) with a center bore ( 124   cb ) having a profile that prevents rotation of the at least one of the syringe plungers ( 122   a,b ) to convert the rotation of the rotatable shaft ( 112 ) to the linear movement of the at least one of the syringe plungers ( 122   a,b ). 
     
     
         3 . The dual syringe fluid pump ( 200 ) of  claim 1  further comprising a constraint ( 252 ) and an aperture ( 225 ) in the syringe plunger ( 222   a ) wherein the constraint ( 252 ) is coupled to the motor ( 210 ) and slidably coupled to the aperture ( 225 ) to prevent a rotation of the at least one of the syringe plungers ( 222   a,b ) such that rotation of the rotatable shaft ( 212 ) is converted to the linear movement of at least one of the syringe plungers ( 222   a,b ). 
     
     
         4 . The dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ) of  claim 1  wherein the motor ( 110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) is further adapted to simultaneously move the first syringe plunger ( 122   a,    222   a,    322   a,    422   a ) and the second syringe plunger ( 122   b,    222   b,    322   b,    422   b ) to aspirate fluid into the first syringe ( 120   a,    220   a,    320   a,    420   a ) and dispense fluid from the second syringe ( 120   b,    220   b,    320   b,    420   b ). 
     
     
         5 . The dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ) of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the syringes ( 120   a,b    220   a,b    320   a,b    420   a,b ) further comprises:
 a first valve ( 126   ai,bi    226   ai,bi    326   ai,bi    426   ai,bi ) adapted to allow fluid to flow into the at least one of the syringes ( 120   a,b    220   a,b    320   a,b    420   a,b ); and 
 a second valve ( 126   ao,bo,    226   ao,bo,    326   ao,bo,    426   ao,bo ) adapted to allow fluid to flow out of the at least one of the syringes ( 120   a,b    220   a,b    320   a,b    420   a,b ). 
 
     
     
         6 . The dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ) of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first syringe plunger ( 122   a ) is coupled to a first end of the rotatable shaft ( 112 ); 
 the second syringe plunger ( 122   b ) is coupled to a second end of the rotatable shaft ( 112 ); and 
 the rotatable shaft ( 112 ) extends through the motor ( 110 ) from the first syringe ( 120   a ) to the second syringe ( 120   b ). 
 
     
     
         7 . The dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ) of  claim 1  wherein the rotatable shaft ( 112 ) rotates coaxially with the linear movement of at least one of the syringe plungers ( 122   a,b ). 
     
     
         8 . The dual syringe fluid pump ( 400 ) of  claim 1  further comprising a coupler ( 412   b ) coupled to the rotatable shaft ( 412 ) wherein the rotatable shaft ( 412 ) is adapted to rotate the coupler ( 412   b ) to move the first syringe plunger ( 412   a ) to dispense fluid from the first syringe ( 420   a ) and move the second syringe plunger ( 422   b ) to aspirate fluid into the second syringe ( 420   b ). 
     
     
         9 . A method of forming a dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ), comprising:
 forming a motor ( 110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) with a rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 );   forming a first syringe ( 120   a,    220   a,    320   a,    420   a ) with a first syringe plunger ( 122   a,    222   a,    322   a,    422   a ) and coupling the first syringe plunger ( 122   a,    222   a,    322   a,    422   a ) to the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 );   forming a second syringe ( 120   b,    220   b ) with a second syringe plunger ( 122   b,    222   b,    322   b,    422   b ) and coupling the second syringe plunger ( 122   b,    222   b,    322   b,    422   b ) to the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ); and   adapting the motor ( 110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) to rotate the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) to simultaneously move the first syringe plunger ( 122   a,    222   a,    322   a,    422   a ) and the second syringe plunger ( 122   b,    222   b,    322   b,    422   b ); and   adapting at least one of the syringes ( 120   a,b    220   a,b    320   a,b    420   a,b ) to convert a rotation of the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) to a linear movement of at least one of the syringe plungers ( 122   a,b    222   a,b    322   a,b    422   a,b ).   
     
     
         10 . The method of forming the dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ) of  claim 9  wherein the forming the at least one of the syringes ( 120   a,b ) further comprises forming a barrel ( 124   a ) with a center bore ( 124   cb ) having a profile that prevents rotation of the at least one of the syringe plungers ( 122   a,b ) to convert the rotation of the rotatable shaft ( 112 ) to the linear movement of the at least one of the syringe plungers ( 122   a,b ). 
     
     
         11 . The method of forming the dual syringe fluid pump ( 200 ) of  claim 9  further comprising:
 forming a constraint ( 252 ); 
 forming an aperture ( 225 ) in the syringe plunger ( 222   a ); 
 coupling the constraint ( 252 ) to the motor ( 210 ); and 
 slidably coupling the constraint ( 252 ) to the aperture ( 225 ) to prevent a rotation of the at least one of the syringe plungers ( 222   a,b ) such that rotation of the rotatable shaft ( 212 ) is converted to the linear movement of at least one of the syringe plungers ( 222   a,b ). 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of forming the dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ) of  claim 9  further comprising adapting the motor ( 110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) to simultaneously move the first syringe plunger ( 122   a,    222   a,    322   a,    422   a ) and the second syringe plunger ( 122   b,    222   b,    322   b,    422   b ) to aspirate fluid into the first syringe ( 120   a,    220   a,    320   a,    420   a ) and dispense fluid from the second syringe ( 120   b,    220   b,    320   b,    420   b ). 
     
     
         13 . The method of forming the dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ) of  claim 9  wherein the forming the at least one of the syringes ( 120   a,b    220   a,b    320   a,b    420   a,b ) further comprises:
 forming and adapting a first valve ( 126   ai,bi    226   ai,bi    326   ai,bi    426   ai,bi ) to allow fluid to flow into the at least one of the syringes ( 120   a,b    220   a,b    320   a,b    420   a,b ); and 
 forming and adapting an second valve ( 126   ao,bo,    226   ao,bo,    326   ao,bo,    426   ao,bo ) to allow fluid to flow out of the at least one of the syringes ( 120   a,b    220   a,b    320   a,b    420   a,b ). 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of forming the dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ) of  claim 9  further comprising:
 coupling the first syringe plunger ( 122   a,    222   a,    322   a ) to a first end of the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ); 
 coupling the second syringe plunger ( 122   b,    222   b,    322   b ) to a second end of the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ); and 
 extending the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ) through the motor ( 110 ,  210 ,  310 ) from the first syringe ( 120   a,    220   a,    320   a ) to the second syringe ( 120   b,    220   b,    320   b ). 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of forming the dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ) of  claim 9  further comprising adapting the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) to rotate coaxially with the linear movement of at least one of the syringe plungers ( 122   a,b    222   a,b    322   b,    422   b ). 
     
     
         16 . The method of forming the dual syringe fluid pump ( 400 ) of  claim 9  further comprising:
 forming and coupling a coupler ( 412   b ) to the rotatable shaft ( 412 ); and 
 adapting the rotatable shaft ( 412 ) to rotate the coupler ( 412   b ) to move the first syringe plunger ( 422   a ) to dispense fluid from the first syringe ( 420   a ) and move the second syringe plunger ( 422   b ) to aspirate fluid into the second syringe ( 420   b ). 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of forming the dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ) of  claim 9  further comprising selecting a motor ( 110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) rotation to a syringe plunger ( 122   a,b    222   a,b    322   a,b    422   a,b ) displacement ratio. 
     
     
         18 . A method of using a dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ), the method comprised of:
 providing a dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ) comprised of:
 a motor ( 110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ) with a rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ); 
 a first syringe ( 120   a,    220   a,    320   a,    420   a ) with a first syringe plunger ( 122   a,    222   a,    322   a,    422   a ) coupled to the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ); and 
 a second syringe ( 120   b,    220   b,    320   b,    420   b ) with a second syringe plunger ( 122   b,    222   b,    322   b,    422   b ) coupled to the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ); 
   providing fluid from a fluid source ( 370 ,  470 ) to the first syringe ( 120   a,    220   a,    320   a,    420   a ) and the second syringe ( 120   b,    220   b,    320   b,    420   b );   rotating the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) with the motor ( 110 ,  210 ,  310 ,  410 ); and   converting the rotation of the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) to a linear movement of at least one of the syringe plungers ( 122   a,b    222   a,b    322   a,b    422   a,b ) to dispense fluid from the first syringe ( 120   a,    220   a,    320   a,    420   a ) while simultaneously aspirating fluid into the second syringe ( 120   b,    220   b,    320   b,    420   b ) from the fluid source ( 370 ,  470 ).   
     
     
         19 . The method of using the dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ) of  claim 18  further comprising rotating the rotatable shaft ( 112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) to aspirate fluid into the first syringe ( 120   a,    220   a,    320   a,    420   a ) from the fluid source ( 370 ,  470 ) while simultaneously dispensing fluid from the second syringe ( 120   a,    220   b,    320   b,    420   b ). 
     
     
         20 . The method of using the dual syringe fluid pump ( 100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ) of  claim 18  further comprises dispensing fluid from the first syringe ( 120   a,    220   a,    320   a,    420   a ) and the second syringe ( 120   b,    220   b,    320   b,    420   b ) to a fluid supply conduit ( 390 ,  490 ) in a substantially continuous fluid flow.