Drain Electrical Devices, Methods, and Systems

Abstract

A peristaltic pump that reduces electrical current flowing through a pumping tube segment includes a central rotor mounted on a central rotation axis, a shoe with a curved surface facing toward the central rotor, multiple rollers mounted along the circumference of the central rotor and the pumping tube segment positioned between the curved surface and the central rotor. Each roller of the plurality of rollers is a member of a roller group, each roller group includes at least two rollers, rollers in a particular roller group are physically located closer to each other than to rollers in other roller groups, and at least two rollers pinch a portion of the pumping tube segment against the curved surface through a full rotation of the central rotor.

1 . A peristaltic pump that reduces electrical current flowing through a pumping tube segment, comprising:
 a central rotor mounted on a central rotation axis;   a shoe with a curved surface facing toward the central rotor;   a plurality of rollers mounted along a circumference of the central rotor; and   the pumping tube segment positioned between the curved surface and the central rotor, wherein   each roller of the plurality of rollers is a member of a roller group,   each roller group includes at least two rollers,   rollers in a particular roller group are physically located closer to each other than to rollers in other roller groups, and   at least two rollers pinch a portion of the pumping tube segment against the curved surface through a full rotation of the central rotor.   
     
     
         2 . The peristaltic pump according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each roller group includes three rollers.   
     
     
         3 . The peristaltic pump according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of rollers is distributed evenly around the circumference of the central rotor with an angular spacing of A degrees, and   an angular extent of the curved surface is greater than or equal to two times A.   
     
     
         4 . A peristaltic pump that reduces electrical current flowing through a pumping tube segment, comprising:
 a central rotor mounted on a central rotation axis;   a shoe with a curved surface facing toward the central rotor and having a length of the curved surface measured along the curved surface in a circumferential direction; and   a plurality of rollers mounted along a circumference of the central rotor, wherein   a pumping tube is positioned between the central rotor and the shoe,   a pinch point on the pumping tube is defined between any roller pressing radially away from the central rotation axis against the shoe, and   the curved surface of the shoe includes one or more protrusions toward the central rotor, such that pressure on the pumping tube segment between a roller and the protrusion is greater than pressure on the pumping tube segment at any other location.   
     
     
         5 . The peristaltic pump according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the curved surface includes two protrusions that increase the pressure on the pumping tube segment at two different locations.   
     
     
         6 . The peristaltic pump according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a biasing mechanism that exerts a force on the shoe in a direction toward the central rotor.   
     
     
         7 . The peristaltic pump according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the biasing mechanism includes a motor that receives control signals that modulate force applied by the motor to the shoe.   
     
     
         8 . The peristaltic pump according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the central rotor is pivotally mounted on a rotation axis, and   a biasing mechanism exerts a force on the rotation axis in a direction toward the shoe to press the central rotor toward the curved surface of the shoe.   
     
     
         9 . The peristaltic pump according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the one or more protrusions include a movable plunger that extends out of the curved surface of the shoe.   
     
     
         10 . The peristaltic pump according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an opening in the curved surface through which the plunger extends out of the curved surface.   
     
     
         11 . The peristaltic pump according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the plunger is urged toward the central rotor by a biasing mechanism.   
     
     
         12 . The peristaltic pump according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the biasing mechanism includes a passive spring.   
     
     
         13 . The peristaltic pump according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the biasing mechanism includes a motor that is controlled by electrical signals and exerts a force with a magnitude that is based on the electrical signals.   
     
     
         14 . The peristaltic pump according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the shoe includes two plungers extending from the curved surface at two different locations.   
     
     
         15 . A method of pumping a conductive fluid while reducing electrical current flowing through the conductive fluid, the method comprising:
 providing a fluid pump;   pumping the conductive fluid with the fluid pump;   detecting a presence of the electrical current in the conductive fluid during the pumping;   measuring a magnitude of the detected electrical current;   comparing the measured magnitude of the electrical current against a predetermined threshold value; and   in response to exceeding the threshold value, modifying the pumping of the fluid pump to reduce the electrical current flowing through the conductive fluid.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the modifying the pumping of the fluid pump includes stopping the fluid pump in a state where at least two rollers press on a pumping tube segment against a pump shoe.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the modifying the pumping of the fluid pump includes rotating a rotor forward or backward until at least one roller is positioned directly against a protrusion on a curved surface of a pump shoe.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the modifying the pumping of the fluid pump includes increasing pressure between rollers and a pump shoe.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein
 the increasing the pressure includes at least one of using a first biasing mechanism to increase a force on a central axis of a rotor in a direction toward the pump shoe, and using a second biasing mechanism to increase a force on the pump shoe in a direction toward the central axis of the rotor.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the fluid pump includes a peristaltic pump with a central rotor, a plurality of roller groups each including two or more rollers attached to the central rotor, a shoe with a curved surface that is disposed adjacent to the central rotor, and a pumping tube segment positioned between the central rotor and the curved surface,   rollers in a same one of the roller groups are physically located closer to each other than to rollers in other ones of the roller groups, and   at least two rollers included in one or more of the roller groups pinch respective portions of the pumping tube segment against the curved surface through a full rotation of the central rotor.