Hose Pump

Abstract

A novel hose pump for viscous material includes a hose, a variator, a variator drive, a controller, a pressure-tight housing, and a negative pressure connection. The hose has an elastic circumferential wall and an inner cross-sectional area and is open at both ends. The hose includes a pressure-tight inlet opening and a pressure-tight outlet opening. A portion of the hose is enclosed within the pressure-tight housing. The negative pressure connection is coupled to the pressure-tight housing. The variator is adapted to compress the hose and thereby to reduce the inner cross-sectional area of the hose. The variator drive causes the variator to compress the hose at controlled locations along the hose. The controller controls the variator drive. The variator rotates and compresses the hose where the variator contacts the hose. Alternatively, multiple variators form pinch valves at fixed locations along the hose and compress the hose independently of one another.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A hose pump comprising:
 a hose having an elastic circumferential wall and an inner cross-sectional area, wherein the hose is open at both ends, wherein the hose includes a pressure-tight inlet opening and a pressure-tight outlet opening, and wherein a material can flow through the hose in a direction of flow;   a cross-sectional variator adapted to compress the hose and thereby to reduce the inner cross-sectional area of the hose;   a variator drive that causes the cross-sectional variator to compress the hose at controlled locations along the hose;   a controller that controls the variator drive;   a pressure-tight housing, wherein a portion of the hose is enclosed within the pressure-tight housing; and   a negative pressure connection coupled to the pressure-tight housing.   
     
     
         19 . The hose pump of  claim 18 , wherein the variator drive controls how the cross-sectional variator rotates and compresses the hose where the cross-sectional variator contacts the hose. 
     
     
         20 . The hose pump of  claim 18 , wherein the pressure-tight housing has an internal pressure that is controlled by the controller using the negative pressure connection. 
     
     
         21 . The hose pump of  claim 20 , wherein the controller controls the internal pressure inside the pressure-tight housing to be lower than the pressure inside the hose. 
     
     
         22 . The hose pump of  claim 20 , wherein the controller controls the internal pressure inside the pressure-tight housing to equal an average pressure existing inside the hose during operation of the hose pump. 
     
     
         23 . The hose pump of  claim 18 , wherein each portion of the elastic circumferential wall of the hose reverts to its initial cross-sectional form after being compressed by the cross-sectional variator. 
     
     
         24 . The hose pump of  claim 23 , wherein each portion of the elastic circumferential wall of the hose reverts to its initial cross-sectional form after being subjected to a first force that reduces its cross-sectional dimension in a first transverse direction and to a second force that reduces its cross-sectional dimension in a second transverse direction. 
     
     
         25 . The hose pump of  claim 18 , wherein the elastic circumferential wall is made of a memory material that enables the hose to revert to its initial cross-sectional form after being compressed by the cross-sectional variator. 
     
     
         26 . The hose pump of  claim 18 , wherein the cross-sectional variator is formed as a pinch valve that is capable of reducing the inner cross-sectional area of the hose to zero. 
     
     
         27 . The hose pump of  claim 18 , wherein the cross-sectional variator is configured to move a pinch point at which the inner cross-sectional area of the hose is reduced in the direction of flow. 
     
     
         28 . The hose pump of  claim 18 , wherein a plurality of cross-sectional variators are arranged along the hose and can compress the hose independently of one another. 
     
     
         29 . The hose pump of  claim 18 , wherein the cross-sectional variator comprises a rigid, non-deformable pressing body configured to move along the hose in the direction of flow. 
     
     
         30 . The hose pump of  claim 18 , wherein the cross-sectional variator comprises a pressing body that abuts the hose at a fixed position. 
     
     
         31 . The hose pump of  claim 30 , wherein the pressing body abuts the entire circumference of the hose as a press sleeve. 
     
     
         32 . The hose pump of  claim 30 , wherein the pressing body comprises a plurality of chambers arranged along the hose, and wherein the chambers communicate with each other via throttle points and are driven using one common press-pressure connection. 
     
     
         33 . The hose pump of  claim 18 , wherein the cross-sectional variator comprises a plurality of chambers arranged along the hose, and wherein at least one of the plurality of chambers is configured to reduce the inner cross-sectional area of the hose to zero. 
     
     
         34 . The hose pump of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a vacuum sensor configured to measure a negative pressure in the pressure-tight housing; and   a heater configured to heat the hose.   
     
     
         35 . An output device for outputting a viscous material, comprising:
 a vacuum pump;   a reservoir for the viscous material, wherein a negative pressure is maintained in an air space in the reservoir above the viscous material using the vacuum pump, and wherein the reservoir includes an outlet opening; and   a first hose pump that includes a hose, a variator and a pressure-tight housing, wherein the hose is connected to the outlet opening, wherein a portion of the hose is enclosed within the pressure-tight housing, wherein the variator adapted to compress the hose, and wherein the negative pressure is maintained in the pressure-tight housing using the vacuum pump.   
     
     
         36 . The output device of  claim 35 , wherein the first hose pump further comprises a variator drive that causes the variator to compress the hose at controlled locations along the hose. 
     
     
         37 . The output device of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 a second hose pump, wherein the first hose pump and the second hose pump are connected in parallel to the outlet opening; and   a controller adapted to drive the first hose pump and the second hose pump in a phase-shifted manner.   
     
     
         38 . The output device of  claim 35 , wherein the hose has an elastic circumferential wall and an inner cross-sectional area, wherein the hose is open at both ends, and wherein the variator is adapted to compress the hose by reducing the inner cross-sectional area of the hose. 
     
     
         39 . The output device of  claim 35 , wherein the negative pressure that is maintained in the pressure-tight housing is lower than the negative pressure that is maintained in the air space in the reservoir above the viscous material.