Peristaltic Pump

Abstract

Peristaltic pump comprising—a pump body ( 3 ) with a face containing at least a first groove ( 4 ) covered by a flexible membrane ( 2 ) fixed to said pump body ( 3 ), in such a way as to form a fluid tight channel, said membrane ( 2 ) furthermore comprising a sealing ridge ( 19 ) which is in permanent contact against said groove ( 4 ) so as to obtain a resting fluid tight sealing segment in the channel, —a movable pressure element ( 7 ) adapted to temporarily press a portion of the membrane ( 2 ) above said groove ( 4 ) and form a moving sealing segment in the channel, —driving means ( 8 ) adapted to move said movable pressure element ( 7 ) along said groove, said driving means ( 8 ) furthermore being adapted to move said movable pressure element ( 7 ) exclusively along a plane which is parallel to said pump body face, said sealing ridge ( 19 ) and/or said groove ( 4 ) being adapted to let said movable pressure element ( 7 ) in said parallel plane when moving over said sealing ridge ( 19 ), characterized by the fact that the movable pressure element ( 7 ) is rotatably fixed to an axis ( 9 ) forming part of said driving means ( 8 ), said axis ( 9 ) being parallel to the membrane ( 2 ).

1 . Peristaltic pump comprising
 a pump body ( 3 ) with a face containing at least a first groove ( 4 ) covered by a flexible membrane ( 2 ) fixed to said pump body ( 3 ), in such a way as to form a fluid tight channel, said membrane ( 2 ) furthermore comprising a sealing ridge ( 19 ) which is in permanent contact against said groove ( 4 ) so as to obtain a resting fluid tight sealing segment in the channel,   a movable pressure element ( 7 ) adapted to temporarily press a portion of the membrane ( 2 ) above said groove ( 4 ) and form a moving sealing segment in the channel,   driving means ( 8 ) adapted to move said movable pressure element ( 7 ) along said groove, said driving means ( 8 ) furthermore being adapted to move said movable pressure element ( 7 ) exclusively along a plane which is parallel to said pump body face, said sealing ridge ( 19 ) and/or said groove ( 4 ) being adapted to let said movable pressure element ( 7 ) in said parallel plane when moving over said sealing ridge ( 19 ), characterized by the fact that the movable pressure element ( 7 ) is rotatably fixed to an axis ( 9 ) forming part of said driving means ( 8 ), said axis ( 9 ) being parallel to the membrane ( 2 ).   
   
   
       2 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 1  wherein said sealing ridge is made of an elastomeric material which allows said sealing ridge to collapse when compressed by the movable pressure element ( 7 ). 
   
   
       3 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 1  wherein said groove ( 4 ) contains a zone of greater depth ( 17 ), said zone forming a part of said permanent fluid tight sealing segment and said sealing ridge ( 19 ) being designed to tightly fill said zone of greater depth ( 17 ). 
   
   
       4 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 1  wherein said pump body face contains additional grooves ( 13 , 14 ) and wherein said membrane ( 2 ) contains additional ridges ( 11 , 12 ), said additional ridges ( 11 , 12 ) being designed to be located in said additional grooves ( 13 , 14 ) in order to tightly fix the membrane ( 2 ) to the pump body ( 3 ). 
   
   
       5 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 1  wherein said first groove ( 4 ) forms a non-complete circle. 
   
   
       6 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 1  wherein said first groove ( 4 ) forms a complete circle. 
   
   
       7 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 6  wherein said first groove ( 4 ) contains a fluid inlet ( 10 ) and a fluid outlet ( 10 ), said permanent fluid tight sealing segment being located on the shortest distance separating said inlet ( 10 ) from said outlet ( 10 ). 
   
   
       8 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 5  wherein said driving means ( 8 ) comprise a crown ( 15 ) with a diameter at least identical to the first groove diameter. 
   
   
       9 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 8  wherein the crown ( 15 ) is adapted to be in close contact with the membrane ( 2 ) when the membrane is not pressed by said movable pressure element ( 7 ). 
   
   
       10 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 1  comprising several movable pressure elements ( 7 ). 
   
   
       11 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 10  wherein said movable pressure elements ( 7 ) are separated by a rigid element ( 16 ) which is in close contact with the membrane ( 2 ). 
   
   
       12 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 11  wherein said rigid element ( 16 ) contains several smaller movable pressure elements such as balls adapted to freely rotate on the membrane ( 2 ) when the driving means ( 8 ) are activated. 
   
   
       13 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 1  wherein said pump body face contains at least another cavity ( 21 ) forming part of an element such as a valve, a pressure sensor, a flow sensor or a hub chamber, said other cavity being also covered by the membrane ( 2 ). 
   
   
       14 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 1  wherein said membrane ( 2 ) is tightly fixed to the pump body. 
   
   
       15 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 1  furthermore comprising a pressure sensor located within the channel entry, said pressure sensor being connected to a flow compensating means in such a way that any pressure difference recorded by said pressure sensor would adapt the fluid flow accordingly. 
   
   
       16 . Peristaltic pump according to  claim 1  furthermore comprising a pressure sensor located within the channel exit, said pressure sensor being connected to a flow compensating means in such a way that any pressure difference recorded by said pressure sensor would adapt the fluid flow accordingly. 
   
   
       17 . Peristaltic pump according to anyone of the previous means furthermore comprising a flow compensating means, based on membrane wear, which is adapted to automatically correct the fluid flow after a certain time and/or a certain number of pumping cycles. 
   
   
       18 . Peristaltic pump according to anyone of the previous means wherein said movable pressure element is a ball ( 7 ).