Modular fluid pump with cartridge

Abstract

A modular fluid pump including: a pump motor that provides a motor force, a sealed housing cartridge removably coupled to the pump motor, wherein the housing cartridge is interchangeable with a replacement housing cartridge, a frame enclosed in the housing cartridge and having a plurality of rollers arranged on the frame, a drive coupling means for transmitting the motor force from the pump motor to the frame thereby inducing rotation of the frame, and a fluid conduit, wrapped under tension around at least one of the plurality of rollers, that facilitates fluid flow from an inlet region of the fluid conduit to an outlet region of the fluid conduit. Rotation of the frame causes the plurality of rollers to compress the fluid conduit at subsequent intervals, thereby driving fluid to the outlet region with a peristaltic movement.

1 . A modular fluid pump comprising:
 a pump motor that provides a motor force;   a housing cartridge removably coupled to the pump motor, wherein the housing cartridge is interchangeable with a replacement housing cartridge;   a frame enclosed in the housing cartridge and having a plurality of rollers arranged on the frame;   a non-contact drive coupling means for transmitting the motor force from the pump motor to the frame thereby inducing rotation of the frame; and   a fluid conduit, wrapped under tension around at least one of the plurality of rollers, that facilitates fluid flow from an inlet region of the fluid conduit to an outlet region of the fluid conduit, wherein rotation of the frame causes the plurality of rollers to compress the fluid conduit at subsequent intervals, thereby driving fluid to the outlet region with a peristaltic movement.   
   
   
       2 . The modular fluid pump of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is airtight sealed and includes a port that facilitates adjustment of the pressure within the housing cartridge. 
   
   
       3 . The modular fluid pump of  claim 1 , wherein the non-contact drive coupling means includes a magnetic coupler. 
   
   
       4 . The modular fluid pump of  claim 3 , wherein the magnetic coupler is a magnetic disc coupler including a first disc and a second disc magnetically attracted to the first disc, wherein the first disc is connected to the pump motor and the second disc is connected to the frame. 
   
   
       5 . The modular fluid pump of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first and second discs of the magnetic disc coupler is enclosed in an airtight seal. 
   
   
       6 . The modular fluid pump of  claim 3 , wherein the magnetic coupler is a magnetic coaxial coupler including a first portion and a second portion magnetically attracted to the first portion, wherein the first portion is connected to the pump motor and the second portion is connected to the frame. 
   
   
       7 . The modular fluid pump of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first and second portions of the magnetic coaxial coupler is enclosed in an airtight seal. 
   
   
       8 . The modular fluid pump of  claim 1 , wherein the pump motor is coupled to a motor housing having a mating surface that mates with the housing cartridge. 
   
   
       9 . The modular fluid pump of  claim 8 , wherein the housing cartridge slides onto the mating surface of the motor housing. 
   
   
       10 . The modular fluid pump of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit operates in the following modes:
 a filled mode, wherein the cross section of at least a portion of the fluid conduit is expanded by the fluid and allows fluid flow toward the outlet region during rotation of the frame; and   a collapsed mode, wherein the cross section of at least the inlet region is closed and prevents fluid flow toward the outlet region during rotation of the frame.   
   
   
       11 . The modular fluid pump of  claim 10 , wherein fluid flow in the fluid conduit decreases in proportion to decreased filling pressure at the inlet region. 
   
   
       12 . The modular fluid pump of  claim 10 , wherein the housing is airtight sealed and includes a vacuum port that facilitates formation of a vacuum within the housing. 
   
   
       13 . A housing cartridge for a modular fluid pump system that includes a pump motor providing a motor force, the housing cartridge comprising:
 a frame enclosed in the housing cartridge;   a plurality of rollers arranged on the frame;   a second portion of a non-contact coupler connected to the frame, wherein the second portion of the non-contact drive coupler mates with a first portion of the non-contact drive coupler, such that the non-contact drive coupler transmits the motor force to the frame thereby inducing rotation of the frame; and   a fluid conduit, wrapped under tension around at least one of the plurality of rollers, that facilitates fluid flow from an inlet region of the fluid conduit to an outlet region of the fluid conduit, wherein rotation of the frame causes the plurality of rollers to compress the fluid conduit at subsequent intervals, thereby driving fluid to the outlet region with a peristaltic movement;   wherein the housing cartridge is interchangeable with a replacement housing cartridge in the modular fluid pump system.   
   
   
       14 . The housing cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein the housing cartridge is airtight sealed and includes a pressure control port that facilitates adjustment of the pressure within the housing cartridge. 
   
   
       15 . The housing cartridge of  claim 15 , wherein the non-contact drive coupler includes a disc that is connected to the frame and that is magnetically attracted to another disc connected to the pump motor. 
   
   
       16 . The housing cartridge of  claim 15 , wherein the non-contact drive coupler includes a portion that is connected to the frame and that is magnetically attracted and co-axially aligned with another portion connected to the pump motor. 
   
   
       17 . The modular fluid pump of  claim 15 , wherein the fluid conduit operates in the following modes:
 a filled mode, wherein the cross section of at least a portion of the fluid conduit is expanded by the fluid and allows fluid flow toward the outlet region during rotation of the frame; and   a collapsed mode, wherein the cross section of at least the inlet region is closed and prevents fluid flow toward the outlet region during rotation of the frame.   
   
   
       18 . A modular fluid pump comprising:
 a pump motor that provides a motor force;   a housing cartridge removably coupled to the pump motor, wherein the housing cartridge is interchangeable with a replacement housing cartridge, wherein the housing cartridge is airtight sealed and includes a pressure control port adapted to facilitate adjustment of the pressure within the housing cartridge;   a frame, enclosed in the housing cartridge and having a plurality of rollers arranged on the frame;   a drive coupling means for transmitting the motor force from the pump motor to the frame thereby inducing rotation of the frame; and   a fluid conduit, wrapped under tension around at least one of the plurality of rollers, that facilitates fluid flow from an inlet region of the fluid conduit to an outlet region of the fluid conduit, wherein the fluid conduit operates in the following modes:
 a filled mode, wherein the cross section of at least a portion of the fluid conduit is expanded by the fluid, wherein rotation of the frame causes the plurality of rollers to compress the fluid conduit at subsequent intervals, thereby driving the fluid to the outlet region with a peristaltic movement; and 
 a collapsed mode, wherein the cross section of at least the inlet region is closed and prevents fluid flow towards the outlet region. 
   
   
   
       19 . The fluid pump of  claim 18 , wherein the pressure control port is a vacuum port that facilitates formation of a vacuum. 
   
   
       20 . The fluid pump of  claim 18 , wherein the drive coupling means includes a torque-limiting mechanism. 
   
   
       21 . The fluid pump of  claim 18 , wherein the drive coupling means includes a magnetic disc coupler including a first disc and a second disc magnetically attracted to the first disc, wherein the first disc is coupled to the pump motor and the second disc is coupled to the frame. 
   
   
       22 . The fluid pump of  claim 18 , wherein the drive coupling means includes a magnetic coaxial coupler including a first portion and a second portion magnetically attracted to the first portion, wherein the first portion is coupled to the pump motor and the second portion is coupled to the frame. 
   
   
       23 . The fluid pump of  claim 18 , wherein the fluid conduit further operates in an occluded mode, wherein the pressure within the fluid conduit is greater than the pressure in the housing cartridge, wherein the fluid conduit is at least partially open at the point of contact with at least one of the plurality of rollers. 
   
   
       24 . A method of supplying a housing cartridge, comprising:
 manufacturing a sealed housing cartridge including a rotating frame, a plurality of rollers arranged the frame, and a fluid conduit wrapped around the plurality of rollers;   tensioning the fluid conduit to a desired amount of tension; and   positioning the plurality of rollers to minimize the path length of the fluid conduit around the rollers, thereby removing at least a portion of tension in the fluid conduit.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of positioning the plurality of rollers includes rotating the frame. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising the step of setting the internal pressure of the housing cartridge to a desired pressure level. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the step of setting the internal pressure of the housing cartridge includes forming a vacuum within the housing cartridge. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising repeating all of the steps to create a series of housing cartridges and then distributing the series of housing cartridges.