Overmolded tubing assembly and adapter for a positive displacement pump

Abstract

A tubing assembly is provided that can comprise a plurality of tubes or lumens that can be disposed within a head of a peristaltic pump. The tubing assembly can provide a flow rate or volume capacity that is generally equal to or greater than that achieved with a comparable prior art tube while operating at higher pressures than that possible using the prior art tube. Further, in accordance with some embodiments, the tubing assembly can achieve a longer working life than a comparable prior art tube, and the load on the pump motor can be reduced such that the pump life is increased and/or a larger pump motor is not required to achieve such advantageous results.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tubing and adapter assembly for a peristaltic pump, the tubing and adapter assembly comprising:
 an elongate body defining a longitudinal axis, a first end, and a second end, the elongate body having a plurality of lumens extending along the longitudinal axis, each lumen being surrounded by a tube wall, the plurality of lumens extending from the first end to the second end such that the first end is in fluid communication with the second end of the elongate body;   a first tube gripper having a plurality of prongs defining cylindrical openings such that each of said plurality of prongs grip an interior surface of a tube wall defining one of the plurality of lumens adjacent said first end of the body;   a second tube gripper having a plurality of prongs defining cylindrical openings such that each of said plurality of prongs grip an interior surface of a tube wall defining one of the plurality of lumens adjacent said second end of the body;   a first external system interface having an annular surface defining a first flow passage, a first tubing interface portion, a first pump interface portion, and a first mounting interface portion; and   a second external system interface having an annular surface defining a second flow passage, a second tubing interface portion, a second pump interface portion, and a second mounting interface portion;   wherein the first and second external system interfaces are molded over the first and second tube grippers respectively to form a seal on an exterior surface of the tube walls defining the plurality of lumens such that a rotor of the peristaltic pump can operate against the tubing and adapter assembly for pumping fluid through the tubing and adapter assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first external system interface is one of a hose barb adapter, threaded adapter, sanitary adapter, and quick-release adapter. 
     
     
         3 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second external system interface is one of a hose barb adapter, threaded adapter, sanitary adapter, and quick-release adapter. 
     
     
         4 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first external system interface is the same type of interface as the second external system interface. 
     
     
         5 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first external system interface is not the same type of interface as the second external system interface. 
     
     
         6 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a first tubing interface is coupled to the first external system interface by one of spin welding, sonic welding, glue, threaded connection, and one or more mechanical fasteners. 
     
     
         7 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a second tubing interface is coupled to the second external system interface by one of spin welding, sonic welding, glue, threaded connection, and one or more mechanical fasteners. 
     
     
         8 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tubing assembly comprises three lumens. 
     
     
         9 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tubing assembly comprises two lumens. 
     
     
         10 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tubing assembly comprises a pair of tubes that are fused together. 
     
     
         11 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tubing assembly comprises three tubes that are fused together. 
     
     
         12 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tubing assembly comprises a plurality of tubes that are interconnected longitudinally by a coupling. 
     
     
         13 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the coupling extends between a given pair of tubes of the plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         14 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of tubes may be separated by tearing the coupling. 
     
     
         15 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tubing assembly comprises a pair of separate tubes. 
     
     
         16 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first adapter assembly and the second adapter assembly further comprises a tube identifier portion. 
     
     
         17 . The tubing and adapter assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the tube identifier portion extends from one side of the first adapter assembly or the second adapter assembly such that the tube identifier portion is readable when the tubing and adapter assembly is installed in the peristaltic pump. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing a clamp-less tubing assembly for a peristaltic pump, comprising:
 pressing a first pump tubing gripper into a first end of a tube;   pressing a second pump tubing gripper into a second end of a tube;   overmolding a first external system interface over the first pump tubing gripper and the first end of the tube;   overmolding a second external system interface over the second pump tubing gripper and the second end of the tube.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising one of coupling a pump tubing interface to the external system interface and molding a pump tubing interface to said external system interface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein coupling the pump tubing interface to the external system interface further comprises coupling the pump tubing interface to the external system interface using one of spin welding, sonic welding, adhesion, and threaded fastening. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising providing a cap and inserting the cap into one of the first pump tubing gripper and the second pump tubing gripper. 
     
     
         22 . A peristaltic pump assembly, the assembly comprising:
 a peristaltic pump having a cover with at least one magnifying portion; and   a tubing and adapter assembly configured for use with the peristaltic pump, the tubing and adapter assembly comprising
 an elongate body defining a longitudinal axis, a first end, and a second end, the elongate body having a plurality of lumens extending along the longitudinal axis, each lumen being surrounded by a tube wall, the plurality of lumens extending from the first end to the second end such that the first end is in fluid communication with the second end of the elongate body; 
 a first external system interface having an annular surface defining a first flow passage, a first tubing interface portion, a first pump interface portion, a first mounting interface portion, and a first tube identifier portion, the first external system interface molded over the first end of the elongate body; and 
 a second external system interface having an annular surface defining a second flow passage, a second tubing interface portion, a second pump interface portion, a second mounting interface portion, and a second tube identifier portion, the second external system interface molded over the second end of the elongate body; 
   wherein the first and second tube identifier portions are viewable through the cover of the peristaltic pump and the at least one magnifying portion is configured to magnify at least one of the first and second tube identifier portions when viewed through the cover.