Peristaltic pump systems

Abstract

A peristaltic pump system is disclosed and can include a rigid backing and a rotor assembly comprising a central hub. The central hub can rotate along a central axis extending in an axial direction. The central hub can include one or more ball bearings or one or more rollers that are configured to rotate about a respective roller axis that intersects a central axis of the central hub. Located between the rigid backing and the rotor assembly can be tubing or a flow channel that is defined by the rigid backing and an elastomeric sheet. As the central hub rotates, the one or more rollers or ball bearings are configured to push against the tubing or the flow channel in the axial direction and can move along the tubing or the flow channel to move fluid through the tubing or the flow channel.

1 . A peristaltic pump system comprising:
 a cartridge comprising:
 a reservoir configured to store an amount of a fluid; and 
 tubing having a first end in fluid communication with the reservoir and a second end in fluid communication with an outlet of the cartridge, the tubing being configured to flow the fluid therethrough; and 
   a rotor assembly comprising:
 a central hub configured to rotate about a central axis extending in an axial direction; and 
 one or more rollers each configured to rotate about a respective roller axis that intersects the central axis of the central hub, 
 wherein as the central hub rotates, the one or more rollers are configured to push against tubing and the cartridge in the axial direction and move along tubing, thereby impinging tubing at a moving point of contact to move the fluid through the tubing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 1 , wherein each roller axis has a non-zero tilt angle with respect to the central axis. 
     
     
         3 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 2 , wherein each roller axis has a tilt angle of 90° such that each roller axis extends radially outward from the central axis. 
     
     
         4 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 2 , wherein each roller axis has a title angle between substantially 10° and substantially 90°. 
     
     
         5 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 2 , wherein each roller axis has a title angle between substantially 90° and substantially 170°. 
     
     
         6 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a housing comprising the rotor assembly, wherein 
 wherein the cartridge is detachably attachable to the housing. 
 
     
     
         7 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 6 , wherein the cartridge is detachably attachable to the housing by at least one of:
 a latch and a detent;   one or more threaded surfaces; and   a bolt and a hole.   
     
     
         8 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 1  further comprising a motor configured to rotate the central hub. 
     
     
         9 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 8  further comprising a linear actuator configured to transition the rotor assembly between an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration, wherein in the engaged configuration, the one or more rollers impinge tubing. 
     
     
         10 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 9  further comprising a controller configured to output instructions for operating the linear actuator and the motor in response to identifying a request for the fluid. 
     
     
         11 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the tubing is disposed on a face of the cartridge. 
     
     
         19 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge further comprises a check valve located at or near the outlet of the cartridge. 
     
     
         20 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the tubing is integral to the cartridge. 
     
     
         21 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the tubing is detachably attachable to the cartridge. 
     
     
         22 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cartridge is a first cartridge,   the reservoir is a first reservoir,   the amount of the fluid is a first amount of the fluid, and   the peristaltic pump system further comprises a second cartridge having a second reservoir configured to store a second amount of the fluid, the second cartridge being configured to replace the first cartridge when the first amount of the fluid becomes depleted.   
     
     
         23 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the housing further comprises one or more first electrical contacts,   and the cartridge further comprises one or more second electrical contacts, each of the one or more second electrical contacts configured to contact a corresponding one of the one or more first electrical contacts when the cartridge is attached to the housing.   
     
     
         24 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 23  further comprising a controller configured to determine whether the cartridge is correctly installed based on contact or non-contact between the one or more first electrical contacts and the one or more second electrical contacts. 
     
     
         25 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 1  further comprising a controller,
 wherein the cartridge further comprises a chip and the controller is configured to communicate with the chip. 
 
     
     
         26 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 6 , wherein the outlet of the cartridge is configured to fluidly connect to a dosing inlet of the housing when the cartridge is attached to the housing. 
     
     
         27 . The peristaltic pump system of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the fluid is a first fluid,   the housing has a primary fluid flow path extending therethrough, the primary fluid flow path configured to transport a second fluid,   the dosing inlet is connected to a dosing flow path that is in fluid communication with the primary fluid flow path such that a dispensed amount of the first fluid can be introduced to the primary fluid flow path for mixing with the second fluid.