Peristaltic Pump Rotor Dynamics for Tube Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing peristaltic pumps for patient temperature control systems face a trade-off between ease of loading and high performance, as easier loading typically results in lower performance and more complex loading is required for higher performance.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a rotor that is rotatable relative to a raceway with a concave inner surface, allowing for a translational and/or rotational movement between a pump position and a tube load position, facilitated by a loading motor and an operating button for easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the raceway is made movable away from the rollers to facilitate easy tube loading, then the ease of operation is improved, but the pumping performance deteriorates due to inability to maintain long raceway contact
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor is made movable relative to the raceway, transitioning between a loaded position (for tube installation) and an operating position (for pumping). This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize for ease of operation during loading and for pumping performance during operation, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The tube is pre-positioned between the rollers and raceway in a loaded state before the rotor is moved to the operating position. This preliminary action of loading the tube while the rotor is spaced away from the raceway midpoint enables easy tube installation, after which the rotor is positioned for optimal pumping performance.
2Productivity
If the raceway is made fixed to maintain long raceway (greater than 180 degrees arc) for high performance pumping, then the pumping performance is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to complex tube loading procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor's ability to move relative to the fixed raceway allows the system to maintain a long, fixed raceway for high pumping performance while temporarily positioning the rotor away from the raceway midpoint during tube loading to simplify the operation. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between fixed raceway performance and ease of loading.
3Ease of operation
If the rotor is positioned closer to the raceway midpoint for easier tube loading, then the ease of operation is improved, but the pumping pressure and fluid flow deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor is dynamically positioned at different locations relative to the raceway midpoint: closer during tube loading for ease of operation, and farther away during pumping to optimize pumping pressure and fluid flow. This dynamic repositioning allows the system to achieve both ease of operation and high pumping power at different operational stages.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables a balance between easy tube loading and high performance by allowing for efficient fluid pumping while simplifying the loading process, reducing the complexity and effort required for tube installation.
Implementation Method 1
peristaltic pumps typically include a rotor for revolving one or more rollers against a tube, e.g., a pump tube or, IV tube, or other type of tubing, to force fluid through the tube by peristalsis
Data Source
AI summary
A peristaltic pump has an arcuate raceway with a partially concave inner surface extending through an arc of at least one hundred eighty degrees (180°). The arc defines a midpoint, and a rotor faces the inner surface of the raceway and is both rotatable relative to the raceway and translationally movable relative to the raceway between a pump position, wherein the rotor is spaced from the midpoint a first distance, and a tube load position, wherein the rotor is spaced from the midpoint a second distance greater than the first distance. A rotor motor is coupled to the rotor to rotate the rotor and rollers arranged on the rotor to contact tubing disposed between the rotor and the raceway when the rotor is in the pump position. A loading motor moves the rotor toward and away from the raceway.