Peristaltic Pump Rotor Guide to Reduce Hose Wear

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hose pumps, such as peristaltic pumps, experience issues with hose wear and reduced conveying capacity due to shear forces and transverse movements, leading to decreased service life and potential contamination from hose material spallation.

Innovation Solution

A conveying device with a rotor and stator design that includes occlusion devices and axial guide elements, minimizing transverse movements and shear forces by aligning and supporting the hose, reducing friction, and protecting it from excessive stress.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the rotor rotates to convey fluid through occlusion devices, then fluid conveying function is improved, but shear forces and transverse movements increase causing hose wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid conveying functionVSAvoidhose service life
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A guide element is introduced as an intermediary component between the rotor and the hose. This guide element redirects transverse movements and shear forces away from the hose, allowing the rotor to rotate freely while the hose remains protected from damaging lateral forces. The guide element acts as a mediator that decouples the rotational motion from the hose, maintaining fluid conveying function while preventing hose wear.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system is segmented into distinct functional components: the rotor for fluid conveying, the guide element for force redirection, and the hose for fluid transport. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with others, particularly protecting the hose from the rotor's transverse movements while maintaining independent rotation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the rotor rotates with occlusion devices, then fluid is pushed towards outlet, but frictional forces act on the hose reducing its service life

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid conveyanceVSAvoidhose service life
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The guide element serves as a mediator that intercepts frictional forces generated by rotor rotation. By positioning the guide element between the rotating rotor and the stationary hose, it absorbs and redirects frictional forces away from the hose, allowing continuous fluid conveyance without compromising hose durability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If occlusion devices compress the hose against the counter bearing, then fluid is conveyed effectively, but hose wear increases due to excessive stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid conveyance efficiencyVSAvoidhose structural integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The guide element acts as an intermediary that redistributes and reduces excessive stress on the hose during occlusion. It provides a protective interface between the occlusion devices and the hose, ensuring effective fluid conveyance while preventing structural damage to the hose material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide element provides beforehand cushioning by positioning itself to absorb and redistribute stresses before they can cause significant hose wear. This protective mechanism is in place prior to operation, preventing excessive stress accumulation that would otherwise compromise hose structural integrity during fluid conveyance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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

The device enhances hose service life, maintains consistent flow rates, and minimizes hose wear, reducing the risk of contamination by minimizing shear forces and transverse movements.

Implementation Method 1

Since the axial guide element can rotate about its longitudinal axis according to the invention, it preferably serves to reduce frictional forces acting on the hose, generated by the rotational movement of the rotor.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

The occlusion devices, which are arranged radially to the rotor axis, serve, in the operation of the conveying device, to intermittently compress the hose against the counter bearing of the stator and to push or convey the fluids in the hose lumen towards the pump outlet.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 3

Hose pumps are a special type of positive displacement pump in which the working chamber consists of the lumen of a flexible tube. The working chamber is deformed by external mechanical means using occlusion devices (for example, occlusion rollers or pads).

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPeristalsis: Peristalsis

Implementation Method 4

New fluid is drawn in at the pump inlet by negative pressure, caused, among other things, by the return of the now unoccluded section of the tube to its original shape due to the tube's elasticity.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4072648B1Peristaltic pump for conveying medical fluids
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
  • EP4072648B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4072648B1 patent drawingFigure 2a
  • EP4072648B1 patent drawingFigure 2b

AI summary

The present invention relates to a delivery device (100) for delivering a medical fluid conducted in a tube (30). The conveying device comprises a rotor (10) and a stator (20). The stator (20) comprises at least a stator bottom (21), a space for receiving a tube (30), and a tube bed (22) as an abutment for occlusion devices (1). The rotor (10) comprises at least one rotor axis (7) and at least two occlusion devices (1), which are mounted radial to the rotor shaft or rotor axis (7) and, during use of the delivering device (100), intermittently compress the tube (30) against the abutment. The rotor (10) comprises at least one axial guide element (6) for the tube (30) for orienting or centering the tube (30) in the stator (20), which axial guide element can be rotated about its longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis of the axial guide element (6) running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rotor axis (7). The axial guide element (6) comprises at least one central portion (6c) and at least one first lateral portion (6a) protruding radially beyond the central portion (6c). At least the first lateral portion (6a) is mounted rotatably. Furthermore, the first lateral portion (6a) protrudes radially beyond a portion of an outer edge of the rotor (10).