Patent ID: 9677555
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: A61M,F04B,G01F,G06Q,G16H

Claim:
1. A peristaltic pump, comprising: a cam shaft; first and second pinch-valve cams coupled to the cam shaft; first and second pinch-valve cam followers configured to engage the first and second pinch-valve cams; a plunger cam coupled to the cam shaft; a plunger-cam follower configured to engage the plunger cam; a tube receiver configured to receive a tube; a spring-biased plunger coupled to the plunger-cam follower, wherein: a position sensor operatively coupled to the spring-biased plunger configured to determine a position of the spring-biased plunger when the plunger-cam follower is disengaged from the plunger cam and the spring applies the crushing force from the spring-biased plunger against the tube; and a processor coupled to the position sensor, wherein the processor is configured to estimate fluid flow utilizing the position of the spring-biased plunger as indicated by the position sensor when the plunger-cam follower is disengaged from the plunger cam and the spring applies the crushing force from the spring-biased plunger against the tube.