Patent ID: 6811386
Filing Date: 2004-11-02
Classification: F04B

Abstract:
A peristaltic pump mechanism comprising:a base plate having a generally planar surface on which is defined a circular path, the planar surface being adapted for supporting sheets of flexible plastic between which is defined a part-circular pump tube whereby the pump tube will extend partially around said circular path when said sheets are supported on said surface; an operating section; a hinge connecting the operating section to the base plate so as to be moveable between an open position where the sheets of plastic may be positioned on the planar surface of the base plate with said pump tube aligned with the circular path and a pumping position where the operating section overlies said planar surface; a releasable catch mechanism adapted to hold the operating section in said pumping position; three like rotatable pumping elements arranged with their axes substantially at 120Â° to each other and mounted on the operating section locally to compress said pump tube and to roll around the circular path of the base plate when the operating section is in its pumping position, each said pumping element being of conical shape and mounted on the operating section so that the axis of the pumping element is substantially co-incident with the center of the circular path in the plane of the planar surface whereby essentially no slippage takes place between the conical surface of each pumping element and the flexible sheets supported on the planar surface of the base plate; and power drive means to cause the pumping elements to roll around the circular path.