Abstract:
A peristaltic pump for transporting a fluid within a flexible tube having a first end, a middle portion, and a second end. The peristaltic pump may include a roller assembly positioned for rotation, a first door positioned adjacent to the roller assembly and pivotable about a first direction, and a second door positioned adjacent to the roller assembly and pivotable about a second direction. The first door and the second door may pivot open and the middle portion of the flexible tube may be positioned about the roller assembly.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to a pump and more particularly relates to a peristaltic pump that provides quick and sanitary loading of a fluid tube.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Generally described, a peristaltic pump includes a number of pads, drums, or arms rotating within a pair of outer discs. A tube with a fluid to be transported therein generally is positioned adjacent to the drums and a fixed outer surface. As the drums rotate, the fluid within the tube is pushed along and caused to move through the tube. In other words, the fluid is forced along by means of contractions produced mechanically on the flexible tubing.  
         [0003]     Peristaltic pumps have been used in the beverage industry with respect to varying types of fluids. One issue associated with a peristaltic pump is the loading and unloading the fluid tube. Loading the tube may be relatively uncomplicated in that the rollers may advance the tube through the overall housing of the pump. Unloading the tube, however, may result in some spillage of the fluid within the housing of the pump. Such spillage may be a concern from an ease of operation point of view and otherwise.  
         [0004]     Further, a peristaltic pump generally provides a fixed number of rollers and a fixed pump speed. As such, the pump may not accommodate fluids of varying viscosity or the desire for varying pump speeds. In other words, the pump generally is designed for one specific type of fluid  
         [0005]     There is a desire therefore, for a peristaltic pump that is easy and clean to use. Such a pump may be quickly and easily modified for varying fluids and speeds.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention thus provides a peristaltic pump for transporting a fluid within a flexible tube having a first end, a middle portion, and a second end. The peristaltic pump may include a roller assembly positioned for rotation, a first door positioned adjacent to the roller assembly and pivotable about a first direction, and a second door positioned adjacent to the roller assembly and pivotable about a second direction. The first door and the second door may pivot open and the middle portion of the flexible tube may be positioned about the roller assembly.  
         [0007]     The peristaltic pump further may include a base such that the roller assembly may be positioned therein and the doors may be pivotably attached thereto. The base may include a tube inlet and a tube outlet positioned thereon. The base also may include an indent for the roller assembly to be positioned therein. The base may include a number of base hinges for pivoting the doors. The doors may include hinges for pivoting about the base.  
         [0008]     The first door may include a wall positioned adjacent to the roller assembly so as to define a tube run therein. The second door may include a tube guide positioned thereon. The second door may include an indent for the roller assembly to be positioned therein. The peristaltic pump may include locking mean positioned thereon for the first door and the second door. The base, the first door, and/or the second door may be made out of an acetal resin.  
         [0009]     The roller assembly may include a number of rollers mounted on a number of discs. The discs may include a number of roller mounting locations such that the number of rollers may be modified. The roller assembly may include a number of replaceable rollers.  
         [0010]     The peristaltic pump further may include a pump motor in communication with the roller assembly. The pump motor may be a variable speed motor.  
         [0011]     A further embodiment of the present invention may provide a peristaltic pump system for pumping a predetermined type of fluid within a flexible tube. The system may include a variable speed motor and a roller assembly positioned for rotation in communication with the pump motor. The roller assembly may include a variable number of rollers. The variable speed motor may include about five (5) to about 120 rpm. The variable number of rollers may include about one (1) to about six (6) rollers.  
         [0012]     A method of the present invention may provide for pumping a fluid within a flexible tubing with a peristaltic pump. The peristaltic pump may have a pump motor and a roller assembly. The method may include selecting a first predetermined fluid, selecting a first speed for the pump motor based upon the first predetermined type of fluid, selecting a first number of rollers for the roller assembly based upon the first predetermined type of fluid, and pumping the first predetermined type of fluid with the first speed and the first number of rollers.  
         [0013]     The method further may include selecting a second predetermined fluid, a second speed for the pump motor, and a second number of rollers and pumping the second predetermined type of fluid with the second speed and second number of rollers.  
         [0014]     The first predetermined type of fluid may include coffee, the first speed may include about 30 to 70 rpm, and the first number of rollers may include about three (3) to about four (4) rollers. The first predetermined type of fluid may include orange juice, the first speed may include about 45 to 100 rpm, and the first number of rollers may include about two (2) to about three (3) rollers.  
         [0015]     These and other features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a peristaltic pump system of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a peristaltic pump of the present invention with the door and the lid open.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a further perspective view of the peristaltic pump of the present invention with the door and the lid open.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the base of the peristaltic pump of  FIG. 2  without the roller assembly.  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the roller assembly of the peristaltic pump of  FIG. 2   
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]     Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  shows a schematic view a peristaltic pump system  100  of the present invention. The peristaltic pump system  100  moves a fluid  110 . The fluid  110  may be a beverage, a concentrate, an additive, or any other type of liquid. The present invention is not limited by the nature or the flow characteristics of the fluid  110 . Specifically, the peristaltic pump system  100  may be used with a fluid or fluids  110  of varying viscosities and/or other types of flow characteristics.  
         [0022]     The fluid  110  may be held in a fluid container  120 . The fluid container  120  may be any structure designed to hold a fluid  110 , including a bag in box or other type of beverage or concentrate container. The peristaltic pump system  100  may transport the fluid  110  from the fluid container  120  to a dispensing area  130 . The dispensing area  130  may be a cup or other type of container, a mixing area, or any other type of destination.  
         [0023]     The peristaltic pump system  100  may move the fluid  110  from the fluid container  120  to the dispensing area  130  via a length of flexible tubing  140 . The flexible tubing  140  may be made out of silicone, silicone composite, or similar types of polymers. The flexible tubing  140  preferably is made out of food grade material. The flexible tubing  140  may have any desired length and/or diameter.  
         [0024]      FIGS. 2 through 5  show a peristaltic pump  150  for use with the peristaltic pump system  100 . The peristaltic pump  150  may include a base  160 . The base  160  may include a tube inlet  170  and a tube outlet  180 . The tube inlet  170  and the tube outlet  180  may be formed within the base  160  and may be sized to accommodate the diameter of the flexible tubing  140 . The tube inlet  170  and the tube outlet  180  may be spaced apart by about ninety degrees (90°) to about one hundred eighty degrees (180°). Any angle between zero (0°) and one hundred eighty (180°), however, may be used.  
         [0025]     The base  160  also may have a roller assembly indent  190 . The roller assembly indent  190  may be sized to accommodate a roller assembly as described below. The indent  190  may have the diameter of about 5.3 to about 14 centimeters and may have a depth of about 30 to about 50 millimeters. Any diameter or depth, however, may be used so as to accommodate the shape and size of the roller assembly. The roller assembly indent  190  may have a motor shaft aperture  200  so as to accommodate a motor shaft as described below. The size of the aperture  200  depends upon the size of the motor shaft.  
         [0026]     The base  160  further may have a number of hinges, a first hinge  210  and a second hinge  220 . The hinges  210 ,  220  may be made out of shafts and/or cylinders designed to accommodate the shafts. In this embodiment, the first hinge  210  of the base  160  has a shaft  215  extending vertically and the second hinge  220  has a cylinder  225  extending horizontally. Any orientation of shafts and/or cylinders, however, may be used.  
         [0027]     The peristaltic pump  150  further may include a door  230 . The door  230  may be positioned on and enclose the base  160 . The door  230  may have a hinge  240  that accommodates the first hinge  210  of the base  160 . As above, the hinge  240  may include a shaft or a cylinder to accommodate a shaft. In this embodiment, the shaft  215  of the first hinge  210  of the base  160  accommodates a cylinder  245  of the door  230 .  
         [0028]     The door  230  further may include a wall  250 . The wall  250  may include a first side  260  and a second side  270 . The first side  260  may accommodate a tube run  280 . The tube run  280  may be sized to accommodate the flexible tubing  140  between a roller assembly as described below and the position of the first side  260  of the wall  250  so as to provide the pumping action as described below. The wall  250  preferably is substantially semicircular shaped. The door  230  may extend from the hinge  240  about the base  160  to about the tube outlet  180 . The door  230  further may have a mating end  290  designed for a snap fit or other type of mating about the tube outlet  180  of the base  160 .  
         [0029]     The peristaltic pump  150  further may include a lid  300 . The lid  300  may be sized to accommodate the size and shape of the base  160 . The lid  300  also may have a hinge  310 . The hinge  310  may accommodate the second hinge  220  of the base  160 . In this embodiment, the hinge  310  may include a shaft  315  to accommodate the cylinder  225  of the second hinge  220 . The lid  300  further may include a number of tube guides  320 . The tube guides  320  may be sized to accommodate the flexible tubing  140  therein.  
         [0030]     The lid  300  further may include a lock aperture  330 . The lock aperture  330  may coordinate with the shaft  215  of the first hinge  210  of the base  160 . A nut  335  or other type of locking device may be attached to the shaft  215  so as to lock the lid  300  in place.  
         [0031]     The lid  300  further may include a roller assembly indent  340  similar to the roller assembly indent  190  described below with respect to the base  160 . The roller assembly indent  340  of the lid  300  also may be sized to accommodate the roller assembly as described below.  
         [0032]     The components of the peristaltic pump  150  in general, and the base  160 , the door  230 , and the lid  300  in specific, may be made out of polymers, composites, metals or any other type sufficiently rigid materials. For example, polycarbonate, polyethylene, acrylic or similar types of materials may be used. Further, The base  160 , the door  230 , and the lid  300  also may be made out of Delrin®, an acetal resin sold by E.I. Dupont de Nemours &amp; Company of Wilmington, Del.  
         [0033]     The peristaltic pump  150  also may include a roller assembly  350  as is shown in, for example,  FIG. 5 . The roller assembly  350  may include a number of rollers  360 . The rollers  360  also may be made out of Delrin® or similar materials. Further, the rollers  360  also may be made out of any material with good wear characteristics such as polycarbonate, Delrin, or similar types of materials. The rollers  360  may have a diameter of about ten (10) to about thirty (30) millimeters and a length of about 28 to 35 centimeters. The rollers  360 , however, may have any desired size or shape. The diameter of the rollers  360  may be adjusted to accommodate the diameter of the flexible tube  140 . About one (1) to about six (6) rollers  360  generally are used, although any number of rollers  360  may be used. Each roller  360  may have an axle  370  either extending therethrough or molded into each roller  360  and extending out of the lateral ends thereof. The axles  370  may have any convenient size.  
         [0034]     The roller assembly  340  also may include a number of outer discs  380 . The discs  380  hold both ends of the rollers  360  in place. The discs  380  also may be made out of polycarbonate or any other type of polymer, metal, or other materials with sufficiently rigid characteristics. As is shown, a first disc  390  and a second disc  400  may be used.  
         [0035]     The discs  380  may have a number of mating members  410  positioned thereon. In this embodiment, the first disc  390  may have a number of female members  420  while the second disc  400  has a number of male members  430 . Further, each of the mating members  410  also may include an internal member  440 . The mating members  410  may be arrange in any desired order so as to ensure that the discs  380  stay attached.  
         [0036]     The discs  380  also may include a number of roller apertures  450  positioned or formed therein. The roller apertures  450  may be sized so as to accommodate the axles  370  of the rollers  360 . Any number of roller apertures  450  may be used so as to vary the number of rollers  360  that the roller assembly  350  as a whole may use. One of the discs  390 ,  400  also may have drive shaft aperture  460  positioned therein so as to accommodate a drive shaft as described below. In this embodiment, the first disc  390  may have the aperture  460  positioned therein.  
         [0037]     The first disc  390  may be positioned within the roller assembly indent  190  of the base  160  while the second disc  400  may be positioned within the roller assembly indent  340  of the lid  300 . The roller assembly  350  thus may rotate within the base  160  and the lid  300 .  
         [0038]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the peristaltic pump system  100  further may include a pump motor  500 . The pump motor  500  may be a conventional DC motor or similar type of device. The motor  500  may be about a twenty four (24) volt DC motor. Other voltages also may be used. The pump motor  500  also may be a servomotor, a gear motor with a controller, an AC motor, and similar types of drive devices. The speed of the motor  500  preferably is adjustable. The speed of the pump motor  500  may range from about one (1) rpm to about 140 rpm. The pump motor  500  may include a drive shaft  510  so as to provide rotational force.  
         [0039]     Operation of the pump motor  500  and the peristaltic pump system  100  as a whole may be controlled by a control system  520 . The control system  520  may vary the speed of the motor  500  and the time of operation. The control system  520  may include a microprocessor or a similar type of control device.  
         [0040]     In use, the desired number of rollers  360  may be inserted within the roller assembly  350 . The roller assembly  350  is then positioned within the roller assembly indent  190  of the base  160  and mounted on to the drive shaft  510  of the pump motor  500 . The controller  520  may be set with a predetermined speed for the pump motor  500 .  
         [0041]     The flexible tubing  140  may then be inserted within the tube inlet  170  of the base  160 . The tubing  140  may then be wrapped around the roller assembly  350  along the tube run  280  and out via the tube outlet  180 . The door  230  may then be closed such that the tubing  140  is positioned between the second side  270  of the door  230  and the roller assembly  350 . The lid  300  may then be closed and locked. The pump motor  500  then may be activated such that the peristaltic pump system  100  pumps the fluid  510  from the fluid container  120  through the flexible tubing  140  to the dispensing area  130 .  
         [0042]     Once the fluid container  120  is depleted, the flexible tubing  140  may be removed from the peristaltic pump system  100 . Specifically, the lid  300  may be unlocked and opened. The door  230  also may be swung open and the tubing  140  may be removed from the tube outlet  180  and the tube inlet  170 . Any open ends of the tubing  140  may be pinched off if needed. Such open ends, however, need not travel through the peristaltic pump system  100 . A new tube  140  may then be installed. The tubing  140  thus may be installed and removed without any spillage of the fluid  110 .  
         [0043]     The number of the rollers  360  and the speed of the pump motor  500  may be varied according to the flow characteristics of the fluid  110  to be used. For example, coffee may have a diluent to concentrate ratio of about 30 to 1 and may use about three (3) to about four (4) rollers  360  with a pump motor  500  speed of about thirty (30) to about seventy (70) rpm, with about 64 rpm preferred. Orange juice concentrate may be more viscous such that a ratio of about 5 to 1 may be used. The pump  150  therefore may use about two (2) to about three (3) rollers  360  and operate at about forty five (45) to about one hundred twenty (120) rpm, with about 82 rpm preferred. Cappuccino concentrate may be more viscous still and have a ratio of about two (2) to about one (1). The pump  150  again may only use about two (2) rollers  360 , but run at a higher speed of about 95 rpm. The pump  150  thus can accommodate such varying flow characteristic of the fluid  110 .  
         [0044]     It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to the preferred embodiments of the present invention and that numerous changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.