Patent ID: 7632078

Claim:
Apparatus for use in a fluid processing workstation having a plurality of pumps, each pump configured to operate a membrane pump cassette, the apparatus comprising: a) a plurality of membrane pump cassettes, each membrane pump cassette for coupling with one of the plurality of pumps comprising a first pump chamber at least partially comprising a membrane for pumping fluid under control of its respective pump; and a first fluid inlet port in selective fluid communication with the first pump chamber wherein fluid enters the first pump chamber when its respective pump applies negative pressure to the first pump chamber membrane; b) an inlet tube; c) distribution tubing that connects the inlet tube to the first fluid inlet port of each of the membrane pump cassette such that the first pump chambers of the membrane pump cassette can be coupled to pump fluid from a common fluid source via the inlet tube and distribution tubing; and d) a multi-port coupling in the distribution tubing such that the distribution tubing extends away from a first and second port of the coupling, the inlet tube is connected to a third port of the coupling, and the first fluid inlet port of a middle one of the pump cassettes is coupled to a fourth port of the coupling.