Patent ID: 8272857

Claim:
A method of loading a peristaltic pump, the method comprising: providing a holder with a pair of guides laterally spaced apart from each other and extending vertically upward from opposite side walls of the holder, wherein each respective guide of the pair of guides defines an elongate sleeve that forms an acute angle relative to a respective side wall of the holder to cause a longitudinal axis of the one elongate sleeve to be oriented toward a convergence with a longitudinal axis of the other elongate sleeve; arranging a first tube segment to extend from one of the pair of guides to the other of the pair of guides and to be vertically spaced above a top edge of the holder; slidably engaging the holder onto an exterior of a housing of the peristaltic pump to position a respective guide of the pair of guides externally on each of opposite sides of the housing to cause positioning of a midportion of the first tube segment within a housing of the peristaltic pump vertically above a first roller of the pump, wherein the first roller is an uppermost rotational position within the peristaltic pump, and wherein the convergence of the longitudinal axis of the respective sleeves is adjacent the first roller; and advancing a contact portion of the peristaltic pump toward the first roller to pressingly engage the midportion of the first tube segment between the contact portion and the first roller.