| Tube pummp -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Tube pummpRelated Patent Categories: Pumps, Expansible Chamber Type, Elongated Flexible Chamber Wall Progressively DeformedTube pummp description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060280633, Tube pummp. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention is related to a tube pump that transfers a fluid by deforming a tube elastically. BACKGROUND ART [0002] As one example of a tube pump for transferring a fluid by deforming a tube elastically, a tube pump, which includes a casing of which a part of an inner wall surface is formed like a circular arc surface, an elastic tube provided along the circular arc surface of the casing, and a roller pivotably provided on a circular orbit along the circular arc surface in the casing for pressure-feeding the fluid in the elastic tube by pushing the elastic tube toward the circular arc surface on the circular orbit corresponding to the circular arc surface, is known (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei. 8-28453). [0003] However, there is a problem that the tube pump having such a structure requires a large amount of energy when the elastic tube is squashed by the roller. [0004] Further, as another example of the tube pump, a tube pump for transferring a fluid in which a tube is linearly arranged on an inner surface of a door member attached to a case body so as to be capable of opening and closing, and the fluid is transferred by squashing the tube at three portions along a longitudinal direction thereof with pushing means sequentially is known (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei. 8-170590). [0005] However, there is still a problem that the tube pump having such a structure also requires a large amount of energy when the elastic tube is squashed. [0006] Moreover, as still another example of the tube pump, a tube pump for pressure-feeding a fluid in a tube in which a motor and support side connecting means are provided on a support so that a rotational shaft of the motor corresponds with a central axis of the support side connecting means, one end and the other end of the tube are respectively connected to the support side connecting means and motor side connecting means provided on the rotational axis of the motor, and the fluid is transferred by giving the tube torsion and untorsion by normal and reverse rotations of the motor (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-70748). [0007] However, in the tube pump having such a structure, since it is necessary to rotate the rotational shaft of the motor in normal and reverse directions, this requires an operation to negate inertia of the motor every time the rotational direction of the motor is changed. Thus, there is a problem that energy loss occurs in the operation. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION [0008] The present invention is made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tube pump capable of effectively transferring the fluid at a small amount of energy without requiring a large amount of energy, whereby it is possible to reduce a running cost of the tube pump and the energy loss does not occur. [0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is directed to a tube pump for transferring a fluid. In one embodiment of the invention, the tube pump includes: [0010] a tube defining a flow path therein through which the fluid is transferred, the tube being capable of being deformed elastically, the tube having two opening/closing portions provided at two spaced portions of the tube for opening and closing the flow path; and [0011] two opening/closing mechanisms which are provided so as to correspond to the two opening/closing portions respectively for closing the flow path at the two spaced portions of the tube by folding the corresponding opening/closing portion of the tube and opening the flow path by unfolding the fold of the opening/closing portion; [0012] wherein, when one of the two opening/closing portions is further folded after closing the flow path at the corresponding portion of the tube by operating the corresponding opening/closing mechanism in a state where the other opening/closing portion is folded, an internal pressure in the tube between the two opening/closing portions is increased due to the further fold of the opening/closing portion, and the tube pump transfers the fluid using the increased internal pressure in the tube. [0013] According to the invention, it is sufficient to merely carry out the fold and unfold of each of the opening/closing portions by the opening/closing mechanisms when the fluid is transferred. Hence, it is possible to effectively transfer the fluid at a small amount of energy, and therefore to save the energy, whereby it is possible to reduce a running cost thereof. [0014] In the tube pump of the invention, it is preferable that the degree of the fold of the tube at the one opening/closing portion is different from that at the other opening/closing portion to generate the increased internal pressure. [0015] In the tube pump of the invention, it is preferable that the tube has two spaced curved portions, and each of the two opening/closing portions is provided at a part of each of the two curved portions; and that the tube pump is constructed so that each of the two opening/closing portions is folded by pushing the part of each of the two curved-portions with the corresponding opening/closing mechanism. [0016] According to the invention, it is sufficient to merely carry out pushing each of the curved portions and releasing the pushing state of the curved portion when the fluid is transferred. Hence, it is possible to effectively transfer the fluid at a small amount of energy, and therefore to save the energy, whereby it is possible to reduce a running cost thereof. [0017] In the tube pump of the invention, it is preferable that each of the opening/closing mechanisms includes a cam rotatably provided at a position where the cam faces to the corresponding curved portion, in which each of the two opening/closing portions is folded or unfolded by rotationally driving the corresponding cam so as to push the corresponding curved portion or to release the pushing state by the cam. [0018] According to the invention, when the cam is rotatively driven, the opening/closing portion is folded by pushing a part of the curved portion by the rotative driving of the cam to close the flow path corresponding to the opening/closing portion, and the opening/closing portion is restored to the-original shape thereof from the folded state by releasing the pushing state to open the flow path corresponding to the opening/closing portion. [0019] Therefore, it is sufficient to merely carry out pushing each of the curved portions with the cam and releasing the pushing state of the curved portion when the fluid is transferred. Hence, it is possible to effectively transfer the fluid at a small amount of energy, and therefore to save the energy, whereby it is possible to reduce a running cost thereof dramatically. Further, it is sufficient to rotatively drive the cam in one direction, the energy loss does not occur, whereby it is possible to transfer the fluid effectively. [0020] In the tube pump of the invention, it is preferable that the degree of fold of the tube at the one opening/closing portion is differentiated from that at the other opening/closing portion by differentiating sizes of the two cams each other. [0021] According to the invention, since the sizes of the cams are different from each other, it is possible to surely generate a difference in size of the degrees of fold of the opening/closing portions when the opening/closing portions are folded by rotatively driving the cam. Continue reading about Tube pummp... Full patent description for Tube pummp Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Tube pummp patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Tube pummp or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Fan motor assembly Next Patent Application: Piston vacuum pump Industry Class: Pumps ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Tube pummp patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.35005 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Accenture , Agouron Pharmaceuticals , Amgen , AT&T , Bausch & Lomb , Callaway Golf 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
