Pivotable pump head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12486841-B2
Application number	US-202318337297-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2023
Priority date	Jul 8, 2022
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

A pump can include a pump head, a body housing, a motor disposed within the body housing, and a motor shaft extending from the motor. The pump head can include a sensor, at least a first interface portion, and at least a first elongate conductor electrically connecting the sensor to the at least a first interface portion. The body housing can include at least a second interface portion and at least a second elongate conductor electrically connecting the at least a second interface portion to pump electronics. The sensor can be configured to sense when the at least a first interface portion does not contact the at least a second interface portion. When the at least a first interface portion does not contact the at least a second interface portion and the pump head is removed from the body housing, the pump head can be pivotable relative the motor shaft such that an orientation of the pump head can be changed with respect to the body housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A pump comprising:
a body housing; a motor disposed within the body housing; pump electronics configured to operate the motor; a motor shaft extending from the motor; and a pump head removable from the body housing, wherein the pump head comprises a sensor, at least one first connector plate, and at least one first wire electrically connecting the sensor to the at least one first connector plate, wherein the body housing comprises at least one second connector plate and at least one second wire electrically connecting the at least one second connector plate to the pump electronics, wherein the sensor is configured to sense when the pump head is removed from the body housing when the at least one first connector plate does not contact the at least one second connector plate, and wherein, when the pump head is removed from the body housing, the pump head is pivotable relative the motor shaft such that an orientation of the pump head can be changed with respect to the body housing.

2 . The pump of claim 1 , wherein the body housing defines a wall radially surrounding a motor shaft opening in the body housing and (a) the at least one second connector plate is a component of the body housing and is disposed on the wall of the body housing or (b) the at least one second connector plate is a component of the body housing and is removable from the wall of the body housing.

3 . The pump of claim 1 , wherein the pump electronics are configured to operate the motor in a maintenance mode when the sensor senses the at least one first connector plate does not contact the at least one second connector plate.

4 . The pump of claim 3 , wherein the pump electronics are configured to operate the motor at a higher rate of speed than the maintenance mode when the sensor senses the at least one first connector plate contacts the at least one second connector plate.

5 . The pump of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a reed switch.

6 . The pump of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first wire does not extend beyond the at least one first connector plate of the pump head on a side facing the body housing.

7 . The pump of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second wire does not extend beyond the at least one second connector plate on a side facing the pump head.

8 . The pump of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a peristaltic pump.

9 . A pump comprising:
a pump head comprising a sensor, at least a first interface portion, and at least a first elongate conductor electrically connecting the sensor to the at least a first interface portion; a body housing comprising at least a second interface portion and at least a second elongate conductor electrically connecting the at least a second interface portion to pump electronics; a motor disposed within the body housing; and a motor shaft extending from the motor, wherein the sensor is configured to sense when the at least a first interface portion does not contact the at least a second interface portion, and wherein, when the at least a first interface portion does not contact the at least a second interface portion and the pump head is removed from the body housing, the pump head is pivotable relative the motor shaft such that an orientation of the pump head can be changed with respect to the body housing.

10 . The pump of claim 9 , wherein the at least a second interface portion comprises a first surface facing outward from the body housing and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the at least a second elongate conductor is disposed on the second surface.

11 . The pump of claim 9 , wherein the body housing defines a wall radially surrounding a motor shaft opening in the body housing and the pump head defines a wall radially surrounding a motor shaft opening in the pump head and at least one of (a) the at least a first interface portion is a component of the pump head and is removable from the wall of the pump head and (b) the at least a second interface portion is a component of the body housing and is removable from the wall of the body housing.

12 . The pump of claim 9 , wherein the body housing defines a wall radially surrounding a motor shaft opening in the body housing and (a) the at least a second interface portion is a component of the body housing and is disposed on the wall of the body housing or (b) the at least a second interface portion is a component of the body housing and is removable from the wall of the body housing.

13 . The pump of claim 12 , wherein the wall is an outer wall of the body housing and the at least a second interface portion is disposed on the outer wall of the body housing.

14 . The pump of claim 12 , wherein the wall is an intermediate wall of the body housing and the at least a second interface portion is disposed on an outer wall removable from the intermediate wall of the body housing.

15 . The pump of claim 9 , further comprising the pump electronics configured to operate the motor, wherein the pump electronics are disposed within the body housing.

16 . The pump of claim 15 , wherein the pump electronics are configured to operate the motor in a maintenance mode when the sensor senses the at least a first interface portion does not contact the at least a second interface portion.

17 . The pump of claim 9 , wherein the at least a first interface portion and the at least a second interface portion each comprise a conductive section disposed with respect to an axis of the motor shaft so as to span an angle of at least 45 degrees with respect to the motor shaft when the pump head is mounted to the body housing.

18 . The pump of claim 16 , wherein the pump electronics are configured to operate the motor at a higher rate of speed than the maintenance mode when the sensor senses the at least a first interface portion contacts the at least a second interface portion.

19 . The pump of claim 9 , wherein the sensor comprises a reed switch.

20 . The pump of claim 9 , wherein the at least a first interface portion and the at least a second interface portion each comprise two arcuate sections disposed about an axis of the motor shaft.

21 . The pump of claim 9 , wherein the at least a first elongate conductor does not extend beyond the at least a first interface portion of the pump head on a side facing the body housing.

22 . The pump of claim 9 , wherein the at least a second elongate conductor does not extend beyond the at least a second interface portion on a side facing the pump head.

23 . The pump of claim 9 , wherein, when the pump head is removed from the body housing, the pump head is pivotable 360° about an axis of the motor shaft.

24 . The pump of claim 9 , wherein the pump is a peristaltic pump.

25 . A method of changing an orientation of a pump head on a pump, the method comprising:
providing a pump, the pump comprising:
a pump head comprising a sensor, at least a first interface portion, and at least a first elongate conductor electrically connecting the sensor to the at least a first interface portion;
a body housing comprising at least a second interface portion and at least a second elongate conductor electrically connecting the at least a second interface portion to pump electronics;
a motor disposed within the body housing; and
a motor shaft extending from the motor;
removing the pump head from the body housing; sensing, with the sensor, when the at l

Assignees

• Blue White Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Gledhill Iii Robert E
• Camacho Hipolito
• Nguyen John T
• Couch Dennis
• Murphy Patrick Michael

Classifications

• F04B45/08

  having peristaltic action · CPC title

• F04B17/03

  driven by electric motors · CPC title

• F04B43/12 Primary

  having peristaltic action · CPC title

• F04B2201/1241

  Engagement · CPC title

• F04B2201/124

  Coupling parameters · CPC title