CN108884827B

CN108884827B - Modular pump body

Info

Publication number: CN108884827B
Application number: CN201780021404.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: K·阿布-萨利赫
Original assignee: Tecan Trading Co ltd
Current assignee: Tecan Trading Co ltd
Priority date: 2016-03-29
Filing date: 2017-03-27
Publication date: 2021-03-02
Anticipated expiration: 2037-03-27
Also published as: EP3436701A1; EP3436701B1; FR3049659A1; US20190107107A1; WO2017168080A1; FR3049659B1; CN108884827A

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular pump body (10) comprising: a pumping chamber (26) substantially cylindrical about a pumping axis, said pumping chamber comprising an opening for the axial introduction of a piston into the pumping chamber and a bottom opposite said opening; a face for securing a fluid interface member (12) thereto; a conduit (29) connecting the bottom with the face. By the method according to the invention the chamber diameter can be chosen such that the outer dimensions of the pump body are not changed during manufacture. The solenoid valve (11) can be fixed by means of a fluid interface. In case no solenoid valve is used, an additional conduit is implemented through the side wall of the chamber to connect the chamber with the fluid interface.

Description

Modular pump body

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of piston pumps used in automatic sampling, in particular of syringe-type pumps for extracting blood samples for analysis thereof by automatic equipment.

Background

Patent FR 2974155 describes such a pump.

However, these pumps are particularly expensive to manufacture, since they must be manufactured in different configurations depending on the required pumping capacity and depending on whether they are equipped with solenoid valves or not.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to propose a device for manufacturing a reliable pump at low cost.

To achieve the object, the present invention proposes a pump body characterized in that it comprises:

-a pumping chamber substantially cylindrical around a pumping axis, said pumping chamber comprising an opening for the axial introduction of a piston into the pumping chamber and a bottom axially opposite to said opening;

-a connecting surface, preferably substantially planar, preferably parallel to the pumping axis;

-a bent pipe connecting the bottom with the connection surface; and

-a securing member for securing the fluid interface against the connecting surface.

The fixed part of the fluid interface member may be unthreaded and preferably a smooth bore.

Advantageously, the pump body comprises a base and a fixing means for fixing the base to a base. The fixing part of the base may be unthreaded and is preferably a smooth bore.

The pump body may further comprise a transverse conduit connecting a side wall of the pumping chamber with the connecting surface.

The invention also relates to a series of pump bodies of a pump body according to the invention, characterized in that the series of pump bodies comprises a plurality of pump bodies having the same outer dimensions, each pump body having a specific chamber diameter.

The invention also relates to a pumping assembly characterized in that it comprises a pump body according to the invention and a fluid interface fixed on the connection surface of the pump body. Such a pumping assembly may include a pump body having a transverse conduit connecting a sidewall of the pumping chamber with a connection surface, a fluid interface, and a solenoid valve fluidly connected to the connection surface through the fluid interface.

The invention also relates to a pump comprising a pumping assembly according to the invention.

The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a pump body of a series of pump bodies according to the invention, characterized in that:

-using a single external model;

-selecting a cavity core corresponding to a desired cavity diameter; and

-the selective or non-selective use of cores for implementing the transverse ducts.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a perspective view of an assembly comprising a pump body according to a first embodiment of the invention and a solenoid valve fixed to the pump body;

figure 2 is an elevation and a front view of the pump body of figure 1;

figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the assembly of figure 1 along the plane III-III in figure 2;

figure 4 is a view similar to the longitudinal section of figure 3, in which the pump body comprises a chamber with a diameter smaller than that of the chamber in figure 4;

figure 5 is a perspective view of a pump body according to a second embodiment of the invention, without the solenoid valve;

figure 6 is a view similar to the perspective view of figure 5, with the body further shown in longitudinal section along the plane VI-VI in figure 7;

figure 7 is a front and elevation view of the pump body of figure 5;

figure 8 shows four cross-sections along VI-VI, each pump body having a respective chamber diameter; and

figure 9 shows a pump equipped with a body according to the invention.

Detailed Description

In the present description, the terms "vertical" and "front" are in particular arbitrary according to the arrangement of the main figures. These terms are not limiting and the elements described may have different arrangements when implemented on a device.

Fig. 1 to 4 show a pump body 10 designed to mount a solenoid valve 11 on a pump 100. In the example shown, the interface 12 ensures a fluid connection between the body 10 and the valve 11. The interface may be a separate component or it may be an integral part of the solenoid valve 11.

The body 10 is of substantially cylindrical shape with a diameter D10 around a vertical axis X10. The cylindrical shape is interrupted in the upper part 14 by two planes forming two opposite, planar, perpendicular and mutually

parallel surfaces

15, 16. The axis X10 is equidistant from the two

surfaces

15, 16.

Below the upper portion 14, the body comprises a base 17 which is substantially cylindrical about the axis X10. The upper portion 14 extends vertically upward from the base 17. The thickness E17 of the base is small relative to the overall height H10 of the body and the diameter D10 of the body. In the example shown, E17< H10/4, and E17< D10/4. The base comprises a bore 18 vertically through the base on either side of the upper portion. These bores 18 are used to secure and locate the body 10 on the centerpiece 40 of the pump 100, as shown in fig. 9. By virtue of this arrangement, there is no need for the body to include threads to secure the body to a base.

A bore 19 is formed in the upper part 14 of the body, perpendicular to the

opposed surfaces

15, 16.

The solenoid valve 11 is secured by its interface 12 to a front face 15 of the

opposed faces

15, 16 of the body 10 so that the interface extends horizontally from the front face 15. The interface 12 has a generally rectangular vertical cross-section. The solenoid valve includes a vertical front face 21 against which the solenoid valve 11 is secured such that the solenoid valve extends horizontally from the front face 21 of the mouthpiece 12. The solenoid valve 11 has a substantially rectangular vertical section substantially identical to that of the mouthpiece, so that the mouthpiece and the solenoid valve form an assembly with a substantially constant vertical section, arranged flush side by side.

The counterpart 22 is fixed to the rear surface 16 of the

opposite surfaces

15, 16 of the body 10. Each bore 19 formed in the upper part 14 of the body is arranged to open into a face on the one hand on the front face 15 facing the mouthpiece 12 and on the other hand on the rear face 16 facing the counter piece 22. Each bore 19 is also formed such that a fixing rod, not shown in the figures, is introduced into the bore in a tight-fitting manner. Each rod passes through the body 10, holding the body clamped between the mouthpiece 12 and the counterpart 22, securing the mouthpiece and the counterpart to the body. With this arrangement, there is no need for the body to include threads to secure the interface 12 and/or the counterpart 22 in the body.

The body also comprises a substantially cylindrical pumping chamber 26 about the axis X10. The chamber comprises an opening 25 in the lower surface 27 of the body to enable introduction of a piston 41 into the chamber, as shown in figure 9. The chamber extends through the base 17 to the upper portion 14 of the body 10. The chamber comprises an upper end portion of frustoconical shape forming a bottom 28 axially opposite the opening 25. The diameter of the frustoconical bottom 28 decreases in the upward direction. The body 10 further comprises a bent duct 29 fluidly connecting the top end of the upper part of the chamber with the front surface 15 of the body and beyond the front surface with the fluid interface 12. The conduit 29 serves as both an inlet and an outlet for the fluid in the chamber 26. The distribution of the fluid is ensured by the solenoid valve 11. The chamber 26 has a main diameter D26 measured in the portion for sliding of the piston 41, and a height H26 measured between the lower surface 27 of the base 17 and the base of the frustoconical bottom 28.

As shown in fig. 3 and 4, the width L14 of the body between the two

surfaces

15, 16 of its upper part 14 is provided for a chamber having a plurality of chamber diameters D26. As shown, the diameter D26 of the chamber 26 in fig. 4 is smaller than the diameter of the chamber 26 in fig. 3 for the same width L14. Thus, for the same external dimensions, a plurality of bodies with different chamber volumes can be manufactured, each body being adapted to a specific use.

The chambers 26 in fig. 3 and 4 also have the same height H26. Thus, only the diameter of the piston must be adapted to the diameter D26 of the chamber, the possible stroke of the piston in the chamber remaining substantially the same. Thus, to change the pumping volume in the pumping device 10-12, only the piston/pump body pair needs to be modified, with the remainder of the device being identical.

A second embodiment of the body according to the present invention, which is different from the previous embodiment, will now be described with reference to fig. 5 to 9.

In fig. 5 to 9, the body 10 is designed to be mounted without the solenoid valve. Thus, in addition to the bent duct, the body also comprises a transverse duct 30 connecting the side wall 32 of the chamber with the front surface 15 in a cylindrical region having a main diameter D26. The interface 12 used in this second embodiment is adapted to extend each of the

conduits

29, 30 through the

respective conduit

34, 35 in order to connect them to the rest of the apparatus. The chamber is thus connected to the front surface 15 by two ducts, one for introducing fluid into the chamber and the other for discharging fluid. The interface 12 used in this second embodiment is secured by two screws passing through bores 19.

As shown in fig. 8, and as previously described with reference to fig. 3 and 4, a series of pump bodies, each having a different chamber volume, can be created simply by varying the diameter D26 of the chamber 26. In the example shown in fig. 8, the series comprises four pump bodies 10, adapted to operate without solenoid valves, each having a specific chamber diameter D26.

Thus, the body 10 of the second embodiment shown in fig. 5 to 8 differs from the body according to the first embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 4 only in that it comprises a second duct 30 formed in one side wall of the chamber 26.

According to the invention, it is therefore possible to manufacture pumping assemblies with or without solenoid valves, with a specific chamber volume, but with pump bodies 10 all having the same external dimensions D10, H10, L14. In order to manufacture such a pump body 10, it is sufficient, if necessary, to arrange only a single external mould and a first specific core adapted to form a cavity with a given diameter D26 and a core for implementing only the transverse ducts. The other cores preferably remain the same regardless of the type of pump body 10.

Furthermore, the body is fixed by drilling, without threads, and can be manufactured by more precise and lower cost moulding. In fact, the moulding with threads is a complex operation; poor filling of the material for the threads around the core forming the pattern can produce incipient cracks in the injected material, which reduces the reliability of the part so produced and can result in scraping of many components, which increases the cost of manufacture.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment just described, but is instead defined by the following claims.

Indeed, various modifications of the above-described embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the teachings just disclosed.

Thus, the connecting surface may have a shape other than a flat surface, as long as it can be sealingly mounted against the mouthpiece. It may be cylindrical or spherical. The planar connecting surface may comprise a planar face and a recess adapted to allow manufacturing by moulding, in particular to avoid excessive wall thickness.

Claims

1. Pump body (10), characterized in that it comprises an upper portion (14) and a base (17) integral with and below the upper portion, said pump body further comprising:

-a pumping chamber (26) cylindrical around a pumping axis (X10), said pumping chamber comprising an opening for the axial introduction of a piston into the pumping chamber and a bottom (28) axially opposite to said opening;

-a connection surface (15), which is a plane surface of the pump body;

-a bent duct (29) connecting the bottom (28) with the connection surface (15);

-drilling for securing a fluid interface piece (12) against the connection surface (15);

-the bore of the fluid interface (12) is smooth, without threads, the fluid interface (12) is applied to the connection surface (15) of the pump body not by embedding but by a smooth bore connection, the fluid interface (12) providing a fluid connection for the fluid input and output from the pumping chamber;

-a plurality of said pump bodies having the same external dimensions can have different chamber diameters (D26).

2. Pump body according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises fixing means (18) for fixing the base to a base.

3. Pump body according to claim 2, characterized in that the fixing part (18) of the base (17) is not threaded.

4. Pump body according to claim 2, characterized in that the fixing part (18) of the base (17) is a smooth drilled hole.

5. Pump body according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection surface (15) is parallel to the pumping axis (X10).

6. Pump body according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it further comprises a transverse duct (30) which connects a lateral wall (32) of the pumping chamber (26) with the connection surface (15).

7. Manufacturing method for manufacturing a pump body according to claim 1, characterized in that:

-using a single external model;

-selecting a cavity core corresponding to a desired cavity diameter (D26); and

-the optional use or non-use of cores for implementing the transverse ducts (30).

8. Pumping assembly, characterized in that it comprises a pump body (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and a fluid interface (12) fixed on a connection surface (15) of the pump body.

9. Pumping assembly, characterized in that it comprises a pump body (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, a solenoid valve (11) being fluidly connected to a connection surface (15) of the pump body through the fluid interface (12).

10. The pumping assembly of claim 9, wherein the fluid interface forms an integral part of the solenoid valve.

11. Pump (100), characterized in that it comprises a pumping assembly according to any one of claims 8 to 10.