Continuous Multi-Fluid Delivery System and Method
A fluid pump device is operable by a drive and actuating system. The fluid pump device includes a pump manifold, a plurality of pump cylinders, a plunger reciprocally operable in each of the pump cylinders, and at least one inlet selector valve. The pump cylinders may extend proximally from the pump manifold and are in selective fluid communication with the pump manifold via, for example, respective inlet and outlet check valves. The plungers are reciprocally operable within the pump cylinders and are independently and reciprocally operable by respective piston linear actuators provided in the drive and actuating system. The inlet selector valve is used to establish selective fluid communication between one or more fluid source containers and the pump manifold to control fluid flow into the pump manifold. The inlet selector valve may be located laterally outboard of the pump cylinders and extend generally parallel to the pump cylinders.
1 . A fluid delivery system, comprising:
a fluid pump device, comprising:
a plurality of pump cylinders;
a plunger reciprocally operable within each of the pump cylinders; and
an inlet selector valve to establish selective fluid communication between at least one fluid source container and the pump cylinders, the inlet selector valve located laterally outboard of the pump cylinders; and
a drive and actuating system to independently and reciprocally operate the plungers in the pump cylinders.
2 . (canceled)
3 . The fluid delivery system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a pump manifold controlling fluid communication to the pump cylinders, and wherein the inlet selector valve controls fluid communication with the at least one fluid source to control fluid flow into the pump manifold.
4 . The fluid delivery system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the pump manifold comprises an inlet manifold channel and an outlet manifold channel, and wherein the pump cylinders each comprise at least one inlet opening for fluid communication with the inlet manifold channel and at least one outlet opening for fluid communication with the outlet manifold channel.
5 . The fluid delivery system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the pump cylinders are in selective fluid communication with the inlet manifold channel and the outlet manifold channel via respective inlet check valves and outlet check valves.
6 . (canceled)
7 . The fluid delivery system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the inlet selector valve comprises an inlet selector valve cylinder having a valve stem disposed therein, the valve stem defining an axial passage and a plurality of radial inlet ports connected to the axial passage.
8 . The fluid delivery system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the radial inlet ports are disposed at different angular orientations around the valve stem.
9 . (canceled)
10 . (canceled)
11 . (canceled)
12 . The fluid delivery system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the inlet selector valve is operable by the drive and actuating system independently of the plungers.
13 . The fluid delivery system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising identifying indicia on the fluid pump device and encoded with identifying information for the fluid pump device.
14 . (canceled)
15 . (canceled)
16 . (canceled)
17 . (canceled)
18 . (canceled)
19 . The fluid delivery system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the identifying indicia is an optically encoded transparent member.
20 . (canceled)
21 . The fluid delivery system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the plungers comprises a piston interface member extending proximally therefrom, and wherein the piston interface member is split into at least two parts that are compressible towards one another.
22 . (canceled)
23 . The fluid delivery system as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the plungers are reciprocally operable in the respective pump cylinders such that a distal end disc of each of the plungers is operable within a pumping zone of the pump cylinders and a proximal end disc is operable within an isolation zone of the pump cylinders.
24 . (canceled)
25 . The fluid delivery system as claimed in claim 21 , further comprising a radial lip on each of the at least two parts to interface with a drive piston of the drive and actuating system.
26 . The fluid delivery system as claimed in claim 21 , further comprising a support member coaxially disposed in the piston interface member.
27 . A drive and actuating system for operating a fluid pump device, comprising:
an extendable and retractable pump drawer to accept the fluid pump device, the fluid pump device comprising a plurality of pump cylinders and a plunger reciprocally operable within each of the pump cylinders;
drive pistons adapted for mechanical connection to the plungers, respectively, to independently and reciprocally operate the plungers in the pump cylinders;
piston linear actuators respectively coupled to the drive pistons; and
drive motors operatively coupled to the piston linear actuators, respectively, to provide motive forces to the piston linear actuators to independently and reciprocally operate the plungers.
28 . (canceled)
29 . The drive and actuating system as claimed in claim 27 , further comprising an inlet selector valve actuator adapted for mechanical connection to an inlet selector valve on the fluid pump device to control operation of the inlet selector valve to establish selective fluid communication between at least one fluid source container and the pump cylinders.
30 . The drive and actuating system as claimed in claim 27 , further comprising a pump manifold controlling fluid communication to the pump cylinders, and a pump clamping mechanism operable to secure the fluid pump device in the pump drawer and apply a compressive force to the pump manifold when the fluid pump device is loaded in the pump drawer.
31 . (canceled)
32 . (canceled)
33 . The drive and actuating system as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the pump manifold comprises a pressure sensing port with a pressure sensing diaphragm, and wherein the drive and actuating system further comprises a pressure measuring mechanism adapted to interface with the pressure sensing port.
34 . The drive and actuating system as claimed in claim 33 , wherein operation of a clamp actuating mechanism to engage a clamping block with the pump manifold concurrently causes the pressure measuring mechanism to operatively interface with the pressure sensing diaphragm.
35 . (canceled)
36 . The drive and actuating system as claimed in claim 27 , further comprising a pump manifold controlling fluid communication to the pump cylinders, the pump manifold comprising an inlet manifold channel and an outlet manifold channel, and further comprising an outlet selector valve in fluid communication with the outlet manifold channel to control fluid flow from the pump manifold.
37 . (canceled)
38 . (canceled)
39 . (canceled)
40 . (canceled)
41 . (canceled)
42 . A method of interfacing a fluid pump device with a drive and actuating system of a fluid delivery system, comprising:
providing the fluid pump device, comprising:
a plurality of pump cylinders; and
a plunger reciprocally operable within each of the pump cylinders, each of the plungers comprising a piston interface member extending proximally therefrom, and wherein the piston interface member is split into at least two parts that are compressible towards one another; and
interfacing the plungers with respective drive pistons of the drive and actuating system, such that the at least two parts of each of the piston interface members compress towards one another to enable mechanical engagement with the respective drive pistons.
43 . (canceled)
44 . (canceled)
45 . (canceled)
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47 . (canceled)
48 . (canceled)
49 . (canceled)
50 . (canceled)