A microfluidic device is provided for managing fluid flow in disposable assay devices, which provides constant flow even at very low flow rates. Pumps utilizing the microfluidic device, as well as methods for manufacture and performing a microfluidic process are also provided.

A tube pump includes a tube, a housing member having a cylindrical chamber including an inner peripheral surface, a rotator having a first shaft and a first portion, the first portion having a guide, and a roller having a first shank received by the guide. The tube pump includes a contact member having a contact portion in the cylindrical chamber extending outwardly towards the inner peripheral surface at least the first distance and less than the second distance, the contact portion being configured to selectively contact the roller.

Peristaltic micropump assemblies configured to pump fluid from a patient and/or deliver pharmaceutical agents to the patient are provided. In some embodiments, a micropump assembly can include a rotor configured to rotate about an axis and comprising a compressing member configured to rotate along a circumference, and a fluid chamber positioned at least partially around the circumference. The fluid chamber includes a round outer ring and a membrane attached to the outer ring and opposing an inner face of the outer ring. The compressing member is configured to compress the fluid chamber and move a fluid through the fluid chamber. The assembly can fit within a housing that is sized and shaped to be implanted in the patient. For example, the micropump assembly can be inserted into the patient's ocular cavity and configured to displace fluid from the patient's eye.

Peristaltic pump assemblies that include two-part fluid chambers are provided. In some embodiments, a pump assembly can include a roller assembly and a two-part fluid chamber comprising a hard outer portion and a flexible membrane coupled to the hard outer portion. The hard outer portion includes a concave or bell-shaped curved surface and a flexible membrane attached to the hard outer portion and extending over the curved surface of the hard outer portion. The bell-shaped groove and the flexible membrane define the fluid channel, and a roller coupled to the fluid chamber and configured to deform the flexible membrane against the bell-shaped groove on the inner surface of the hard outer portion to collapse the fluid channel. The two-part construction of the fluid chamber can decrease the amount of stress experienced by the flexible membrane, thereby increasing the longevity of the fluid chamber.

To provide a tube pump which includes: a drive mechanism including a first roller unit and a second roller unit which rotate about an axis line while being in contact with a tube having elasticity, and a first drive unit and a second drive unit which cause the first roller unit and the second roller unit to rotate independently about the axis line; a holding mechanism which holds the tube in an arcuate shape about the axis line; and an attachment mechanism which detachably attaches the holding mechanism to the drive mechanism.

A microfluidic device is provided for managing fluid flow in disposable assay devices, which provides constant flow even at very low flow rates. Pumps utilizing the microfluidic device, as well as methods for manufacture and performing a microfluidic process are also provided.

An extracorporeal circulation apparatus including a blood circuit including an arterial blood circuit and a venous blood circuit whose proximal ends are connected to a blood purifier, the blood circuit allowing a patient's blood to extracorporeally circulate from a distal end of the arterial blood circuit to a distal end of the venous blood circuit; a discharge unit through which a priming solution supplied into the blood circuit is discharged to an outside; a negative-pressure-generating unit that generates a negative pressure in a region of the blood circuit, the region being filled with the priming solution; and a control unit that controls the negative-pressure-generating unit. The control unit executes a priming step in which the priming solution supplied into the blood circuit is discharged through the discharge unit while a flow route in the blood circuit is filled with the priming solution; a negative-pressure-generating step in which, after the priming step, a negative pressure is generated in the region by the negative-pressure-generating unit; and a discharge step in which bubbles in the region subjected to the negative pressure generated in the negative-pressure-generating step are caused to flow and are discharged through the discharge unit.

Disclosed is a hose pump rotor, which facilitates the adjustment of the positions of rollers in a radial direction such that a hose is squeezed to a moderate extent. A main rotating shaft comprises a main shaft and a rotor base which are fixedly connected to each other, roller support arms are symmetrically arranged on the rotor base and outer ends thereof are connected to rollers, with axes of the rollers being parallel to an axis of the main shaft, the roller support arms and the rotor base form a radially-displaceable limiting fit, and the roller support arms are fixedly connected to the rotor base via locking components. The roller support arms can be displaced on the rotor base in the radial direction and can be fixed by locking same via the locking components, that is to say, the positions where the rollers are fitted to the hose are adjusted, so that the force exerted by the rollers on the hose can be ensured, and normal operation of the hose can be guaranteed.

A peristaltic pump comprises a drivable rotor, having at least one pressing member, and a housing comprising a cylindrical stator in which the rotor is rotatable. Flexible tubing, having an inlet side and an outlet side, extends circumferentially around the cylindrical stator against an inner wall. The peristaltic pump includes a radially deformable ring positioned between the rotor and the circumferentially extending flexible tubing. The ring is deformed by the pressing member upon rotation of the rotor and this compresses the flexible tubing against the inner wall of the cylindrical stator to convey liquid along the flexible tubing. The radially deformable ring includes a ring anchor which prevents rotation of the radially deformable ring during rotation of the rotor. The ring anchor is engaged with the housing to secure the ring anchor to the housing whilst allowing reciprocal movement of the ring anchor in a radial direction.

Method to use and control a device for filling containers with predefined quantities of fluid (11) delivered discretely into each container by means of a peristaltic pump (10) selectively activated to perform a cycle of filling a container, wherein said peristaltic pump (10) comprises a flexible tube (14) having an adjacent segment (19) of at least part of the entrance extension (20) with the exit extension (21), and cooperating with a single rotating roller (22) to convey, in succession and precisely, predefined quantities of said fluid (11) into said containers, obviating the problems relating to the adjacent segment (19) and discrete deliveries.