US Patent 8382447 Shuttle pump with controlled geometry

An infusion pump uses an improved shuttle mechanism to more reliably pump liquids in low volumes for medical and other purposes. The improved shuttle uses linear translation and wider, symmetric jaws to grasp infusate tubing and pump liquid infusate through the tubing. Adjustment of the linear motion allows a user to also adjust a pumping volume of the infusion pump. Other shuttles with wider jaws may also pump infusate using a rotary motion. In addition, more than one shuttle, such as two or three shuttles, may be used to approximate continuous pumping. A series of several smaller linear shuttles with sequential actuation may be used as a linear peristaltic pump for general peristaltic pump applications.