SHUTTLE PUMP WITH CONTROLLED GEOMETRY
First Claim
1. An infusion pump, comprising:
- an inlet valve;
an outlet valve; and
a shuttle comprising a shuttle stationary portion and a shuttle moveable portion configured for squeezing a length of tubing between the shuttle stationary portion and the shuttle movable portion, wherein the shuttle moveable portion moves toward and away from the shuttle stationary portion to operate the infusion pump,wherein the shuttle stationary portion and the shuttle moveable portion each comprise a symmetrical groove for holding and squeezing the length of tubing, the groove symmetrical about a central axis of the groove.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
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.
125 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An infusion pump, comprising:
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an inlet valve; an outlet valve; and a shuttle comprising a shuttle stationary portion and a shuttle moveable portion configured for squeezing a length of tubing between the shuttle stationary portion and the shuttle movable portion, wherein the shuttle moveable portion moves toward and away from the shuttle stationary portion to operate the infusion pump, wherein the shuttle stationary portion and the shuttle moveable portion each comprise a symmetrical groove for holding and squeezing the length of tubing, the groove symmetrical about a central axis of the groove. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An infusion pump, comprising:
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a housing and contained within the housing; an inlet valve; an outlet valve; and a shuttle comprising a shuttle stationary portion and a shuttle moveable portion configured for squeezing a length of tubing between the shuttle stationary portion and the shuttle movable portion, wherein the shuttle moveable portion moves toward and away from the shuttle stationary portion to squeeze the tubing, wherein the shuttle stationary portion and the shuttle moveable portion each comprise a base with a symmetric channel for containing the tubing, each of the shuttle stationary portion and the shuttle movable portion comprising a plurality of transverse ridges and transverse recesses rising from the base and the channel, wherein a height of the ridges above the channel is less than an outer diameter of the tubing. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of pumping an infusate, the method comprising:
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furnishing an infusion pump, the infusion pump comprising at least one shuttle having a shuttle stationary portion and a shuttle moving portion, wherein the shuttle stationary portion and the shuttle moveable portion each comprise a base with a symmetric channel and a plurality of ridges and recesses rising from the base and the channel, wherein the ridges on both sides of the channel are symmetrical; controlling operation of the infusion pump by entering commands through at least one input to a controller of the pump; pumping infusate by periodically moving the shuttle moveable portion with respect to the shuttle stationary portion, whereby substantially all of an outer circumference of the tubing is in contact with the portions of the shuttle stationary portion and the shuttle moving portion; and sequentially opening and closing at least one valve of the infusion pump to admit the infusate and to allow the infusion pump to pump the infusate. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A linear shuttle peristaltic pump, comprising:
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at least one stationary section, the at least one stationary section comprising a base, a symmetric channel, at least one ridge on a first side of the channel and at least one recess on a second side of the channel, wherein the channel is formed with symmetrical angles on each side of a center of the channel; a plurality of moveable sections, each moveable section comprising a base, a symmetric channel, a ridge on a first side of the channel and a recess on a second side of the channel, wherein the channel is formed with symmetrical angles on each side of a center of the channel, and wherein the at least one ridge and at least one recess in the at least one stationary section fit into the recesses and ridges of the moveable sections, and wherein when the at least one stationary section and the plurality of movable sections are assembled, the channels form an opening suitable for a length of tubing, whereby substantially all of an outer circumference of the tubing is in contact with portions of the at least one stationary section and portions of the moving sections when the moving sections operate to squeeze the length of tubing; and a plurality of linear actuators connected to the plurality of moveable sections, each of the plurality of linear actuators further comprising a sensor for reporting a position of the linear actuator. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of pumping a liquid, the method comprising:
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providing a linear shuttle peristaltic pump, the pump comprising a plurality of shuttle stationary sections and a plurality of shuttle moving sections, each of the sections having a symmetric groove with at least one transverse ridge and at least one transverse recess, wherein the ridges and the recesses of the stationary sections fit into matching recesses and ridges of the moving sections, and wherein substantially all of an outer circumference of tubing in the pump is in contact with surfaces of the stationary sections and the moving sections when the tubing is squeezed; controlling operation of the linear shuttle peristaltic pump by entering commands through at least one input to a controller of the pump; pumping liquid by sequentially moving the shuttle moveable sections with respect to the shuttle stationary sections; and sequentially opening and closing at least one valve of the infusion pump to admit the infusate and to allow the infusion pump to pump the infusate. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A geometry controlled valve, comprising:
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a stationary section, the stationary section comprising a base, a symmetric channel, at least one ridge on a first side of the channel and at least one recess on a second side of the channel, wherein the channel is formed with symmetrical angles on each side of a center of the channel; and a moveable section, the moveable section comprising a base, a symmetric channel, a ridge on a first side of the channel and a recess on a second side of the channel, wherein the channel is formed with symmetrical angles on each side of a center of the channel, and wherein the at least one ridge and at least one recess in the stationary section fit into the recesses and ridges of the moveable section, and wherein when the stationary section and the movable section are assembled, the channels form an opening suitable for a length of tubing, whereby substantially all of an outer circumference of the tubing is in contact with the portions of the stationary section and the moving section when the moving section operates to squeeze the length of tubing. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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Specification