Blood pumps
Inventors
Earles, Ronald G. • Heuring, Jason J. • Durst, Christopher A. • BENAVIDES, Omar
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11517736-B2
Publication Date
2022-12-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
A blood flow assist system can include an impeller assembly including an impeller shaft and an impeller on the impeller shaft, a primary flow pathway disposed along an exterior surface of the impeller. The system can include a rotor assembly at a proximal portion of the impeller shaft. A secondary flow pathway can be disposed along a lumen of the impeller shaft. During operation of the blood flow assist system, blood can be pumped proximally along the primary flow pathway and the secondary flow pathway. The system can include a sleeve bearing distal the impeller. The system can include a drive unit having a distal end disposed distal a proximal end of the second impeller. The drive unit comprising a drive magnet and a drive bearing between the drive magnet and the impeller assembly.
Core Innovation
The invention describes a blood flow assist system with an impeller assembly and a drive unit configured to drive the impeller assembly using a drive magnet and a drive bearing. The impeller assembly includes a rotor assembly having a concave bearing surface and an impeller configured to rotate about an axis of rotation. The drive bearing has a convex bearing surface shaped to fit within the concave bearing surface, and the convex bearing surface includes a plurality of segments extending distally of the drive unit.
The segmented convex bearing surface spaces the plurality of segments circumferentially to define at least one channel between adjacent segments, with the at least one channel extending radially outward from a central hollow. The axis of rotation passes through the central hollow, so rotation of the impeller generates proximal flow of blood in the central hollow along the axis of rotation. Rotation also generates radial flow of blood outward from within the central hollow through the at least one channel.
In additional embodiments, the impeller assembly includes first curved bearing surface including a fluid port, and the drive unit includes a second curved bearing surface configured to mate with the first curved bearing surface. The second curved bearing surface includes a central hollow and one or more channels extending radially outward from the central hollow, with the central hollow in fluid communication with the fluid port to direct blood radially outward along the at least one channel, coaxial with the axis of rotation.
Claims Coverage
The partial content contains three independent claims: clm-00001, clm-00018, and clm-00024. Each independent claim centers on an impeller assembly driven by a proximal drive unit using magnetically coupled drive components and curved, segmented bearing structures that define a central hollow and one or more radially outward channels for directing blood flow during rotation.
Segmented convex drive bearing forming radially outward channels from a central hollow
A drive unit proximal the impeller assembly having a drive magnet and a drive bearing between the drive magnet and the impeller assembly, where the drive bearing includes a convex bearing surface with a plurality of distally extending segments spaced circumferentially to define at least one channel between adjacent segments, the at least one channel extending radially outward from a central hollow with the axis of rotation passing through the central hollow.
Fluid port and mating curved bearing surfaces directing blood into a central hollow and radially outward channels
An impeller assembly having a rotor assembly with a first curved bearing surface including a fluid port and a drive unit having a drive bearing with a second curved bearing surface shaped to mate with the first curved bearing surface, where the second curved bearing surface includes a central hollow and one or more channels extending radially outward from the central hollow and the central hollow is in fluid communication with the fluid port so as to direct blood radially outward along at least one channel, with the central hollow coaxial with the axis of rotation.
Distally disposed segmented convex bearing surface on the drive unit directing radially outward blood through channels
A drive unit proximal the impeller assembly having a drive magnet and a drive bearing between the drive magnet and the impeller assembly, where the drive bearing includes a convex bearing surface shaped to fit within the concave bearing surface, the convex bearing surface having a distal end disposed distal of a proximal end of the rotor assembly and comprising a segmented bearing with a plurality of segments projecting distally from a surface of the drive unit and at least one channel extending outwardly from a central hollow, with the axis of rotation extending through the central hollow.
Across the independent claims, the key inventive coverage is the combination of magnetically driven impeller rotation with curved bearing surfaces (concave in the rotor assembly and convex in the drive bearing) that define a central hollow and one or more radially outward channels, including segmented bearing structures and fluid-port communication. Rotation is linked to directing proximal flow in the central hollow and radial outflow through the channels.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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