Axial flow blood pump with hydrodynamically suspended rotor
US5211546A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 1992 |
| Grant date | May 18, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 11, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S415/90
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An axial flow blood pump for intracorporeal or extracorporeal use pumps blood axially through a cylindrical conduit disposed in the bloodstream of a patient. The pump further includes a pump stator mounted in the conduit and a motor stator located either externally or internally of the conduit which applies a magnetic flux in the conduit. A rotor located in the conduit carries permanent magnets which interact with the applied magnetic flux to rotate the rotor. The rotor also carries impeller blades which, during rotation, produces an axial flow of blood through the conduit. During rotor rotation, the rotor is radially suspended solely by one or more hydrodynamic bearings formed by blood flowing through the conduit, with the location of at least one hydrodynamic bearing defined by a radial gap between the inside surface of the conduit and the rotor. By radially suspending, or floating, the rotor on blood in the conduit, the size of the pump may be reduced and the need for radial bearings, radial bearing seals and/or a supply of purge fluid is eliminated.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.