Patent · US Expired

Magnetically suspended fluid pump and control system

US6179773A · kind A · utility

45Cited by
25References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 8, 1999
Grant dateJan 30, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 8, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16C2360/44
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A blood pump for assisting a heart is provided having a stator and a rotor. The rotor is magnetically radially supported creating a suspension gap between the stator and the rotor. The rotor can be supported axially by a Lorentz force bearing and can be magnetically rotated. The stator can have a single or double volute pump chamber and the rotor can have an impeller portion for pumping blood. The rotor can have a center bore as a primary blood flowpath. The suspension gap can be a secondary blood flowpath. The blood pump can also have an axial position controller and a flow rate controller. The axial position controller can cause the axial bearing to adjust the position of the rotor. The flow rate controller can have a member for measuring a dimension of a heart ventricle to control the flow rate to avoid overly distending or contracting the ventricle. A method of operating the flow rate controller to create a pulsatile flow rate is also provided. Additionally, the blood pump can be part of a cardiac assist and arrhythmia control system. Moreover, a method of operating the flow rate controller can be provided which reduces the amount of energy needed to treat fibrillation. The met…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.