Fluid pump having at least one impeller blade and a support device

• US 10,208,763 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2015
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ECP Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: ECP Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Schumacher, Joerg, Roehn, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Hulbert, Amanda
• Application Number:
  US14/807,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20160053768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0244 Micromachined materials, e.g. made from silicon wafers, microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] or comprising nanotechnology
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0266 Shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14236 Screw, impeller or centrifugal type pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/13 by means of a catheter allowing explantation, e.g. catheter pumps temporarily introduced via the vascular system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/148 in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/237 the blood flow through the rotating member having mainly axial components, e.g. axial flow pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/414 transmitted by a rotating cable, e.g. for blood pumps mounted on a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/416 transmitted directly by the motor rotor drive shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/806 Vanes or blades
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/808 specially adapted for deformable impellers, e.g. expandable impellers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/825 Contact bearings, e.g. ball-and-cup or pivot bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 19/00 Axial-flow pumps F04D21/00 takes precedence; pump comprising axial flow and radial flow stages F04D17/025
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/181 Axial flow rotors F04D29/185 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/528 especially adapted for liquid pumps

Abstract

A fluid pump includes a rotor with at least one rotatable impeller blade, the rotor having a compressed state and an expanded state, and a support device coupled to an outer radial edge of the at least one impeller blade. The support device is changeable between a first state in which the support device is radially compressed associated with the compressed state of the rotor, and a second state in which the support device is radially expanded associated with the expanded state of the rotor. In the expanded state of the rotor, the at least one impeller blade extends at least partly radially inward from the support device. The support device is a ring that at least partly surrounds the at least one impeller blade, the ring having a longitudinal axis parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotor.

Claims

1. A fluid pump comprising:

a rotor, the rotor comprising at least one impeller blade rotatable about an axis of rotation and configured to convey a fluid in operation, the rotor having a compressed state and an expanded state; and

a support device coupled to the at least one impeller blade at an outer radial edge of the at least one impeller blade, wherein the support device is changeable between a first state in which the support device is radially compressed associated with the compressed state of the rotor and a second state in which the support device is radially expanded associated with the expanded state of the rotor; and

wherein the at least one impeller blade extends at least partly radially inwardly with respect to the axis of rotation from the support device in the radially expanded state of the rotor, and wherein the support device is configured as a ring at least partly surrounding the at least one impeller blade, a longitudinal axis of the ring parallel to the axis of rotation.

2. A fluid pump of claim 1, wherein a majority of a surface area of the at least one impeller blade conveying the fluid extends radially inward from the support device.

3. A fluid pump of claim 1, wherein the at least one impeller blade is connected to the support device and said support device rotates with the impeller blade/impeller blades.

4. A fluid pump of claim 1, wherein the ring has a meandering form in the peripheral direction.

5. A fluid pump of claim 4, wherein the support device is configured as two or more mutually axially spaced apart rings.

6. A fluid pump of claim 4, wherein the ring comprises a shape memory alloy.

7. A fluid pump in accordance with claim 1, wherein the ring is configured as a flexible tube at least partly surrounding the impeller blade/impeller blades.

8. A fluid pump of claim 7, wherein the flexible tube is inflatable and stable in shape in pumping operation.

9. A fluid pump of claim 1, wherein all components of the at least one impeller blade are radially spaced apart from the axis of rotation.

10. A fluid pump of claim 1, wherein the fluid pump has a constant diameter in the region of the at least one impeller blade.

11. A fluid pump of claim 4, wherein the ring comprises an elastic material.

12. A fluid pump of claim 1, wherein the support device comprises a wire meshwork compressible in diameter.

13. A fluid pump of claim 1, wherein the support device is journalled in at least one rotary bearing which is arranged axially displaced from the at least one impeller blade.

14. The fluid pump of claim 1, wherein the support device is fixedly coupled to the at least one impeller blade.

15. The fluid pump of claim 1, wherein the ring longitudinally extends over a full length of the rotor.

16. The fluid pump of claim 1, further comprising a housing surrounding at least a portion of the at least one impeller blade.

17. The fluid pump of claim 1, wherein the at least one impeller blade extends inwardly from the support device and defines a region through which fluid flows which coincides with a center of the axis of rotation.

18. The fluid pump of claim 1, wherein the ring comprises a helical structure at least partly surrounding the at least one impeller blade.

19. The fluid pump of claim 18, wherein the at least one impeller blade comprises a helical blade.

20. The fluid pump of claim 19, wherein a first helical direction of the helical structure is opposite a second helical direction of the helical blade.

21. The fluid pump of claim 19, wherein a first helical direction of the helical structure is in a same direction as a second helical direction of the helical blade.