Blood pump with frusto-conical bearing structure
First Claim
1. A blood pump comprising:
- a stationary housing structure;
a rotative impeller mounted within the stationary housing structure and defining with the stationary housing structure passages through which blood pumped by the rotative impeller flows through the pump;
an inflow bearing comprising an inflow frusto-conical face of the rotative impeller and an inflow frusto-conical bushing of the stationary housing structure having an inner face;
an outflow bearing comprising an outflow frusto-conical face of the rotative impeller and an outflow frusto-conical bushing of the stationary housing structure having an inner face;
wherein the inner face of both the inflow and outflow frusto-conical bushings (a) comprises at least three axial grooves evenly spread out around a longitudinal axis of the blood pump, and (b) successively defines a taper and a land in the direction of rotation of the rotative impeller between each pair of successive grooves, the taper having a diameter that gradually decreases in the direction of rotation of the rotative impeller and the land having a generally constant diameter to form a seat for the frusto-conical face of the rotative impeller.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The blood pump comprises a stationary housing structure and a rotative impeller mounted within the stationary housing structure and defining with the stationary housing structure passages through which blood pumped by the rotative impeller flows through the pump. An inflow bearing comprises an inflow frusto-conical face of the rotative impeller and an inflow frusto-conical bushing of the stationary housing structure having an inner face. Similarly, an outflow bearing comprises an outflow frusto-conical face of the rotative impeller and an outflow frusto-conical bushing of the stationary housing structure having an inner face. The inner face of both the inflow and outflow frusto-conical bushings (a) comprises at least the axial grooves evenly spread out around a longitudinal axis of the blood pump, and (b) successively defines a taper and a land in the direction of rotation of the rotative impeller between each pair of successive grooves. The taper has a diameter that gradually decreases in the direction of rotation of the rotative impeller, while the land has a generally constant diameter to form a seat for the frusto-conical face of the rotative impeller.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A blood pump comprising:
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a stationary housing structure;
a rotative impeller mounted within the stationary housing structure and defining with the stationary housing structure passages through which blood pumped by the rotative impeller flows through the pump;
an inflow bearing comprising an inflow frusto-conical face of the rotative impeller and an inflow frusto-conical bushing of the stationary housing structure having an inner face;
an outflow bearing comprising an outflow frusto-conical face of the rotative impeller and an outflow frusto-conical bushing of the stationary housing structure having an inner face;
wherein the inner face of both the inflow and outflow frusto-conical bushings (a) comprises at least three axial grooves evenly spread out around a longitudinal axis of the blood pump, and (b) successively defines a taper and a land in the direction of rotation of the rotative impeller between each pair of successive grooves, the taper having a diameter that gradually decreases in the direction of rotation of the rotative impeller and the land having a generally constant diameter to form a seat for the frusto-conical face of the rotative impeller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification