Housing for a Functional Element

• US 20120041254A1
• Filed: 02/11/2010
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ECP Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: ECP Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Scheckel, Mario
• Granted Patent: US 8,864,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/16
• 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 60/216 including a rotating member acting on the blood, e.g. impeller
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/408 the force acting on the blood contacting member being mechanical, e.g. transmitted by a shaft or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/414 transmitted by a rotating cable, e.g. for blood pumps mounted on a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/857 Implantable blood tubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The invention relates to a housing (8) for a functional element (5), in particular for use in the medical field in naturally occurring vessels in the body, the housing wall of which has a slack, flexible, tensionable membrane (8a) with a plurality of formed parts (8b, 8c) secured thereon which support the membrane in the tensioned state thereof. Hence the housing can be expanded and compressed easily, the membrane being supported effectively in the expanded state by formed parts.

Claims

1. Housing (8) for a functional element (5), in particular for use in the medical field in naturally occurring vessels in the body, the housing wall of which has a slack, flexible, tensionable membrane (8a) with a plurality of formed parts (8b, 8c) secured thereon which support the membrane (8a) in the tensioned state thereof by forming one or more groups of formed parts wherein the formed parts of each group support one another in the tensioned state of the membrane.

2. Housing according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one group of formed parts (8b, 8c) forms a rib-like linear structure in the tensioned state of the membrane.

3. Housing according to claim 1, characterised in that the formed parts (8b, 8c) are connected at least to the membrane (8a).

4. Housing according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one formed part (8b, 8c) has a support surface (22) which abuts against the membrane (8a) in the tensioned state.

5. Housing according to claim 3, characterised in that the at least one formed part (8b, 8c) is connected to the membrane (8a) on the entire support surface (22).

6. Housing according to claim 4, characterised in that the at least one formed part (8b, 8c) is connected to the membrane (8a) only on a part of the support surface (22), in particular only to a delimiting edge of the support surface.

7. Housing according to claim 4, characterised in that the formed part (8b, 8c) is secured on the membrane (8a) by an adhesive joint or another joining connection.

8. Housing according to claim 1, characterised in that the formed parts (8b, 8c) essentially cover the membrane (8a) in the tensioned state on the inside of the housing.

9. Housing according to claim 1, characterised in that adjacent formed parts (8b, 8c) abut against each other in the tensioned state.

10. Housing according to claim 9, characterised in that adjacent formed parts (8b, 8c) overlap each other partially in the tensioned state.

11. Housing according to claim 9, characterised in that adjacent formed parts (8b, 8c) engage one in the other in the tensioned state.

12. Device having a housing according to claim 1 and a functional element (5), characterised in that the device has a fluid pump which produces an excess pressure in the housing which leads to tensioning of the membrane.

13. Device according to claim 12, characterised in that the pump forms the functional element (5).

14. Device according to claim 12, characterised by a suction opening (15) and a catheter connection (8d).

15. Device according to claim 12, characterised by a cushion with a variable volume that drives the fluid.

16. Device according to claim 1, characterised by a pump rotor (9) having at least one pump blade.

17. Device according to claim 1, characterised by support arms (12, 13, 17, 18) which support and/or centre the housing (8) relative to the pump rotor (9) or its shaft.

18. Device according to claim 17, characterised in that the support arms are flexible or bendable at least one bending joint.

19. Device according to claim 17, characterised in that the support arms engage in the tensioned state of the membrane (8a).

20. Method for the production of a housing according to claim 1, characterised in that formed parts (8b, 8c) are secured firstly on a flat membrane (8a) and thereafter the membrane is rolled up and fitted together to form a hose.