Linear pump

• US 5,924,975 A
• Filed: 07/19/1996
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pendragon Networks LLC (Pendrell Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Goldowsky, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/686,618
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 600/16, 600/17
• US Class Current: 600/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/33 Controlling, regulating or measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3303 Using a biosensor
• 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 60/165 implantable in, on, or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/441 generated by an electromotor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/538 Regulation using real-time blood pump operational parameter data, e.g. motor current
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/894 Passive valves, i.e. valves actuated by the blood
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/046 the fluid flowing through the moving part of the motor
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2203/0401 Current
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/125 Reciprocating valves
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2201/0412 Titanium
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/16 with polarised armatures moving in alternate directions by reversal or energisation of a single coil system

Abstract

A linear pump includes a housing having a bore and axially spaced apart inlet and outlet. A first check valve is joined to the housing for controlling flow of fluid through the bore. A piston is disposed coaxially in the housing bore for axial translation therein and includes a piston bore and axially spaced apart inlet and outlet. A second check valve is joined to the piston for controlling fluid flow through the piston bore. A linear motor includes a plurality of axially adjoining drive coils disposed in the housing, and a pair of axially spaced apart magnet rings disposed in the piston and spaced radially inwardly of the drive coils for magnetically cooperating therewith to axially oscillate the piston in the housing for cyclically pumping the fluid in turn through the housing and piston inlets and outlets in unidirectional flow through the housing and piston bores.

Claims

1. A pump for pumping a fluid comprising:

a housing having a bore disposed in flow communication between a housing inlet and a housing outlet spaced apart at opposite ends of said housing, and a first check valve fixedly joined thereto for controlling flow of said fluid through said housing bore;

a piston disposed coaxially in said housing bore for axial translation therein, and having a coaxial bore disposed in flow communication between a piston inlet and a piston outlet axially spaced apart at opposite ends of said piston, and a second check valve fixedly jointed thereto for controlling flow of said fluid through said piston bore; and

a linear motor including a plurality of axially adjoining drive coils disposed in said housing, and a pair of axially spaced apart magnet rings disposed in said piston and spaced radially inwardly of said drive coils for magnetically cooperating therewith to axially oscillate said piston in said housing for pumping said fluid in turn through said housing and piston inlets and outlets in unidirectional flow through said housing and piston bores.

2. A pump according to claim 1 wherein said piston includes a cylindrical journal spaced radially inwardly of said housing bore to define a bearing therewith having a gap for receiving a portion of said fluid from said housing bore as bearing fluid for hydrodynamically supporting said oscillatory piston in said housing.

3. A pump according to claim 2 further comprising means for spinning said piston for circumferentially developing hydrodynamic pressure in said bearing fluid, with said bearing defining a journal bearing.

4. A pump according to claim 3 wherein said piston spinning means comprise a rotary motor including:

an annular rotor magnet having a plurality of circumferentially adjoining rotor poles; and

a stator band having a plurality of circumferentially adjoining spin coils disposed in said housing for magnetically cooperating with said rotor magnet for rotating said piston.

5. A pump according to claim 3 wherein said piston spinning means comprise an axial flow turbine including:

a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart vanes extending radially inwardly in part into said piston bore for engaging said fluid to cyclically rotate said piston upon aft travel of said piston toward said housing inlet.

6. A pump according to claim 5 wherein said second valve is disposed in said piston inlet.

7. A pump according to claim 3 wherein said piston spinning means comprise an integral rotary motor including:

a pair of axially spaced apart stator bands each having a plurality of circumferentially adjoining spin coils disposed inside said housing and radially aligned with respective ones of said drive coils; and

wherein said magnet rings have circumferentially spaced apart zones of different magnet field flux density and are positioned radially below respective ones of said stator bands for being magnetically rotated thereby.

8. A pump according to claim 7 wherein:

said drive coils are disposed in symmetrical sets at opposite ends of said housing; and

each of said stator bands is disposed axially coextensively with a respective one of said symmetrical sets, and radially inwardly thereof for simultaneously axially translating and rotating said piston in said housing.

9. A pump according to claim 8 wherein said drive coils include layers of coil windings, with adjacent layers having opposite helix angles.

10. A pump according to claim 3 further comprising means for commutating electrical current into respective ones of said drive coils for magnetically translating said piston in an axial forward stroke from said housing inlet toward said housing outlet, and in turn in an axial aft stroke from said housing outlet toward said housing inlet for oscillating said piston in said housing to cyclically pump said fluid axially therethrough.

11. A pump according to claim 10 wherein said commutating means comprise an electrical controller operatively joined to said drive coils for sequentially supplying electrical current thereto for axially oscillating said piston.

12. A pump according to claim 11 wherein said drive coils and magnet rings have equal axial individual lengths so that stroke of said piston is an integer multiple of said magnet ring length.

13. A pump according to claim 11 wherein said commutating means are effective for supplying said electrical current to said drive coils proportional to an amount of overlap of said drive coils with said magnet rings.

14. A pump according to claim 13 wherein:

said commutating means further comprise a position sensor mounted in said housing adjacent to said piston for determining axial position of said piston; and

said position sensor is operatively joined to said controller for providing position of said piston thereto for commutating said drive coils.

15. A pump according to claim 14 wherein said position sensor comprises:

a magneto resistor and cooperating position magnet mounted in said housing adjacent to said piston;

a position sleeve mounted coaxially in said piston adjacent to said housing bore, and including a plurality of circumferentially extending position poles defined between a respective plurality of annular grooves;

said magneto resistor and position sleeve being mounted adjacent to each other for defining a magnetic circuit therebetween; and

said magneto resistor being operatively joined to said controller for counting said position poles upon axial travel of said piston for sensing position thereof.

16. A pump according to claim 15 further comprising a second one of said position sensors operatively joined to said controller, and cooperating magnetically with a common position sleeve, and displaced 90 electrical degrees from said first position sensor for determining axial direction of piston movement in forward and aft strokes.

17. A pump according to claim 11 wherein said controller comprises means for monitoring electrical current to said drive coils for determining differential pressure across said piston.

18. A pump according to claim 11 wherein said controller comprises means for controlling axial position and velocity in said piston.

19. A pump according to claim 18 wherein said controller further comprises means operatively joined to said piston spinning means for controlling spin thereof.

20. A pump according to claim 3 further comprising means disposed at said journal bearing gap for pumping a portion of said fluid from said housing bore into said gap for accommodating leakage from said gap at opposite ends of said piston.

21. A pump according to claim 20 wherein said bearing pumping means comprise a screw pump including a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart screw threads having respective screw grooves therebetween for channeling said fluid therethrough.

22. A pump according to claim 21 wherein said screw pump further comprises an annular manifold disposed in flow communication with said screw grooves for collecting said fluid therefrom to uniformly distribute said fluid circumferentially around said bearing gap.

23. A pump according to claim 22 wherein said screw pump is disposed adjacent to said piston outlet.

24. A pump according to claim 22 wherein said screw pump is disposed in said piston journal at one axial end of said piston.

25. A pump according to claim 22 wherein said screw threads are defined by sidewalls extending radially inwardly from said journal to respective groove bottoms, and said sidewalls are tapered axially adjacent to said journal for minimizing flow separation of said fluid as it flows into and out of said screw grooves.

26. A pump according to claim 25 wherein said sidewall taper is less than about 10°

.

27. A pump according to claim 22 wherein said screw pump includes only four of said screw threads and grooves equiangularly circumferentially spaced apart from each other, with each having a screw inlet disposed at an end of said piston for receiving said fluid thereat.

28. A pump according to claim 3 wherein said housing and piston are encapsulated in a biocompatible material for being implanted into a living body for pumping blood as said fluid through said housing and piston bores.

29. A pump for pumping a fluid comprising:

a housing having a bore disposed in flow communication between a housing inlet and a housing outlet spaced apart at opposite ends of said housing, and a first check valve fixedly joined thereto for controlling flow of said fluid through said housing bore;

a piston disposed coaxially in said housing bore for axial translation therein, and having a coaxial bore disposed in flow communication between a piston inlet and a piston outlet axially spaced apart at opposite ends of said piston, and a second check valve fixedly jointed thereto for controlling flow of said fluid through said piston bore;

said piston further including a radially outer surface spaced radially inwardly from said housing bore to define a radial gap therebetween being axially coextensive with said piston bore between said piston inlet and outlet for channeling a portion of said fluid axially therethrough; and

means for axially oscillating said piston in said housing for cyclically pumping said fluid in turn through said housing and piston inlets and outlets in unidirectional flow through said housing and piston bores.

30. A pump according to claim 29 further comprising means for suspending said piston inside said housing bore during said piston oscillation to provide only fluid contact therebetween.

31. A pump according to claim 30 wherein said suspending means are effective for hydrodynamically supporting said oscillatory piston in said housing using said fluid as bearing fluid in said gap.

32. A pump according to claim 31 wherein said suspending means comprise a linear hydrodynamic bearing defined between said piston outer surface and said housing bore.

33. A pump according to claim 31 wherein said suspending means comprise a rotary hydrodynamic journal bearing defined between said piston outer surface and said housing bore.

34. A pump according to claim 33 further comprising means for spinning said piston for circumferentially developing hydrodynamic pressure in said bearing fluid.

35. A pump according to claim 34 wherein said piston spinning means comprise a rotary motor including:

an annular rotor magnet having a plurality of circumferentially adjoining rotor poles; and

a stator band having a plurality of circumferentially adjoining spin coils disposed in said housing for magnetically cooperating with said rotor magnet for rotating said piston.

36. A pump according to claim 34 wherein said piston spinning means comprise an axial flow turbine including:

a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart vanes extending radially inwardly in part into said piston bore for engaging said fluid to cyclically rotate said piston upon aft travel of said piston toward said housing inlet.

37. A pump according to claim 36 wherein said second valve is disposed in said piston inlet.

38. A pump according to claim 31 wherein said piston oscillating means comprise a linear motor including a plurality of axially aligned drive coils disposed in said housing, and a magnet disposed in said piston and spaced radially inwardly of said drive coils for magnetically cooperating therewith to axially oscillate said piston in said housing for pumping said fluid through said housing and piston bores.

39. A pump according to claim 38 further comprising means for spinning said piston for circumferentially developing hydrodynamic pressure in said bearing fluid to define a rotary journal bearing between said piston outer surface and said housing bore.

40. A pump according to claim 39 wherein:

said piston further includes a pair of said magnets axially spaced apart in respective rings; and

said piston spinning means comprise an integral rotary motor including;

a pair of axially spaced apart stator bands each having a plurality of circumferentially adjoining spin coils disposed inside said housing and radially aligned with respective ones of said drive coils; and

wherein said magnet rings have circumferentially spaced apart zones of different magnet field flux density and are positioned radially below respective ones of said stator bands for being magnetically rotated thereby.

41. A pump according to claim 40 wherein:

said drive coils are disposed in symmetrical sets at opposite ends of said housing; and

each of said stator bands is disposed axially coextensively with a respective one of said symmetrical sets, and radially inwardly thereof for simultaneously axially translating and rotating said piston in said housing.

42. A pump according to claim 41 wherein said drive coils include layers of coil windings, with adjacent layers having opposite helix angles.

43. A pump according to claim 29 further comprising means for commutating electrical current into respective ones of said drive coils for magnetically translating said piston in an axial forward stroke from said housing inlet toward said housing outlet, and in turn in an axial aft stroke from said housing outlet toward said housing inlet for oscillating said piston in said housing to cyclically pump said fluid axially therethrough.

44. A pump according to claim 43 wherein said commutating means comprise an electrical controller operatively joined to said drive coils for sequentially supplying electrical current thereto for axially oscillating said piston.

45. A pump according to claim 44 wherein:

said piston oscillating means comprise a linear motor including a plurality of axially adjoining drive coils disposed in said housing, and a pair of axially spaced apart magnet rings disposed in said piston and spaced radially inwardly of said drive coils for magnetically cooperating therewith to axially oscillate said piston in said housing for pumping said fluid in turn through said housing and piston inlets and outlets in unidirectional flow through said housing and piston bores; and

said drive coils and magnet rings have equal axial individual lengths so that stroke of said piston is an integer multiple of said magnet ring length.

46. A pump according to claim 44 wherein said commutating means are effective for supplying said electrical current to said drive coils proportional to an amount of overlap of said drive coils with said magnet rings.

47. A pump according to claim 46 wherein:

said commutating means further comprise a position sensor mounted in said housing adjacent to said piston for determining axial position of said piston; and

said position sensor is operatively joined to said controller for providing position of said piston thereto for commutating said drive coils.

48. A pump according to claim 47 wherein said position sensor comprises:

a magneto resistor and cooperating position magnet mounted in said housing adjacent to said piston;

a position sleeve mounted coaxially in said piston adjacent to said housing bore, and including a plurality of circumferentially extending position poles defined between a respective plurality of annular grooves;

said magneto resistor and position sleeve being mounted adjacent to each other for defining a magnetic circuit therebetween; and

said magneto resistor being operatively joined to said controller for counting said position poles upon axial travel of said piston for sensing position thereof.

49. A pump according to claim 48 further comprising a second one of said position sensors operatively joined to said controller, and cooperating magnetically with a common position sleeve, and displaced 90 electrical degrees from said first position sensor for determining axial direction of piston movement in forward and aft strokes.

50. A pump according to claim 44 wherein said controller comprises means for monitoring electrical current to said drive coils for determining differential pressure across said piston.

51. A pump according to claim 44 wherein said controller comprises means for controlling axial position and velocity in said piston.

52. A pump according to claim 51 wherein said controller further comprises means operatively joined to said piston spinning means for controlling spin thereof.

53. A pump according to claim 29 wherein said piston includes a cylindrical journal spaced radially inwardly of said housing bore to define a rotary hydrodynamic journal bearing therewith for channeling said fluid.

54. A pump according to claim 53 further comprising means disposed at said gap for pumping a portion of said fluid from said housing bore into said gap for accommodating leakage from said gap at opposite ends of said piston.

55. A pump according to claim 54 wherein said bearing pumping means comprise a screw pump including a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart screw threads having respective screw grooves therebetween for channeling said fluid therethrough.

56. A pump according to claim 55 wherein said screw pump further comprises an annular manifold disposed in flow communication with said screw grooves for collecting said fluid therefrom to uniformly distribute said fluid circumferentially around said bearing gap.

57. A pump according to claim 56 wherein said screw pump is disposed adjacent to said piston outlet.

58. A pump according to claim 56 wherein said screw pump is disposed in said piston journal at one axial end of said piston.

59. A pump according to claim 56 wherein said screw threads are defined by sidewalls extending radially inwardly from said journal to respective groove bottoms, and said sidewalls are tapered axially adjacent to said journal for minimizing flow separation of said fluid as it flows into and out of said screw grooves.

60. A pump according to claim 59 wherein said sidewall taper is less than about 10°

.

61. A pump according to claim 56 wherein said screw pump includes only four of said screw threads and grooves equiangularly circumferentially spaced apart from each other, with each having a screw inlet disposed at an end of said piston for receiving said fluid thereat.

62. A pump according to claim 29 wherein said housing and piston are encapsulated in a biocompatible material for being implanted into a living body for pumping blood as said fluid through said housing and piston bores.