Intravascular blood pump

• US 6,176,848 B1
• Filed: 10/05/1998
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Impella Cardiosystems Gmbh
• Original Assignee: Impella Cardiotechnik GmbH
• Inventors: Reul, Helmut, Rau, Guenter, Siess, Thorsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Polutta, Mark O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, CATHERINE SERKE
• Application Number:
  US09/155,818
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 600/16-17, 604/93, 604/131, 604/151, 604/264, 623/1, 623/2, 623/3, 623/66, 417/420
• US Class Current: 604/264
• 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 60/31 for enhancement of in vivo organ perfusion, e.g. retroperfusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/419 the force acting on the blood contacting member being permanent magnetic, e.g. from a rotating magnetic coupling between driving and driven magnets
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/562 for making blood flow pulsatile in blood pumps that do not intrinsically create pulsatile flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/806 Vanes or blades
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/81 Pump housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/824 Hydrodynamic or fluid film bearings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/825 Contact bearings, e.g. ball-and-cup or pivot bearings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/857 Implantable blood tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/0467 Spherical bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/047 hydrostatic; hydrodynamic
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/048 magnetic; electromagnetic

Abstract

A blood pump having a motor housing and a pump housing which are rigidly connected to one another in an axially spaced relationship. Both housings are of substantially the same diameter and are sized to enable the pump to be introduced via catheter through the body'"'"'s blood-vessel system. The impeller is mounted in the pump housing on a longitudinally and radially acting bearing designed as a point-support bearing. To avoid oscillation of the impeller, it is fitted with an alignment device which may have a hydrodynamic or mechanical action. Rotation of the motor is transferred to the impeller via a magnetic coupling.

Claims

1. An intravascular blood pump connected to a catheter, comprising:

a motor housing having an electric motor with an output shaft disposed therein, said motor housing having an end wall;

a tubular pump housing coaxially arranged with said motor housing and axially spaced therefrom, said tubular pump housing having a diameter substantially the same as said motor housing;

a suction opening formed on the end of said tubular pump housing facing away from said motor housing;

an impeller rotationally disposed in said tubular pump housing;

a magnetic coupling for transferring rotation of said output shaft to said impeller through said end wall;

a step bearing arranged externally to said motor housing for axially supporting said impeller; and

an orientation means for maintaining said impeller in a coaxial orientation with the axis of said pump housing.

2. The blood pump according to claim 1, wherein said impeller has a bore formed therein and further comprising a rod that projects from said end wall of said motor housing into said bore to support said step bearing.

3. The blood pump of claim 2, wherein said orientation means comprises a radial bearing for supporting said impeller on said rod.

4. The blood pump of claim 2, wherein said orientation means comprises a concave configuration of said end wall of said motor housing and a convex configuration of an end of said impeller adjacent thereto such that liquid flowing along said impeller in combination with force generated by said magnetic coupling is effective for centering said impeller when oscillating about said step bearing.

5. The blood pump according to claim 1, wherein said orientation means comprises a concave configuration of said end wall of said motor housing and a convex configuration of an end of said impeller adjacent thereto such that liquid flowing along said impeller in combination with force generated by said magnetic coupling is effective for centering said impeller when oscillating about said step bearing.

6. The blood pump of claim 1, wherein said impeller includes blades and extends away from said motor housing beyond said blades and wherein said orientation means comprises a radial bearing attached to said motor housing for supporting said impeller at a point beyond said blades.

7. The blood pump of claim 1, wherein said impeller includes blades and said orientation means comprises a first set of magnets disposed in said blades and a counterpart second set of magnets disposed in said pump housing.

8. The blood pump of claim 1, wherein said impeller includes blades and said orientation means comprises a configuration in the ends of such blades to provide for hydrodynamic centering of said impeller during rotation of said impeller in said pump housing.