Expandable impeller pump

• US 7,393,181 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated), Penn State Research Foundation, Thoratec LLC
• Original Assignee: Datascope Corporation (Getinge AB), Penn State Research Foundation
• Inventors: Hambric, Stephen A., Kunz, Robert F., Mallison, Thomas M., McBride, Mark W., Runt, James P., Boger, David A., Leschinsky, Boris, Campbell, Robert L., Walsh, Justin M., Dillon, Gregory P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Ninh H.
• Application Number:
  US11/227,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20060062672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 416/87, 416/88, 416/142, 416/240, 416/198.R, 416/189, 416/228, 416/234, 416/241.A, 416/236.R
• US Class Current: 416/142
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/135 inside a blood vessel, e.g. using grafting
• 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 60/205 Non-positive displacement blood pumps
• 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 60/808 specially adapted for deformable impellers, e.g. expandable impellers
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2231/42 Elastomeric materials
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 1/26 Blades
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 11/08 of rotary type
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/0614 using shape memory elements
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 19/02 Multi-stage pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/026 especially adapted for liquid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/181 Axial flow rotors F04D29/185 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/247 elastic or self-adjusting
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/382 Flexible blades
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/526 Details of the casing section radially opposing blade tips ducts F04D29/545
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/528 especially adapted for liquid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 3/00 Axial-flow pumps priming or boosting F04D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 3/02 of screw type
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2210/11 liquid, i.e. incompressible
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/305 : related to the pressure side of a rotor blade
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/306 : related to the suction side of a rotor blade
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/51 : Inlet
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/52 : Outlet
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/43 : Synthetic polymers, e.g. plastics; Rubber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 415/90 : Rotary blood pump
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49229 : Prime mover or fluid pump making

Abstract

An impeller according to an example of the present invention comprises a hub, and at least one blade supported by the hub. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blade extends away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which the impeller is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may comprise a plurality of blades, arranged in blade rows, to facilitate radial compression of the blades. The outer edge of a blade may have a winglet, and the base of the blade may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blade.

Claims

1. An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

a hub; and

a plurality of blades supported by the hub, each blade having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;

the blades being arranged in blade rows along the hub, each blade row including at least one blade;

the impeller having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, each blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and at least one of the blades in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the at least one blade towards the hub.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the blade rows each include two blades.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the impeller includes two blade rows, each blade row including two blades.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve,

at least part of the impeller being located within the sleeve, the fluid flowing through the sleeve when the impeller rotates.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the sleeve is expandable, the sleeve having an expanded configuration when the impeller is in the deployed configuration.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the sleeve has a non-expandable portion in which the impeller is located in the stored configuration, and an expandable portion in which the impeller is located in the deployed configuration.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distal end of at least one of the plurality of blades includes a winglet.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the impeller has a unitary impeller body, the unitary impeller body including the hub and the plurality of blades.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the impeller further has an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein in the operational configuration of the impeller, the at least some blades assume an optimized hydrodynamic shape under design load conditions.

11. An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

a hub; and

a blade supported by the hub, the blade being formed from a polymer and having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;

the impeller having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;

the polymer having a first modulus for deformation of the blade when the impeller is in the deployed configuration and under an operational load, and the polymer having a second modulus for compressing the blade to place the impeller in the stored configuration, the first modulus being approximately ten times greater than the second modulus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the polymer is a low flexural modulus polyurethane.

13. An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

a hub;

a blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end; and

a flexible shaft having a first end mechanically coupled to the impeller and a second end;

the impeller having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;

the impeller being rotated by a torque applied to the second end of the flexible shaft.

14. An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

a hub; and

a blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;

the impeller having a deployed configuration when the impeller is at rest and a stored configuration when the impeller is at rest, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;

the impeller being operable to self-deploy into the deployed configuration from the stored configuration, self-deployment of the impeller being driven by stored strain energy of the blade in the stored configuration.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is an axial pump for a liquid.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the impeller has a unitary polymer body including the hub and the blade.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the impeller further has an operational configuration in which the blade is deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration.

18. An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

a hub having an outer surface;

a blade having a proximal end attached to the outer surface of the hub, a first face and a second face;

a first recess formed in the outer surface of the hub parallel and adjacent to the proximal end of the first face of the blade; and

a second recess formed in the outer surface of the hub parallel and adjacent to the proximal end of the second face of the blade.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein

the blade is flexible;

the impeller has a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub; and

the first and second recesses facilitate movement of the distal end of the blade towards the hub so as to achieve the stored configuration.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the impeller further has an operational configuration in which the blade is deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein in the operational configuration of the impeller, the blade assumes an optimized hydrodynamic shape under design load conditions.

22. An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

a hub having an outer surface;

a blade formed integrally with the hub, the blade having an airfoil shape and a proximal end attached to the outer surface of the hub;

a curved recess formed in the outer surface of the hub parallel and adjacent to the proximal end of the blade.

23. An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

a hub; and

a flexible blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub, a distal end, a first face and a second face, the distal end of the blade having a winglet extending from the first face;

the impeller having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;

the impeller being operable to self-deploy into the deployed configuration from the stored configuration, self-deployment of the impeller being driven by stored strain energy of the blade in the stored configuration.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the apparatus is an axial pump for a liquid.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the apparatus provides a motive force for a vehicle.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the impeller includes

a plurality of blades, each blade having a proximal end attached to the hub, a first face and a second face;

a first trench formed parallel and adjacent to the proximal end of the first face of each blade; and

a second trench formed parallel and adjacent to the proximal end of the second face of each blade.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the impeller rotates within a sleeve, the winglet forming a hydraulic bearing with an inside surface of the sleeve.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the first face is the pressure face of the blade.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the first face is the suction face of the blade.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the winglet further extends from the second face of the blade.

31. An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, comprising:

an impeller, including;

a hub;

a blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;

the impeller having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;

the impeller being operable to self deploy into the deployed configuration from the stored configuration, self-deployment of the impeller being driven by stored strain energy of the blade in the stored configuration; and

a sleeve,

at least a part of the impeller being located within the sleeve, the fluid flowing through the sleeve when the impeller rotates.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the sleeve is expandable, the sleeve having an expanded configuration when the impeller is in the deployed configuration.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the sleeve has a non-expandable portion in which the impeller is located in the stored configuration, and an expandable portion in which the impeller is located in the deployed configuration.

34. An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, comprising:

an impeller, including;

a hub;

a blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end, the distal end of the blade including a winglet;

the impeller having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;

the impeller being operable to self deploy into the deployed configuration from the stored configuration, self-deployment of the impeller being driven by stored strain energy of the blade in the stored configuration.

35. An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

a hub; and

a blade supported by the hub, the blade being formed from a polymer and having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;

the impeller having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;

the polymer having a first modulus for deformation of the blade when the impeller is in the deployed configuration and under an operational load, and the polymer having a second modulus for compressing the blade to place the impeller in the stored configuration, the first modulus being based on a linear stress/strain relationship and the second modulus being based on a non-linear stress/strain relationship.

36. An impeller pump, comprising:

a hub; and

a blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;

the blade having a deployed configuration when the impeller is at rest, a stored configuration when the impeller is at rest, and an operational configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration extending away from the hub, the blade in the stored configuration being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub, and the blade in the operational configuration being deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration.

37. The impeller pump of claim 36, wherein stored strain energy of the blade in the stored configuration causes the blade to self-deploy from the stored configuration to the deployed configuration.

38. The impeller pump of claim 36, wherein the hub and the blade are formed as a unitary polymer body.

39. The impeller pump of claim 36, further comprising a recess formed in the hub adjacent to the proximal end of the blade.

40. The impeller pump of claim 39, wherein the blade has a first face and a second face, the recess being formed adjacent the first face of the blade.

41. The impeller pump of claim 40, wherein the recess is formed adjacent the first and second faces of the blade.

42. The impeller pump of claim 36, wherein in the operational configuration, the blade assumes an optimized hydrodynamic shape under design load conditions.

43. An impeller pump comprising:

a hub;

a blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;

the blade having a deployed configuration, a stored configuration and an operational configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration extending away from the hub, the blade in the stored configuration being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub, and the blade in the operational configuration being deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration; and

a winglet provided on the distal end of the blade.

44. The impeller pump of claim 43, wherein the blade has a pressure face and a suction face, the winglet extending from the pressure face of the blade.

45. The impeller pump of claim 43, wherein the blade has a pressure face and a suction face, the winglet extending from the suction face of the blade.

46. The impeller pump of claim 45, wherein the winglet further extends from the pressure face of the blade.