ACTUATOR FOR A HEART ASSIST DEVICE

• US 20110288367A1
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuwellis, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sunshine Heart Company Pty, Ltd. (Nuwellis, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Scott H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,702,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/18
• 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 60/161 mechanically acting upon the outside of the patient's blood vessel structure, e.g. compressive structures placed around a vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/289 Devices for mechanical circulatory actuation assisting the residual heart function by means mechanically acting upon the patient's native heart or blood vessel structure, e.g. direct cardiac compression [DCC] devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/427 the force acting on the blood contacting member being hydraulic or pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/468 the force acting on the actuation means being hydraulic or pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/837 Aspects of flexible displacement members, e.g. shapes or materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/839 of devices for mechanical circulatory actuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/859 Connections therefor

Abstract

An actuator (10) for a heart assist device. The actuator (10) includes an inflatable balloon (12) and a shroud or wrap (14). The inflatable balloon (12) has a first body portion (22), a second body portion (26) and a flexure region joining (24) the first (22) and second (26) body portions. The shroud or wrap (14) is positioned adjacent the first body portion (24) and has a peripheral extent at least equal to the peripheral extent of the balloon flexure region (24). The balloon (12) and the shroud or wrap (14) are shaped such that the shroud or wrap (14) restrains a part of the balloon first body portion (22) at or near the flexure region (24) against displacement towards the shroud or wrap (outward displacement) past a predetermined limit but allows unrestrained displacement away from the shroud or wrap (inward displacement).

Claims

1. Actuator for a heart assist device, the actuator including:

an inflatable balloon having a first body portion,

a second body portion and a flexure region joining the first and second body portions; and

a shroud or wrap adjacent the first body portion and having a peripheral extent at least equal to the peripheral extent of the balloon flexure region,

wherein the balloon and the shroud or wrap are shaped such that the shroud or wrap restrains a part of the balloon first body portion at or near the flexure region against displacement towards the shroud or wrap past a predetermined limit but allows unrestrained displacement away from the shroud or wrap.