Thoratec Corporation

Tc1 LLC

Kriton Medical, Inc.

Other

Heartware, Inc.

Myrakelle, LLC

David M Lancisi

Richard K Wampler

Raymond G Gauthier

William D Davis

Gregory L Morris

Hengchu Cao

The present invention provides a rotary blood pump with both an attractive magnetic axial bearing and a hydrodynamic bearing. In one embodiment according to the present invention, a rotary pump includes an impeller assembly supported within a pump housing assembly by a magnetic axial bearing and a hydrodynamic bearing. The magnetic axial bearing includes at least two magnets oriented to attract each other. One magnet is positioned in the spindle of the pump housing while the other is disposed within the rotor assembly, proximate to the spindle. In this respect, the two magnets create an attractive axial force that at least partially maintains the relative axial position of the rotor assembly. The hydrodynamic bearing is formed between sloping surfaces that form tight clearances below the rotor assembly.

Rotary blood pump

Various 'contactless' bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. In one embodiment, a pump apparatus includes a pump housing defining a pumping chamber. The housing has a spindle extending into the pumping chamber. A spindle magnet assembly includes first and second magnets disposed within the spindle. The first and second magnets are arranged proximate each other with their respective magnetic vectors opposing each other. The lack of mechanical contact bearings enables longer life pump operation and less damage to working fluids such as blood.

Rotary blood pump with opposing spindle magnets, bore and drive windings

Various 'contactless' bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic, hydrostatic, and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. These design features may be combined. In one embodiment, the pump apparatus includes a rotor having a bore, a ring-shaped upper rotor bearing magnet, and a ring-shaped lower rotor bearing magnet. The bearing magnets are concentric with the bore. The lack of mechanical contact bearings enables longer life pump operation and less damage to working fluids such as blood.

Methods of operating a rotary blood pump

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Folsom, CA, United States of America

David M Lancisi