Everheart Systems Inc.

Corvion, Inc.

Greg S Aber

Neil H Akkerman

Randolph K Armstrong

Allan S Rhoades

Edward D Grainger

Christopher G Dupont

Allan Rhodes

Blood pumps discussed herein may be suitable for use as a ventricular assist device (VAD) or the like. The blood pumps cause minimal blood damage, are energy efficient, and can be powered by implanted batteries for extended periods of time. Further, these pumps are also beneficial because they may improve the quality of life of a patient with a VAD by reducing restrictions on the patient's lifestyle. The blood pumps can provide radial and axial stability to a rotating impeller that is driven by a separate rotor. Both radial and axial stability can be provided, at least in part, by one or more permanent magnetic couplings between the rotor and the impeller and/or one or more permanent magnetic bearings between the pump housing and the impeller.

High efficiency blood pump

A blood pump can include a pump housing, an impeller, and a hub. The pump housing can be configured to move blood from an inlet to an outlet thereof. The impeller can be housed in the pump housing, have a plurality of blades joined by a central ring, and be radially supported at the central ring by a bearing. The hub can transmit torque to the impeller using a radial magnetic coupling.

A high efficiency cardiac support system is suitable for chronic use in treating heart failure, wherein the system includes an implantable rotary blood pump, an implantable power module, a wireless power transfer subsystem, a patient monitor, and a programmer. In a cardiac support system, the cumulative efficiencies of the components of the system are capable of providing therapeutically effective blood flow for a typical day of awake hours using the energy from a single wireless recharge of an implanted rechargeable energy source. Moreover, the implantable rechargeable energy source may be recharged during a normal sleep period of 8 hours or less. The system may provide full or partial cardiac support without the need for external wearable batteries, controllers, or cables.

Cardiac support systems and methods for chronic use

A flow thru mechanical bearing system can be used in an implantable rotary blood pump that includes a pump housing. An impeller housed in the pump housing can be radially supported by a row of at least three low friction contact points located on an inside bore of the impeller. The impeller may be axially supported by a second mechanical bearing. The second mechanical bearing may provide at least three axial contact points on the top surfaces of the impeller. The impeller is driven by a magnetic coupling which functions mainly to transmit torque to the impeller. Further, in some cases, the magnetic coupling may restrain axial motion of the impeller.

Flow thru mechanical blood pump bearings

A wireless power system capable of transmitting power through the skin over distances ranging from a few inches to several feet includes an external transmitting coil assembly and a receiving coil assembly. A transmitting resonant coil and a receiving resonant coil are constructed as to have closely matched or identical resonant frequencies so that the magnetic field produced by the transmitting resonant coil is able to cause the receiving resonant coil to resonate strongly also, even when the distance between the two resonant coils greatly exceeds the largest dimension of either coil. The receiving resonant coil then creates its own local time varying magnetic field, which inductively produces a voltage to provide power to an active implantable medical device or implantable rechargeable battery.

Wireless power system

A mobile wireless power system capable of transmitting power through the skin to energize an implanted medical device without percutaneous wires and without precise positioning includes an external mobile wireless power source and an implantable receiving assembly. The mobile wireless power source is wearable by the patient and includes an excitation coil and transmitting resonant coil which are inductively coupled to each other and are housed in a durable housing. The implantable receiving assembly includes a receiving resonant coil and a power pick-up coil which are also inductively coupled to each other. The transmitting and receiving resonant coils are constructed as to have closely matched or identical resonant frequencies so that the magnetic field produced by the transmitting resonant coil is able to cause the receiving resonant coil to resonate strongly.

Mobile wireless power system

A high efficiency blood pump includes a pump housing, wherein the pump housing provides an inlet and outlet. The pump includes a motor housing, wherein the motor housing contains a motor. An impeller is housed in the pump housing, wherein the impeller is radially supported by a hydrodynamic bearing providing at least one row of pattern grooves. A diaphragm provided by the pump housing separates the impeller chamber from the motor chamber. A magnetic coupling is provided between the motor and the impeller, wherein the magnetic coupling causes the impeller to rotate when the motor rotates and provides axial restraint of the impeller.

Mobile wireless power source

Wireless patient monitor

A wireless power system capable of transmitting power through the skin without percutaneous wires over distances ranging from a few inches to several feet includes an external transmitting coil assembly and a receiving coil assembly. The transmitting coil assembly includes an excitation coil and transmitting resonant coil which are inductively coupled to each other. The receiving coil assembly includes a receiving resonant coil and a power pick-up coil which are also inductively coupled to each other. A high frequency AC power input, such as radio frequency (RF), supplied to the excitation coil inductively causes the transmitting resonant coil to resonate resulting in a local time varying magnetic field. The transmitting and receiving resonant coils are constructed as to have closely matched or identical resonant frequencies so that the magnetic field produced by the transmitting resonant coil is able to cause the receiving resonant coil to resonate strongly also, even when the distance between the two resonant coils greatly exceeds the largest dimension of either coil. The receiving resonant coil then creates its own local time varying magnetic field which inductively produces a voltage in a power pick-up coil to provide power to an active implantable medical device or implantable rechargeable battery.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Greg S Aber