# US 10,117,980 B2 · Distal bearing support > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,117,980 B2 - Document ID: US10117980B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/266,864 - Filed: 2016-09-15 - Published: 2017-03-30 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-14 - Assignees: Tc1 LLC - Applicants: Tc1 LLC - Inventors: Richard L. Keenan; Keif M. Fitzgerald - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10117980B2 ## CPC - A61M 60/237: the blood flow through the rotating member having mainly axial components, e.g. axial flow pumps - A61M 60/13: by means of a catheter allowing explantation, e.g. catheter pumps temporarily introduced via the vascular system - A61M 60/148: in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices - A61M 60/174: discharging the blood to the ventricle or arterial system via a cannula internal to the ventricle or arterial system - A61M 60/216: including a rotating member acting on the blood, e.g. impeller - A61M 60/81: Pump housings - A61M 60/825: Contact bearings, e.g. ball-and-cup or pivot bearings - A61M 60/857: Implantable blood tubes - F04D 1/00: Radial-flow pumps, e.g. centrifugal pumps; Helico-centrifugal pumps (adapted for pumping specific fluids F04D7/00; priming or boosting F04D9/00) - F04D 29/043: Shafts - F04D 29/046: Bearings - A61M 60/411: generated by an electromotor - A61M 60/414: transmitted by a rotating cable, e.g. for blood pumps mounted on a catheter - A61M 60/508: Electronic control means, e.g. for feedback regulation - A61M 60/824: Hydrodynamic or fluid film bearings - F04D 25/06: the pump being electrically driven (F04D25/08 takes precedence) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) ## Abstract In various embodiments, a catheter pump is disclosed herein. The catheter pump can include an elongated catheter body having a distal portion including an expandable cannula having an inlet and an outlet. The expandable cannula can have a delivery profile and an operational profile larger than the delivery profile. An impeller assembly can include an impeller shaft, and an impeller body can include one or more blades. The impeller blades can draw blood into the cannula when rotated. Further, an expandable support can have a mounting portion disposed on the impeller shaft distal of the impeller body and a cannula contact portion for reducing a change in tip gap due to bending of the cannula. The cannula contact portion can be disposed distal of the mounting portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, comprising: a motor; an elongated catheter body coupled with the motor and comprising a distal portion; an expandable cannula disposed at the distal portion and comprising an inlet and an outlet, the expandable cannula having a delivery profile and an operational profile larger than the delivery profile; an impeller mounted on an impeller shaft connected to the motor, the impeller disposed within the expandable cannula between the inlet and the outlet, the impeller comprising at least one impeller blade; an expandable distal bearing support coupled to and extending distally from the impeller shaft within the expandable cannula, the expandable distal bearing support having an arcuate outer surface in contact with an internal wall of the expandable cannula at least when the expandable cannula is in the operational profile, and configured to provide radial support of the impeller shaft within the expandable cannula; wherein operation of the motor causes rotation of the impeller to draw blood into the lumen. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor is disposed at a proximal end of the elongate catheter body, wherein the motor is configured to remain remote from the impeller and to remain outside a patient. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a re-sealable member disposed distally of the impeller within the expandable distal bearing support. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the re-sealable member is coupled to the impeller shaft to enable the impeller shaft to rotate in the expandable distal bearing support, wherein the re-sealable member is held stationary with respect to the impeller shaft and distal of but aligned with the impeller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the expandable distal bearing support comprises an elongate member having a convex portion in contact with an internal wall of the expandable cannula. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the expandable cannula comprises a mesh. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the mesh is denser at a support region of the expandable cannula that contacts the convex portion than in another region of the expandable cannula. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The catheter pump of claim 5, wherein the elongate member comprises a proximal end coupled with a mounting portion of the expandable distal bearing support, a free distal end, and a concave portion disposed between the proximal end and the free distal end. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The catheter pump of claim 5, wherein the expandable distal bearing support comprises first and second proximal struts spaced circumferentially from each other and first and second distal struts coupled to each other at distal ends thereof, the proximal ends of the distal struts being coupled with distal ends of the proximal struts. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The catheter pump of claim 9, wherein the convex portion is disposed between the proximal and distal ends of the distal struts. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The catheter pump of claim 1, wherein the expandable distal bearing support comprises a mounting portion having a cylindrical member disposed on the impeller shaft in a manner permitting the impeller shaft to rotate therein. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The catheter pump of claim 11, wherein the impeller shaft has an enlarged diameter at a distal end thereof and the cylindrical member has a diameter less than the enlarged diameter at the proximal end thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The catheter pump of claim 12, wherein the cylindrical member comprises an enlarged distal portion having an inner diameter greater than the enlarged diameter at the distal end of the impeller shaft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The catheter pump of claim 13, further comprising a re-sealable septum disposed in the enlarged distal portion of the cylindrical member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The catheter pump of claim 13, further comprising a cap coupled with the distal end of the cylindrical member, the cap having a rounded distal portion with an aperture for passage of a guidewire through the impeller. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The catheter pump of claim 1, further comprising a spacer disposed between the impeller and a proximal end of the expandable distal bearing support. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The catheter pump of claim 1, wherein the impeller is expandable. ### Claim 18 An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, comprising: a motor; an elongated catheter body coupled with the motor, the elongated catheter body including a distal portion; an expandable cannula disposed at the distal portion about a lumen and having an inlet and an outlet; an impeller mounted on an impeller shaft connected to the motor, the impeller disposed within the expandable cannula and comprising at least one impeller blade; a distal bearing support having an arcuate outer surface in contact with an internal wall of the expandable cannula during at least a portion of a treatment procedure, the distal bearing support coupled to and extending distally from the impeller shaft within the expandable cannula and configured to provide radial support of the impeller shaft within the expandable cannula; wherein operation of the motor causes rotation of the impeller to draw blood into the lumen. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the distal bearing support is expandable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the distal bearing support comprises an elongate member having a convex portion in contact with an internal wall of the expandable cannula. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the motor is sized and shaped so as to be insertable into a body of a patient.