# US 10,478,539 B2 · Catheter device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,539 B2 - Document ID: US10478539B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/001,396 - Filed: 2016-01-20 - Published: 2016-05-19 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2007-10-08 - Assignees: Ais GmbH Aachen Innovative Solutions - Applicants: AIS GMBH Aachen Innovative Solutions - Inventors: Joachim Georg Pfeffer; Thomas Schmitz-Rode; Rolf W. Günther - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478539B2 ## CPC - A61M 60/422: the force acting on the blood contacting member being electromagnetic, e.g. using canned motor pumps - A61M 60/13: by means of a catheter allowing explantation, e.g. catheter pumps temporarily introduced via the vascular system - A61M 60/237: the blood flow through the rotating member having mainly axial components, e.g. axial flow pumps - A61M 60/414: transmitted by a rotating cable, e.g. for blood pumps mounted on a catheter - A61M 60/419: the force acting on the blood contacting member being permanent magnetic, e.g. from a rotating magnetic coupling between driving and driven magnets - A61M 60/808: specially adapted for deformable impellers, e.g. expandable impellers - A61M 60/82: Magnetic bearings - A61M 60/865: Devices for guiding or inserting pumps or pumping devices into the patient's body - A61M 60/896: having flexible or resilient parts, e.g. flap valves - A61B 17/320758: {with a rotating cutting instrument, e.g. motor driven (A61B17/320725, A61B17/32075 and A61B17/320783 take precedence; for removing intra-ocular material A61F9/00763; endoscopic rotatable cutting instruments A61B17/32002)} - A61B 2017/320775: {Morcellators, impeller or propeller like means} - A61M 60/148: in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices - A61M 60/829: having a purge fluid supply - 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)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract The catheter device comprises a motor at the proximal end of the catheter device and a drive shaft, extending from the proximal end section to the distal end section of the catheter device, for driving a rotating element located at the distal end of the catheter device. The catheter device also comprises a hose-like catheter body which encompasses the drive shaft and extends from the proximal end section to the distal end section. At the proximal end of the catheter device, the drive shaft is connected to a motor by a clutch. The clutch is a magnetic clutch with a proximal and a distal magnet unit. The proximal magnet unit is connected to the motor and the distal magnet unit to the drive shaft. The distal magnet unit is mounted fluid-tight in a clutch housing. The proximal end of the catheter body makes a fluid-tight connection with the clutch housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A catheter device comprising: a drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a rotor, connected to the drive shaft; a pump head comprising an inlet, an outlet, and an expandable and collapsible pump housing having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the rotor is located in the expandable and compressible pump housing; a body cap, wherein the body cap has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being coupled to a distal end of the pump head by a body element, and wherein the body cap comprises an atraumatic ball; and the body element is an elongate tubular flexible projection, having proximal and distal ends, that projects distally away from the distal end of the pump housing and forms a flexible connection between the body cap and the distal end of the pump housing, wherein the proximal end of the atraumatic ball is positioned distally relative to the distal end of the body element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the body element is co-axial with the drive shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The catheter device of claim 2, wherein the body cap comprises: a first bore, proximal to the ball, the first bore extending perpendicularly to a flow direction of the catheter device, and a second bore providing a communicating passage from the first bore to the proximal end of the body cap. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The catheter device of claim 1, comprising a connection bush having proximal and distal areas, the connection bush being positioned at a proximal end of the body element and being aligned coaxially with the body element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The catheter device of claim 4, wherein the proximal area of the distal connection bush is connected to the pump housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the body element is tubular and the ball has a diameter greater than a diameter of the body element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The catheter device of claim 6, wherein the ball has a diameter of approximately 3.2 mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The catheter device of claim 6, wherein the body element provides a straight connection between the body cap and the pump housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the body element is made of a plastic material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The catheter device of claim 1, wherein: the rotor is an expandable and compressible rotor formed of a memory material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the drive shaft is formed of a plurality of wires wound around a core. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the drive shaft has a diameter between 0.3 mm and 1 mm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the drive shaft includes a guide spiral. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The catheter device of claim 13, wherein: the drive shaft is formed of several wires wound around a core in a first direction; and the guide spiral is wound around the drive shaft in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the drive shaft has a proximal shaft protector and distal shaft protector at first and second ends of the rotor respectively. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A blood pump comprising: a catheter device according to claim 1 having a proximal end and a distal end; and a motor connectable to the drive shaft and located at the proximal end of the catheter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The blood pump of claim 16, comprising: a clutch; wherein the drive shaft includes: a distal section; a proximal section extending to the clutch; and a pump section of the drive shaft, wherein the rotor is connected to the pump section of the drive shaft. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the pump housing, when in an expanded state, includes a cylindrical pump section in which the rotor is located, and is configured to allow blood to flow through the cylindrical pump section in an axial direction.