# US 10,865,801 B2 · Expandable impeller pump > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,865,801 B2 - Document ID: US10865801B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/254,184 - Filed: 2019-01-22 - Published: 2019-05-23 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2004-09-17 - Assignees: Tc1 LLC; The Penn State Research Foundation - Applicants: Tc1 LLC; The Penn State Research Foundation - Inventors: Mark W. McBride; Thomas M. Mallison; Gregory P. Dillon; Robert L. Campbell; David A. Boger; Stephen A. Hambric; Robert F. Kunz; James P. Runt; Justin M. Walsh; Boris Leschinsky - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865801B2 ## CPC - F04D 29/181: {Axial flow rotors (F04D29/185 take precedence)} - A61M 60/205: Non-positive displacement blood pumps - 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 60/808: specially adapted for deformable impellers, e.g. expandable impellers - F04D 3/00: Axial-flow pumps (priming or boosting F04D9/00) - F04D 3/02: of screw type - F04D 19/02: Multi-stage pumps - F04D 29/026: {especially adapted for liquid pumps} - F04D 29/247: {elastic or self-adjusting} - F04D 29/382: {Flexible blades} - F04D 29/526: {Details of the casing section radially opposing blade tips (ducts F04D29/545)} - F04D 29/528: {especially adapted for liquid pumps} - A61M 60/135: inside a blood vessel, e.g. using grafting - A61M 60/148: in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices - B63B 2231/42: Elastomeric materials - B63H 1/26: Blades - B63H 11/08: of rotary type - F03G 7/0614: {using shape memory elements} - F05D 2210/11: liquid, i.e. incompressible - F05D 2240/305: related to the pressure side of a rotor blade - F05D 2240/306: related to the suction side of a rotor blade - F05D 2250/51: Inlet - F05D 2250/52: Outlet - F05D 2300/43: Synthetic polymers, e.g. plastics; Rubber - Y10S 415/90: Rotary blood pump - Y10T 29/49229: Prime mover or fluid pump making - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - 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)} - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - B63H: MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING (propulsion of air-cushion vehicles B60V1/14; specially adapted for submarines, other than nuclear propulsion, B63G; specially adapted for torpedoes F42B19/00) - F03G: SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (arrangements in connection with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60K16/00; electric propulsion with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60L8/00) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A catheter heart pump comprising: an elongate catheter body having a proximal end, and a distal end configured to be advanced to a heart of a patient; an expandable sleeve coupled to the distal end, the expandable sleeve having a stored configuration in which the expandable sleeve is advanced to the heart, and an expanded configuration, and further comprising a distal inlet port and a proximal outlet port, wherein the expandable sleeve comprises a proximal portion coupled to the distal end of the elongate catheter body and proximal of the proximal outlet port, the proximal portion configured to be non-expandable; and an expandable impeller configured to be disposed within the expandable sleeve between the distal inlet port and the proximal outlet port when in the expanded configuration, and configured to turn on a shaft to generate a fluid flow from the distal inlet port to the proximal outlet port. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The catheter heart pump of claim 1, wherein the stored configuration of the expandable sleeve has a diameter of no more than 4 millimeters, and the expanded configuration has a diameter of at least 6 millimeters. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The catheter heart pump of claim 1, wherein the expandable impeller comprises a hub and a plurality of continuous helical blades extending therefrom. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The catheter heart pump of claim 1 further comprising a storage sleeve into which the expandable sleeve is configured to be inserted, the storage sleeve configured to compress the expandable sleeve into the stored configuration for insertion into the patient and advancement to the heart. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The catheter heart pump of claim 4, wherein the storage sleeve is configured to translate proximally relative to the expandable sleeve such that the expandable sleeve exits the storage sleeve and expands to the expanded configuration. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The catheter heart pump of claim 1 further comprising a guidewire extending through the elongate catheter body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The catheter heart pump of claim 1, wherein the expandable sleeve comprises a flexible mesh having an elastic coating. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The catheter heart pump of claim 7, wherein the distal inlet port is further defined by the flexible mesh and elastic coating. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The catheter heart pump of claim 1, wherein the expandable impeller is configured to generate a fluid flow of up to four liters per minute. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The catheter heart pump of claim 1, wherein the expandable impeller is configured to turn on the shaft at a speed of up to 30,000 rotations per minute. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The catheter heart pump of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of vanes disposed within the expandable sleeve and configured to reduce swirl velocity of the fluid flow. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The catheter heart pump of claim 1 further comprising an electric motor disposed at the proximal end of the elongate catheter body and coupled to the shaft extending through the elongate catheter body to the distal end, the electric motor configured to turn the shaft an the expandable impeller. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The catheter heart pump of claim 1, wherein the expandable impeller comprises a hub and a plurality of impeller blades, the expandable impeller formed as a unitary structure from a polymer material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The catheter heart pump of claim 13, wherein the expandable impeller is configured to be compressed when the expandable sleeve is in the stored configuration. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The catheter heart pump of claim 14, wherein the plurality of blades are configured to fold onto the hub when the expandable impeller is compressed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The catheter heart pump of claim 1, wherein the expandable impeller is configured to be drawn proximally into the proximal portion of the expandable sleeve to compress the expandable impeller into the stored configuration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The catheter heart pump of claim 1 further comprising a storage sleeve into which the expandable impeller is configured to be inserted, the storage sleeve configured to compress the expandable impeller into the stored configuration for insertion into the patient and advancement to the heart. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The catheter heart pump of claim 17, wherein the storage sleeve is configured to translate proximally relative to the expandable impeller such that the expandable impeller exits the storage sleeve and expands to the expanded configuration. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The catheter heart pump of claim 18, wherein the storage sleeve is disposed within the expandable sleeve. ### Claim 20 A catheter heart pump comprising: an elongate catheter body having a proximal end, and a distal end configured to be advanced to a heart of a patient; an expandable sleeve coupled to the distal end, the expandable sleeve having a stored configuration in which the expandable sleeve is advanced to the heart, and an expanded configuration, and further comprising a distal inlet port and a proximal outlet port; an expandable impeller configured to be disposed within the expandable sleeve between the distal inlet port and the proximal outlet port when in the expanded configuration, and configured to turn on a shaft to generate a fluid flow from the distal inlet port to the proximal outlet port, and a storage sleeve into which the expandable sleeve is configured to be inserted, the storage sleeve configured to compress the expandable sleeve into the stored configuration for insertion into the patient and advancement to the heart, wherein the storage sleeve is configured to translate proximally relative to the expandable sleeve such that the expandable sleeve exits the storage sleeve and expands to the expanded configuration. ### Claim 21 A catheter heart pump comprising: an elongate catheter body having a proximal end, and a distal end configured to be advanced to a heart of a patient; an expandable sleeve coupled to the distal end, the expandable sleeve having a stored configuration in which the expandable sleeve is advanced to the heart, and an expanded configuration, and further comprising a distal inlet port and a proximal outlet port; an expandable impeller configured to be disposed within the expandable sleeve between the distal inlet port and the proximal outlet port when in the expanded configuration, and configured to turn on a shaft to generate a fluid flow from the distal inlet port to the proximal outlet port, and a storage sleeve into which the expandable impeller is configured to be inserted, the storage sleeve configured to compress the expandable impeller into the stored configuration for insertion into the patient and advancement to the heart, wherein the storage sleeve is configured to translate proximally relative to the expandable impeller such that the expandable impeller exits the storage sleeve and expands to the expanded configuration.