# US 11,026,692 B2 · Device and system for restricting fluid flow in physiological vessels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,026,692 B2 - Document ID: US11026692B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/081,136 - Filed: 2017-02-08 - Published: 2019-01-24 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-09 - Assignees: Elbe Valley Medical Ltd. - Applicants: Elbe Valley Medical Ltd. - Inventors: Rob Reynolds - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026692B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/12109: {in a blood vessel} - A61B 17/12022: {Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires (plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20)} - A61B 17/12031: {complete occlusion} - A61B 17/12036: {partial occlusion} - A61B 17/1204: {temporary occlusion} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Provided is a device and system for restricting fluid flow in physiological vessels of humans or animals, the device being configurable in a first mode to be passively propellable by fluid flow within a physiological vessel and in a second mode to at least partially occlude a physiological vessel, the device having a first cross-sectional size in the first mode and a second cross-sectional size in the second mode, wherein the second cross-sectional size is greater than the first cross-sectional size. The system has a plurality of the devices described above, a power source for powering the devices; and a controller having one or more processors for controlling the devices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for restricting fluid flow in physiological vessels of humans or animals, the device being configurable in a first mode to be propellable within a physiological vessel and in a second mode to at least partially occlude a physiological vessel, the device having a first cross-sectional size in the first mode and a second cross-sectional size in the second mode, wherein the second cross-sectional size is greater than the first cross-sectional size, wherein the device is configurable in the first mode to be passively propellable by fluid flow within a physiological vessel and in the second mode to at least partially occlude a capillary and to have the second cross-sectional size in a range of about 7.7 μm to about 14.3 μm, said device comprising: a main body; and one or more extending elements that extend from the main body to increase the cross-sectional size of the device when activated. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the first cross-sectional size is in a range of about 2.8 μm to about 5.2 μm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the main body has a parallelpiped shape, wherein the one or more extending elements extend from at least one face of the main body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, comprising at least one of the following: a micromotor for driving the one or more extending elements; an optical sensor for initializing the device; an on-board processor for collecting and processing data. ### Claim 5 A device for restricting fluid flow in physiological vessels of humans or animals, the device being configurable in a first mode to be propellable within a physiological vessel and in a second mode to at least partially occlude a physiological vessel, the device having a first cross-sectional size in the first mode and a second cross-sectional size in the second mode, wherein the second cross-sectional size is greater than the first cross-sectional size, wherein the device is configurable in the first mode to be passively propellable by fluid flow within a physiological vessel and in the second mode to at least partially occlude a capillary and to have the second cross-sectional size in a range of about 7.7 μm to about 14.3 μm, said device further comprising a transmitter for verifying the location of the device in the humans or animals. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the transmitter comprises an ultrasonic transmitter. ### Claim 7 A device for restricting fluid flow in physiological vessels of humans or animals, the device being configurable in a first mode to be propellable within a physiological vessel and in a second mode to at least partially occlude a physiological vessel, the device having a first cross-sectional size in the first mode and a second cross-sectional size in the second mode, wherein the second cross-sectional size is greater than the first cross-sectional size, wherein the device is configurable in the first mode to be passively propellable by fluid flow within a physiological vessel and in the second mode to at least partially occlude a capillary and to have the second cross-sectional size in a range of about 7.7 μm to about 14.3 μm, said device further comprising a coil for generating electrical power required to power the device from a magnetic field. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, A device for restricting fluid flow in physiological vessels of humans or animals, the device being configurable in a first mode to be propellable within a physiological vessel and in a second mode to at least partially occlude a physiological vessel, the device having a first cross-sectional size in the first mode and a second cross-sectional size in the second mode, wherein the second cross-sectional size is greater than the first cross-sectional size, wherein the device is configurable in the first mode to be passively propellable by fluid flow within a physiological vessel and in the second mode to at least partially occlude a capillary and to have the second cross-sectional size in a range of about 7.7 μm to about 14.3 μm, said device further comprising a radiation sensitive device to enable the device to be activated by ionizing electromagnetic radiation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the radiation sensitive device comprises a diode or a photodiode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the radiation sensitive device comprises a transistor or a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the radiation sensitive device is coated with a scintillating material. ### Claim 12 A system for restricting fluid flow in physiological vessels of humans or animals, the system comprising: a plurality of devices for restricting fluid flow in physiological vessels of humans or animals, each device being configurable in a first mode to be propellable within a physiological vessel and in a second mode to at least partially occlude a physiological vessel, each device having a first cross-sectional size in the first mode and a second cross-sectional size in the second mode, wherein the second cross-sectional size is greater than the first cross-sectional size, wherein each device is configurable in the first mode to be passively propellable by fluid flow within a physiological vessel and in the second mode to at least partially occlude a capillary and to have the second cross-sectional size in a range of about 7.7 μm to about 14.3 μm; a power source for powering the plurality of devices; and a controller comprising one or more processors for controlling the plurality of devices. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the power source comprises a magnetic flux generating mechanism for powering nanobots, comprising a plurality of electrically isolated electromagnets, wherein the plurality of devices are powered via a plurality of overlapping magnetic fields which are generated from the electrically isolated electromagnets. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, comprising an external beam radiation device for producing a beam of ionizing electromagnetic radiation to illuminate tissue in a target region. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, comprising a capillary tube network having fibre optics attached to a camera control unit so that the plurality of devices can be viewed while being activated before being injected into the humans or animals. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, comprising an ultrasonic detection matrix for detecting ultrasonic signals generated from within the humans or animals. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the ultrasonic detection matrix comprises: a flexible substrate material; and a plurality of ultrasonic detection assemblies (UDA) attached to the substrate material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein each UDA comprises a plurality of ultrasonic detection modules (UDM) for detecting ultrasonic signals emitted by nanobots, each UDM comprising a rigid column disposed on a plurality of piezo-electric sensors. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein each ultrasonic detection assembly (UDA) comprises a plurality of UDMs arranged in an array, with the rigid column of each UDM being of different height to that of other UDMs.