# US 11,027,114 B2 · Blood pump assembly having a sensor and a sensor shield > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,114 B2 - Document ID: US11027114B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/433,138 - Filed: 2019-06-06 - Published: 2019-09-19 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-06 - Assignees: ABIOMED, Inc. - Applicants: Abiomed, Inc. - Inventors: Ralph Louis D'Ambrosio; Bruce Adams; Michael Thomas Finnegan; Gerd Spanier; Thorsten Siess - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027114B2 ## CPC - A61M 60/148: in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices - A61M 60/13: by means of a catheter allowing explantation, e.g. catheter pumps temporarily introduced via the vascular system - 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 60/414: transmitted by a rotating cable, e.g. for blood pumps mounted on a catheter - A61M 60/523: using blood flow data, e.g. from blood flow transducers - A61M 60/531: using blood pressure data, e.g. from blood pressure sensors - A61M 60/546: of blood flow, e.g. by adapting rotor speed - A61M 60/816: Sensors arranged on or in the housing, e.g. ultrasonic flow sensors - A61M 2205/3334: Measuring or controlling the flow rate - 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)} ## Abstract A blood pump assembly can include various components such as a housing and a sensor configured to detect one or more characteristics of the blood. In some embodiments, the sensor can be coupled to the housing and can include a sensor membrane configured to deflect in response to a change in a blood parameter (e.g., pressure). The blood pump assembly can include a shield that covers at least a portion of the sensor membrane so as to protect the sensor from damage when the blood pump assembly is inserted through an introducer and navigated through the patient's vasculature and/or when the blood pump assembly is inserted into the heart in a surgical procedure. One or more protective layers can be deposited over the sensor membrane to prevent the sensor membrane from being dissolved through interactions with the patient's blood. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A blood pump assembly comprising: a blood pump housing component; at least one input port and at least one outlet port; a sensor comprising a sensor membrane configured to deflect in response to a change in a blood parameter; and a sensor visor that is coupled to the blood pump housing component and extends over the sensor membrane, wherein the sensor membrane has a thickness of about 2 microns or less. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The blood pump assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor visor extends over the sensor membrane in a distal direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The blood pump assembly of claim 1, further comprising a barrier bump on the blood pump housing component, wherein the barrier bump is located distal of the sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The blood pump assembly of claim 3, wherein the barrier bump includes a notch that holds a distal portion of the sensor visor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The blood pump assembly of claim 4, further comprising a cap that covers the notch. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The blood pump assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor membrane is positioned in a recess that allows blood to be introduced to the sensor membrane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The blood pump assembly of claim 6, wherein the recess is wider than the sensor membrane to allow blood to flow away from the sensor membrane. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The blood pump assembly of claim 6, further comprising an aperture within the recess and distal to the sensor membrane, to permit blood to wash the sensor membrane without clotting of blood on the sensor membrane. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The blood pump assembly of claim 8, wherein the aperture has smooth surfaces to prevent thrombosis. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The blood pump assembly of claim 6, further comprising a sensor bed that extends into the recess and receives the sensor in a recessed position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The blood pump assembly of claim 10, wherein the sensor bed includes laser texturing strips to facilitate placement of the sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The blood pump assembly of claim 1, further comprising a protective layer covering the sensor membrane, the protective layer comprising at least one of silicone and a metal oxide. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The blood pump assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a temperature compensation portion that prevents drift in a signal sensed by the sensor due to temperature fluctuations. ### Claim 14 A blood pump assembly, comprising: a drive unit; an impeller blade rotatably coupled to the drive unit; a blood pump housing component including a peripheral wall extending about a rotational axis of the impeller blade; a sensor coupled to the peripheral wall of the blood pump housing component, the sensor including a sensor membrane configured to deflect in response to a change in a blood parameter; and a sensor visor that is coupled to the blood pump housing component and extends over the sensor membrane, wherein the sensor membrane has a thickness of about 2 microns or less. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The blood pump assembly of claim 14, wherein the sensor visor extends over the sensor membrane in a distal direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The blood pump assembly of claim 14, further comprising a barrier bump on the blood pump housing component, wherein the barrier bump is located distal of the sensor, the barrier bump including a notch that holds a distal portion of the sensor visor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The blood pump assembly of claim 14, wherein the sensor membrane is positioned in a recess that has an aperture, to permit blood to wash the sensor membrane without clotting of blood on the sensor membrane. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The blood pump assembly of claim 17, further comprising a sensor bed that extends into the recess and receives the sensor in a recessed position, the sensor bed comprising laser texturing strips to facilitate placement of the sensor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The blood pump assembly of claim 14, wherein the sensor comprises a temperature compensation portion that prevents drift in a signal sensed by the sensor due to temperature fluctuations.