# US 12,594,415 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 12,594,415 B2 - Document ID: US12594415B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/054,494 - Filed: 2022-11-10 - Published: 2023-03-09 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-14 - Assignees: Tc1 LLC - Applicants: Tc1 LLC - Inventors: Richard L. Keenan; Keif M. Fitzgerald - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594415B2 ## 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 A catheter pump, comprising: an elongate catheter body; an expandable cannula coupled to a distal end of the elongate catheter body, the expandable cannula configured to extend through a valve of a heart of a patient and to expand to a first diameter in a deployed configuration; an electric motor mechanically coupled to an impeller shaft; an impeller coupled to the impeller shaft and configured to induce a blood flow through the expandable cannula from an inlet to an outlet; and a support structure non-rotatably mounted adjacent to a distal portion of the impeller shaft, the support structure comprising a plurality of lobes expanding radially outward to a second diameter greater than the first diameter, wherein each lobe comprises a first strut and a second strut, each of the first and second struts having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the distal end portion of the first strut joined to the distal end portion of the second strut, wherein the first and second struts are spaced apart wider at an intermediate portion than at the proximal end portion and the distal end portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The catheter pump of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of lobes is spaced circumferentially from each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The catheter pump of claim 1, wherein a mounting portion of the support structure comprises a cylindrical member disposed on the impeller shaft of the impeller in a manner permitting the impeller shaft to rotate therein. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The catheter pump of claim 1, wherein the expandable cannula comprises a mesh. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The catheter pump of claim 1, wherein the support structure defines a proximal portion and each of the plurality of lobes comprises an elongate member extending from the proximal portion of the support structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The catheter pump of claim 1, wherein the support structure defines a proximal portion and each of the plurality of lobes comprises a concave portion disposed between the proximal portion of the support structure and a respective free end of the plurality of lobes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The catheter pump of claim 1, wherein the support structure deploys into a flower-shape with the plurality of lobes forming a flower petal shape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The catheter pump of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lobes comprises four lobes. ### Claim 9 A support structure for a catheter pump, the support structure comprising: a hub mounted adjacent to a distal portion of an impeller shaft mechanically coupled to an electric motor, the impeller shaft configured to receive an impeller for inducing a blood flow through an expandable cannula from an inlet to an outlet, the expandable cannula expandable to a first diameter; a plurality of lobes expanding radially outward from the hub to a second diameter greater than the first diameter, wherein each lobe comprises a first strut and a second strut, each of the first and second struts having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the distal end portion of the first strut joined to the distal end portion of the second strut, wherein the first and second struts are spaced apart wider at an intermediate portion than at the proximal end portion and the distal end portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The support structure of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of lobes is spaced circumferentially from each other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The support structure of claim 9, wherein the hub of the support structure comprises a cylindrical member disposed on the impeller shaft of the impeller in a manner permitting the impeller shaft to rotate therein. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The support structure of claim 9, wherein the expandable cannula comprises a mesh. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The support structure of claim 9, further comprising a proximal portion, wherein each of the plurality of lobes comprises an elongate member extending from the proximal portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The support structure of claim 9, further comprising a proximal portion, wherein each of the plurality of lobes comprises a concave portion disposed between the proximal portion and a respective free end of the plurality of lobes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The support structure of claim 9 further configured to deploy into a flower-shape with the plurality of lobes forming a flower petal shape. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The support structure of claim 9, wherein the plurality of lobes comprises four lobes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The support structure of claim 9, wherein the first diameter is at least 21 French.