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AssigneeElectric Boat Corporation
InventorsCarl O. Larson, Jr., James S. Smith, John H. Chapman, Scot A. Slimon, Trahan D. John, Marvin E. Rosen, Robert J. Brozek, Alberto Franco, John J. McGarvey, Michael K. Pasque
Estimating the term…
In one embodiment described in the specification, a surgically implantable reciprocating pump employs a check valve as the piston, which is driven by a permanent magnet linear electric motor to assist either side of the natural heart. The pump is implanted in the aorta or pulmonary artery using vascular attachment cuffs such as flexible cuffs for suturing at each end with the pump output directly in line with the artery. The pump is powered by surgically implanted rechargeable batteries. In another embodiment, pairs of pumps are provided to replace or assist the natural heart or to provide temporary blood flow throughout the body, for example, during operations to correct problems with the natural heart.
A reciprocating pump circulatory assist arrangement comprising:
A method for assisting blood flow in a patient in need thereof comprising the steps of surgically implanting a reciprocating pump into a ventricular outflow artery, the pump comprising a hollow cylinder, an array of axially spaced coil windings supported by the cylinder, a piston-valve assembly slidably positioned in the cylinder for longitudinal movement therein, the piston-valve assembly comprising a diametral support ring and at least two valve leaflets supported for pivotal motion on spaced axes within the diametral support ring, providing permanent magnet means including axially spaced magnetic poles producing radially directed magnetic flux which cooperates with the axially spaced coil windings, the permanent magnet means being fixedly attached to the piston-valve for movement therewith in response, and sequentially energizing the coil windings wherein the pump is positioned in a manner which causes blood being ejected by a ventricle to flow into and through the pump.
A method for assisting blood flow in a patient in need thereof, comprising the step of surgically implanting a linear electric pump into a ventricular outflow artery, wherein the pump is positioned in a manner which causes blood being ejected by a ventricle to flow into and through the pump, wherein the pump comprises:
A ventricular assist device comprising a first surgically implantable pump and a second surgically implantable pump, each pump including a hollow cylinder, a piston slidably positioned in the cylinder for longitudinal movement therein, a permanent magnet member fixedly attached to the piston for movement therewith and having spaced magnet poles directed radially outwardly toward the outer surface of the piston, an array of electrical windings spaced axially along the hollow cylinder, and high permeability, high saturation magnetic material between the spaced electrical windings, whereby the flux produced by the permanent magnet poles links the electrical windings, wherein the first pump is implantable in the right branch of a pulmonary artery and the second pump is implantable in the left branch of the pulmonary artery, and
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.