Pump having a magnetically suspended rotor with one active control axis

An artificial heart comprising:

• a left ventricular blood pump comprising:
• a first housing having inlet and outlet ports for respectively receiving and discharging blood;
• a first rotor positioned in the first housing's interior for pumping blood between the first housing's inlet and outlet ports, the first rotor operatively moving with respect to three translational and three rotational axes;
• and
• a first assembly for magnetically suspending and rotating the first rotor in a contact-free manner with respect to the first housing, the first assembly including:
• only one first electromagnetic bearing wherein said electromagnetic bearing actively controls the motion of the first rotor with respect to one axis selected form the first rotor's three translational and three rotational axes;
• a first electromagnetic motor wherein said electromagnetic motor actively drives the first rotor with respect to one of its three rotational axis;
• and
• a first plurality of magnetic bearings wherein said plurality of magnetic bearings passively controls the motion of the first rotor with respect to four translational and rotational axes;
• and
• a right ventricular blood pump comprising:
• a second housing having inlet and outlet ports for respectively receiving and discharging blood;
• a second rotor positioned in the second housing's interior for pumping blood between the second housing's inlet and outlet ports, the second rotor operatively moving with respect to three translational and three rotational axes;
• and
• a second assembly for magnetically suspending and rotating the second rotor in a contact-free manner with respect to the second housing, the second assembly including:
• only one second electromagnetic bearing wherein said electromagnetic bearing actively controls the motion of the second rotor with respect to one axis selected form the second rotor's three translational and three rotational axes;
• a second electromagnetic motor wherein said electromagnetic motor actively drives the second rotor with respect to one of its three rotational axis;
• and
• a second plurality of magnetic bearings wherein said plurality of magnetic bearings passively controls the motion of the second rotor with respect to four translational and rotational axes.

A method for pumping blood through an animal's body, the method comprising:

• immersing a pump rotor capable of motion in three translational and three rotational axes in the blood;
• magnetically suspending the pump rotor in a contact-free manner with a plurality of passive magnetic bearings and only one active electromagnetic bearing structure;
• rotating the pump rotor with a magnetic motor;
• and
• actively controlling the magnetic suspension and rotation of the pump rotor with respect to only one of the pump rotor's three translational and three rotational axes using the electromagnetic bearing structure.