Expandable impeller pump

An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

• a hub;
• and
• a blade supported by the hub, the blade being formed from a polymer and having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;
• the impeller having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;
• the polymer having a first modulus for deformation of the blade when the impeller is in the deployed configuration and under an operational load, and the polymer having a second modulus for compressing the blade to place the impeller in the stored configuration, the first modulus being approximately ten times greater than the second modulus.

An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

• a hub;
• a blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;
• and
• a flexible shaft having a first end mechanically coupled to the impeller and a second end;
• the impeller having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;
• the impeller being rotated by a torque applied to the second end of the flexible shaft.

An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

• a hub;
• and
• a blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;
• the impeller having a deployed configuration when the impeller is at rest and a stored configuration when the impeller is at rest, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;
• the impeller being operable to self-deploy into the deployed configuration from the stored configuration, self-deployment of the impeller being driven by stored strain energy of the blade in the stored configuration.

An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

• a hub having an outer surface;
• a blade having a proximal end attached to the outer surface of the hub, a first face and a second face;
• a first recess formed in the outer surface of the hub parallel and adjacent to the proximal end of the first face of the blade;
• and
• a second recess formed in the outer surface of the hub parallel and adjacent to the proximal end of the second face of the blade.

An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

• a hub;
• and
• a flexible blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub, a distal end, a first face and a second face, the distal end of the blade having a winglet extending from the first face;
• the impeller having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;
• the impeller being operable to self-deploy into the deployed configuration from the stored configuration, self-deployment of the impeller being driven by stored strain energy of the blade in the stored configuration.

An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, comprising:

• an impeller, including:
• a hub;
• a blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;
• the impeller having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;
• the impeller being operable to self deploy into the deployed configuration from the stored configuration, self-deployment of the impeller being driven by stored strain energy of the blade in the stored configuration;
• and
• a sleeve,
• at least a part of the impeller being located within the sleeve, the fluid flowing through the sleeve when the impeller rotates.

An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, comprising:

• an impeller, including:
• a hub;
• a blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end, the distal end of the blade including a winglet;
• the impeller having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;
• the impeller being operable to self deploy into the deployed configuration from the stored configuration, self-deployment of the impeller being driven by stored strain energy of the blade in the stored configuration.

An apparatus for inducing motion of a fluid relative to the apparatus, the apparatus having an impeller, the impeller comprising:

• a hub;
• and
• a blade supported by the hub, the blade being formed from a polymer and having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;
• the impeller having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration of the impeller extending away from the hub, and the blade in the stored configuration of the impeller being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub;
• the polymer having a first modulus for deformation of the blade when the impeller is in the deployed configuration and under an operational load, and the polymer having a second modulus for compressing the blade to place the impeller in the stored configuration, the first modulus being based on a linear stress/strain relationship and the second modulus being based on a non-linear stress/strain relationship.

An impeller pump, comprising:

• a hub;
• and
• a blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;
• the blade having a deployed configuration when the impeller is at rest, a stored configuration when the impeller is at rest, and an operational configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration extending away from the hub, the blade in the stored configuration being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub, and the blade in the operational configuration being deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration.

An impeller pump comprising:

• a hub;
• a blade supported by the hub, the blade having a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end;
• the blade having a deployed configuration, a stored configuration and an operational configuration, the blade in the deployed configuration extending away from the hub, the blade in the stored configuration being compressed so as to move the distal end of the blade towards the hub, and the blade in the operational configuration being deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration;
• and
• a winglet provided on the distal end of the blade.