# US 9,770,543 B2 · Reduced rotational mass motor assembly for catheter pump > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,770,543 B2 - Document ID: US9770543B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/003,576 - Filed: 2016-01-21 - Published: 2016-07-28 - Granted: 2017-09-26 - Earliest claimed: 2015-01-22 - Assignees: Tc1 LLC - Applicants: Tc1 LLC - Inventors: Adam R. Tanner; Paul F. Muller; Alan Schenck; Michael R. Butler; Todd Jenkins - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9770543B2 ## CPC - A61M 25/09: Guide wires - 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 60/237: the blood flow through the rotating member having mainly axial components, e.g. axial flow pumps - A61M 60/414: transmitted by a rotating cable, e.g. for blood pumps mounted on a catheter - A61M 60/419: the force acting on the blood contacting member being permanent magnetic, e.g. from a rotating magnetic coupling between driving and driven magnets - A61M 60/422: the force acting on the blood contacting member being electromagnetic, e.g. using canned motor pumps - A61M 60/508: Electronic control means, e.g. for feedback regulation - A61M 60/825: Contact bearings, e.g. ball-and-cup or pivot bearings - A61M 60/829: having a purge fluid supply - A61M 2205/3317: Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means - A61M 2205/3606: cooled - A61M 2205/366: by liquid heat exchangers - A61M 2205/3666: using heat loss of a motor - 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 catheter pump is disclosed. The catheter pump can include an impeller and a catheter body having a lumen in which waste fluid flows proximally therethrough during operation of the catheter pump. The catheter pump can also include a drive shaft disposed inside the catheter body. A motor assembly can include a chamber. The motor assembly can include a rotor disposed in the at least a portion of the chamber, the rotor mechanically coupled with a proximal portion of the drive shaft such that rotation of the rotor causes the drive shaft to rotate, the rotor including a longitudinal rotor lumen therethrough. The motor assembly can also comprise a stator assembly disposed about the rotor. During operation of the catheter pump, the waste fluid flows from the lumen into the chamber such that at least a portion of the waste fluid flows proximally through the longitudinal rotor lumen. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A catheter pump system comprising: an impeller; a catheter body having a lumen in which fluid flows proximally therethrough during operation of the catheter pump system; a drive shaft disposed inside the catheter body and coupled with the impeller at a distal portion of the drive shaft, the drive shaft configured such that rotation of the drive shaft causes the impeller to rotate; and a motor assembly comprising: a chamber, at least a portion of the chamber in fluid communication with the lumen of the catheter body; a rotor disposed in the at least a portion of the chamber, the rotor mechanically coupled with a proximal portion of the drive shaft such that rotation of the rotor causes the drive shaft to rotate; and a stator assembly disposed about the rotor and configured to cause the rotor to rotate, wherein the rotor includes a longitudinal rotor lumen therethrough, and wherein, during operation of the catheter pump system, the fluid flows from the lumen into the chamber such that at least a portion of the fluid flows proximally through the longitudinal rotor lumen. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The catheter pump system of claim 1, wherein no cooling fins extend outside an exterior surface of the motor assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The catheter pump system of claim 1, wherein, during operation of the catheter pump system, at least another portion of the fluid flows around the outer periphery of the rotor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The catheter pump system of claim 1, wherein, during operation of the catheter pump system, at least a second portion of the fluid is drawn from the lumen of the catheter body distal the motor assembly such that the second portion does not flow inside the chamber. ### Claim 5 A catheter pump system comprising: an impeller; a catheter body having a lumen in which fluid flows proximally therethrough during operation of the catheter pump system; a drive shaft disposed inside the catheter body and coupled with the impeller at a distal portion of the drive shaft, the drive shaft configured such that rotation of the drive shaft causes the impeller to rotate; and a motor assembly comprising: a chamber, at least a portion of the chamber in fluid communication with the lumen of the catheter body; a rotor disposed in the at least a portion of the chamber, the rotor mechanically coupled with a proximal portion of the drive shaft such that rotation of the rotor causes the drive shaft to rotate; and a stator assembly disposed about the rotor and configured to cause the rotor to rotate, wherein, during operation of the catheter pump system, all or substantially all of the fluid is drawn from the lumen of the catheter body distal the motor assembly such that the cooling fluid does not flow inside the chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The catheter pump system of claim 1, wherein the stator comprises a plurality of motor windings and the rotor comprises a magnet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The catheter pump system of claim 1, wherein the rotor is disposed on an output shaft, a distal portion of the output shaft welded to a proximal portion of the drive shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The catheter pump system of claim 1, wherein the catheter body comprises a supply lumen through which the fluid is provided to a distal portion of the catheter pump system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The catheter pump system of claim 8, wherein the chamber comprises a rotor chamber and a distal chamber in which a proximal portion of the catheter body is disposed, the supply lumen in fluid communication with the distal chamber but sealed from the rotor chamber, the rotor disposed in the rotor chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The catheter pump system of claim 9, wherein the lumen is in fluid communication with the longitudinal rotor lumen. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The catheter pump system of claim 9, further comprising a proximal chamber proximal the rotor chamber, the rotor chamber in fluid communication with the proximal chamber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The catheter pump system of claim 11, further comprising a waste line in fluid communication with the proximal chamber, the waste line configured to convey waste fluid to a waste reservoir. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The catheter pump system of claim 1, further comprising a first bearing and a second bearing disposed on opposing longitudinal sides of the rotor, the first and second bearings configured to radially and axially align the rotor relative to the stator assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The catheter pump system of claim 1, further comprising: a guidewire guide tube disposed in the lumen of the catheter body and the longitudinal rotor lumen, the guidewire guide tube configured to receive a guidewire therein for guiding the impeller to a target site of a patient; and an end cap secured to a proximal end portion of the guidewire guide tube, the end cap configured such that axial movement of the end cap relative to the motor assembly causes the guidewire guide tube to be removed from the catheter pump system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The catheter pump system of claim 14, further comprising a female receiver disposed in an opening of the end cap and secured to a proximal portion of the chamber, the end cap removably engaged with the female receiver. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The catheter pump system of claim 1, further comprising a motor housing enclosing the motor assembly and a heat removal system which dissipates heat from the motor assembly, the heat removal system disposed entirely within the motor housing. ### Claim 17 A catheter pump system comprising: an impeller; a catheter body having a lumen therethrough, the impeller mechanically coupled with a distal portion of the catheter body; a guidewire guide tube disposed through the lumen from a proximal portion of the catheter pump system to a distal portion of the catheter pump system, the guidewire guide tube configured to receive a guidewire therein; an end cap secured to a proximal end portion of the guide tube, the end cap configured such that axial movement of the end cap relative to the catheter body causes the guidewire guide tube to be removed from the catheter pump system; and a resealable closure device disposed at a proximal portion of the catheter pump system, the closure device configured such that when the guidewire guide tube is removed from the catheter pump system, the closure device encloses the proximal portion of the catheter pump system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The catheter pump system of claim 17, further comprising a female receiver disposed in an opening of the end cap, the end cap removably engaged with the female receiver. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The catheter pump system of claim 17, further comprising a motor housing disposed between the end cap and the catheter body, the motor housing configured to drive the impeller. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The catheter pump system of claim 19, wherein the motor assembly comprises a stator assembly and a rotor, the rotor disposed radially within the stator assembly. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The catheter pump system of claim 17, further comprising a motor and a drive shaft rotationally coupling the motor to the impeller, wherein the drive shaft is positioned inside the catheter body. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The catheter pump system of claim 1, wherein the drive shaft is porous and configured to enable fluid to flow therethrough. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The catheter pump system of claim 22, wherein the drive shaft comprises braided wire. ### Claim 24 A catheter pump system comprising: a pump including an impeller for pumping blood; a motor assembly for imparting rotation on the impeller through a drive shaft, the motor assembly comprising: a stator carrying electrical windings; and a rotor disposed in at least a portion of the stator, the rotor mechanically coupled with a proximal portion of the drive shaft; and a fluid supply system for delivering fluid to the pump during operation of the pump and returning at least some of the supplied fluid to a waste reservoir; wherein the fluid supply system comprises a fluid channel extending within the stator and a fluid pathway which passes outside the stator, wherein, during operation of the pump, at least a first portion of the returning fluid passes through the fluid channel and at least a second portion of the returning fluid passes through the fluid pathway. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The catheter pump system of claim 24, wherein the fluid channel comprises a central lumen in the rotor. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The catheter pump system of claim 24, further comprising a chamber in which the rotor is disposed, wherein the fluid channel comprises a gap between the stator and the chamber. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The catheter pump system of claim 24, wherein the fluid is saline. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The catheter pump system of claim 1, further comprising a fluid supply system for delivering fluid to the catheter pump system during operation of the catheter pump system and returning at least some of the supplied fluid to a waste reservoir, wherein the fluid supply system comprises a fluid channel extending within the stator assembly and a fluid pathway which passes outside the stator assembly, wherein, during operation of the catheter pump system, at least a first portion of the returning fluid passes through the fluid channel and at least a second portion of the returning fluid passes through the fluid pathway.