Pulsatile blood pumping systems

Abstract

A blood pumping system to support living organisms based on a spherical multi vane and multi chamber pump with an oscillating motion that delivers pulsatile flow. The blood pumping system includes a number of design elements that address the particular needs and compatibility issues (both biological and hemological) of a blood pumping system.

1 . A pulsatile blood pumping system comprising: 
 a housing having a wall defining a generally spherical interior, said housing having at least one intake port opening in communication with said interior of said housing and at least one discharge port opening in communication with said interior of said housing, comprising:    a first shaft mounted for rotation relative to said housing about a primary axis;    at least one primary vane disposed within said interior of said housing that rotates about said primary axis of said first shaft;    at least one secondary vane disposed within the interior of said housing and mounted to said primary vane on a first pivotal axis, said secondary vane pivotally oscillating between alternating relatively open and closed positions with respect to said primary vane and defining at least a chamber within said housing interior having a volume which varies as said primary vane is rotated about said primary axis;    wherein said at least one intake port opening and said at least one discharge port opening are connected to circulate at least one blood fluid through a living organism.    
   
   
       2 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 1  wherein materials of construction for said pulsatile blood pumping system are selected from the group consisting of Teflon, titanium, pyrolytic carbon, Dacron, heparin, and polyurethane.  
   
   
       3 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 1  wherein said secondary vane is pivotally coupled to a carrier ring, so that said secondary vane is pivotal about a second pivotal axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said carrier ring causing said secondary vane to reciprocate between relatively open and closed positions as said secondary vane is rotated about said primary axis by said first shaft; the axis of rotation of said carrier ring being oriented at an oblique angle in relation to said primary axis of said first shaft.  
   
   
       4 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 3  further comprising a second shaft that extends into said interior of said housing opposite said first shaft, said second shaft having a spherical portion about which said primary vane rotates and wherein said carrier ring is rotatably carried on said spherical portion of said second shaft.  
   
   
       5 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 4  wherein said first shaft is rotatably coupled to said spherical portion of said second shaft to provide rigidity to the structure.  
   
   
       6 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 5 , wherein said rotatable coupling is accomplished by an extension of a portion of said first shaft into said spherical portion of said second shaft.  
   
   
       7 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 5  wherein said rotatable coupling is accomplished by an extension of a portion of said spherical portion of said second shaft into said first shaft.  
   
   
       8 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 5;  wherein a fluid channel is provided through the center of said first shaft, into said spherical portion of said second shaft, and out said second shaft, providing for a flow of lubricant and/or coolant through the interior members of said pulsatile blood pumping system.  
   
   
       9 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 4  wherein seals are installed on both primary and secondary vanes to contact said housing during operation and wherein seals are installed on both primary and secondary vanes to contact said spherical portion of said second shaft during operation.  
   
   
       10 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 4  wherein said second shaft is adjustably mounted to said housing so that said second shaft can be oriented in various fixed positions, and further comprising; 
 an adjustable vane guide bearing member disposed within said housing, wherein the adjustable vane guide bearing member oscillates said secondary vane between relatively open and closed positions relative to said primary vane in response to rotation of said primary vane, varying the point during rotation of said first shaft and said primary vane at which said secondary vane reaches the relatively open and closed positions relative to said housing and said port opening so that communication of said port opening with said chamber is adjusted and therefore the fluid flow volume and/or direction is adjusted.    
   
   
       11 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 3  wherein said carrier ring is an exterior ring mounted in said wall of said housing.  
   
   
       12 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 1  wherein a flow pulse profile created by said pulsatile blood pumping system is adjusted through the use of a flow element that is resistive and/or capacitive in nature, said flow element being in communication with said pulsatile blood pumping system.  
   
   
       13 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 1  wherein the flow rate through said at least one discharge port opening of said pulsatile blood pumping system is adjusted based on feedback from sensors in said living organism.  
   
   
       14 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 13  wherein said sensor senses flow pulsations of at least one of the heart ventricles of said living organism and adjusts said rotational speed of said first shaft to coincide pulsatile flow of said pulsatile blood pumping system with said flow pulsations of said heart ventricle.  
   
   
       15 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 13  wherein said sensor senses flow demand of at least one of the heart ventricles of said living organism and adjusts said rotational speed of said first shaft to match said flow demand.  
   
   
       16 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 1  wherein said pulsatile blood pumping system is implanted into the body of said living organism.  
   
   
       17 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 16  wherein said pulsatile blood pumping system is attached to the bones, muscles, sinews and/or internal organs of said living organism.  
   
   
       18 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 16  wherein the exposed surfaces in said pulsatile blood pumping system are porous to promote ingrowth of host cells to further anchor and provide biocompatibility within said living organism.  
   
   
       19 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 16  wherein a motor to rotate said first shaft is connected directly to said first shaft and fixedly mounted to said housing.  
   
   
       20 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 16  wherein a detached motor to rotate said first shaft is mechanically and/or electromagnetically linked to said first shaft.  
   
   
       21 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 16  wherein the power to rotate said first shaft is supplied transcutaneously.  
   
   
       22 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 20  wherein power to rotate said first shaft is transmitted via magnets coupled across skin surface.  
   
   
       23 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 20  wherein said pulsatile blood pumping system is implanted in chest cavity of living organism and said detached motor is implanted in abdominal cavity.  
   
   
       24 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 1  wherein said pulsatile blood pumping system is located outside the body of said living organism.  
   
   
       25 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 24  wherein a motor to rotate said first shaft is connected directly to said first shaft and fixedly mounted to said housing.  
   
   
       26 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 24  wherein a motor to rotate said first shaft is mechanically and/or electromagnetically linked to said first shaft, but physically detached from said housing.  
   
   
       27 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 24  wherein said at least one intake port opening and said at least one discharge port openings are accomplished by changeable port inserts.  
   
   
       28 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 27  wherein said changeable port inserts are eccentric in shape.  
   
   
       29 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 1  wherein at least one blood-contacting surface of said pulsatile blood pumping system is selected from the group consisting of heparin, acetylsalicylic acid and derivatives of any of the foregoing.  
   
   
       30 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 1  wherein at least one additive to blood flowing through said pulsatile blood pumping system is selected from the group consisting of heparin, acetylsalicylic acid and derivatives of any of the foregoing.  
   
   
       31 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 4  wherein a fluid channel is provided through the center of said first shaft, into said spherical portion of said second shaft, and out said second shaft or out said first shaft, providing for a flow of a flushing medium through the interior members of said pulsatile blood pumping system.  
   
   
       32 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 1  wherein seals are provided between relatively moving surfaces in said pulsatile blood pumping system to limit the flow of said blood fluid between said relatively moving surfaces.  
   
   
       33 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 1  wherein said primary vanes and/or secondary vanes include magnetic portions that are acted upon by electromagnetic fields that are generated from within said housing wall or from outside of said housing wall, wherein said action causes said rotation of said primary vane and causes said oscillation of said secondary vanes.  
   
   
       34 . The pulsatile blood pumping system of  claim 11  wherein said external carrier ring includes magnetic portions that are acted upon by electromagnetic fields that are generated from within said housing wall or from outside of said housing wall, wherein said action causes said rotation of said primary vane and said oscillation of said secondary vanes.