Rotary blood pump

摘要

Various “contactless” bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic, hydrostatic, and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. These design features may be combined. In one embodiment, the pump apparatus includes a rotor having a bore, a ring-shaped upper rotor bearing magnet, and a ring-shaped lower rotor bearing magnet. The bearing magnets are concentric with the bore. The lack of mechanical contact bearings enables longer life pump operation and less damage to working fluids such as blood.

主权项

1. A pump apparatus comprising:
a housing; a spindle extending from said housing; a rotor having a through-bore through which said spindle extends; an axial magnetic bearing comprising:
a ring-shaped upper rotor bearing magnet concentric with the bore;a ring-shaped lower rotor bearing magnet concentric with the bore;a ring-shaped upper spindle bearing magnet;a ring-shaped lower spindle bearing magnet; and, a hydrodynamic thrust bearing comprised of a plurality of discrete wedge-shaped surfaces disposed between said rotor and said housing.