How to make a blood pump

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide an intravascular blood pump and a method for manufacturing an intravascular blood pump. [Solution] The intravascular blood pump P comprises a pumping device 1 including an impeller 6 and an electric motor for driving the impeller 6. The rotor 7 of the electric motor is rotatable around a rotation axis and is coupled to the impeller 6 so as to cause the impeller 6 to rotate. An outer sleeve 13 forms the casing of the pumping device 1, and the stator components are fixed inside the outer sleeve 13 using a pourable molding material 18. In a method for manufacturing the blood pump P, the stator components, including the outer sleeve 13, are placed on a molding base 30, forming a gap 19 between the molding base 30 and the outer sleeve 13 in which the stator components are placed. The pourable molding material 18 is injected into the gap 19 via the molding base to fix the stator components inside the outer sleeve 13.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a blood pump (P), wherein the blood pump comprises a pumping device (1) including an impeller (6) and an electric motor for driving the impeller (6), the electric motor comprising a stator and a rotor (7), the rotor (7) being rotatable around a rotation axis and coupled to the impeller (6) so as to cause the impeller (6) to rotate, and the method is - A step of providing a molded base (30) that is sized and shaped to receive stator components, - The step of placing the stator components on the molded base (30), - The step of placing an outer sleeve (13) having a length extending in the direction of the rotation axis and a closed circular cross-section with a cross-section perpendicular to the direction of the rotation axis on the molding base (30), thereby forming a gap (19) between the molding base (30) and the outer sleeve (13) on which at least a portion of the outer surface of the blood pump and the stator components are arranged, - The steps of injecting the pourable molding material (18) into the gap (19) via the molding base and fixing the stator components inside the outer sleeve (13), A method characterized by including the following.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer sleeve (13) includes a magnetically conductive material for forming the yoke of the electric motor.

3. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that the outer sleeve (13) includes a metal or a metal alloy.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the step of injecting the pourable material (18) includes feeding the pourable material (18) into the gap (19) through the molding base (30).

5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the step of injecting the pourable material (18) is carried out in a low-pressure atmosphere such that the gap (19) becomes substantially a vacuum.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the step of injecting the pourable material (18) includes sending an excess amount of pourable material into the gap (19) and guiding it through to the riser (19a).

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the molding base (30) is a disposable part.

8. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the molding base (30) is provided as an injection-molded part.

9. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the molding base (30) contains a polymer.

10. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the polymer is polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

11. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, The molding base (30) has a longitudinal axis that extends from the cross-section of the molding base (30) perpendicular to the cross-section and toward the center, A method characterized in that the molding base (30) includes a pin (36) that is arranged along the longitudinal axis of the molding base (30) and protrudes from the molding base (30).

12. A method according to claim 11, characterized in that the pin (36) is provided as a metal pin.

13. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the pourable molding material (18) includes a polymer material.

14. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that the polymer material is an epoxy resin.

15. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the method further comprises the step of sealing the outer sleeve (13) to the outside before the step of injecting the pourable material (18).

16. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, further comprising the step of connecting an electrical wire (10) to at least one of the stator components prior to the step of arranging the outer sleeve (13) on the molding base (30).

17. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the step of arranging the stator components on the molding base (30) includes arranging an inner sleeve (14) on the molding base (30) such that the gap (19) for injecting the pourable material (18) is formed between the inner sleeve (14) and the outer sleeve (13), and the inner sleeve (14) forms a cavity (22) for receiving the rotor (7).

18. A method according to claim 17, comprising the step of providing at least one seal ring (40a, 40b) between the outer sleeve (13) and the inner sleeve (14) to thereby form a seal between them.

19. A method according to claim 18, characterized in that the two seal rings (40a, 40b) are provided in a row in the direction of the rotation axis.

20. The method according to claim 18 or 19, - The step of curing the pourable material to form a first casing section, - A step of mounting a second casing section onto the first casing section, wherein an additional seal ring (40c) is positioned between the first and second casing sections to seal the at least one seal ring (40a, 40b) against the cavity (22), A method characterized by further comprising:

21. The method according to claim 17, - The step of curing the pourable material to form a first casing section, - A step of mounting the first casing section onto the second casing section, wherein the liquid sealing material (40) is positioned between the first casing section and the second casing section at the joint with the inner sleeve (14), - The steps of curing the liquid sealing material (40) and sealing the first casing section to the second casing section at the joint portion with the inner sleeve (14), A method characterized by further comprising:

22. An intravascular blood pump (P) comprising a pumping device (1) including an impeller (6) and an electric motor for driving the impeller (6), wherein the electric motor includes a stator and a rotor (7), the rotor (7) being rotatable about a rotation axis and coupled to the impeller (6) so as to cause the impeller (6) to rotate, and the blood pump (P) further comprising an outer sleeve (13) having a length extending in the direction of the rotation axis and a closed circular cross-section perpendicular to the direction of the rotation axis, the outer sleeve (13) forming at least a portion of the outer surface of the pumping device (1), a stator component provided radially inward of the outer sleeve (13), and a pourable material (18) provided radially inward of the outer sleeve (13) for fixing the stator component radially inward of the outer sleeve (13).

23. An intravascular blood pump according to claim 22, characterized in that the outer sleeve (13) includes a magnetically conductive material for forming the yoke of the electric motor.

24. An intravascular blood pump according to claim 23, characterized in that the outer sleeve (13) includes metal or a metal alloy.

25. An intravascular blood pump according to any one of claims 22 to 24, comprising an inner sleeve (14) for forming a cavity (22) in which the rotor (7) is received, wherein the inner sleeve (14) is positioned inside the outer sleeve (13), and a gap (19) is formed between the inner sleeve (14) and the outer sleeve (13) in which the stator components fixed by the poured material (18) are positioned.

26. An intravascular blood pump according to claim 25, characterized in that the inner sleeve (14) is made of a ceramic material.

27. An intravascular blood pump according to claim 25 or 26, comprising at least one sealing ring (40a, 40b) between the outer sleeve (13) and the inner sleeve (14) that forms a seal between them.

28. An intravascular blood pump according to claim 27, characterized in that the two seal rings (40a, 40b) are provided in a row in the direction of the rotation axis.

29. An intravascular blood pump according to claim 27 or 28, comprising a further seal ring (40c) arranged to seal the at least one seal ring (40a, 40b) with respect to the cavity (22).

30. An intravascular blood pump according to claim 25 or 26, characterized in that it comprises a dried liquid sealing material (40) positioned at the joint with the inner sleeve (14) to seal the pourable material (18) in the gap (19) to the cavity (22).

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