Offset Rotor Blade Structure for Compressible Blood Pumps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blood pumps face challenges in achieving efficient deployment and operation due to the need for compressible and expandable rotors that can withstand compression forces without deformation, while also being cost-effectively manufacturable.
Innovation Solution
The design of a rotor with offset rotor blades extending from a hub along axes that are offset from the radial axis, allowing for smooth folding and unfolding, reducing stress and strain, and enabling the use of less expensive materials for manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the rotor is designed to be compressible and expandable for efficient deployment, then the ease of operation is improved, but the rotor may deform under compression forces reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor is divided into multiple rotor blades that are independently configured with offset axes, allowing each blade to compress and expand in a controlled manner while maintaining overall structural integrity and preventing deformation under compression forces
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor blades are designed with asymmetric offset axes relative to the radial axis, creating an asymmetric structural configuration that enables controlled compression and expansion while maintaining strength and preventing deformation during deployment operations
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional rotor blade designs are used, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the rotor experiences kinking and stress during compression
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor blades are configured with offset axes that are asymmetric relative to the radial axis, creating a structural design that eliminates kinking and stress during compression while remaining manufacturable using conventional techniques such as injection molding or vacuum molding
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor blades incorporate curved or helical geometries with varying pitch along the hub length, creating smooth continuous surfaces that prevent kinking during compression and expansion cycles while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through conventional molding processes
3Reliability
If expensive materials are used to prevent deformation, then the reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor blade geometry parameters are optimized with specific offset distances and helical pitch variations, allowing the use of less expensive materials while maintaining reliability by preventing deformation through geometric design rather than material selection
Solution Approach 2:
The asymmetric offset configuration of rotor blades creates inherent structural stability that prevents deformation under compression forces, enabling the use of cost-effective materials while maintaining high reliability standards
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present technology relate to compressible and expandable pumps. In one aspect, a pump is provided including a pump housing that is expandable and compressible and a rotor that is expandable and compressible and disposed in the pump housing. The rotor includes at least one rotor blade, a hub, and an axis of rotation. At least a portion of the at least one rotor blade extends from the hub along a first axis that is offset a predetermined distance from a radial axis of the rotor that traverses the axis of rotation. The pump further includes a drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the hub of the rotor is mounted to the distal end of the drive shaft and the drive shaft is rotated to rotate the rotor.