Expandable Pump Blade Lamellae for Low-Force Vessel Insertion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing micropumps face challenges in achieving high compressibility with minimal force expenditure to facilitate easy withdrawal from body vessels without causing damage, while maintaining efficiency and low consumption.

Innovation Solution

A blade design featuring pivotable lamellae that form a continuous surface in the expanded state, allowing for easy compression and expansion, with lamellae mounted on the rotor shaft or webs, providing stability and impermeability, and enabling efficient fluid flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the blade is subdivided into multiple partial blades to improve compressibility, then the compressibility is improved, but the intrinsic stability of the partial blades deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecompressibilityVSAvoidintrinsic stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The blade is divided into multiple partial blades that can be compressed individually, enabling the overall blade structure to achieve high compressibility while maintaining functional integrity through the segmented design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The partial blades are designed to nest within each other during compression, with each partial blade containing or being contained by adjacent partial blades, creating a compact nested configuration that maximizes compressibility while maintaining stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of operation

If the pump is compressed to be pushed through narrow openings, then the ease of operation is improved, but the force expenditure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of insertionVSAvoidforce expenditure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The blade design incorporates dynamic compression capabilities where the partial blades can flex and compress in sequence, allowing the pump to be inserted with minimal force while maintaining the ability to expand to full operational size upon deployment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If the blade is made more compressible with fewer parts, then the device complexity is reduced, but the stability and impermeability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of partsVSAvoidimpermeability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The partial blades are constructed using flexible membrane structures that maintain impermeability while allowing compression, replacing rigid multi-part constructions with integrated flexible components that seal effectively during both compressed and expanded states

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS11994133B2Compressible and expandable blade for a fluid pump

Publication Date: 2024.05.28 ECP ENTWICKLUNGSGMBH

AI summary

The invention relates to a compressible and expandable blade for the rotor of a fluid pump having at least two lamellae which are disposed adjacently, are pivotable respectively relative to an axis of rotation of the rotor and moveable relative to each other, and abut against each other in the expanded state of the blade such that they form together a continuous blade surface.