Reciprocating Cardiac Assist Pump to Reduce Blood Cell Damage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cardiac assist pumps with rotary designs cause excessive damage to blood cells and interfere with the natural pulsatile flow of the heart due to high rotational speeds and constant flow characteristics.

Innovation Solution

Development of linearly reciprocating cardiac assist pumps with expandable housings and valve members, such as flexible diaphragms or valve cones, that mimic the natural pulsatile flow of the heart, minimizing blood cell damage and maintaining compatibility with the heart's pumping action.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If rotary type pumps are used to provide sufficient pressure and blood flow, then pumping performance is improved, but blood cell damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblood flowVSAvoidblood cell damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional rotary pumping mechanism by employing a linear reciprocating piston design. Instead of rotating impellers that generate continuous centrifugal force, the invention uses a linear piston that moves back and forth to create pulsatile flow, fundamentally changing the motion paradigm to reduce shear stress on blood cells while maintaining pumping effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic reciprocating motion of the piston to create pulsatile blood flow that mimics natural cardiac cycles. The piston undergoes cyclic expansion and contraction phases, generating pulse-like flow patterns that are gentler on blood cells compared to continuous rotary motion, while still providing adequate cardiac output

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Stress or pressure

If high rotational speed pumps are used to maintain sufficient pressure, then pumping performance is improved, but interference with heart valves and natural pumping action increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblood pressureVSAvoidinterference with heart valves

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic reciprocating motion that adapts to the natural rhythm of the heart. The piston's linear motion creates variable flow rates during different phases of the cardiac cycle, allowing the pump to work in harmony with rather than against the heart's natural pumping action, thereby reducing interference with valve operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The reciprocating piston maintains continuous blood flow through the heart by alternating between filling and ejection phases. This continuous pulsatile action ensures that blood flow is never interrupted, while the rhythmic nature of the motion allows the heart to maintain its own pumping cycle without excessive mechanical interference

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS12485267B2Linear cardiac assist pulsatile pump

Publication Date: 2025.12.02 SUMMACOR INC

AI summary

Described herein are pumps that linearly reciprocate to assist with circulating blood within the body of a patient. Red blood cell damage may be avoided or minimized by such linear pump movement. The linearly reciprocating movement may also generate a pulsatile pumping cycle that mimics the natural pumping cycle of the heart. The pumps may be configured to reside at various body locations. For example, the pumps may be situated within the right ventricle, the left ventricle, the ascending aorta, the descending aorta, the thoracic aorta, or the abdominal aorta. In some instances, the pump may be deployed within the venous circulation. In other instances, the pump may reside outside the patient.