Implantable heart pump

Claim 2

A heart pump, comprising: a. a housing; b. a blood pumping element mounted in said housing for opposed systolic and diastolic displacement relative to a portion of said housing and defining with said portion a blood chamber; c. inlet means and outlet means communicating with said chamber; d. drive means in said housing having an independent, predetermined driving period; e. means substantially associating said drive means with said pumping element during said period for effecting systolic displacement of said element; and f. said drive means being substantially disassociated from said pumping element during diastolic displacement, whereby diastolic displacement of said element is substantially directly related to blood pressure and volume presented at said inlet means.

Claim 3

The heart pump of claim 1 in which: g. a pair of said blood pumping elements and a pair of portions of said housing define a pair of blood chambers; h. a pair of said drive means, each associated with one of said elements, having the same driving period.

Claim 4

a main spool means seated within said valve body for displacement under urging of said gas for controlling passage of said gas through said passages to said main spool means for initiating displacement thereof;

Claim 5

a main spool means seated within said valve body for displacement under urging of said gas for controlling passage of said gas through said passages to said main spool means for initiating displacement thereof;

Claim 6

The heart pump of claim 1, including: g. means yieldably urging said element in the direction of diastolic displacement.

Claim 7

The heart pump of claim 1, in which: g. said driving perioD includes extension and retraction; and h. means temporarily associating said drive means with said element during the initial portion of retraction for initiating diastolic displacement of said element.

Claim 8

said cylinder and said control assembly being operably connected such that passage of said gas from said reversing spool to said main spool is responsive to displacement of said cylinder.

Claim 9

said cylinder and said control assembly being operably connected such that passage of said gas from said reversing spool to said main spool is responsive to displacement of said cylinder.

Claim 10

The heart pump of claim 1, including: g. means temporarily cushioning the association of said drive means with said element during the initial portion of said driving period.

Claim 11

An implantable heart pump, comprising: a. means defining at least one blood chamber; b. blood inlet means for each said chamber; c. blood outlet means for each said chamber; d. a housing for pump components; e. each said blood chamber partially defined by an associated portion of said housing; f. a blood pumping element associated with each said chamber and defining a portion thereof; g. each said pumping element being adapted for variable reciprocating displacement relative to said associated portion of said housing along a path of displacement; h. each said pumping element including within said housing venous blood response means for directly relating said displacement to blood pressure and volume presented at said blood inlet means associated therewith whereby the volume of blood filling of said chamber inherently is responsive to the blood volume and pressure so presented; i. sealing means associated with each said blood chamber between said portion of said housing and said pumping element; j. said pumping element having a wall with a first surface for contacting blood in said blood chamber and an opposite second surface sealed from said first surface by said sealing means; k. cylinder means adapted for reciprocating displacement along said path and having a surface in opposed relation to said second surface of said wall; l. drive means for imparting said reciprocating displacement to said cylinder means; m. said pumping element and said cylinder means being operably connected such that they are displaceable relative to each other and also are adapted for displacement together.

Claim 12

An implantable heart pump, comprising: a. means defining at least one blood chamber; b. blood inlet means for each said chamber; c. blood outlet means for each said chamber; d. a housing for pump components; e. each said blood chamber partially defined by an associated portion of said housing; f. a blood pumping element associated with each said chamber and defining a portion thereof; g. each said pumping element being adapted for variable reciprocating displacement relative to said associated portion of said housing along a path of displacement; h. each said pumping element including within said housing venous blood response means for directly relating said displacement to blood pressure and volume presented at said blood inlet means associated therewith whereby the volume of blood filling of said chamber inherently is responsive to the blood volume and pressure so presented; i. sealing means associated with each said blood chamber between said portion of said housing and said pumping element; j. said pumping element having a wall with a first surface for contacting blood in said blood chamber and an opposite second surface sealed from said first surface by said sealing means; k. cylinder means adapted for reciprocating displacement along said path and having a surface in opposed relation to said second surface of said wall; l. drive means for imparting said reciprocating displacement to said cylinder means; m. said pumping element and said cylinder means being operably connected such that they are displaceable relative to each other and also are adapted for displacement together.

Claim 13

The implantable heart pump of claim 6, wherein: n. said drive means for said cylinder means is responsive to displacement of said cylinder means.

Claim 14

The implantable heart pump of claim 7, wherein: o. said drive means is a gas actuated means.

Claim 15

An implantable heart pump, comprising: a. a housing; b. a blood chamber partially defined by a portion of said housing; c. a blood inlet for said chamber; d. a blood outlet for said chamber; e. a blood pumping piston defining a portion of said chamber and being adapted for reciprocating variable displacement relative to said portion of said housing along a path of displacement; f. resilient sealing means between said portion of said housing and said piston; g. means in said housing for rendering the displacement of said piston relative to said portion of said housing dependent on the volume and pressure of blood presented at said blood inlet means for filling of said chamber; h. said piston having a hollow portion opening away from said chamber in the direction of said path of displacement; i. a double acting gas cylinder located within said hollow portion and displaceable along said path for initiating said displacement of said piston; j. a source of gas under pressure; k. a gas conduit between said source and portions of said gas cylinder; l. a gas control assembly interposed between said gas cylinder and said gas source for directing said gas to different portions of said gas cylinder for alternately initiating forward and reverse displacement of said gas cylinder; m. said cylinder and said control assembly being operatively connected such that the initiation of displacement of said gas cylinder is responsive to positioning of said gas cylinder along said path.

Claim 16

An implantable heart pump, comprising: a. a housing; b. a blood chamber partially defined by a portion of said housing; c. a blood inlet for said chamber; d. a blood outlet for said chamber; e. a blood pumping piston defining a portion of said chamber and being adapted for reciprocating variable displacement relative to said portion of said housing along a path of displacement; f. resilient sealing means between said portion of said housing and said piston; g. means in said housing for rendering the displacement of said piston relative to said portion of said housing dependent on the volume and pressure of blood presented at said blood inlet means for filling of said chamber; h. said piston having a hollow portion opening away from said chamber in the direction of said path of displacement; i. a double acting gas cylinder located within said hollow portion and displaceable along said path for initiating said displacement of said piston; j. a source of gas under pressure; k. a gas conduit between said source and portions of said gas cylinder; l. a gas control assembly interposed between said gas cylinder and said gas source for directing said gas to different portions of said gas cylinder for alternately initiating forward and reverse displacement of said gas cylinder; m. said cylinder and said control assembly being operatively connected such that the initiation of displacement of said gas cylinder is responsive to positioning of said gas cylinder along said path.

Claim 17

The implantable heart pump of claim 9, including: n. a stationary rod extending axially within said cylinder and having gas passages therein; o. a central bore in said stationary rod; p. a central rod within said bore and fixed to said cylinder for displacement therewith and having gas passages therein; q. said passages in said stationary rod and in said central rod being alignable according to said positioning of said cylinder for passage of gas from said source for initiation of said displacement of said cylinder.

Claim 18

The implantable heart pump of claim 9, wherein: n. said piston and said cylinder have opposed surfaces with clearance space therebetween; and o. said clearance space is in communication with atmospheric air.

Claim 19

The implantable heart pump of claim 9, wherein: n. said gas control assembly includes:

Claim 20

The implantable heart pump of claim 9, wherein:

Claim 21

An implantable heart pump, comprising: a. a rigid pump case; b. a variable displacement blood piston in said case; c. means for displacing said blood piston; d. a blood inlet valve and a blood outlet valve mounted in said case respectively for passage of blood thereinto upon retraction of said piston and therefrom upon extension of said piston; e. a control assembly for alternately initiating extension and retraction of said piston; f. means for generating a signal within said case; g. said control assembly initiating said displacement of said piston responsive to transmission of said signal from within said case; h. the distance of displacement of said piston being dependent upon the volume and pressure of blood presented at said blood inlet valve; and i. movable means at the proximal side of said piston for displacement in the direction of displacement of said piston and relative thereto, said transmission of said signal to said control assembly being dependent upon the position of said movable means.

Claim 22

An implantable heart pump, comprising: a. a rigid pump case; b. a variable displacement blood piston in said case; c. means for displacing said blood piston; d. a blood inlet valve and a blood outlet valve mounted in said case respectively for passage of blood thereinto upon retraction of said piston and therefrom upon extension of said piston; e. a control assembly for alternately initiating extension and retraction of said piston; f. means for generating a signal within said case; g. said control assembly initiating said displacement of said piston responsive to transmission of said signal from within said case; h. the distance of displacement of said piston being dependent upon the volume and pressure of blood presented at said blood inlet valve; and i. movable means at the proximal side of said piston for displacement in the direction of displacement of said piston and relative thereto, said transmission of said signal to said control assembly being dependent upon the position of said movable means.

Claim 23

In an implantable heart pump including at least one variable displacement blood pumping piston and a gas driven means for alternately initiating systolic and diastolic displacement of said piston, gas control means, comprising: a. a first circuit for gas for driving said gas driven means; b. a second circuit for conducting gas pulses transmitted from said gas driven means when said means is in positions for initiating said systolic and diastolic displacement of said piston; c. a displaceable main spool interposed in said first and second circuits for directing driving gas to said gas driven means; d. a displaceable reversing spool interposed in said first and second circuits for alternately directing said pulses to opposite ends of said main spool for causing reciprocation of same whereby driving gas is alternately directed by said main spool to different portions of said gas driven means for alternately initiating said systolic and diastolic displacement of said piston.

Claim 24

In an implantable heart pump including at least one variable displacement blood pumping piston and a gas driven means for alternately initiating systolic and diastolic displacement of said piston, gas control means, comprising: a. a first circuit for gas for driving said gas driven means; b. a second circuit for conducting gas pulses transmitted from said gas driven means when said means is in positions for initiating said systolic and diastolic displacement of said piston; c. a displaceable main spool interposed in said first and second circuits for directing driving gas to said gas driven means; d. a displaceable reversing spool interposed in said first and second circuits for alternately directing said pulses to opposite ends of said main spool for causing reciprocation of same whereby driving gas is alternately directed by said main spool to different portions of said gas driven means for alternately initiating said systolic and diastolic displacement of said piston.

Claim 25

The control means of claim 15, including: e. pressure regulating means for regulating gas pressure in said first circuit such that the pressure of gas applied to said gas driven means during systolic displacement of said piston is higher than the pressure of gas applied during diastolic displacement.

Claim 26

The control means of claim 15, including: e. adjustable nozzle means in said second circuit for adjusting the duration and pressure of said gas pulses.

Claim 27

The control means of claim 15, for use in said implantable heart pump having two Variable displacement blood pumping pistons and associated gas driven means, including: e. a first portion of said first circuit for gas for driving one of said gas driven means; f. a second portion of said first circuit for gas for driving the other one of said gas driven means; g. pressure regulating means in said first circuit for separately regulating the pressures of gas in said first and second portions whereby different pressures are applied to each of said gas driven means during systolic displacement of said pistons.