Blood pump connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12021329-B2
Application number	US-202117319782-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2021
Priority date	Apr 30, 2018
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

An implantable blood pump system is disclosed herein. The implantable blood pump system includes an implantable blood pump, a controller coupled to the blood pump, a connector receptacle, and a connector insert. The connector receptacle can include a plurality of contacts, and a following surface. The connector insert can be received within the connector receptacle to couple a plurality of insert contacts with the plurality of contacts of the connector receptacle. The connector insert can include walls defining a follower receptacle that can receive a portion of the following surface when the connector insert is in a desired alignment with respect to the connector receptacle, and a cam surface that can engage with the following surface to bias the connector insert to the desired alignment with respect to the connector receptacle when the connector insert is inserted into the connector receptacle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A blood pump controller comprising:
a blood pump controller housing having an external surface defining an internal volume; and
a connector receptacle located in the housing, the connector receptacle configured to receive a connector insert, the connector receptacle comprising:
a side wall extending from the external surface of the housing into the internal volume and to a bottom of the connector receptacle, the side wall and the bottom together defining a receptacle volume having an opening proximate to the external surface of the housing;
a plurality of electrical contacts configured for mating with corresponding contacts of a connector insert when the connector insert is coupled with the connector receptacle;
an orientation feature configured to engage with at least one mating feature of the connector insert to move the connector insert to a desired alignment with respect to the connector receptacle while the connector insert is inserted into the connector receptacle; and
a drain feature configured to allow draining of any liquid in the connector receptacle when the connector insert is received within the connector receptacle.

2. The blood pump controller of claim 1 , wherein the orientation feature comprises a key extending from the side wall into the receptacle volume, wherein the key is configured to engage an alignment cam on the connector insert.

3. The blood pump controller of claim 2 , wherein the key is configured to be received within a key slot on the connector insert when the connector insert is at the desired alignment with respect to the connector receptacle and fully received within the receptacle volume.

4. The blood pump controller of claim 3 , wherein the key comprises a pointed key having a point.

5. The blood pump controller of claim 4 , wherein the point of the pointed key engages with the alignment cam when the connector insert is inserted into the connector receptacle.

6. The blood pump controller of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of electrical contacts are on the bottom of the connector receptacle.

7. The blood pump controller of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of electrical contacts are arranged in a ring on the bottom of the connector receptacle.

8. The blood pump controller of claim 7 , further comprising a seal configured to provide an environmental barrier when mating with at least a portion of the connector insert when the connector insert is received within the connector receptacle.

9. The blood pump controller of claim 8 , wherein the seal extends around the opening of the receptacle volume.

10. An implantable blood pump system comprising:
an implantable blood pump;
a controller coupled to the blood pump;
a connector receptacle comprising:
a plurality of contacts;
walls defining a follower receptacle; and
a cam surface; and

a connector insert configured to be received within the connector receptacle to couple a plurality of insert contacts with the plurality of contacts of the connector receptacle, the connector insert comprising:
a following surface configured to engage with the cam surface to bias the connector insert to a desired alignment with respect to the connector receptacle when the connector insert is inserted into the connector receptacle, and wherein at least a portion of the following surface is configured to be received within the follower receptacle when the connector insert is in a desired alignment with respect to the connector receptacle, wherein the following surface comprises a key and a circular cylindrical member extending from a side of the connector insert.

11. The implantable blood pump system of claim 10 , wherein the implantable blood pump system comprises a locking member extending at least partially around the connector receptacle.

12. The implantable blood pump system of claim 11 , wherein the locking member comprises a channel in which the connector receptacle is at least partially received.

13. The implantable blood pump system of claim 12 , wherein the locking member is rotatable about the connector receptacle.

14. The implantable blood pump system of claim 13 , wherein the locking member selectively engages with the following surface of the connector insert to retain the at least a portion of the following surface within the follower receptacle.

15. The implantable blood pump system of claim 14 , wherein the locking member comprises:
a blocking feature configured to engage with at least a portion of the following surface to prevent retraction of the connector insert from the connector receptacle;
and a biasing feature configured to bias the blocking feature to engage with the at least a portion of the following surface.

16. The implantable blood pump system of claim 15 , wherein the blocking feature engages with the circular cylindrical member.

17. The implantable blood pump system of claim 16 , wherein the biasing feature comprises a compliant member configured to deflect to allow the blocking feature to engage and disengage with the at least a portion of the following surface.

18. The implantable blood pump system of claim 17 , wherein the inserting of the connector insert into the connector receptacle deflects the compliant member and rotates the locking member about the connector receptacle.

19. The implantable blood pump system of claim 18 , wherein the connector receptacle comprises limiting features that engage with abutting features of the locking member to limit rotation of the locking member about the connector receptacle.

20. The implantable blood pump system of claim 19 , wherein the locking member is coupled to the connector receptacle via a thrust washer.

21. The implantable blood pump system of claim 20 , wherein the controller is coupled to the blood pump via a two piece driveline, wherein the connector receptacle is located at an end of a first piece of the two piece driveline, wherein the connector insert is located at an end of a second piece of the two piece driveline, and wherein the coupling of the connector receptacle and the connector insert couples the controller to the blood pump.

22. The implantable blood pump system of claim 21 , wherein the connector insert comprises an exterior side, and wherein the following surface outwardly extends from the exterior side of the connector insert.

23. The implantable blood pump system of claim 22 , wherein the cam surface comprises a pair of inclined planes extending along at least a portion of an end of the connector receptacle.

24. The implantable blood pump system of claim 23 , wherein each of the pair of inclined planes terminates at one of the walls defining the follower receptacle.

25. The implantable blood pump system of claim 24 , wherein the pair of inclined planes comprises a first pair of inclined planes and a second pair of inclined planes.

26. The implantable blood pump system of claim 25 , wherein the first pair of inclined planes meet the second pair of inclined planes at a first point and a second point.

27. The implantable blood pump system of claim 26 , wherein the cam surface and the following surface are configured such that following surface is at least partially received in the follower receptacle before any of the plurality of insert contacts engage any of the plurality of contacts of the connector receptacle.

Assignees

• Tc1 Llc

Inventors

• Di Paola John Mark
• Mccoy Michael
• Nguyen John Duc
• Romero Jaime
• Roelle Dustin
• Wong Andrew
• Protsenko Dmitry
• Sahines Michael

Classifications

• A61M60/178

  drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices · CPC title

• A61M60/237

  the blood flow through the rotating member having mainly axial components, e.g. axial flow pumps · CPC title

• A61M60/585 Primary

  User interfaces · CPC title

• A61M60/878

  Electrical connections within the patient's body · CPC title

• A61M60/88

  Percutaneous cables · CPC title