Driveline cable assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8939883-B2
Application number	US-201414171948-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2014
Priority date	Jan 24, 2012
Publication date	Jan 27, 2015
Grant date	Jan 27, 2015

Abstract

A blood pump assembly includes a blood pump configured for implantation and a cable assembly for providing power and control signals to the blood pump. The cable assembly includes a strain relief assembly and a driveline. The strain relief assembly secures the cable assembly to the blood pump and has an outer surface that is curved along a longitudinal extent of the strain relief assembly at least along an outer peripheral side of the outer surface. The strain relief assembly defines a compartment and an internal passage that leads to the compartment. The driveline houses a plurality of conductors that extend from the driveline through the internal passage and into the compartment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cable assembly for attachment to electrical pins of an implantable blood pump, the cable assembly comprising:
a driveline for providing power to the implantable blood pump, the driveline housing a plurality of conductors having a distal end; and
a plurality of ferrules coupled to the distal ends of the plurality of conductors, the plurality of ferrules configured to perpendicularly couple the electrical pins of the implantable blood pump with the plurality of conductors of the driveline.

2. The cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ferrules include spaces for receiving the electrical pins of the implantable blood pump, the spaces arranged perpendicular to the distal ends of the plurality of conductors.

3. The cable assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a rigid member defining a compartment, the rigid member having a driveline opening leading into the compartment for receiving the driveline and a connection opening for receiving pins of the implantable blood pump, wherein the plurality of ferrules couple to the rigid member such that the spaces for receiving the electrical pins of the implantable blood pump are aligned with the connection opening of the rigid member.

4. The cable assembly of claim 3 , wherein the rigid member comprises an engagement feature for coupling with the implantable blood pump.

5. The cable assembly of claim 3 , wherein each ferrule includes a welding space opposite each electrical pin receiving space, the welding spaces configured to facilitate welding of the ferrule to the electrical pins of the implantable blood pump.

6. The cable assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a ferrule carrier placed over the plurality of ferrules, the ferrule carrier configured to orient the ferrules relative to each other.

7. The cable assembly of claim 3 , wherein the driveline includes an inner strength member, and wherein the cable assembly further comprises an anchor coupled to the rigid member, the anchor configured to couple with the inner strength member of the driveline such that axial loads on the inner strength member are transferred to the anchor.

8. The cable assembly of claim 7 , wherein the anchor includes an opening for threading the inner strength member of the driveline.

9. The cable assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a flexible member coupled to the rigid member adjacent to the driveline opening, the flexible member defining an internal passage for receiving the driveline and limiting stresses on the driveline and configured to distribute forces away from a connection of the driveline with the blood pump.

10. The cable assembly of claim 9 , wherein the flexible member is curved in an unloaded state.

11. The cable assembly of claim 9 , wherein the flexible member is molded over an annular portion of the rigid member.

12. The cable assembly of claim 11 , wherein the annular portion of the rigid member includes a plurality of holes extending therethrough such that when the flexible member is molded over the annular portion of the rigid member, material flows through the holes and forms connecting links that secure the flexible member to the annular portion of the rigid member.

13. A blood pump assembly comprising the cable assembly of claim 9 attached to the electrical pins of the implantable blood pump, and wherein the flexible member and the rigid member orient the driveline in a direction substantially parallel to an outlet axis of the implantable blood pump.

14. A blood pump assembly comprising the cable assembly of claim 9 attached to the electrical pins of the implantable blood pump, and wherein the flexible member and the rigid member orient the driveline to extend in a direction opposite to an outlet portion of the implantable blood pump.

15. A blood pump assembly comprising the cable assembly of claim 1 attached to the electrical pins of the implantable blood pump, and wherein potting is applied to the attachment of the cable assembly to the electrical pins to form a potting plug that secures the coupling of the driveline conductors to the pins.

16. The blood pump assembly of claim 15 , wherein the potting plug is transparent when cured and wherein the potting plug has at least one exposed side, thereby allowing visual inspection of connections within the potting plug.

17. A blood pump assembly comprising the cable assembly of claim 1 attached to the electrical pins of the implantable blood pump and wherein the implantable blood pump further comprises:
a pump housing having an outer surface and defining a hermetically sealed compartment;
a boss that extends from the outer surface of the pump housing; and
a feed-through component coupled to the boss, the feed-through component comprising the electrical pins of the implantable blood pump, and wherein the electrical pins of the implantable blood pump extend outward from the boss in a direction substantially perpendicular to the outer surface, the electrical pins configured to transmit electrical signals between the hermetically sealed compartment and a location outside the hermetically sealed compartment though the cable assembly,
the boss including one or more attachment features configured to secure the cable assembly to the pump housing.

18. A method for providing electrical and mechanical connection to a blood pump, the method comprising:
forming a strain relief assembly having a curved flexible member and a rigid member, the rigid member defining a compartment;
feeding a driveline having a plurality of conductors through the strain relief assembly and securing the conductors of the driveline within the compartment of the strain relief assembly;
connecting the strain relief assembly and the driveline to a blood pump housing such that the plurality of conductors of the driveline are in electrical and mechanical connection with a plurality of pins of the blood pump.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of forming the strain relief assembly comprises molding the curved flexible member to a portion of the rigid member.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein securing the conductors of the driveline within the compartment of the strain relief assembly comprises coupling ferrules to the conductors and securing the ferrules to the rigid member, and wherein the ferrules provide perpendicular coupling between the conductors and the pins.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein connecting the strain relief assembly and the driveline to the blood pump housing comprises coupling the pins of the blood pump to the ferrules and welding the pins and the ferrules together.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the driveline further comprises an inner strength member and wherein the method further comprises securing the inner strength member of the driveline to the rigid member.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein securing the inner strength member of the driveline to the rigid member comprises coupling the inner strength member to an anchor and coupling the anchor to the rigid member.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein securing the inner strength member of the driveline to the rigid member comprises axially loading the inner strength member of the driveline prior to coupling the inner strength member to the anchor.

25. The method of claim 18 , further comprising, after connecting the strain relief assembly and the driveline to the blood pump housing, introducing potting into the compartment and form

Assignees

• Thoratec Corp

Inventors

• Callaway Justin Aron
• Wagers Matthew
• Baker James H

Classifications

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• Y10T29/49117

  Conductor or circuit manufacturing · CPC title

• A61M2207/00

  Methods of manufacture, assembly or production · CPC title

• A61M60/148 Primary

  in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices · CPC title

• A61M60/878

  Electrical connections within the patient's body · CPC title