Patents by Inventor Robert F. Kunz
Robert F. Kunz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8992163Abstract: An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2013Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignees: Thoratec Corporation, The Penn State Research FoundationInventors: Mark W. McBride, Thomas M. Mallison, Gregory P. Dillon, Robert L. Campbell, David A. Boger, Stephen A. Hambric, Robert F. Kunz, James P. Runt, Justin M. Walsh, Boris Leschinsky
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Patent number: 8684904Abstract: A blood pump includes an impeller having a plurality of foldable blades and a cannula having a proximal portion with a fixed diameter, and a distal portion with an expandable diameter. The impeller can reside in the expandable portion of the cannula. The cannula has a collapsed condition for percutaneous delivery to a desired location within the body, and an expanded condition in which the impeller can rotate to pump blood. A flexible drive shaft can extend through the cannula for rotationally driving the impeller within the patient's body.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2013Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignees: Thoratec Corporation, The Penn State Research FoundationInventors: Robert L. Campbell, Justin M. Walsh, Daniel Metrey, Robert F. Kunz, Thomas M. Mallison, Edward Boone, Eric Myer, Mark W. McBride, Kevin J. Powell, Daniel A. Walters
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Publication number: 20130331639Abstract: A blood pump includes an impeller having a plurality of foldable blades and a cannula having a proximal portion with a fixed diameter, and a distal portion with an expandable diameter. The impeller can reside in the expandable portion of the cannula. The cannula has a collapsed condition for percutaneous delivery to a desired location within the body, and an expanded condition in which the impeller can rotate to pump blood. A flexible drive shaft can extend through the cannula for rotationally driving the impeller within the patient's body.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2013Publication date: December 12, 2013Applicants: Thoratec Corporation, The Penn State Research FoundationInventors: Robert L. Campbell, Justin M. Walsh, Daniel Metrey, Robert F. Kunz, Thomas M. Mallison, Edward Boone, Eric Meyer, Mark W. McBride, Kevin J. Powell, Daniel A. Walters
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Patent number: 8578807Abstract: A gear and drive system utilizing the gear include teeth. Each of the teeth has a first side and a second side opposite the first side that extends from a body of the gear. For each tooth of the gear, a first extended portion is attached to the first side of the tooth to divert flow of fluid adjacent to the body of the gear to reduce windage losses that occur when the gear rotates. The gear may be utilized in drive systems that may have high rotational speeds, such as speeds where the tip velocities are greater than or equal to about 68 m/s. Some embodiments of the gear may also utilize teeth that also have second extended portions attached to the second sides of the teeth to divert flow of fluid adjacent to the body of the gear to reduce windage losses that occur when the gear rotates.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2012Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: The Penn State Research FoundationInventors: Robert F. Kunz, Richard B. Medvitz, Matthew John Hill
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Patent number: 8535211Abstract: A blood pump includes an impeller having a plurality of foldable blades and a cannula having a proximal portion with a fixed diameter, and a distal portion with an expandable diameter. The impeller can reside in the expandable portion of the cannula. The cannula has a collapsed condition for percutaneous delivery to a desired location within the body, and an expanded condition in which the impeller can rotate to pump blood. A flexible drive shaft can extend through the cannula for rotationally driving the impeller within the patient's body.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2010Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignees: Thoratec Corporation, The Penn State Research FoundationInventors: Robert L. Campbell, Justin M. Walsh, Daniel Metrey, Robert F. Kunz, Thomas M. Mallison, Edward Boone, Eric Myer, Mark W. McBride, Kevin J. Powell, Daniel A. Walters
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Publication number: 20130066140Abstract: An impeller includes a hub and a blade supported by the hub. The impeller has a stored configuration in which the blade is compressed so that its distal end moves towards the hub, and a deployed configuration in which the blade extends away from the hub. The impeller may be part of a pump for pumping fluids, such as blood, and may include a cannula having a proximal portion with a fixed diameter, and a distal portion with an expandable diameter. The impeller may reside in the expandable portion of the cannula. The cannula may have a compressed diameter which allows it to be inserted percutaneously into a patient. Once at a desired location, the expandable portion of the cannula may be expanded and the impeller expanded to the deployed configuration. A flexible drive shaft may extend through the cannula for rotationally driving the impeller within the patient.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: March 14, 2013Applicants: THORATEC CORPORATION, THE PENN STATE RESEARCH FOUNDATIONInventors: Mark W. McBride, David A. Boger, Robert L. Campbell, Gregory P. Dillon, Stephen A. Hambric, Robert F. Kunz, Boris Leschinsky, Thomas M. Mallison, James P. Runt, Justin M. Walsh
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Patent number: 8376707Abstract: An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2011Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignees: Thoratec Corporation, The Penn State Research FoundationInventors: Mark W. McBride, Thomas M. Mallison, Gregory P. Dillon, Robert L. Campbell, David A. Boger, Stephen A. Hambric, Robert F. Kunz, James P. Runt, Justin M. Walsh, Boris Leschinsky
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Publication number: 20120312115Abstract: A gear and drive system utilizing the gear include teeth. Each of the teeth has a first side and a second side opposite the first side that extends from a body of the gear. For each tooth of the gear, a first extended portion is attached to the first side of the tooth to divert flow of fluid adjacent to the body of the gear to reduce windage losses that occur when the gear rotates. The gear may be utilized in drive systems that may have high rotational speeds, such as speeds where the tip velocities are greater than or equal to about 68 m/s. Some embodiments of the gear may also utilize teeth that also have second extended portions attached to the second sides of the teeth to divert flow of fluid adjacent to the body of the gear to reduce windage losses that occur when the gear rotates.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2012Publication date: December 13, 2012Applicant: THE PENN STATE RESEARCH FOUNDATIONInventors: Robert F. Kunz, Richard B. Medvitz, Matthew John Hill
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Publication number: 20110236210Abstract: An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2011Publication date: September 29, 2011Applicants: The Penn State Research Foundation, Thoratec CorporationInventors: Mark W. McBride, Thomas M. Mallison, Gregory P. Dillon, Robert L. Campbell, David A. Boger, Stephen A. Hambric, Robert F. Kunz, James P. Runt, Justin M. Walsh, Boris Leschinsky
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Patent number: 7927068Abstract: An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2008Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignees: Thoratec Corporation, The Penn State Research FoundationInventors: Mark W. McBride, Thomas M. Mallison, Gregory P. Dillon, Robert L. Campbell, David A. Boger, Stephen A. Hambric, Robert F. Kunz, James P. Runt, Justin M. Walsh, Boris Leschinsky
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Publication number: 20110071338Abstract: An impeller includes a hub and at least one blade supported by the hub. The impeller has a stored configuration in which the blade is compressed so that its distal end moves towards the hub, and a deployed configuration in which the blade extends away from the hub. The impeller may be part of a pump for pumping fluids, such as pumping blood within a patient. A blood pump may include a cannula having a proximal portion with a fixed diameter, and a distal portion with an expandable diameter. The impeller may reside in the expandable portion of the cannula. The cannula may have a compressed diameter which allows it to be inserted percutaneously into a patient. Once at a desired location, the expandable portion of the cannula may be expanded and the impeller expanded to the deployed configuration. A flexible drive shaft may extend through the cannula for rotationally driving the impeller within the patient's body.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2010Publication date: March 24, 2011Applicants: The Penn State Research Foundation, Thoratec CorporationInventors: Mark W. McBride, David A. Boger, Robert L. Campbell, Gregory P. Dillon, Stephen A. Hambric, Robert F. Kunz, Boris Leschinsky, Thomas M. Mallison, James P. Runt, Justin M. Walsh
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Publication number: 20110004046Abstract: A blood pump includes an impeller having a plurality of foldable blades and a cannula having a proximal portion with a fixed diameter, and a distal portion with an expandable diameter. The impeller can reside in the expandable portion of the cannula. The cannula has a collapsed condition for percutaneous delivery to a desired location within the body, and an expanded condition in which the impeller can rotate to pump blood. A flexible drive shaft can extend through the cannula for rotationally driving the impeller within the patient's body.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2010Publication date: January 6, 2011Applicants: The Penn State Research Foundation, Thoratec CorporationInventors: Robert L. Campbell, Justin M. Walsh, Daniel Metrey, Robert F. Kunz, Thomas M. Mallison, Edward Boone, Eric Myer, Mark W. McBride, Kevin J. Powell, Daniel A. Walters
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Patent number: 7841976Abstract: An impeller includes a hub and at least one blade supported by the hub. The impeller has a stored configuration in which the blade is compressed so that its distal end moves towards the hub, and a deployed configuration in which the blade extends away from the hub. The impeller may be part of a pump for pumping fluids, such as pumping blood within a patient. A blood pump may include a cannula having a proximal portion with a fixed diameter, and a distal portion with an expandable diameter. The impeller may reside in the expandable portion of the cannula. The cannula may have a compressed diameter which allows it to be inserted percutaneously into a patient. Once at a desired location, the expandable portion of the cannula may be expanded and the impeller expanded to the deployed configuration. A flexible drive shaft may extend through the cannula for rotationally driving the impeller within the patient's body.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2007Date of Patent: November 30, 2010Assignees: Thoratec Corporation, The Penn State Research FoundationInventors: Mark W. McBride, David A. Boger, Robert L. Campbell, Gregory P. Dillon, Stephen A. Hambric, Robert F. Kunz, Boris Leschinsky, Thomas M. Mallison, James P. Runt, Justin M. Walsh
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Publication number: 20090060743Abstract: An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2008Publication date: March 5, 2009Applicants: The Penn State Research Foundation, Datascope Investment Corp.Inventors: Mark W. McBride, Thomas M. Mallison, Gregory P. Dillon, Robert L. Campbell, David A. Boger, Stephen A. Hambric, Robert F. Kunz, James P. Runt, Justin M. Walsh, Boris Leschinsky
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Patent number: 7393181Abstract: An impeller according to an example of the present invention comprises a hub, and at least one blade supported by the hub. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blade extends away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which the impeller is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may comprise a plurality of blades, arranged in blade rows, to facilitate radial compression of the blades. The outer edge of a blade may have a winglet, and the base of the blade may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blade.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2005Date of Patent: July 1, 2008Assignees: The Penn State Research Foundation, Datascope Investment CorporationInventors: Mark W. McBride, Thomas M. Mallison, Gregory P. Dillon, Robert L. Campbell, David A. Boger, Stephen A. Hambric, Robert F. Kunz, James P. Runt, Justin M. Walsh, Boris Leschinsky