Patents Assigned to Heartware, Inc.
  • Guidewire system and method of pump installation using same
    Patent number: 10226559
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method of positioning in a mammalian heart of a patient a blood pump including an inflow cannula, a pump housing and an outflow cannula, the method including forming an incision in a low-pressure location on the heart wall; passing the outflow cannula of the blood pump through the incision and into a left ventricle of a heart; positioning a tip of a guidewire into an aorta, distal to an aortic valve; advancing the tip through the aortic valve and into the left ventricle; connecting the tip to the outflow cannula; pulling the blood pump with the guidewire to advance at least a portion of the outflow cannula through the aortic valve and into the aorta; securing the blood pump to the heart, the aorta, or both; disconnecting the tip from the blood pump; and removing the guidewire from the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventor: James Schuermann
  • Ventricular assist devices and integrated sensors thereof
    Patent number: 10213537
    Abstract: A ventricular assist device for intraventricular placement inside a heart of a mammalian subject includes a pump including a housing having an inlet end, an inlet at the inlet end, and an outlet. The pump further includes a moveable element disposed in the pump housing for pumping blood from the inlet to the outlet. A base member is included as well as a spacer member connected to the pump housing and the base member. The base member is positioned a distance from the inlet end of the pump housing to define a gap therebetween. One or more sensor elements are mounted to at least one from the group consisting of the base member and the housing, the one or more sensor elements being configured to measure one or more blood parameters prevailing within the gap during operation of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathalie Jeannette Nunez, Timothy McSweeney
  • Implanted device with wireless energy transfer and external alignment feature
    Patent number: 10213538
    Abstract: An implant device includes a housing and an energy receiving element disposed in the housing. The energy receiving element is configured to be electrically connected to an energy-consuming device. The implant device is configured to be mounted within a body of a human or non-human animal. The housing includes a feature configured to be accessible through skin of the animal and to receive a corresponding mating member of an external charger including an energy transmitting element. The energy receiving element is configured to receive energy wirelessly from the energy transmitting element when the external charger is mated with the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventor: John Rudser
  • Multi-piece gimbal ring
    Patent number: 10188423
    Abstract: A mounting structure for connecting a device to an organ. The mounting structure includes a mounting element defining a bore. The mounting element is adapted for mounting to an exterior surface of the organ of a living subject. The mounting element includes a collar having a deformable wall defining a main bore. A gimbal ring disposed within the main bore and within the collar is included, the gimbal ring defining a gimbal bore co-axial with the main bore and including a plurality of separate arcuate elements cooperatively disposed in a circumferential direction around the gimbal bore, the plurality of separate arcuate elements being movable toward one another to constrict the gimbal bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventor: Lance Lynn Andrus
  • Skin button with flat cable
    Patent number: 10186352
    Abstract: A percutaneous connector assembly including a feedthrough assembly having a body and a plurality of electrically conductive feedthroughs extending through the body from a first end toward a second end thereof. A cable assembly having a plurality of conductors arranged side-by-side within a first plane to form a substantially flat portion thereof is included, each conductor being connected to a corresponding feedthrough of the feedthrough assembly and the flat portion extending from the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Medtronic HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy McSweeney
  • Pass-through assembly
    Patent number: 10173070
    Abstract: A pass-through assembly including a first wall 110d having oppositely-directed inner and outer sides, 112, 114, the first wall 110d defining a first opening 116 extending from the inner side 112 to the outer side 114; an elongated structure 118 extending into the opening 116 from the outer side 114 of the first wall 110d; a first material 130 contacting the first wall 110d and the elongated structure 118 so as to at least partially seal the opening 116, and a second material 140 different from the first material 130, the second material 140 overlying the first material 130 on the outer side 114 of the wall 110d, the second material 140 adhering to the elongated structure 118 and the first wall 110d, the second material 140 having at least one physical property different than a corresponding physical property of the first material 130.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventors: John Rudser, Alfredo Garcell
  • Pump preload index/indicator
    Patent number: 10159775
    Abstract: A method of estimating an amount of work available to be performed by a blood pump implanted in a patient includes calculating a first coordinate value characterizing a volume of blood impelled in the pump and a second coordinate value characterizing a differential pressure across the pump for each of a plurality of flow rate data points of a given cardiac cycle of the patient, each flow rate data point indicative of a flow rate of blood through the pump. An area enclosed by the first and second coordinate values of the plurality of flow rate data points is determined, the determined area being indicative of an amount of work available to be performed by the blood pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Voskoboynikov, Pedro Grave De Peralta
  • Flanged heart tissue blocker
    Patent number: 10159772
    Abstract: An apparatus for protecting heart tissue from an implanted inlet element of a blood pump. The apparatus includes a flange member having a first radially constricted configuration and a second radially expanded configuration, the flange member being biased in its second radially expanded configuration. The flange member defines an opening there through sized to receiving the inlet element of the blood pump. A retaining element extending from the flange member is included, the retaining element being flexible and sized to be disposed about at least a portion of the inlet element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. LaRose, Lance Lynn Andrus
  • Grooved connector with land bridge
    Patent number: 10158195
    Abstract: A connector assembly including a female element having a bore with an open end. A male element is insertable into the bore of the female element along an axis in a first axial direction and removable from the bore of the female element in a second axial direction. One of the female and male elements defines a circumferential surface extending around the axis and a depression in the circumferential surface, the depression having a catch wall facing in one of the first and second axial directions and a release wall facing in the other one of the first and second axial directions. A second one of the male and female elements has a finger mounted thereon, the finger has a catch end biased in a radial direction transverse to the axis, the catch end of the finger being configured to engage the depression and abut the catch wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy McSweeney
  • Multiband wireless power system
    Patent number: 10153655
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a module for relaying power wirelessly to a device implanted in a user. The module may include a structure adapted to be worn by the user, a receiver configured to receive a first wireless power transmission at a first frequency, a transmitter configured to transmit a second wireless power transmission at a second frequency different from the first frequency, and a frequency changer configured to convert energy generated by the first wireless power transmission into energy for generating the second wireless power transmission. Each of the receiver, transmitter and frequency changer may be disposed on or in the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventor: John Rudser
  • Transcutaneous energy transfer systems
    Patent number: 10143788
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an improved transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) system that generates and wirelessly transmits a sufficient amount of energy to power one or more implanted devices, including a heart pump, while maintaining the system's efficiency, safety, and overall convenience of use. The disclosure further relates one or more methods of operation for the improved system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventors: John Rudser, Jeffrey A. LaRose, Ramiro Gomez
  • TET system for implanted medical device
    Patent number: 10137232
    Abstract: A TET system is operable to vary an amount of power transmitted from an external power supply to an implantable power unit in accordance with a monitored condition of the implantable power unit. The amount of power supplied to the implantable power unit for operating a pump, for example, can be varied in accordance with a cardiac cycle, so as to maintain the monitored condition in the power circuit within a desired range throughout the cardiac cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry M. Yomtov, John Robert Batty
  • Physiologically responsive VAD
    Patent number: 10124099
    Abstract: A ventricular assist device incorporating a rotary pump, such as a rotary impeller pump is implantable in fluid communication with a ventricle and an artery to assist blood flow from the ventricle to the artery. The device includes a pump drive circuit supplying power to the pump, one or more sensors for sensing one or more electrophysiological signals such as electrogram signals in and a signal processing circuit connected to the sensors and the pump drive circuit. The signal processing circuit is operative to detect the sensor signals and control power supplied to the pump from the pump drive circuit so that the pump runs in a pulsatile mode, with a varying speed synchronized with the cardiac cycle. When an arrhythmia is detected, the pump drive circuit may also run the pump in an atrial arrhythmia mode or a ventricular arrhythmia mode different from the normal pulsatile mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventor: Barry M. Yomtov
  • Platinum-cobalt-boron blood pump element
    Patent number: 10117981
    Abstract: A magnetic impeller for a blood pump such as a magnetically driven, rotary ventricular assist device for pumping blood of a patient, the impeller comprising a magnetic alloy including platinum, cobalt, and boron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. LaRose, Charles R. Shambaugh, Jr.
  • Coring tool
    Patent number: 10117663
    Abstract: The present invention related to a coring tool for preparing a core or opening through tissue and methods of use thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventor: William Trueba
  • Combined tunneling tools
    Patent number: 10117664
    Abstract: A surgical device includes a handle body extending along a handle axis. The handle body is releasably engaged to a tunneling shaft extending along a shaft axis transverse to the handle axis. At least one tool is mounted to the handle body. Each tool includes a working end adapted to actuate an element of an implantable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventor: John Rudser
  • Blood pump with separate mixed-flow and axial-flow impeller stages and multi-stage stators
    Patent number: 10111994
    Abstract: A pump for a fluid which can be blood has a stator housing and a rotor hub with leading and trailing portions and an intermediate portion disposed therebetween. At least one impeller blade at the leading portion drives circumferential and axial components of a flow into a pump annulus or intermediate pathway portion. At least one stator blade extends radially inward from the stator housing within the intermediate pathway portion and is configured to reduce a circumferential component of the flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventors: Jingchun Wu, Michael Ricci, David Paden, Shaun Snyder
  • Hard-wired implanted controller system
    Patent number: 10092684
    Abstract: A circulatory assist system is disclosed, the system including an implantable electrical device having an electric motor, an implantable controller connected to the implantable electrical device, and an implantable power source connected to the controller for supplying power to the controller. The controller is attachable to a first side of a percutaneous connector. A second side of the percutaneous connector, opposite to the first side, allows external connectivity to said controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry M. Yomtov, John Robert Batty, Jr., Daniel Tamez
  • Fiducial point optimization
    Patent number: 10080829
    Abstract: A flow rate of blood through an implantable blood pump is determined based on a parameter related to the flow, such as a parameter related to thrust on the rotor of the pump. An amount of current supplied to the pump is used to determine each of a first flow rate value and second flow rate values. Each of the first and second flow rate values, in combination with the parameter related to thrust on the rotor of the pump, are used to calculate a flow rate of blood through the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventors: Fernando Casas, Justin Wolman, Carlos Reyes, Antonio Luiz Silva Ferreira
  • Axial flow rotor with downstream bearing wash flow
    Patent number: 10080826
    Abstract: An implantable blood pump includes an impeller rotatable about a rotational axis, having a body with a bottom surface at a downstream end and a central opening centered about the axis extending at least partially through the body from the bottom surface. A projecting element, e.g., a shaft, extends from below the bottom surface into or through the opening to support the impeller. The body can be configured to drive a primary downstream blood flow along an exterior of the body to beyond a peripheral edge of the bottom surface, and to provide a secondary downstream blood flow through the opening and along the bottom surface to beyond the peripheral edge, the secondary flow improving washing of a bearing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.
    Inventors: Mustafa Ertan Taskin, Ellen Keysselitz, Wolfgang Kerkhoffs