Patents Assigned to MedQuest Products, Inc
  • Patent number: 6879126
    Abstract: A magnetic bearing system allows a movable body to be positioned to a point of substantial equilibrium in an axial direction after a system shutdown. A sensor measures the axial position of the movable body to produce an displacement output. That output is then adjusted to account for a sensor offset. The adjustment is stored and can be used to position the movable body during regular operation of the system or when the system reboots or restarts. The adjusted displacement output is converted into a force for positioning the movable body. The movable body may be a rotor in a heart pump apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: MedQuest Products, Inc
    Inventors: Brad E. Paden, Jed C. Ludlow, Gill B. Bearnson
  • Patent number: 6595762
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for a centrifugal fluid pump for pumping sensitive biological fluids, which includes (i) an integral impeller and rotor which is entirely supported by an integral combination of permanent magnets and electromagnetic bearings and rotated by an integral motor, (ii) a pump housing and arcuate passages for fluid flow and containment, (iii) a brushless driving motor embedded and integral with the pump housing, (iv) a power supply, and (v) specific electronic sensing of impeller position, velocity or acceleration using a self-sensing method and physiological control algorithm for motor speed and pump performance based upon input from the electromagnetic bearing currents and motor back emf—all fitly joined together to provide efficient, durable and low maintenance pump operation. A specially designed impeller and pump housing provide the mechanism for transport and delivery of fluid through the pump to a pump output port with reduced fluid turbulence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignees: MedQuest products, Inc., University of Virginia Patent Foundation
    Inventors: Pratap S. Khanwilkar, Paul E. Allaire, Gill B. Bearnson, Don B. Olsen, Eric H. Maslen, James W. Long
  • Patent number: 6394769
    Abstract: An inventive blood pump in accordance with this invention includes a housing that has inlet and outlet ports for receiving and discharging blood. A rotor is positioned in the housing's interior for pumping blood between the housing's inlet and outlet ports, with the rotor being capable of motion in three translational and three rotational axes. An assembly for magnetically suspending and rotating the rotor in a contact-free manner with respect to the housing includes only one electromagnetic bearing that actively controls motion of the rotor with respect to one axis selected from the rotor's three translational and three rotational axes, an electromagnetic motor that actively drives motion of the rotor with respect to one of its three rotational axes, and magnetic bearings for passively controlling motion of the rotor with respect to the remaining four of its translational and rotational axes. The inventive blood pump can also be incorporated into an artificial heart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignees: Medquest Products, Inc., University of Virginia Patent Foundation
    Inventors: Gill B. Bearnson, Pratap S. Khanwilkar, James W. Long, Jed C. Ludlow, Brad E. Paden, Chen Chen, Dave B. Paden, Don B. Olsen, James Antaki, Paul E. Allaire, Michael Baloh
  • Patent number: 6270831
    Abstract: A conductive, non-stick coating is provided using a ceramic material which is conductive, flexible and provides a surface which exhibits the property of lubricity. A room or near room temperature manufacturing process produces a coating of titanium nitride on a substrate, where the coating is amorphous if the substrate is a solid material including plastics, composites, metals, magnets, and ceramics, enabling the substrate to bend without damaging the coating. The coating can also be applied as a conformal coating on a variety of substrate shapes, depending upon the application. The coating is bio-compatible and can be applied to a variety of medical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignees: MedQuest Products, Inc., University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventors: B. Ajit Kumar, Pratap Khanwilkar, Don B. Olsen
  • Patent number: 6074180
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for a centrifugal fluid pump for pumping sensitive biological fluids, which includes (i) an integral impeller and rotor which is entirely supported by an integral combination of permanent magnets and electromagnetic bearings and rotated by an integral motor, (ii) a pump housing and arcuate passages for fluid flow and containment, (iii) a brushless driving motor embedded and integral with the pump housing, (iv) a power supply, and (v) specific electronic sensing of impeller position, velocity or acceleration using a self-sensing method and physiological control algorithm for motor speed and pump performance based upon input from the electromagnetic bearing currents and motor back emf--all fitly joined together to provide efficient, durable and low maintenance pump operation. A specially designed impeller and pump housing provide the mechanism for transport and delivery of fluid through the pump to a pump output port with reduced fluid turbulence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignees: Medquest Products, Inc., University of Utah Research Foundation, University of Virginia Patent Foundation
    Inventors: Pratap S. Khanwilkar, Paul E. Allaire, Gill Brent Bearnson, Don B. Olsen, Eric H. Maslen, James W. Long
  • Patent number: 5925043
    Abstract: An electrosurgical blade is provided having a ceramic coating which is conductive, flexible and provides a surface which inhibits the build up of charred tissue. These properties enable the electrosurgical blade to deliver controlled amounts of radio-frequency energy to tissue. The manufacturing process produces a coating of titanium nitride on a stainless steel blade which is amorphous, enabling the electrosurgical blade to bend with the blade in order to perform a wide variety of surgical procedures without damaging the coating. The electrosurgical blade can therefore be used to efficiently cut, coagulate, fulgurate and desiccate tissue. While the blade is primarily used in the monopolar mode, the present invention also encompasses at least two electrosurgical electrodes having the same ceramic coating as the electrosurgical blade, and used in the bipolar mode for coagulation. The coating can be applied on a variety of shapes of electrocautery instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: MedQuest Products, Inc.
    Inventors: B. Ajit Kumar, Don B. Olsen