Patents by Inventor Gregory S. Aber
Gregory S. Aber 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).
-
Patent number: 6254359Abstract: Methods for a blood pump bearing system within a pump housing to support long-term high-speed rotation of a rotor with an impeller blade having a plurality of individual magnets disposed thereon to provide a small radial air gap between the magnets and a stator of less than 0.025 inches. The bearing system may be mounted within a flow straightener, diffuser, or other pump element to support the shaft of a pump rotor. The bearing system includes a zirconia shaft having a radiused end. The radiused end has a first radius selected to be about three times greater than the radius of the zirconia shaft. The radiused end of the zirconia shaft engages a flat sapphire endstone. Due to the relative hardness of these materials a flat is quickly produced during break-in on the zirconia radiused end of precisely the size necessary to support thrust loads whereupon wear substantially ceases.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1999Date of Patent: July 3, 2001Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventor: Gregory S. Aber
-
Patent number: 6135729Abstract: An apparatus is are provided for a blood pump bearing system within a pump housing to support long-term high-speed rotation of a rotor with an impeller blade having a plurality of individual magnets disposed thereon to provide a small radial air gap between the magnets and a stator of less than 0.025 inches. The bearing system may be mounted within a flow straightener, diffuser, or other pump element to support the shaft of a pump rotor. The bearing system includes a zirconia shaft having a radiused end. The radiused end has a first radius selected to be about three times greater than the radius of the zirconia shaft. The radiused end of the zirconia shaft engages a flat sapphire endstone. Due to the relative hardness of these materials a flat is quickly produced during break-in on the zirconia radiused end of precisely the size necessary to support thrust loads whereupon wear substantially ceases.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1999Date of Patent: October 24, 2000Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventor: Gregory S. Aber
-
Patent number: 5957672Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for a blood pump bearing system within a pump housing to support long-term high-speed rotation of a rotor with an impeller blade having a plurality of individual magnets disposed thereon to provide a small radial air gap between the magnets and a stator of less than 0.025 inches. The bearing system may be mounted within a flow straightener, diffuser, or other pump element to support the shaft of a pump rotor. The bearing system includes a zirconia shaft having a radiused end. The radiused end has a first radius selected to be about three times greater than the radius of the zirconia shaft. The radiused end of the zirconia shaft engages a flat sapphire endstone. Due to the relative hardness of these materials a flat is quickly produced during break-in on the zirconia radiused end of precisely the size necessary to support thrust loads whereupon wear substantially ceases.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 1996Date of Patent: September 28, 1999Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventor: Gregory S. Aber
-
Patent number: 5692882Abstract: A rotary blood pump includes a pump housing for receiving a flow straightener, a rotor mounted on rotor bearings and having an inducer portion and an impeller portion, and a diffuser. The entrance angle, outlet angle, axial and radial clearances of blades associated with the flow straightener, inducer portion, impeller portion and diffuser are optimized to minimize hemolysis while maintaining pump efficiency. The rotor bearing includes a bearing chamber that is filled with cross-linked blood or other bio-compatible material. A back emf integrated circuit regulates rotor operation and a microcomputer may be used to control one or more back emf integrated circuits. A plurality of magnets are disposed in each of a plurality of impeller blades with a small air gap. A stator may be axially adjusted on the pump housing to absorb bearing load and maximize pump efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 1996Date of Patent: December 2, 1997Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventors: Richard J. Bozeman, Jr., James W. Akkerman, Gregory S. Aber, George Arthur Van Damm, James W. Bacak, Paul A. Svejkovsky, Robert J. Benkowski
-
Patent number: 5678306Abstract: Methods are provided for minimizing damage to blood in a blood pump wherein the blood pump comprises a plurality of pump components that may affect blood damage such as clearance between pump blades and housing, number of impeller blades, rounded or flat blade edges, variations in entrance angles of blades, impeller length, and the like. The process comprises selecting a plurality of pump components believed to affect blood damage such as those listed hereinbefore. Construction variations for each of the plurality of pump components are then selected. The pump components and variations are preferably listed in a matrix for easy visual comparison of test results. Blood is circulated through a pump configuration to test each variation of each pump component. After each test, total blood damage is determined for the blood pump. Preferably each pump component variation is tested at least three times to provide statistical results and check consistency of results.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 1995Date of Patent: October 21, 1997Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventors: Richard J. Bozeman, Jr., James W. Akkerman, Gregory S. Aber, George Arthur Van Damm, James W. Bacak, Paul A. Svejkovsky, Robert J. Benkowski
-
Patent number: 5527159Abstract: A rotary blood pump includes a pump housing for receiving a flow straightener, a rotor mounted on rotor bearings and having an inducer portion and an impeller portion, and a diffuser. The entrance angle, outlet angle, axial and radial clearances of blades associated with the flow straightener, inducer portion, impeller portion and diffuser are optimized to minimize hemolysis while maintaining pump efficiency. The rotor bearing includes a bearing chamber that is filled with cross-linked blood or other bio-compatible material. A back emf integrated circuit regulates rotor operation and a microcomputer may be used to control one or more back emf integrated circuits. A plurality of magnets are disposed in each of a plurality of impeller blades with a small air gap. A stator may be axially adjusted on the pump housing to absorb bearing load and maximize pump efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 1993Date of Patent: June 18, 1996Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventors: Richard J. Bozeman, Jr., James W. Akkerman, Gregory S. Aber, George A. Van Damm, James W. Bacak, Paul A. Svejkovsky, Robert J. Benkowski