Patents by Inventor Robert Steingräber

Robert Steingräber 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: 12502525
    Abstract: A pump system is provided for pumping a fluid and a method is provided for operating the pump system. The pump system comprises a first diaphragm fluid pump, a first inlet cannula connected to the first diaphragm fluid pump for supplying a fluid to the first diaphragm fluid pump, a first outlet cannula connected to the first diaphragm fluid pump for discharging the fluid out of the first diaphragm fluid pump, and a first service pump, which is connected via a first pressure line to the first diaphragm fluid pump and is confirmed to drive the first diaphragm fluid pump via the first pressure line. The pump system further comprises a first inlet flow sensor for detecting a first inlet flow of the fluid in the first inlet cannula and/or a first outlet flow sensor for detecting a first outlet flow of the fluid in the first outlet cannula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2025
    Assignee: Berlin Heart GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Steingräber
  • Patent number: 12409314
    Abstract: A pump system is provided comprising a diaphragm fluid pump which can be fluidically connected to a heart and/or at least one blood vessel by means of an inlet cannula and an outlet cannula and is adapted for generating a pulsatile fluid flow for supporting a cardiac activity of the heart, a working pressure source connected to the diaphragm fluid pump by means of a pressure line and adapted for providing a working pressure for driving the diaphragm fluid pump, a control unit adapted for controlling the working pressure, a first flow sensor adapted for detecting a first cannula flow signal corresponding to an inlet flow in the inlet cannula or an outlet flow in the outlet cannula, a working pressure sensor adapted for detecting a working pressure signal corresponding to the working pressure in the pressure line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2025
    Assignee: Berlin Heart GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Steingräber, Matthias Kiesner, Alexander Reiprich, John C. Woodard
  • Publication number: 20250205475
    Abstract: A control unit for a blood pump, a pump system comprising such a control unit, and a method for controlling a blood pump may be provided. A control unit may be configured to determine a control signal on the basis of a measurement signal, in such a way that a rotor of a blood pump is supported contact-free in a housing and a rotation of the rotor is closed-loop-controlled, where a specification for a rate of change of the rotation speed of the rotation of the rotor about the rotation axis may be limited upwardly by a predefined maximum rate of change, and to control the stator in accordance with the determined control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Publication date: June 26, 2025
    Applicant: Berlin Heart GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Peters, Matthias Kiesner, Robert Steingräber
  • Publication number: 20250195871
    Abstract: The application relates to a control unit (200) for a blood pump (300) with a magnetically supported rotor (320) and a stator (340) which is configured to generate a stator magnetic field for exerting a bearing force on the rotor (320) along a bearing direction of action. The blood pump (300) is configured to provide a measurement signal which comprises a disturbance component dependent on a rotation and/or lateral movement of the rotor (320).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Publication date: June 19, 2025
    Applicant: Berlin Heart GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Kiesner, Oliver Peters, Robert Steingräber
  • Patent number: 11959497
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining operational parameters of a blood pump comprising a rotor which transports the blood are provided. The change in the behaviour of at least one first and one second operational parameter, independently from each other, of the pump, is determined. A determination of the flow through the pump and/or the difference in pressure across the pump and/or the viscosity of the blood takes into account the determined change in behaviour of the at least two operational parameters. A modelling for a dynamic model of the known quantities may be carried out and an estimation method using a Kalman filter may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Berlin Heart GmbH
    Inventors: Marcus Granegger, Robert Steingräber, Jonas Fabian Krone
  • Publication number: 20220387780
    Abstract: A pump system is provided comprising a diaphragm fluid pump which can be fluidically connected to a heart and/or at least one blood vessel by means of an inlet cannula and an outlet cannula and is adapted for generating a pulsatile fluid flow for supporting a cardiac activity of the heart, a working pressure source connected to the diaphragm fluid pump by means of a pressure line and adapted for providing a working pressure for driving the diaphragm fluid pump, a control unit adapted for controlling the working pressure, a first flow sensor adapted for detecting a first cannula flow signal corresponding to an inlet flow in the inlet cannula or an outlet flow in the outlet cannula, a working pressure sensor adapted for detecting a working pressure signal corresponding to the working pressure in the pressure line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: Berlin Heart GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Steingräber, Matthias Kiesner, Alexander Reiprich, John C. Woodard
  • Publication number: 20220111196
    Abstract: A pump system is provided for pumping a fluid and a method is provided for operating the pump system. The pump system comprises a first diaphragm fluid pump, a first inlet cannula connected to the first diaphragm fluid pump for supplying a fluid to the first diaphragm fluid pump, a first outlet cannula connected to the first diaphragm fluid pump for discharging the fluid out of the first diaphragm fluid pump, and a first service pump, which is connected via a first pressure line to the first diaphragm fluid pump and is confirmed to drive the first diaphragm fluid pump via the first pressure line. The pump system further comprises a first inlet flow sensor for detecting a first inlet flow of the fluid in the first inlet cannula and/or a first outlet flow sensor for detecting a first outlet flow of the fluid in the first outlet cannula.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: Berlin Heart GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Steingräber
  • Publication number: 20210324861
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining operational parameters of a blood pump comprising a rotor which transports the blood are provided. The change in the behaviour of at least one first and one second operational parameter, independently from each other, of the pump, is determined. A determination of the flow through the pump and/or the difference in pressure across the pump and/or the viscosity of the blood takes into account the determined change in behaviour of the at least two operational parameters. A modelling for a dynamic model of the known quantities may be carried out and an estimation method using a Kalman filter may be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicant: Berlin Heart GmbH
    Inventors: Marcus Granegger, Robert Steingräber, Jonas Fabian Krone
  • Patent number: 11141579
    Abstract: A drive device is provided comprising a working pump, the working pump connected to a membrane fluid pump, and the working pump having a working piston able to oscillate axially between two reversal points for contracting and expanding a working chamber, and a control unit for controlling a movement of the working piston between the two reversal points. The controlled movement of the working piston comprises three temporally successive phases, in a first phase the working piston is accelerated to a speed that is greater than a speed at the end of the first phase, in a second phase the working piston is moved such that a specified speed of the working piston, a specified relative pressure in the working chamber, or a specified force of the working piston is substantially kept constant, and in a third phase the working piston is moved at a negative acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: BERLIN HEART GMBH
    Inventor: Robert Steingräber
  • Patent number: 11067085
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining operational parameters of a blood pump comprising a rotor which transports the blood are provided. The change in the behaviour of at least one first and one second operational parameter, independently from each other, of the pump, is determined. A determination of the flow through the pump and/or the difference in pressure across the pump and/or the viscosity of the blood takes into account the determined change in behaviour of the at least two operational parameters. A modelling for a dynamic model of the known quantities may be carried out and an estimation method using a Kalman filter may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: BERLIN HEART GMBH
    Inventors: Marcus Granegger, Robert Steingräber, Jonas Fabian Krone
  • Publication number: 20200023107
    Abstract: A drive device is provided comprising a working pump, the working pump connected to a membrane fluid pump, and the working pump having a working piston able to oscillate axially between two reversal points for contracting and expanding a working chamber, and a control unit for controlling a movement of the working piston between the two reversal points. The controlled movement of the working piston comprises three temporally successive phases, in a first phase the working piston is accelerated to a speed that is greater than a speed at the end of the first phase, in a second phase the working piston is moved such that a specified speed of the working piston, a specified relative pressure in the working chamber, or a specified force of the working piston is substantially kept constant, and in a third phase the working piston is moved at a negative acceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: Berlin Heart GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Steingräber
  • Patent number: 10441695
    Abstract: A drive device is provided comprising a working pump, the working pump connected to a membrane fluid pump, and the working pump having a working piston able to oscillate axially between two reversal points for contracting and expanding a working chamber, and a control unit for controlling a movement of the working piston between the two reversal points. The controlled movement of the working piston comprises three temporally successive phases, in a first phase the working piston is accelerated to a speed that is greater than a speed at the end of the first phase, in a second phase the working piston is moved such that a specified speed of the working piston, a specified relative pressure in the working chamber, or a specified force of the working piston is substantially kept constant, and in a third phase the working piston is moved at a negative acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: BERLIN HEART GMBH
    Inventor: Robert Steingräber
  • Publication number: 20190275223
    Abstract: A drive device is provided comprising a working pump, the working pump connected to a membrane fluid pump, and the working pump having a working piston able to oscillate axially between two reversal points for contracting and expanding a working chamber, and a control unit for controlling a movement of the working piston between the two reversal points. The controlled movement of the working piston comprises three temporally successive phases, in a first phase the working piston is accelerated to a speed that is greater than a speed at the end of the first phase, in a second phase the working piston is moved such that a specified speed of the working piston, a specified relative pressure in the working chamber, or a specified force of the working piston is substantially kept constant, and in a third phase the working piston is moved at a negative acceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: Berlin Heart GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Steingräber
  • Publication number: 20190203720
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining operational parameters of a blood pump comprising a rotor which transports the blood are provided. The change in the behaviour of at least one first and one second operational parameter, independently from each other, of the pump, is determined. A determination of the flow through the pump and/or the difference in pressure across the pump and/or the viscosity of the blood takes into account the determined change in behaviour of the at least two operational parameters. A modelling for a dynamic model of the known quantities may be carried out and an estimation method using a Kalman filter may be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Applicant: Berlin Heart GmbH
    Inventors: Marcus Granegger, Robert Steingräber, Jonas Fabian Krone