This Day in Patent History – On February 12 1974, Stephen Kovacs received a patent for a magnetic heart pump
The magnetically driven heart pump used relative movement between opposing magnetic fields to induce pump piston motion, which simulates the pulsatile pumping action of a natural heart.
The heart pump has two separate parts. The first part includes the pumping and valve chambers, and is adapted to be imbedded within the chest cavity. The second part, adapted to be strapped to the exterior of the chest wall, carries the magnet and mechanical linkage. The motion of the exterior magnet induces pump piston motion within the pumping chamber.
The main feature of this invention is to provide a heart pump which will duplicate both the pulsatile pumping action of the natural heart together with the associated blood pressure ranges generated in the arterial system.
- Another feature of this invention is to provide a heart pumping chamber wherein damage to blood cells is kept at a minimum due to the fact that the pumping rates correspond to normal heart rates.
- Still another feature of this invention is to provide a heart pump capable of being manually operated in the event of actuator power failure.
- A further feature is to provide a pump chamber having a per beat volume which corresponds to the average volume of blood pumped by the human heart.
- A still further feature is to provide a heart pump in which the chances .of clotting within the pumping chamber are decreased.
- Another feature is to provide a heart pump which has a failsafe system.
- Another feature is to provide a portable heart pump which is easily strapped to the chest of the user.
- Another feature is to provide a heart pump of simplified construction utilizing a minimum number of moving parts.
- Another feature is to provide a heart pump in which a portion of the pump is permanently imbedded within the chest cavity of the user.
- Another feature is to provide a heart pump wherein a movement of one magnetic field induces a corresponding movement in a second magnetic field.
- Another feature is to provide a pump piston which will translate in response to varying magnetic field strength.
- Another feature is to provide a flow check valve for use as a replacement for a defective natural heart valve.
- Another feature is to provide a flow check valve which will maintain constant coaxial alignment regardless of relative rotational movement.
- Another feature is to provide a flow check valve which permits symmetrical flow through a valve chamber.
- Another ojbect is to provide a resilient face seal which insures uniform valve seat sealing despite surface variations on the valve seat.
- Another feature is to provide a flow check valve with greater flow rate capacity than a ball check valve having the same valve port opening and chamber diameter.
- Another feature is to provide flow check valve housing guide struts which are radially extending and insure coaxial alignment of the valve plate with the valve seat.
- Another feature is to provide a flow check valve which allows symmetrical blood flow through the chamber thereby reducing clotting tendencies.
- Another feature is to provide a heart pump which is capable of pumping rates ranging from 60 to 80 cycles per minute.
- Another feature is to provide a heart pump, the pulsatile action of which is caused by an external linear reciprocating cam driven magnetic actuator.
- Another feature is to provide a heart pump wherein reciprocating motion is imparted by induction to the pump piston in the pump chamber.
- Another feature is to provide a heart pump capable of producing a rhythmic pressure gradient corresponding to the natural hearts diastolic to systolic blood pressure range.
Patent Information
Publication number: US3791769 A
Patent Information: Magnetic heart pump
Publication type: Grant
Publication date: 12 Feb 1974
Filing date: 4 Jun 1970
Priority date: 4 Jun 1970
Inventors: Kovacs S
Original Assignee: Kovacs S
