Patent ID: 11883641
Assignee: TC1 LLC
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 14:
15. A method of operating a blood pump comprising a housing an axial flow impeller, and a motor stator, wherein the housing comprises an inner wall surface defining an inlet, an outlet downstream from the inlet, and a blood flow channel between the inlet and the outlet, wherein a first portion of the inner wall surface has a first inner dimension that increases to a second inner dimension in a downstream direction, wherein the axial flow impeller is positioned within the blood flow channel downstream of the first portion of the inner wall surface and rotatable within the blood flow channel to pump an axial blood flow along the blood flow channel, the axial flow impeller comprising a magnetic material and at least one hydrodynamic thrust bearing surface having an outer dimension that is greater than the first inner dimension of the inner wall surface such that blood flowing between the first portion of the inner wall surface and the at least one hydrodynamic thrust bearing surface applies a pressure to the at least one hydrodynamic thrust bearing surface and prevents the axial flow impeller from advancing upstream of the first portion of the inner wall surface, the method comprising:
operating a motor stator positioned about the blood flow channel between the inlet and the outlet to generate a magnetic field for suspending and rotating the axial flow impeller within the blood flow channel, wherein the magnetic field urges the axial flow impeller in an upstream direction toward the first portion of the inner wall surface stabilize the axial flow impeller in an axial direction.