Compressible rotor for a fluid pump

Abstract

The invention relates to a rotor ( 2, 15 ) for a fluid pump ( 1 ), in particular for use in the medical sphere, the rotor being compressible for bringing to the place of use and thereafter being expandable. The compressibility is assisted by the provision of cavities ( 27, 28, 29 ), in particular also production of the rotor at least partially from a foam.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A fluid pump comprising:
 a compressible rotor having   at least one blade, and   at least one anisotropic cavity having a greater extension in a first direction than in directions essentially perpendicular to the first direction.   
     
     
         18 . The fluid pump of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one anisotropic cavity is oriented with a longitudinal axis perpendicular to an outer surface of the at least one blade. 
     
     
         19 . The fluid pump of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one anisotropic cavity is provided in the at least one blade. 
     
     
         20 . The fluid pump of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one anisotropic cavity is configured, in cross-section, to be round or polygonal, in particular octagonal, hexagonal, triangular or square. 
     
     
         21 . The fluid pump of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one anisotropic cavity has a strand shape. 
     
     
         22 . The fluid pump of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one anisotropic cavity is orientated with the direction of its greatest stability in the direction of the pressure forces which arise within the rotor during operation. 
     
     
         23 . The fluid pump of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one anisotropic cavity's greatest stability is its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         24 . The fluid pump of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one blade is configured to be self-supporting and hub-free. 
     
     
         25 . The fluid pump of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one blade is provided in a hub body. 
     
     
         26 . The fluid pump of  claim 17 , further comprising a compressible housing surrounding the rotor. 
     
     
         27 . The fluid pump of  claim 26 , wherein the housing consists at least partially of a material comprising cavities. 
     
     
         28 . The fluid pump of  claim 27 , wherein the material comprising cavities is foam. 
     
     
         29 . The fluid pump of  claim 28 , wherein the housing is sized for percutaneous insertion in a compressed state. 
     
     
         30 . The fluid pump of  claim 29 , wherein the rotor includes at least one deformable cavity, the rotor being constructed such that it can be compressed and decompressed by a change in density of the material. 
     
     
         31 . The fluid pump of  claim 30 , wherein the rotor is compressed by the material being converted by compression from a first, lower density or from a first, lower specific weight to a second, higher density or a higher specific weight. 
     
     
         32 . The fluid pump of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one deformable cavity is closed and filled with a gas. 
     
     
         33 . The fluid pump of  claim 32 , wherein the gas is air or nitrogen, or a noble gas or another bioinert gas which can be compressed easily in volume by pressure. 
     
     
         34 . The fluid pump of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one deformable cavity expands in the absence of an external pressure force due to an elasticity of the gas. 
     
     
         35 . The fluid pump of  claim 30 , further comprising a gas lines to the rotor, wherein the gas line ends in the at least one deformable cavity. 
     
     
         36 . The fluid pump of  claim 30 , wherein the average change in density of the rotor material between compressed and decompressed state is at least 10%. 
     
     
         37 . The fluid pump of  claim 30 , wherein the change in density of the rotor material is not uniform at all places.