Granted Patent B2

US 12,616,827 · App. 18/509,260 · Granted May 5, 2026

Inventor: Mark P. Anstadt (Kettering, OH)

Assignee: Lifebridge Technologies LLC

A61M60/191A61M60/289A61M60/468A61M60/50A61M60/855A61M60/90A61M2205/0216A61M2205/3327A61M2210/125A61M2230/005A61M2230/60

Abstract

Claims (13)

1 . A cardiac assist device, comprising:

a base having a rim and a base apex, wherein said base has a base height between said rim and said base apex;

an outer shell having an open top, wherein said open top is positioned atop said rim of said base therein forming a cup assembly for receiving a portion of a heart therein, said cup assembly having an overall height from said base apex to said open top, wherein said base height is between twenty-five percent and thirty-five percent of said overall height,

wherein said outer shell is made, at least in part, from elastomeric material that enables said outer shell to be able to elastically expand, contract, elongate, shorten and/or twist, wherein said outer shell has an inner surface; and

at least one inflatable membrane lining only said inner surface of said outer shell, wherein said at least one inflatable membrane is connected to said inner surface of said outer shell along a basal bond that is a first distance from said open top and along an apical bond that is a further second distance from said open top,

wherein said at least one inflatable membrane contacts the heart within the cup assembly as said at least one inflatable membrane is selectively inflated and both said outer shell and said at least one inflatable membrane combine to provide a force assist profile that causes the heart to pump more efficiently when applied to the heart using the cardiac assist device.

2 . The cardiac assist device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one inflatable membrane creates elastic displacements in said outer shell when said at least one inflatable membrane is selectively inflated, wherein said elastic displacements in said outer shell generate forces that contribute to said force assist profile.

3 . The cardiac assist device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one inflatable membrane is inflated and deflated in accordance with a pressure profile, wherein said pressure profile along with both said outer shell and said at least one inflatable membrane combine to provide said force assist profile.

4 . The cardiac assist device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one inflatable membrane is selectively inflated and deflated in accordance with a pressure profile provided by a pneumatic pump.

5 . The cardiac assist device according to claim 4 , wherein said outer shell embodies outer shell strain characteristics that are a function of dimensions and materials embodied by said outer shell.

6 . The cardiac assist device according to claim 5 , wherein said at least one inflatable membrane embodies membrane strain characteristics that are a function of dimensions and materials embodied by said at least one inflatable membrane.

7 . The cardiac assist device according to claim 6 , wherein said force assist profile is a function of said outer shell strain characteristics, said membrane strain characteristics, and said pressure profile.

8 . The cardiac assist device according to claim 1 , wherein said first distance of said basal bond is a distance below the open top that is no greater than five percent of said overall height.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (8)

References Cited (174)