Granted Patent B2

US 12,370,085 · App. 17/684,544 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Inventors: Eric Schultz (Los Altos, CA); Robert Chang (Belmont, CA); Tom Saul (Moss Beach, CA); Richard Lilly (San Jose, CA); Michael Drews (Palo Alto, CA); Claudio Argento (Felton, CA); Katherine Sapozhnikov (Campbell, CA)

Assignee: Shifamed Holdings, LLC

A61F9/00781A61F2210/0014

Abstract

Claims (16)

1. An implantable actuator for selectively controlling the flow of fluid through an implantable shunting system, the actuator comprising:

a first actuation element having a first end portion configured to be fixedly coupled to a substrate and a first curved end portion spaced apart from the first end portion by a length of the first actuation element;

a second actuation element having a second end portion configured to be fixedly coupled to the substrate and a second curved end portion spaced apart from the second end portion by a length of the second actuation element; and

a rotatable element positioned between and coupled to the first curved end portion and the second curved end portion,

wherein the first curved end portion and the second curved end portion are deformable to facilitate rotation of the rotatable element within a plane defined by the actuator.

2. The actuator of claim 1 wherein the rotatable element is a rotatable projection having:

a first portion coupled to the first curved end portion and the second curved end portion, and

a second portion extending from the first portion, the second portion configured to have a free end moveable relative to the substrate when the first end portion and the second end portion are coupled to the substrate.

3. The actuator of claim 2 wherein the free end is positioned between the first actuation element and the second actuation element.

4. The actuator of claim 1 wherein the first curved end portion extends orthogonal to an axial length of the first actuation element, and wherein the second curved end portion extends orthogonal to an axial length of the second actuation element.

5. The actuator of claim 1 wherein, when the first end portion of the first actuation element and the second end portion of the second actuation element are fixedly coupled to the substrate:

the first actuation element, upon actuation, is configured to deform at least one of the first curved end portion or the second curved end portion to rotate the rotatable element in a first direction, and

the second actuation element, upon actuation, is configured to deform at least one of the first curved end portion or the second curved end portion to rotate the rotatable element in a second direction different than the first direction.

6. The actuator of claim 1 wherein the first actuation element, the second actuation element, and the rotatable element form a single, contiguous component.

7. The actuator of claim 1 wherein the first actuation element and the second actuation element are composed at least in part of a shape memory material.

8. The actuator of claim 1 wherein the substrate includes a surface of the implantable shunting system.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (6)

References Cited (400)