An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.

An impeller for use in a fan system includes a hub extending along an axis of rotation and having a hub outer surface. There also are a plurality of blades extending radially outwardly of the hub outer surface. The blades have a unique cross-section at several different locations that result in relatively thin blades. A fan system and method are also disclosed.

The catheter device comprises a drive shaft connected to a motor, and a rotor mounted on the drive shaft at the distal end section. The rotor has a frame structure which is formed by a screw-like boundary frame and rotor struts extending radially inwards from the boundary frame. The rotor struts are fastened to the drive shaft by their ends opposite the boundary frame. Between the boundary frame and the drive shaft extends an elastic covering. The frame structure is made of an elastic material such that, after forced compression, the rotor unfolds automatically.

An axial-flow blood pump includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet opposite therefrom. An impeller located within the housing is suspended during operation by magnetic forces between magnets or magnetized regions of the impeller and a motor stator surrounding the housing, and hydrodynamic thrust forces generated by a flow of blood between the housing and a plurality of hydrodynamic thrust bearing surfaces located on the impeller. A volute may be in fluid-tight connection with the outlet of the housing for receiving blood in the axial direction and directing blood in a direction normal to the axial direction. The volute has a flow-improving member extending axially from the volute and into the housing in a coaxial direction of the housing.

An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.

An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.

An axial flow blood pump having a rotor rotatably mounted in a housing. The rotor includes at least two rotor blades having different configurations.

An axial flow blood pump having a rotor rotatably mounted in a housing. The rotor includes at least two rotor blades having different configurations.

A non-occluding intravascular pump comprises a shroud providing an inlet for incoming blood flow and an outlet for outgoing blood flow, wherein the shroud is a cylindrical housing; an impeller positioned within shroud, wherein a central axis of the shroud and impeller are shared; a motor coupled to the impeller, wherein the motor rotates the impeller to causes blood to be drawn through the inlet and output to the outlet, and the motor is centrally disposed and shares the central axis with the shroud and the impeller; and a plurality of pillars coupling the motor to the shroud, wherein the pillars secure the shroud in close proximity to the impeller. Various design features of the pump may be optimized to reduce hemolysis, such as, but not limited to, inlet length, impeller design, pillar angle, and outlet design.

A non-occluding intravascular pump comprises a shroud providing an inlet for incoming blood flow and an outlet for outgoing blood flow, wherein the shroud is a cylindrical housing; an impeller positioned within shroud, wherein a central axis of the shroud and impeller are shared; a motor coupled to the impeller, wherein the motor rotates the impeller to causes blood to be drawn through the inlet and output to the outlet, and the motor is centrally disposed and shares the central axis with the shroud and the impeller; and a plurality of pillars coupling the motor to the shroud, wherein the pillars secure the shroud in close proximity to the impeller. Various design features of the pump may be optimized to reduce hemolysis, such as, but not limited to, inlet length, impeller design, pillar angle, and outlet design.