Patent Application
20210361932
This disclosure relates to implantable medical devices, and more particularly, this disclosure relates to connection systems for use in implantable blood pumps.
Ventricular assist systems (VASs) may include ventricular assist devices (VADs), such as implantable blood pumps used for both short-term (i.e., days, months) and long-term (i.e., years or a lifetime) applications where a patient's heart is incapable of providing adequate circulation, commonly referred to as heart failure or congestive heart failure. A patient suffering from heart failure may use a VAS while awaiting a heart transplant or as a long-term destination therapy. In another example, a patient may use a VAS while recovering from heart surgery. Thus, a VAS can supplement a weak heart (i.e., partial support) or can effectively replace the natural heart's function. VASs can be implanted in the patient's body and powered by an electrical power source inside or outside the patient's body.
According to the American Heart Association, more than five million Americans are living with heart failure, with about 670,000 new cases diagnosed every year. People with heart failure often have shortness of breath and fatigue. Years of living with blocked arteries or high blood pressure can leave your heart too weak to pump enough blood to your body. As symptoms worsen, advanced heart failure develops.
Operation of a VAD can be controlled and/or affected by a controller communicatively coupled with the VAD. The controller can be an external controller or an implanted controller. The operation of the controller can be important to the operation of the VAD and can control all or portions of the operation of the VAD including, for example, a speed of the VAD. Some controllers, for example, can monitor one or several parameters relevant to the patient and can affect operation of the VAD according to those one or several monitored parameters. This can include, for example, changing the VAD speed in response to an increase or decrease in physical activity, or the like. Controllers are typically connected to the VAD via a wired connection. Additionally, some controllers are connected to one or more power sources via a wired connection. The connectors in these wired connections may be improved to facilitate ease of use and to improve durability. Accordingly, new systems, methods, and/or connectors are desired.
In one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a connector system for a medical device system. The connector system includes a connector receptacle including first electrical contacts, a connector insert including second electrical contacts and at least one pin, and a locking member rotatably coupled to the connector receptacle, the locking member including a housing and a guide member, the guide member including an annular body that defines at least one groove including a first locking detent and a second locking detent, the at least one pin operable to traverse the at least one groove, engage the first locking detent in a first locked configuration, and engage the second locking detent in a second locked configuration when the connector insert is inserted into the connector receptacle.
In another embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a medical device system. The medical device system includes an implantable medical device, a controller, and a driveline coupling the implantable medical device to the controller, the driveline including a connector system that includes a connector receptacle comprising first electrical contacts, a connector insert including second electrical contacts and at least one pin, and a locking member rotatably coupled to the connector receptacle, the locking member including a housing and a guide member, the guide member including an annular body that defines at least one groove including a first locking detent and a second locking detent, the at least one pin operable to traverse the at least one groove, engage the first locking detent in a first locked configuration, and engage the second locking detent in a second locked configuration when the connector insert is inserted into the connector receptacle.
In yet another embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a method of assembling a connector system for use in a medical device system. The method includes coupling a connector receptacle to an end of a first piece of a driveline, the connector receptacle including first electrical contacts, coupling a connector insert to an end of a second piece of the driveline, the connector insert including second electrical contacts and at least one pin, and rotatably coupling a locking member to the connector receptacle, the locking member including a housing and a guide member, the guide member including an annular body that defines at least one groove including a first locking detent and a second locking detent, the at least one pin operable to traverse the at least one groove, engage the first locking detent in a first locked configuration, and engage the second locking detent in a second locked configuration when the connector insert is inserted into the connector receptacle.
The foregoing and other aspects, features, details, utilities and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent from reading the following description and claims, and from reviewing the accompanying drawings.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
The disclosure provides systems and methods for connections in a medical device system. A connector system includes a connector receptacle including first electrical contacts, a connector insert including second electrical contacts and at least one pin, and a locking member rotatably coupled to the connector receptacle. The locking member includes a housing and a guide member, the guide member including an annular body that defines at least one groove including a first locking detent and a second locking detent. The at least one pin is operable to traverse the at least one groove, engage the first locking detent in a first locked configuration, and engage the second locking detent in a second locked configuration when the connector insert is inserted into the connector receptacle.
This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/395,134, filed Apr. 25, 2019, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Circulatory support systems are increasingly used to support blood circulation in patients. These circulatory systems can include an implantable blood pump such as a VAD and a controller. In some embodiments, the controller can directly control the implantable blood pump via one or several control signals, and/or the controller can provide one or several parameters that can be used by the implantable blood pump to affect operation of the implantable blood pump, such as, for example, to change a speed of the implantable blood pump.
Due to this role of the controller in affecting operation of the implantable blood pump, reliability and ruggedness of the controller are important. However, in many instances, controllers are coupled to either a power source such as an external power source or to the implantable blood pump via one or several cables, wires, drivelines, or the like. The connection of the controller with the other components relies on connectors that form this coupling. While numerous improvements have been made to connectors to minimize risk of damage to the connectors and to improve connector reliability, further improvements are desired.
Such improvements to the connectors may enhance the connector to minimize susceptibility to environmental factors, corrosion, and/or contamination of all or portions of the connector with foreign objects that may hinder coupling. Such improvements may further facilitate connecting the connector and may facilitate aligning the connector insert and the connector receptacle to improve connection. In some embodiments, for example, a connector may include one or several seals that seal contacts and/or that isolate contacts. In some embodiments, the connector can include one or several features that can facilitate draining of the connector of any fluid that may be in the connector at the time of coupling. In some embodiments, the connector can include one or several features that automatically align the connector when coupled and/or that facilitate coupling of the connector.
These features that facilitate alignment can include, for example, the shape of the connector insert and/or the connector receptacle. In some embodiments, for example, the connector insert has a particular shape, and the connector receptacle has a complementary shape that allows insertion of the connector insert in one of a finite number of orientations into the connector receptacle. In some embodiments, the shape can allow insertion of the connector insert into the connector receptacle in multiple orientations (e.g., in two orientations oriented 180° relative to each other). In some embodiments, the contacts in the connector receptacle and the contacts of the connector insert can be arranged to properly mate when the connector insert is inserted into the connector receptacle in any of the finite number of orientations.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals are used to identify identical components in the various views,
Implantable blood pump 14 may include a VAD that is attached to an apex of the left ventricle, as illustrated, or the right ventricle, or both ventricles of the heart 24. The VAD may include a centrifugal (as shown) or axial flow pump that is capable of pumping the entire output delivered to the left ventricle from the pulmonary circulation (i.e., up to 10 liters per minute). Related blood pumps applicable to the present disclosure are described in greater detail below and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,695,471, 6,071,093, 6,116,862, 6,186,665, 6,234,772, 6,264,635, 6,688,861, 7,699,586, 7,976,271, 7,997,854, 8,007,254, 8,152,493, 8,652,024, and 8,668,473 and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2007/0078293, 2008/0021394, 2009/0203957, 2012/0046514, 2012/0095281, 2013/0096364, 2013/0170970, 2013/0121821, and 2013/0225909, all of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes in their entirety.
Blood pump 14 may be attached to heart 24 via ventricular cuff 16, which is sewn to heart 24 and coupled to blood pump 14. The other end of blood pump 14 connects to the ascending aorta via outflow cannula 18 so that the VAD effectively diverts blood from the weakened ventricle and propels it to the aorta for circulation to the rest of the patient's vascular system.
In
The system may be powered by one, two, or more external power sources 22. In some embodiments, one or several energy storage components, such as, for example, one or several batteries, in controller 20 can power the mechanical circulatory support system 10. It will be appreciated that although system controller 20 and power source 22 are illustrated outside/external to the patient body, driveline 26, system controller 20 and/or power source 22 may be partially or fully implantable within the patient, as separate components or integrated with blood bump 14. In some embodiments, for example, system controller 20 can be implanted within the patient's body, and can receive power from power source 22 that is external to the patient's body. In some embodiments, this power can be provided to controller 20 via a wired or wireless connection between controller 20 and power source 22. In some embodiments, this wireless connection can include a transcutaneous energy transfer system (TETS) that can, for example, include one or several resonant circuits. Examples of such modifications are further described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,562,508 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0127253, all of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes in their entirety.
Connector system 200 includes a connector receptacle 202 and a connector insert 204. One or both of connector receptacle 202 and connector insert 204 may be located on or in a medical device such as, for example, in or on a component of mechanical circulatory support system 10 including, for example, implantable blood pump 14, system controller 20, one or both of the external power sources 22, and/or driveline 26. In the embodiment shown in
Connector receptacle 202 includes a top 214, also referred to herein as an end 214, a recessed bottom 216, and a side 218, also referred to herein as a wall 218 or as a sidewall 218 that connects top 214 and bottom 216. In some embodiments, sidewall 218 can extend from top 214 to bottom 216 of connector receptacle 202. Connector receptacle 202, and specifically wall 218 and bottom 216 of connector receptacle 202 define a receptacle volume 220 that can be accessed via an opening defined by top 214 of connector receptacle 202.
Although described herein as being located at an end of a piece of driveline 26, connector receptacle 202 can alternatively be located at an end of a tether containing, for example, one or more wires, one or more light guides, or the like. The tether may include driveline 26, a cable connecting an extra power source 22 to controller 20, or the like.
In one embodiment, connector receptacle 202 includes a plurality of contacts (not shown in
In this embodiment, connector receptacle 202 includes at least one mating feature 224 that engages orientation features of connector insert 204 to transition connector insert 204 to a desired orientation, and/or alignment with respect to connector receptacle 202. In some embodiments, mating feature 224 engages the orientation features of connector insert 204 to transition connector insert 204 to the desired orientation and/or alignment with respect to connector receptacle 202 when or while connector insert 204 is inserted into connector receptacle 202. In some embodiments, for example, mating feature 224 may interact with the orientation features of connector insert 204 such that the further connector insert 204 is inserted into connector receptacle 202, the closer the actual alignment, and/or orientation of connector insert 204 is to the desired orientation, and/or alignment.
Mating feature 224 may include one or more cam surfaces 226 (shown best in
In one embodiment, cam surfaces 226 cause connector insert 204 to rotate with respect to connector receptacle 202 when connector insert 204 is inserted into connector receptacle 202. In some embodiments, cam surfaces 226 are sized, shaped, and/or positioned such that rotation of connector insert 204 with respect to connector receptacle 202 stops before any of the plurality of contacts mates with, engages with, and/or contacts any of the contacts of connector insert 204.
Connector insert 204 includes a body 240 having sides 242, also referred to as exterior sides 242, and a front 244. Body 240 of connector insert 204 can be sealed, and specifically can be hermetically sealed. Connector insert 204 includes insert contacts (not shown in
As shown in
In one embodiment, connector insert 204 includes an orientation feature 248, also referred to herein as a following feature 248 or following surface 248, configured to engage with mating feature 224 of the connector receptacle 202 to rotate connector insert 204 to a desired alignment with respect to connector receptacle 202 while connector insert 204 is inserted into connector receptacle 202. In some embodiments, following surface 248 extends from side 242 of body 240 of connector insert 204, and in some embodiments, following surface 248 can extend radially outwardly from side 242 of body 240 of connector insert 204.
Following surface 248 includes a key 250 and a pin 252 in the embodiment shown in
Connector system 200 further includes a locking member 300 that includes a housing 302 and a guide member 304 (not shown in
As described in detail herein, locking member 300, and specifically, guide member 304 engages with connector insert 204 to retain coupling between connector receptacle 202 and connector insert 204. In one embodiment, guide member 304 engages pins 252 to retain coupling between connector receptacle 202 and connector insert 204.
As shown in
As described below, the engagement between pin 252 and groove 312 improves the locking safety of connector system 200 by preventing accidental disconnections, and making it more evident to a user when connector insert 204 fully engages connector receptacle 202.
In one embodiment, guide member 304 includes a spring 320 that at least partially defines groove 312. Spring 320 is a flexible projection that is biased towards first and second locking detents 314 and 316. Accordingly, when pin 252 traverses groove 312, spring 320 urges pin 252 towards first and second locking detents 314 and 316.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The first and second locked configurations of connector system 200 provide advantages over at least some known connectors. For example, a user is able to confirm connector insert 204 is fully engaged with connector receptacle 202 by inserting connector insert 204 until the user detects (e.g., by tactile feedback, by observing indicator line 226, and by observing the various indicators on connector insert 204 and housing 302) that the first locked configuration is achieved, and then by further inserting connector insert 204 until the user detects (e.g., by tactile feedback, by observing indicator line 226, and by observing the various indicators on connector insert 204 and housing 302) that the second locked configuration is achieved.
Further, once connector system 200 is in the second locked configuration, if pin 252 inadvertently disengages from second locking detent 316 (e.g., due to a user manipulating and/or adjusting connector system 200), pin 252 will slide into first locking detect 314, instead of causing connector insert 204 to disengage from connector receptacle 202. Notably, connector system 200 is functional (i.e., provides an electrical and mechanical connection) in both the first and second locked configurations.
The embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for connections in a medical device system. A connector system includes a connector receptacle including first electrical contacts, a connector insert including second electrical contacts and at least one pin, and a locking member rotatably coupled to the connector receptacle. The locking member includes a housing and a guide member, the guide member including an annular body that defines at least one groove including a first locking detent and a second locking detent. The at least one pin is operable to traverse the at least one groove, engage the first locking detent in a first locked configuration, and engage the second locking detent in a second locked configuration when the connector insert is inserted into the connector receptacle.
Although certain embodiments of this disclosure have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. All directional references (e.g., upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the present disclosure, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of the disclosure. Joinder references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and the like) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between a connection of elements and relative movement between elements. As such, joinder references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims.
When introducing elements of the present disclosure or the preferred embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/027,665, filed May 20, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63027665 | May 2020 | US |
