US 7,476,077 B2
	Rotary pump with exclusively hydrodynamically suspended impeller
John C. Woodard, Thornleigh (Australia); Peter A. Watterson, West Ryde (Australia); and Geoffrey D. Tansley, Normanhurst (Australia)
Assigned to Ventrassist Pty Ltd., Sydney (Australia); and University of Technology at Sydney, Sydney (Australia)
Filed on Aug. 26, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/212,227.
Application 11/212227 is a continuation of application No. 10/634211, filed on Aug. 05, 2003, granted, now 6,966,748.
Application 10/634211 is a continuation of application No. 09/893319, filed on Jun. 26, 2001, granted, now 6,638,011, filed on Oct. 28, 2003.
Application 09/893319 is a continuation of application No. 09/299038, filed on Apr. 23, 1999, granted, now 6,250,880, filed on Jun. 26, 2001.
Application 09/299038 is a continuation in part of application No. 09/281608, filed on Mar. 30, 1999, granted, now 6,227,797, filed on May 08, 2001.
Application 09/281608 is a continuation of application No. PCT/AU98/00725, filed on Sep. 07, 1998.
Claims priority of application No. PO 9027 (AU), filed on Sep. 05, 1997.
Prior Publication US 2005/0281685 A1, Dec. 22, 2005
Int. Cl. F01D 3/00 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 415—104  [415/900]

14 Claims

1. A blood pump including: a housing; an at least partially hydrodynamically suspended impeller; wherein said impeller is located within said housing and includes a plurality of magnets and wherein each said magnet is arranged in a circular zone surrounding the maximum radius of the impeller, said impeller including vanes, wherein the vanes are separate and each vane includes at least one face having at least three sides arranged such that the join of at least one pair of the three sides is rounded, the join having a length that is substantially smaller than the length of any of the three sides.