Prosthetic sutureless heart valve

Claim 2

A sutureless heart valve comprising: an annular-shaped base member having a central aperture therein; valve means attached to said base member and operable within said aperture to block flow through said aperture; an annular-shaped snapring for joining said base and valve means to the surrounding heart tissue, said snapring being joined to said base member through a snap fit so that the heart tissue is firmly held between said ring and base, the inner surfaces of said ring and base being so shaped to form a smooth continuous surface over said snapring and through said central aperture; and a plurality of pins extending in an axial direction between said base member and said snapring so that when said snapring is joined to said base, said pins pierce said heart tissue to anchor said tissue between said base and ring, said pins being spaced radially from said aperture.

Claim 3

A sutureless heart valve according to claim 1, wherein said base includes an axially and inwardly extending flange, and said ring includes an axially and outwardly extending surface in juxtaposed relationship with said base flange.

Claim 4

A sutureless heart valve according to claim 2, wherein said outwardly and axially extending surface on said ring has a rounded corner for camming against said base flange during assembly of said valve.

Claim 5

A sutureless heart valve according to claim 3 wherein said pins are mounted on said base, and said snapring flange is of sufficient diameter to fit over said pins when said snapring is joined to said base, said snapring flange further including an annular recess for receipt of said pins when said snapring is joined to said base to provide positive locking of the tissue between the base and ring.

Claim 6

A sutureless heart valve according to claim 1, wherein said valve means is a ball and said base is provided with a plurality of spaced legs extending axially of said base member and having their outer ends curved inwardly and joined at a central point along the longitudinal axis of said base and enclosing said ball which is reciprocatable within said legs and seats against said annular base member to close off said central aperture.

Claim 7

A sutureless heart valve according to claim 1, wherein said valve means comprises a movable disc operably adjacent a face of said base member to block flow through said central aperture and means on said base enclosing said disc, said disc being reciprocable in said enclosing means to move away from said base to permit fluid flow through said central aperture.

Claim 8

A sutureless heart valve comprising, in combination: an annular-shaped base member having a central aperture therein; check valve means in said central aperture being attached to said base member; an annular shaped snapring; means attaching said snapring to said base member through a snap fit, the inner surface of said base member and said snapring being so shaped to form a smooth, continuous surface over said snapring and through said central aperture, said attaching means comprising an axially directed flange with an outwardly extending wall on said snapring and an axially and inwardly extending flange on said base, spaced from said central aperture in juxtaposed relationship with said snapring flange, the inner diameter of said base flange being slightly smaller than the outer diameter of said outwardly extending wall at opposing positions of said wall and said base flange; and a plurality of pins extending in an axial direction between said base member and snapring spaced from said aperture.

Claim 9

A sutureless heart valve comprising, in combination: an annular-shaped base member having a central aperture therein; check valve means in said central aperture being attached to said base member; an annular shaped snapring; means attaching said snapring to said base member through a snap fit, the inner surface of said base member and said snapring being so shaped to form a smooth, continuous surface over said snapring and through said central aperture, said attaching means comprising an axially directed flange with an outwardly extending wall on said snapring and an axially and inwardly extending flange on said base, spaced from said central aperture in juxtaposed relationship with said snapring flange, the inner diameter of said base flange being slightly smaller than the outer diameter of said outwardly extending wall at opposing positions of said wall and said base flange; and a plurality of pins extending in an axial direction between said base member and snapring spaced from said aperture.

Claim 10

A sutureless heart valve according to claim 7 wherein said outwardly extending wall of said snapring has a rounded edge which is adapted to cam against said inwardly extending flange during assembly of said valve.