System and method for transferring power to intrabody instruments

• US 10,340,985 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Ma, Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhillon, Jagdeep S
• Application Number:
  US15/594,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20170245950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 307149, 307 66, 307108, 607 60, 607 61, 600424, 600409, 600407, 600431, 600437, 600439, 606133, 606130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00411 actuated by application of energy from an energy source outside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/03 Constructional details, e.g. casings, housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A system and method for transferring power includes a power transmitting unit for transmitting power and a power receiving unit for receiving power from the power transmitting unit. The power transmitting unit may be positioned outside a human body and the power receiving unit is located on an intrabody instrument adapted to be movable from the outside of the human body to inside the human body. The intrabody instrument may be a medical instrument connected to or incorporated within a robotic arm. The power transmitting unit may wirelessly transfer power to the power receiving unit in a continuous, non-interrupted manner.

Claims

1. A method for transferring power, the method comprising:

transmitting power via a power transmitting unit positioned outside a patient body;

receiving power from the power transmitting unit via a power receiving unit located on an intrabody instrument that is adapted to be at least partially inserted into the patient body and movable therein; and

wirelessly coupling the intrabody instrument to a second intrabody instrument that is positionable within the patient body such that the intrabody instrument and the second intrabody instrument electrically communicate with one another.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving power at the power transmitting unit from an energy source coupled to the power transmitting unit.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising storing energy in an energy storage unit disposed within the intrabody instrument.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising energizing the power receiving unit from the energy storage unit in response to the power transmitting unit being disconnected.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing energy in a battery disposed within the intrabody instrument.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the power transmitting unit wirelessly transfers power to the power receiving unit.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the power transmitting unit wirelessly transfers power to the power receiving unit in a continuous, non-interrupted manner.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the power transmitting unit wirelessly transfers power using inductive coupling power transfer.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the power transmitting unit wirelessly transfers power using inductive coupling power transfer at a common inductor-capacitor resonance frequency.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the power transmitting unit wirelessly transfers power to the power receiving unit using radio frequency (RF) power transfer.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the power transmitting unit wirelessly transfers power to the power receiving unit using radio frequency (RF) power transfer at a common frequency.

12. The method according to claim 6, wherein the power transmitting unit wirelessly transfers power to the power receiving unit through control electronics disposed within the intrabody instrument.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transferring power from the power receiving unit to the power transmitting unit.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the power receiving unit wirelessly transfers power to the power transmitting unit.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving an input from a user, the input being a selection of a desired power-transmitting protocol.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying, via a display mechanism, an operating status of the transmitting unit or the receiving unit.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transferring data between the power transmitting unit and the power receiving unit via a data communications unit.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising assembling the intrabody instrument inside the patient body.