Malleable TETS coil with improved anatomical fit

• US 10,636,566 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2019
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Hoarau, Carine, Reichenbach, Steven, Hannula, Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bukhari, Aqeel H
• Application Number:
  US16/453,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20190318870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/02 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/255 made from particles H01F27/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/26 Fastening parts of the core together; Fastening or mounting the core on casing or support on coil H01F27/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/28 Coils; Windings; Conductive connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/306 Fastening or mounting coils or windings on core, casing or other support
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 3/10 Composite arrangements of magnetic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 3/14 Constrictions; Gaps, e.g. air-gaps in magnetic shunt paths H01F3/12
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Systems and methods for wireless energy transfer are described. A transmitter unit has a transmitter resonator with a coil that is coupled to a power supply to wirelessly transmit power to a receiver unit. A receiver unit has a receiver resonator with a coil coupled to a device load. At least one of the resonators is a malleable, non-planar resonator that can be bent and shaped to conform to a patient'"'"'s anatomy.

Claims

1. A system for wireless energy transfer, comprising:

a transmitter unit comprising a transmitter resonator coil coupled to a power supply and configured to transmit wireless energy, the transmitter resonator coil being malleable so as to be conformable to a patient'"'"'s anatomy, the transmitter resonator coil comprising;

a flexible housing comprising a top section and a bottom section, the bottom section comprising a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a bottom wall that collectively define a groove, the top section extending between the first and second sidewalls;

a malleable conductor layer disposed in the groove of the bottom section of the housing, the malleable conductor layer contacting the bottom wall and spaced apart from the first and second sidewalls; and

a flexible ferrite layer disposed in the groove of the bottom section of the housing and extending between the first and second sidewalls, the flexible ferrite layer disposed between the top section of the flexible housing and the malleable conductor layer, the malleable conductor layer disposed between the bottom section of the flexible housing and the flexible ferrite layer, wherein the flexible housing encloses the malleable conductor layer and the flexible ferrite layer; and

a receiver unit comprising a receiver resonator coil coupled to a device load, wherein the receiver unit is configured to receive the wireless energy from the transmitter unit and supply the received energy to the device load.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible ferrite layer is configured to prevent magnetic flux from flowing in undesired directions.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the flexible ferrite layer comprises a plurality of ferrite beads disposed on a flexible substrate.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the flexible ferrite layer comprises a plurality of ferrite tiles disposed on a flexible substrate.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter resonator coil comprises a plurality of transmit coils.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter resonator coil comprises at least one transmit coil and at least one receive coil.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter resonator coil comprises at least one transmit coil, at least one receive coil, and at least one exciter coil.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter resonator coil is bendable into a non-planar configuration.

9. A method of transmitting and receiving wireless energy, comprising:

conforming a malleable transmitter coil to a patient, the malleable transmitter coil including;

a flexible housing including a top section and a bottom section, the bottom section comprising a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a bottom wall that collectively define a groove, the top section extending between the first and second sidewalls;

a malleable conductor layer disposed in the groove of the bottom section of the housing, the malleable conductor layer contacting the bottom wall and spaced apart from the first and second sidewalls; and

a flexible ferrite layer disposed in the groove of the bottom section of the housing and extending between the first and second sidewalls, the flexible ferrite layer disposed between the top section of the flexible housing and the malleable conductor layer, the malleable conductor layer disposed between the bottom section of the flexible housing and the flexible ferrite layer, wherein the flexible housing encloses the malleable conductor layer and the flexible ferrite layer;

transmitting wireless energy from the malleable transmitter coil into the patient;

receiving the wireless energy with a receiver coil implanted in the patient; and

delivering the received energy to a device load in the patient.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the flexible ferrite layer is configured to prevent magnetic flux from flowing in undesired directions.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the flexible ferrite layer includes a plurality of ferrite beads disposed on a flexible substrate.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the flexible ferrite layer includes a plurality of ferrite tiles disposed on a flexible substrate.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitter coil comprises a plurality of transmit coils.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitter coil is bendable into a non-planar configuration.

15. A method of transmitting and receiving wireless energy, comprising:

transmitting wireless energy from a transmitter coil into a patient;

receiving the wireless energy with a malleable receiver coil implanted in the patient the malleable receiver coil including;

a flexible housing including a top section and a bottom section, the bottom section comprising a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a bottom wall that collectively define a groove, the top section extending between the first and second sidewalls;

a malleable conductor layer disposed in the groove of the bottom section of the housing, the malleable conductor layer contacting the bottom wall and spaced apart from the first and second sidewalls; and

a flexible ferrite layer disposed in the groove of the bottom section of the housing and extending between the first and second sidewalls, the flexible ferrite layer disposed between the top section of the flexible housing and the malleable conductor layer, the malleable conductor layer disposed between the bottom section of the flexible housing and the flexible ferrite layer, wherein the flexible housing encloses the malleable conductor layer and the flexible ferrite layer; and

delivering the received energy to a device load in the patient.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the flexible ferrite layer is configured to prevent magnetic flux from flowing in undesired directions.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the flexible ferrite layer includes a plurality of ferrite beads disposed on a flexible substrate.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the flexible ferrite layer includes a plurality of ferrite tiles disposed on a flexible substrate.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiver coil comprises a plurality of receive coils.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiver coil is bendable into a non-planar configuration.