Flexible transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) primary coil
First Claim
1. A flexible transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil, comprising:
- a substantially shape-retaining base ring defining a primary plane;
a conducting element in the form of a plurality of substantially concentric windings attached to the base ring; and
at least one binding element, the binding element being bound to a plurality of the windings to substantially maintain the concentricity of the bound windings while allowing the bound windings to move in a direction transverse to the primary plane with respect to other bound windings, thereby enabling the primary coil to conform to a surface upon which the primary coil is applied.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A substantially flexible primary coil for use in a transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) device. When in use, the primary coil conforms to the contours of a patient'"'"'s body, and, more particularly, to the shape of the skin under which a secondary coil of the TET is implanted. The shape of the primary coil adjusts with short term and long term changes in the contour of the patient'"'"'s skin, enabling the primary coil to maintain a desired relative position with the implanted secondary coil as the patient changes position, posture or orientation, as well as over time as the patient loses or gains weight. The primary coil includes a shape-retaining base ring defining a primary plane. The base ring is firm, yet is able to conform to the contours of the substrate upon which it is placed. Attached to the base ring is a conducting element such as flexible wire which is coiled to form a plurality of nearly concentric windings. The windings are able to move at any angle, including transverse, to the primary plane so as to adopt the shape of the skin against which it is placed. In this way, the primary coil can be placed on any irregular surface and take the shape of the irregularities. A binding element is bound to the plurality of windings so that the near concentricity of the windings is maintained when the windings move.
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Citations
70 Claims
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1. A flexible transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil, comprising:
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a substantially shape-retaining base ring defining a primary plane;
a conducting element in the form of a plurality of substantially concentric windings attached to the base ring; and
at least one binding element, the binding element being bound to a plurality of the windings to substantially maintain the concentricity of the bound windings while allowing the bound windings to move in a direction transverse to the primary plane with respect to other bound windings, thereby enabling the primary coil to conform to a surface upon which the primary coil is applied. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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- 22. A coil for transferring electrical power to a subcutaneous utilization device, the coil being formed from a conducting element and having a series of windings, wherein the windings are attached to one another by at least one binding element, and a substantially shape-retaining base ring connected to the at least one binding element and surrounding the conducting element, wherein the at least one binding element and conducting element are constructed and arranged such that each winding is translatable to a location not in a plane that includes the base ring and non-translated windings.
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42. A transcutaneous energy transfer system, comprising:
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a flexible external primary coil to which energy to be transferred is applied; and
a secondary coil adapted to be coupled to the primary coil, the secondary coil being adapted to be connected to apply energy to an implanted utilization device;
the primary coil further comprising;
a substantially shape-retaining base ring defining a primary plane;
a conducting element in the form of a plurality of substantially concentric windings attached to the base ring; and
at least one binding element, the binding element being bound to a plurality of the windings to substantially maintain the concentricity of the bound windings while allowing the bound windings to move in a direction transverse to the primary plane with respect to other bound windings. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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- 55. An external primary coil for use in a transcutaneous energy transfer system having an implantable secondary coil configured to be inductively coupled to the external primary coil to deliver energy received from the primary coil to an implanted device, wherein the primary coil is flexible, taking on a shape in response to external forces such that when applied to a patient'"'"'s skin under which the secondary coil is implanted, the primary coil continually conforms to the patient'"'"'s skin over time.
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56. A transcutaneous energy transfer system, comprising:
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a flexible external primary coil to which energy to be transferred is applied; and
a secondary coil coupled to the primary coil, the secondary coil being implanted to be connected to apply energy to a subcutaneous utilization device;
the primary coil being formed from a conducting element and having a series of windings, each winding being able to flex with respect to an adjacent winding, wherein the windings are attached to one another by at least one binding element.
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70. An external primary coil for use in a transcutaneous energy transfer system having an implantable secondary coil configured to be inductively coupled to the external primary coil to deliver energy received from the primary coil to an implanted device, wherein individual windings of the primary coil can translate relative to each other to enable the primary coil to conform continually to a patient'"'"'s skin under which the secondary coil is implanted.
Specification