Defibrillator power source with replaceable and rechargeable power packs

• US 20030197487A1
• Filed: 05/13/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Physio-Control Corp. (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Joseph L., Nova, Richard C., Johnson, Stephen B., Tamura, Paul S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,095,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3975 Power supply A61N1/378 takes precedence

Abstract

The power source in a portable defibrillator includes a replaceable first power pack and a rechargeable second power pack. The first power pack charges the second power pack. The second power pack supplies most of the energy needed to administer a defibrillation shock. The first power pack may include one or more lithium thionyl chloride batteries. The second power pack may include one or more lithium ion batteries and/or ultracapacitors.

Claims

1. A defibrillator comprising a replaceable first battery coupled to a rechargeable second battery.

2. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the replaceable first battery comprises a lithium thionyl chloride battery.

3. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the replaceable first battery comprises a fuel cell.

4. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable second battery comprises a lithium ion battery.

5. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable second battery is mounted permanently inside the defibrillator.

6. The defibrillator of claim 1, further comprising an energy storage device that receives energy from the rechargeable second battery.

7. The defibrillator of claim 6, wherein the energy storage device comprises a capacitor.

8. The defibrillator of claim 6, further comprising a charging circuit that transfers energy from the rechargeable second battery to the energy storage device.

9. The defibrillator of claim 1, further comprising a battery compartment that receives the replaceable first battery.

10. The defibrillator of claim 9, the battery compartment comprising an electrical connection that couples the replaceable first battery to the rechargeable second battery.

11. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the replaceable first battery and the rechargeable second battery are coupled in parallel.

12. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the replaceable first battery charges the rechargeable second battery.

13. A device comprising:

a power source that supplies energy to an energy storage device in a defibrillator, the power source comprising a replaceable first power pack coupled to a rechargeable second power pack,

wherein the replaceable first power pack comprises a lithium thionyl chloride battery,

wherein the rechargeable second power pack comprises a lithium ion battery.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the lithium thionyl chloride battery is coupled in parallel with the lithium ion battery.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the lithium ion battery is a first lithium ion battery, wherein the rechargeable second power pack further comprises a second lithium ion battery, and wherein the lithium thionyl chloride battery is coupled in parallel with the first lithium ion battery and the second lithium ion battery.

16. The device of claim 13,

wherein the lithium thionyl chloride battery comprises a first lithium thionyl chloride battery, the first power pack further comprising a second lithium thionyl chloride battery and a third lithium thionyl chloride battery,

wherein the lithium ion battery is a first lithium ion battery, the rechargeable second power pack further comprising a second lithium ion battery, a third lithium ion battery, a fourth lithium ion battery, a fifth lithium ion battery and a sixth lithium ion battery,

wherein the first lithium thionyl chloride battery is coupled in parallel with the first and second lithium ion batteries, the second lithium thionyl chloride battery is coupled in parallel with the third and fourth lithium ion batteries and the third lithium thionyl chloride battery is coupled in parallel with the fifth and sixth lithium ion batteries.

17. The device of claim 16,

wherein the cathode of the second lithium thionyl chloride battery is coupled to the anode of the first lithium thionyl chloride battery, and

wherein the anode of the second lithium thionyl chloride battery is coupled to the cathode of the third lithium thionyl chloride battery.

18. The device of claim 13, further comprising a compartment that receives the replaceable first power pack.

19. The device of claim 13, further comprising a charging circuit that transfers energy from the power source to the energy storage device.

20. A defibrillator comprising a replaceable first power pack coupled to a rechargeable second power pack, wherein the rechargeable second power pack comprises at least one of a rechargeable battery and a capacitor and wherein the rechargeable second power pack stores at least 100 joules.

21. The defibrillator of claim 20, wherein the rechargeable second power pack comprises an ultracapacitor.

22. The defibrillator of claim 20, wherein the rechargeable second power pack comprises a bank of ultracapacitors.

23. The defibrillator of claim 20, wherein the rechargeable second power pack comprises a lithium ion battery.

24. The defibrillator of claim 20, wherein the rechargeable second power pack is mounted permanently inside the defibrillator.

25. The defibrillator of claim 20, wherein the replaceable first power pack comprises a battery.

26. The defibrillator of claim 25, wherein the replaceable first power pack comprises a lithium thionyl chloride battery.

27. The defibrillator of claim 25, wherein the replaceable first power pack comprises a fuel cell.

28. The defibrillator of claim 20, further comprising a compartment that receives the replaceable first power pack.

29. The defibrillator of claim 28, the compartment comprising an electrical connection that couples the replaceable first power pack to the rechargeable second power pack.

30. The defibrillator of claim 20, further comprising a charging circuit that transfers energy from the second power pack to an energy storage device.

31. The defibrillator of claim 20, wherein the replaceable first power pack and the rechargeable second power pack are coupled in parallel.

32. The defibrillator of claim 20, wherein the replaceable first power pack charges the rechargeable second power pack.

33. A method comprising:

charging a second power pack in a defibrillator with a replaceable first power pack in parallel with the second power pack;

charging an energy storage device with energy from the second power pack; and

delivering energy from the energy storage device to a defibrillation electrode.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising maintaining the voltage of the second power pack with the replaceable first power pack.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising delivering energy from the second power pack to a microprocessor.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein charging a second power pack in a defibrillator with a replaceable first power pack in parallel with the second power pack comprises charging a rechargeable battery in the second power pack.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein charging a second power pack in a defibrillator with a replaceable first power pack in parallel with the second power pack comprises charging an ultracapacitor in the second power pack.

38. A method comprising:

uncoupling a replaceable first power pack from a rechargeable second power pack in a defibrillator;

coupling a fresh replaceable first power pack to the rechargeable second power pack.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

removing a first electrode from the defibrillator; and

coupling a second electrode to the defibrillator.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising coupling the fresh replaceable first power pack in parallel with the rechargeable second power pack.

41. A method comprising:

charging a second power pack in a defibrillator with a first power pack, the first power pack having a maximum sustained current output of approximately 100 milliamperes;

charging an energy storage device with the second power pack, the second power pack having a current output of at least one ampere; and

delivering current from the energy storage device to a defibrillation electrode.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein charging an energy storage device with the second power pack comprises:

supplying current from the second power pack to a charging circuit; and

charging the energy storage device with current from the charging circuit.