Biothermal power source for implantable devices
First Claim
1. An implantable, rechargeable assembly comprised of an implantable device disposed within a living organism, an electrical storage device connected to said implantable device, and a thermoelectric charging assembly operatively connected to said electrical storage device, wherein said thermoelectric charging assembly is comprised of means for transferring thermal energy between said living organism and a thermoelectric module, means for generating an electrical current from said thermal energy, means for charging said electrical storage device with said electrical current, means for determining the extent to which said electrical storage device is being charged with said electrical current, and means for generating a signal whenever the extent to which said electrical storage device is being charged with said electrical current falls below a specified value.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable, rechargeable assembly comprised of an implantable device disposed within a living organism, an electrical storage device connected to the implantable device, and a thermoelectric charging assembly operatively connected to the electrical storage device. The thermoelectric charging assembly has devices for transferring thermal energy between the living organism and a thermoelectric module, for generating an electrical current from the thermal energy, for charging the electrical storage device with the electrical current, for determining the extent to which the electrical storage device is being charged with the electrical current, and for generating a signal whenever the extent to which the electrical storage device is being charged with the electrical current falls below a specified value.
45 Citations
37 Claims
- 1. An implantable, rechargeable assembly comprised of an implantable device disposed within a living organism, an electrical storage device connected to said implantable device, and a thermoelectric charging assembly operatively connected to said electrical storage device, wherein said thermoelectric charging assembly is comprised of means for transferring thermal energy between said living organism and a thermoelectric module, means for generating an electrical current from said thermal energy, means for charging said electrical storage device with said electrical current, means for determining the extent to which said electrical storage device is being charged with said electrical current, and means for generating a signal whenever the extent to which said electrical storage device is being charged with said electrical current falls below a specified value.
- 18. An implantable, rechargeable assembly comprised of an implantable device disposed within a living organism, a line for connecting said implantable device to an electrical storage device, a thermoelectric charging assembly, a line for operatively connecting said thermoelectric charging assembly to said electrical storage device, wherein said thermoelectric charging assembly is comprised of means for transferring thermal energy between said living organism and a thermoelectric module, means for generating an electrical current from said thermal energy, means for charging said electrical storage device with said electrical current, means for determining the extent to which said electrical storage device is being charged with said electrical current, and means for generating a signal whenever the extent to which said electrical storage device is being charged with said electrical current falls below a specified value, and a line for operatively connecting said means for determining the extent to which said electrical storage device is being charged with said electrical current to said electrical storage device.
-
25. A method for increasing the thermal gradient that is present at an implantable power device implanted in a-living organism, said power device comprising an electrical storage device and a thermoelectric module having a first surface at a first temperature and a second surface at a second temperature, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
-
a. monitoring at least one condition that may indicate the necessity of increasing said thermal gradient;
b. performing a decision to increase said thermal gradient based upon said monitoring of said at least one condition; and
c. performing at least one action to cause a change in temperature of at least one of said first surface and said second surface. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
Specification