Micro electromechanical switches and medical devices incorporating same

• US 20040220650A1
• Filed: 04/29/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Heynen, Henri G., Houben, Richard P.M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,474,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/0042 Bistable switches, i.e. having two stable positions requiring only actuating energy for switching between them, e.g. with snap membrane or by permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/0078 with parallel movement of the movable contact relative to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/0084 with perpendicular movement of the movable contact relative to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/909 Medical use or attached to human body

Abstract

An apparatus for conducting electrical energy to a part of the body (e.g. the heart) and/or for providing sensor data from the body to a device suitably includes an input lead configured to electrically interface with a medical device. A switch electrically coupled to the input lead includes first and second output terminals and a switching input that is responsive to a control signal. The switch toggles electrical energy between first and second output leads in response to the control signal to provide energy to a particular location on the part of the body. The various electromechanical switches described herein may be useful in a wide variety of applications, including many applications in the medical device field. Such switches may be useful in producing Y-adapter-type lead multiplexers for implantable devices, for example, as well as in producing switchable electrode arrays, sensor leads and the like.

Claims

1. An apparatus for conducting electrical energy to a part of the body, the apparatus comprising:

an input lead configured to electrically interface with an energy source and to receive the electrical energy therefrom;

a switch electrically coupled to the input lead and comprising first and second output terminals, and wherein the switch is configured to toggle the electrical energy between the first and second output terminals in response to a control signal;

a first output lead coupled to the first output terminal of the switch and configured to conduct the electrical energy to a first location of the part of the body; and

a second output lead coupled to the second output terminal of the switch and configured to conduct the electrical energy to a second location of the part of the body.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the switch is a micro electromagnetic switch.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the part of the body is a heart, and wherein the first and second output leads are cardiac leads.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the energy source is an implantable medical device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the switch is further configured to receive the control signal from the implantable medical device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a telemetry circuit configured to provide the control signal to the switch.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is a Y-adapter.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is an electrode array.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the switch comprises a buckling membrane configured to open and close at least one of the first and second output terminals.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the switch comprises a multi-stable micro electromagnetic switch.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the switch is a micro electromechanical switch formed on a substrate, the switch having a moveable member configured to electrically cooperate with the first and second output terminals, and wherein the moveable member and the first and second output terminals each comprise:

an insulating layer proximate to the substrate; and

a conducting layer proximate to the insulating layer opposite the substrate;

and wherein the conducting layers of the moveable member and first and second output terminals each comprise a protruding region that extends outward from the substrate, and wherein the protruding region of the moveable member is configured to switchably engage the protruding region of the first and second output terminals to form electrical connections therebetween.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the switch is a multi-stable electromechanical switch comprising:

a moveable member configured in electrical communication with the input lead;

a first pair of receiving terminals corresponding to the first output terminal and a second pair of receiving terminals corresponding to the second output terminal, wherein each of the first and second pair of receiving terminals are biased to a bias position corresponding to an open state, and wherein each terminal of the first and second pair of receiving terminals is configured to interface with the moveable member in the closed state; and

an actuating circuit configured to provide electrostatic energy and to thereby displace the at least one of the first and second pairs of receiving terminals from the bias position, and to displace the moveable member toward the bias position;

wherein each of the first and second pairs of receiving terminals are further configured to return toward the bias position when the electrostatic energy is removed, and to thereby create an electrical connection with the moveable member, thereby retaining the electromechanical switch in a desired state.

13. An apparatus for conducting electrical energy between a plurality of sensors on a human body and a device, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of input leads, each of the plurality of input leads corresponding to one of the plurality of sensors and being configured to receive the electrical energy therefrom;

a switch electrically coupled to at least two of the plurality of input leads and comprising at least one output terminal, and wherein the switch is configured to toggle a connection between the at least one output terminal and the at least two of the plurality of input leads in response to a control signal; and

at least one output lead coupled to the at least one output terminal of the switch and configured to conduct the electrical energy from the switch to the device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the device is an implantable medical device.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the apparatus is a Y-adapter.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the switch is a micro electromagnetic switch.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the micro electromagnetic switch comprises a buckling membrane configured to toggle the connection between the at least one output terminal and the at least two of the plurality of input leads.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the micro electromagnetic switch comprises a multi-stable switch.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the switch is a micro electromechanical switch formed on a substrate, the switch having a moveable member and a plurality of input terminals, each input terminal corresponding to one of the plurality of input leads, and wherein the moveable member and each of the plurality of input terminals comprise:

an insulating layer proximate to the substrate; and

a conducting layer proximate to the insulating layer opposite the substrate;

and wherein the conducting layers of the moveable member and first and second output terminals each comprise a protruding region that extends outward from the substrate, and wherein the protruding region of the moveable member is configured to switchably engage the protruding region of at least one of the plurality of input terminals to form the connection therebetween.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the switch is a multi-stable electromechanical switch comprising:

a first pair of input terminals corresponding to a first one of the plurality of input leads;

a second pair of input terminals corresponding to a second one of the plurality of input leads, wherein each of the first and second pair of input terminals are biased to a bias position corresponding to an open state of the switch;

a moveable member configured in electrical communication with the output terminal; and

an actuating circuit configured to provide energy to displace the at least one of the first and second pairs of receiving terminals from the bias position and to displace at least a part of the moveable member toward the bias position; and

wherein each of the first and second pairs of receiving terminals are further configured to return toward the bias position when the energy is removed and to thereby create an electrical connection with the moveable member, thereby retaining the electromechanical switch in a closed state.

21. A Y-junction for providing electrical energy from an implantable device to first and second unique locations on a human heart, the Y-junction comprising:

an input lead configured to receive the electrical energy from the implantable device;

a micro electromagnetic switch comprising an input electrically coupled to the input lead, a first output and a second output, and an actuator configured to toggle an electrical connection between the input and the first and second outputs in response to a control signal;

a first output lead coupled to the first output terminal of the switch and configured to conduct the electrical energy to the first unique location; and

a second output lead coupled to the second output terminal of the switch and configured to conduct the electrical energy to the second unique location.

22. The Y-junction of claim 21 further comprising a telemetry circuit configured to provide the control signal to the switch.

23. The Y-junction of claim 21 wherein the switch is configured to receive the control signal from the implanted medical device.

24. A switchable array for providing an electrical signal from an implantable device to one of a plurality of locations on a human heart, the switch array comprising:

an interface configured to receive the electrical signal from the implantable device;

a plurality of electrodes, each of the plurality of electrodes corresponding to one of the plurality of locations on the human heart; and

a switch fabric electrically coupling the interface to each of the plurality of electrodes, wherein the switch fabric is responsive to at least one control signal to route the electrical signal from the interface to a selected one of the plurality of electrodes.

25. The switchable array of claim 24 wherein the switch fabric comprises at least one micro electromagnetic switch.

26. The switchable array of claim 24 further comprising a telemetry circuit configured to provide the at least one control signal to the switch fabric.

27. The switchable array of claim 24 wherein the at least one control circuit is received from the implantable device.