Telemetry antenna for an implantable medical device

• US 20050203584A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Engmark, David B., Ries, Andrew J., Przybyszewski, Piotr, Haubrich, Gregory J., Twetan, Len D., Dublin, Garry L., Hougham, Andrina J., Grose, Gary M.
• Application Number:
  US11/097,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203584A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/27 Adaptation for use in or on movable bodies H01Q1/08, H01Q1/12, H01Q1/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/30 with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 Element having extended radiating surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

A telemetry antenna for an implantable medical device includes one or more portions having a non-linear configuration. In some embodiments, the non-linear configuration provides an antenna having a greater antenna length than the linear lengthwise dimension of the antenna structure. In some embodiments, the non-linear configuration is a serpentine pattern.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device comprising:

a housing;

a header coupled with the housing; and

an antenna disposed within the header, wherein at least a portion of the antenna has a serpentine configuration.

2. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the serpentine configuration is continuous and comprises a plurality of generally linear antenna segments interconnected in an alternating end to end configuration by arcuate antenna segments.

3. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the antenna is evenly spaced from a side surface of the header.

4. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the antenna is spaced at a distance of approximately 0.025 inches to 0.030 inches from any metallic component within the header.

5. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the antenna is spaced at a distance of approximately 50 mils from a side surface of the header.

6. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the header is a connector header having at least one connector port.

7. The implantable medical device of claim 6, wherein a plane defined by the serpentine configuration of the antenna is disposed between a side surface of the header and the connector port.

8. The implantable medical device of claim 6 wherein a plane defined by the serpentine configuration of the antenna is disposed between the connector port and the housing.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the header is a connector header that includes at least two connector ports and a plane defined by the serpentine configuration of the antenna is disposed between a pair of the connector ports.

10. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein a plane defined by the serpentine configuration is generally parallel with a major wall of the header.

11. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the antenna is disposed within a channel within the header, the channel having a constraining length that is shorter than an antenna length of the antenna.

12. The implantable medical device of claim 11, wherein the antenna length is between 1 inch 4 inches.

13. The implantable medical device of claim 11, wherein the antenna length is between 2 to 3 inches.

14. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the antenna includes multiple serpentine portions.