Implantable medical device with contactless power transfer housing

• US 20050288743A1
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Byung Joon Kim, Moon Chanil, Tae Young Ahn
• Original Assignee: Byung Joon Kim, Moon Chanil, Tae Young Ahn
• Inventors: Kim, Byung Joon, Chanil, Moon, Ahn, Tae Young
• Application Number:
  US11/143,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20050288743A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

A transcutaneous recharging system for providing power to an implantable medical device comprises a primary side circuit for transmitting power in the form of magnetic flux; and a secondary side circuit integral to the implantable medical device for receiving the power transmitted from the primary side circuit and for providing the received power to recharge a battery in the implantable medical device, wherein the primary and secondary side circuits are not physically coupled. A variety of attachment configurations are disclosed for attaching and shielding the secondary circuit directly onto the housing of the implantable medical device, inclusive of flexible printed circuit coils and wire coils recessed into helical notches.

Claims

1. A transcutaneous recharging system, comprising:

a primary recharging unit including,

a toroidal housing,

a ferrite core seated in said housing,

a bobbin seated in said ferrite core,

a charging coil wound about said bobbin for producing magnetic flux in a coaxial direction,

a composite cover sealing the charging coil, bobbin, and ferrite core inside the toroid-shaped housing; and

an implantable electronic medical device, including,

a housing,

circuitry enclosed within said housing,

a rechargeable battery enclosed in said housing for powering said circuitry; and

a secondary recharging unit integrally formed in said housing, said secondary recharging unit comprising a protective layer, and at least one single-layer helical coil inlayed in said housing in advance of said protective layer and sealed therein so as not to disrupt a surface profile of said housing, said secondary coil for producing magnetic flux in a coaxial direction.

2. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 1, wherein said secondary housing is defined by a circular recess, and the secondary side coil is contained within the circular recess.

3. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 2, wherein said protective layer is a ferromagnetic polymer film covering at least the circular recess.

4. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 2, wherein said circular recess is filled with an isolation layer sealant encapsulating said secondary side coil.

5. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 4, wherein said isolation layer sealant is silicon sealant for a hermetic seal.

6. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of flux sensors, inclusive of a first flux sensor in said primary recharging unit and positioned along an axis of said ferrite core, and a second flux sensor in said secondary recharging unit.

7. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 1, wherein the isolation composite cover of said primary recharging unit has a smaller diameter and protrudes outward from said toroidal housing to serve as a skin depressant to maximize magnetic coupling between the primary and secondary recharging units.

8. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 1, wherein the secondary side coils and isolation layer are integrally formed as a flex printed circuit board by laminating the coils between opposing polymer sheets, said sheets serving as isolation layer.

9. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 8, wherein said secondary housing is defined by a circular recess, and the flex printed circuit board is inlayed into a recess on the secondary charging unit housing in a flush configuration.

10. A transcutaneous recharging system, comprising:

a primary recharging unit including,

a toroidal housing,

a ferrite core seated in said housing,

a bobbin seated in said ferrite core,

a primary charging coil wound about said bobbin for producing magnetic flux in a coaxial direction,

a composite cover sealing the charging coil, bobbin, and ferrite core inside the toroid-shaped housing; and

an implantable electronic medical device, including,

a housing having a surface defined by at least one helical groove,

circuitry enclosed within said housing,

a rechargeable battery enclosed in said housing for powering said circuitry, and

at least one single-layer helical secondary coil inlayed in the groove of said housing and sealed therein by sealer so as not to disrupt the surface profile of said housing, said secondary coil for producing magnetic flux in a coaxial direction.

11. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 10, wherein said helical groove is filled with an isolation layer sealant encapsulating said secondary side coil.

12. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 11, wherein said isolation layer sealant is silicon sealant for a hermetic seal.

13. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 10, further comprising a pair of flux sensors, inclusive of a first flux sensor in said primary recharging unit and positioned along an axis of said ferrite core, and a second flux sensor in said secondary recharging unit.

14. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 10, wherein the isolation composite cover of said primary recharging unit comprises a smaller diameter than and protrudes outward from said toroidal housing to serve as a skin depressant, thereby maximizing magnetic coupling between the primary and secondary recharging units.

15. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one helical groove comprises a plurality of helical grooves and said at least one single-layer helical secondary coil comprises a corresponding plurality of single-layer helical secondary coils.

16. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one helical groove comprises a convex helical groove conforming to an outer surface contour of said housing.

17. The transcutaneous recharging system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one helical groove comprises a concave helical groove conforming to an outer surface contour of said housing.

18. An apparatus for providing power to an implantable medical device in a living body, comprising:

a primary coil external to said living body, said primary coil being wound concentrically about a first axis and connected to an external power source for producing magnetic flux in an axial direction; and

a flat flexible secondary coil formed by direct printing onto a housing of an implantable medical device internal to a living body, said flat secondary coil being printed as a single-layer conductor wound concentrically about a second axis for receiving power in the form of magnetic flux from said primary coil when said first and second axes are substantially aligned and providing the received power to said implantable medical device.

19. An apparatus for providing power to an implantable medical device, comprising:

a primary coil wound concentrically about a first axis and connected to an external power source for producing magnetic flux; and

a flexible printed circuit board including a flat secondary coil having a single conductor printed concentrically on a polymer substrate about a second axis, said flexible printed circuit board being attached across a housing of said implantable medical device for receiving power in the form of magnetic flux from said primary coil and providing the received power to said implantable medical device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said secondary coil is printed directly as a helix on said polymer substrate.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said polymer substrate is attached directly to the housing of said implantable medical device.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said polymer substrate is sealed within said recess by silicon sealant.

24. A transcutaneous recharging system, comprising:

a primary recharging unit including,

a toroidal housing having a front surface and a smaller back surface,

a ferrite core seated in said housing,

a bobbin seated in said ferrite core,

a primary charging coil wound about said bobbin for producing magnetic flux in a coaxial direction,

a composite cover sealing the charging coil, bobbin, and ferrite core inside the toroid-shaped housing, said composite cover protruding beyond a plane of said front toroidal housing surface to function as a skin depressant during use to maximize a magnetic coupling of said primary recharging unit; and

an implantable electronic medical device, including,

a housing having a surface defined by at least one helical groove,

circuitry enclosed within said housing,

a rechargeable battery enclosed in said housing for powering said circuitry, and

at least one single-layer helical secondary coil inlayed in the groove of said housing and sealed therein by sealer so as not to disrupt the surface profile of said housing, said secondary coil for producing magnetic flux in a coaxial direction.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a shoulder strap for wearing by a patient, said shoulder strap including at least one pocket for suspending said primary charging unit at a predetermined position on said patient'"'"'s body.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a vest for wearing by a patient, said vest including at least one pocket for suspending said primary charging unit at a predetermined position on said patient'"'"'s body.