METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHUNT FOR IN VIVO THERMOELECTRIC POWER SYSTEM

• US 20070251565A1
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Erbstoeszer, Blair, James, Kristofer J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,039,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/232
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3785 generated by biological activity or substance, e.g. body movement
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/13 characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction

Abstract

One embodiment of the present subject matter includes an apparatus with a first housing portion which is thermally conductive and which has a first case opening; a second housing portion which is thermally conductive and which has a second case opening, the second case opening being hermetically sealed to the first case opening, with the first housing portion and the second housing portion at least partially defining an interior volume; cardiac rhythm management electronics disposed in the interior volume; a thermal shunt disposed in the interior volume; and a thermoelectric energy converter disposed in the interior volume and adjacent the thermal shunt, the thermoelectric energy converter having a first pole and a second pole, with the first pole thermally connected to the first housing portion, and the second pole thermally connected to the shunt.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a sealed, implantable housing having a first portion and a second portion;

a thermal shunt disposed and sealed in the housing, with the thermal shunt thermally conductive to the first portion of the sealed, implantable housing; and

a thermoelectric energy converter disposed and sealed in the housing, the thermoelectric energy converter having a first pole and a second pole, with the first pole thermally conductive to a second housing portion, and the second pole thermally conductive to the thermal shunt.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal shunt includes copper.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal shunt includes a heat pipe.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric energy converter includes thermopiles.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shunt includes one or more beams extending through a capacitor, the capacitor being disposed in the interior volume.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shunt includes one or more beams extending through a battery, the battery being disposed in the interior volume.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first housing portion includes titanium.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sealed, implantable housing is hermetically sealed.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a thermally conductive grease disposed between the first pole and the first housing portion, and further disposed between the second pole and the thermal shunt.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pole is a hot pole.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second pole is a cold pole.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shunt defines a shunt interior volume in which a battery is disposed.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the battery is a secondary battery, and thermoelectric energy converter is adapted to charge the battery.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the thermoelectric energy converter is disposed in the shunt interior volume.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shunt is an anisotropic composite.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the anisotropic composite includes carbon fiber suspended at least partially in a cured resin.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric energy converter is a thin film thermoelectric energy converter.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the thermoelectric energy converter is less than 0.100 inches thick.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cardiac rhythm management electronics include a primary battery adapted to power a defibrillation capacitor.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the thermoelectric energy converter is adapted to power pacemaker electronics.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cardiac rhythm management electronics include a secondary battery, and the thermoelectric energy converter is adapted to power the secondary battery.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the secondary battery is adapted to power pacing electronics.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the secondary battery is adapted to power a defibrillation capacitor.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

thermoelectric energy conversion means for converting a temperature differential into energy;

sealed housing means for housing the thermoelectric energy conversion means and cardiac rhythm management electronics; and

shunt means for conducting thermal energy from the sealed housing means to the thermoelectric energy conversion means.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the sealed housing means includes a first housing portion sealed to a second housing portion, the first and second housing portions defining an interior volume.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the thermoelectric energy conversion means include a thermoelectric energy converter disposed in the interior volume, the thermoelectric energy converter including a hot pole and a cold pole, with the hot pole thermally connected to the first housing portion, and the cold pole thermally connected to the second housing portion.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the shunt means includes a copper shunt positioned between the first housing portion and a thermoelectric energy converter.