High-Voltage Module for an External Defibrillator

• US 20070299474A1
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Brink, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/7
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0254 High voltage adaptations; Electrical insulation details; Overvoltage or electrostatic discharge protection electrostatic discharge protection for electric apparatus in general H05K9/0067, H05K9/0079; Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence

Abstract

A defibrillator includes a module having a portion of the high-voltage components of the defibrillator attached to a substrate and encased in a dielectric material. In one embodiment the defibrillating shock is delivered by a high voltage H-bridge circuit which utilizes four controllably switched semiconductor devices such as IGBTs.

Claims

1. An external defibrillator comprising:

a pair of patient electrodes for delivering energy to a patient;

an energy storage device for storing high voltage electrical energy; and

a high voltage circuit coupled between the energy storage device and the patient electrodes, the high voltage circuit including a plurality of high voltage components which are modularly packaged in a dielectric material.

2. The external defibrillator of claim 1 wherein dielectric material comprises means for preventing arcing between the modularly packaged high voltage components and a nearby low voltage conductor or component.

3. The external defibrillator of claim 1 wherein the high voltage circuit includes a high voltage energy delivery circuit.

4. The external defibrillator of claim 3 wherein the high voltage energy delivery circuit includes an H-bridge circuit.

5. The external defibrillator of claim 4 wherein the H-bridge circuit includes a plurality of switches which are modularly packaged.

6. The external defibrillator of claim 1 wherein the switches comprise semiconductor devices.

7. The external defibrillator of claim 1 wherein the semiconductor devices are chosen from the types of SCRs and IGBTs.

8. The external defibrillator of claim 1 wherein the high voltage components are mounted on a circuit board.

9. The external defibrillator of claim 8 wherein the high voltage components are symmetrically mounted on opposite sides of a circuit board.

10. The external defibrillator of claim 8 wherein the high voltage components include a planar transformer.

11. The external defibrillator of claim 10 wherein at least one of the windings of the planar transformer is etched on the circuit board.

12. The external defibrillator of claim 8 wherein the modularly packaged high voltage components and circuit board further includes a plurality of pins by which the modularly packaged high voltage components and circuit board are electrically connected to an AED circuit.

13. The external defibrillator of claim 12 wherein the modularly packaged high voltage components and circuit board are encased in a dielectric material,

wherein the pins extend from the dielectric material.

14. The external defibrillator of claim 12 wherein the modularly packaged high voltage components and circuit board are located in a potting cup and encased in a dielectric material inside the potting cup.

15. An external defibrillator, comprising:

a pair of electrodes for delivering defibrillating energy to a patient;

a capacitor for storing electrical energy;

a circuit board having a processor which processes an ECG waveform; and

a high voltage module including a plurality of high voltage components for at least one of charging the capacitor and delivering high voltage energy to the electrodes, the high voltage components being potted in a dielectric material,

wherein the high voltage module is mounted on the circuit board.

16. The external defibrillator of claim 15 wherein the high voltage module includes a high voltage component for charging the capacitor and an H-bridge circuit for delivering capacitor energy to the electrodes.

17. The external defibrillator of claim 15 wherein the high voltage module includes

a printed circuit board on which the high voltage component are mounted;

a potting cup in which the circuit board is located;

a dielectric material encasing the printed circuit board and high voltage components; and

a plurality of pins extending from the dielectric material for electrically connecting the module to the circuit board.

18. The external defibrillator of claim 17 wherein the dielectric material encasing the printed circuit board and high voltage components comprises a resin formed from at least one, including a combination, of epoxy, urethane, silicone, acrylic, and polyester resins.