Transfer assembly

• US 20080027293A1
• Filed: 07/16/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum Fuer Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V.
• Original Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum Fuer Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V.
• Inventors: Schmid, Thomas, Vodermayer, Bernhard
• Granted Patent: US 9,427,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3507 with implanted devices, e.g. external control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8243 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/122 Implantable pumps or pumping devices, i.e. the blood being pumped inside the patient's body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/20 Type thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/875 specially adapted for optimising alignment of external and implantable coils
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00019 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

A transfer assembly comprising an intracorporeal transfer coil of an implant, and an extracorporeal transfer coil of an extracorporeal supply unit. The transfer coil of the implant has permanently associated therewith a transmitting element. The transfer coil of the supply unit has permanently associated therewith at least one receiving element. Further, the supply unit comprises an evaluation module connected with the receiving element and issuing a locating signal depending on an offset and/or a direction of offset of the transmitting element relative to the receiving element.

Claims

1. A transfer assembly comprising

an intracorporeal transfer coil of an implant and an extracorporeal transfer coil of an extracorporeal supply means,

a transmitter permanently associated with said transfer coil of said implant,

a receiver permanently associated with said transfer coil of said supply means, said receiver comprising a plurality of receiving elements, and

an evaluation module associated with said supply means and connected with said receiver, said evaluation module issuing, depending on a direction of offset between said transmitter and said receiver, a locating signal indicating the direction of offset.

2. The transfer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter configured as a transmitting element comprises a coil, and the receiver configured as receiving elements comprises magnetic field receiving elements.

3. The transfer assembly according to claim 1, wherein a transmitting element of the transmitter defines the transfer coil of the implant.

4. The transfer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the receiving elements are configured as Hall sensors.

5. The transfer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the receiving elements are configured as coils.

6. The transfer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured as an optical transmitting element, and the receiver comprises optical receiving elements.

7. The transfer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises a plurality of transmitting elements whose transmitted signals differ from each other.

8. The transfer assembly according to claim 6, wherein the optical transmitting element is an infrared transmitting element.