MOLDABLE CHARGER WITH SUPPORT MEMBERS FOR CHARGING AN IMPLANTABLE PULSE GENERATOR

• US 20100331917A1
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: DiGiore, Andrew, Schleicher, Brett, Baldwin, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 9,399,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling

Abstract

Electrical energy is transcutaneously transmitted from an external charger to an implanted medical device. The external charger includes a charging head that is selectively shaped to conform to the surface of a patient to enhance charge efficiency and patient comfort. The charging head has a plurality of malleable support members extending through the charging head for affixing the flexible charging head in the selected shape, while the flexible charging head conforms to the surface of the patient. The charging head may also include one or more sensors for determining the shape of a charging coil in the charging head, which cause the charge of the coil to be adjusted based on the coil shape.

Claims

1. An external charger for an implantable medical device, comprising:

a flexible charging head configured for being selectively shaped to conform to the surface of a patient;

a plurality of malleable support members extending through the charging head for affixing the flexible charging head in the selected shape while the flexible charging head conforms to the surface of the patient; and

an alternating current (AC) charging coil housed in the charging head and configured for transcutaneously transmitting electrical energy to the implanted medical device.

2. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the plurality of malleable support members comprises ribs.

3. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the plurality of malleable support members comprises plates.

4. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the plurality of malleable support members comprises a mesh.

5. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the plurality of malleable members is configured to affix the charging head in the selected shape until a physical force is externally applied to re-shape the charging head.

6. The external charger of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor configured for sensing a change in a shape of the coil.

7. The external charger of claim 6, further comprising a processor configured to adjust the charging frequency of the coil in response to receiving signals from the at least one sensor regarding changes in the shape of the coil.

8. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the charging head has an X-shaped configuration.

9. The external charger of claim 1, wherein the external charger further comprises a misalignment indicator for providing a signal to indicate the external charger is aligned with the implantable medical device.

10. A method of charging an implantable medical device, comprising:

placing the external charger of claim 1 on a surface of a patient in the general vicinity of the implantable device;

transcutaneously transmitting energy from the coil to the implantable medical device;

shaping the external charger to conform to the surface of the patient; and

adhering the external charger to the patient.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising aligning the external charger and the implantable medical device with an alignment indicator.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the external charger is adhered to the patient with a moisture-activated adhesive patch.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising adjusting the charging frequency of the coil based on the shape of the coil.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the charging frequency of the coil further comprises using at least one sensor to sense changes in the shape of the coil.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating changes in the shape of the coil sensed by the at least one sensor to a processor that communicates with the coil to adjust the charging frequency of the coil.