IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL PUMP WITH PRESSURE SENSOR
First Claim
1. An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:
- a fluid enclosure wall partially defining a fluid enclosure configured to accommodate a fluid within the IMD; and
a pressure sensor comprising an operative surface configured to partially define the fluid enclosure and occlude a channel opening defined by the fluid enclosure wall.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosure is directed to a pressure sensor of an implantable medical device. The pressure sensor may utilize detect fluid pressure based on a changing capacitance between two capacitive elements. The pressure sensor may define at least a portion of a fluid enclosure of the IMD. In one example, the pressure sensor has a self-aligning housing shape that occludes an opening in the pump bulkhead of the IMD. An operative surface of the pressure and the portion of the fluid enclosure may be formed of a corrosion resistant and/or biocompatible material. A first capacitive element of the pressure sensor may be a metal alloy diaphragm that deflects in response to external fluid pressure. A second capacitive element of the pressure sensor may be a metal coating on a rigid insulator sealed from the fluid by the diaphragm and a housing of the sensor.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:
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a fluid enclosure wall partially defining a fluid enclosure configured to accommodate a fluid within the IMD; and a pressure sensor comprising an operative surface configured to partially define the fluid enclosure and occlude a channel opening defined by the fluid enclosure wall. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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accommodating a fluid within a fluid enclosure of an implantable medical device (IMD), wherein the fluid enclosure is partially defined by a fluid enclosure wall; detecting a pressure of the fluid with a pressure sensor comprising an operative surface configured to partially define the fluid enclosure and occlude a channel opening defined by the fluid enclosure wall. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A device comprising:
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a bulkhead that defines a first portion of a fluid enclosure configured to accommodate a fluid; and a pressure sensor configured to self-align in a predetermined orientation within a channel opening defined by the bulkhead and occlude the fluid enclosure opening.
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26. A pressure sensor comprising:
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a titanium diaphragm configured as a first capacitive plate of a capacitor; a rigid insulator; and a metal coating on the rigid insulator configured as a second capacitive plate of the capacitor, wherein a distance between the titanium diaphragm and the metal coating is representative of an external pressure exerted upon the titanium diaphragm. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A pressure sensor comprising:
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a first capacitive plate of a capacitor; a second capacitive plate of the capacitor coupled to a rigid insulator; an electrically conductive feedthrough pin disposed through the rigid insulator and coupled to the second capacitive plate, wherein; a first end of the feedthrough pin extends from a surface of the rigid insulator; a second end of the feedthrough pin is recessed from a capacitive surface of the second capacitive plate proximate to the first capacitive plate; and the second end of the feedthrough pin is coupled to the second capacitive plate. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification