SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING ENERGY TO AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20110301668A1
• Filed: 11/23/2009
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kirk Promotion Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Milux Holding SA
• Inventors: Forsell, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,862,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• 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: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• 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 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

An implanted coil supplies energy or control signals to, or provides information from, a medical device implanted in a human or animal patient. Preferably, the coil is implanted subcutaneously in the patient at a location suitable for easy access to the coil. The implanted coil is wound from a wire that is formed into a plurality of smaller diameter coils connected in series and positioned perpendicular to the larger implanted coil. Preferably, the wire used to form the implanted coil is a helically-shaped wire that is very resilient, and, thus, capable of handling even extreme movements of a patient in whom it is implanted without the risk of breaking.

Claims

1. A system for supplying energy to a medical device implanted in a mammal patient, the apparatus comprising:

a first coil that, when implanted in the patient'"'"'s body, receives wireless energy for supplying energy or control signals to the medical device, when implanted in the patient'"'"'s body, and

a second coil external to the patient'"'"'s body that transmits the wireless energy to the first coil, when implanted in the patient'"'"'s body,

the first coil being wound from wire formed into a plurality of third coils connected to one another.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the third coils has a diameter that is substantially smaller than the first coil'"'"'s diameter.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein as the wire is wound to form the first coil, the plurality of third coils is caused to be positioned substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first coil.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first coil is wound from a helically shaped wire.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a first control unit that, when implanted in the patient'"'"'s body, is connected to the first coil so as to receive energy or control signals from the first coil or to provide information signals to the first coil for transmission to the second coil.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a second control unit that is located outside of the patient'"'"'s body and connected to the second coil and that generates energy or control signals for transmission to the first coil or receives information signals transmitted from the first coil.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the alternating signal generated by the second control unit is an alternating current that flows through the second coil, and wherein the wireless energy received by the first coil is an alternating magnetic field, which is created by the alternating current flowing in the second coil, and which induces an alternating voltage in the first coil.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the alternating voltage induced in the first coil causes an electric charge to flow in the first coil to a load circuit connected to the first coil, so as to transfer energy from the second coil through the first coil to the load circuit connected in the first coil.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the load circuit is a power supply that, when implanted in the patient'"'"'s body, supplies energy to the implanted medical device.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the load circuit is the implanted medical device to which the first coil directly supplies energy, when implanted in the patient'"'"'s body.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the load circuit is a first control unit that, when implanted in the patient'"'"'s body, supplies control signals to the implanted medical device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the load circuit is a first control unit that, when implanted in the patient'"'"'s body, receives information signals from the implanted medical device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the control signals will relate to bodily functions being monitored by the implanted medical device or bodily functions being controlled by the implanted medical device.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the information signals will relate to bodily functions being monitored by the implanted medical device or bodily functions being controlled by the implanted medical device.

15. The system of claim 4, wherein the helically shaped wire has a first diameter substantially smaller the first coil'"'"'s diameter.

16. The system of claim 5, wherein the first control unit is comprised of a generator for generating an alternating electromagnetic signal, a power amplifier, a modulator circuit, and a microprocessor for controlling the modulator circuit to thereby generate the information signals to be sent from the implanted medical device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the microprocessor controls the generator and the modulator circuit to modulate signals generated by the generator to thereby send to an external control unit bodily information from the implanted medical device via the power amplifier and the second coil, which is connected to the power amplifier.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the first control unit is further comprised of a demodulator circuit that is connected to the first coil and that demodulates control signals received by the first coil so as to strip out control information sent from an external control unit.

19. The system of claim 6, wherein the second control unit is comprised of a generator for generating an alternating electromagnetic signal, a power amplifier, a modulator circuit, and a microprocessor for controlling the modulator circuit to thereby generate the control signals to be sent to the implanted medical device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the microprocessor controls the generator and the modulator circuit to modulate signals generated by the generator to thereby send control information to the implanted medical device via the power amplifier and the second coil, which is connected to the power amplifier.

21-66. -66. (canceled)