TRANSCUTANEOUS ENERGY TRANSFER SYSTEM WITH MULTIPLE SECONDARY COILS

• US 20120157753A1
• Filed: 12/16/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abiomed, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Abiomed, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: D'Ambrosio, Ralph L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,002,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8243 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/148 in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/178 drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/20 Type thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/873 specially adapted for wireless or transcutaneous energy transfer [TET], e.g. inductive charging
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/876 Implantable batteries
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

A transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) system is provided having a plurality of secondary coils adapted for disposition in a patient, at least one primary coil configured to transmit transcutaneous energy, and a controller adapted for disposition in a patient. The controller includes circuitry to isolate the secondary coils from each other and direct electric current from at least one of the secondary coils to a charge storage device and/or implantable medical device.

Claims

1. A transcutaneous energy transfer system, comprising:

a plurality of secondary coils adapted for disposition in a patient to receive transcutaneous energy;

at least one primary coil configured to transmit transcutaneous energy to a secondary coil; and

a controller, also adapted for disposition in a patient, comprising circuitry to isolate the secondary coils from each other and direct electric current from at least one of the secondary coils to charge a storage device and/or power an implantable medical device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a controller to select one of the secondary coils for energy transfer and electrically decouple the other secondary coils.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an alarm to alert the patient in the event of a failure of one or more of the secondary coils.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of secondary coils are connected using diodes, Ideal Diodes, or switches.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a first secondary coil and a second secondary coil adapted for disposition in a patient'"'"'s body.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first secondary coil is adapted for disposition in the left side of the patient'"'"'s body and the second secondary coil is adapted for disposition in the right side of the patient'"'"'s body.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the system further comprises a first primary coil and a second primary coil configured to simultaneously transmit transcutaneous energy to the first and second secondary coils to decrease the time required to charge the storage device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a ventricular assist device, or implantable medical device connected to the controller.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller selects the coil with the best coupling for energy transfer.

10. An implantable device, comprising:

a plurality of secondary coils disposable in a patient and adapted to produce an electric current in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field; and

a control circuitry to isolate the secondary coils from each other and direct electric current from at least one of the secondary coils to an electric storage device and/or power an implantable medical device.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to select one of the secondary coils for energy transfer and electrically decouple the other secondary coils.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to select the secondary coil with the best coupling for energy transfer.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the device further comprises an alarm to alert the patient in the event of a failure of one or more of the secondary coils.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of secondary coils are isolated using diodes.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the device comprises a first secondary coil and a second secondary coil adapted for disposition in a patient'"'"'s body.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first secondary coil is adapted for disposition in the left side of the patient'"'"'s body and the second secondary coil is adapted for disposition in the right side of the patient'"'"'s body.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the device further comprises a ventricular assist device or implantable medical device connected to the control circuitry.