Malleable TETS Coil with Improved Anatomical Fit

• US 20140265620A1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Carine Hoarau, Don Hannula
• Inventors: HOARAU, Carine, REICHENBACH, Steven, HANNULA, Don
• Granted Patent: US 10,373,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/02 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/255 made from particles H01F27/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/26 Fastening parts of the core together; Fastening or mounting the core on casing or support on coil H01F27/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/28 Coils; Windings; Conductive connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/306 Fastening or mounting coils or windings on core, casing or other support
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 3/10 Composite arrangements of magnetic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 3/14 Constrictions; Gaps, e.g. air-gaps in magnetic shunt paths H01F3/12
• 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 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 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Systems and methods for wireless energy transfer are described. A transmitter unit has a transmitter resonator with a coil that is coupled to a power supply to wirelessly transmit power to a receiver unit. A receiver unit has a receiver resonator with a coil coupled to a device load. At least one of the resonators is a malleable, non-planar resonator that can be bent and shaped to conform to a patient'"'"'s anatomy.

Claims

1. A resonator of a wireless power transfer system, comprising:

a flexible housing;

a flexible conductor layer disposed in the housing; and

a flexible ferrite layer disposed in the housing.

2. The resonator of claim 1 being further configured to bend to substantially conform to the anatomy of a patient.

3. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the resonator is configured to conform to an abdomen of the patient.

4. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the resonator is configured to conform to a chest of the patient.

5. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the flexible ferrite layer comprises a plurality of ferrite beads disposed on a flexible substrate.

6. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the flexible ferrite layer comprises a plurality of ferrite tiles disposed on a flexible substrate.

7. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the flexible ferrite layer comprises a plurality of ferrite tiles having different shapes and sizes.

8. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the flexible ferrite layer comprises at least two sections, a first section having a first minimum bend radius, and a second section having a second minimum bend radius smaller than the first minimum bend radius.

9. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the flexible conductor layer comprises a resonator coil.

10. The resonator of claim 9, wherein the resonator coil is coupled to a power supply and configured to transmit wireless energy.

11. The resonator of claim 9, wherein the resonator coil is configured to receive wireless energy.

12. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the flexible conductor layer comprises at least one transmit coil and at least one receive coil.

13. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the flexible conductor layer comprises at least one transmit coil, at least one receive coil, and at least one exciter coil.

14. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises silicone.

15. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first section and a second section, the first section having a groove configured to hold the flexible conductor layer and the flexible ferrite layer.

16. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a circular shape.

17. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a rectangular shape.

18. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an elliptical shape.

19. The resonator of claim 1, wherein the resonator is bendable into a non-planar configuration.

20. A system for wireless energy transfer, comprising:

a transmitter unit comprising a transmitter resonator coil coupled to a power supply and configured to transmit wireless energy, the transmitter resonator coil being malleable so as to be conformable to a patient'"'"'s anatomy; and

a receiver unit comprising a receiver resonator coil coupled to a device load, wherein the receiver unit is configured to receive the wireless energy from the transmitter unit and supply the received energy to the device load.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising a flexible ferrite layer disposed in the transmitter unit and configured to prevent magnetic flux from flowing in undesired directions.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the flexible ferrite layer comprises a plurality of ferrite beads disposed on a flexible substrate.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the flexible ferrite layer comprises a plurality of ferrite tiles disposed on a flexible substrate.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the transmitter resonator coil comprises a plurality of transmit coils.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the transmitter resonator coil comprises at least one transmit coil and at least one receive coil.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the transmitter resonator coil comprises at least one transmit coil, at least one receive coil, and at least one exciter coil.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the transmitter resonator coil is bendable into a non-planar configuration.

28. A method of transmitting and receiving wireless energy, comprising:

conforming a malleable transmitter coil to a patient;

transmitting wireless energy from the malleable transmitter coil into the patient;

receiving the wireless energy with a receiver coil implanted in the patient; and

delivering the received energy to a device load in the patient.

29. A method of transmitting and receiving wireless energy, comprising:

transmitting wireless energy from a transmitter coil into a patient;

receiving the wireless energy with a malleable receiver coil implanted in the patient; and

delivering the received energy to a device load in the patient.