Power transfer for implanted prostheses

• US 4,741,339 A
• Filed: 10/21/1985
• Issued: 05/03/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telectronics Pacing Systems, Inc (Abbott Laboratories), University of Melbourne
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Corporation (Cochlear Limited), University of Melbourne
• Inventors: Harrison, James M., Seligman, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US06/789,874
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 128/419 PS, 128/419 R, 128/419 C, 128/419 E, 128/419 P, 128/419 PG, 128/419 PT, 128/422, 128/903, 128/420.5, 128/420.6
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for improving the coupling between an external inductive transmitting coil and an internal inductive receiving coil to transmit power and/or data to the receiving coil from the transmitting coil. The structure includes a coupling coil inductively coupled to the transmitting coil to increase the Q factor and hence the energy transfer between the transmitting coil and the receiving coil.

Claims

1. Apparatus for improving the coupling of an external inductive transmitting coil to an internal inductive receiving coil to transmit power and/or data to said receiving coil from said transmitting coil comprising:

a coupling coil inductively coupled to said transmitting coil to increase the coupling between said transmitting coil and said receiving coil.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said coupling coil is coplanar with said transmitting coil.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said coupling coil is concentric with said transmitting coil.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 in which said coupling coil is disposed outside said transmitting coil.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 in which said coupling coil is disposed inside said transmitting coil.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including capacitance means connected to each of said transmitting coil and said coupling coil to form LC circuits therewith.