Thermodynamically driven reversible infuser pump for use as a remotely controlled gastric band
First Claim
1. An implantable device, comprising:
- a sealed case;
an accumulator encompassed by the case and having an end fixably attached to the sealed case, the accumulator containing a fluid within and operably configured for selective movement between a first volume and a second volume;
a propellant in a single cavity defined in the sealed case outside of the accumulator, the propellant having a liquid phase and a gas phase at body temperature that exerts a negative pressure bias upon the accumulator urging the accumulator from the first volume to the second volume wherein the second volume is larger than the first volume; and
a heat flux element operably configured to adjust temperature in the single cavity to reverse the negative pressure bias upon the accumulator urging the accumulator from the second volume to the first volume.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable artificial sphincter system provides long-term adjustment via transcutaneous energy transfer (TET), minimizing invasive adjustment through adding or removing fluid via a syringe. An infuser device provides bi-directional fluid transfer via a flexible conduit to a sphincter band, such as a gastric band, by a combination of thermodynamic actuation and a piezo-electrically disengaged drum brake assembly that thereby achieves a desirable small volume device. A propellant within a propellant cavity surrounds a metal bellows accumulator biased at body temperature to either expand or collapse the bellows accumulator with the opposite direction of movement effected by a thermal element that heats in combination with a negatively-biased propellant or cools in combination with a positively-biased propellant. A drum brake assembly locks the metal bellows accumulator in place between adjustments by thermodynamic actuation by activating piezo-electric stack actuators that disengage calipers from a brake drum attached to the bellows accumulator.
178 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An implantable device, comprising:
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a sealed case; an accumulator encompassed by the case and having an end fixably attached to the sealed case, the accumulator containing a fluid within and operably configured for selective movement between a first volume and a second volume; a propellant in a single cavity defined in the sealed case outside of the accumulator, the propellant having a liquid phase and a gas phase at body temperature that exerts a negative pressure bias upon the accumulator urging the accumulator from the first volume to the second volume wherein the second volume is larger than the first volume; and a heat flux element operably configured to adjust temperature in the single cavity to reverse the negative pressure bias upon the accumulator urging the accumulator from the second volume to the first volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An implantable apparatus, comprising:
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a hydraulically inflatable therapeutic member; and an implantable device, comprising; a sealed case, an accumulator containing a fluid and in fluid communication with the hydraulically inflatable therapeutic member, the accumulator encompassed by the case and operably configured for selective movement between a first volume and a second volume to move fluid between the accumulator and the hydraulically inflatable therapeutic member, a propellant in a single cavity defined in between an inner surface of the sealed case and an outside of the accumulator, the propellant having a liquid phase and a gas phase at body temperature that exerts a negative pressure bias upon the outside of the accumulator thereby urging the accumulator from the first volume to the second volume, wherein the second volume is larger than the first volume, and a heat flux element operably configured to adjust temperature in the single cavity to reverse the bias upon the accumulator urging the accumulator from the second volume to the first volume. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An implantable devise, comprising:
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a sealed case; an accumulator comprising a cylindrical bellows and containing a fluid therein, the accumulator encompassed by the case and operably configured for selective linear movement between a first volume and a second volume; a propellant in the sealed case outside of the accumulator, the propellant having a liquid phase and a gas phase at body temperature that exerts a negative gauge pressure upon the accumulator to move at least a portion of the accumulator linearly to an increased volume; a heating element operably increases temperature in the caviyy to exert a positive gauge pressure upon the accumulator to move at least a portion of the accumulator linearly to a decreased volume; a volume braking mechanism operably biased in the absence of a electrical signal to lock the linearly movable cylindrical bellows accumulator at a current volume, and wherein the volume braking mechanism is further operable to unlock the accumulator for movement in response to the electrical signal; an adjustment control operably selectable to increase and decrease the volume of the accumulator, wherein when a volume decrease is selected, the adjustment control activates the heating element and and simultaneously electrically unlocks the volume braking mechanism to dispense fluid from the accumulator, and when a volume increase is selected, the adjustment control electrically unlocks the volume braking mechanism and simultaneously deactivates the heating element to draw fluid into the accumulator. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification