Reducing effect of magnetic and electromagnetic fields on an implant's magnet and/or electronics

• US 7,566,296 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2006
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Inventors: Zimmerling, Martin, Hochmair, Erwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrera; Ramon M
• Application Number:
  US11/475,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20060244560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 335302-306, 600/12, 600/25, 607 55- 57
• US Class Current: 600/25
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3718 Monitoring of or protection against external electromagnetic fields or currents
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 36/00 Switches actuated by change of magnetic field or of electric field, e.g. by change of relative position of magnet and switch, by shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 36/0073 actuated by relative movement between two magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1868 Measures taken after transmission, e.g. acknowledgments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1877 Measures taken prior to transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

An implantable magnet that can freely turn in response to an external magnetic field, thus avoiding torque and demagnetization on the implantable magnet. The implantable magnet can be combined with an electric switching function depending on the orientation of an external magnetic field, thus protecting an implanted coil and/or implant electronics against induction of over-voltage or performing an electric switching function for other various purposes. The magnetic switch may further include, for example, a first switching contact and a second switching contact. A magnetically soft body that includes an electrically conductive surface is shiftable between a first position where the body is in simultaneous contact with the first and second switching contacts, and a second position where the body is out of contact with at least one of the first and second switching contacts. The body and the implantable magnet are positioned such that the body is shifted to one of the first position and the second position as a function of the external magnetic field resulting in a magnetic force between the magnet and the magnetically soft body.

Claims

1. An implant comprising:

a housing; and

a plurality of spherically shaped magnets free to turn in the housing in any direction without bias such that the magnets are capable of aligning at least partially with an external magnetic field.

2. The implant according to claim 1, wherein the magnets are adapted to be magnetically attracted to a non-implanted magnet of an external device so as to hold the external device in a desired position relative to the implant.

3. The implant according to claim 1, wherein the implant is a cochlear implant.

4. The implant according to claim 1, further comprising a first coil adapted to be electromagnetically coupled with a second coil of an external device.

5. The implant according to claim 1, wherein the housing is an encapsulation that hermetically seals the magnets.

6. The implant according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a material selected from the group of materials consisting of titanium, nonmagnetic stainless steel, and ceramic.

7. The implant according to claim 1, wherein one of the housing and the magnets includes a Teflon surface.

8. The implant according to claim 1, wherein the magnets are capable of turning in response to the external magnetic field so as to avoid torque being exerted to the implant.

9. The implant according to claim 1, wherein the magnets are capable of turning in response to the external magnetic field so as to avoid demagnetization of the magnets.

10. The implant according to claim 1, wherein the magnets are capable of turning in response to the external magnetic field so as to minimize imaging artifacts when conducting Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

11. The implant according to claim 1, further including a lubricant placed between the magnets and the housing.

12. A cochlear implant comprising:

a cochear implant housing; and

at least one spherical magnet free to turn in the cochlear implant housing in any direction without bias such that the at least one magnet is capable of aligning at least partially with an external magnetic field.

13. The cochlear implant according to claim 12, wherein the at least one magnet is adapted to be magnetically attracted to a non-implanted magnet of an external device so as to hold the external device in a desired position relative to the cochlear implant.

14. The cochlear implant according to claim 12, farther comprising a first coil adapted to be electromagnetically coupled with a second coil of an external device.

15. The cochlear implant according to claim 12, wherein the cochlear implant housing is an encapsulation that hermetically seals the at least one magnet.

16. The cochlear implant according to claim 12, wherein the cochlear implant housing includes a material selected from the group of materials consisting of titanium, nonmagnetic stainless steel, and ceramic.

17. The cochlear implant according to claim 12, wherein one of the cochlear implant housing and magnet includes a Teflon surface.

18. The cochlear implant according to claim 12, wherein the at least one magnet includes a plurality of spherically shaped magnets.

19. The cochlear implant according to claim 12, wherein the at least one magnet is capable of turning in response to the external magnetic field so as to avoid torque being exerted to the cochlear implant.

20. The cochlear implant according to claim 12, wherein the at least one magnet is capable of turning in response to the external magnetic field so as to avoid demagnetization of the at least one magnet.

21. The cochlear implant according to claim 12, wherein the at least one magnet is capable of turning in response to the external magnetic field so as to minimize imaging artifacts when conducting Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

22. The cochlear implant according to claim 12, further including a lubricant placed between the magnet and the cochlear implant housing.