Method and apparatus for shunt for in vivo thermoelectric power system
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- an implantable housing that includes a first portion that is metallic and thermally conductive and a second portion that is metallic and thermally conductive, the first portion and the second portion joined and hermetically sealed together defining an interior volume, with the first portion in direct thermal conduction with the second portion;
a thermal shunt disposed and sealed in the interior volume of the housing, with the thermal shunt thermally conductive to the first portion of the housing; and
thermoelectric energy converter electronics disposed and sealed in the interior volume of the housing, the thermoelectric energy converter electronics including a hot pole and a cold pole, with the hot pole thermally conductive to the first portion of the housing and the thermal shunt and the cold pole thermally conductive to the second portion of the housing,wherein the thermoelectric energy converter electronics are adapted to convert a temperature differential between the first portion of the housing and the second portion of the housing to provide power for at least part of the apparatus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present subject matter includes an apparatus with a first housing portion which is thermally conductive and which has a first case opening; a second housing portion which is thermally conductive and which has a second case opening, the second case opening being hermetically sealed to the first case opening, with the first housing portion and the second housing portion at least partially defining an interior volume; cardiac rhythm management electronics disposed in the interior volume; a thermal shunt disposed in the interior volume; and a thermoelectric energy converter disposed in the interior volume and adjacent the thermal shunt, the thermoelectric energy converter having a first pole and a second pole, with the first pole thermally connected to the first housing portion, and the second pole thermally connected to the shunt.
62 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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an implantable housing that includes a first portion that is metallic and thermally conductive and a second portion that is metallic and thermally conductive, the first portion and the second portion joined and hermetically sealed together defining an interior volume, with the first portion in direct thermal conduction with the second portion; a thermal shunt disposed and sealed in the interior volume of the housing, with the thermal shunt thermally conductive to the first portion of the housing; and thermoelectric energy converter electronics disposed and sealed in the interior volume of the housing, the thermoelectric energy converter electronics including a hot pole and a cold pole, with the hot pole thermally conductive to the first portion of the housing and the thermal shunt and the cold pole thermally conductive to the second portion of the housing, wherein the thermoelectric energy converter electronics are adapted to convert a temperature differential between the first portion of the housing and the second portion of the housing to provide power for at least part of the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 26, 28)
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21. An apparatus, comprising:
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thermoelectric energy conversion means for converting a temperature differential into energy; a hermetically sealed metallic housing, the housing including a first thermally conductive portion joined to a second thermally conductive portion, with the first portion in direct thermal conduction with the second portion, the first portion and the second portion defining an interior, with each of the thermoelectric energy conversion means and cardiac rhythm management electronics disposed in the interior; and shunt means for conducting thermal energy from the housing to the thermoelectric energy conversion means, the shunt means disposed in the interior, wherein the thermoelectric energy conversion means and the shunt means are for converting a temperature differential, between the first portion of the hermetically sealed metallic housing and the second portion of the hermetically sealed metallic housing, across the shunt means, into electrical energy for use by the cardiac rhythm management electronics. - View Dependent Claims (22, 24, 25, 27, 29)
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Specification