Concentric primary coils for inductively charging an implantable medical device, external power source and method
First Claim
1. An external power source for an implantable medical device, said implantable medical device having therapeutic componentry and a secondary coil operatively coupled to said therapeutic componentry, said external power source comprising:
- a plurality of co-axial primary charging coils, each individual one of said plurality of co-axial primary charging coils having a major plane and being capable of transcutaneously inductively energizing said secondary coil when externally placed in proximity of said secondary coil, said major plane of each of said plurality of primary charging coils being parallel and co-planar with said major plane of each other of said plurality of primary charging coils; and
drive circuitry selectively coupled to each of said plurality of co-axial primary coils for energizing a selected one of said plurality of co-axial primary coils.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An external antenna with a plurality of concentric primary coils recharges an implantable medical device with a secondary coil when the primary coils are placed in proximity of the secondary coil. Selection circuitry determines which of the plurality of concentric primary coils has the most efficient coupling with the secondary coil and drive circuitry drives the selected primary coil with an oscillating current. During a recharge session, selection circuitry periodically checks at least some of the primary coils to determine whether the primary coil with the most efficient connection has changed. An antenna housing may hold the primary coils in a rigid planar relationship with each other or the primary coils may shift with respect to each other, forming a cup-shape around a bulge in the skin created by the implantable medical device.
58 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An external power source for an implantable medical device, said implantable medical device having therapeutic componentry and a secondary coil operatively coupled to said therapeutic componentry, said external power source comprising:
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a plurality of co-axial primary charging coils, each individual one of said plurality of co-axial primary charging coils having a major plane and being capable of transcutaneously inductively energizing said secondary coil when externally placed in proximity of said secondary coil, said major plane of each of said plurality of primary charging coils being parallel and co-planar with said major plane of each other of said plurality of primary charging coils; and drive circuitry selectively coupled to each of said plurality of co-axial primary coils for energizing a selected one of said plurality of co-axial primary coils. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of energizing a secondary coil of an implantable medical having therapeutic output componentry coupled to said secondary coil, comprising the steps of:
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positioning an array of a plurality of co-axial primary charging coils in proximity of said secondary coil, each of said plurality of co-axial primary charging coils having a major plane and being capable of transcutaneously inductively energizing said secondary coil, said major plane of each of said plurality of primary charging coils being parallel and co-planar with said major plane of each other of said plurality of primary charging coils; selecting a selected one of said plurality of co-axial primary coils to be energized; and energizing said selected one of said plurality of co-axial primary coils. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification