External button processor with a rechargeable battery

• US 8,280,524 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2009
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Inventors: Duftner, Alexander, Hochmair, Erwin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Natasha
• Application Number:
  US12/534,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20100036458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/32, 607/33, 607 59- 61, 607/65
• US Class Current: 607/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37518 Anchoring of the implants, e.g. fixation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3758 Packaging of the components within the casing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

An external processor device is described for an implantable prosthetic system. An external processor housing has a generally planar skin contacting surface and a central axis perpendicular to the skin contacting surface. A signal processor is located within the processor housing for developing an implant data signal. The processor housing also contains a transmitter coil for coupling the implant data signal across the skin to the implantable prosthetic system. A battery compartment is also located within the processor housing in an annular region around the central axis for containing a battery arrangement to provide electrical power to the signal processor and the transmitter coil.

Claims

1. An external processor device for an implantable prosthetic system, the device comprising:

an external processor housing having a generally planar skin contacting surface and a central axis perpendicular to the skin contacting surface;

a signal processor within the processor housing for developing an implant data signal;

a transmitter coil within the processor housing for coupling the implant data signal across the skin to the implantable prosthetic system; and

a battery compartment within the processor housing in a complete annular ring around the central axis for containing a battery arrangement to provide electrical power to the signal processor and the transmitter coil.

2. A device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an external positioning magnet radially inward of the battery compartment for magnetically interacting with a corresponding internal positioning magnet in the implantable prosthetic system to hold the device in a fixed position on the skin.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the battery arrangement includes at least one battery cell having a plurality of conductive band plates arranged to be parallel to magnetic field lines which originate from the transmitter coil.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the battery arrangement includes a plurality of battery cells, each cell occupying an annular section within the battery compartment.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein each battery cell has the same size.

6. A device according to claim 4, wherein one of the battery cells is larger than the others.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device has a center of mass displaced from the central axis so as to define a preferred rotational position of the device on the skin with the center of mass below the central axis.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the battery compartment forms a partial annular section about the central axis.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the battery arrangement is rechargeable.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the implantable prosthetic system is a cochlear implant system.

11. A replacement battery arrangement for a device according to any of claims 1-7 and 8-10.