Transcutaneous energy transfer module with integrated conversion circuitry

• US 8,489,200 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Abiomed, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Abiomed, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Zarinetchi, Farhad, Bailey, Anthony W.
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US10/316,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20030171792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,871 Days
• Field of Search: 607/33, 607/61
• US Class Current: 607/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor

Abstract

An implantable transcutaneous energy transfer device secondary coil module includes a housing, a secondary coil, power conditioning circuitry, and a low voltage, high power connector. The transcutaneous energy transfer secondary coil is disposed outside the housing and is configured to receive a time-varying magnetic field provided by a transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil, and to convert the time-varying magnetic field into a high voltage, alternating current electric signal within the coil. The power conditioning circuitry is mounted within the housing and is electrically coupled to the secondary coil. The power conditioning circuitry including electronics for converting the high voltage, alternating current electric signal from the secondary coil into a high power, low voltage direct current electric signal. The low voltage, high power connector electrically coupled to the power conditioning circuitry and extending outside the housing for connecting the secondary coil module to a power bus for delivering power to implanted devices.

Claims

1. An implantable transcutaneous energy transfer device secondary coil module for receiving and conditioning power from a time-varying magnetic field provided by a transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil, comprising:

an inner housing having an inductive heat reducing means comprising a magnetically permeable material;

a transcutaneous energy transfer secondary coil disposed outside of and surrounding the housing configured to receive the time-varying magnetic field provided by the transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil and convert the time-varying magnetic field into a high voltage, alternating current electric signal within the coil;

power conditioning circuitry mounted within the housing and electrically coupled to the secondary coil, the power conditioning circuitry including electronics for converting the alternating current electric signal from the secondary coil having a high voltage greater than or equal to about 200 volts into a direct current electric signal having a low voltage of less than or equal to about 50 volts and a high power level of greater than or equal to about 15 watts;

a low voltage, high power output means electrically coupled to the power conditioning circuitry and accessible from outside the module for connecting the secondary coil module to a power bus for delivering power to implanted devices.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein the low voltage, high power output means is a low voltage, high power electrical connector.

3. The module of claim 2, further comprising an implantable power bus connected to the low voltage, high power connector.

4. The module of claim 3, further comprising a high power, implantable medical device electronically coupled to the power bus.

5. The module of claim 4, wherein the medical device is a distributed medical device including a plurality of implanted modules requiring power.

6. The module of claim 4, wherein the implantable medical device is a blood pump.

7. The module of claim 1, wherein the high power, low voltage direct current electric signal is between about 15 and 50 watts.

8. The module of claim 1, wherein the inductive heat reducing means includes the inner housing comprising a cage formed of magnetically permeable material.

9. The module of claim 8, wherein the magnetically permeable material has a magnetic permeability of between about 2000 and 5000.

10. The module of claim 8, wherein the cage includes walls having a thickness adapted to maintain magnetic flux within the magnetically permeable material below saturation.

11. The module of claim 8, further comprising a heat distribution layer provided externally to the module and a thermally conductive medium providing thermal conduction between the cage and the heat distribution layer.

12. The module of claim 1, wherein inductive heat dissipation is maintained below about 150 milliwatts under operating conditions wherein the high voltage, alternating current electric signal has a voltage of greater than equal to about 500 volts and a frequency greater than or equal to about 200 kHz.

13. The module of claim 1, wherein the secondary coil is disposed adjacent to the inner housing.

14. An implantable transcutaneous energy transfer device secondary coil module for receiving a time-varying magnetic field from a transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil and converting the time-varying magnetic field to a low voltage output, comprising:

an inner housing having an inductive heat reducing means;

a transcutaneous energy transfer secondary coil disposed outside the housing configured to receive a time-varying magnetic field provided by a transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil and convert the time-varying magnetic field into a high voltage, alternating current electric signal within the coil;

power conditioning circuitry mounted within the housing and electrically coupled to the secondary coil, the power conditioning circuitry including electronics for converting the alternating current signal from the secondary coil having a high voltage greater than or equal to about 200 volts into a direct current electric signal having a low voltage of less than or equal to about 50 volts and a high power level of greater than or equal to about 15 watts;

a low voltage, high power output means electrically coupled to the power conditioning circuitry and accessible from outside the module for connecting the secondary coil module to a power bus for delivering power to implanted devices;

wherein the secondary coil is disposed so as to surround the housing.

15. The module of claim 14, wherein the secondary coil is disposed adjacent to the housing.

16. The module of claim 14, wherein the low voltage, high power output means is a low voltage, high power connector.

17. The module of claim 16, further comprising an implantable power bus connected to the low voltage, high power connector.

18. The module of claim 17, further comprising a high power, implantable medical device electronically coupled to the power bus.

19. The module of claim 18, wherein the medical device is a distributed medical device including a plurality of implanted modules requiring power.

20. The module of claim 18, wherein the implantable medical device is a blood pump.

21. The module of claim 14, wherein the inductive heat reducing means includes the inner housing comprising a cage formed of magnetically permeable material.

22. The module of claim 21, wherein the magnetically permeable material has a magnetic permeability of between about 2000 and 5000.

23. The module of claim 21, wherein the cage includes walls having a thickness adapted to maintain magnetic flux within the magnetically permeable material below saturation.

24. The module of claim 14, wherein the inductive heat reducing means maintains a total inductive heat dissipation from the power conditioning circuitry below about 150 milliwatts.

25. The module of claim 24, wherein inductive heat dissipation is maintained below about 150 milliwatts under operating conditions wherein the alternating current electric signal has a voltage of greater than equal to about 500 volts and a frequency greater than or equal to about 200 kHz.

26. A transcutaneous energy transfer system, comprising:

a transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil adapted to be placed outside a patient for providing a time-varying magnetic field that passes into the patient;

a transcutaneous energy transfer device secondary coil module adapted to be implanted within the time-varying magnetic field within the patient provided by the primary coil for receiving and conditioning power from the time-varying magnetic field, the secondary coil module comprising;

an inner housing including an inductive heat reducing means;

a transcutaneous energy transfer secondary coil disposed outside the housing and configured to receive the time-varying magnetic field provided by the transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil and convert the time-varying magnetic field into a high voltage, alternating current electric signal within the coil;

power conditioning circuitry mounted within the housing and electrically coupled to the secondary coil, the power conditioning circuitry including electronics for converting the high voltage, alternating current electric signal from the secondary coil into a high power, low voltage direct current electric signal;

an output line electrically coupled to the power conditioning circuitry and accessible from outside the module to transmit the high power, low voltage direct current electric signal outside of the module;

an implantable power bus connected to the output line; and

a high power, implantable blood pump electrically coupled to the power bus;

wherein the inductive heat reducing means includes the inner housing comprising a cage formed of magnetically permeable material; and

the system further comprising a heat distribution layer provided externally to the module and a thermally conductive medium providing thermal conduction between the cage and the heat distribution layer.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the secondary coil is disposed adjacent to the housing.

28. A transcutaneous energy transfer system, comprising:

a transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil adapted to be placed outside a patient for providing a time-varying magnetic field that passes into the patient;

a transcutaneous energy transfer device secondary coil module ada be implanted within the time-varying magnetic field within the patient provided by the primary coil for receiving and conditioning power from the time-varying magnetic field, the secondary coil module comprising;

an inner housing including an inductive heat reducing means;

a transcutaneous energy transfer secondary coil disposed outside the housing and configured to receive the time-varying magnetic field provided by the transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil and convert the time-varying magnetic field into a high voltage, alternating current electric signal within the coil;

power conditioning circuitry mounted within the housing and electrically coupled to the secondary coil, the power conditioning circuitry including electronics for converting the high voltage, alternating current electric signal from the secondary coil into a high power, low voltage direct current electric signal;

an output line electrically coupled to the power conditioning circuitry and accessible from outside the module to transmit the high power, low voltage direct current electric signal outside of the module;

an implantable power bus connected to the output line; and

a high power, implantable blood pump electrically coupled to the power bus;

wherein the secondary coil is disposed so as to surround the housing.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a low voltage, high power electrical connector electrically coupled to the output line.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the high power, low voltage direct current electric signal is less than or equal to about 50 volts.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the high voltage, alternating current electric signal is greater than or equal about 500 volts.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the high power, low voltage direct current electric signal is greater than or equal to about 15 watts.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the high power, low voltage direct current electric signal is between about 15 and 50 watts.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the inductive heat reducing means includes the inner housing comprising a cage formed of magnetically permeable material.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the magnetically permeable material has a magnetic permeability of between about 2000 and 5000.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the cage includes walls having a thickness adapted to maintain magnetic flux within the magnetically permeable material below saturation.

37. The system of claim 28, wherein the inductive heat reducing means maintains a total inductive heat dissipation from the power conditioning circuitry below about 150 milliwatts.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein inductive heat dissipation is maintained below about 150 milliwatts under operating conditions wherein the high voltage, alternating current electric signal has a voltage of greater than equal to about 500 volts and a frequency greater than or equal to about 200 kHz.

39. The system of claim 28, wherein the blood pump is a distributed medical device including a plurality of implanted modules requiring power.