Pare piezo power with energy recovery
First Claim
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1. A device for controlling a pump in an implantable gastric banding system, the device comprising:
- a positive terminal of a power source coupled via a first switch to a piezoelectric actuator;
a negative terminal of the power source coupled via a second switch to the piezoelectric actuator, wherein the piezoelectric actuator is coupled to an inductor to facilitate charging and discharging the piezoelectric actuator;
a first circuit comprising a first diode, a third switch, the inductor, and the piezoelectric actuator, wherein the piezoelectric actuator is operable to facilitate moving a fluid between a reservoir and an inflatable portion of a gastric band;
a second circuit comprising a second diode, a fourth switch, the inductor, and the piezoelectric actuator, wherein the first diode and the second diode comprise opposite operational orientations to facilitate discharging the piezoelectric actuator and to facilitate energy recovery in the implantable gastric banding system; and
a microcontroller operable to control the operation of at least one of the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, or the fourth switch, according to a dynamic algorithm to optimize the energy recovery of the implantable gastric banding system.
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Abstract
The present invention generally relates to medical systems and apparatus and uses thereof for treating obesity and/or obesity-related diseases, and more specifically, relates to systems and methods for energy recovery in a laparoscopically-placed gastric banding system operably coupled to a piezo actuator. The energy recovery may be obtained utilizing an energy recovery device, such as an inductor, coupled to the piezo actuator. The energy recovery device may utilize two circuits to facilitate energy recovery, and the two circuits may include diodes with opposite orientations to control current flow.
327 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device for controlling a pump in an implantable gastric banding system, the device comprising:
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a positive terminal of a power source coupled via a first switch to a piezoelectric actuator; a negative terminal of the power source coupled via a second switch to the piezoelectric actuator, wherein the piezoelectric actuator is coupled to an inductor to facilitate charging and discharging the piezoelectric actuator; a first circuit comprising a first diode, a third switch, the inductor, and the piezoelectric actuator, wherein the piezoelectric actuator is operable to facilitate moving a fluid between a reservoir and an inflatable portion of a gastric band; a second circuit comprising a second diode, a fourth switch, the inductor, and the piezoelectric actuator, wherein the first diode and the second diode comprise opposite operational orientations to facilitate discharging the piezoelectric actuator and to facilitate energy recovery in the implantable gastric banding system; and a microcontroller operable to control the operation of at least one of the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, or the fourth switch, according to a dynamic algorithm to optimize the energy recovery of the implantable gastric banding system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for energy recovery in an implantable gastric banding system, comprising:
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a piezoelectric actuator for moving a fluid from a reservoir to an inflatable portion of a gastric band; a power supply coupled to a terminal of the piezoelectric actuator; an energy recovery device coupled to the terminal of the piezoelectric actuator; a first diode; a first switch coupled to the first diode having a first orientation; a second switch; and a second diode coupled to the second switch, wherein the second diode comprises a second orientation, and wherein the second orientation is opposite the first orientation of the first diode, wherein the energy recovery device is coupled to a first diode terminal of the first diode and a second diode terminal of the second diode to facilitate recharging the piezoelectric actuator in response to at least one of the first switch or the second switch being closed. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method for recovering energy from a piezoelectric actuator in an implantable gastric banding system, the method comprising:
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charging a piezoelectric actuator with a first magnitude of voltage of a first polarity from a power supply, wherein the piezoelectric actuator responds to the first magnitude of voltage to move a fluid from a reservoir to an inflatable portion of a gastric band of the implantable gastric banding system; discharging a flow of current of a first polarity from the piezoelectric actuator through an inductor coupled to a first diode having a first orientation in response to closing a first switch coupled to the first diode, wherein the first switch disconnects in response to a first control signal provided by a microcontroller; recharging the piezoelectric actuator with a second magnitude of voltage of a second polarity from the inductor, wherein the second polarity is an opposite polarity from the first polarity; recharging the piezoelectric actuator with a third magnitude of voltage of the second polarity from the power supply; discharging a flow of current of the second polarity from the piezoelectric actuator through the inductor coupled to a second diode having a second orientation in response to the closing of a second switch coupled to the second diode, wherein the second switch disconnects in response to a second control signal provided by the microcontroller, and wherein the second orientation of the second diode is opposite the first orientation of the first diode; recharging the piezoelectric actuator with a fourth magnitude of voltage of the first polarity from the inductor; and recharging the piezoelectric actuator with a fifth magnitude of voltage of the first polarity of voltage from the power supply. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A system for energy recovery in an implantable gastric banding system, the system for energy recovery comprising:
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a piezoelectric actuator coupled to an inductor to facilitate charging and discharging the piezoelectric actuator; a first circuit comprising a first diode, a first switch, the inductor, and the piezoelectric actuator, wherein the piezoelectric actuator is operable to facilitate moving a fluid between a reservoir and an implantable portion of a gastric band; and a second circuit comprising a second diode, a second switch, the inductor, and the piezoelectric actuator, wherein the first diode and the second diode comprise opposite operational orientations to facilitate discharging the piezoelectric actuator and to facilitate energy recovery in the implantable gastric banding system. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification