Medical device communication and charging assemblies for use with implantable signal generators, and associated systems and methods

• US 8,929,986 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2012
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nevro Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nevro Corporation
• Inventors: Parker, Jon, Chitre, Yougandh, Walker, Andre B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, ERICA SHENGKAI
• Application Number:
  US13/669,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20130116763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 607/36, 607/46, 607/60, 607/117, 607/156, 343/728
• US Class Current: 607/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• 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 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing

Abstract

Communication and charging assemblies for medical devices are disclosed herein. A communication and charging assembly in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a support element, with a communication antenna and a charging coil coupled to the support element. The charging coil can include wire loops having a plurality of wires and the support element can include a mounting surface shaped to match the charging coil and the communication antenna. In one embodiment, the communication and charging assembly are mounted in a header of an implantable signal generator.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device for delivering electrical therapy signals to a patient'"'"'s spinal region to alleviate pain, comprising:

a can having a shell and a lid, wherein the lid includes a plurality of feed-throughs;

an output terminal positioned to provide electrical power to a signal delivery device;

a controller disposed within the can and coupled to the output terminal to control electrical power directed to the output terminal;

a battery disposed within the can and coupled to the controller;

a plurality of wires, individual wires extending upwardly from the can through corresponding individual feed-throughs;

a header carried by the can;

a support element disposed within the header;

a charging coil having at least one wire loop, the charging coil being carried by the support element in the header such that the entirety of the wire loop is disposed outside of the can, wherein the charging coil is operably coupled to the battery via at least one first individual wire, and wherein the charging coil is configured to charge the battery with electrical current generated via electromagnetic induction; and

a communication antenna carried by the support element and operably coupled to the controller via at least one second individual wire, wherein the communication antenna is configured to receive data transmitted to the implantable medical device via an electromagnetic signal.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the charging coil includes a plurality of wire loops, and wherein a first wire loop is offset from a second wire loop along both a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to the first axis.

3. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the charging coil includes a plurality of wire loops, and wherein a first wire loop is positioned in a first plane and a second wire loop is positioned in a second plane, the first plane disposed at a non-zero angle relative to the second plane.

4. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a receiving element disposed in the header, wherein the header includes an epoxy volume and the receiving element is at least partially encased in the epoxy volume, the receiving element including the output terminal.

5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the header includes a curved surface, and wherein the charging coil is shaped to at least partially match the shape of the curved surface.

6. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the header includes a header cap that at least partially encloses the charging coil and the communication antenna, and wherein the support element is attached to the lid and configured to support the charging coil and the communication antenna.

7. An implantable signal generator, comprising:

a can having an output terminal and a battery electrically coupled to the output terminal; and

a header portion adjacent the can and having a plurality of receiving elements positioned to provide electrical connections;

an epoxy volume at least partially encasing the receiving elements, a communication antenna, and a charging coil electrically coupled to the battery, wherein the charging coil is positioned to receive electromagnetic energy and direct electrical current to charge the battery, and wherein the communication antenna is positioned to receive external control signals.

8. An implantable signal generator, comprising:

a can having an output terminal and a battery electrically coupled to the output terminal; and

a header portion adjacent the can and having a communication antenna, and a charging coil electrically coupled to the battery, wherein the charging coil is positioned to receive electromagnetic energy and direct electrical current to charge the battery, wherein the communication antenna is positioned to receive external control signals, wherein the header includes a curved surface, and wherein the charging coil is shaped to at least partially match the curved surface.

9. An implantable signal generator, comprising:

a can having an output terminal and a battery electrically coupled to the output terminal, wherein the can includes a shell and a lid, the lid having a plurality of feed-throughs;

a header portion adjacent the can and having a communication antenna, and a charging coil electrically coupled to the battery, wherein the charging coil is positioned to receive electromagnetic energy and direct electrical current to charge the battery, and wherein the communication antenna is positioned to receive external control signals;

a controller positioned within the can and configured to direct electrical signals to the output terminal; and

a plurality of wires positioned to extend through the feed-throughs and operably couple the controller to the communication antenna and the battery to the charging coil.

10. A method for forming an implantable signal generator, the method comprising:

forming a shell;

positioning a battery and a controller within the shell;

forming a lid having a plurality of feed-throughs;

attaching the lid to the shell;

forming a charging coil and electrically coupling the charging coil to the battery;

forming a communication antenna and electrically coupling the communication antenna to the controller; and

positioning the communication antenna and the charging coil to be supported by the lid, external to the shell, wherein the communication antenna is positioned to receive external control signals, and wherein the charging coil is positioned to receive electromagnetic energy and direct electrical current to charge the battery.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

forming a header cap to encase the charging coil and the communication antenna.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein forming the charging coil includes forming a plurality of wire loops, and wherein the method further comprises positioning a first wire loop in a first plane and positioning a second wire loop in a second plane, the first plane is disposed at a non-zero angle relative to the second plane.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

forming a support element, wherein positioning the communication antenna and the charging coil to be supported by the lid includes attaching the communication antenna and the charging coil to the support element.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

forming a header cap having a curved surface.