Inductance coil path

• US 10,692,643 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2016
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Ridler, Oliver John, Kennes, Patrik, Forrester, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahmood, Nadia A
• Application Number:
  US15/335,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20170117087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 607 60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36036 of the outer, middle or inner ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2027/2809 on stacked layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2038/143 for signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10

Abstract

A coil, such as, by way of example, an inductance communication coil, that includes a conductor including a first portion extending in a first level and a second portion extending in a second level, wherein the conductor includes a third portion located on a different level than that of the second portion, wherein an electrical path of the conductor is such that the second portion is located between the first portion and the third portion.

Claims

1. A coil, comprising:

a conductor including a first portion extending in a first level and a second portion extending in a second level, wherein the conductor includes a third portion located on a different level than that of the second portion, wherein an electrical path of the conductor is such that the second portion is located between the first portion and the third portion, wherein the coil is a communication coil, and wherein at least one of;

(i) the level on which the third portion is located is the first level, and the conductor includes a fourth portion extending in the first level, wherein an electrical path of the conductor is such that the fourth portion is located after the first portion, the second portion and the third portion, and a fifth portion is located between the third portion and the fourth portion, and the fifth portion is located on the second level;

or

(ii) with respect to at least one of a beginning or an end of a coil, a contiguous electrical path of the conductor subtends an angle totaling at least 600 degrees on a same level.

2. The coil of claim 1, wherein:

the first, second and third portions are turns of the conductor.

3. The coil of claim 1, further comprising a sixth portion corresponding to a fourth turn, wherein the sixth portion is located on the second level, and wherein the electrical path of the conductor is such that the sixth portion is located between the first portion and the third portion.

4. The coil of claim 1, wherein:

the level on which the third portion is located is a level different from the first level and the second level.

5. The coil of claim 1, wherein:

the first, second and third portions are turns of the conductor; and

the first, second and third portions are aligned with each other about an axis of rotation over at least about 300 degrees of subtended angle of the turns.

6. The coil of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion is a first turn, the second portion is a second turn, and the third portion is a third turn; and

the first turn is an inner turn relative to the third turn.

7. The coil of claim 1, wherein:

the coil is also a power transfer coil.

8. An inductance communication coil, comprising:

a conductor; and

a substrate, wherein

the conductor alternatingly cycles through the substrate for more than one complete cycle,

the substrate has a first side and a second side, and

the conductor includes a first turn on a first side and a second turn on a second side.

9. The inductance communication coil of claim 8, wherein:

the conductor includes a third turn on the first side; and

an alternating cycle of the conductor extends from the first turn through the second turn to the third turn.

10. The inductance communication coil of claim 9, wherein:

the conductor includes a fourth turn; and

an alternating cycle of the conductor extends from the first turn through the second turn and fourth turn to the third turn.

11. The inductance communication coil of claim 8, wherein:

the conductor alternatingly cycles through the substrate via a plurality of alternating cycles.

12. The inductance communication coil of claim 11, wherein:

each of the plurality of alternating cycles includes at least two vias extending through the substrate.

13. The inductance communication coil of claim 10, wherein:

each of the plurality of alternating cycles includes two vias extending through the substrate, each via of the plurality of alternating cycles connecting a turn on one side of the substrate with a turn on another side of the substrate.

14. The inductance communication coil of claim 11, wherein:

the conductor is configured such that an electrical path extends through a first turn on one side of the substrate and then through a second and third turn on an opposite side of the substrate and then through a fourth and fifth turn on the one side of the substrate and then through a sixth and seventh turn on the opposite side of the substrate and then through an eighth and ninth turn on the one side of the substrate and then through at least a tenth turn on the opposite side of the substrate.

15. The inductance communication coil of claim 14, wherein:

the conductor is configured such that an electrical path extends through the tenth turn and then through an eleventh turn on the opposite side of the substrate.

16. An inductance coil, comprising:

a coiled conductor including at least three turns on a first layer and at least three turns on a second layer different from the first layer, wherein

a maximum outer diameter of the outermost turn of the at least three turns in both the first layer and the second layer is about 30 mm, and

the coiled conductor is of a configuration where a bare winding thereof, when subjected to an electrical current having a frequency of 5 MHz, has a Q factor of at least 70.

17. The inductance coil of claim 16, wherein:

the coiled conductor is of a configuration where a bare winding thereof, when subjected to an electrical current having a frequency of 5 MHz, has a Q factor of at least 71.

18. The inductance coil of claim 16, wherein:

the coiled conductor is of a configuration where a bare winding thereof, when subjected to an electrical current having a frequency of 5 MHz, has a Q factor of at least 72.

19. The inductance coil of claim 16, wherein:

the coiled conductor is of a configuration where a bare winding thereof, when subjected to an electrical current having a frequency of 5 MHz, has a Q factor of at least 73.

20. The inductance coil of claim 16, wherein:

the coiled conductor is of a configuration where a bare winding thereof, when subjected to an electrical current having a frequency of 5 MHz, has a Q factor of at least 74.

21. The inductance communication coil of claim 16, wherein:

the coiled conductor is of a configuration where a bare winding thereof, when subjected to an electrical current having a frequency of 5 MHz, has a Q factor of at least 75.

22. An inductance transcutaneous communication coil, comprising:

a coiled conductor including at least three turns on a first tier and a plurality of turns on a second tier different from the first tier, wherein

a maximum outer diameter of the outermost turn of the at least three turns is about 30 mm, and

the coiled conductor is of a configuration where a bare winding thereof, when subjected to an electrical current having a frequency of 5 MHz and a current of one amp is such that any electric field located at any location between the first tier and the second tier at the middle distance between the first tier and the second tier has a value of no more than about 4×

10⁵ V/m.

23. The inductance communication coil of claim 22, wherein:

the electric field of the coil has a maximum value at a location other than between the first tier and the second tier.

24. The inductance communication coil of claim 22, wherein:

the distance between turns of the first tier and turns of the second tier is no greater than about 0.5 mm.

25. The inductance communication coil of claim 22, wherein:

the coiled inductance antenna is of a configuration where a bare winding thereof, when subjected to the electrical current having the frequency of 5 MHz, has a Q factor of at least 60.

26. The inductance communication coil of claim 22, wherein:

a distance between turns of the first tier and turns of the second tier is no greater than about 0.4 mm.

27. The inductance communication coil of claim 22, wherein:

a distance between turns of the first tier and turns of the second tier is no greater than about 0.35 mm.

28. The inductance communication coil of claim 22, wherein:

any electric field located at any location between the first tier and the second tier at the middle distance between the first tier and the second tier has a value of no more than about 3×

10⁵ V/m.