Transcutaneous power supply

• US 20040199213A1
• Filed: 04/07/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kidney Replacement Services PC
• Original Assignee: Kidney Replacement Services PC
• Inventors: Thompson, Marc T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,076,304 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/35
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8243 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/178 drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/232 Centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/875 specially adapted for optimising alignment of external and implantable coils
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

An in-body power supply for supplying energy to an in-body device. The in-body power supply is configured to transfer energy to the in-body device and to compensate for variations and to receive energy without communication between the in-body power supply and an external power source outside the body.

Claims

1. An in-body power supply for supplying energy to drive an in-body device, the in-body power supply comprising:

a receiver for receiving energy from an external power source outside the body; and

a transfer for transferring energy from the receiver to the in-body device, wherein the transfer determines an energy level of the energy and limits the energy to be transferred to the in-body device when the energy level exceeds a predetermined threshold such that variations in energy from the external power source are compensated for without communication between the in-body power supply and the external power source.

2. The in-body power supply of claim 1 wherein the transfer controls voltage and comprises a converter for limiting a voltage level corresponding with the energy level when the energy level exceeds the predetermined threshold, and a bypass for bypassing the converter when the energy level fails to exceed the predetermined threshold.

3. The in-body power supply of claim 2 wherein the transfer comprises a voltage monitor for determining the voltage level.

4. The in-body power supply of claim 1 further comprising a battery supply for supplying energy to the in-body device, wherein the battery supply determines when to supply energy to the in-body device without communicating with the external power source.

5. The in-body power supply of claim 4 wherein the battery supply comprises a rechargeable battery for supplying energy to the in-body device, wherein the battery supply further determines whether the energy transferred to the in-body device by the transfer is sufficient for simultaneously charging the battery and supplying sufficient energy to the in-body device.

6. The in-body power supply of claim 1 wherein the in-body device is a motor and the in-body power supply includes a motor driver for receiving the energy from the transfer for use in driving the motor.

7. The in-body power supply of claim 6 further comprising a magnetic shutdown for receiving a magnetic signal from a permanent magnet for use in shutting down the motor driver.

8. The in-body power supply of claim 7 further comprising a motor speed adjust for use in adjusting motor speed.

9. The in-body power supply of claim 1 further comprising a notifier for determining whether sufficient energy is being supplied to the in-body device and generating an alarm when insufficient energy is supplied to the in-body device.

10. An in-body supply for use in driving an in-body device, the in-body supply comprising:

a transformer for receiving AC magnetic power from an external power source outside the body and generating an AC voltage;

a rectifier for rectifying the AC voltage to a first DC voltage having a voltage level;

a converter for converting the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage when the voltage level of the first DC voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold such that the second DC voltage is for use in driving the in-body device; and

a voltage monitor for monitoring the voltage level of the first DC voltage and for bypassing the converter when the voltage level fails to exceed the predetermined threshold such that the first DC voltage is for use in driving the in-body device, wherein the converter and voltage monitor compensate for alignment variations affecting voltage without communication between the in-body device in the external power source.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the voltage monitor comprises an integrated circuit for use in activating a bypass switch for bypassing the converter.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a battery supply for supplying voltage to the in-body device if the voltage from either the first DC rectified voltage or the second DC converted voltage is insufficient to power the in-body device

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the battery supply includes an integrated battery circuit for determining whether the voltage from either the first DC rectified voltage or the second DC converted voltage is insufficient to power the in-body device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the battery supply comprises a rechargeable battery for supplying voltage to the in-body device and being rechargeable with the voltage from either the first DC rectified voltage or the second DC converted voltage, wherein the integrated battery circuit determines whether the voltage from either the first DC rectified voltage or the second DC converted voltage is sufficient for charging the battery and sufficiently powering the in-body device.

15. A method for transcutaneously providing energy to an in-body device, the method comprising:

configuring an implantable device to receive energy from an external power source outside the body and to transfer energy to the in-body device, wherein the implantable device determines an energy level of the energy and limits the energy to be transferred to the in-body device when the energy level exceeds a predetermined threshold such that variations in alignment affecting voltage received from the external power source are compensated for without communication between the in-body power supply and the external power source.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising implanting the implantable device within a body of an animal.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the implantable device controls voltage and comprises a converter for limiting a voltage level corresponding with the energy level when the energy level exceeds the predetermined threshold, and a bypass for bypassing the converter when the energy level of the energy fails to exceed the predetermined threshold.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the implantable device comprises a voltage monitor for determining the level of the voltage.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the implantable device comprises a battery supply for supplying energy to the in-body device, wherein the battery supply determines when to supply energy to the in-body device without communicating with the external power source.

20. The in-body power supply of claim 19 wherein the battery supply further comprises a rechargeable battery for supplying energy to the in-body device, and the energy supply circuit is configured to determine whether the energy being transferred to the in-body device is sufficient for simultaneously charging the battery and supplying sufficient power to the in-body device