SIGNAL LINE OF AN IMPLANTABLE ELECTROMEDICAL CONFIGURATION

• US 20090248102A1
• Filed: 03/13/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biotronik SE & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Biotronik VI Patent AG (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Inventors: Weiss, Ingo, Knorr, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 9,205,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/025 Digital circuitry features of electrotherapy devices, e.g. memory, clocks, processors
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0541 Cochlear electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0563 specially adapted for defibrillation or cardioversion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/086 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] compatible leads
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/804 for piezoelectric transformers conversion of DC or AC power H02M; for operating discharge lamps H05B41/282

Abstract

A signal line for an implantable electromedical configuration, having an electric line segment or line end and a mechanoelectric converter for converting an electric AC voltage signal into a mechanical oscillation. The oscillation can in turn be converted back into an electrical signal for delivery to a part of a human or mammal body, e.g., a heart.

Claims

1. An electrical configuration for an electromedical device including:

a. an input electric line bearing an input electric AC voltage signal;

b. an AC voltage transformer receiving the input electric AC voltage signal and producing an output electric AC voltage signal, the AC voltage transformer including at least one of;

(1) an electromechanical converter receiving at least a portion of the input electric AC voltage signal and converting it into a motion, and

(2) a mechanoelectric converter converting motion into an AC voltage signal, wherein the mechanoelectric converter produces at least a portion of the output electric AC voltage signal.

2. The electrical configuration of claim 1 wherein a piezoelectric element is provided within any electromechanical converter and/or mechanoelectric converter within the AC voltage transformer.

3. The electrical configuration of claim 1 further including an output electric line from the AC voltage transformer, wherein the output electric line has a greater resistance than the input electric line.

4. The electrical configuration of claim 1 further including a rectifier receiving at least a portion of the output electric AC voltage signal.

5. The electrical configuration of claim 1 further including a stimulation electrode situated externally on or from the electromedical device, the stimulation electrode receiving at least a portion of the output electric AC voltage signal.

6. The electrical configuration of claim 5 wherein at least a portion of the output electric AC voltage signal is rectified prior to reaching the stimulation electrode.

7. The electrical configuration of claim 1 wherein the AC voltage transformer includes a piezoelectric element having:

a. opposing first and second electrodes on opposing surfaces of the piezoelectric element, and

b. a third electrode on a surface oriented at least substantially perpendicular to one or more of the first and second electrodes.

8. The electrical configuration of claim 1 wherein the AC voltage transformer includes multiple electrodes with piezoelectric elements sandwiched between pairs of the electrodes.

9. The electrical configuration of claim 1 wherein the AC voltage transformer includes two or more mechanoelectric converters, with the mechanoelectric converters generating at least two different AC voltage signals.

10. The electrical configuration of claim 1:

a. further including stimulation electrodes situated externally on or from the electromedical device, and

b. wherein the AC voltage transformer includes two or more mechanoelectric converters,

with different ones of the stimulation electrodes being supplied with different AC voltage signals from different ones of the mechanoelectric converters.

11. The electrical configuration of claim 1 wherein the AC voltage transformer includes two or more electromechanical converters in communication with the input electric line.

12. The electrical configuration of claim 11 wherein at least two of the electromechanical converters generate different motion outputs in response to the same input electric AC voltage signal.

13. The electrical configuration of claim 11 wherein:

a. the AC voltage transformer includes two or more mechanoelectrical converters, and

b. each mechanoelectrical converter is connected following one of the electromechanical converters.

14. The electrical configuration of claim 1 wherein one or more frequency-controlled switches are connected following the AC voltage transformer, each switch:

a. passing at least a portion of the output electric AC voltage signal if the input electric AC voltage signal is at one or more acceptable frequencies, and

b. otherwise blocking the output electric AC voltage signal.

15. The electrical configuration of claim 1 wherein:

a. the electromedical device has a housing, at least a portion of the housing being conductive, wherein the conductive portion of the housing is connected in communication with the input electric line; and

b. a body contact situated externally on or from the electromedical device receives at least a portion of the output electric AC voltage signal.

16. An electrical configuration for an electromedical device including:

a. an implantable electromedical device;

b. an electric line extending from or to the implantable electromedical device, the electric line bearing an input electric AC voltage signal;

c. an electromechanical converter connected to the electric line and converting the electric AC voltage signal into a mechanical oscillation; and

d. a mechanoelectric converter connected following the mechanoelectric converter, the mechanoelectric converter converting the mechanical oscillation back into an AC voltage signal;

wherein the two converters together form an AC voltage converter.

17. The electrical configuration of claim 16 wherein a higher-resistance line is provided on an output end of the mechanoelectric converter than on an input end of the electromechanical converter.

18. The electrical configuration of claim 16 wherein a rectifier unit is connected following the mechanoelectric converter.

19. The electrical configuration of claim 16 wherein at least one of the electromechanical converter and the mechanoelectric converter includes a piezoelectric element.

20. The electrical configuration of claim 16 wherein two or more mechanoelectric converters are connected following the electromechanical converter, with each mechanoelectric converter providing a different output AC voltage signal.

21. The electrical configuration of claim 20 further including a frequency-controlled switch connected following at least one of the mechanoelectric converters.

22. The electrical configuration of claim 21:

a. wherein the frequency-controlled switch receives the input electric AC voltage signal on the electric line, and

b. in response to the frequency of the input electric AC voltage signal, the frequency-controlled switch passes or blocks a signal dependent on the output AC voltage signal of the at least one mechanoelectric converter.

23. The electrical configuration of claim 16 wherein the implantable electromedical device is one of:

a. a heart pacemaker,

b. an implantable defibrillator, or

c. a cochlear nerve stimulator.

24. The electrical configuration of claim 16 wherein:

a. at least one external conversion section of a housing of the electromedical device;

(1) is conductive, and

(2) is connected to the electric line bearing the input electric AC voltage signal,

b. a body contact is connected to an output of the mechanoelectric converter.

25. An electrical configuration for an electromedical device including:

a. an input electric line bearing an input electric AC voltage signal;

b. an AC voltage transformer receiving the input electric AC voltage signal and producing an output electric AC voltage signal, the AC voltage transformer including a piezoelectric element therein;

c. a stimulation electrode situated externally on or from the electromedical device, the stimulation electrode receiving at least a portion of the output electric AC voltage signal.