TRANSCUTANEOUS ENERGY TRANSFER MODULE WITH INTEGRATED CONVERSION CIRCUITY

• US 20130304158A1
• Filed: 07/15/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abiomed, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Abiomed, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Zarinetchi, Farhad, Bailey, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,862,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor

Abstract

An implantable transcutaneous energy transfer device secondary coil module includes a housing, a secondary coil, power conditioning circuitry, and a low voltage, high power connector. The transcutaneous energy transfer secondary coil is disposed outside the housing and is configured to receive a time-varying magnetic field provided by a transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil, and to convert the time-varying magnetic field into a high voltage, alternating current electric signal within the coil. The power conditioning circuitry is mounted within the housing and is electrically coupled to the secondary coil. The power conditioning circuitry including electronics for converting the high voltage, alternating current electric signal from the secondary coil into a high power, low voltage direct current electric signal. The low voltage, high power connector electrically coupled to the power conditioning circuitry and extending outside the housing for connecting the secondary coil module to a power bus for delivering power to implanted devices.

Claims

1. An implantable transcutaneous energy transfer device secondary coil module for receiving and conditioning power from a time-varying magnetic field provided by a transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil, comprising:

a transcutaneous energy transfer secondary coil comprising an inner winding and an outer winding, the secondary coil configured to receive the time-varying magnetic field provided by the transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil and convert the time-varying magnetic field into a high voltage, alternating current electric signal within the secondary coil; and

power conditioning circuitry disposed in a central region of the inner and outer windings and electrically coupled to the secondary coil, the power conditioning circuitry including electronics for converting a high voltage, alternating current electric signal from the secondary coil into a high power, low voltage direct current electric signal for powering implanted devices,

wherein a magnetic field generated by the inner winding and a magnetic field generated by the outer winding when an electrical current is applied to at least one of the inner and outer windings are substantially opposed to one another at the central region.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein the magnetic fields generated by the inner and outer windings substantially cancel one another at the central region.

3. The module of claim 1, wherein the inner and outer windings are configured to maintain a total inductive heat dissipation from the power conditioning circuitry below about 150 milliwatts.

4. The module of claim 3, wherein inductive heat dissipation is maintained below about 150 milliwatts under operating conditions wherein the high voltage, alternating current electric signal has a voltage of greater than equal to about 500 volts and a frequency greater than or equal to about 200 kHz.

5. The module of claim 1, wherein the inner and outer windings are electrically connected.

6. The module of claim 5, wherein the inner winding is counterwound relative to the outer winding.

7. The module of claim 1, wherein the inner and outer windings are electrically isolated from each other.

8. The module of claim 7, wherein the inner winding is counterwound relative to the outer winding.

9. The module of claim 7, wherein magnetic flux resulting from current flow in the outer winding induces a current in the inner winding and the current induced in the inner winding generates the magnetic field of the inner winding.

10. The module of claim 1, wherein the power conditioning circuitry is contained within an inner housing disposed in the central region.

11. The module of claim 10, further comprising a heat distribution layer provided externally to the module and a thermally conductive medium providing thermal conduction between the inner housing and the heat distribution layer.

12. The module of claim 10, wherein the inner winding is adjacent the inner housing and disposed between the inner housing and the outer winding.

13. The module of claim 1, wherein the high power, low voltage direct current electric signal has a voltage less than or equal to about 50 volts and a power level greater than or equal to about 15 watts.

14. The module of claim 1, wherein the high voltage, alternating current electric signal is greater than or equal about 200 volts.

15. The module of claim 1, further comprising a power connector coupled to the power conditioning circuitry and accessible from outside the module for connecting the secondary coil module to a power bus for delivering power to implanted devices.

16. The module of claim 15, further comprising an implantable power bus connected to the power connector.

17. The module of claim 16, further comprising a high power, implantable medical device electrically coupled to the power bus.

18. A transcutaneous energy transfer system, comprising:

a transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil adapted to be placed outside a patient for providing a time-varying magnetic field that passes into the patient;

a transcutaneous energy transfer device secondary coil module adapted to be implanted within the time-varying magnetic field within the patient provided by the primary coil for receiving and conditioning power from the time-varying magnetic field, the secondary coil module comprising;

a transcutaneous energy transfer secondary coil comprising an inner winding and an outer winding, the secondary coil configured to receive the time-varying magnetic field provided by the transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil and convert the time-varying magnetic field into a high voltage, alternating current electric signal within the secondary coil; and

power conditioning circuitry disposed in a central region of the inner and outer windings and electrically coupled to the secondary coil, the power conditioning circuitry including electronics for converting a high voltage, alternating current electric signal from the secondary coil into a high power, low voltage direct current electric signal,

wherein a magnetic field generated by the inner winding and a magnetic field generated by the outer winding when an electrical current is applied to at least one of the inner and outer windings are substantially opposed to one another at the central region; and

an implantable medical device electrically coupled to the power conditioning circuitry and receiving therefrom the high power, low voltage direct current electric signal.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the magnetic fields generated by the inner and outer windings substantially cancel one another at the central region.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the inner and outer windings are configured to maintain a total inductive heat dissipation from the power conditioning circuitry below about 150 milliwatts.

21. The module of claim 18, wherein the medical device is a distributed medical device including a plurality of implanted modules requiring power.

22. The module of claim 18, wherein the implantable medical device is a blood pump.

23. A method for reducing inductive heating in a transcutaneous energy transfer system, comprising a transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil adapted to be placed outside a patient for providing a time-varying magnetic field that passes into the patient, a transcutaneous energy transfer device secondary coil module adapted to be implanted within the time-varying magnetic field within the patient provided by the primary coil for receiving and conditioning power from the time-varying magnetic field, and power conditioning circuitry disposed in a central region of the secondary coil for converting a high voltage, alternating current electric signal from the secondary coil into a high power, low voltage direct current electric signal, the method comprising:

constructing the transcutaneous energy transfer secondary coil as an inner winding and an outer winding, the secondary coil configured to receive the time-varying magnetic field provided by the transcutaneous energy transfer primary coil and convert the time-varying magnetic field into a high voltage, alternating current electric signal within the secondary coil; and

selecting a diameter for the inner and outer windings and a number of turns for each winding such that magnetic fields in the central region substantially cancel each other.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising implanting the secondary module in a patient.