Power supply for implantable device

• US 5,954,058 A
• Filed: 03/20/1997
• Issued: 09/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Flowonix Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Strato/Infusaid, Inc.
• Inventors: Flaherty, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US08/821,602
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 607/34, 128/899, 128/DIG. 12, 604/891.1, 604/114, 604/131, 604/132, 604/141, 604/156, 604/70
• US Class Current: 128/899
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides an implantable apparatus which includes a power supply capable of converting non-electrical energy such as mechanical, chemical, thermal, or nuclear energy into electrical energy. The invention also provides a method of supplying energy to an electrical device within a mammalian body in which the mammal is implanted with an apparatus including a power supply capable of converting non-electrical energy into electrical energy, and non-electrical energy is transcutaneously applied to the apparatus.

Claims

1. A rechargeable electrically powered implantable infusion pump and power unit therefor, for intracorporeally dispensing a liquid in a body of a living being, with said infusion pump and power until therefor being capable of subcutaneous implantation in said body of said living being, said infusion pump and power unit comprising:

A. a rigid or semi-rigid outer pump housing;

B. a flexible liquid storage chamber inside said outer-pump housing for containing a liquid to be dispensed intracorporeally in the body of said being by said infusion pump, said liquid storage chamber having a variable volume and a transcutaneously accessible self-sealing inlet and outlet port in communication with said outer-pump housing, such that said liquid can alternatively be introduced into said chamber through said port to refill said chamber, and be pumped out of said chamber through said port upon actuation of electrically powered infusion pump means for intracorporeally dispensing said liquid in the body of said being;

C. electrically powered infusion pump means for causing said liquid to be pumped out of said liquid storage chamber through said port thereof and dispensed within said body of said living being upon actuation of said infusion pump means;

D. a charging fluid storage chamber at least in part surrounding said liquid storage chamber and containing a two phase charging fluid, wherein the liquid phase to gas phase ratio of said charging fluid is representative of a store of potential energy in the form of physical phase transition/pressure energy which is transferrable into kinetic energy upon the physical phase transition of said charging fluid due to the vaporization of said charging fluid form its liquid phase to its vapor phase;

E. rechargeable electrical energy source means contained within said outer-pump housing, for rechargeably receiving and storing electrical energy and for supplying said stored electrical energy to power said infusion pump means; and

F. energy converter means in communication with both said charging fluid storage chamber and said rechargeable electrical energy source means, and contained within said outer-pump housing, for converting the released physical phase transition/pressure potential energy of said charging fluid to said electrical energy and for supplying said electrical energy to said rechargeable electrical energy source means.

2. The infusion pump and power unit according to claim 1 wherein said charging fluid is freon.

3. The infusion pump and power unit according to claim 1 wherein said rechargeable electrical energy source means is selected from the group consisting of an electrochemical cell, a battery, and an electrical capacitor.