Container for storing an implantable medical device and a method for packaging such a device
First Claim
1. A medical apparatus comprising:
- an implantable medical device comprising transmitter/receiver circuitry and at least one antenna for wireless communication, said antenna having an input impedance configured for an implanted environment;
a container in which said implantable medical device is stored prior to implantation; and
an impedance altering substance located in said container in proximity to said implantable medical device in said container and completely out of contact with said antenna, said impedance altering substance having electrical material properties that passively and non-structurally alter the input impedance of the antenna and that set the dielectric constant of a region of the container in proximity to said antenna to a value in said region that corresponds to the implanted environment to improve reception and transmission properties of the antenna when the implantable medical device is in said container.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable medical device is stored in a container prior to implantation in body tissue. The IMD includes transmitter/receiver circuitry and at least one antenna. The storage container (packaging) includes an impedance altering substance positioned in proximity to the IMD when stored in the container, the substance having electrical material properties that alter the input impedance of the antenna to improve the reception and transmission properties of the antenna when the IMD is stored in the container. A container for storing an IMD having an antenna has a packaging tray for housing the IMD, the packaging tray having a support for supporting the IMD and the container including a substance positioned in proximity to the support that has electrical material properties that after the input impedance of the antenna of the IMD supported by the support, so as to improve the reception and transmission properties of the antenna. A method for packaging an IMD prior to implantation in body tissue includes the step of providing such an impedance altering substance in the pre-implantation IMD packaging, in proximity to the packaged IMD.
26 Citations
48 Claims
-
1. A medical apparatus comprising:
-
an implantable medical device comprising transmitter/receiver circuitry and at least one antenna for wireless communication, said antenna having an input impedance configured for an implanted environment; a container in which said implantable medical device is stored prior to implantation; and an impedance altering substance located in said container in proximity to said implantable medical device in said container and completely out of contact with said antenna, said impedance altering substance having electrical material properties that passively and non-structurally alter the input impedance of the antenna and that set the dielectric constant of a region of the container in proximity to said antenna to a value in said region that corresponds to the implanted environment to improve reception and transmission properties of the antenna when the implantable medical device is in said container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A container for storing an implantable medical device having an antenna that has an input impedance, said container comprising:
-
a packaging tray configured to receive said implantable medical device therein, said packaging tray comprising a support configured to support said implantable medical device at a position in said packaging tray; and an impedance altering substance located in proximity to said support at a location relative to said position that keeps said impedance altering substance completely out of contact with said antenna when said implantable medical device is present in said packaging tray, said impedance altering substance having electrical properties that passively and non-structurally alter the input impedance of the antenna and that set the dielectric constant of a region of the packaging tray in proximity to said antenna to a value that corresponds to the implanted environment to improve reception and transmission properties of the antenna when the implantable medical device is located in the packaging tray. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A method for packaging an implantable medical device prior to implantation, said implantable medical device comprising transmitter/receiver circuitry and at least one wireless antenna for wireless communication, said antenna having an input impedance configured for an implanted environment, said method comprising the steps of:
-
placing said implantable medical device in a container; also placing an impedance altering substance in said container at a location that keeps said impedance altering substance completely out of contact with the container; and forming the impedance altering substance with electrical material properties that set the dielectric constant of a region of the container in proximity to said antenna to a value that corresponds to an implanted environment to improve reception and transmission properties of the antenna while said implantable medical device is in said container. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
-
Specification