High efficiency magnetic link for implantable devices

• US 9,205,273 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2015
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research
• Original Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research
• Inventors: Dearden, Brian R., Griffith, Glen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US14/593,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20150127069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36125 Details of circuitry or electric components
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

Systems and devices for a high-efficiency magnetic link for implantable devices are disclosed herein. These devices can include a charging coil located in the implantable device and a charging coil located in a charge head of a charger. The charging coils can each include an elongate core and wire windings wrapped around a longitudinal axis of the elongate core. The charging coil of the charge head can be attached to a rotatable mount, which can be used to align the longitudinal axis of the charging coil of the charge head with longitudinal axis of the implantable device such that the axes of the charging coils are parallel.

Claims

1. A portable charger device for transcutaneous charging of an implantable neurostimulator in a patient, the charger device comprising:

a charging housing having an external surface that is configured to at least partially engage a skin surface of the patient and be positioned at least partially over the implantable neurostimulator;

a contact surface on the charging housing;

a charging coil disposed within the charging housing, wherein the charging coil comprises;

an elongate core having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween; and

a wire wrapped in a plurality of coils around the elongate core and the longitudinal axis of the elongate core; and

a rotatable mount positioned a distance from the contact surface, wherein the charging coil is mounted on the rotatable mount, and wherein the rotatable mount and the charging coil are rotatable with respect to the charging housing; and

a mechanical feature configured to secure an orientation of the rotatable mount and the charging coil with respect to the charging housing.

2. The portable charger device of claim 1, wherein the elongate core comprises a first foot located at the first end and a second foot located at the second end.

3. The portable charger device of claim 2, wherein the first and second feet extend towards the contact surface.

4. The portable charger device of claim 3, wherein the contact surface comprises a track configured to receive the first and second feet and to allow the rotation of the rotatable mount and the attached charging coil.

5. The portable charger device of claim 4, wherein the rotation of the charging coil is limited to no more than 180 degrees to change an orientation of the charging coil with respect to the charging housing.

6. The portable charger device of claim 5, wherein the elongate core comprises a rectangular member, and wherein the wire comprises a litz wire.

7. The portable charger device of claim 6, wherein the elongate core comprises a soft ferritic core.

8. The portable charger device of claim 7, further comprising a retention feature coupled to the charging housing and configured to secure the charging housing against a portion of the skin surface of the patient.

9. The portable charger device of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis of the charging coil is non-perpendicular with the contact surface of the charging housing.

10. A nerve stimulation system comprising:

an implantable neurostimulator device comprising;

a receiving coil having;

an elongate core having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween; and

a wire wrapped in a plurality of coils around the elongate core and the longitudinal axis of the elongate core; and

a charger device for transcutaneous charging of the implantable neurostimulator, the charger device comprising;

a charging housing having an external surface that is configured to at least partially engage a skin surface of a patient and be positioned at least partially over the implantable neurostimulator;

a contact surface on the charging housing;

a rotatable mount positioned a distance from the contact surface, wherein the rotatable mount is rotatable with respect to the charging housing and a mechanical feature configured to secure an orientation of the rotatable mount and the charging coil with respect to the charging housing;

a transmitting coil mounted to the rotatable mount, the transmitting coil having;

an elongate core having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween; and

a wire wrapped in a plurality of coils around the elongate core and the longitudinal axis of the elongate core.

11. The nerve stimulation system of claim 10, wherein the receiving coil comprises a capacitor electrically connected to the wire of the receiving coil.

12. The nerve stimulation system of claim 10, wherein the rotatable mount is rotatable between a first position and a second position.

13. The nerve stimulation system of claim 12, wherein the mechanical feature is configured to secure the rotatable mount in the first position and in the second position.

14. The nerve stimulation system of claim 10, further comprising circuitry configured to detect an angular position of the receiving coil with respect to the transmitting coil.

15. The nerve stimulation system of claim 14, wherein the circuitry configured to detect the angular position of the receiving coil with respect to the transmitting coil is in the charging head.

16. The nerve stimulation system of claim 10, wherein the elongate core comprises a first foot located at the first end and a second foot located at the second end, and wherein the first and second feet extend towards the contact surface.

17. The nerve stimulation system of claim 16, wherein the contact surface comprises a track configured to receive the first and second feet and to allow the rotation of the rotatable mount and the attached charging coil.

18. A method for transcutaneously charging an implantable electrical pulse generator in a patient with a charger device, the method comprising:

non-invasively engaging the charger device at least partially with an external skin surface of the patient;

positioning the charger device at least partially proximate the implanted electrical pulse generator, the charger device including a housing and charging coil having a first longitudinal axis, wherein the charging coil is rotatably supported inside the housing, wherein the implanted electrical pulse generator includes a receiving coil having a second longitudinal axis;

securing the position of the charger device on the external skin surface of the patient with a retention device; and

rotating the charging coil of the charger device with respect to the housing from a first position to a second position to change an orientation of the charging coil of the charger device relative to the receiving coil of the implanted electrical pulse generator, wherein an angle between the first longitudinal axis of the charging coil of the charger device and the second longitudinal axis of the receiving coil of the implanted electrical pulse generator decreases by rotating the charging coil from the first position to the second position; and

securing the charging coil in the second position.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the charging coil of the charger device comprises an elongate core having a first end, and a second end, and wherein the first longitudinal axis extends between the first and second end of the elongate core of the charging coil;

and wherein the receiving coil of the implanted electrical pulse generator comprises an elongate core having a first end, and a second end, and wherein the second longitudinal axis extends between the first and second end of the elongate core of the receiving coil.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first longitudinal axis is parallel with the external skin surface of the human body to which the charger device is engaged.