Implantable medical device with internal piezoelectric energy harvesting

US8777863B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Thomas W. Piaget · Windom, US
• Bin Mi · Plymouth, US
• Lance Eric Juffer · Lino Lakes, US
• Keith R. Maile · New Brighton, US
• Abhijeet V. Chavan · Maple Grove, US
• Cheng Zhang · Nanhu, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: May 6, 2010
• Grant date: Jul 15, 2014
• Expiry date: May 18, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H02N2/18
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for powering and/or recharging medical devices implanted within the body are described. An illustrative power generation module disposable within the interior space of an implantable medical device includes a module body that defines an interior cavity as well as a flexible diaphragm that spans the interior cavity. The flexible diaphragm includes a first electrical conductor, a piezoelectric layer disposed adjacent to the first electrical conductor, and a second electrical conductor disposed adjacent to the piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric layer is configured to displace within the interior cavity and generate a voltage differential between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor.