Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
199 words
A power supply system for an electric-powered device which is implanted within a living body, which system comprises a secondary coil in the form of at least one turn of electrically conductive wire disposed within a biocompatible outer covering, which coil is of a size and configuration for subcutaneously encircling a major member of the living body, said coil further being of a size and configuration for location close to the exterior skin along at least a major portion of the length of said coil, a storage battery adapted for implantation within the living body, means for electrically interconnecting said secondary coil and said storage battery, and means for connecting said storage battery to the electric-powered device for supplying energy thereto, a primary coil in the form of an encircling belt having a width greater than the width of said secondary coil and being proportioned to fit around the exterior of the major member in radial alignment with said secondary coil, and an external power source in electrical connection with said primary coil which is operable to transcutaneously supply sufficient power, via said primary and secondary coils, to charge said implanted storage battery for operation of said implanted device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
199 words
A power supply system for an electric-powered device which is implanted within a living body, which system comprises a secondary coil in the form of at least one turn of electrically conductive wire disposed within a biocompatible outer covering, which coil is of a size and configuration for subcutaneously encircling a major member of the living body, said coil further being of a size and configuration for location close to the exterior skin along at least a major portion of the length of said coil, a storage battery adapted for implantation within the living body, means for electrically interconnecting said secondary coil and said storage battery, and means for connecting said storage battery to the electric-powered device for supplying energy thereto, a primary coil in the form of an encircling belt having a width greater than the width of said secondary coil and being proportioned to fit around the exterior of the major member in radial alignment with said secondary coil, and an external power source in electrical connection with said primary coil which is operable to transcutaneously supply sufficient power, via said primary and secondary coils, to charge said implanted storage battery for operation of said implanted device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A power supply system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said secondary coil is in the form of a strip which has a thickness not greater than about 3 mm. and the ends of which are joined together.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A power supply system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said secondary coil strip comprises metal conductors spaced apart from one another and embedded within flexible polymeric material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A power supply system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said strip is not greater than about 2 cm. wide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A power supply system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said secondary coil is formed from a plurality of individual conductors the ends of which are serially connected to one another at a multicircuit connector which joins the ends of said strip into said encircling coil.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A power supply system in accordance with claim 5 wherein said conductors are braided strands of wire formed in a sinuous pattern which are embedded in an elastomeric material to allow stretch in a longitudinal direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
A power supply system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said primary coil belt includes a buckle which electrically serially connects the ends of a plurality of individual conductor lengths into a continuous multi-turn coil and wherein said external power source a battery-inverter combination is supported by attachment to said belt.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A power supply system in accordance with claim 1 wherein telemetry means are adapted to be implanted and connected to said secondary coil which serves as an antenna for the transmission of data generated within the living body.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of powering an electric-operated blood circulation device which is implanted within a living body, which method comprises implanting a storage battery within the living body and connecting said storage battery to the blood circulation device, implanting a secondary coil so that it subcutaneously encircles a major member of the living body at a location close to the exterior skin, electrically connecting said implanted coil to said implanted storage battery, surrounding said air-core secondary coil with a primary coil of a greater width which circumscribes said major member of the living body so that said primary and secondary coils are aligned, and applying sufficient A.C. power to said primary coil to provide a flux that transcutaneously reaches said secondary coil and induces sufficient A.C. voltage in said secondary coil to charge said implanted storage battery.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of powering an electric-operated blood circulation device which is implanted within a living body, which method comprises implanting a storage battery within the living body and connecting said storage battery to the blood circulation device, implanting a secondary coil so that it subcutaneously encircles a major member of the living body at a location close to the exterior skin, electrically connecting said implanted coil to said implanted storage battery, surrounding said air-core secondary coil with a primary coil of a greater width which circumscribes said major member of the living body so that said primary and secondary coils are aligned, and applying sufficient A.C. power to said primary coil to provide a flux that transcutaneously reaches said secondary coil and induces sufficient A.C. voltage in said secondary coil to charge said implanted storage battery.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said secondary coil is disposed within about 5 mm. of the skin throughout the major portion of its length.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said coil is disposed ventral to the spine.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said coil is disposed dorsal to the spine.