Externally programable magnetic valve assembly and controller

A surgically-implantable shunt valve assembly comprising:

• a housing, an exterior of the housing being formed of a physiologically-compatible material;
• a magnetically operable motor disposed within the housing, the magnetically operable motor including a stator and a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator responsive to a changing magnetic polarity of the stator induced by an external magnetic field, the rotor including a rotor casing and a plurality of rotor permanent magnet elements disposed in a ring within the rotor casing and arranged with alternating magnetic polarities, rotation of the rotor relative to the stator producing a selected pressure setting of the shunt valve assembly;
• an inlet port positioned between the rotor casing and an exterior of the housing, the inlet port terminating at its rotor casing end in a valve seat;
• a spring;
• a valve element biased against the valve seat by the spring, the valve element and the valve seat together forming an aperture;
• an outlet port positioned between the rotor casing and the exterior of the housing, the shunt valve assembly configured such that the aperture opens when a pressure of the fluid in the inlet port exceeds the selected pressure setting of the shunt valve assembly so as to vent fluid through the aperture into the outlet port;
• at least one first reference magnet disposed proximate to the center of the rotor, the rotor and the at least one first reference magnet being configured to rotate about a common axis of rotation;
• a second reference magnet element configured to rotate with the at least one first reference magnet about the common axis of rotation;
• and
• a magnetically operated mechanical brake having a locked position and an unlocked position, and wherein the motor includes a plurality of motor teeth, the magnetically operated mechanical brake being configured, in the locked position, to engage with the plurality of motor teeth to prevent rotation of the rotor.

A surgically-implantable shunt valve assembly comprising:

• a housing, an exterior of the housing being formed of a physiologically-compatible material;
• a magnetically operable motor disposed within the housing, the magnetically operable motor including a stator and a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator responsive to a changing magnetic polarity of the stator induced by an external magnetic field, the rotor including a rotor casing and a plurality of rotor permanent magnet elements disposed in a ring within the rotor casing and arranged with alternating magnetic polarities, rotation of the rotor relative to the stator producing a selected pressure setting of the shunt valve assembly;
• an inlet port positioned between the rotor casing and an exterior of the housing, the inlet port terminating at its rotor casing end in a valve seat;
• a spring;
• a valve element biased against the valve seat by the spring, the valve element and the valve seat together forming an aperture;
• an outlet port positioned between the rotor casing and the exterior of the housing, the shunt valve assembly configured such that the aperture opens when a pressure of the fluid in the inlet port exceeds the selected pressure setting of the shunt valve assembly so as to vent fluid through the aperture into the outlet port;
• at least one reference magnet disposed proximate to the center of the rotor and configured to rotate about a common axis of rotation;
• and
• a magnetically operated mechanical brake having a locked position and an unlocked position, and wherein the motor includes a plurality of motor teeth, the magnetically operated mechanical brake being configured, in the locked position, to engage with the plurality of motor teeth to prevent rotation of the rotor.