Biothermal power source for implantable devices
AssigneeBiomed Soutions, LLC
InventorStuart G. MacDonald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An implantable, rechargeable assembly comprised of an implantable device disposed within a living organism, an electrical storage device connected to the implantable device, and a thermoelectric charging assembly operatively connected to the electrical storage device. The thermoelectric charging assembly has devices for transferring thermal energy between the living organism and a thermoelectric module, for generating an electrical current from the thermal energy, for charging the electrical storage device with the electrical current, for determining the extent to which the electrical storage device is being charged with the electrical current, and for generating a signal whenever the extent to which the electrical storage device is being charged with the electrical current falls below a specified value.
Claims12
An implantable assembly adapted to be disposed within a living organism, comprising:
- a thermoelectric module to convert thermal energy to electrical energy;
- and
- a pair of conductive leads, operatively connected to said thermoelectric module, for conducting said electrical energy from said thermoelectric module;
- and
- an implantable device receiving said electrical energy;
- said thermoelectric module including,
- a first L-shaped plate having a first surface and a second surface,
- a second L-shaped plate having a first surface and a second surface,
- a first insulating material substantially covering said first L-shaped plate, except said first surface and said second surface thereof,
- a second insulating material substantially covering said second L-shaped plate, except said first surface and said second surface thereof, and
- thermoelectric elements disposed between said second surface of said first L-shaped plate and said second surface of said second L-shaped plate;
- said first L-shaped plate and said second L-shaped plate transferring thermal energy;
- said thermoelectric elements converting thermal energy to electrical energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.