Energy delivery apparatus and method

An energy delivery device for delivering an energy pulse to a load, said energy delivery device comprising:

• an energy storage device;
• an energy discharge circuit comprising a plurality of delivery switches, said delivery switches being selectively operable to deliver to a load energy from said energy storage device in a form of at least one energy pulse in a waveform, each of said delivery switches having an on condition and an off condition for enabling delivery of energy in different stages of said waveform;
• a controller that shifts at least a first switch of said plurality of delivery switches to an on condition and at least a second switch of said plurality of delivery switches to an off condition for generating a first waveform phase and shifts at least said second switch to an on condition and at least said first switch to an off condition for generating a second waveform phase;
• and
• a shoot-through elimination circuit that is operable to keep said first switch in an off condition when said second switch is shifted to an on condition by operation of said controller.

An energy delivery apparatus comprising:

• a housing comprising a first housing element and a second housing element, said housing having an assembled orientation in which said first housing element and said second housing element are engaged with each other;
• an energy storage device positioned in said housing;
• a discharge circuit positioned in said housing, said discharge circuit being selectively operable to deliver to a load energy from said energy storage device in a form of at least one energy pulse,
• said energy storage device and said discharge circuit together comprising a plurality of electrical components,
• at least a first of said electrical components being mounted on said first housing element, at least a second of said electrical components being mounted on said second housing element, said first electrical component and said second electrical component being electrically connected to each other without wiring extending between said first electrical component and said second electrical component when said housing is in said assembled orientation, said first electrical component and said second electrical component not being electrically connected to each other when said housing is not in said assembled orientation.

An energy delivery apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a volume of not greater than about 140 cubic inches;
• a discharge circuit positioned in said housing for selectively delivering an energy pulse to a load;
• and
• an energy storage device in said housing having a capacitance of at least about 250 microfarads,
• wherein a wireless detachable electrical connection is provided between said discharge circuit and said energy storage device.

An energy delivery apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a volume of not greater than about 140 cubic inches;
• a discharge circuit positioned in said housing for selectively delivering an energy pulse to a load;
• and
• an energy storage device in said housing having a capacitance of at least about 250 microfarads,
• wherein said housing comprises a first housing element and a second housing element, said housing having an assembled orientation in which said first housing element and said second housing element are engaged with each other, said discharge circuit being provided on said first housing element and said energy storage device being provided on said second housing element,
• said discharge circuit and said energy storage device being slidably connectable for electrically connecting said discharge circuit and said energy storage device in engaging said first and second housing elements with each other.

An energy delivery apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a volume of not greater than about 140 cubic inches;
• a discharge circuit positioned in said housing for selectively delivering an energy pulse to a load;
• and
• an energy storage device in said housing having a capacitance of at least about 250 microfarads,
• wherein said discharge circuit comprises an H-bridge circuit for generating multi-phasic energy waveforms, and said energy storage device generates at least about 1300 volts of power for said discharge circuit to provide said waveforms.

A method of assembly and disassembly of an energy delivery unit, said method comprising:

• moving a first housing half relative to a second housing half in order to engage said first housing half with said second half,
• an energy storage device being positioned in said housing,
• a discharge circuit being positioned in said housing, said discharge circuit being selectively operable to deliver to a load energy from said energy storage device in a form of at least one energy pulse,
• said energy storage device and said discharge circuit together comprising a plurality of electrical components,
• at least a first of said electrical components being mounted on said first housing half, at least a second of said electrical components being mounted on said second housing half,
• said discharge circuit and said energy storage device being changed from being electrically disconnected from one another to being electrically connected to one another as a result of said moving said first housing half relative to said second housing half,
• wherein said discharge circuit and said energy storage device comprise electrical contacts and cam surfaces that engage each other when said first and second housing halves are engaged with each other to provide electrical connection between said discharge circuit and said energy storage device.

An energy delivery device comprising:

• an energy storage device;
• an energy discharge circuit comprising a first switch electrically connected to said energy storage device, said energy discharge circuit being selectively operable to deliver to a load energy from said energy storage device in a form of at least one energy pulse;
• and
• a disarm circuit which comprises said first switch and a resistor of 5000 ohms or more, said disarm circuit being selectively operable to reduce energy in said storage device,
• said energy discharge circuit comprising an H-bridge circuit comprising four delivery switches which are operable to deliver said at least one energy pulse, said first switch being one of said delivery switches,
• said resistor of said disarm circuit being positioned in parallel to said first switch and in series with another switch of said four delivery switches.