Mobile wireless power system

Abstract

A mobile wireless power system capable of transmitting power through the skin to energize an implanted medical device without percutaneous wires and without precise positioning includes an external mobile wireless power source and an implantable receiving assembly. The mobile wireless power source is wearable by the patient and includes an excitation coil and transmitting resonant coil which are inductively coupled to each other and are housed in a durable housing. The implantable receiving assembly includes a receiving resonant coil and a power pick-up coil which are also inductively coupled to each other. The transmitting and receiving resonant coils are constructed as to have closely matched or identical resonant frequencies so that the magnetic field produced by the transmitting resonant coil is able to cause the receiving resonant coil to resonate strongly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An implantable receiving assembly for use in wireless energy transfer to power an implantable medical device, the receiving assembly comprising:
 a resonant coil for receiving wireless power;   a housing and a cover, wherein the housing and the cover each comprises a ceramic portion and a metallic ring, wherein the metallic rings are welded to each other; and   an electrical feedthru providing an electrical connection from an interior of the housing and cover to an exterior of the housing and cover;   wherein the housing, the cover, and the electrical feedthru form a hermetic barrier enclosing the resonant coil within the interior of the housing and cover.   
     
     
         2 . The implantable receiving assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each metallic ring is bonded to one of the ceramic portions. 
     
     
         3 . The implantable receiving assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical feedthru is welded to one of the metallic rings. 
     
     
         4 . The implantable receiving assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical feedthru is welded to both of the metallic rings. 
     
     
         5 . The implantable receiving assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the implantable receiving assembly is less than one inch thick. 
     
     
         6 . The implantable receiving assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic rings comprise titanium. 
     
     
         7 . The implantable receiving assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical feedthru is connectable to an electrical lead. 
     
     
         8 . The implantable receiving assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a rectification circuit enclosed by the hermetic barrier. 
     
     
         9 . The implantable receiving assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an external capacitor enclosed by the hermetic barrier and connected to the resonant coil. 
     
     
         10 . The implantable receiving assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a power pick-up coil enclosed by the hermetic barrier and configured to be inductively coupled to the resonant coil. 
     
     
         11 . A method of assembling an implantable receiving assembly for use in wireless energy transfer to power an implantable medical device, the method comprising:
 bonding a first metallic ring to a first ceramic portion to form a housing;   bonding a second metallic ring to a second ceramic portion to form a cover; and   welding the first metallic ring to the second metallic ring, wherein an electrical feedthru provides an electrical connection from an interior of the housing and cover to an exterior of the housing and cover, wherein the housing, the cover, and the electrical feedthru form a hermetic barrier enclosing a resonant coil within the interior of the housing and cover.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising welding the electrical feedthru to the first metallic ring or the second metallic ring. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising welding the electrical feedthru to the first metallic ring and the second metallic ring. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the implantable receiving assembly is less than one inch thick. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the metallic rings comprise titanium. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the electrical feedthru is connectable to an electrical lead. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the hermetic barrier further encloses a rectification circuit. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the hermetic barrier further encloses an external capacitor connected to the resonant coil. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the hermetic barrier further encloses a power pick-up coil configured to be inductively coupled to the resonant coil.