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US3713449A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Cardiac pacer with externally controllable variable width output pulse

Assignee: MED REL Inc
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Filing: 1970-08-31
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Granted: 1973-01-30
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Expires: 1990-08-31
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Abstract

Abstract An implantable cardiac pacer having electrode means adapted to be connected to the hart and electrical circuitry connected to the electrodes for providing hart stimulation pulses. The electrical circuitry includes a pulse generator for providing a timed pulse and means for selectively varying the pulse width. The electrical circuitry also includes means for providing a substantially constant voltage or current output pulse, regardless of change in load impedance. The circuitry is encapsulated in a substance substantially inert to body fluids and tissue, and the means for varying the pulse width is preferably controlled by a nonmechanical contact with a device external to the encapsulating substance.

Inventors

  • 👤 P Mulier

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 18:34
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/36; A61N1/362

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 126 words
In an implantable cardiac pacer, including electrical circuit means for providing stimulation pulses to electrode means adapted to be connected to a heart, the circuitry encapsulated in means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue, the improvement comprising: remotely controllable first means connected to the electrical circuit means for selectively varying the width of the stimulation pulses from values sufficient to achieve cardiac capture to values at which cardiac capture is lost; the electrical circuit means including second means for providing the stimulation pulses at a generally constant level; said first and second means encapsulated in the means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue; and further means external to the means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue for varying the remotely controllable first means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 126 words
In an implantable cardiac pacer, including electrical circuit means for providing stimulation pulses to electrode means adapted to be connected to a heart, the circuitry encapsulated in means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue, the improvement comprising: remotely controllable first means connected to the electrical circuit means for selectively varying the width of the stimulation pulses from values sufficient to achieve cardiac capture to values at which cardiac capture is lost; the electrical circuit means including second means for providing the stimulation pulses at a generally constant level; said first and second means encapsulated in the means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue; and further means external to the means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue for varying the remotely controllable first means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 126 words
In an implantable cardiac pacer, including electrical circuit means for providing stimulation pulses to electrode means adapted to be connected to a heart, the circuitry encapsulated in means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue, the improvement comprising: remotely controllable first means connected to the electrical circuit means for selectively varying the width of the stimulation pulses from values sufficient to achieve cardiac capture to values at which cardiac capture is lost; the electrical circuit means including second means for providing the stimulation pulses at a generally constant level; said first and second means encapsulated in the means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue; and further means external to the means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue for varying the remotely controllable first means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 126 words
In an implantable cardiac pacer, including electrical circuit means for providing stimulation pulses to electrode means adapted to be connected to a heart, the circuitry encapsulated in means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue, the improvement comprising: remotely controllable first means connected to the electrical circuit means for selectively varying the width of the stimulation pulses from values sufficient to achieve cardiac capture to values at which cardiac capture is lost; the electrical circuit means including second means for providing the stimulation pulses at a generally constant level; said first and second means encapsulated in the means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue; and further means external to the means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue for varying the remotely controllable first means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the further means and the first means include means for producing magnetic coupling therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the second means is for providing the stimulation pulses at a generally constant current.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the second means is for providing stimulation pulses at a generally constant voltage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 131 words
An improved implantable medical-electrical apparatus comprising: electrical circuit means for providing timed stimulation pulses to electrode means adapted to be connected to a portion of a body in which the apparatus is implanted; the electrical circuit means including pulse generator means having timing circuit means for controlling stimulation pulse width and rate; the timing circuit means including a portion having remotely controllable selectively variable electrical characteristics for selectively varying the stimulation pulse width from values sufficient to achieve cardiac capture to values at which cardiac capture is lost; means adapted to be placed external to the body for selectively varying the electrical characteristics of the portion of the timing circuit means; and the electrical circuit means including further circuit means for maintaining the stimulation pulses at a substantially constant voltage level.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 131 words
An improved implantable medical-electrical apparatus comprising: electrical circuit means for providing timed stimulation pulses to electrode means adapted to be connected to a portion of a body in which the apparatus is implanted; the electrical circuit means including pulse generator means having timing circuit means for controlling stimulation pulse width and rate; the timing circuit means including a portion having remotely controllable selectively variable electrical characteristics for selectively varying the stimulation pulse width from values sufficient to achieve cardiac capture to values at which cardiac capture is lost; means adapted to be placed external to the body for selectively varying the electrical characteristics of the portion of the timing circuit means; and the electrical circuit means including further circuit means for maintaining the stimulation pulses at a substantially constant voltage level.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 23 words
The apparatus of claim 5 in which the further circuit means is for maintaining the stimulation pulses at a substantially constant current level.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 16 words
The apparatus of claim 5 in which the timing circuit means comprises R-C time constant means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 18 words
The apparatus of claim 7 in which the portion of the timing circuit means comprises variable resistance means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 25 words
The apparatus of claim 8 in which the variable resistance means and the means external to the body include means for producing magnetic coupling therebetween.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-01-30 1976-07-31 1977-01-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-01-30 1980-07-31 1981-01-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-01-30 1984-07-31 1985-01-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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