Rechargeable biomedical battery powered devices with recharging and control system therefor

Claim 2

An implantable medical device comprising means for delivering a therapy to the body of a patient, means in electrical communication with said therapy delivering means for controlling said therapy delivering means, and an electrical power supply having a rechargeable battery in electrical communication with said therapy delivering means and said controlling means., said battery having an open circuit voltage which is a substantially linear function of a charge on said battery, means for receiving a charge for said battery from a power source external to the body of a patient, said charge receiving means being connected to said battery, means in electrical communication with said battery for detecting a battery voltage of said battery, and means in electrical communication with said detecting means and said charge receiving means for terminating charging whenever said voltage exceeds a predetermined level.

Claim 3

The implantable medical device according to claim 1 wherein said power supply further comprises means in electrical communication with said charge receiving means for regulating a recharging current being delivered to said battery during charging to a plurality of predetermined current levels; and means in electrical communication with said voltage detecting means and said current regulating means for selecting one of said plurality of current levels as a function of said detected battery voltage.

Claim 4

The implantable medical device according to claim 2 wherein said current level selecting means comprises means for defining a series of voltage ranges and means for selecting a particular current level whenever said detected battery voltage falls within a particular one of said voltage ranges.

Claim 5

The implantable medical device according to claim 3 wherein said series of voltage ranges is a series of contiguous ranges and wherein a particular current level associated with a particular range is an inverse function of the detected battery voltage.

Claim 6

The implantable medical device according to claim 4 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac pacemaker.

Claim 7

The implantable medical device according to claim 4 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac defibrillator.

Claim 8

The implantable medical device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the predetermined voltage level is less than 100 per cent of a rated maximum voltage of the battery.

Claim 9

The implantable medical device according to claim 7 wherein the predetermined voltage level is less than 90 per cent of the rated maximum voltage of the battery.

Claim 10

The implantable medical device according to claim 8 wherein the predetermined voltage level is less than 80 per cent of the rated maximum voltage of the battery.

Claim 11

The implantable medical device according to claim 9 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac pacemaker.

Claim 12

The implantable medical device according to claim 9 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac defibrillator.

Claim 13

The implantable medical device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the rechargeable battery is a lithium battery.

Claim 14

The implantable medical device according to claim 12 wherein the rechargeable lithium battery comprises a lithium anode, a liquid organic solvent and lithium salt electrolyte and a composite cathode.

Claim 15

The implantable medical device according to claim 13 wherein the composite cathode comprises an active cathode, a carbon additive, and a binder.

Claim 16

The implantable medical device according to claim 14 wherein the active cathode is comprised of a substance selected from the group consisting of MnO 2 , LiMn 2 , Li x MnO 2 , MoS 2 , MoS 3 , MoV 2 O 8 , CoO 2 , Li x CoO 2 , V 6 O 13 , V 2 O 5 , V 3 O 8 , VO 2 , V 2 S 5 , TiS 2 , NbSe 3 , Cr 2 O 5 , Cr 3 O 8 , WO 3 , and Li x NiO 2 .

Claim 17

The implantable medical device according to claim 15 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac pacemaker.

Claim 18

The implantable medical device according to claim 15 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac defibrillator.

Claim 19

The implantable medical device according to claim 12 wherein the rechargeable lithium battery comprises a lithium anode, an ionically conducting polymer and lithium salt electrolyte, and a composite cathode.

Claim 20

The implantable medical device according to claim 18 wherein the composite cathode comprises and active cathode, a carbon additive, and a binder.

Claim 21

The implantable medical device according to claim 19 wherein the active cathode is comprised of a substance selected from the group consisting of MnO 2 , LiMn 2 , Li x MnO 2 , MoS 2 , MoS 3 , MoV 2 O 8 , CoO 2 , Li x CoO 2 , V 6 O 13 , V 2 O 5 , V 3 O 8 , VO 2 , V 2 S 5 , TiS 2 , NbSe 3 , Cr 2 O 5 , Cr 3 O 8 , WO 3 , and Li x NiO 2 .

Claim 22

The implantable medical device according to claim 18 wherein the electrolyte further comprises a liquid organic solvent.

Claim 23

The implantable medical device according to claim 21 wherein the composite cathode comprises an active cathode, a carbon additive, and a binder.

Claim 24

The implantable medical device according to claim 22 wherein the active cathode is comprised of a substance selected from the group consisting of MnO 2 , LiMn 2 , Li x MnO 2 , MoS 2 , MoS 3 , MoV 2 O 8 , CoO 2 , Li x CoO 2 , V 6 O 13 , V 2 O 5 , V 3 O 8 , VO 2 , V 2 S 5 , TiS 2 , NbSe 3 , Cr 2 O 5 , Cr 3 O 8 , WO 3 , and Li x NiO 2 .

Claim 25

The implantable medical device according to claim 23 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac pacemaker.

Claim 26

The implantable medical device according to claim 23 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac defibrillator.

Claim 27

The implantable medical device according to claim 12 wherein the lithium battery comprises a lithium intercalating carbon anode, an electrolyte, and a lithiated composite cathode.

Claim 28

The implantable medical device according to claim 26 wherein the electrolyte comprises a liquid organic solvent and a lithium salt.

Claim 29

The implantable medical device according to claim 27 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac pacemaker.

Claim 30

The implantable medical device according to claim 27 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac defibrillator.

Claim 31

The implantable medical device according to claim 26 wherein the electrolyte comprises an ionically conducting polymer and lithium salt electrolyte.

Claim 32

The implantable medical device according to claim 30 wherein the electrolyte further comprises a liquid organic solvent.

Claim 33

The implantable medical device according to claim 31 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac pacemaker.

Claim 34

The implantable medical device according to claim 31 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac defibrillator.

Claim 35

The implantable medical device according to claim 26 wherein the lithiated cathode is comprised of a substance selected from the group consisting of Li x Mn 2 O 4 , Li x NiO 2 , and Li x CoO 2 .

Claim 36

The implantable medical device according to claim 34 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac pacemaker.

Claim 37

The implantable medical device according to claim 34 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac defibrillator.

Claim 38

An implantable medical device comprising means for delivering a therapy to the body of a patient, means in electrical communication with said therapy delivering means for controlling said therapy delivering means, and an electrical power supply having a rechargeable battery in electrical communication with said therapy delivering means and said controlling means, means for receiving a charge for said battery from a power source external to the body of a patient, said charge receiving means being connected to said battery, means in electrical communication with said battery for detecting a battery voltage of said battery, and means in electrical communication with said detecting means and said charge receiving means for terminating charging whenever said voltage exceeds a predetermined level less than 100 per cent of a rated maximum voltage of the battery.

Claim 39

An implantable medical device comprising means for delivering a therapy to the body of a patient, means in electrical communication with said therapy delivering means for controlling said therapy delivering means, and an electrical power supply having a rechargeable battery in electrical communication with said therapy delivering means and said controlling means, means for receiving a charge for said battery from a power source external to the body of a patient, said charge receiving means being connected to said battery, means in electrical communication with said battery for detecting a battery voltage of said battery, and means in electrical communication with said detecting means and said charge receiving means for terminating charging whenever said voltage exceeds a predetermined level less than 100 per cent of a rated maximum voltage of the battery.

Claim 40

The implantable medical device according to claim 37 wherein the predetermined voltage level is less than 90 per cent of the rated maximum voltage of the battery.

Claim 41

The implantable medical device according to claim 38 wherein the predetermined voltage level is less than 80 per cent of the rated maximum voltage of the battery.

Claim 42

The implantable medical device according to claim 39 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac pacemaker.

Claim 43

The implantable medical device according to claim 39 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac defibrillator.

Claim 44

The implantable medical device according to claim 39 wherein said voltage detecting means further comprises means for periodically detecting said battery voltage and wherein said medical device further comprises means for regulating a recharging current being delivered to said battery during recharging to a plurality of predetermined current levels; and means for selecting one of said plurality of current levels as a function of said detected battery voltage.

Claim 45

The implantable medical device according to claim 42 wherein said current level selecting means comprises means for defining a series of voltage ranges and means for selecting a particular current level whenever said detected battery voltage falls within a particular one of said voltage ranges.

Claim 46

The implantable medical device according to claim 43 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac pacemaker.

Claim 47

The implantable medical device according to claim 43 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac defibrillator.

Claim 48

An implantable medical device comprising means for delivering a therapy to the body of a patient, means in electrical communication with said therapy delivering means for controlling said therapy delivering means, and an electrical power supply having a rechargeable battery in electrical communication with said therapy delivering means and said controlling means, means for receiving a charge for said battery from a power source external to the body of a patient, said charge receiving means being connected to said battery, means in electrical communication with said battery for periodically detecting a battery voltage of said battery, means in electrical communication with said charge receiving means for regulating a recharging current being delivered to said battery during charging to a plurality of predetermined current levels, means in electrical communication with said voltage detecting means and said current regulating means for selecting one of said plurality of current levels as a function of said detected battery voltage, and means in electrical communication with said detecting means and said charge receiving means for terminating charging whenever said voltage exceeds a predetermined level.

Claim 49

An implantable medical device comprising means for delivering a therapy to the body of a patient, means in electrical communication with said therapy delivering means for controlling said therapy delivering means, and an electrical power supply having a rechargeable battery in electrical communication with said therapy delivering means and said controlling means, means for receiving a charge for said battery from a power source external to the body of a patient, said charge receiving means being connected to said battery, means in electrical communication with said battery for periodically detecting a battery voltage of said battery, means in electrical communication with said charge receiving means for regulating a recharging current being delivered to said battery during charging to a plurality of predetermined current levels, means in electrical communication with said voltage detecting means and said current regulating means for selecting one of said plurality of current levels as a function of said detected battery voltage, and means in electrical communication with said detecting means and said charge receiving means for terminating charging whenever said voltage exceeds a predetermined level.

Claim 50

The implantable medical device according to claim 46 wherein said current level selecting means comprises means for defining a series of voltage ranges and means for selecting a particular current level whenever said detected battery voltage falls within a particular one of said voltage ranges.

Claim 51

The implantable medical device according to claim 47 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac pacemaker.

Claim 52

The implantable medical device according to claim 47 wherein said therapy delivering means comprise a cardiac defibrillator.