Power source and method of forming same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11189390-B2
Application number	US-202016804163-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2020
Priority date	Dec 7, 2016
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

Various embodiments of a power source and a method of forming such power source are disclosed. The power source can include an enclosure, a substrate disposed within the enclosure, and radioactive material disposed within the substrate and adapted to emit radioactive particles. The power source can further include a diffusion barrier disposed over an outer surface of the substrate, and a carrier material disposed within the enclosure, where the carrier material includes an oxide material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power source, comprising:
an enclosure comprising a housing and a cover connected to the housing such that the enclosure is hermetically sealed;
a substrate disposed within the enclosure;
radioactive material disposed within the substrate and adapted to emit radioactive particles;
a carrier material disposed within the housing, wherein the carrier material is adapted to change a phase of the radioactive material that has diffused from the substrate and is incident upon the carrier material;
particle converting material disposed within the housing, wherein the particle converting material is adapted to convert the radioactive particles emitted by the radioactive material into light; and
a photovoltaic device disposed adjacent the enclosure, wherein the photovoltaic device converts at least a portion of the light emitted by the particle converting material that is incident upon an input surface of the photovoltaic device into electrical energy.

2. The power source of claim 1 , wherein the particle converting material comprises phosphor.

3. The power source of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a reflective material and the cover comprises a transparent material.

4. The power source of claim 1 , wherein the radioactive material is in a liquid phase when the radioactive material diffuses from the substrate and reacts with the carrier material.

5. The power source of claim 1 , wherein the radioactive material comprises tritium and the carrier material comprises an oxide material.

6. The power source of claim 1 , further comprising a reflective layer disposed on an inner surface of the housing.

7. The power source of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the housing and the cover comprises a glass material.

8. The power source of claim 1 , wherein the particle converting material comprises nanocrystals.

9. The power source of claim 1 , wherein the particle converting material is disposed on one or more portions of an inner surface of the housing.

10. The power source of claim 1 , wherein the particle converting material is disposed on an inner surface of the cover.

11. The power source of claim 1 , wherein an input surface of the photovoltaic device is disposed on an outer surface of the housing.

12. The power source of claim 1 , wherein an input surface of the photovoltaic device is disposed on an outer surface of the cover.

13. An implantable medical device comprising:
a device enclosure;
a power source disposed within the device enclosure, wherein the power source comprises:
a power source enclosure;
a substrate disposed within the power source enclosure;
radioactive material disposed within the substrate and adapted to emit radioactive particles;
a diffusion barrier disposed over an outer surface of the substrate; and
a carrier material disposed within the power source enclosure, wherein the carrier material comprises an oxide material, and further wherein the carrier material is adapted to change a phase of the radioactive material that has diffused from the substrate and is incident upon the carrier material; and

one or more electronic devices disposed within the device enclosure and electrically connected to the power source.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more electronic components comprises at least one of an ECG sensor, EKG sensor, glucose sensor, chemical sensor, or biomarker sensor.

15. The device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more electronic components comprises at least one of a power/voltage converter or an accumulator.

16. The device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more electronic components comprises at least one of an ECG monitor, implantable pulse generator, or implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

17. The device of claim 13 , wherein the power source enclosure comprises a housing and a cover connected to the housing.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the housing comprises a reflective material and the cover comprises a transparent material.

19. The device of claim 13 , wherein the power source further comprises a photovoltaic device disposed adjacent the power source enclosure, wherein the photovoltaic device converts at least a portion of the light emitted by the particle converting material that is incident upon an input surface of the photovoltaic device into electrical energy.

20. The device of claim 13 , wherein the radioactive material comprises tritium.

Assignees

• Medtronic Inc

Inventors

• Fenner Andreas
• Marckmann Jennifer Lorenz
• Ruben David A
• Wasson James R

Classifications

• H10F77/45

  Wavelength conversion means, e.g. by using luminescent material, fluorescent concentrators or up-conversion arrangements · CPC title

• H10F77/14

  Shape of semiconductor bodies; Shapes, relative sizes or dispositions of semiconductor regions within semiconductor bodies · CPC title

• A61N1/378

  Electrical supply · CPC title

• Y02E10/52

  PV systems with concentrators · CPC title

• G21H1/12 Primary

  Cells using conversion of the radiation into light combined with subsequent photoelectric conversion into electric energy · CPC title