Ultra-thin implantable energy source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016015987-A1
Application number	US-201414772559-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 27, 2014
Priority date	Mar 8, 2013
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to an implantable energy source comprising at least one energy storage sub-system ( 171 ) constructed in the form of a stack of thin layers ( 175 ) on a substrate ( 176 ), characterised in that said energy storage sub-system has a plurality of through-openings ( 174 ) for allowing the development and the passage of blood vessels. Preferably, the energy source thereof has a thickness of less than, or equal to, 1 mm, over at least 80% of its surface.

First claim

1 . An implantable power source comprising at least one energy storing subsystem ( 171 ) produced in the form of a thin-film stack ( 175 ) on a substrate ( 176 ), characterized in that said energy storing subsystem has a plurality of through-apertures ( 174 ) in order to allow the development and passage of blood vessels.

2 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 1 , in which each said aperture has an area comprised between 0.01 mm 2 and 4 mm 2 .

3 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 1 , in which the spacing between said apertures is comprised between 1 mm and 1 cm.

4 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 1 , having a biocompatible coating ( 73 , 182 ) covering at least one portion of its surface comprising the interior surface of said apertures.

5 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 4 , in which said biocompatible coating comprises an exterior film ( 81 ) made of a biocompatible organic material and an interior film ( 82 ) made of an inorganic material that is impermeable to moisture and oxygen.

6 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 4 , in which said biocompatible coating is substantially transparent at least in a spectral range in the visible or near infrared.

7 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 1 , in which said apertures are completely or partially filled with a gel promoting cellular growth.

8 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 1 , in which said energy storing subsystem has a plurality of active regions ( 172 ) separated by interconnect regions ( 173 ), at least certain of said apertures being produced in said active regions.

9 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 1 , in which said energy storing subsystem has a plurality of active regions ( 172 ) separated by interconnect regions ( 173 ), at least certain of said apertures being produced in said interconnect regions.

10 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 1 , also comprising at least one energy harvesting subsystem ( 151 , 161 ) connected to said energy storing subsystem so as to allow the latter to be charged, said energy harvesting subsystem being in turn produced in the form of a thin-film stack ( 156 ) on a substrate ( 155 ) and having a plurality of said through-apertures ( 174 ).

11 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 10 , in which said energy harvesting subsystem is chosen from a thin-film photovoltaic module ( 151 ) and a thin-film spiral coil ( 161 ).

12 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 10 , in which said energy harvesting subsystem has at least one active region ( 152 , 162 ) and at least one inactive or interconnect region ( 153 ), at least certain of said apertures being produced in said active region(s).

13 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 10 , in which said energy harvesting subsystem has at least one active region ( 152 , 162 ) and at least one inactive or interconnect region ( 153 ), at least certain of said apertures being produced in said inactive or interconnect region(s).

14 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 10 , in which said energy storing subsystem and said energy harvesting subsystem comprise thin-film stacks deposited on or transferred to respective substrates ( 12 , 52 ) and are in turn stacked.

15 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 10 , in which said energy storing subsystem and said energy harvesting subsystem are stacked on a common substrate ( 122 ).

16 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 10 , in which said energy storing subsystem and said energy harvesting subsystem comprise thin-film stacks deposited on or transferred to two opposite sides of a common substrate ( 12 ).

17 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 1 , in which said or each said substrate is flexible or shapeable.

18 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 10 , in which said energy storing subsystem and said energy harvesting subsystem are arranged side-by-side.

19 . The implantable power source as claimed in claim 1 , having, over at least 80% of its area, a thickness smaller than or equal to 1 mm.

20 . An implantable device comprising an implantable power source as claimed in claim 1 and a medical apparatus connected to said energy storing subsystem in order to be powered.

Assignees

• Commissariat Energie Atomique
• Univ Joseph Fourier

Inventors

• Perraud Simon
• Berger Francois
• Gaillard Frederic
• Karst Nicolas
• Pantigny Philippe
• Rouviere Emmanuelle

Classifications

• H10F77/1698

  the metallic or insulating substrates being flexible · CPC title

• H10F77/70

  Surface textures, e.g. pyramid structures · CPC title

• H10F19/40

  comprising photovoltaic cells in a mechanically stacked configuration · CPC title

• H10F19/33

  Patterning processes to connect the photovoltaic cells, e.g. laser cutting of conductive or active layers · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title