Housing arrangements for magnet rotation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025108223-A1
Application number	US-202218293598-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 27, 2022
Priority date	Aug 2, 2021
Publication date	Apr 3, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Presented herein are implantable housing arrangements that are configured to receive and retain an implantable magnet therein, while also facilitating both in-plane rotation and out-of-plane rotation of the implantable magnet in the presence of external magnetic, such as that applied with an MRI. That is, the housing arrangements presented herein allow a planar (e.g., conventional/standard) implantable magnet to rotate circumferentially around a central axis of the implantable magnet (in-plane rotation), as well as angularly rotate relative to the central axis (out-of-plane rotation). The in-plane rotation and out-of-plane rotation can reduce torque during an MRI because the magnet is able to rotate so as to more closely align with the applied MRI magnetic field, resulting in less pain and less risk of tissue or device damage.

First claim

1 . An implantable medical device, comprising:
an implantable housing defining a magnet chamber comprising a first side and a second side disposed opposite to the first side; at least one magnet disposed in the magnet chamber between the first side and the second side, wherein the at least one magnet comprises a first magnet surface adjacent the first side and a second magnet surface adjacent the second side; and a magnet rotation structure extending from at least the first side to the first magnet surface, wherein the magnet rotation structure is arranged for out-of-plane rotation of the at least one magnet in the presence of a misaligned external magnetic field.

2 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 , wherein the magnet rotation structure comprises a first projection extending from the first side to the first magnet surface, and a second projection extending from the second side to the second magnet surface.

3 . The implantable medical device of claim 2 , wherein the first projection and the second projection each have a conical shape.

4 . The implantable medical device of claim 2 , wherein the first projection and the second projection each have a frustoconical shape.

5 . The implantable medical device of claim 2 , wherein the first projection and the second projection each comprises a rigid rounded projection.

6 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 , wherein the magnet rotation structure comprises a conical spring extending from the first side to the first magnet surface.

7 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 , wherein the magnet rotation structure comprises a first conical spring extending from the first side to the first magnet surface, and a second conical spring extending from the second side to the second magnet surface.

8 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 , wherein the magnet rotation structure comprises a first resiliently flexible projection extending from the first side to the first magnet surface.

9 . The implantable medical device of claim 8 , where, in the absence of an externally applied magnetic field, the first resiliently flexible projection is configured to retain the magnet in a default position abutting the second side.

10 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a first magnet and a second magnet, and wherein the implantable medical device further comprises:
at least one hinge mechanically coupling the first magnet to the second magnet, wherein the at least one hinge is configured for bi-directional angular rotation of the first magnet and the second magnet relative to one another.

11 . The implantable medical device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one hinge comprises a double action mechanical hinge.

12 . The implantable medical device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one hinge comprises a soft polymer hinge.

13 . The implantable medical device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one hinge comprises a first hinge disposed at the first magnet surface and a second hinge disposed at the second magnet surface.

14 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a first magnet, a second magnet, and a third magnet, wherein the implantable medical device further comprises:
at least one first hinge mechanically coupling the first magnet to the second magnet, and at least one second hinge mechanically coupling the third magnet to the second magnet, wherein the at least one first hinge is configured for bi-directional angular rotation of the first magnet relative to the second magnet, and wherein the at least one second hinge is configured for bi-directional angular rotation of the third magnet relative to the second magnet.

15 . The implantable medical device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one first hinge comprises a first hinge disposed at the first magnet surface and a third hinge disposed at the second magnet surface, and wherein at least one second hinge comprises a second hinge disposed at the first magnet surface and a fourth hinge disposed at the second magnet surface.

16 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet has a barrel shape.

17 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 , wherein the misaligned external magnetic field is misaligned with a polarity of the at least one magnet by at least 0.5 degrees.

18 . An apparatus, comprising:
a housing defining a magnet chamber; a magnet arrangement comprising at least a first planar magnet; and a magnet rotation structure disposed in the magnet chamber, wherein the magnet rotation structure is separate from the magnet arrangement, and wherein the magnet rotation structure is configured to permit out-of-plane rotation of the at least first planar magnet in the presence of a misaligned external magnetic field.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the magnet rotation structure is integrated with the housing.

20 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the magnet rotation structure comprises first and second projections extending from opposing sides of the magnet chamber.

21 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first and second projections each have at least one of a conical or frustoconical shape.

22 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first and second projections each comprise a rigid rounded projection.

23 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the magnet rotation structure comprises a conical spring extending from a first side of the magnet chamber.

24 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the magnet rotation structure further comprises a second conical spring extending from a second side of the magnet chamber.

25 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the magnet rotation structure comprises a first resiliently flexible projection extending from a first side of the magnet chamber.

26 . The apparatus of claim 25 , where, in the absence of an externally applied magnetic field, the first resiliently flexible projection is configured to retain the at least first planar magnet in a default position abutting a second side of the magnet chamber.

27 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the magnet arrangement comprises the at least first planar magnet and a second planar magnet, and wherein apparatus further comprises:
at least one hinge mechanically coupling the at least first planar magnet to the second planar magnet, wherein the at least one hinge is configured for bi-directional angular rotation of the at least first planar magnet and the second planar magnet relative to one another.

28 . (canceled)

29 . (canceled)

30 . (canceled)

31 . The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the magnet arrangement comprises the at least first planar magnet, a second planar magnet, and a third planar magnet, wherein the apparatus further comprises:
at least one first hinge mechanically coupling the at least first planar magnet to the second planar magnet, and at least one second hinge mechanically coupling the third planar magnet to the second planar magnet, wherein the at least one first hinge is configured for bi-directional angular rotation of the at least first planar magnet relative to the second planar magnet, and wherein the at least one second hinge is configured for bi-directional angular rotation of the third planar

Assignees

• Cochlear Ltd

Inventors

• Leigh Charles Roger Aaron
• Powell Anthony
• Oplinger Kenneth

Classifications

• H04R2460/13

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• H04R25/606

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• H04R25/554

  using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils · CPC title

• A61N2001/083

  Monitoring integrity of contacts, e.g. by impedance measurement · CPC title

• A61N1/36038

  Cochlear stimulation · CPC title