ELECTROMAGNETIC COIL CONFIGURATIONS FOR POWER TRANSMISSION THROUGH TISSUE

摘要

A system for improved transcutaneous power transfer efficiency comprises a transmitter coil (20) applied to the outer surface of a cutaneous layer (24) on a patient's body by adhesive tape or other appropriate supporting material, and a receiver coil (22) implanted inside the patient's body. The transmitter coil and receiver coil include cores (28, 42) having pole faces (26a, 26b, 40a, 40b) with a substantially larger area than the cross section of the core at other locations. In addition, the core of the receiver coil (42) is substantially shorter than that of the transmitter coil (28) so that the lines of flux (54) produced by the transmitter coil tend to pass through the pole faces (40a, 40b) of the receiver coil in greater density than they would if the pole faces of the transmitter and receiver cores were spaced identically. The transmitter core (28) forms an angled portion adjacent each of the pole faces so that the main portion of the transmitter core (28) is disposed generally parallel, and closely spaced to the surface of the cutaneous layer (24) against which the transmitter core (28) is placed.