Implantable sphincter assistance device with shell-to-shell orientation controlled by fields of adjacent magnets

1 . An apparatus comprising:

(a) at least one link; and

(b) a plurality of beads joined using the at least one link and configured to be arranged to form an annular arrangement, wherein the annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient, wherein the loop is configured to move between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein the loop in the contracted configuration is configured to prevent fluid flow through the anatomical structure, wherein the loop in the expanded configuration is configured to permit fluid flow through the anatomical structure, each bead of the plurality of beads comprising:

(i) a housing that includes a magnet chamber, and

(ii) a magnet configured to emit a magnetic field to magnetically bias the loop toward the contracted configuration, wherein the magnet is sized smaller than the magnet chamber and configured to define a first shape and a second shape, different from the first shape, within the magnet chamber, and wherein a consistent angular orientation of adjacent housings of the plurality of beads in the annular arrangement is configured to be provided by at least one of the following adjustment parameters:

(A) a magnitude of the magnetic fields of adjacent magnets disposed in the adjacent housings by altering a distance between the adjacent housings,

(B) a directionality of the adjacent magnets within adjacent magnet chambers of the plurality of beads by allowing for twist of the magnet within the magnet chamber, or

(C) a freedom of the adjacent magnets to move within the adjacent magnet chambers by allowing the magnets to move laterally within the respective magnet chambers.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the consistent angular orientation of the adjacent housings in the annular arrangement is adjustable by at least two of the following adjustment parameters:

(a) the magnitude of the magnetic fields of the adjacent magnets disposed in the adjacent housings by altering a distance between the adjacent housings,

(b) the directionality of the adjacent magnets within the adjacent magnet chambers by allowing for twist of the magnet within the magnet chamber, or

(c) the freedom of the adjacent magnets to move within the adjacent magnet chambers by allowing the magnets to move laterally within the respective magnet chambers.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the consistent angular orientation of the adjacent housings in the annular arrangement is adjustable by each of the following adjustment parameters:

(a) the magnitude of the magnetic fields of the adjacent magnets disposed in the adjacent housings by altering a distance between the adjacent housings,

(b) the directionality of the adjacent magnets within the adjacent magnet chambers by allowing for twist of the magnet within the magnet chamber, and

(c) the freedom of the adjacent magnets to move within the adjacent magnet chambers by allowing the magnets to move laterally within the respective magnet chambers.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnitude of the magnetic fields between each of the adjacent magnets defines a vector field intensity that is within a predetermined range to maintain the consistent angular orientation.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the freedom of the adjacent magnets to move within the adjacent magnet chambers includes lateral movement of the adjacent magnets along first and second directions that are separated by about 90 degrees to maintain the consistent angular orientation, and wherein each of the first and second directions includes a lateral component.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnet of a respective bead is configured to twist within the magnet chamber to change the directionality of the magnet to maintain the consistent angular orientation.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the consistent angular orientation is measured by intersection points between each of the adjacent magnets, and wherein each of the intersection points is within a predetermined range of distance to maintain the consistent angular orientation.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the annular arrangement has a center, wherein the magnets include a lateral surface defining a plane, and wherein the plane is configured to shift laterally to thereby increase an offset from the center of the annular arrangement.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of beads includes a first bead, a second bead, and a third bead, wherein lines parallel to lateral sides of the magnets of the first bead and second bead are configured to intersect at a first intersection point that is a first distance from a center of the annular arrangement, wherein lines parallel to adjacent lateral sides of the magnets of the second bead and third bead are configured to intersect at a second intersection point that is a second distance from the center of the annular arrangement, and wherein the first distance and second distance are different.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnitude of the magnetic fields is dependent upon a distance between adjacent magnet faces of the adjacent magnets, an overall magnetic strength of the adjacent magnets, and interfacing features between the housings.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnitude of the magnetic fields of the adjacent magnets depends on a magnetic strength of the adjacent magnets being equal to maintain the consistent angular orientation of the annular arrangement.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the magnet chamber comprising:

(A) a first interior surface, and

(B) a second interior surface disposed on an opposite end of the magnet chamber from the first interior surface, wherein the magnet is configured to move laterally within the magnet chamber between the first interior surface and the second interior surface to maintain the consistent angular orientation.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , the magnet chamber comprising:

(A) an inner interior surface disposed between the first interior surface and the second interior surface, and

(B) an outer interior surface disposed between the first interior surface and the second interior surface and opposite to the inner interior surface, wherein the magnet is configured to move laterally within the magnet chamber between the inner interior surface and the outer interior surface to maintain the consistent angular orientation.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field of each of the adjacent magnets include inner and outer magnetic field regions, wherein the inner magnetic field region is disposed closer to a center point of the annular arrangement than the outer magnetic field region, and wherein in the contracted configuration:

(a) the inner magnetic field region has a unified magnetic field, and

(b) the outer magnetic field region has a bifurcated magnetic field.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

(a) a first coupling feature that includes a magnet; and

(b) a second coupling feature configured to selectively couple with the first coupling feature to secure the apparatus in the annular arrangement, wherein the second coupling feature includes a magnet, wherein the magnets of the first coupling feature and second coupling feature have a uni-axial vector field, and wherein the uni-axial vector field is along a single axis.

16 . An apparatus comprising:

(a) at least one link; and

(b) a plurality of beads joined using the at least one link and configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement, wherein the annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient, wherein the loop is configured to move between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein the loop in the contracted configuration is configured to prevent fluid flow through the anatomical structure, wherein the loop in the expanded configuration is configured to permit fluid flow through the anatomical structure, each bead of the plurality of beads comprising:

(i) a housing that includes a magnet chamber, and

(ii) a magnet positioned within the magnet chamber and configured to emit a magnetic field to magnetically bias the loop toward the contracted configuration, and wherein a consistent angular orientation of adjacent housings of the plurality of beads in the annular arrangement is configured to be provided by each of the following adjustment parameters:

(A) a directionality of the magnet by allowing for twisting of a first portion of the magnet relative to a second portion of the magnet within the magnet chamber, wherein the twisting includes a deformation of the magnet, and

(B) a freedom of the magnet to move within the magnet chamber by allowing the magnet to move laterally within the magnet chamber.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein each of the housings includes a contact surface, and wherein the contact surfaces of the adjacent housings are configured to abut against each other in the contracted configuration at the consistent angular orientation.

18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , the magnet chamber comprising:

(A) an inner interior surface disposed between a first lateral interior surface and a second lateral interior surface, and

(B) an outer interior surface disposed between the first lateral interior surface and the second lateral interior surface and opposite to the inner interior surface, wherein the magnet is configured to move laterally within the magnet chamber between the inner interior surface and the outer interior surface to maintain the consistent angular orientation.

19 . A method of using an apparatus including a plurality of beads serially joined via at least one link, the method comprising:

coupling the apparatus around an outer surface of a lower esophageal sphincter, the apparatus forming an annular arrangement around the lower esophageal sphincter, and wherein adjacent housings of the plurality of beads in the annular arrangement maintain a consistent angular orientation using at least one of the following adjustment parameters:

a magnitude of magnetic fields of adjacent magnets disposed in the adjacent housings by altering a distance between the adjacent housings,

a directionality of the adjacent magnets within adjacent magnet chambers of the plurality of beads by allowing for twist of a magnet of the adjacent magnets within a respective magnet chamber of the adjacent magnet chambers, or

a freedom of the adjacent magnets to move within the respective adjacent magnet chambers by allowing the adjacent magnets to move laterally within the respective adjacent magnet chambers; and

deforming the magnet of the adjacent magnets such that a first portion of the magnet deformably moves relative to a second portion of the magnet.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the annular arrangement has a center, and wherein the magnets each include a lateral surface defining a plane, wherein the plane is shifted laterally from a first position to a second position to thereby change an offset from the center of the annular arrangement.