Implanted device with wireless energy transfer and external alignment feature

1. A wireless energy transfer system comprising:

an implant device including a housing and an energy receiving element disposed in the housing; and

an external charger including an energy transmitting element and a mating member, the mating member defining a protrusion extending therefrom, the external charger and the housing defining a common axis extending therethrough when the external charger is received by the housing,

wherein the implant device is configured to be mounted within a body of an animal,

wherein the housing comprises a feature having a plurality of sidewalls defining an indentation therebetween, the feature being configured to extend from within the body of the animal to outside the body of the animal through an opening in a skin of the animal and the indentation being configured to physically receive and mechanically align with the protrusion extending from the corresponding mating member of the external charger, and

wherein the energy receiving element is configured to be disposed in a parallel orientation along the common axis with the energy transmitting element, and the energy receiving element being configured to receive energy wirelessly from the energy transmitting element when the external charger is physically-mated with the housing.

2. The implant device of claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured to releasably secure the external charger therewith.

3. The implant device of claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises a layer of adhesive to releasably secure the external charger to the housing.

4. The implant device of claim 1 , wherein the energy receiving element comprises a first coil and the energy transmitting element comprises a second coil, wherein the first and second coils are configured to transmit energy inductively therebetween.

5. The implant device of claim 1 , wherein the feature of the housing protrudes through the skin of the animal.

6. The implant device of claim 1 , wherein the mating member comprises a button configured to mate with the indentation.

7. The implant device of claim 1 , wherein the energy receiving element comprises an RF antenna.

8. The implant device of claim 1 , wherein the energy receiving element comprises an ultrasonic receiver.

9. The implant device of claim 1 , wherein the energy receiving element comprises an optical receiver.

10. The implant device of claim 1 , further comprising the energy consuming device disposed in the housing.

11. A wireless energy transfer system comprising:

an implant device configured to be at least partially mounted within a body of an animal, the implant device comprising a first housing; and

an energy receiving element disposed in the first housing,

wherein the first housing comprises a feature having a plurality of sidewalls defining an indentation therebetween, the feature being configured to extend from within the body of the animal to outside the body of the animal through an opening in a skin of the animal,

wherein the system further comprises:

an external charging device comprising a second housing, the first housing and the second housing defining a common axis extending therethrough; and

an energy transmitting element disposed in the second housing and configured to be electrically connected to an energy source,

wherein the second housing comprises a mating member defining a protrusion extending therefrom, the protrusion being configured to physically insert within the indentation and mechanically align the mating member with the feature of the first housing, and

wherein, when the first and second housings are mated to one another, the energy transmitting element is aligned in a parallel orientation along the common axis with the energy receiving element to wirelessly transmit energy to the energy receiving element.

12. The wireless energy transfer system of claim 11 , further comprising means for securing the first housing to the second housing when the mating member is mated with the feature of the first housing.

13. The wireless energy transfer system of claim 12 , wherein the means comprises an adhesive layer configured to secure the first housing to the second housing.

14. The wireless energy transfer system of claim 12 , wherein the means comprises a first magnet disposed in the first housing and a second magnet in the second housing.

15. The wireless energy transfer system of claim 12 , wherein the means comprises a bayonet nut connector for securing the first housing and the second housing to one another.

16. The wireless energy transfer system of claim 12 , wherein the means comprises a latching mechanism for securing the first housing and the second housing to one another.

17. The wireless energy transfer system of claim 11 , further comprising the energy consuming device arranged in the first housing and electrically connected to the energy receiving element.

18. The wireless energy transfer system of claim 11 , wherein the first housing and the second housing are configured for telemetric data communication therebetween.