IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,476,025
Granted Patent B2
US 11,476,025 · App. 17/008,291 · Granted Oct 18, 2022

MRI-compatible magnet apparatus

Inventors: Sung Jin Lee (Valencia, CA); Jeryle L. Walter (Valencia, CA); James George Elcoate Smith (Valencia, CA); Uli Gommel (Valencia, CA); Stephanie M. Reed (Conshohocken, PA)
Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG
H01F7/0205A61N1/3758A61N1/0541A61N1/36038A61N1/37229
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,476,025
App. No.
17/008,291
Granted
Oct 18, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cochlear implant including a cochlear lead, an antenna, a stimulation processor, and a magnet apparatus, associated with the antenna, including a case defining a central axis, a magnet frame within the case and rotatable about the central axis of the case, and a plurality of elongate diametrically magnetized magnets that are located in the magnet frame, the magnets defining a longitudinal axis and a N-S direction and being freely rotatable about the longitudinal axis relative to the magnet frame.

Claims (61)

1. A magnet apparatus, comprising:

a case defining a central axis;

a magnet frame within the case and rotatable relative to the case about the central axis of the case; and

a plurality of elongate diametrically magnetized magnets that are located in the magnet frame, the magnets each defining a longitudinal axis and a N-S direction and being rotatable about its respective longitudinal axis relative to the magnet frame and configured to align with one another in the N-S direction in the absence of an external magnetic field.

2. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the magnets each define a N-S rotational orientation; and

the magnets are magnetically attracted to one another in a manner that, absent the presence of a dominant magnetic field, the N-S rotational orientation of the magnets is perpendicular to the central axis of the case.

3. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the magnets each define a length in the direction of the longitudinal axis, a thickness, and a width; and

the length is greater than the width and the thickness.

4. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein

the width is greater than the thickness.

5. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein

the width extends in the N-S direction.

6. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein

the magnets each define a cross-section, including first and second curved surfaces that are connected to one another by first and second flat surfaces, in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;

the curved surfaces are separated from one another in the N-S direction; and

the flat surfaces are separated from one another in a direction perpendicular to the N-S direction.

7. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein

the magnet frame defines a thickness; and

the thickness of the magnets is less than the thickness of the magnet frame.

8. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein

the magnet frame includes a plurality of magnet recesses, defining recess lengths and recess widths, in which the plurality of magnets are located;

the magnet recess lengths are substantially equal to the magnet lengths; and

the magnet recess widths are substantially equal to the magnet widths.

9. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein

at least one of the magnets is longer than an adjacent magnet.

10. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the magnets each define a non-circular cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

11. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the longitudinal axes of the magnets are parallel to one another.

12. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

lubricious material between the case and the magnet frame.

13. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

lubricious material between the magnets and the magnet frame.

14. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the magnets are located within respective tubes formed from lubricious material.

15. A magnet apparatus in claim 1 , wherein

the magnet frame includes a single magnet recess in which all of the plurality of magnets are located with no portion of the magnet frame located between adjacent magnets.

16. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein

the single magnet recess includes a first portion and second and third portions that are shorter than the first portion.

17. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the magnet frame includes a lubricious outer layer.

18. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 17 , wherein

the case defines an inner surface that does not include a lubricious layer.

19. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 17 , wherein

the magnets define respective outer surfaces; and

at least a portion of the outer surfaces of the magnets is covered by lubricious material.

20. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the longitudinal axes of the magnets are at least substantially perpendicular to the central axis.

21. A magnet apparatus, comprising:

a case defining a central axis;

a magnet frame within the case and rotatable about the central axis of the case;

a plurality of elongate diametrically magnetized perpendicular magnets that are located in the magnet frame, the perpendicular magnets each defining a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to the central axis, a respective N-S direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a respective N-S rotational orientation, being rotatable about its respective longitudinal axis relative to the magnet frame, and configured to align with one another in the N-S direction in the absence of an external magnetic field;

a plurality of elongate diametrically magnetized non-perpendicular magnets that are located in the magnet frame, the non-perpendicular magnets each defining a longitudinal axis that is not perpendicular to the central axis, a respective N-S direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a respective N-S rotational orientation, being rotatable about its respective longitudinal axis relative to the magnet frame, and configured to align with one another in the N-S direction in the absence of an external magnetic field;

the perpendicular magnets and non-perpendicular magnets being configured to be magnetically attracted to one another in a manner that, absent the presence of a dominant magnetic field, the N-S rotational orientation of the perpendicular magnets and non-perpendicular magnets is perpendicular to the central axis of the case.

22. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 21 , wherein

two non-perpendicular magnets include longitudinal ends and are positioned end-to-end with adjacent ends near the central axis; and

the adjacent ends are connected to one another with a connector that is configured to prevent rotation of the two non-perpendicular magnets about their respective longitudinal axes relative to the connector in the absence of an MRI magnetic field and to permit rotation of the two non-perpendicular magnets about their respective longitudinal axes relative to the connector in the presence of an MRI magnetic field.

23. A magnet apparatus as claimed in claim 21 , wherein

the longitudinal axis of one or more of the non-perpendicular magnets is offset from perpendicular to the central axis by 5 degrees or less.

Continuity (4)
Continuation 16009600 · Jun 15, 2018
Continuation In Part PCTUS2016056351 · Oct 11, 2016
Continuation In Part PCTUS2015066862 · Dec 18, 2015
Related Publication 20200391023A1 · Dec 17, 2020
Cited By (5)
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