Abstract: A pumping device for pumping a liquid to a higher level comprises a pump having an inlet and an outlet, an inlet tube being located upstream of the inlet for guiding the fluid to the inlet, a siphon being located downstream of the outlet and an outlet tube being located downstream of the siphon for guiding the liquid from the outlet to the outlet tube via the siphon. The outlet tube extends at least beyond a front side of the pump as seen from the pump. With respect to the outlet tube the siphon extends at least partly at the opposite side of the front side.

Abstract: An active electronics module for a system for brain applications comprises a lead having a plurality of electrodes at its distal end, at least one main module, and an active electronics module configured such that the active electronics module is connectable or connected to the least one main module on one side and the lead on the other side. The active electronics module includes at least one switch configured such that at least one of the electrodes of the lead can be connected with one or more inputs and/or outputs of the main module.

Abstract: A system (102) comprising a box (104) for implanting in a mammal body part (106), which box is provided with a first electrical contact (110, 121, 114, 116, 118, 120), and a module (108) for accommodating in the box, which module is provided with a second electrical contact (122, 124, 126) for cooperation with said first electrical contact. The first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are mutually movable, at least in a stationary accommodation of the module in the box, between a contact position in which said first and second electrical contacts are electrically connected, and a non-contact position in which said first and second electrical contacts are separated from each other.

Abstract: Components having a screw thread useful for mechanical fixation of the component to a corresponding component may be equipped with electrical wire following at least part of the turns of the screw thread and thereby forming at least a part of a coil. The corresponding component may have a matching screw thread, or the component of the invention may be self-tapping, in which case a matching screw thread in the corresponding component would be superfluous. The coil may be used as charging and/or power-conversion coil and/or communication antenna. The reuse of the screw thread for a coil maximizes the coil area without consuming extra space of the component. This is in particular useful in medical electrical implant devices, such as a pace maker or a neuron pace maker in deep brain stimulation, in that the maximum size of such a pace maker is very limited.

Abstract: A control circuitry (134) and a method for controlling a bi-directional switch (132) is provided. The bi-directional switch (132) having a control terminal (130) for receiving a control voltage (124) to control an on state and an off state of the bi-directional switch (132) and at least one semiconductor switch in a bi-directional main current path. The control circuitry (134) comprises an energy storage element (102), a coupling means (101) to couple the energy storage element (102) to a supply voltage to charge the energy storage element (102), and a control circuit (108) configured to receive power from the energy storage element (102) and configured to supply the control voltage having a voltage level being independent of the supply voltage when the energy storage element (102) is not coupled to the supply voltage. The coupling means (101) is configured for only coupling the 132 energy storage element (102) to the supply voltage when the bi-directional switch (132) is in the off state.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has at least one cylinder, and a means for varying the compression ratio in the cylinder. The at least one cylinder has two oppositely directed reciprocatingly movable pistons in it, which are each connected via a piston rod with a corresponding arm, whereby each arm shows an opening in which a main shaft that connects the two arms is rotatably supported in bearings. The main shaft includes an angle with a center line of each opening. The means for varying the compression ratio in the cylinder includes a division in the main shaft, as well as drive means in order to move the parts formed by it of the main shaft apart from each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic apparatus (I) with a DC power source (B) and power-consuming electronic circuits (EC) and to a method of transferring power between these components. The DC voltage of the power source (B) is converted into an AC voltage which is then transferred via a connector (C) to the electronic circuits (EC). Negative effects due to a contamination of the connector (C) with moisture from the environment can hence be minimized The invention is particularly suited for implantable devices as it allows to couple a replaceable battery (B) with electronic circuits (EC) via a non-sealed connector (C).

Abstract: A pumping device for pumping a liquid to a higher level comprises a pump having an inlet and an outlet, an inlet tube being located upstream of the inlet for guiding the fluid to the inlet, a siphon being located downstream of the outlet and an outlet tube being located downstream of the siphon for guiding the liquid from the outlet to the outlet tube via the siphon. The outlet tube extends at least beyond a front side of the pump as seen from the pump. With respect to the outlet tube the siphon extends at least partly at the opposite side of said front side.

Abstract: The invention relates to an implantable device, e.g. a Deep Brain Stimulation device (10), and to a method for communicating information from such an implantable device (10) to its carrier. The communication is achieved by the emission of sound from a transmitter (16) into the body material surrounding the implantable device (10), wherein said sound yields signals that are audible for the carrier of the implantable device (10). In particular, the emitted sound may comprise audible frequencies or modulated ultrasonic frequencies. According to a further development, the implantable device (10) may additionally comprise a receiver (16) for receiving sound from the surrounding body material, wherein said received sound may encode information for the implantable device (10).

Abstract: This invention relates to an implantable medical system, where an implantable device including a power source operable connected to electrical components is adapted to generate electrical pulses, and a probe having a distal-end and a proximal-end. The distal-end has one or more electrodes adapted to be in electrical contact with a target tissue and wires for connecting the one or more electrodes to the implantable device. The wires conduct the electrical pulses from the implantable device to the one or more electrodes and into the target tissue. The probe has at least one capacitor and wires for connecting the at least one capacitor to the electrical components in the implantable device such that the at least one capacitor forms a part of the electrical components of the implantable device.

Abstract: Components having a screw thread useful for mechanical fixation of the component to a corresponding component may be equipped with electrical wire following at least part of the turns of the screw thread and thereby forming at least a part of a coil. The corresponding component may have a matching screw thread, or the component of the invention may be self-tapping, in which case a matching screw thread in the corresponding component would be superfluous. The coil may be used as charging and/or power-conversion coil and/or communication antenna. The reuse of the screw thread for a coil maximizes the coil area without consuming extra space of the component. This is in particular useful in medical electrical implant devices, such as a pace maker or a neuron pace maker in deep brain stimulation, in that the maximum size of such a pace maker is very limited.

Abstract: The invention relates to a probe for an implantable electro-stimulation device. The probe (20) has a distal end (12) and a proximal end (13), and moreover comprises: one or more electrodes (11) a shield (21) of conducting material covering a major part of the probe, said shield extending from the vicinity of at least one of the one or more electrodes (11) towards the proximal end (13) or towards the distal end (12) of the probe (20); and a layer (22a, 22b) of insulating material covering part of the shield (21) in the vicinity of the at least one of the one or more electrodes. The shield protects wires (14), extending from electrodes to the proximal end of the probe, from undesired interference of external RF fields. The exposed part of the shield not covered by the layer of insulating material serves as a return electrode for the electrostimulation signal path.

Abstract: A system for communicating information between at least two medical devices implanted within the body of a subject using volume conduction of electrical signals as a means of communication and wherein one of the implanted medical devices is configured to provide electrical stimulation to the tissue is disclosed. The system comprises a first implant device having at least two transmit electrodes configured to transmit electrical stimulation pulses, wherein one of the electrodes may be a common return electrode, an encoding means configured to employ a channel as a transmitter transmission medium for stimulation pulses and encoding the information into the stimulation pulses, a second implant device having at least two receive electrodes configured to receive the transmitted stimulation pulses with encoded information, and a decoding means configured to decode the information encoded into the stimulation pulses.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic apparatus (100) comprising a charging module (20) for receiving external energy (RF1) and for transferring it to a rechargeable energy storage (10) in a “charging state”. Moreover, the apparatus comprises a processing module which can be operated in a working state that is enabled if the charging module (20) is in the charging state and the apparatus is in a standard operating mode. The processing module may for example be a communication module (30) that can communicate wirelessly in its working state. In the standard operating mode, communication with the apparatus (100) is thus only possible if the apparatus (100) is simultaneously charged. The communication module (30) can therefore be completely switched off during the residual time, thus reducing power consumption and avoiding erroneous communication or misuse.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor device (300) for sensing magnetic particles (15), the magnetic sensor device (300) comprising a magnetic field generator unit (12) adapted for generating a magnetic field, an excitation signal source (302) adapted for supplying the magnetic field generator unit (12) with a static electric excitation signal, an excitation switch unit (303) adapted for switching between different modes of electrically coupling the excitation signal source (302) to the magnetic field generator unit (12), and a sensing unit (11) adapted for sensing a signal indicative of the presence of the magnetic particles (15) in the generated magnetic field.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has at least one cylinder, and a means for varying the compression ratio in the cylinder. The at least one cylinder has two oppositely directed reciprocatingly movable pistons in it, which are each connected via a piston rod with a corresponding arm, whereby each arm shows an opening in which a main shaft that connects the two arms is rotatably supported in bearings. The main shaft includes an angle with a centre line of each opening. The means for varying the compression ratio in the cylinder includes a division in the main shaft, as well as drive means in order to move the parts formed by it of the main shaft apart from each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for temporarily storing or buffering and/or setting the pitch of products, comprised of a conveyor belt, a product carrier for transporting by the conveyor belt and for carrying a plurality of products, a feed conveyor for feeding products into the product carrier at a first predetermined location of the conveyor belt, and a discharge element such as a robot, top loader or pushing member for discharging the products from the product carrier at a second predetermined location a distance from the first predetermined location.