Implantable Ultrasound Metamaterial Generator With 3D Layer Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing implantable medical devices face limitations in power generation capacity due to their miniaturized size, which restricts the active area and displacement, and require external power sources for operation.
Innovation Solution
An implantable device with a triboelectric nanogenerator design that includes a substrate, dielectric layers, electrode layers, and a metamaterial layer with weight members and elastic members, allowing for increased active area and displacement through layer stacking and metamaterial-assisted vibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the size of implantable medical devices is miniaturized, then invasiveness is reduced and recovery time is shortened, but power generation capacity is limited due to restricted active area and displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a planar two-dimensional structure to a three-dimensional stacked structure with multiple DMD and MDM layers alternating in the vertical direction. This dimensional change allows the active area to extend through multiple layers while maintaining a compact footprint, thereby increasing power generation capacity without proportionally increasing the device's planar dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures including dielectric-metal-dielectric (DMD) layers and metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) layers with alternating properties. These composite structures enable simultaneous optimization of mechanical flexibility, electrical performance, and power generation capacity within a miniaturized form factor, resolving the contradiction between small size and sufficient power output.
2Power
If the active area is increased to improve power generation capacity, then power output increases, but device size increases making implantation more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes vertical stacking of multiple thin layers in the third dimension to increase the effective active area. Each DMD and MDM layer contributes to power generation, and their stacked arrangement allows the total active area to be the sum of individual layer areas without increasing the planar footprint, thus improving power capacity while maintaining compact device dimensions suitable for implantation.
3Power
If displacement is increased to enhance power generation, then energy conversion efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the device into multiple segmented layers (DMD layers and MDM layers) with distinct functions. Each layer is relatively simple in structure, but their combination enables enhanced displacement and energy conversion efficiency without requiring any single layer to be overly complex. The segmentation allows independent optimization of each layer while achieving cumulative performance improvements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enhances power generation capacity while maintaining a compact size suitable for implantation, enabling efficient energy harvesting and reducing reliance on external power sources.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member including a dielectric material and surrounding the weight members
Implementation Method 2
the pattern portion may vibrate up and down due to a weight of the weight members to expand or contract
Implementation Method 3
ultrasound-driven triboelectric generators are drawing attention
Implementation Method 4
a power generator is driven through an ultrasound driven method, power may be produced with high efficiency
Implementation Method 5
wireless power transfer technology using ultrasound waves does not need a resonance design
Implementation Method 6
power may be produced with high efficiency in an environment in a body
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an implantable device may include a substrate having a dielectric layer and the first electrode layer disposed thereon; a first dielectric-metal-dielectric (DMD) layer disposed on the substrate and having a charged layer and a membrane disposed symmetrically to each other with reference to an electrode layer; a metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) layer disposed on the first DMD layer and having an electrode layer symmetrically disposed with reference to the membrane; a second DMD layer disposed on the MDM layer; a sealing layer disposed on the second DMD layer; and a metamaterial layer disposed on the sealing layer to press the sealing layer.