Magnetic Power Switching

Abstract

Disclosed herein joint implants with sensors and methods for activating sensors in joint implants. A joint implant according to the present disclosure can include a first implant on a first bone and a second implant on a second bone of a joint. The first implant can include a magnet. The second implant can include one or more sensors, a processor, a battery, and a switch. The switch can couple the battery to the processor to power the processor and the one or more sensors when the switch detects a magnetic field strength.

1 . A joint implant comprising:
 a first implant coupled to a first bone of a joint, and   a second implant coupled to a second bone of the joint, the second implant including:
 one or more sensors, 
 a processor, 
 a battery, and 
 a switch, 
 wherein the switch couples the battery to the processor to power the processor and the one or more sensors when the switch detects a magnetic field strength. 
   
     
     
         2 . The joint implant of  claim 1 , wherein the first implant includes a magnet, the magnet generating the magnetic field strength detected by the switch. 
     
     
         3 . The joint implant of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field strength is generated by an external source. 
     
     
         4 . The joint implant of  claim 2 , where the magnetic field strength is defined by a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The joint implant of  claim 4 , where a distance between the first implant and the second implant is directly proportional to the magnetic field strength detected by the switch. 
     
     
         6 . The joint implant of  claim 4 , wherein the joint is a knee joint, the first implant is a femoral implant and the second implant is a tibial implant. 
     
     
         7 . The joint implant of  claim 6 , wherein the tibial implant is a tibial insert. 
     
     
         8 . The joint implant of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more sensors include at least one marker reader to detect a position of the magnet to identify positional data of the first implant with respect to the second implant. 
     
     
         9 . The joint implant of  claim 8 , wherein the marker reader is a Hall sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The joint implant of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more sensors includes any of a load sensor, pH sensor, a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor operatively coupled to the processor. 
     
     
         11 . The joint implant of  claim 2 , wherein the joint implant is any of a shoulder joint, and a hip joint. 
     
     
         12 . The joint implant of  claim 4 , wherein the switch is configured to decouple the battery from the processor to deactivate the processor and the one or more sensors when the detected magnetic field strength is below the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The joint implant of  claim 2 , wherein the joint is a hip joint, the first implant is a hip insert and the second implant is a femoral head. 
     
     
         14 . The joint implant of  claim 2 , wherein the joint is a shoulder joint, the first implant is a glenoid sphere and the second implant is a shoulder insert. 
     
     
         15 . The joint implant of  claim 1 , wherein the switch includes a magnetic sensor to detect the magnetic field strength. 
     
     
         16 . A method of activating a processor of a joint implant, the method comprising the steps of:
 coupling a first implant to a first bone of a joint, the first implant including at least one magnet, and   placing a second implant adjacent the first implant to activate a switch in the second implant to couple a battery of the second implant to a processor of the second implant to power the processor and one or more sensors of the second implant,   wherein the switch is activated by detecting a magnetic field strength generated by the magnet.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , where the magnetic field strength is defined by a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , where a distance between the first implant and the second implant is directly proportional to the magnetic field strength detected by the switch. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the joint is a knee joint, the first implant is a femoral implant and the second implant is a tibial implant. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the tibial implant is a tibial insert.