Patent ID: 8678993

Claim:
An implantable device that uses potential energy to facilitate the movement of fluid to an inflatable portion of a gastric band, the implantable device comprising: a filling reservoir for holding the fluid; a first device operatively coupled to the filling reservoir, wherein the first device comprises stored potential energy that facilitates moving an amount of the fluid to the inflatable portion of the gastric band; and a filling valve coupled between the filling reservoir and the gastric band, the filling valve being open or closed based on a first telemetric signal received from a remote transmitter, and when the filling valve is open, a portion of the stored potential energy is released causing the amount of the fluid to move from the filling reservoir into the inflatable portion of the gastric band, and when the filling valve is closed, a remaining amount of the stored potential energy remains stored in the first device, wherein the implantable device further comprises: a draining reservoir; and a draining valve coupled between the draining reservoir and the gastric band, the draining valve being open or closed based on a second telemetric signal received from the remote transmitter, and when the draining valve is open, a portion of the fluid in the inflatable portion of the gastric band moves into the draining reservoir, and wherein the implantable device further comprises: a sealed chamber that includes the filling reservoir and the draining reservoir; and a piston disposed between the filling reservoir and the draining reservoir and between a filling end of the sealed chamber and a draining end of the sealed chamber, wherein the filling valve is coupled to the filling end and the draining valve is coupled to the draining end, wherein the piston moves toward the filling end of the sealed chamber in response to the portion of the stored potential energy being released, and wherein the volume of the filling reservoir and the volume of the draining reservoir change as the piston moves in the sealed chamber.