Method of producing a cermet-containing bushing for an implantable medical device

• US 10,290,400 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2016
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heraeus Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG (Heraeus Holding GMBH)
• Original Assignee: Heraeus Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG (Heraeus Holding GMBH)
• Inventors: Troetzschel, Jens, Specht, Heiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Thiem D
• Application Number:
  US15/279,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20170018337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 29887, 29860, 295921, 29594, 296021, 29825, 29832, 29848, 29851, 607 5, 607 9, 607 36, 607 37, 607 53, 607 54, 607115, 607116, 174650, 174659
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3754 Feedthroughs
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/0036 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 17/306 by embedding in material other than glass or ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 19/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing insulators or insulating bodies manufacture of porcelain for electric insulation C04B33/26
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/30 Assembling printed circuits with electric components, e.g. with resistor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49227 Insulator making

Abstract

One aspect relates to a method for producing an electrical bushing for an implantable medical device. The method includes forming a holding element for holding the electrical bushing in the implantable medical device, the holding element including a through-opening. An insulation element of aluminum oxide is formed within the through-opening. At least one elongated conduction element is formed extending through insulation element. The at least one elongated conduction element includes an aluminum oxide in a metallic matrix. The insulation element and the at least one elongated conduction element are jointly fired thereby forming a hermetic seal therebetween without welding or soldering.

Claims

1. A method for producing an electrical bushing for an implantable medical device, the method comprising:

forming a holding element for holding the electrical bushing in the implantable medical device, the holding element comprising a through-opening;

forming an insulation element comprising aluminum oxide within the through-opening;

forming at least one elongated conduction element extending through insulation element, the at least one elongated conduction element comprising an aluminum oxide in a metallic matrix; and

jointly firing the insulation element and the at least one elongated conduction element thereby forming a hermetic seal therebetween without welding or soldering;

wherein prior to jointly firing the insulation element and the at least one elongated conduction element and prior to forming the at least one elongated conduction element extending through the insulation element, partially sintering at least one of the insulation element and the at least one elongated conduction element to achieve a surface hardness such that handling the conduction element or insulation element is improved.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the insulation element further comprises generating an insulation element green compact for forming the insulation element and wherein forming the at least one elongated conduction element comprises forming at least one cermet-containing conduction element green compact for forming the conduction element.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein jointly firing the insulation element and the at least one elongated conduction element comprises jointly firing the insulation element green compact and the conduction element green compact.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the holding element comprises a cermet.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming the conduction element and the holding element from the same material.

6. A method for producing an implantable medical device, the method comprising:

forming a holding element for holding an electrical bushing in the implantable medical device, the holding element comprising a through-opening;

forming an insulation element comprising aluminum oxide within the through-opening;

forming at least one elongated conduction element extending through insulation element, the at least one elongated conduction element comprising an aluminum oxide in a metallic matrix; and

jointly firing the insulation element and the at least one elongated conduction element thereby forming a hermetic seal therebetween without welding or soldering;

wherein prior to jointly firing the insulation element and the at least one elongated conduction element and prior to forming the at least one elongated conduction element extending through the insulation element, partially sintering at least one of the insulation element and the at least one elongated conduction element to achieve a surface hardness such that handling the conduction element or insulation element is improved.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein forming the insulation element further comprises generating an insulation element green compact for forming the insulation element and wherein forming the at least one elongated conduction element comprises forming at least one cermet-containing conduction element green compact for forming the conduction element.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein jointly firing the insulation element and the at least one elongated conduction element comprises jointly firing the insulation element green compact and the conduction element green compact.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the holding element comprises a cermet.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising forming the conduction element and the holding element from the same material.