Welded feedthrough

• US 10,418,798 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2016
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heraeus Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG (Heraeus Holding GMBH)
• Original Assignee: Heraeus Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG (Heraeus Holding GMBH)
• Inventors: Markham, Jacob, Hausch, Ulrich, Pavlovic, Goran
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Stanley
• Application Number:
  US14/991,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20160126712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 361748
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3754 Feedthroughs
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/08 Non-ferrous metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/14 Titanium or alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/18 Dissimilar materials
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/26 Alloys of Nickel and Cobalt and Chromium
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/52 Ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/20 Bonding soldering by means of radiant energy B23K1/005; joining of preformed plastics parts by heating using laser beam B29C65/16
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/206 Laser sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/24 Seam welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/26 of rectilinear seams
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/22 Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49227 Insulator making

Abstract

One aspect is a feedthrough for a medical implantable device including a ferrule having a metal that is configured to be welded to a case of the implantable device. The ferrule substantially surrounds an insulator and shares an interface therewith, the insulator having a glass or ceramic material. Conductive elements are formed through the insulator providing an electrically conductive path through the insulator. There is no braze or solder at the interface between the ferrule and the insulator and that there is no braze or solder adjacent the conductive elements.

Claims

1. A feedthrough for a medical implantable device comprising:

an insulator surrounded by a case of the implantable device and within an opening of the case and sharing an interface therewith, the insulator comprising a glass or ceramic material and characterized by the absence of any material that will flow when heated to a temperature between 1,300 and 1,600 degrees C. at the interface between the insulator and case;

conductive elements formed through the insulator providing an electrically conductive path through the insulator;

characterized in that there is no metal ferrule at the interface between the insulator and the case and the case is welded directly to the insulator; and

wherein the conductive elements, the insulator and an interface between them are free of braze and solder or other material that will flow when heated to a temperature between 1,300 and 1,600 degrees C.;

wherein opening of the case is configured with an inner edge that is tapered and the insulator is configured with an outer edge that is tapered to match the inner edge of the case;

wherein the taper of the respective edges of the case and the insulator are tapered at an angle of 5 to 15 degrees relative to a line running perpendicular to a top surface of the feedthrough; and

wherein the conducting elements are provided in the insulator such that they do not extend past a surface of the insulator.

2. The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the distance between the case and the insulator along the interface is no larger than 25 microns.

3. The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the insulator comprises aluminum oxide.

4. The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the conductive elements comprise a cermet.