Contoured housing for an implantable medical device

• US 20030017372A1
• Filed: 07/19/2002
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wilson Greatbatch Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Probst, Joseph M., Wutz, Philip S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,103,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/7
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37512 Pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3758 Packaging of the components within the casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/48 of inorganic oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/485 of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy H01M4/505, H01M4/525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/583 Carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/103 prismatic or rectangular H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/147 Lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/298 characterised by the wiring of battery packs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/545 formed by the casing of the cells cup shaped terminals adapted for cells having curved cross-section H01M50/56
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/591 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/627 Filling ports
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/10 with wound or folded electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/16 with organic electrolyte H01M6/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The present invention provides an implantable medical device contained in a housing having opposed major side walls of a contoured shape.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device, which comprise:

a) an electrical energy power source;

b) a control circuitry; and

c) a housing for the power source and the control circuitry, wherein the housing comprises spaced apart first and second major side walls extending to and meeting with opposed third and fourth end walls and a bottom wall, and wherein the first and second major side walls are curved where they connect to the third end wall and where they connect to the fourth end wall.

2. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the first and second major side walls are continuously curved from their connection to the third end wall to their connection to the opposed fourth end wall.

3. The implantable medical device of claim 2 wherein the first major side wall is of a greater curvature than the second major side wall.

4. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second major side walls is of at least a first and a second different curvatures, the first curvature transitioning into the second curvature.

5. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second major side walls is of at least a first and a second different curvatures with a generally planar surface disposed between the first curvature and the second curvature.

6. The implantable medical device of claims 1 wherein the third and fourth end walls are curved.

7. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the third and fourth end walls are generally planar.

8. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a lid opposite the bottom wall.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 8 wherein the lid supports at least one feedthrough pin.

10. The implantable medical device of claim 1 selected from the group consisting of a hearing-assist device, a neurostimulator, a cardiac pacemaker, a cardiac defibrillator, a heart-assist device and a drug pump.

11. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the housing is of a material selected from the group consisting of nickel, aluminum, stainless steel, mild steel, tantalum and titanium.

13. The implantable medical device of claim 12 wherein the first and second major side walls are of a continuous curvature.

14. The implantable medical device of claim 12 wherein at least one of the first and second major side walls is of at least a first and a second different curvatures, the first curvature transitioning with the second curvatures.

15. The implantable medical device of claim 12 wherein at least one of the first and second major side walls is of at least a first and a second different curvatures with a generally planar surface disposed between the first curvature and the second curvature.

16. The implantable medical device of claim 12 wherein the first major side wall is of a greater curvature than the second major side wall.

17. The implantable medical device of claim 12 wherein the housing includes a lid connected to the first and second major side walls and the intermediate wall.

18. The implantable medical device of claim 12 wherein the lid supports at least one feedthrough pin.

20. The implantable medical device of claim 19 wherein the first and second major side walls are continuously curved.

21. The implantable medical device of claim 19 wherein the first major side wall is of a greater curvature than the second major side wall.

22. The implantable medical device of claim 19 wherein at least one of the first and second major side walls is of at least a first and second different curvatures, the first curvature transitioning into the second curvature.

23. The implantable medical device of claim 19 wherein at least one of the first and second major side walls is of at least a first and a second different curvatures with a generally planar surface disposed between the first curvature and the second curvature.

12. An implantable medical device, which comprise:

a) an electrical energy power source;

b) a control circuitry; and

c) a housing for the power source and the control circuitry, wherein the housing comprises spaced apart first and second major side walls extending to and meeting with an intermediate wall having a generally radius curved shape and wherein the first and second major side walls are curved where each of them meets the intermediate wall.

19. An implantable medical device, which comprises:

a) an electrical energy power source;

b) a control circuitry; and

c) a housing for the power source and the control circuitry, wherein the housing comprises a first portion having a first major side wall extending to and meeting with a first surrounding side wall and a second portion having a second major side wall extending to and meeting with a second surrounding side wall and wherein the first and second portions are mated to each other with the first surrounding side wall contacting the second surrounding side wall.