Connector for an implantable medical device

• US 20080303728A1
• Filed: 05/05/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Lee, Nathan T., Mattson, Jaimie A., Bates, David A., Kuschnir, Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 8,673,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/718
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

A connector assembly for an implantable medical device with hardware components placed in established physical locations within the polymer of the connector, and a method of making the assembly. One embodiment includes a method that involves forming a first shot, coupling at least one hardware component to the first shot to form a subassembly, placing the subassembly between a set of opposing areas of a mold, moving at least one of the areas of the set of opposed areas of the mold to constrain the subassembly within the mold, and introducing a second shot over at least a portion of the subassembly to form the connector.

Claims

1. A method of forming a connector for an implantable medical device comprising:

(a) forming a first shot;

(b) coupling at least one hardware component to the first shot to form a subassembly;

(c) placing the subassembly between a set of opposing areas of a mold;

(d) moving at least one of the areas of the set of opposed areas of the mold to constrain the subassembly within the mold; and

(e) introducing a second shot over at least a portion of the subassembly to form the connector.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a clamping force to the first shot by the at least one of the area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hardware component being an antenna and wherein a dielectric layer is formed over the antenna by the second polymer material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hardware component is selected from the group consisting of a setscrew block, a multi-beam contact, an interconnect a ribbon, an antenna, and a radiopaque identification tag.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the opposing areas of the mold contact the first-shot in a location corresponding to a suture hole of the connector.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first shot and the overmold polymer material being the same polymer material.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first-shot being formed of an injection molding process

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the opposed areas of the mold contact the first shot in a location corresponding to a suture hole of the connector.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first shot and the second shot being the same thermoplastic material.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first shot being formed through an injection molding process.

11. A connector for an implantable medical device comprising:

(a) a first component;

(b) at least one hardware component coupled to the first component;

(c) a second component that at least partially encapsulates the first component and the at least one hardware component;

(d) at least one pair of opposing areas on the first component, each area are positioned opposed to each other and not encapsulated by the second component; and

(e) a knit line between the first and second components.

12. The connector of claim 11, wherein the at least one hardware component being an antenna.

13. The connector of claim 12, wherein the first component includes a channel for accepting and holding the antenna.

14. The connector of claim 11, wherein the first and second components comprise one of polyurethane and polysulfone.

15. The connector of claim 11, wherein the at least one hardware component comprises one of a setscrew block, a multi-beam contact, and an interconnect ribbon.

16. The connector of claim 11, wherein the at least one hardware component being one of a sensor to sense a physiological parameter and a radio frequency identification tag.

17. A connector for an implantable medical device comprising:

(a) a first component;

(b) a hardware component comprising at least one of a setscrew block, an interconnect ribbon, a multibeam contact, and an antenna;

(c) a second component that at least partially encapsulates the first component and the hardware component;

(d) at least one pair of opposing areas on the first component wherein the areas not encapsulated by the second component; and

(e) a knit line delineating an interface between the first and the second components.

18. The connector of claim 17, wherein the first component includes a channel having ridges to either side of the channel for accepting and holding the antenna.

19. The connector of claim 17, wherein the first and second components comprising one of polyurethane and polysulfone.

20. The connector of claim 17, wherein the first and second components comprise a same thermoplastic material.

21. The connector of claim 17, wherein the first and second components comprise different thermoplastic materials.

22. A system for forming a connector to couple a lead to a housing of an implantable medical device, the system comprises:

(a) a first component;

(b) an antenna coupled to the first component;

(c) a second component that at least partially encapsulates the first component and the antenna;

(d) at least one pair of opposing areas on the first component wherein the areas not encapsulated by the second component; and

(e) a knit line delineating an interface between the first and the second components.