Housing for an Implantable Medical Device

• US 20090171420A1
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Original Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Inventors: Brown, David, Stewart, Jeffrey, Leyde, Kent W., Gaw, Shan, Genau, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,259,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3758 Packaging of the components within the casing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

An implantable medical device having a concave ceramic housing component; a concave metal housing component attached to the ceramic housing component to form a hermetically sealed enclosure; and an electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component disposed within the enclosure. Another aspect of the invention provides an implantable medical device having a ceramic housing component; a metal housing component; a circumferential sealing member attached to a periphery of the ceramic housing component and to a periphery of the metal housing component to form a hermetically sealed enclosure; and an electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component disposed within the enclosure. Still another aspect of the invention provides an implantable medical device with a first metal housing component; a second metal housing component, the second metal housing component forming an opening; a ceramic housing component disposed in the opening, the first metal housing component, the second metal housing component and the ceramic housing component cooperating to form a hermetically sealed enclosure; and an electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component disposed within the enclosure.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device comprising:

a first ceramic housing component;

a second metal housing component coupled to the ceramic housing component to form a hermetically sealed enclosure; and

an electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component disposed within the enclosure.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component comprises a telemetry transmission coil.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component comprises an magnetic flux energy receiver coil.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising a metal weld ring brazed onto the ceramic housing component and welded onto the metal housing component.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the ceramic of the ceramic housing component comprises zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, or boron nitride.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the ceramic housing component is formed from zirconium oxide and has a wall thickness between about 0.06 inches and about 0.30 inches.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the metal of the metal housing component comprises platinum, niobium, titanium, tantalum, or an alloy of two or more of platinum, niobium, titanium, and tantalum.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the metal housing component is formed from titanium and has a wall thickness between about 0.01 inches and about 0.10 inches.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising;

an electrode connector disposed within the metal housing component, the electrode connector comprising a sealable opening communicating with the enclosure.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the electrode connector comprises ceramic.

11. The device of claim 1 further comprising a rechargeable power supply coupled to the electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component.

12. An implantable medical device comprising:

a ceramic housing component;

a metal housing component;

a circumferential sealing member coupled to a periphery of the ceramic housing component and to a periphery of the metal housing component to form a hermetically sealed enclosure; and

an electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component disposed within the enclosure.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component comprises a telemetry transmission coil.

14. The device of claim 12 wherein the electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component comprises an magnetic flux energy receiver coil.

15. The device of claim 12 wherein the ceramic of the ceramic housing component comprises zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, or boron nitride.

16. The device of claim 12 wherein the ceramic housing component is formed from zirconium oxide and has a wall thickness between about 0.06 inches and about 0.30 inches.

17. The device of claim 12 wherein the metal of the metal housing component comprises platinum, niobium, titanium, tantalum, or an alloy of two or more of platinum, niobium, titanium, and tantalum.

18. The device of claim 12 wherein the metal housing component comprises titanium and has a wall thickness between about 0.01 and about 0.10 inches.

19. The device of claim 12 further comprising:

an electrode connector disposed within the metal housing component, the electrode connector comprising a sealable opening communicating with the enclosure.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the electrode connector comprises ceramic.

21. The device of claim 12 further comprising a rechargeable power supply coupled to the electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component.

22. An implantable medical device comprising:

a first metal housing component;

a second metal housing component, the second metal housing component forming an opening;

a ceramic housing component disposed in the opening,

the first metal housing component, the second metal housing component and the ceramic housing component cooperating to form a hermetically sealed enclosure; and

an electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component disposed within the enclosure.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein the electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component comprises a telemetry transmission coil.

24. The device of claim 22 wherein the electronic trans-housing magnetic flux component comprises a magnetic flux energy receiver coil.

25. The device of claim 22 wherein the ceramic of the ceramic housing component comprises zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, or boron nitride.

26. The device of claim 22 wherein the ceramic housing component comprises zirconium oxide and has a wall thickness between about 0.06 inches and about 0.30 inches.

27. The device of claim 22 wherein the metal of the first metal housing component comprises platinum, niobium, titanium tantalum, or an alloy of two or more of platinum, niobium, titanium and tantalum.

28. The device of claim 22 wherein the first metal housing component comprises titanium and has a wall thickness between about 0.01 inches and about 0.10 inches.

29. The device of claim 22 further comprising:

an electrode connector disposed within the metal housing component, the electrode connector comprising a sealable opening communicating with the enclosure.

30. The device of claim 27 wherein the electrode connector comprises ceramic.

31. A medical device system for implantation into a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:

a first housing component comprising ceramic;

a second housing component comprising metal, said first and second housing components coupled to form a hermetically sealed enclosure;

a rechargeable power source provided within the sealed enclosure; and

a secondary coil coupled to the rechargeable power source, said secondary coil being configured to be magnetically coupled through the first housing component to a primary coil external to the patient'"'"'s body.

32. The system of claim 31 further comprising a circumferential sealing member coupled to a periphery of the ceramic housing component and to a periphery of the metal housing component.

33. The system of claim 31 further comprising a third housing component comprising metal, said third housing component defining an opening, said first housing component being received in the opening.