IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE HEADER

• US 20140135882A1
• Filed: 11/14/2012
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Prasannakumar, Jeevan M., Haenisch, Christopher M., Bates, David, Olson, John C., Patras, George, Zhao, Yanzhu, Weiand, Jason P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,989,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Techniques for forming a header for an implantable medical device via a two-shot molding process are described. The two-shot molding processes may include a first molding step that creates a first-shot assembly and a second molding step that creates a second-shot assembly. The first-shot assembly may be formed to include one or more protrusions configured to interact with a second-shot mold and/or molding material in the second molding step. The second molding step may be configured to overmold the first-shot assembly. The header may include an attachment plate at least partially embedded in molding material and configured to be mechanically coupled to a body of the implantable medical device.

Claims

1. A header for an implantable medical device, the header comprising:

a header body comprising molding material and at least one component within the molding material; and

an attachment plate configured to couple the header to a body of the implantable medical device, wherein the attachment plate comprises;

a base configured to be mechanically coupled to the body of the implantable medical device, wherein the base defines a space configured to receive at least one feedthrough wire from the body of the implantable medical device, the at least one feedthrough wire configured to be coupled to the at least one component of the header body; and

at least one extension extending from the base of the attachment plate, wherein the at least one extension defines at least one void configured to receive a portion of the molding material to couple the attachment plate to the header body.

2. The header of claim 1, wherein the at least one component comprises at least one of an electrode or an antenna.

3. The header of claim 1, wherein the at least one extension is substantially embedded within the molding material.

4. The header of claim 1, wherein the at least one void is configured to receive one or more mold cores of a mold during molding of the header.

5. The header of claim 1, wherein the base is configured to be laser welded to the body of the implantable medical device.

6. The header of claim 1, wherein the base of the attachment plate is substantially free of molding material.

7. The header of claim 1, wherein the attachment plate comprises at least one of titanium or a titanium alloy.

8. An implantable medical device comprising:

a header comprising;

a header body comprising molding material and at least one component within the molding material, and

an attachment plate comprising a base that defines a space, and at least one extension extending from the base, wherein the at least one extension defines at least one void configured to receive a portion of the molding material to mechanically couple the attachment plate to the header body, wherein the at least one extension is substantially embedded in the molding material;

a body comprising electrical circuitry; and

a feedthrough wire positioned through the space defined by the base of the attachment plate, wherein the feedthrough wire electrically couples the electrical circuitry and the at least one component of the header body, and

wherein the base of the attachment plate is mechanically coupled to the body of the implantable medical device.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 8, wherein the at least one component comprises an electrode, and wherein the header body further comprises a shaft coupled to the electrode, wherein the feedthrough wire electrically couples a distal end of the shaft to the electrical circuitry.

10. The implantable medical device of claim 8, wherein the at least one component comprises an antenna comprising an antenna coupling structure, wherein the feedthrough wire electrically couples the antenna coupling structure to the electrical circuitry.

11. The implantable medical device of claim 8, wherein the base of the attachment plate is laser welded to the body of the implantable medical device.

12. A method comprising:

forming a header for an implantable medical device, wherein the header comprises;

a header body comprising molding material and at least one component within the molding material, and

an attachment plate comprising a base that defines a space, and at least one extension extending from the base, wherein the at least one extension defines at least one void configured to receive a portion of the molding material to mechanically couple the attachment plate to the header body, wherein the at least one extension is substantially embedded in the molding material;

positioning at least one feedthrough wire through the space defined by the base of the attachment plate;

electrically coupling the at least one feedthrough wire to the component of the header; and

mechanically coupling the base of the attachment plate to the body of the implantable medical device,

wherein the at least one feedthrough wire is configured to electrically couple electrical circuitry of the body of the implantable medical device to the component of the header.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein mechanically coupling the base of the attachment plate to the body of the implantable medical device comprises laser welding the base of the attachment plate to the body of the implantable medical device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein forming a header for an implantable medical device comprises forming the header via a two step molding process.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one component comprises an electrode, and wherein the header body further comprises a shaft coupled to the electrode, wherein electrically coupling the at least one feedthrough wire to the component of the header comprises electrically coupling the at least one feedthrough wire to a distal end of the shaft.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one component comprises an antenna comprising an antenna coupling structure, wherein electrically coupling the at least one feedthrough wire to the component of the header comprises electrically coupling the at least one feedthrough wire to the antenna coupling structure.