CONNECTOR ASSEMBLIES WITH BENDING LIMITERS FOR ELECTRICAL STIMULATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING SAME

• US 20180093098A1
• Filed: 09/26/2017
• Published: 04/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Nageri, Ranjan Krishna Mukhari, Villarta, Geoffrey Abellana
• Granted Patent: US 10,543,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/15 Pins, blades or sockets having separate spring member for producing or increasing contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement

Abstract

A connector assembly includes an elongated connector housing defining a port at the second end of the connector housing for receiving a proximal end of a lead or lead extension; a lumen that extends from the port along at least a portion of the length of the connector housing; connector contacts axially spaced-apart and disposed along the lumen; and non-conductive spacers disposed between adjacent connector contacts, at least one of the non-conductive spacers includes a first region. One or more additional features are included to resist bending of the connector assembly. One such feature is a non-conductive first insert disposed between adjacent connector contacts to maintains a minimum distance between the adjacent connector contacts. Another feature is a stiffening element disposed within apertures in the spacers and connecting two or more of the spacers. Yet another feature is a stiffening sleeve disposed within the housing,

Claims

1. A connector assembly comprising:

an elongated connector housing having a first end, a second end, and a length, the connector housing defining a port at the second end of the connector housing, the port configured for receiving a proximal end of a lead or lead extension;

a lumen that extends from the port along at least a portion of the length of the connector housing;

a plurality of connector contacts axially spaced-apart and disposed along the lumen such that the connector contacts are each exposed to the lumen, the connector contacts configured for coupling to a proximal end of a lead or lead extension when the proximal end of the lead or lead extension is inserted into the lumen;

a plurality of non-conductive spacers disposed between adjacent connector contacts, at least one of the plurality of non-conductive spacers comprises a first region, wherein during bending of the connector assembly in a first plane the first region is placed under a compressive stress; and

at least one non-conductive first insert disposed on or within the first region between adjacent connector contacts, the at least one first insert having a length that maintains a minimum distance between the adjacent connector contacts when the first region is placed under the compressive stress.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the spacers are made from a first material and the at least one first insert is made from a second material that is stiffer than the first material.

3. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the non-conductive spacers comprises the first region, and the at least one non-conductive first insert comprises a plurality of non-conductive first inserts with one of the first inserts disposed in each first region.

4. The connector assembly of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of second inserts with a one of the second inserts disposed on or within each of the plurality of non-conductive spacers, the second inserts longitudinally aligned and circumferentially offset with respect to the first inserts.

5. The connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one non-conductive second insert disposed on or within at least one of the plurality of non-conductive spacers, wherein the at least one second insert is circumferentially offset with respect to the at least one first insert disposed on or within the first region.

6. The connector assembly of claim 5, further comprising at least one third and at least one fourth insert disposed on or within at least one of the plurality of non-conductive spacers, wherein the at least one first insert disposed on or within the first region and the second, third and fourth inserts are circumferentially and equidistantly spaced apart with respect to each other.

7. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one first insert is disposed, at least partially, by a recess formed in a one of the spacers.

8. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the elongated connector housing is disposed over the connector contacts, the spacers and the inserts.

9. The connector assembly of claim 6, wherein bending of the connector assembly in a plane different from the first plane causes at least one of the second, third or fourth non-conductive inserts to maintain at least a minimum distance between adjacent connector contacts.

10. A lead assembly comprising:

a lead; and

a lead extension that contains the connector assembly of claim 1, the lead extension having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the lead extension includes a plurality of terminals electrically insulated from one another.

11. An electrical stimulating system comprising:

the lead assembly of claim 10; and

a control module coupleable to the lead assembly, the control module comprising

a housing, and

an electronic subassembly disposed in the housing.

12. A connector assembly comprising:

an elongated connector housing having a first end, a second end, and a length, the connector housing defining a port at the second end of the connector housing, the port configured for receiving a proximal end of a lead or lead extension;

a lumen that extends from the port along at least a portion of the length of the connector housing;

a plurality of connector contacts having an outer radius and axially spaced-apart and disposed along the lumen such that the connector contacts are each exposed to the lumen, the connector contacts configured for coupling to a proximal end of a lead or lead extension when the proximal end of the lead or lead extension is inserted into the lumen;

a plurality of non-conductive spacers disposed within spaces provided between adjacent connector contacts, each of the plurality of non-conductive spacers defining an aperture at a radius greater than the outer radius of the connector contacts; and

a first stiffening element disposed within a plurality of the apertures and connecting at least two of the spacers, the first stiffening element configured and arranged to resist bending of connector assembly.

13. The connector assembly of claim 12, wherein the first stiffening element is more rigid than the spacers.

14. The connector assembly of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of non-conductive spacers comprises a plurality of the apertures that are circumferentially and equidistantly spaced apart with respect to each other.

15. The connector assembly of claim 14, further comprising at least one additional stiffening element, wherein the first stiffening element and the at least one additional stiffening element are disposed within different ones of the plurality of apertures and each connect at least two of the spacers.

16. The connector assembly of claim 12, further comprising a sleeve disposed over the plurality of non-conductive spacers.

17. A connector assembly comprising:

an elongated connector housing having a first end, a second end, and a length, the connector housing defining a port at the second end of the connector housing, the port configured for receiving a proximal end of a lead or lead extension;

a lumen that extends from the port along at least a portion of the length of the connector housing;

a plurality of connector contacts axially spaced-apart and disposed along the lumen such that the connector contacts are each exposed to the lumen, the connector contacts configured for coupling to a proximal end of a lead or lead extension when the proximal end of the lead or lead extension is inserted into the lumen;

a plurality of non-conductive spacers disposed within spaces provided between adjacent connector contacts; and

a stiffening sleeve disposed over the plurality of non-conductive spacers and connector contacts and disposed within the housing, wherein the sleeve is configured and arranged to resist bending of the connector assembly.

18. The connector assembly of claim 17 wherein the stiffening sleeve is more rigid than the plurality of non-conductive spacers.

19. The connector assembly of claim 17, wherein the stiffening sleeve is a mesh sleeve.

20. The connector assembly of claim 17, wherein the stiffening sleeve is shrink fit over the plurality of non-conductive spacers.