Press fit electrical connection apparatus

• US 4,214,804 A
• Filed: 09/25/1978
• Issued: 07/29/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daig Corporation (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Daig Corporation (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Little, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): McGlynn, Joseph H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, John S.
• Application Number:
  US05/945,113
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 339/182 R, 339/182 L, 339/182 RS, 339/182 T, 339/183, 128/404, 128/419 P
• US Class Current: 439/502
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems

Abstract

A pacemaker bipolar lead assembly, for being electrically connected to a pulse generator to transmit electrical pulses into a heart, that includes a pair of wire conductor spring coils electrically connected to conductor pins, the first coil being electrically connected to a tip electrode and the second coil being electrically connected to a ring electrode. An internal ring having an outwardly facing groove is press fitted within the ring electrode with the second coil extending through the groove to retain the second coil in electrical conducting relationship with the ring electrode. Electrical insulation is provided on the coils and the conductor pins except for one end portions of the pins, the part of the second coil that is in electrical contact with the ring electrode and the juncture of the first coil with the tip electrode. An insulated portion of the first coil extends through the internal ring.

Claims

1. For transmitting an electrical pulse from a pair of terminals of a pulse generator to a heart, a bipolar lead assembly comprising a first and a second connector pin adapted for being electrically connected to the terminals of a pulse generator, a tip electrode, a ring electrode having an inner surface, an elongated first electric conduit electrically connecting the first pin to the tip electrode, an elongated second electric conduit having a first end portion electrically connected to the second pin, and a second end portion extended into the ring electrode, said second end portion being a coil spring end portion, and means extending into the ring electrode in press fitting relationship thereto for retaining the coil spring end portion in electrical conductive relationship with the ring electrode, said means comprising an internal ring of electrically conductive metal having an exterior surface portion in electrically conductive relationship with the ring electrode inner surface and said coil spring end portion, the internal ring having a portion having an exterior groove opening to the ring electrode interior surface, the major part of the grooved portion being of a circular arcuate configuration and having an outer surface facing the ring electrode, the maximum radial spacing of the internal ring outer surface from the part of the ring electrode interior surface that the grooved portion open to being less than the maximum outer diameter of the helices of the coil spring end portion in a relaxed condition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized in that the outer surface of the circular part of the grooved portion of the internal ring is of a radius of curvature that is slightly less than the outer radius of the helices of the coil spring in a relaxed condition.

3. In an electric lead assembly, an elongated electrically conductive pin having a bare first end portion and a second end portion, a ring electrode remotely spaced from the pin and having an inner surface, an axially elongated, electrically conductive coil spring having a first end portion electrically connected to the pin second end portion and a second end portion extended into the ring electrode in electrically conductive relationship therewith, and an electrically conductive internal ring in press fitted relationship with the ring electrode for retaining the coil spring in electrically conductive relationship with the ring electrode, the internal ring having an exterior surface portion in abutting relationship with the ring electrode interior surface and a portion having an exterior groove opening to the ring electrode interior surface, the coil spring second end portion extending into the groove in a compressed condition between the grooved portion and the electrode ring interior surface, and flexible electrical insulating means surrounding the pin second end portion and the coil spring from the pin to the ring electrode, the internal ring having a first end and a second end portion that is more remote from pin than its first end and the coil spring second end portion having a terminal end that is more remote from the pin than the internal ring first end and more closely adjacent the internal ring second end portion than the internal ring first end.