Seal element in an implantable medical apparatus

• US 4,932,409 A
• Filed: 04/21/1989
• Issued: 06/12/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter AB
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hirschberg, Jakub
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GETZOW, SCOTT M
• Application Number:
  US07/341,477
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 128/419 P, 251/214, 411/542, 411/544, 411/915, 222/229
• US Class Current: 607/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/00 Closures not otherwise provided for covers or similar closures as engineering elements for pressure vessels in general F16J13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/36 Conductive members located under tip of screw

Abstract

A seal element for an opening in an implantable medical apparatus, which can be penetrated by a tool and which maintains a hermetic seal after removal of the tool, is in the form of a ring of resilient material, initially having a ring opening with the wall thickness of the ring being larger than the radius of the ring opening. The ring can be turned inside-out, whereby the ring opening is closed. The placement of the seal element in the opening in the implantable medical apparatus maintains the opening closed to form a seal, but permits insertion of a tool therethrough.

Claims

1. An element for sealing an opening in an implantable medical apparatus comprising:

a ring consisting of resilient material and having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, said inner diameter defining a ring opening having a radius, and said inner diameter and said outer diameter defining a ring wall therebetween having a cross-section and a thickness, said thickness being larger than said radius of said ring opening and said cross section having a shape so that when said ring is turned inside-out said ring opening is tightly closed to form a liquid seal centrally penetrable by an instrument without rupturing said ring, and the inside-out ring is adapted to the received and held in said opening in said implantable medical device.

2. An element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ring has a cross section decreasing from said inner diameter to said out diameter.

3. An element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ring has a cross section which is a portion of an oval.

4. An element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ring has a T-shaped cross section.

5. An element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ring has a V-shaped cross section.

6. An element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ring has triangular cross-section.