Implantable unit

• US 5,755,743 A
• Filed: 10/16/1996
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Implex Gmgh Spezialhorgerate
• Inventors: Leysieffer, Hans, Volz, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US08/733,140
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 607/36, 607/37
• US Class Current: 607/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3754 Feedthroughs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/24 resilient; resiliently-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5219 Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery

Abstract

An implantable unit with at least one contact arrangement for connection of an electrical or electronic device (11), which is hermetically sealed within a housing (10), to at least one cable set (12, 14) that is routed out of the housing. The contact arrangement has a first contact (22), a second contact (30) supported on an elastic body (16), a closing mechanism (18, 19, 20) for engaging the front of the first contact to the front of the second contact and at least one sealing land (28) which surrounds the first contact, which is pressed into the elastic body when the contacts engage, and which seals the contacts relative to the outside of the unit.

Claims

1. Implantable unit comprising a housing, at least one cable set and at least one contact arrangement for electrical connection of an electrical or electronic device which is hermetically sealed within the housing to said at least one cable set routed out of the housing;

wherein the contact arrangement has a first contact, second contact supported on an elastic body, and a closing mechanism for engaging a front of the first contact with a front of the second contact and at least one sealing bridge which surrounds the first contact, and which is pressed into the elastic body when the contacts are engaged, said at least one sealing bridge sealing the contacts relative to the exterior of the unit.

2. Implantable unit according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sealing land comprises a plurality of concentric sealing lands.

3. Implantable unit according to claim 1, wherein said at least one contact arrangement comprises a plurality of contact arrangements;

and wherein at least one sealing land is provided for each contact arrangement.

4. Implantable unit according to claim 1, wherein the first contact is fixed to the housing and is joined to the electrical or electronic device;

and wherein the second contact is connected to the cable set.

5. Implantable unit according to claim 4, wherein the first contact is formed directly by a housing feedthrough of the electrical or electronic device;

and wherein an electrically insulating molding surrounds the housing feedthrough.

6. Implantable unit according to claim 1, wherein the second contact is mounted to the housing and is connected to the electrical or electronic device in the housing;

and wherein the first contact is connected to the at least one cable set.

7. Implantable unit according to claim 1, wherein the closing mechanism comprises a sealing cap which is connected to the at least one cable set and in which at least one of said first and second contacts is located, and an engagement arrangement for connecting the sealing cap to the housing.

8. Implantable unit according to claim 7, wherein the engagement arrangement has at least one threaded receptacle on the housing and at least one screw on the sealing cap.

9. Implantable unit according to claim 7, wherein the engagement arrangement has a catch connection which acts between the sealing cap and the housing.

10. Implantable unit according to claim 1, wherein a terminal fitting is provided on said at least one cable set and which terminal fitting carries at least one of said first and second contacts;

wherein the closing mechanism has a sealing cap with a receiver for the at least one terminal fitting; and

wherein an engagement arrangement is provided for connecting the sealing cap to the housing.

11. Implantable unit according to claim 10, wherein the engagement arrangement has at least one threaded receptacle on the housing and at least one screw on the sealing cap.

12. Implantable unit according to claim 10, wherein the engagement arrangement has a catch connection which acts between the sealing cap and the housing.

13. Implantable unit according to claim 1, wherein a terminal fitting is provided on said at least one cable set;

wherein the housing has a trough-shaped receiver holding at least one terminal fitting at an end thereof; and

wherein a wedge member is inserted between a side wall of the trough-shaped receiver which faces said end of the housing and the terminal fitting.

14. Implantable unit according to 13, wherein at least one screw is provided for adjusting and fixing the position of said wedge and for adjusting the force of the engagement between the first and second contacts.

15. Implantable unit according to claim 1, wherein the elastic body is made of silicone.

16. Implantable unit according to claim 1, wherein one of the first and second contacts has a rounded engagement surface.

17. Implantable unit according to claim 16, wherein the other of said first and second contacts has a generally flat surface which is engaged by said rounded engagement surface.