Implantable medical device assembly and manufacturing method

• US 6,721,602 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2001
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Tidemand, Kevin K., Patras, George, Engmark, David B., Olson, Robert L., Bruchmann, Richard A., Ceballos, Thomas, Schaefer, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US09/934,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20030040779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 607/1, 607/2, 607/4, 607/5, 607/9, 607/36-38
• US Class Current: 607/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3754 Feedthroughs

Abstract

In general, the invention is directed to an implantable medical device assembly having a more space-efficient housing and components, as well as processes for assembling the implantable medical device with reduced assembly cost and less complexity. The implantable medical device may incorporate a battery, capacitor, circuit assembly, feedthrough assembly, and interconnect assembly with respective electrical terminals. This configuration permits the use of automated electronic module assembly techniques such as parallel gap or ribbon bond welding to electrically connect the terminals. A feedthrough assembly may present a set of terminals adjacent a corresponding set of circuit terminals, also enabling the use of automated welding techniques.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device comprising:

a housing;

a battery within the housing and having battery terminals;

a capacitor within the housing and having capacitor terminals; and

a circuit assembly within the housing and having circuit terminals, wherein the battery terminals and the capacitor terminals form a first row of terminals, the circuit terminals form a second row of terminals adjacent the first row of terminals, and the circuit terminals are electrically coupled to the battery terminals and the capacitor terminals, wherein the first and second rows of terminals are substantially linear and extend substantially parallel to one another, and the circuit terminals are electrically coupled to the battery terminals and the capacitor terminals via parallel gap welded bonds or ribbon welded bonds.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the battery is positioned side-by-side with a lower portion of the capacitor, and the circuit assembly is positioned over the battery and side-by-side with an upper portion of the capacitor, the battery and circuit assembly having a combined thickness that approximates a thickness of the capacitor.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the circuit assembly and the capacitor present a generally planar surface, the device further comprising an interconnect assembly mounted over the generally planar surface and interconnecting the capacitor terminals and the circuit terminals.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the first and second rows of terminals are substantially linear and extend substantially parallel to one another, the interconnect assembly includes conductive ribbons oriented to bridge adjacent terminals in the first and second rows of terminals, and the circuit terminals are electrically coupled to the battery terminals and the capacitor terminals via welded bonds formed by the conductive ribbons.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the capacitor includes a terminal block assembly that extends outward from the capacitor and positions the capacitor terminals adjacent the battery terminals along a lateral surface of the battery.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first row of terminals is positioned along a lateral surface of the battery, and the second row of terminals is positioned along an edge of the circuit assembly.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising an interconnect assembly positioned within the housing, wherein the interconnect assembly includes a first set of interconnect terminals positioned adjacent and electrically coupled to at least some of the circuit terminals, a second set of interconnect terminals positioned remotely from the circuit terminals, and conductors that electrically couple the first and second sets of interconnect terminals.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the interconnect terminals include conductive ribbons oriented to contact at the least some of the circuit terminals.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the first set of interconnect terminals form a third row of terminals substantially parallel to the first and second rows of terminals, the first set of interconnect terminals being electrically coupled to the at least some of the circuit terminals via parallel gap welded bonds or ribbon welded bonds.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the interconnect assembly includes an antenna for radio frequency telemetry and an audible alarm device electrically coupled to the at least some of the circuit terminals via the first set of interconnect terminals.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the battery and the capacitor are positioned side-by-side, the circuit assembly is positioned over the battery, and the interconnect assembly is positioned over the circuit assembly and the capacitor.

12. The device of claim 7, further comprising a feedthrough assembly positioned within the housing and having feedthrough terminals positioned adjacent and electrically coupled to one or more additional terminals that electrically couple at least some of the feedthrough terminals to at least some of the circuit terminals.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising a flex circuit connector that electrically couples the feedthrough terminals to the at least some of the circuit terminals.

14. The device of claim 12, further comprising one or more pins that extend from the feedthrough assembly and outward from the housing, wherein the circuit assembly includes a charging circuit that applies current from the battery to charge the capacitor, and a pulse generation circuit that applies current from the capacitor to deliver electrical pulses to the pins via the feedthrough terminals for cardiac stimulation.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the feedthrough assembly includes an electrically insulative terminal block, multiple contact elements mounted in an interior side of the insulative terminal block to form the feedthrough terminals, and first channels formed in an exterior side of the insulative terminal block for communication of the conductive pins to the contact elements.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the contact elements define second channels in communication with the first channels, the pins being threaded through the first and second channels and fixed in place to electrically couple the pins to the contact elements.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein proximal ends of the pins are welded to the contact elements.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the feedthrough assembly includes first and second feedthrough assemblies, each of the first and second feedthrough assemblies accommodating at least two of the conductive pins.