Connection between two components

• US 7,288,736 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2004
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Schildgen, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans; Geoffrey S.
• Application Number:
  US10/968,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20060081570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 219/121.63, 219/121.64, 219/121.83, 700/166
• US Class Current: 219/121.64
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/04 Automatically aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam, e.g. using the back-scattered light
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/206 Laser sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/28 of curved planar seams
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0443 Jigs
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/003 Combinations of clamps

Abstract

A method of connecting two components includes providing an assembly including a first component and a second component, optically sensing a connection region between the first component and the second component to produce an image, defining a substantially elliptical path in a three-dimensional space based on the image, and initiating relative movement between the assembly and welding means such that the welding means is positioned, by relative movement, along the substantially elliptical path to produce a weld between the first component and the second component.

Claims

1. A method of connecting a fill port to an interior side of a case for a flat electrolytic capacitor in an implantable medical device, the method comprising:

sensing optically a connection region between the fill port and the interior side of the case to produce an image;

defining a substantially elliptical path in a three-dimensional space based on the image;

initiating relative movement between the fill port and the laser beam;

applying welding means such that the welding means is positioned, by relative movement, along the substantially elliptical path to produce a weld between the first component and the second component, and the welding means occurs inside of the case which eliminates creation of a crevice between the fill port and the case.

2. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising providing a gas at or near the substantially elliptical path.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the welding means comprises a laser welding system.

4. A method of affixing a ferrule-shaped component to an interior side of a case component of an implantable medical device within a connection region between the interior side of the case component and the ferrule-shaped component, the method comprising:

initiating relative movement between a laser beam and the interior side of the case component;

directing movement of the laser beam along a substantially elliptical path based upon an image of the connection region produced by optical sensing of the connection region; and

creating a weld with the laser beam.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the weld has a substantially circular shape.

6. A method according to claim 4 and further comprising dynamically adjusting the substantially elliptical path followed by the laser beam as a function of a shape of the connection region between the ferrule-shaped component and the case component.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the weld comprises a substantially circular shape.

8. A method according to claim 4, wherein the case component comprises a portion of one of:

a capacitor, a battery, an implantable drug pump, and an implantable infusion pump.

9. A medium having a set of instructions for directing a welding apparatus in performing a welding method to produce a hermetic joint within a connection region between a first component and an interior side of a second component, comprising:

instructions for characterizing an apparent shape of the joint from a distant location using a vision system to determine a substantially elliptical three-dimensional path within the connection region;

instructions for establishing a first angular increment along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path;

instructions for determining a first point along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path corresponding to the first angular increment using the vision system;

instructions for positioning the laser beam at a starting point on the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path;

instructions for initiating a relative movement between the laser beam and the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path for positioning the laser beam at the first point along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path; and

instructions for directing movement of the laser beam along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path using the vision system to produce a circular weld.

10. A method of positioning a laser beam along a substantially elliptical three-dimensional path, the method comprising:

locating a center location of the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path using a vision system;

establishing a first angular increment from the center location of the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path;

determining a first point along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path corresponding to the first angular increment using the vision system;

positioning the laser beam at a starting point on the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path; and

initiating a relative movement between the laser beam and the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path for positioning the laser beam at the first point along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path.

11. A method according to claim 10 and further comprising:

establishing a second angular increment from the center location of the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path, wherein the second angular increment is past the first angular increment;

determining a second point along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path corresponding to the second angular increment using the vision system; and

positioning the laser beam at the second point along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path.

12. A method according to claim 10 and further comprising providing a gas at or near the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path.

13. A method according to claim 10 and further comprising:

providing an assembly including a first component and a second component, wherein an opening is disposed in the first component and at least a portion of the second component is disposed within the opening; and

creating a weld between the first component and the second component using the laser.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the weld is substantially circular.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the first component has an interior surface and the weld forms a hermetic seal disposed along the interior surface of the first component.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein a vision system is used to adjust the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path as a function of a shape of a connection region between the first component and the second component.

17. A method of positioning a laser beam along a joint within a connection region between a first component and an interior side of a second component, the method comprising:

characterizing an apparent shape of the joint from a distant location using a vision system to determine a substantially elliptical three-dimensional path within the connection region;

establishing a first angular increment along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path;

determining a first point along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path corresponding to the first angular increment using the vision system;

positioning the laser beam at a starting point on the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path;

initiating a relative movement between the laser beam and the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path for positioning the laser beam at the first point along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path; and

directing movement of the laser beam along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path using the vision system to produce a circular weld.

18. An apparatus adapted to weld a hermetic joint within a connection region between a first component and an interior side of a second component, comprising:

means for optically sensing a connection region including the joint between the first component and the interior side of the second component to produce an image;

means for defining a substantially elliptical path in a three-dimensional space within the connection region based on the image; and

means for initiating relative movement between the assembly and a weld head such that the weld head is directed along the substantially elliptical path to produce a circular weld between the first component and the interior side of the second component.

19. An apparatus adapted to weld a hermetic joint within a connection region between a first component and an interior side of a second component, comprising:

means for characterizing an apparent shape of the joint from a distant location using a vision system to determine a substantially elliptical three-dimensional path within the connection region;

means for establishing a first angular increment along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path;

means for determining a first point along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path corresponding to the first angular increment using the vision system;

means for positioning the laser beam at a starting point on the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path;

means for initiating a relative movement between the laser beam and the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path for positioning the laser beam at the first point along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path; and

means for directing movement of the laser beam along the substantially elliptical three-dimensional path using the vision system to produce a circular weld.

20. A medium having instructions for directing a welding apparatus in performing a welding method to produce a hermetic joint within a connection region between a first component and an interior side of a second component, comprising:

instructions for optically sensing a connection region including the joint between the first component and the interior side of the second component to produce an image;

instructions for defining a substantially elliptical path in a three-dimensional space within the connection region based on the image; and

instructions for initiating relative movement between the assembly and a weld head such that the weld head is directed along the substantially elliptical path to produce a circular weld between the first component and the interior side of the second component.