Connection for a coiled lead to an electrical contact for an implantable medical device
First Claim
1. An electrode assembly for an implantable medical device, the electrode assembly comprising:
- a) an electrical contact having a sidewall extending to an upper face and a lower face;
b) a crimping member comprising a crimping member sidewall surrounding an opening extending from a crimping member upper surface to a crimping member lower surface, wherein the crimping member opening receives the electrical contact sidewall in a closely spaced relationship, and wherein the crimping member has a radial bore extending from a crimping member outer surface spaced from the electrical contact to a crimping member inner surface in communication with the crimping member opening defined by the crimping member sidewall, wherein the radial bore is disposed intermediate the crimping member upper and lower surfaces;
c) a helical strand comprising at least one coiled filar providing a rugosity extending to a proximal end connectable to the medical device and a distal end; and
d) a mandrel received in a lumen of the helical strand at the distal end thereof, wherein the distal end of the helical strand supporting the mandrel resides in the radial bore of the crimping member characterized as having been deformed under a compression pressure to lock onto the sidewall of the electrical contact and into the rugosity of the helical strand with the mandrel residing permanently in the coiled filar and preventing damage to the coiled filar.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
High reliability electrical connections between a helical strand and flat electrodes, such as strip electrodes found in implantable neurostimulator systems, are described. The connection consists of a crimp joint in which an inside diameter mandrel is used to provided the coil with sufficient radial rigidity to ensure structural integrity of the crimp. The mandrel is made of a relatively soft biocompatible material that deforms rather than damages the fine wires of the helical strand during crimping. The crimp is accomplished by radial deformation of an annular or semi-annular crimping member that receives the helical strand/mandrel assembly.
36 Citations
46 Claims
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1. An electrode assembly for an implantable medical device, the electrode assembly comprising:
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a) an electrical contact having a sidewall extending to an upper face and a lower face; b) a crimping member comprising a crimping member sidewall surrounding an opening extending from a crimping member upper surface to a crimping member lower surface, wherein the crimping member opening receives the electrical contact sidewall in a closely spaced relationship, and wherein the crimping member has a radial bore extending from a crimping member outer surface spaced from the electrical contact to a crimping member inner surface in communication with the crimping member opening defined by the crimping member sidewall, wherein the radial bore is disposed intermediate the crimping member upper and lower surfaces; c) a helical strand comprising at least one coiled filar providing a rugosity extending to a proximal end connectable to the medical device and a distal end; and d) a mandrel received in a lumen of the helical strand at the distal end thereof, wherein the distal end of the helical strand supporting the mandrel resides in the radial bore of the crimping member characterized as having been deformed under a compression pressure to lock onto the sidewall of the electrical contact and into the rugosity of the helical strand with the mandrel residing permanently in the coiled filar and preventing damage to the coiled filar. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for providing an electrode assembly connectable to an implantable medical device, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing an electrical contact having a sidewall extending to an upper face and a lower face; b) providing a deformable crimping member comprising a crimping member sidewall surrounding an opening extending along a first axis from a crimping member upper surface to a crimping member lower surface, wherein the crimping member opening receives the electrical contact sidewall in a closely spaced relationship, and wherein the crimping member has a radial bore extending along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis from a crimping member outer surface spaced from the electrical contact to a crimping member inner surface in communication with the opening defined by the crimping member sidewall, wherein the radial bore is disposed intermediate the crimping member upper and lower surfaces; c) providing a helical strand comprising at least one coiled filar providing a rugosity extending to a distal end and a proximal end connectable to the medical device; d) positioning a mandrel in a lumen of the helical strand at the distal end thereof; e) moving the distal end of the helical strand supporting the mandrel into the radial bore of the crimping member; and f) deforming the crimping member under a compression pressure so that the crimping member locks onto the sidewall of the electrical contact and into the rugosity of the helical strand with the mandrel residing permanently in the coiled filar and preventing damage to the coiled filar. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An electrode assembly for an implantable medical device, the electrode assembly comprising:
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a) an electrical contact having a sidewall extending to an upper face and a lower face, wherein the electrical contact has a groove provided in at least a portion of its sidewall; b) a crimping member comprising a crimping member sidewall surrounding an opening that receives the electrical contact sidewall in a closely spaced relationship, wherein the crimping member has a radial bore extending from an outer surface spaced from the electrical contact to an inner surface in communication with the opening defined by the crimping member sidewall; c) a helical strand comprising at least one coiled filar providing a rugosity extending to a proximal end connectable to the medical device and a distal end; and d) a mandrel received in a lumen of the helical strand at the distal end thereof, wherein the distal end of the helical strand supporting the mandrel resides in the radial bore of the crimping member characterized as having been deformed under a compression pressure to reside in the groove in the sidewall of the electrical contact locked to the crimping member and with the crimping member deformed into the rugosity of the helical strand having the mandrel residing permanently in the coiled filar and preventing damage to the coiled filar. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. An electrode assembly for an implantable medical device, the electrode assembly comprising:
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a) an electrical contact having a sidewall extending to an upper face and a lower face; b) a crimping member comprising a crimping member sidewall surrounding an opening that receives the electrical contact sidewall in a closely spaced relationship, wherein the crimping member has a radial bore extending from an outer surface spaced from the electrical contact to an inner surface in communication with the opening defined by the crimping member sidewall; c) a helical strand comprising at least one coiled filar providing a rugosity extending to a proximal end connectable to the medical device and a distal end; and d) a mandrel received in a lumen of the helical strand at the distal end thereof, wherein the distal end of the helical strand supporting the mandrel resides in the radial bore of the crimping member characterized as having been deformed under a compression pressure to lock onto the sidewall of the electrical contact and into the rugosity of the helical strand with the mandrel residing permanently in the coiled filar and preventing damage to the coiled filar, and wherein a first height of the electrical contact from its upper face to its lower face is greater than a second height of the deformed crimping member between an upper surface and a lower surface thereof.
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29. A method for providing an electrode assembly connectable to an implantable medical device, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing an electrical contact having a sidewall extending to an upper face and a lower face with a groove provided in at least a portion of the sidewall; b) providing a deformable crimping member comprising a crimping member sidewall surrounding an opening that receives the electrical contact sidewall in a closely spaced relationship, wherein the crimping member has a radial bore extending from an outer surface spaced from the electrical contact to an inner surface in communication with the opening defined by the crimping member sidewall; c) providing a helical strand comprising at least one coiled filar providing a rugosity extending to a distal end and a proximal end connectable to the medical device; d) positioning a mandrel in a lumen of the helical strand at the distal end thereof; e) moving the distal end of the helical strand supporting the mandrel into the radial bore of the crimping member; and f) deforming the crimping member under a compression pressure to provide the crimping member residing in the groove in the sidewall of the electrical contact thereby locking to the crimping member and with the crimping member deforming into the rugosity of the helical strand with the mandrel residing permanently in the coiled filar thereby preventing damage to the coiled filar. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. An electrode assembly for an implantable medical device, the electrode assembly comprising:
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a) an electrical contact having a sidewall extending to an upper face and a lower face; b) a crimping member comprising a crimping member sidewall surrounding an opening extending along a first axis from a crimping member upper surface to a crimping member lower surface, wherein the crimping member opening receives the electrical contact sidewall in a closely spaced relationship, and wherein the crimping member has a radial bore extending along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis from a crimping member outer surface spaced from the electrical contact to a crimping member inner surface in communication with the opening defined by the crimping member sidewall and intermediate the crimping member upper and lower surfaces; c) a helical strand comprising at least one coiled filar providing a rugosity extending to a proximal end connectable to the medical device and a distal end; and d) a mandrel received in a lumen of the helical strand at the distal end thereof, wherein the distal end of the helical strand supporting the mandrel resides in the radial bore of the crimping member characterized as having been deformed under a compression pressure to lock onto the sidewall of the electrical contact and into the rugosity of the helical strand with the mandrel residing permanently in the coiled filar and preventing damage to the coiled filar. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification