Reducing relative intermodule motion in a modular implantable medical device
First Claim
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1. An implantable medical device comprising:
- a plurality of interconnected modules, each of the modules comprising a respective housing to house each respective module;
an overmold comprising a first substantially flexible component that at least partially encapsulates each of the housings, and second and third components that are located adjacent to at least one side surface of a respective one of the housings, wherein the first component comprises an elastomeric material and the second and third components comprises a non-elastomeric material; and
a motion reduction element within the overmold to reduce relative motion between at least two of the modules,wherein the motion reduction element, couples the second and third components of the overmold.
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Abstract
A modular implantable medical device includes a plurality of modules that are at least partially encapsulated by an overmold. The modules may be connected by coupling modules, which may be flexible to provide for one or more degrees of relative intermodular motion. The overmold may also be flexible. In order to reduce relative intermodule motion to acceptable direction and/or ranges, the overmold may include one or more motion reduction elements.
181 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An implantable medical device comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected modules, each of the modules comprising a respective housing to house each respective module; an overmold comprising a first substantially flexible component that at least partially encapsulates each of the housings, and second and third components that are located adjacent to at least one side surface of a respective one of the housings, wherein the first component comprises an elastomeric material and the second and third components comprises a non-elastomeric material; and a motion reduction element within the overmold to reduce relative motion between at least two of the modules, wherein the motion reduction element, couples the second and third components of the overmold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An implantable medical device comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected modules, each of the modules comprising a respective housing to house each respective module; an overmold that at least partially encapsulates each of the housings; and a motion reduction element within the overmold to reduce relative motion between at least two of the modules, wherein the overmold comprises a first substantially flexible component that at least partially encapsulates each of the housings, and second and third components that are located adjacent to side surfaces of respective ones of the housings, and wherein the motion reduction element couples the second and third components of the overmold and comprises a first motion reduction element that protrudes from the second component of the overmold, the implantable medical device further comprising a second motion reduction element that protrudes from the third component of the overmold, wherein first and second motion reduction elements interact to reduce relative motion between modules associated with the second and third components.
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17. An implantable medical device comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected modules, each of the modules comprising a housing; an overmold that at least partially encapsulates each of the housings; and a motion reduction element within the overmold to reduce relative motion between at least two of the modules, wherein the motion reduction element comprises at least two rigid members coupled together with a mechanical moving element, and wherein the mechanical moving element includes a locking element to permit the at least two rigid members to be positioned into a desired location and to permit the locking element to retain the mechanical moving elements in the desired position. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An implantable medical device comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected modules, each of the modules comprising a respective housing to house each respective module; an overmold comprising a first substantially flexible component that at least partially encapsulates each of the housings, and second and third components that are located adjacent to at least one side surface of a respective one of the housings, wherein the first component comprises an elastomeric material and the second and third components comprise a non-elastomeric material; and means within the overmold for reducing relative motion between, at least two of the modules, wherein the means within the overmold for reducing relative motion between at least two of the modules couples the second and third components of the overmold. - View Dependent Claims (21, 23)
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22. The implantable medical device of 20, wherein at least one of the second and third components comprises the means for reducing relative motion between modules.
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24. An implantable medical device comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected modules, each of the modules comprising a housing; an overmold that at least partially encapsulates each of the housings; and means within the overmold for reducing relative motion between at least two of the modules, wherein the means for reducing relative motion comprises; means for permitting motion between at least two of the modules to a configuration; and means for locking the modules in the configuration.
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25. An implantable medical device comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected modules, each of the modules comprising a respective housing to house each respective module; an overmold that at least partially encapsulates each of the housings; a coupling module to couple at least two of the modules, wherein the coupling module is flexible to allow at least one degree of relative motion between the modules, the at least one degree of relative motion comprising rotational motion; and a motion reduction element within the overmold to reduce relative motion between the at least two of the modules in the at least one degree. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. An implantable medical device comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected modules, each of the modules comprising a respective housing to house each respective module; an overmold that at least partially encapsulates each of the housings, the overmold comprising a first component comprising an elastomeric material, and second and third components comprising nonelastomeric material; and a motion reduction element within the overmold to reduce relative motion between at least two of the modules, wherein the motion reduction element couples the second and third components of the overmold.
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Specification