Vacuum mandrel for use in fabricating an implantable electrode

• US 7,901,613 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2010
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Original Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Inventors: Sciacca, Joseph J., Kollatschny, Shawn D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis; Robert B
• Application Number:
  US12/652,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20100101944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 264/511, 264/272.15, 427/2.24
• US Class Current: 264/511
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/72 Encapsulating inserts having non-encapsulated projections, e.g. extremities or terminal portions of electrical components B29C70/742 takes precedence

Abstract

A vacuum mandrel for use in fabricating an implantable electrode comprises a hollow body member and a first groove provided radially on an outer surface of the hollow body member. The first groove is adapted to receive an implantable electrode and retain the electrode in place with a vacuum pressure during an elastomeric encapsulation of the electrode. The vacuum mandrel further comprises a vacuum port provided in the first groove.

Claims

1. A method of making an electrode, comprising:

providing a mandrel comprising a first groove in an outer surface thereof, a vacuum port in said first groove, and at least one longitudinal groove formed at one end of said first groove,

providing an electrode coupled to an end of a lead;

positioning said electrode in said first groove over said vacuum port;

retaining said electrode in said first groove through vacuum pressure applied through said vacuum port; and

applying an elastomer over said conductive electrode and to said at least one longitudinal groove while said electrode is retained in said first groove.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the mandrel comprises providing a pair of second longitudinal grooves formed at opposing ends of said first groove.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the mandrel comprises providing a raised surface in the first groove on which the vacuum port is provided.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first groove comprises a spiral groove.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a portion of the first groove has a different cross-section shape than another portion of the first groove.

2. A method of making an electrode, comprising:

positioning an electrode in a raised surface of a first groove in an outer surface of a mandrel, said first groove comprising a vacuum port;

retaining said electrode in said first groove through vacuum pressure applied through said vacuum port; and

applying an elastomer over said conductive electrode while said electrode is retained in said first groove.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein applying the elastomer comprises applying the elastomer to at least one longitudinal groove provided at an end of the first groove.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the first groove comprises a spiral groove.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein a portion of the first groove has a different cross-section shape than another portion of the first groove.