Implantable medical device headers that facilitate device and lead configuration variants

• US 8,262,418 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2011
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Seeley, Dale F., Hegland, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Amy Cohen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US13/294,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20120058688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 439/668, 439/909, 607/36, 607/37
• US Class Current: 439/668
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/514 composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5224 for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/00 Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure contact members H01R13/02; securing contact members in or to a base or case or insulating of contact members H01R13/40; bases or cases H01R13/46; means for supporting coupling part when not engaged H01R13/60; means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement H01R13/62; means for preventing, inhibiting or avoiding incorrect coupling H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/86 Parallel contacts arranged about a common axis
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4038 Through-connections; Vertical interconnect access [VIA] connections H05K3/403, H05K3/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49165 by forming conductive walled aperture in base

Abstract

Implantable medical devices include headers having various features such as a modular design whereby the header is constructed from a series of stacked contact modules. Additional features include a feedthrough where pins exiting a housing of the implantable medical device extend into the header to make direct electrical connection to electrical contacts present within the header where those electrical contacts directly engage electrical connectors of leads inserted into the header. Other features include electrical contacts that are relatively thin conductors on the order of 0.040 inches or less and may include radial protrusions where the radial protrusions establish contact with the electrical connectors of the lead. Furthermore, electrical contacts may be mounted within the header in a floating manner so that radial movement of the electrical contact may occur during lead insertion.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a housing;

circuitry within the housing;

a feedthrough electrically connected to the circuitry and providing pins externally of the housing;

a header mounted to the housing, the header defining at least one lead passageway and comprising a plurality of electrical contacts, with each pin of the feedthrough extending through one channel of a set of channels in a first direction different than an axial dimension of the lead passageway and transitioning to a second direction different than an axial dimension of the lead passageway to establish an electrical coupling with a corresponding electrical contact.

2. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to the axial dimension of the lead passageway.

3. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein each pin contacts a corresponding electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts.

4. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the header further comprises a plurality of contact modules defining at least one lead passageway.

5. The implantable medical device of claim 4, wherein each contact module of the plurality of contact modules provides one channel of the plurality of channels.

6. The implantable medical device of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of contact isolators, with a contact isolator of the plurality of contact isolators being disposed within each of the at least one lead passageways of the corresponding contact modules of the plurality of contact modules with at least one electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts being located axially between contact isolators.

7. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a housing;

circuitry within the housing;

a feedthrough electrically connected to the circuitry and providing pins externally of the housing; and

a header mounted to the housing, the header defining at least one lead passageway and comprising a plurality of electrical contacts, with each pin of the feedthrough being electrically coupled to a corresponding electrical contact, and the header further defining axial extensions with circumferential spacing about the at least one lead passageway, with each electrical contact surrounding the axial extensions while having protrusions present within the circumferential spacing.

8. The implantable medical device of claim 7, wherein the header further comprises a plurality of contact modules defining the at least one lead passageway and providing the axial extensions.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of contact isolators, with a contact isolator of the plurality of contact isolators being disposed within each of the at least one lead passageways of the corresponding contact modules of the plurality of contact modules with at least one electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts being located axially between contact isolators.