Connector assembly for use with medical devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An implantable medical connector stack having easy to install ring grooves for receiving contact springs comprising:
- a first seal element made of a dielectric material comprising an annulus comprising a projection;
said annulus comprising a generally planar wall surface;
a conductive ring contact element comprising an interior wall surface adjacent at least one axial opening;
a second seal element made of a dielectric material comprising an annulus comprising a projection;
a canted coil spring;
wherein the conductive ring contact element is engaged to the first seal element and the second seal element and a ring groove is formed by a bottom wall of the conductive ring contact element and two side walls formed from one each of the first and second seal elements; and
wherein the generally planar wall surface of the first seal element forms a dielectric side wall of the ring groove that together with the interior wall surface of the conductive ring contact element define a physical stop for retaining the canted coil spring inside the ring groove, and a portion of at least one of the seal elements projects into the conductive ring contact element.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Connector assemblies for use with implantable medical devices having easy to assemble contacts are disclosed. The connector assemblies are generally formed by coupling a plurality of ring contacts, sealing rings, and spring contact elements together with at least one holding ring to form a connector having a common bore fore receiving a medical lead cable. Contact grooves or spring chambers for positioning the spring contact elements are formed in part by assembling multiple components together.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. An implantable medical connector stack having easy to install ring grooves for receiving contact springs comprising:
-
a first seal element made of a dielectric material comprising an annulus comprising a projection;
said annulus comprising a generally planar wall surface;a conductive ring contact element comprising an interior wall surface adjacent at least one axial opening; a second seal element made of a dielectric material comprising an annulus comprising a projection; a canted coil spring; wherein the conductive ring contact element is engaged to the first seal element and the second seal element and a ring groove is formed by a bottom wall of the conductive ring contact element and two side walls formed from one each of the first and second seal elements; and wherein the generally planar wall surface of the first seal element forms a dielectric side wall of the ring groove that together with the interior wall surface of the conductive ring contact element define a physical stop for retaining the canted coil spring inside the ring groove, and a portion of at least one of the seal elements projects into the conductive ring contact element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An implantable medical connector stack having easy to install ring grooves for receiving contact springs comprising:
-
a conductive ring contact element comprising a first axial side, a second axial side, and a bottom wall having a V-shape configuration; a first dielectric seal element in mechanical engagement with the first axial side of the conductive ring contact element; a second dielectric seal element in mechanical engagement with the second axial side of the conductive ring contact element; and wherein a ring groove for accommodating a canted coil spring is formed by the engagements between the conductive ring contact element and the first and second dielectric seal elements; and wherein at least part of the ring groove has a first side wall formed by at least one of the first dielectric seal element and the second dielectric seal element, and a portion of at least one of the dielectric seal elements projects into the conductive ring contact element. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A method for forming an implantable medical connector stack having easy to install ring grooves for receiving contact springs comprising:
-
positioning a canted coil spring into a conductive ring contact element; positioning the conductive ring contact element into engagement with a first dielectric seal element; positioning the conductive ring contact element into engagement with a second dielectric seal element; wherein a groove comprising a bottom wall and two side walls is formed by the engagement between the conductive ring contact element and both the first and second dielectric seal elements; and wherein at least one of the two side walls is formed by part of the first dielectric seal element or the second dielectric seal element, and a portion of at least one of the dielectric seal elements projects into the conductive ring contact element. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A method for forming a connector stack for an implantable medical device having reduced overall length comprising:
-
inserting a tubular ring contact element into two adjacent seal ring elements to form a ring groove; placing a spring into said ring groove; wherein the seal ring elements form at least one side wall of two successive ring grooves, the seal ring elements each comprising an annular projection for forming a seal against a lead body; and wherein the tubular ring contact element is inserted into an interior shoulder of one of the two adjacent seal ring elements. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
-
Specification