Implantable medical device having feedthru assembly with header side bunched conductor array and can side linear conductor array

• US 8,649,869 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2012
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Imani, Reza, Meulmester, Micah
• Primary Examiner(s): GETZOW, SCOTT M
• Application Number:
  US13/412,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20130231718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 607 36- 38
• US Class Current: 607/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3754 Feedthroughs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5224 for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7195 with planar filters with openings for contacts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49174 Assembling terminal to elongated conductor

Abstract

An implantable pulse generator includes a header, a can, a grouped array feedthru, and an inline array feedthru board. The feedthru includes a header side, a can side and a grouped array of feedthru wires extending through the feedthru. A first end of each feedthru wire is electrically coupled to a lead connector block. The inline array feedthru board includes a grouped array of first electrical contact holes and an inline array of conductor wires. The grouped array of first electrical contact holes receives therein second ends of the feedthru wires. The inline array of conductor wires projects from a side of the board opposite the feedthru. Each first electrical contact hole is in electrical communication with a respective conductor wire. Each conductor wire is in electrical contact with at least a portion of an electrical connection region of an electronic substrate housed within the can.

Claims

1. An implantable pulse generator comprising:

a header including lead connector blocks;

a can coupled to the header and including a wall and an electronic substrate housed within the wall, the electronic substrate including an electrical connection region;

a grouped array feedthru mounted in the wall and comprising;

a feedthru housing having a header side and a can side;

an electrically insulative core disposed within the feedthru housing; and

a grouped array of feedthru wires extending through the electrically insulative core, each feedthru wire having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end electrically coupled to a lead connector block of the lead connector blocks; and

an inline array feedthru board adjacent the can side and comprising;

a grouped array of first electrical contact holes receiving therein the second ends; and

an inline array of conductor wires projecting from a side of the board opposite the feedthru, each first electrical contact hole in electrical communication with a respective conductor wire, and each conductor wire in electrical contact with at least a portion of the electrical connection region.

2. The pulse generator of claim 1, wherein the grouped array of feedthru wires is two rows of four feedthru wires and the inline array of conductor wires is a single line of at least eight conductor wires.

3. The pulse generator of claim 1, wherein the grouped array of feedthru wires is two rows of three feedthru wires and the inline array of conductor wires is a single line of at least six conductor wires.

4. The pulse generator of claim 1, wherein the grouped array of feedthru wires is two rows of two feedthru wires and the inline array of conductor wires is a single line of at least four conductor wires.

5. The pulse generator of claim 1, further comprising an EMI filter coupled to the feedthru.

6. The pulse generator of claim 5, wherein the EMI filter is sandwiched between the feedthru and board, and the grouped array of feedthru wires extend through the EMI filter before being received in the grouped array of first electrical contact holes.

7. The pulse generator of claim 5, wherein the EMI filter includes at least one of a discoidal capacitor or a discrete capacitor.

8. The pulse generator of claim 1, wherein the board includes respective conductive traces extending through a body of the board so each first electrical contact hole is in electrical communication with a respective conductor wire.

9. The pulse generator of claim 7, further comprising a ground wire extending from the board on a side opposite a side from which the conductor wires extend, the ground wire being in electrical contact with a conductor wire of the inline array and a housing of the feedthru.

10. The pulse generator of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection region includes a plug-in type electrical connector having an inline array of second electrical contact holes and each conductor wire is received in a respective second electrical contact hole.

11. The pulse generator of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection region includes at least one of wire bonding pads or Kovar tabs and each conductor wire is electrically coupled to a respective pad or tab.

12. The pulse generator of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection region includes a portion of the electronic substrate configured for at least one of wire bonding, welding or soldering each conductor wire to the portion of the electronic substrate.

13. An implantable pulse generator comprising:

a header including lead connector blocks;

a can coupled to the header and including a wall and an electronic substrate housed within the wall, the electronic substrate including an electrical connection region; and

a feedthru assembly including a feedthru mounted in the wall and a feedthru board coupled to the feedthru and housed within the wall, the feedthru having a feedthru housing and an electrically insulative core disposed within the feedthru housing;

wherein a grouped array of feedthru wires extends from the connector blocks, through the electrically insulative core and into the feedthru board;

wherein a linear array of conductor wires extends from a side of the board opposite the feedthru;

wherein each feedthru wire is in electrical communication with a respective conductor wire; and

wherein each conductor wire is received in the electrical connection region.

14. The pulse generator of claim 13, wherein the grouped array of feedthru wires is two rows of four feedthru wires and the linear array of conductor wires is a single line of at least eight conductor wires.

15. The pulse generator of claim 13, wherein the grouped array of feedthru wires is two rows of three feedthru wires and the linear array of conductor wires is a single line of at least six conductor wires.

16. The pulse generator of claim 13, wherein the grouped array of feedthru wires is two rows of two feedthru wires and the linear array of conductor wires is a single line of at least four conductor wires.

17. The pulse generator of claim 13, further comprising an EMI filter coupled to the feedthru.

18. The pulse generator of claim 17, wherein the EMI filter is sandwiched between the feedthru and board, and the grouped array of feedthru wires extend through the EMI filter before extending into the board.

19. The pulse generator of claim 17, wherein the EMI filter includes at least one of a discoidal capacitor or a discrete capacitor.

20. The pulse generator of claim 13, wherein the board includes respective conductive traces extending through a body of the board so each feedthru wire is in electrical communication with a respective conductor wire.

21. The pulse generator of claim 20, further comprising a ground wire extending from the board on a side opposite a side from which the conductor wires extend, the ground wire being in electrical contact with a conductor wire of the linear array and a housing of the feedthru.

22. The pulse generator of claim 13, wherein the electrical connection region includes a plug-in type electrical connector having a linear array of electrical contact holes and each conductor wire is received in a respective electrical contact hole.

23. The pulse generator of claim 13, wherein the electrical connection region includes at least one of wire bonding pads or Kovar tabs and each conductor wire is electrically coupled to a respective pad or tab.

24. The pulse generator of claim 13, wherein the electrical connection region includes a portion of the electronic substrate configured for at least one of wire bonding, welding or soldering each conductor wire to the portion of the electronic substrate.

25. A method of manufacturing an implantable pulse generator, the method comprising:

providing a feedthru assembly having a feedthru with a feedthru housing, an electrically insulative core disposed within the feedthru housing, and a bunched array of feedthru wires extending from a header side of the feedthru and a linear array of conductor wires extending from a can side of a feedthru board of the assembly, the feedthru board being adjacent a can side of the feedthru;

coupling the bunched array of feedthru wires to connector blocks in a header of the pulse generator; and

extending the linear array of conductor wires into an electrical connection region of an electronic substrate housed within a can of the pulse generator.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein extending the linear array of conductor wires into an electrical connection region includes plugging the linear array of conductor wires into a linear array of contact holes of a plug-in type connector electrically coupled to the electronic substrate housed within the can of the pulse generator.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the feedthru assembly is configured to transition the bunched array of feedthru wires into the linear array of conductor wires.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the feedthru assembly includes an EMI filter sandwiched between the feedthru and feedthru board, and the bunched array of feedthru wires extends through the EMI filter and into the feedthru board.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the bunched array of feedthru wires includes multiple rows of multiple feedthru wires, and the linear array of conductor wires includes a singe line of multiple conductor wires.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein extending the linear array of conductor wires into an electrical connection region includes electrically coupling the linear array of conductor wires to at least one of wire bond pads or Kovar tabs electrically coupled to the electronic substrate housed within the can of the pulse generator.