Co-fired metal and ceramic composite feedthrough assemblies for use at least in implantable medical devices and methods for making the same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An implantable biocompatible hermetic feedthrough comprising:
- a first ceramic insulative biocompatible layer having at least one bonding surface;
a second ceramic insulative biocompatible layer bonded to the first insulative layer at the bonding surface; and
one or more biocompatible metal conductors compacted between the first and second insulative ceramic layers along at least a portion of the bonding surface, said bonding surface having a planar portion and the conductors disposed parallel to the planar portion such that the one or more conductors extend along the bonding surface wherein the one or more conductors and first and second insulative layers form a co-fired monolithic ceramic-to-metal composite structure after being fired together with the first and second insulative layers hermetically bonded at the bonding surface such that the one or more biocompatible conductors are exposed at both ends of the co-fired monolithic ceramic-to-metal composite structure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hermetic interconnect for medical devices is disclosed. In one embodiment, the interconnect includes platinum leads co-fired between alumina substrates to form a monolithic composite that is subsequently bonded into a titanium alloy flange. Both methodology for forming these interconnects as well as specific geometries and compositions are disclosed. Interconnects formed in this fashion enable significant reductions in overall size of the interconnect relative to the number of feedthrough leads as well as substantial improvements in robustness versus currently available technology.
-
Citations
29 Claims
-
1. An implantable biocompatible hermetic feedthrough comprising:
-
a first ceramic insulative biocompatible layer having at least one bonding surface; a second ceramic insulative biocompatible layer bonded to the first insulative layer at the bonding surface; and one or more biocompatible metal conductors compacted between the first and second insulative ceramic layers along at least a portion of the bonding surface, said bonding surface having a planar portion and the conductors disposed parallel to the planar portion such that the one or more conductors extend along the bonding surface wherein the one or more conductors and first and second insulative layers form a co-fired monolithic ceramic-to-metal composite structure after being fired together with the first and second insulative layers hermetically bonded at the bonding surface such that the one or more biocompatible conductors are exposed at both ends of the co-fired monolithic ceramic-to-metal composite structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 26, 27)
-
-
5. A method of forming an implantable biocompatible hermetic feedthrough comprising:
-
providing a first ceramic insulative biocompatible layer with at least one bonding surface; providing a second ceramic insulative biocompatible layer; disposing one or more biocompatible metal conductors between the first and second ceramic insulative layers along at least a portion of the bonding surface and parallel to a planar portion of the bonding surface; compressing the ceramic insulative biocompatible layers to facilitate alignment and bonding of the ceramic insulative layers around the biocompatible conductors; hermetically bonding the first and second ceramic insulative layer at the bonding surface; machining the feedthrough from the bonded insulative layers such that the one or more conductors are exposed at opposite ends of the feedthrough; and firing the bonded first and second layers, before or after machining the feedthrough, to form a co-fired monolithic ceramic-to-metal structure. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29)
-
Specification