Electrode array assembly and method of making same

• US 8,918,987 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuzma, Janusz A., Pianca, Anne Margaret
• Primary Examiner(s): ANGWIN, DAVID PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US14/069,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20140053401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 298/25, 607115-122
• US Class Current: 29/825
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4922 with molding of insulation

Abstract

A lead assembly and a method of making a lead are provided. The method of making a multi-contact lead assembly comprises placing monofilament placed in the void spaces not occupied by the plurality of conductor wires and, in one embodiment, thermally fusing the monofilament to the like material spacer by applying heat just below the melting temperature of the monofilament and spacer material. Alternatively, the monofilament and spacer may be of different materials and heat is applied to cause at least one material to thermally reflow or melt. The conductive contacts may be located at either the distal end and/or proximal end of the lead. Oversized spacers may be used in order to provide extra material to fill voids during the thermal fusion/reflow process.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a stimulation lead comprising:

providing a plurality of conductive contacts located at an end of a lead body of the stimulation lead and providing a plurality of conductor wires disposed in a plurality of conductor lumens formed in the lead body, wherein each of the conductor wires is disposed within one of the plurality of conductor lumens and each of the conductor lumens of the plurality of conductor lumens has at least one of the conductor wires of the plurality of conductor wires disposed therein, wherein a portion of the conductor lumens is disposed radially beneath the conductive contacts;

connecting at least one of the plurality of conductor wires to each of the conductive contacts; and

placing non-conductive material into at least one portion of at least one of the conductor lumens of the lead body that is not occupied by a conductor wire, wherein at least a portion of the non-conductive material is radially disposed beneath the conductive contacts.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the non-conductive material to cause the non-conductive material to thermally reflow or melt within the at least one of the conductor lumens.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein heating the non-conductive material comprises heating the non-conductive material at a temperature in a range of 140 to 250 degrees Celsius for a period in a range of 15 to 120 seconds to cause the non-conductive material to thermally reflow or melt within the at least one of the conductor lumens.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing spacers between pairs of adjacent conductive contacts.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising heating the non-conductive material and spacers to cause the non-conductive material to thermally reflow or melt and to cause the non-conductive material and spacers to thermally fuse together.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein a material of the spacers and the non-conductive material are a same material.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein a material of the spacers and the non-conductive material are different materials.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive material comprises polyurethane.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing a heat shrink tubing around the conductive contacts and the non-conductive material.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein placing non-conductive material comprises placing the non-conductive material into a portion of each of the conductor lumens of the lead body that is not occupied by a conductor wire, wherein at least a portion of the non-conductive material in each of the conductor lumens is disposed radially beneath the conductive contacts.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive material comprises a monofilament.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a central lumen is formed in the lead body with the plurality of conductor lumens arranged around, and external to, the central lumen.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductor lumens is exactly eight conductor lumens.

14. A method of manufacturing a stimulation lead comprising:

providing a plurality of conductive contacts located at an end of a lead body of the stimulation lead and providing a plurality of conductor wires disposed in a plurality of conductor lumens formed in the lead body, wherein each of the conductor wires is disposed within one of the plurality of conductor lumens and each of the conductor lumens of the plurality of conductor lumens has at least one of the conductor wires of the plurality of conductor wires disposed therein, wherein a portion of the conductor lumens is disposed radially beneath the conductive contacts;

connecting at least one of the plurality of conductor wires to each of the conductive contacts;

placing non-conductive material into at least one portion of each of the conductor lumens of the lead body that is not occupied by a conductor wire, wherein at least a portion of the non-conductive material is radially disposed beneath the conductive contacts; and

after placing the non-conductive material, heating the non-conductive material to cause the non-conductive material to thermally reflow or melt within the at least one of the conductor lumens.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein heating the non-conductive material comprises heating the non-conductive material at a temperature in a range of 140 to 250 degrees Celsius for a period in a range of 15 to 120 seconds to cause the non-conductive material to thermally reflow or melt.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising placing spacers between pairs of adjacent conductive contacts.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising heating the non-conductive material and spacers to cause the non-conductive material to thermally reflow or melt and to cause the non-conductive material and spacers to thermally fuse together.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein a material of the spacers and the non-conductive material are a same material.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein a material of the spacers and the non-conductive material are different materials.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein a central lumen is formed in the lead body with the plurality of conductor lumens arranged around, and external to, the central lumen.