Elevated hermetic feedthrough insulator adapted for side attachment of electrical conductors on the body fluid side of an active implantable medical device

• US 9,511,220 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Marzano, Thomas, Seitz, Keith W., Stevenson, Robert A., Tang, Xiaohong, Thiebolt, William C., Frysz, Christine A., Brendel, Richard L., Woods, Jason, Winn, Steven W., Frustaci, Dominick J., Truex, Bruehl E., Hickel, Donald H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): So, Elizabeth K
• Application Number:
  US14/600,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20150134039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/08 Arrangements or circuits for monitoring, protecting, controlling or indicating for external stimulators A61N1/3603; for implantable neurostimulators A61N1/36128; for heart stimulators A61N1/37; for defibrillators A61N1/3925
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37512 Pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3754 Feedthroughs
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/3013 Au as the principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 29/12 based on oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 2/103 Sealings, e.g. for lead-in wires; Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/005 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/12 Ceramic dielectrics H01G4/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/30 Stacked capacitors H01G4/33 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/35 Feed-through capacitors or anti-noise capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/40 Structural combinations of fixed capacitors with other electric elements, the structure mainly consisting of a capacitor, e.g. RC combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors of trolley lines B60M1/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/22 Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 with cutting, punching, tearing or severing

Abstract

An elevated feedthrough is attachable to a top or a side of an active implantable medical device. The feedthrough includes a conductive ferrule and a dielectric substrate. The dielectric substrate is defined as comprising a body fluid side and a device side disposed within the conductive ferrule. The dielectric substrate includes a body fluid side elevated portion generally raised above the conductive ferrule. At least one via hole is disposed through the dielectric substrate from the body fluid side to the device side. A conductive fill is disposed within the at least one via hole forming a hermetic seal and electrically conductive between the body fluid side and the device side. A leadwire connection feature is on the body fluid side electrically coupled to the conductive fill and disposed adjacent to the elevated portion of the dielectric substrate.

Claims

1. A filter feedthrough for an active implantable medical device, the filter feedthrough comprising:

a) a hermetic feedthrough, comprising;

i) a conductive ferrule comprising a ferrule sidewall having an inner ferrule surface defining a ferrule opening, wherein the ferrule sidewall extends from a first ferrule end surface spaced from a second ferrule end surface;

ii) a dielectric substrate disposed partially within and hermetically sealed to the inner ferrule surface, wherein the dielectric substrate comprises an elevated portion extending outwardly from the first ferrule end surface to an opposed dielectric end surface adjacent to the second ferrule end surface;

iii) at least one via hole extending through the dielectric substrate from an outer surface of the elevated portion to the opposed dielectric end surface;

iv) a conductive fill disposed within the at least one via hole in a hermetically sealed relationship therewith to thereby provide an electrically conductive path extending from a first fill end adjacent to an outer surface of the elevated portion of the dielectric substrate to a second fill end adjacent to the second dielectric end surface; and

v) a leadwire connection feature contacting the elevated dielectric portion, but spaced from the ferrule and spaced from the conductive fill,

vi) wherein the leadwire connection feature is electrically coupled to the conductive fill;

b) a feedthrough capacitor, comprising;

i) a capacitor dielectric body;

ii) at least one active electrode plate and at least one ground electrode plate encased in the capacitor dielectric body in spaced relation with each other;

iii) at least one open bore formed axially through the capacitor dielectric body;

iv) a first metallization contacting the bore in conductive relation with the active electrode plate;

v) a second metallization contacting an outer surface of the capacitor dielectric body in conductive relation with the ground electrode plate,

vi) wherein the capacitor dielectric body is mounted adjacent to the feedthrough with the second metallization electrically coupled to the conductive ferrule; and

c) an electrically conductive material physically contacting and electrically coupling the first metallization in the open bore to the second fill end in the at least one via hole to thereby electrically connect the at least one active electrode plate to the lead wire connection feature.

2. The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein a circuit trace disposed within the dielectric substrate electrically couples from the conductive fill to the leadwire connection feature.

3. The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the dielectric substrate has a dielectric constant that is less than 10.

4. The feedthrough of claim 3, wherein the hermetic seal comprises a tortuous and mutually conformal knitline between the dielectric substrate and the conductive fill.

5. The feedthrough of claim 4, wherein the knitline comprises a glass that is at least about 60% silica.

6. The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the leadwire connection feature comprises a wire bond pad.

7. The feedthrough of claim 1, including a conductive leadwire electrically coupled to the leadwire connection feature.

8. The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the dielectric substrate comprises at least 99% alumina.

9. The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the conductive fill comprises a substantially closed pore and fritless platinum fill.