Header contact for an implantable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016134074-A1
Application number	US-201614997788-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 18, 2016
Priority date	Jun 26, 2012
Publication date	May 12, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An implantable medical device includes a housing and a header mounted to the housing, the header including a header body having a bore with an electrical contact located within the bore, wherein the electrical contact includes a helical coil spring having an axial bore, wherein the axial bore of the helical coil spring is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the bore.

First claim

1 - 17 . (canceled)

18 . A method comprising:
forming an electrical contact including a helical coil spring having an axial bore; and placing the electrical contact into a header bore of an implantable device, wherein the axial bore of the helical coil spring is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the header bore.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the helical coil spring includes an intermediate section having a smaller outer diameter than a first end and a second end of the helical coil spring.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the intermediate section is dimensioned such that a lead terminal inserted into the helical coil spring is gripped by the intermediate section and not by the first or second ends of the helical coil spring.

21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the helical coil spring is positioned and configured to receive a terminal through a center of the axial bore at the center area of the helical coil, and wherein the helical coil includes an intermediate section having a smaller inner diameter as compared to a diameter of a first end and a diameter of a second end of the helical coil spring and the helical coil spring has a pitch such that adjacent filars of the helical coil spring do not touch each other.

22 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the helical coil spring is attached by at least one of a first end or a second end to a contact housing.

23 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the helical coil spring has a pitch such that adjacent filars of the helical coil spring do not touch each other during in-vivo use of the electrical contact.

24 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the helical coil spring is configured to minimize relative motion between an intermediate section of the helical coil spring and a terminal inserted into the helical coil spring.

25 . The method of claim 18 , wherein an intermediate turn of the helical coil spring is circular.

26 . The method of claim 18 , wherein an intermediate turn of the helical coil spring is elliptical.

27 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the helical coil spring is mounted within the bore with one of a first end or a second end rigidly fixed and the other of the first end or the second end movable longitudinally within the bore.

28 . The method of claim 18 , further including a lead including a terminal configured to be received within the bore.

29 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the helical coil spring is formed of an MP35N alloy.

30 . A method comprising:
forming an electrical contact including a helical coil spring having a helical coil formed of a plurality of coils with having an axial bore through a center area of each of the plurality of coils of the helical coil; and placing the electrical contact into a header bore of an implantable device, wherein the axial bore of the helical coil spring is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the header bore and positioned and configured to receive a terminal through a center of the axial bore at the center area of the helical coil, and wherein the helical coil includes an intermediate section having a smaller inner diameter as compared to a diameter of a first end and a diameter of a second end of the helical coil spring and the helical coil spring has a pitch such that adjacent filars of the helical coil spring do not touch each other.

31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the intermediate section is dimensioned such that a terminal inserted into the helical coil spring is gripped by the intermediate section.

32 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the helical coil spring is configured to minimize relative motion between an intermediate section of the helical coil spring and a terminal inserted into the helical coil spring.

33 . The method of claim 30 , wherein an intermediate turn of the helical coil spring is circular.

34 . The method of claim 30 , wherein an intermediate turn of the helical coil spring is elliptical.

35 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the helical coil spring is mounted within the bore with one of a first end or a second end rigidly fixed and the other of the first end or the second end movable longitudinally within the bore.

36 . The method of claim 30 , further including inserting a lead including a terminal within the bore.

37 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the helical coil spring is formed of an MP35N alloy.

Assignees

• Cardiac Pacemakers Inc

Inventors

• Flynn David M

Classifications

• Y10T29/49208

  by assembling plural parts · CPC title

• H01B13/0036

  Details · CPC title

• A61N1/3752 Primary

  Details of casing-lead connections · CPC title

• H01R24/58

  Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement · CPC title

• H01R13/2421

  using coil springs · CPC title