Implantable medical device header

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9345185-B2
Application number	US-201213676742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2012
Priority date	Nov 14, 2012
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

Techniques for forming a header for an implantable medical device via a two-shot molding process are described. The two-shot molding processes may include a first molding step that creates a first-shot assembly and a second molding step that creates a second-shot assembly. The first-shot assembly may be formed to include one or more protrusions configured to interact with a second-shot mold and/or molding material in the second molding step. The second molding step may be configured to overmold the first-shot assembly. The header may include an attachment plate at least partially embedded in molding material and configured to be mechanically coupled to a body of the implantable medical device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of forming a header for an implantable medical device, the method comprising:
positioning a pre-molding assembly within a first-shot mold, wherein the pre-molding assembly comprises an antenna, an electrode, and an attachment plate, and wherein the first-shot mold defines at least one divot; and
creating a first-shot assembly by introducing a first shot molding material into the first-shot mold, wherein the first-shot assembly comprises the pre-molding assembly at least partially covered by the first-shot molding material, wherein the first-shot assembly comprises at least one protrusion of the first shot molding material extending from a surface of the first-shot assembly and formed by introduction of the first shot molding material into the at least one divot of the first-shot mold,
wherein the at least one protrusion extends from a surface of the first-shot assembly opposite the electrode, wherein the at least one protrusion is configured to engage with a wall of a second-shot mold to substantially prevent coverage of the electrode during injection of a second shot molding material into the second-shot mold.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one divot of the first-shot mold is adjacent to an antenna loading structure of the antenna, and wherein the at least one protrusion extends from a surface created by the antenna loading structure.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising placing the first-shot assembly into the second-shot mold, wherein placing the first-shot assembly into the second-shot mold comprises placing the at least one protrusion against a wall of the second-shot mold opposite the electrode.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one protrusion extends outward from a surface of the first-shot assembly at a first portion of the first-shot assembly, wherein the at least one protrusion is configured to guide flow of a second-shot molding material introduced proximate to the first portion toward a second, different portion of the first-shot assembly within a second-shot mold.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one protrusion extends between the electrode and an antenna loading structure of the antenna.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising placing the first-shot assembly into the second-shot mold, wherein placing the first-shot assembly into the second-shot mold comprises placing the at least one protrusion proximate to a portion of the second-shot mold into which the second-shot molding material is introduced.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
placing the first-shot assembly into the second-shot mold; and
injecting a second-shot molding material into the second-shot mold to substantially overmold the first-shot assembly.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the attachment plate includes:
a base configured to be mechanically coupled to a housing of the implantable medical device; and
extensions which extend outwardly from the base in a direction opposite the housing when the base is mechanically coupled to a housing of the implantable medical device, wherein the extensions form voids,
wherein introducing a first shot molding material into the first-shot mold comprises substantially filling the voids with the molding material to secure the attachment plate within the first-shot assembly.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising metal welding the attachment plate to a housing of the implantable medical device.

10. A method of forming a header for an implantable medical device, the method comprising:
positioning a pre-molding assembly within a first-shot mold, wherein the pre-molding assembly comprises an antenna, an electrode, and an attachment plate, and wherein the first-shot mold defines at least one divot; and
creating a first-shot assembly by introducing a first shot molding material into the first-shot mold, wherein the first-shot assembly comprises the pre-molding assembly at least partially covered by the first-shot molding material, wherein the first-shot assembly comprises at least one protrusion of the first shot molding material extending from a surface of the first-shot assembly at a first portion of the first-shot assembly and extending between the electrode and an antenna loading structure of the antenna and formed by introduction of the first shot molding material into the at least one divot of the first-shot mold, wherein the at least one protrusion is configured to guide flow of a second-shot molding material introduced proximate to the first portion toward a second, different portion of the first-shot assembly within a second-shot mold.

11. A header for an implantable medical device, the header comprising:
a first-shot assembly comprising a pre-molding assembly at least partially covered by a molding material, wherein the pre-molding assembly comprises an antenna, an electrode, and an attachment plate, wherein the first-shot assembly comprises at least one protrusion of the first shot molding material extending from a surface of the first-shot assembly and formed by introduction of the first shot molding material into the at least one divot of the first-shot mold, wherein the at least one protrusion extends from a surface of the first-shot assembly opposite the electrode, wherein the at least one protrusion is configured to engage with a wall of a second-shot mold to substantially prevent coverage of the electrode during injection of a second shot molding material into the second-shot mold.

12. The header of claim 11 , wherein the at least one divot of the first-shot mold is adjacent to an antenna loading structure of the antenna, and wherein the at least one protrusion extends from a surface created by the antenna loading structure.

13. The header of claim 11 , wherein the at least one protrusion extends outward from a surface of the first-shot assembly at a first portion of the first-shot assembly, wherein the at least one protrusion is configured to guide flow of a second-shot molding material introduced proximate to the first portion toward a second, different portion of the first-shot assembly within a second-shot mold.

14. The header of claim 13 , wherein the at least one protrusion extends between the electrode and an antenna loading structure of the antenna.

15. The header of claim 11 , further comprising an overmold at least partially covering the first-shot assembly.

16. The header of claim 11 , wherein the attachment plate comprises at least one extension, wherein the at least one extension defines at least one void filled with the molding material.

17. The header of claim 11 , wherein the attachment plate comprises a base configured to be mechanically coupled to a body of the implantable medical device, wherein the base defines a space configured to receive at least one feedthrough wire from the body of the implantable medical device.

Assignees

• Medtronic Inc

Inventors

• Prasannakumar Jeevan M
• Haenisch Christopher M
• Bates David
• Olson John C
• Patras George
• Zhao Yanzhu
• Weiand Jason P

Classifications

• A61N1/3752

  Details of casing-lead connections · CPC title

• H05K13/0015 Primary

  Orientation; Alignment; Positioning · CPC title

• H01Q1/273

  Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals · CPC title

• B29L2031/753

  Medical equipment; Accessories therefor (bloodbags, medical bags B29L2031/7148; artificial eyes B29L2011/0008) · CPC title

• H01Q9/42

  with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength · CPC title