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EP-4740997-A1 - IS-1 SPRING SLEEVE WITH BUILT-IN FASTENERS

EP4740997A1EP 4740997 A1EP4740997 A1EP 4740997A1EP-4740997-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a header (11) of an implantable medical device (1), comprising a receptacle (12) configured to receive a plug of an electrode lead and at least one electrical contact (13) arranged in the receptacle (12) and configured to receive and to electrically contact the plug of the electrode lead; the electrical contact (13) comprising: a sleeve (2) comprising an inner side (20) that surrounds an opening (21) of the sleeve (2), and a spring element (3) arranged in the opening (21), wherein the spring element (3) is configured to receive a plug to establish an electrical connection between the spring element (3) and the plug, wherein the spring element (3) is positioned in the opening (21) of the sleeve (2) and secured therein by a mechanical retention.

Inventors

  • BINIAS, Sofia
  • GROSSE, INES

Assignees

  • BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241106

Claims (15)

  1. Header (11) for an implantable medical device (1), comprising a receptacle (12) configured to receive a plug of an electrode lead and at least one electrical contact (13) arranged in the receptacle (12) and configured to receive and to electrically contact the plug of the electrode lead; the electrical contact (13) comprising: - a sleeve (2) comprising an inner side (20) that surrounds an opening (21) of the sleeve (2), and - a spring element (3) arranged in the opening (21), wherein the spring element (3) is configured to receive a plug to establish an electrical connection between the spring element (3) and the plug, characterized in that the spring element (3) is positioned in the opening (21) of the sleeve (2) and secured therein by a mechanical retention.
  2. The header according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve (2) comprises a protrusion (22) protruding from said inner side (20) of the sleeve, wherein the protrusion (22) is configured to engage with the spring element (3) to retain the spring element (3) in the opening (21).
  3. The header according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion (22) is elongated, particularly in an axial direction (z) of the sleeve (2).
  4. The header according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the protrusion (22) is received in an aperture (30) of the spring element (3) to retain the spring element (3) in the opening (21) of the sleeve (3).
  5. The header according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner side (20) of the sleeve (2) comprises a circumferential first end (20a) and an opposing circumferential second end (20b).
  6. The header according to claims 2 and 5, wherein the protrusion (22) is located on the first end (20a).
  7. The header according to claim 2 or according to one of the claims 5 to 6 insofar referring to claim 2, wherein the spring element (3) comprises a first end (3a) configured to butt against the protrusion (22) to retain the spring element (3) in the opening (21).
  8. The header according to claim 2 or according to one of claims 3 to 7 insofar referring to claim 2, wherein the protrusion (22) is an annular protrusion.
  9. The header according to one of the claims 6 to 8, wherein the sleeve (2) comprises a plurality of protrusions (22) located on the first end (21a) of the inner side (20).
  10. The header according to claim 2 or according to one of the claims 3 to 9 insofar referring to claim 2, wherein the sleeve (2) comprises a further protrusion (23) protruding from said inner side (20) of the sleeve (2), wherein the further protrusion (23) is configured to engage with the spring element (3) to retain the spring element (3) in the opening (20).
  11. The header according to claims 5 and 10, wherein the further protrusion (23) is located on the second end (20b).
  12. The header according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the spring element comprises a second end (3b) configured to butt against the further protrusion (23) to retain the spring element (3) in the opening (21).
  13. The header according to one of the claims 10 to 12, wherein the further protrusion (23) is an annular protrusion.
  14. The header according to one of the claims 10 to 12, wherein the sleeve (2) comprises a plurality of further protrusions (23) located on the second end (20b) of the inner side (20).
  15. The header according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the spring element (3) is a bent metal plate and comprises two opposing end portions (31, 32), the respective end portion (31, 32) forming an open ring, and wherein the two end portions (31, 32) are connected by struts (33) being spaced apart in a circumferential direction C1 of the spring element (3).

Description

The present invention relates to an implant, particularly an active implant such as an implantable cardiac pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Typically, such an implant requires the possibility of connecting an electrode lead to the implant via a header of the implant. To this end, the header can comprise a receptacle for receiving a connector (e.g. plug) of the electrode lead. Such a plug is usually received in a sleeve comprising a spring element therein that engages with the plug and realizes an electrically conducting connection between the plug and the sleeve. Typically, the connector complies with a connector standard, e.g., IS-1/DF-2, or IS-4/DF-4, which is typically used in the design of implantable medical devices, particularly for implantable cardiac pacemakers and cardioverter-defibrillators. It is known in the prior art to connect the spring element to the sleeve by way of resistance welding. However, the process of resistance welding of the spring element into the sleeve results in additional work in the form of providing, maintaining and monitoring a welding system. The welded connection must also be visually inspected. Incorrectly welded parts are either reworked or scrapped. Thus, there is a desire to provide such a connector in a more efficient manner and with reduced costs while ensuring that the spring element is safely fixed to the sleeve. This problem is solved by a header for an implantable medical device having the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of this aspect of the present invention are stated in the corresponding dependent claims and are described below. According to claim 1, a header of an implantable medical device is disclosed, comprising a receptacle configured to receive a plug of an electrode lead and at least one electrical contact arranged in the receptacle and configured to receive and to electrically contact the plug of the electrode lead, wherein the electrical contact comprises: a sleeve comprising an inner side that delimits an opening, particularly a throughopening, of the sleeve, anda spring element arranged in said opening, wherein the spring element is configured to receive a plug to establish an electrical connection between the spring element and the plug. According to the present invention it is particularly envisioned that the spring element is positioned within the opening of the sleeve and fixed therein by a non-permanent mechanical retention, e.g. such as friction or clamping. Advantageously, as the retention is mechanical, e.g. based on friction or clamping, there is no need for an additional welding connection between the spring element and the sleeve. Particularly, the invention allows to position the spring element in said opening, which may require a non-permanent (e.g. elastic) deformation of the spring element, which then allows to hold the spring element in said opening of the sleeve by a mechanical engagement between the spring element and the sleeve which may be based on friction, clamping or another mechanical interaction between the spring element and the sleeve that is not based on a material connection or an (e.g. adhesive) bond. As there is no welding seam or bond required between the spring element and the sleeve the mechanical retention can be considered as non-permanent as the spring element can in principle be disengaged from the sleeve in a non-destructive fashion. Thus, the resistance welding process that was previously necessary may be omitted so that the disadvantages relating to the welding process are alleviated. Particularly, the present invention does not require any welding connection between the spring element and the sleeve or another material bond. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sleeve comprises or is made out of a material selected from the group comprising: titanium, stainless steel, MP35N, or platinum/iridium, particularly platinum/iridium in a ratio of 90 to10. Particularly, the sleeve may be formed by additive manufacturing (3D printing) such as laser sintering, or by way of metal injection molding, metal cutting manufacturing, or milling. This allows one to provide the sleeve with a structure facilitating a mechanical interaction with a corresponding structure of the spring element. Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the spring element comprises or is made out of a material selected from the group comprising titanium, stainless steel, MP35N, or platinum/iridium, particularly platinum/iridium in a ratio of 90 to 10. Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, for achieving said mechanical retention, the sleeve comprises a protrusion protruding from said inner side of the sleeve, wherein the protrusion is configured to mechanically interact with the spring element to retain the spring element within the opening. In a preferred embodiment, the sleeve comprises a plurality of protrusions protr