Olin Corporation

Deringer-ney, Inc.

The J. M. Ney Company

National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC

Edward F Smith

Arthur S Klein

Sheldon H Butt

Aaron Edward Engel

Garth W Boyd

Michael Poppy

Dana Dubuc

F Dennis Gyurina

Reza Haque

Michael E Grant

Igor V Kadija

Peter Hale

Thomas B Cameron

Patrick Bowen

Lewis C Hoffman

Srinath Viswanathan

Deepak Mahulikar

Michael J Pryor

Eugene Shapiro

Eugene F Rothgery

Jacob Crane

David F Gavin

Andrew J Brock

Anthony M Pasqualoni

Bonnie B Sandel

Steve Xunhu Dai

Donald F Susan

Steven D Phillips

Richard A Eppler

Patrick K Bowen

William W Hart

Zahra Ghanbari

Brenton Elisberg

A combination of materials and processing parameters have been developed for hermetic seals for electrical feedthroughs in high performance applications. A glass-ceramic forms a hermetic seal between a stainless steel shell and a platinum-nickel-based (Pt—Ni) pin alloy for electrical feedthroughs. The glass-ceramic is processed to develop a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) slightly higher than the pin alloy but lower than the stainless steel. The seal system employing the new processing conditions and Pt—Ni-based pin alloy alleviates several problems encountered in previous seal systems and improves the hermetic connector performance.

Hermetic electrical feedthrough comprising a Pt—Ni-based pin alloy

Platinum-nickel-based ternary or higher alloys include platinum at about 65-80 wt. %, nickel at about 18-27 wt. %, and about 2-8 wt. % of ternary or higher additions that may include one or more of Ir, Pd, Rh, Ru, Nb, Mo, Re, W, and/or Ta. These alloys are age-hardenable, provide hardness greater than 580 Knoop, ultimate tensile strength in excess of 320 ksi, and elongation to failure of at least 1.5%. The alloys may be used in static and moveable electrical contact and probe applications. The alloys may also be used in medical devices.

Platinum-nickel-based alloys, products, and methods of making and using same

Palladium-based ternary or higher alloys include palladium at about 45-55 wt %, copper about 32-42 wt %, silver at about 8-15 wt %, rhenium at about 0-5 wt %, and optionally one or more modifying elements at up to 1.0 wt %. The alloys are age-hardenable, provide hardness in excess of 350 HK (Knoop, 100 g load), have electrical conductivities above 19.5% IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard), have an elevated temperature strength above 100 ksi at temperatures up to 480&#xb0; F. (250&#xb0; C.), and remain ductile (tensile elongation&#x3e;2%) in their fully age-hardened condition. The alloys may be used in static and moveable electrical contact and probe applications.

Palladium-based alloys

Palladium-based ternary or higher alloys include palladium at about 45-55 wt %, copper about 32-42 wt %, silver at about 8-15 wt %, rhenium at about 0-5 wt %, and optionally one or more modifying elements at up to 1.0 wt %. The alloys are age-hardenable, provide hardness in excess of 350 HK (Knoop, 100 g load), have electrical conductivities above 19.5% IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard), have an elevated temperature strength above 100 ksi at temperatures up to 480&#xb0; F. (250&#xb0; C.), and remain ductile (tensile elongation &#x3e;2%) in their fully age-hardened condition. The alloys may be used in static and moveable electrical contact and probe applications.

Ultra-low magnetic susceptibility, biocompatible palladium-tin, palladium-aluminum, and palladium-tantalum alloys include at least 75 at % palladium, between about 3 and 20 at % tin, aluminum, or tantalum, respectively, and one or more other additives chosen from niobium, tungsten, molybdenum, zirconium, titanium, tin for non-palladium-tin alloys, aluminum for non-palladium-aluminum alloys, or tantalum for non-palladium-tantalum alloys, up to about 22 at % total.

Palladium-based alloys for use in the body and suitable for MRI imaging

Alloys and dental copings or abutments formed of alloys include 50-60 wt % gold, 5-14 wt % platinum, 0.1-3.0 wt % iridium and the remainder palladium. Other alloys and dental copings or abutments formed of alloys include 58 wt % gold, 10 wt % platinum, 1.0 wt % iridium, and 31 wt % palladium. The alloys are capable of withstanding temperature profiles during casting and multiple high temperature exposures of porcelain firing without excessive softening. The alloys also exhibit advantageous shear strain properties giving the alloys improved manufacturability characteristics.

Gold-based alloy, free of silver and tin, for dental copings or abutments

During implant of an implantable medical device, implanted cables or leads are inserted to a connector block. An insertion indicator provides the user with a visual indication the cables or leads have been correctly inserted into the connector block, which enables the implanted medical device to properly deliver treatment or receive signals via the implanted cables or leads. The insertion indicator may be provided by a mechanical indicator optically viewable once the lead has been correctly inserted, and/or may be provided by an electrically activated light indicator illuminated by a power source associated with the connector block or with a connector tool used to connect the lead or cable to the connector block upon correct insertion of the lead or cable. The insertion indicator may be permanently or removably disposed on the connector block, a connector tool, and/or a can associated with the connector block.

Visual indicator of proper interconnection for an implanted medical device

An electrical connection apparatus includes an electrical connection contact and an adjustment component within an interior of the electrical connection apparatus. The electrical connection contact is operatively coupled to the adjustment component so that the electrical connection contact adjusts between an insertion position and a contact position in response to rotating the adjustment component. A slider movably arranged within the interior of the electrical connection apparatus causes the electrical connection contact to move in response to rotation of the adjustment component. The electrical connection apparatus includes one or more blocks, and the adjustment component, electrical contact and slider are arranged within an interior of the one or more blocks.

Electrical connection apparatus

Multiple seals, internal to a connector block, provide for connecting an implantable medical device and an implanted cable or lead. The forces to engage sealing or releasing the seals are derived from a mechanism so they can be relaxed to permit ease of insertion or withdrawal of a lead, or can be increased to tightly seal against fluid migration, and to provide an electrical insulation between adjacent conductors of the lead and connector block. During implant of the medical device, the lead is inserted and a shaft is rotated with a tool to engage the seals. Later, the seals can be released by rotating the control shaft in the opposite direction to allow extraction of the lead from the connector block. The seals therefore are able to provide improved sealing without increasing the insertion or the extraction forces for the lead.

Electrical barrier and moisture seal for an implanted medical device

An electrical connection apparatus includes at least one stackable block operably coupleable to another stackable block, at least one pin receiving portion defined by an inner wall within the stackable block, and at least one electrical connection contact having a C-shaped contact portion with elastic properties disposed within the pin receiving portion and a lead portion disposed at a location exterior to the stackable block. The electrical connection apparatus may further include an adjustment component and an adjustment component receiving portion defined by in inner wall within the stackable block. In addition, sliders may be arranged on the stackable block and may engage with tabs formed on the at least one electrical connection contact. The sliders may be moved to a raised or lowered position in order to move the at least one electrical connection contact between a contact and an insertion position.

Stackable electrical connection apparatus

A family of alloys for use in medical, electrical contact and jewelry applications includes as primary components palladium, and boron and at least one of ruthenium, rhenium, platinum, gold, zirconium, tungsten, cobalt, nickel, tantalum and iridium. An alternative embodiment includes palladium and rhenium and/or ruthenium with an additional element iridium, platinum, tungsten, boron, gold, zirconium, cobalt, nickel and tantalum. The present alloy family has a high strength, high radio opacity, and biocompatibility characteristics, while also being workable into various configurations. Where required, some of the alloys also offer post form, heat treatment (age hardening) capabilities for even higher hardness and strength levels.

Palladium alloy

A silver/palladium alloy for electrical contact applications comprises, on a weight percent basis, 20-50 silver, 20-50 palladium, 20-40 copper, less than 1.0 nickel, 0.1-5 zinc, 0.01-0.3 boron, and up to 1 percent by weight of modifying elements selected from the group consisting of rhenium, ruthenium, gold, and platinum. The combination of zinc and boron provides an alloy of high strength and hardness and permits the use of lower amounts of both copper and palladium.

High strength silver palladium alloy

A silver/palladium alloy for electronic applications comprises, on a percent by weight basis, 35-60 silver, 20-44 palladium, 5-20 copper, 1-7 nickel, 0.1-5 zinc, to 0.18 boron, up to 0.05 rhenium and up to 1 percent by weight of modifying elements selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, zirconium and platinum. This alloy exhibits high oxidation and tarnish resistance and is formed into wrought electronic components such as contacts and brushes to provide low noise.

Silver palladium alloy

A precious metal alloy for dental restorations which develops a light oxide upon firing, on a percentage weight basis at makeup, consists of 60-95 precious metal(s) selected from the group consisting of 60-855 palladium, 0-10 gold, 0-10 platinum, 0-12 silver, and mixtures thereof; 1-15 tin; 2-7 zinc; 0.005-0.2 boron; 0-2 gallium; 0-2 cobalt; 0-15 indium; 0-0.2 of a deoxidant selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, magnesium, aluminum, lithium, tantalum and mixtures thereof; and 0-1.0 of a grain refiner selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, iridium, rhenium, and mixtures thereof. The alloy has a liquidus temperature of not more than 1400.degree. C., and the alloy has a tensile yield strength of at least 250 Mpa and an elongation of at least 2 percent. Restorations having a porcelain coating fired on castings of the alloy evidence a light oxide color.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, CT, United States of America

Edward F Smith