Medtronic, Inc.

Kurt J Casby

Mark D Breyen

David P Haas

Anthony W Rorvick

Thomas M Nutzman

Andrew J Ries

John Daniel Norton

Scott J Robinson

Thomas P Miltich

William L Johnson

Joseph F Lessar

Paul A Pignato

Michael E Clarke

Randy S Roles

Joachim Hossick-Schott

Paul B Aamodt

Timothy T Bomstad

Kimberly A Chaffin

Walter Carl Sunderland

Karl E Hokanson

Sonja K Somdahl

Angela Rodgers

Steve M Bruesehoff

Franise D Bartley

Christian S Nielsen

Hailiang Zhao

Mark Edward Viste

Brian Ross

Anthony R Rorvick

Jason T Papenfuss

William J Farrell

Dan D Erklouts

Wayne L Appleseth

Jeffrey L Kehn

Tim T Bomstad

William John Taylor

Steven Joseph May

Jeffrey S Lund

Kevin M Gaffney

Karen J Hulting

Brian J Ross

Angela M Rodgers

Dan D Erkouts

A battery having an electrode assembly located in a housing that efficiently utilizes the space available in many implantable medical devices is disclosed. The battery housing provides a cover and a shallow case a preferably planar, major bottom portion, an open top to receive the cover opposing the bottom portion, and a plurality of sides being radiused at intersections with each other and with the bottom to allow for the close abutting of other components located within the implantable device while also providing for efficient location of the battery within an arcuate edge of the device. The cover and the shallow case being substantially hermetically sealed by a laser weld technique and an insulator member disposed within the case to provide a barrier to incident laser radiation so that during welding radiation does not impinge upon radiation sensitive component(s) disposed within the case.

Contoured battery for implantable medical devices and method of manufacture

A complex connector and component within an implantable medical device in which the complex connector is positioned within the spacing footprint of the component to optimize packaging within the device.

Complex connector in component footprint of implantable medical device

Contoured battery for implantable medical devices

At least one storage component, for example a capacitor or a battery, of an implantable medical device includes two perimeter surfaces. Linear extensions of the two perimeter surfaces define a zone. An electrical connector, which is coupled to the storage component and includes at least one connection point for electrically connecting the storage component with at least one other component within the medical device, is contained within the zone defined by the linear extensions of the two perimeter surfaces.

An electrochemical cell for use in an implantable medical device is presented. The electrochemical cell includes a cover having a first surface and a second surface separated by an outer edge. The electrochemical cell also includes a case having a planar bottom, a side extending upwardly from the planar bottom, and an open top for receiving the cover.

Electrochemical cell for implantable medical devices

A high voltage capacitor anode for an implantable medical device is fabricated by sintering, anodizing and heat treating a pressed tantalum powder slug. The sintering may be performed at a temperature between approximately 1500&#xb0; C. and approximately 1600&#xb0; C. for a time between approximately 3 minutes and approximately 35 minutes; subsequent anodization may be performed by immersing the slug in an electrolyte at a temperature between approximately 15&#xb0; C. and approximately 30&#xb0; C. and then applying a voltage across the slug, the voltage being between approximately 175 Volts and approximately 375 Volts; subsequent heat treating may be performed at a temperature between approximately 400&#xb0; C. and approximately 460&#xb0; C. for a time between approximately 50 minutes and approximately 65 minutes. Following heat treating, the anode is reformed by a second anodization.

Tantalum anodes for high voltage capacitors employed by implantable medical devices and fabrication thereof

Embodiments of the invention provide an electrochemical cell including an electrode assembly having one or more of the electrodes being coupled to a feedthrough assembly. The one or more electrodes each include a connection tab. The connection tab extends a distance from separation material between the one or more electrodes (e.g., anode and cathode). The connection tab is provided to contact (e.g., electrically connected) a feedthrough pin of the feedthrough assembly by laser welding. The feedthrough pin with respect to the connection tab is oriented in at least one position lying within a 90 degree orientation on the connection tab. The feedthrough pin is coupled to the connection tab by laser welding.

Welding methods and apparatus for batteries

Methods and structures are provided for electrically coupling a conductor and a conductive element containing a dissimilar material. A method for electrically coupling a first element containing a first conductive material to a conductor formed of a dissimilar second material includes cladding a second conductive element with the conductor. The second element contains a facilitator material that facilitates the melting of the dissimilar material. A third element containing a third conductive material that is metallurgically compatible with the facilitator material is cladded with a fourth element containing a fourth conductive material that is metallurgically compatible with the first conductive material to form a connector. The fourth element is welded to the first element and the second element is welded to the third element.

Methods and structures for electrically coupling a conductor and a conductive element comprising a dissimilar material

An electrochemical cell, comprising: an encasement including a case having a bottom and a sidewall terminating at an open top and a cover disposed over the case open top and hermetically sealed to the case, the encasement defining an interior space for containing cell components; and an access port defining at least one lumen extending through any of the case bottom, the case sidewall or the cover for receiving a liquid electrolyte, the access port being sealed closed after receiving the liquid electrolyte using a fusion welding method in the presence of the electrolyte.

Access port for use in electrochemical cells

Implantable medical devices (IMDs) and their various components, including flat electrolytic capacitors for same, and methods of making and using same and providing for outgassing of gases released during capacitor charge and discharge cycles are disclosed. A gas vent and liquid electrolyte barrier into the electrolyte fill tube lumen that is used to fill the interior case chamber with electrolyte and then needs to be closed to prevent leakage of electrolyte. The fill port is shaped to comprise a fill port tube having interior and exterior tube ends and a fill port ferrule intermediate the ends of the fill port tube and comprising a fill port ferrule flange extending transversely to and away from the fill port tube. The fill port ferrule is mounted in an opening disposed in one of the case wall and the cover wall with the ferrule flange in sealing engagement therewith to locate the exterior tube end extending outwardly away from the fill port ferrule flange and the interior tube end within the interior case chamber. A microporous plug is injected into and fills the fill port lumen, the plug formed of a microporous material allowing the escape of gas released from the liquid electrolyte during capacitor charging while preventing escape of liquid or vaporized electrolyte.

Implantable medical device having flat electrolytic capacitor with porous gas vent within electrolyte fill tube

A battery having an electrode assembly located in a housing that efficiently utilizes the space available in many implantable medical devices is disclosed. The battery housing provides a cover and a shallow case a planar bottom, an open top to receive the cover, and a plurality of sides being radiused at intersections with each other and with the bottom to allow for the close abutting of other components located within the implantable device while also providing for efficient location of the battery within an arcuate edge of the device.

A capacitor structure having a shallow drawn encasement includes first and second major sides and a peripheral wall coupled to first and second major sides. First and second anodes are positioned within the encasement proximate the interior surfaces of the first and second major sides respectively. A cathode is positioned within the encasement intermediate the first and second anodes.

Dual-anode electrolytic capacitor for use in an implantable medical device

A capacitor structure comprises a shallow drawn encasement having first and second major sides and a peripheral wall coupled to the first and second sides. A cathode is disposed within the encasement proximate the first and second major sides, the cathode having a cathode lead. A central anode a having an anode lead is disposed within the encasement, and a bipolar, insulative feedthrough extends through the encasement through which electrical coupling may be made to the anode lead and the cathode lead.

Electrolytic capacitor for use in an implantable medical device

Growing community of inventors

Grant, MN, United States of America

Kurt J Casby