Greatbatch Ltd.

Xiaohong Tang

Keith W Seitz

Thomas Marzano

Christine A Frysz

Robert A Stevenson

Jason Woods

William C Thiebolt

Richard L Brendel

Steven W Winn

Dominick J Frustaci

Brian P Hohl

Jonathan Calamel

Robert S Rubino

David Dianetti

Dallas J Rensel

Holly Noelle Moschiano

Biswa P Das

Donald H Hickel, Jr

Buehl E Truex

Gary Freitag

Afsar Ali

Ho-Chul Yun

Todd C Sutay

Thomas Shi

Bruehl E Truex

Ricahrd L Brendel

Sourabh Biswas

Dominck J Frustaci

Donald Hickel

A ceramic reinforced metal composite (CRMC) comprising a composition composite as an interpenetrating network of at least two interconnected composites is described. The interpenetrating networks comprise a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) and a metal matrix composite (MMC). The composition composite is particularly useful as an electrically conductive pathway extending through the ceramic body of a hermetically sealed component, for example, a feedthrough in an active implantable medical device (AIMD).

Methods for making a ceramic reinforced metal composite for hermetic bodies for implantable devices

A miniature electrochemical cell having a total volume that is less than 0.5 cc is described. The cell casing is formed by joining two ceramic casing halves together. One or both casing halves are machined from ceramic to provide a recess that is sized and shaped to contain the electrode assembly. The opposite polarity terminals are electrically conductive feedthroughs or pathways, such as of gold, and are formed by brazing gold into tapered via holes machined into one or both ceramic casing halves. The two ceramic casing halves are separated from each other by a metal interlayer, such as of gold, bonded to a thin film metallization layer, such as of titanium, that contacts an edge periphery of each ceramic casing half. A solid electrolyte of LiPON (LiPON) is used to activate the electrode assembly.

Thin film electrochemical cell activated with a solid electrolyte and housed in a casing formed of opposed ceramic substrates sealed together with an intermediate ring-shaped metallization

A miniature electrochemical cell having a total volume that is less than 0.5 cc is described. The cell casing is formed by joining two ceramic casing halves together. One or both casing halves are machined from ceramic to provide a recess that is sized and shaped to contain the electrode assembly. The opposite polarity terminals are metal feedthroughs, such as of gold, and are formed by brazing gold into openings machined into one or both of ceramic casing halves. A thin film metallization, such as of titanium, contacts an edge periphery of each ceramic casing half. The first ceramic casing half is moved into registry with the second ceramic casing half so that the first and second ring-shaped metallizations contact each other. Then, a laser welds through one of the casing halves being a substantially transparent ceramic, for example sapphire, to braze the first and second ring-shaped metallizations to each other to thereby join the first and second casing halves together to form a casing housing the electrode assembly. A solid electrolyte (LiPON) activates the electrode assembly.

Hermetic weld for a thin film electrochemical cell activated with a solid electrolyte and housed in a ceramic casing

A miniature electrochemical cell having a volume of less than 0.5 cc is described. The cell casing comprises an open-ended ceramic container having a via hole providing an electrically conductive pathway extending through the container. A metal lid closes the open-end of the container. An electrode assembly housed inside the casing comprises an anode current collector deposited on an inner surface of the ceramic container in contact with the electrically conductive pathway in the via hole. An anode active material contacts the current collector and a cathode active material contacts the metal lid. A separator is disposed between the anode and cathode active materials. That way, the electrically conductive pathway serves as a negative terminal, and the lid, electrically isolated from the conductive pathway by the ceramic container, serves as a positive terminal. The negative and positive terminals are configured for electrical connection to a load.

Miniature electrochemical cell having a casing of a conductive plate closing an open-ended ceramic container having a via hole supporting a platinum-containing conductive pathway

A miniature electrochemical cell having a volume of less than 0.5 cc is described. The cell casing comprises an open-ended ceramic container having first and second via holes providing respective first and second electrically conductive pathways extending through the container. A metal lid secured to the open-end of the container by a gold seal provides the cell casing. An electrode assembly housed inside the casing comprises a cathode active material deposited on an inner surface of the ceramic container in contact with a current collector in electrical continuity with one of the conductive pathways. A solid electrolyte, preferably of LiPON (LiPON), is deposited on the cathode active material followed by an anode active material in contact with the other conductive pathway. The first and second conductive pathways can comprise platinum or gold. That way, the first and second conductive pathways serve as negative and positive terminals for the cell. The negative and positive terminals are configured for electrical connection to a load.

Miniature electrochemical cell having a casing of a conductive plate closing an open-ended ceramic container having two via holes supporting opposite polarity platinum-containing conductive pathways

A method for making a dielectric substrate configured for incorporation into a hermetically sealed feedthrough is described. The method includes forming a via hole through a green-state dielectric substrate. A platinum-containing paste is filled into at least 90% of the volume of the via hole. The green-state dielectric substrate is then subjected to a heating protocol including: a binder bake-out heating portion performed at a temperature ranging from about 400&#xb0; C. to about 700&#xb0; C. for a minimum of 4 hours; a sintering heating portion performed at a temperature ranging from about 1,400&#xb0; C. to about 1,900&#xb0; C. for up to 6 hours; and a cool down portion at a rate of up to 5&#xb0;/minute from a maximum sintering temperature down to about 1,000&#xb0; C., then naturally to room temperature. The thusly manufacture dielectric substrate is then positioned in an opening in a ferrule that is configured to be attached to a metal housing of an active implantable medical device. The dielectric substrate is hermetically sealed to the ferrule with the sintered platinum material in the via hole providing a conductive pathway from a body fluid side to a device side of the ferrule.

Method for providing a hermetically sealed feedthrough with co-fired filled via for an active implantable medical device

Disclosed herein are electrically conductive and hermetic vias disposed within an insulator substrate of a feedthrough assembly and methods for making and using the same. Such aspects of the present invention consequently provide for the miniaturization of feedthrough assemblies inasmuch as the feedthrough components of the present invention are capable of supporting very small and hermetic conductively filled via holes in the absence of additional components, such as, for example, terminal pins, leadwires, and the like.

Flexible hermetic membranes with electrically conducting vias

A method for manufacturing a feedthrough dielectric body for an active implantable medical device includes the steps of first forming a ceramic reinforced metal composite (CRMC) paste by mixing platinum with a ceramic material to form a CRMC material, subjecting the CRMC material to a first sintering step to thereby form a sintered CRMC material, ball-milling or grinding the sintered CRMC material to form a powdered CRMC material; and then mixing the powdered CRMC material with a solvent to form the CRMC paste. The method further includes forming an alumina ceramic body in a green state, forming at least one via hole through the alumina ceramic body, filling the via hole with the CRMC paste, drying the ceramic body including the CRMC paste to form a first CRMC material filling the via hole, forming a second via hole through the first CRMC material, providing a metal core in the second via hole, and subjecting the ceramic body including the first CRMC material and the metal core to a second sintering step to thereby form the dielectric body. The dielectric body is then sealed in a ferrule opening to form a feedthrough.

Process for manufacturing a leadless feedthrough for an active implantable medical device

A hermetically sealed feedthrough for attachment to an active implantable medical device includes a dielectric substrate configured to be hermetically sealed to a ferrule or an AIMD housing. A via hole is disposed through the dielectric substrate from a body fluid side to a device side. A conductive fill is disposed within the via hole forming a filled via electrically conductive between the body fluid side and the device side. A conductive insert is at least partially disposed within the conductive fill. Then, the conductive fill and the conductive insert are co-fired with the dielectric substrate to form a hermetically sealed and electrically conductive pathway through the dielectric substrate between the body fluid side and the device side.

Hermetically sealed feedthrough with co-fired filled via and conductive insert for an active implantable medical device

A co-fired hermetically sealed feedthrough is attachable to an active implantable medical device. The feedthrough comprises an alumina dielectric substrate comprising at least 96 or 99% alumina. A via hole is disposed through the alumina dielectric substrate from a body fluid side to a device side. A substantially closed pore, fritless and substantially pure platinum fill is disposed within the via hole forming a platinum filled via electrically conductive between the body fluid side and the device side. A hermetic seal is between the platinum fill and the alumina dielectric substrate, wherein the hermetic seal comprises a tortuous and mutually conformal interface between the alumina dielectric substrate and the platinum fill.

Co-fired hermetically sealed feedthrough with alumina substrate and platinum filled via for an active implantable medical device

A method of manufacturing a feedthrough dielectric body for an active implantable medical device includes the steps of: a) forming an alumina ceramic body in a green state, or, stacking upon one another discrete layers of alumina ceramic in a green state and pressing; b) forming at least one via hole straight through the alumina ceramic body; c) filling the at least one via hole with a ceramic reinforced metal composite paste; d) drying the alumina ceramic body and the ceramic reinforced metal composite paste; e) forming a second hole straight through the ceramic reinforced metal composite paste being smaller in diameter in comparison to the at least one via hole; f) filling the second hole with a substantially pure metal paste; g) sintering the alumina ceramic body, the ceramic reinforced metal composite paste and the metal paste; and h) hermetically sealing the feedthrough dielectric body to a ferrule.

An elevated feedthrough is attachable to a top or a side of an active implantable medical device. The feedthrough includes a conductive ferrule and a dielectric substrate. The dielectric substrate is defined as comprising a body fluid side and a device side disposed within the conductive ferrule. The dielectric substrate includes a body fluid side elevated portion generally raised above the conductive ferrule. At least one via hole is disposed through the dielectric substrate from the body fluid side to the device side. A conductive fill is disposed within the at least one via hole forming a hermetic seal and electrically conductive between the body fluid side and the device side. A leadwire connection feature is on the body fluid side electrically coupled to the conductive fill and disposed adjacent to the elevated portion of the dielectric substrate.

Elevated hermetic feedthrough insulator adapted for side attachment of electrical conductors on the body fluid side of an active implantable medical device

A hermetic terminal assembly for an AIMD includes a shielded three-terminal flat-through EMI energy dissipating filter and a hermetically sealed feedthrough configured to be attachable to the ferrule or AIMD housing. The flat-through filter includes a first shield plate, an active electrode plate, and a second shield plate where the shield plates are electrically coupled to a metallization which in turn is coupled either to the ferrule or AIMD housing. The feedthrough includes an alumina substrate comprised of at least 96% alumina and a via hole with a substantially closed pore and substantially pure platinum fill. The platinum fill forms a tortuous and mutually conformal knitline or interface between the alumina substrate and the platinum fill, wherein the platinum fill is electrically coupled to at least one active electrode plate in non-conductive relationship to the at least one first and second shield plates.

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Williamsville, NY, United States of America

Xiaohong Tang