Conductive Clip Assembly for Lateral Feedthrough Pin Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for connecting external wiring to medical devices, such as pacemakers and neurostimulators, face challenges in achieving a simple and reliable mechanical and electrical connection using clip contacts, particularly with round pins.
Innovation Solution
A clip design featuring a base and opposing arms with clipping areas that converge to surround the pin, allowing for a mechanical and electrical connection. The clip is designed for transverse assembly, enabling self-locking and simplifying handling processes, and can be made SMT solderable for integration with circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If clip contacts are used to connect external wiring to medical devices, then the connection can be simplified, but achieving reliable axial contact requires pushing the complete subassembly in the perpendicular direction onto the feedthrough pin
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of pushing the subassembly axially onto the pin to achieve contact, the patent inverts the approach by designing the clip to engage the pin laterally from the side. The clip arms bend around the pin and lock it in place through lateral engagement, eliminating the need for perpendicular pushing while maintaining reliable electrical contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from axial engagement (one-dimensional approach along the pin axis) to lateral engagement (engaging the pin from the side in a different dimension). The clip arms approach the pin horizontally and secure it through side engagement, changing the dimension of interaction from axial to lateral, thereby simplifying the assembly process.
2Ease of manufacture
If a simple clip design is used, then manufacturing is easier, but achieving reliable locking of external wiring bands with round pins becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic spring elements that provide elastic force to maintain continuous contact pressure between the clip arms and the pin. The spring-loaded mechanism automatically adjusts to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and ensures reliable locking of round pins without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms, maintaining both simplicity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip design incorporates self-centering features where the spring-loaded arms automatically position themselves around the pin and engage it securely without requiring external alignment tools or complex positioning mechanisms. The elastic deformation of the spring elements provides self-adjustment capability that ensures reliable engagement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the clip design accommodates round pins, then versatility is improved, but the available space in implantable medical devices is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the clip into separate functional segments: spring elements for engagement, contact areas for electrical connection, and locking features for mechanical security. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall clip size while maintaining versatility for different pin configurations including round pins.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip arms are designed to nest around the pin in a compact configuration, with the spring elements folded back against the pin when not in use. This nested arrangement minimizes the volume occupied by the clip when installed, preserving valuable space within implantable medical devices while maintaining full functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A clip for making a mechanical and electrically conductive connection between the clip and an electrically conductive pin. The clip has a base, and a first arm and an opposite second arm projecting out from the base. The first and the second arms each having a clipping area, the clipping areas of the first and second arms running toward one another and being designed to lie against the pin to make the mechanical and electrically conductive connection when the pin is arranged between the clipping areas of the first and second arms, respectively. A centering area departs from each of the clipping areas, that is, the clipping area of the first arm and the clipping area of the second arm, the centering area of the first arm and the centering area of the second arm diverging from one another.