Hermetic Electrical Bushing for Implantable Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical bushings for implantable medical devices face challenges in achieving hermetic sealing and durable connections between metal lead wires and ceramic base bodies, requiring costly and laborious metallization and soldering processes.
Innovation Solution
The development of an electrical bushing with a cermet-containing conducting element and a holding element made from high bio-compatible metals, which are sintered together to form a hermetically sealed connection, eliminating the need for subsequent soldering or welding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metallization and soldering processes are used to connect lead wires to ceramic base bodies, then hermetic sealing and durable connections are achieved, but manufacturing cost and process complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ceramic base body and metal lead wire directly into a single integrated structure, eliminating the need for separate metallization and soldering processes. The metal lead wire is embedded directly into the ceramic base body during manufacturing, creating a hermetically sealed connection without requiring additional sealing layers or soldering steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of ceramic material for the base body and metal material for the lead wire, where the two materials are directly integrated. This composite approach allows the inherent properties of both materials (ceramic insulation and metal conductivity) to be utilized while achieving hermetic sealing through the direct integration interface.
2Reliability
If metallization processes are applied to the internal surface of through-openings in ceramic base bodies, then hermetic sealing is achieved, but manufacturing cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the hermetic sealing action during the initial manufacturing process rather than as a subsequent step. The metal lead wire is embedded into the ceramic base body during the forming process, creating the hermetic seal before final assembly, thereby eliminating the need for separate metallization and sealing operations that would reduce productivity.
3Reliability
If solder rings and additional components are used to connect lead wires to metallized insulators, then durable connections are achieved, but the process becomes laborious and difficult to automate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the intermediate solder ring component from the connection process. By directly embedding the metal lead wire into the ceramic base body, the invention eliminates the need for solder rings and the associated manual soldering process, thereby enabling automated manufacturing while maintaining connection durability through the direct integration interface.
4Reliability
If costly and laborious metallization and soldering processes are used, then hermetic sealing and durable connections are achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple manufacturing steps (metallization, soldering, sealing) into a single direct embedding process. By integrating the metal lead wire directly into the ceramic base body during forming, the invention eliminates the need for separate metallization and soldering operations, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining connection durability through the integrated structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides a durable, biocompatible, and hermetically sealed electrical connection with improved manufacturing efficiency, reducing costs and complexity while ensuring long-term stability and biocompatibility.
Implementation Method 1
which are sintered together to form a hermetically sealed connection
Data Source
AI summary
One aspect relates to an electrical bushing for use in a housing of an implantable medical device. The electrical bushing includes at least one electrically insulating base body and at least one electrical conducting element. The electrical bushing includes a holding element to hold the electrical bushing in or on the housing. The conducting element is set-up to establish, through the base body, at least one electrically conductive connection between an internal space of the housing and an external space. The conducting element is hermetically sealed with respect to the base body. The at least one conducting element includes at least one cermet. The holding element is made, to at least 80% by weight with respect to the holding element, from a material selected from the group consisting of a metal from any of the subgroups IV, V, VI, VIII, IX, and X of the periodic system.