Hermetic Via Feedthrough Substrate for Miniaturized Implants
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing implantable medical devices face challenges in maintaining hermeticity and biocompatibility of feedthrough assemblies, particularly in miniaturized configurations, due to issues with hermetic junctions and ingress of corrosive bodily fluids, which can compromise electrical circuitry and patient safety.
Innovation Solution
The use of biocompatible feedthrough assemblies with ultra-thin flexible insulators composed of materials like zirconium oxide, sapphire, and yttria-stabilized-zirconia, featuring electrically conductive hermetic vias and metallized via holes, which are hermetically sealed using gold braze or fritted metal bodies, ensuring a conductive pathway while maintaining hermeticity and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional ceramic and metal interfaces are used in feedthrough assemblies, then electrical conductivity is achieved, but hermeticity is lost due to interface failures under corrosive body fluid exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes traditional metal ceramic interfaces from the feedthrough assembly by using a monolithic ceramic body with embedded conductive elements. This extraction of the problematic interface eliminates the source of hermeticity failure while maintaining electrical conductivity through the conductive pathways integrated within the ceramic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by integrating conductive elements (such as metallic wires or printed conductive traces) within the ceramic matrix. This creates a composite structure that combines the hermetic properties of ceramic with the electrical conductivity of metal, achieving both requirements without traditional interfaces.
2Volume of moving object
If feedthrough assemblies are miniaturized for implantable medical devices, then device size is reduced, but structural fragility increases under corrosive body fluid exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the feedthrough function into distinct components: a monolithic ceramic body for hermeticity, embedded conductive elements for conductivity, and integrated sealing structures. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling miniaturization while maintaining structural integrity through the robust ceramic foundation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes thin film technologies for creating conductive pathways and sealing layers on the ceramic surface. These thin films provide electrical connectivity and hermetic sealing without adding significant bulk, enabling device miniaturization while maintaining structural strength through the underlying ceramic architecture.
3Volume of moving object
If ultra-thin flexible substrates are used in feedthrough assemblies, then device miniaturization is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the ultra-thin substrate: mechanical support, electrical insulation, conductive pathway integration, and hermetic sealing. By combining these functions into a single integrated component rather than assembling separate parts, the manufacturing process is simplified despite the thin dimensions, as it eliminates alignment and bonding steps required for multi-component assemblies.
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
The solution provides a durable, biocompatible, and miniaturized feedthrough assembly that maintains hermeticity and conductivity, preventing fluid ingress and ensuring the integrity of implantable medical devices, even in corrosive environments.
Implementation Method 1
an insulator at least partially residing in the ferrule opening, where a gold braze hermetically seals the insulator to the ferrule
Implementation Method 2
a conductive fill residing at least partially within the at least one metallized via hole, where the conductive fill hermetically seals and forms a conductive pathway between the insulator first side and the insulator second side
Data Source
Figure 1A~2B
Figure 2C
Figure 3
AI summary
Electrically conductive and hermetic vias are disposed within a flexible insulator substrate of a feedthrough assembly to provide miniaturization of feedthrough assemblies inasmuch as the feedthrough components 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.