Implantable Battery Volume Reduction via Vertical Feedthrough Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing implantable medical devices face challenges in miniaturization due to volumetric constraints and the difficulty in effectively isolating corrosive materials within batteries, which can lead to device malfunction or failure, especially when the battery's components, such as feedthrough pins, are made of dissimilar materials.
Innovation Solution
The development of a battery design that uses resistance spot welding to couple the anode and cathode tabs to the battery cover and feedthrough pin, allowing for a tight form factor and reduced volume, while maintaining electrical isolation and mechanical stability, using a coupling technique that aligns components along a common plane for simultaneous weld joint formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the battery components are made smaller to enable miniaturization of the implantable medical device, then the volume of the device is reduced, but the difficulty of effectively isolating corrosive materials increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional lateral placement of feedthrough pins to a vertical arrangement where pins extend through the battery cover in the thickness direction. This dimensional change allows effective isolation of corrosive materials in a miniaturized battery by creating distinct electrical pathways that pass through isolated openings in the battery can, thereby resolving the contradiction between reduced volume and maintained reliability.
2Reliability
If feedthrough pins are used to provide electrical connection and maintain environmental isolation, then the reliability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases due to difficulty in effectively coupling pins to electrodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the feedthrough pin with the battery cover into an integrated assembly. The pin is positioned within an opening in the battery can and extends through the cover, merging two previously separate components into one. This integration simplifies manufacturing by reducing the number of assembly steps and improving the effectiveness of environmental isolation between corrosive battery materials and external circuitry.
3Volume of moving object
If the battery components are arranged to minimize volume, then the device size is reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates the feedthrough pin as an integral part of the battery cover assembly during the molding process. The pin is pre-positioned within openings in the battery can before the cover is attached, and the entire assembly is then hermetically sealed. This preliminary arrangement of components simplifies the welding process and reduces manufacturing precision requirements by eliminating complex post-assembly alignment steps.
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 approach enables the miniaturization of implantable medical device batteries with robust weld joints, reducing the risk of corrosion and improving manufacturing yield, while maintaining the battery's functionality and hermetic sealing.
Implementation Method 1
The battery design uses resistance spot welding to couple the anode and cathode tabs to the battery cover and feedthrough pin
Data Source
AI summary
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 includes a cover and a case. The electrode assembly includes an anode tab and a cathode tab that are coupled to the cover and to a feedthrough pin disposed on the cover. The coupling of the anode tab to the cover defines an anode terminal while the coupling of the cathode tab to the feedthrough pin defines the cathode terminal. The anode and cathode tabs are aligned with the feedthrough pin and the connection point at the cover such that the tabs and feedthrough pin overlap each other along a common plane that is perpendicular to a plane that is defined by a major surface of the cover.