Lead Assemblies with Mechanical Stops for Connector Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional implantable electrical stimulation systems face challenges in ensuring proper alignment between terminals on leads or lead extensions and contacts within devices, leading to potential misalignment and improper electrical coupling.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a lead assembly with a mechanical stop or visually distinctive marking on the lead or lead extension, which helps confirm alignment by preventing overinsertion and providing a visual indication of correct positioning, ensuring terminals align with contacts in the connector housing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lead or lead extension is inserted into the connector housing without alignment confirmation features, then the insertion process is simple and quick, but misalignment between terminals and contacts occurs leading to improper electrical coupling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing visual markings (colored bands, patterns, or indicators) on the lead assembly before insertion into the connector housing. These markings allow the user to pre-align the lead with the connector housing before insertion, ensuring that terminals will align with contacts. The mechanical stop is also positioned in advance to automatically halt insertion at the correct depth, preventing over-insertion and misalignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses visual markings as an intermediary element between the lead assembly and the connector housing. These markings (such as colored bands, patterns, or indicators) serve as a communication medium that guides the alignment process without requiring complex mechanical alignment features. The markings provide visual feedback to the user, acting as a mediator that simplifies the alignment task while improving reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If a mechanical stop is added to the lead assembly to prevent overinsertion, then alignment accuracy improves, but the manufacturing complexity and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mechanical stop with the existing lead assembly structure, integrating it into the lead body or insulation layer rather than adding it as a separate component. This integration approach maintains manufacturing precision for insertion depth control while minimizing the increase in manufacturing complexity. The mechanical stop can be formed as part of the lead assembly during the same manufacturing process, reducing the number of separate fabrication steps.
3Measurement precision
If visual markings are applied to the lead assembly to indicate correct positioning, then alignment confirmation improves, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by incorporating visual markings such as colored bands, patterns, or indicators on the lead assembly. These markings use different colors or patterns to indicate correct alignment positions and insertion depth. The color-based visual system provides clear, easily distinguishable alignment confirmation without requiring complex mechanical or electronic verification systems, thus improving measurement precision while minimizing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A lead assembly includes a lead or lead extension having terminals and a mechanical stop fixed to the lead or lead extension and located distally to the plurality of terminals. The lead assembly also includes a connector having a connector housing, a connector block disposed within the connector housing, a port defined at the distal surface of the connector housing, a lumen extending from the port for receiving a portion the lead or lead extension, and contacts disposed within the connector housing. The outer diameter of the mechanical stop is larger than the lumen diameter within the connector block to halt further insertion of the lead or lead extension into the connector housing. Additionally or alternatively, a visually distinctive marking can be applied to the lead or lead extension to indicate alignment between the terminals of the lead and the contacts of the connector.