Non-Coaxial Header Assembly for Miniaturized Active Medical Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current active medical devices (AMDs) face challenges in miniaturization, particularly in reducing the size of the connection between the medical device and its lead, limiting their ability to be implanted with minimal surgical trauma and flexibility in lead length and electrode pattern selection.
Innovation Solution
A miniaturized AMD with a header assembly featuring a non-coaxial terminal contact system, allowing for a higher density of electrical contacts and a smaller volume, enabling the device to be connected to a lead that can pass through a catheter and be customized for specific implantation sites, with a strain-relief device for secure connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If terminal contacts are aligned in a co-axial array, then the connection structure is simple, but the device volume cannot be minimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a co-axial (one-dimensional linear) terminal contact arrangement to a non-coaxial configuration where terminal contacts are positioned at different radial distances from the lead axis. This dimensional reorganization allows the terminal contacts to be arranged in a circular pattern around the lead, significantly reducing the device volume while maintaining electrical connection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulator is positioned within the lead connector structure, and the terminal contacts are arranged concentrically around the lead axis at different radial positions. This nested arrangement allows multiple terminal contacts to occupy the same axial space but different radial levels, reducing the overall device volume while maintaining all necessary electrical connections.
2Volume of moving object
If the device volume is reduced, then implantation trauma is reduced, but the density of terminal contacts decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By arranging terminal contacts in a circular pattern around the lead axis at different radial distances rather than lining them up co-axially, the patent increases the spatial utilization efficiency. This allows more terminal contacts to be accommodated within the same axial length, effectively increasing contact density while maintaining a compact device volume.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple terminal contacts are nested at different radial positions within the lead connector, allowing the contacts to be packed more efficiently. This nested configuration enables a higher number of terminal contacts to fit within the reduced device volume, maintaining high contact density despite the smaller overall size.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the lead is made smaller to pass through catheter, then implantation flexibility is improved, but the connection volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The non-coaxial terminal contact arrangement allows the lead to have a smaller diameter while still accommodating all necessary electrical connections. By distributing contacts radially rather than axially, the lead can be made more flexible and thinner for catheter passage, while the connection volume is minimized through efficient spatial utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
An active medical device has a feedthrough with at least two terminal pins that are connected to electronic components in the device housing. A lead connector is connected to a strain-relief device for a lead. The lead connector supports at least two connector pins that are detachably connected to the device terminal pins to thereby connect the device electronic components to the lead electrodes. The device housing has a length extending along a longitudinal axis, and secondary axes of the terminal pins connected to the connector pins are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis. The feedthrough also has spaced-apart distally extending arms with detents, and the lead connector has spaced-apart lateral recesses. With the detents of the feedthrough arms received in the lateral recesses of the lead connector, the medical device is detachably connected to the strain-relief device and the lead.