Segmented Enclosure for Implantable Medical Device Impact Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional implantable medical devices face challenges in maintaining a hermetic enclosure while minimizing thickness and maximizing impact resistance, often requiring larger designs that compromise on size and surgical invasiveness.

Innovation Solution

The design features a hermetically-sealed container with a chassis and bottom shell forming a hermetic enclosure, and a top shell forming a non-hermetic enclosure on the impact side, allowing for input/output lines and providing increased impact resistance without increasing the device's size or compromising hermeticity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional designs are used to improve hermeticity and impact resistance, then reliability is improved, but device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovehermeticityVSAvoiddevice size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The device is segmented into two distinct enclosures: a hermetic enclosure containing the functional components and a non-hermetic impact protection enclosure. This segmentation allows each enclosure to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between hermeticity and device size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hermetic enclosure is nested within the larger non-hermetic impact protection enclosure. This nested configuration allows the hermetic seal to protect sensitive components while the outer enclosure provides impact resistance, achieving both reliability and compact size without requiring the entire device to be oversized.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If conventional designs are used to improve hermeticity and impact resistance, then reliability is improved, but surgical invasiveness increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact resistanceVSAvoidsurgical invasiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the protective enclosures into hermetic and non-hermetic zones, the design achieves impact resistance in a compact form factor, reducing the surgical site preparation requirements and minimizing surgical invasiveness while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Volume of moving object

If a thin profile is used to minimize impact on recipient, then device size is reduced, but impact resistance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice thicknessVSAvoidimpact resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The thin hermetic enclosure is nested within the impact protection enclosure, allowing the overall device to maintain a thin profile while the outer enclosure provides the necessary impact resistance. This nested arrangement resolves the contradiction between thinness and strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

Impact resistance is localized to the outer non-hermetic enclosure where it is needed for protection, while the inner hermetic enclosure maintains its thin profile to minimize device thickness. This local differentiation of properties resolves the contradiction between thinness and impact resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Volume of moving object

If a thin profile is used to minimize impact on recipient, then device size is reduced, but bone excavation requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice thicknessVSAvoidbone excavation

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The segmented enclosure design allows the thin hermetic section to be optimized for minimal bone contact while the outer impact protection enclosure provides structural support, reducing the need for extensive bone excavation while maintaining a thin overall profile.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS8885837B2Implantable medical device

Publication Date: 2014.11.11 COCHLEAR LIMITED

AI summary

An implantable device having an impact side likely to receive forces applied to the device is disclosed, the device comprising: a hermetically-sealed container including, a chassis having secure thereto at least one functional component, a first shell hermetically connected to the chassis to form a hermetic enclosure in which the at least one functional component is located, at least on feedthrough disposed in one or more of either the chassis and the first shell, configured to permit at least one input/output line to infiltrate the hermetic enclosure; and a second shell connected to the container so as to be spaced from and adjacent to the container to define the impact side of the device and to form with the container a non-hermetic enclosure.