Virtual Wire Assembly Hermetic Feedthroughs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing feedthrough devices for medical implants, such as cochlear implants, face challenges with corrosion, labor-intensive manufacturing processes, and the need for precise positioning of electrical conductors, which are not adequately addressed by traditional methods like sintered ceramic plates and hand-manufactured hermetic seals.
Innovation Solution
A virtual wire assembly with hermetic feedthroughs is introduced, featuring a substantially electrically-nonconductive substrate with doped semiconductor material and conductive regions extending transversely through the substrate, eliminating the need for physical pins and allowing for precise positioning and automated manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sintered ceramic plates with pre-drilled holes and forced conductive pins are used, then hermetic sealing can be achieved, but manufacturing precision and conductor positioning accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forcing pins through pre-drilled holes in sintered ceramic, the patent inverts the process by inserting conductive pins into unsintered (green) ceramic plates, then curing the assembly by firing to achieve hermetic seal. This reversal allows pins to be precisely positioned before sintering, ensuring accurate conductor placement while maintaining reliable hermetic sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by inserting and positioning conductive pins into the unsintered ceramic plate before the sintering process. This preliminary positioning ensures that conductors are accurately placed and fixed in their correct positions before the ceramic is cured, eliminating positioning errors that would occur with post-sintering pin insertion.
2Reliability
If hand-manufactured hermetic seals are used, then hermetic sealing can be achieved, but productivity and manufacturing efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual, labor-intensive hermetic sealing process with an automated firing/curing process. By inserting pins into unsintered ceramic and then curing the entire assembly in a furnace, the process eliminates skilled manual labor while ensuring consistent hermetic sealing, thereby dramatically improving productivity and manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the ceramic from unsintered (green) to sintered (cured) through controlled heating. This parameter change transforms the manufacturing process from manual assembly to automated batch processing, where multiple feedthroughs can be cured simultaneously in a furnace, significantly increasing production capacity while maintaining hermetic quality.
3Reliability
If conductive pins are forced through holes in sintered ceramic, then electrical connection can be achieved, but the risk of corrosion and deterioration increases
Solution Approach 1:
By inserting conductive pins into unsintered ceramic before sintering, the pins become permanently embedded and hermetically sealed within the ceramic matrix during the firing process. This preliminary insertion ensures that the electrical connection pathway is established and protected from corrosion before the device is exposed to harsh environments, eliminating the corrosion risks associated with post-sintering pin insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The sintering process, which could potentially cause thermal stress or deformation, is converted into a benefit by performing pin insertion before sintering. The pins are positioned and secured in place during the controlled thermal processing, transforming a potentially harmful high-temperature process into a protective sealing mechanism that prevents corrosion of the electrical conductors.
4Productivity
If automated manufacturing processes are implemented, then productivity improves, but manufacturing precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The automated manufacturing process incorporates preliminary pin insertion and positioning into the unsintered ceramic plate as an integral step before curing. This preliminary action allows automated equipment to precisely position multiple pins simultaneously with high accuracy, and the subsequent sintering process locks these positions in place, maintaining manufacturing precision while enabling mass production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase change of ceramic from unsintered to sintered state as a parameter change that enables automated processing. The unsintered ceramic provides a compliant matrix for easy pin insertion by automated equipment, while the sintering process permanently fixes the pin positions with high precision. This parameter transformation allows automated manufacturing to achieve both high productivity and high conductor positioning accuracy.
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 solution provides a reliable, efficient, and cost-effective method for creating hermetic feedthroughs with precise conductor placement, reducing labor and the risk of corrosion, enabling mass production of medical devices with increased complexity and accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
a substantially electrically-nonconductive substrate; and a plurality of hermetic feedthroughs each comprising a conductive region extending substantially transversely through the substrate... the substantially electrically-nonconductive substrate is a semiconductor device, and the conductive regions each are comprised of an n-type or a p-type doped semiconductor material
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual wire assembly that includes a substantially electrically-nonconductive substrate and a plurality of hermetic feedthroughs including a conductive region extending transversely through the substrate to form a conductive pathway with accessible surfaces at opposing ends thereof, wherein each conductive pathway is electrically isolated from other conductive pathways. In certain embodiments of this aspect of the invention, the substantially electrically-nonconductive substrate is a semiconductor device, and the conductive regions each include an n-type or a p-type doped semiconductor material.