# US 10,441,802 B2 · Pass-through assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,441,802 B2 - Document ID: US10441802B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/471,744 - Filed: 2014-08-28 - Published: 2015-03-05 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2013-08-28 - Assignees: HeartWare, Inc. - Applicants: HeartWare, Inc. - Inventors: John Rudser - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441802B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/3754: {Feedthroughs} - A61M 39/1011: {Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties (A61M39/16 takes precedence)} - A61M 60/148: in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices - A61M 60/178: drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices - A61M 60/878: Electrical connections within the patient's body - A61M 5/14276: {specially adapted for implantation} - A61M 2205/0216: Materials providing elastic properties, e.g. for facilitating deformation and avoid breaking - A61M 2205/04: implanted - A61M 2210/125: Heart - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A pass-through assembly including a first wall having oppositely-directed inner and outer sides, the first wall defining a first opening extending from the inner side to the outer side; an elongated structure extending into the opening from the outer side of the first wall; a first material contacting the first wall and the elongated structure so as to at least partially seal the opening, and a second material different from the first material, the second material overlying the first material on the outer side of the wall, the second material adhering to the elongated structure and the first wall, the second material having at least one physical property different than a corresponding physical property of the first material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pass-through assembly comprising: a first wall having oppositely-directed inner and outer sides, the first wall defining a first opening extending from the inner side to the outer side and a recess including a base portion disposed between the inner side and the outer side and forming a floor of the recess; an inner ring and an outer ring extending outwardly from the base portion of the recess and being disposed completely within the recess; an elongated structure extending into the opening from the outer side of the first wall; a first flowable and curable material contacting the first wall and the elongated structure so as to at least partially seal the opening, and a second material disposed at least partially within the recess in contact with the base portion and overlying the first material on the outer side of the wall and adhering to the elongated structure and the first wall, the second material having at least one physical property different than a corresponding physical property of the first material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pass-through assembly of claim 1, wherein the elongated structure is flexible. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pass-through assembly of claim 2, wherein the first wall has one or more additional openings extending from the inner side to the outer side, the assembly further comprising one or more additional elongated flexible structures extending into the additional openings from the outer side of the first wall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pass-through assembly of claim 1, wherein the second material covers the first material so that no portion of the first material is exposed at the outer side of the first wall. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The pass-through assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer side of the first wall has the inner ring projecting outwardly from the base portion around the opening and the outer ring projecting outwardly from the base portion around the inner ring so that the inner and outer rings define an annular space therebetween. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The pass-through assembly of claim 5, wherein the first material is disposed at least partially within the annular space. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pass-through assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner and outer rings extend upwardly from the floor of the recess. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The pass-through assembly of claim 1, wherein the second material is disposed at least partially within the recess. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The pass-through assembly of claim 1, wherein the pass-through is implantable within the body of an animal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The pass-through assembly of claim 9, further comprising: a third material disposed at least atop the second material, the third material being biocompatible. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The pass-through assembly of claim 10, wherein the third material is disposed atop a surface of a housing that includes the first wall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The pass-through assembly of claim 1, wherein the first material is a silicone. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The pass-through assembly of claim 1, wherein the second material is an epoxy. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pass-through assembly of claim 13, wherein the second material is biocompatible. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The pass-through assembly of claim 1, wherein the elongated structure has at least one ring element with an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of the opening in the first wall. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The pass-through assembly of claim 15, wherein the at least one ring element is deformable to permit insertion into the opening in an insertion direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The pass-through assembly of claim 1, wherein the first wall defines the recess in the outer side. ### Claim 18 A housing assembly comprising a pass-through assembly, comprising: a first wall having oppositely-directed inner and outer sides, the first wall defining a first opening extending from the inner side to the outer side and a recess including a base portion disposed between the inner side and the outer side and forming a floor of the recess; an inner ring and an outer ring extending outwardly from the base portion of the recess and being disposed completely within the recess; an elongated structure extending into the opening from the outer side of the first wall; a first flowable and curable material contacting the first wall and the elongated structure so as to at least partially seal the opening, and a second material disposed at least partially within the recess in contact with the base portion and overlying the first material on the outer side of the wall and adhering to the elongated structure and the first wall, the second material has at least one physical property different than a corresponding physical property of the first material; and one or more additional walls, the additional walls and the first wall cooperatively defining an interior space, the inner side of the first wall facing inwardly toward the interior space. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The housing assembly of claim 18, further comprising a component mounted within the interior space, the elongated structure extending through the first opening into the interior space to the component. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The housing assembly of claim 19, wherein the elongated structure is an electrical cable. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The housing assembly of claim 20, wherein the component is at least one of: an implantable battery, an implantable heart pump, and an implantable transcutaneous energy transfer system. ### Claim 22 A method of sealing an opening defined in a first wall of a housing, the method comprising: (a) advancing an elongated structure through the opening; (b) applying a first flowable and curable material to the first wall, the first material surrounding the elongated structure and having a first elastic modulus; and (c) applying a second material at least partially within a recess having a base portion forming a floor of the recess and being defined by the first wall and atop the first material, the second material contacting the base portion and surrounding the elongated structure and having a second elastic modulus, wherein the base portion of the recess includes a plurality of rings extending outwardly therefrom, and the plurality of rings are disposed completely within the recess. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising attaching the first wall to one or more other walls of the housing. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising: after step (a), connecting a first end of the elongated structure to a component disposed within the housing. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein step (b) further comprises: applying the first material at least partially within an annular space defined by the base portion of the first wall and the plurality of rings projecting outwardly from the base portion around the opening. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising: (d) applying a third material atop the second material and a surface of the housing, the third material being biocompatible.