US 11,883,647 B2Granted

Electrode array assembly and method of making same

AssigneeBoston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation

InventorsJanusz A. Kuzma, Anne Margaret Pianca

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Abstract

A lead assembly and a method of making a lead are provided. The method of making a multi-contact lead assembly comprises placing monofilament placed in the void spaces not occupied by the plurality of conductor wires and, in one embodiment, thermally fusing the monofilament to the like material spacer by applying heat just below the melting temperature of the monofilament and spacer material. Alternatively, the monofilament and spacer may be of different materials and heat is applied to cause at least one material to thermally reflow or melt. The conductive contacts may be located at either the distal end and/or proximal end of the lead. Oversized spacers may be used in order to provide extra material to fill voids during the thermal fusion/reflow process.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A stimulation lead, the stimulation lead comprising:

a lead body having a distal end and a proximal end and defining a plurality of conductor lumens extending along the lead body;
a plurality of electrically conductive first contacts disposed along a first one of the distal end or the proximal end of the lead body, wherein a portion of each of the conductor lumens is disposed radially beneath the first contacts;
a plurality of electrically conductive second contacts disposed along a second one of the distal end or the proximal end of the lead body that is different from the first one;
a plurality of conductor wires disposed in the conductor lumens, wherein each of the conductor wires is electrically connected to at least one first contact and to at least one second contact, wherein a portion of each of the conductor wires is disposed radially beneath at least one of the first contacts;
and
a solid, non-conductive monofilament disposed in a void space in each of the conductor lumens beneath the first contacts that is not occupied by the conductor wires, wherein at least a portion of the non-conductive monofilament is radially disposed beneath at least one of the first contacts.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/634,842Filed 27 Jun 2017 · continuation
Priority: 11 Jan 2005
Published: US 2017/0291023 A112 Oct 2017
Granted: 30 Jan 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

A61N 1/05
Electrodes: for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode
A61N 1/0551
For implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode: spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
A61N 1/0553
Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes: paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
Y10T 29/49117
Electrical device making: conductor or circuit manufacturing

Family

Application60/643,093Us provisional application · filed 11 Jan 2005
Application11/329,907Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Jan 2006
Application13/013,599Parent of this division · filed 25 Jan 2011
US 7,891,085 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Feb 2011
Application14/069,131Parent of this continuation · filed 31 Oct 2013
US 8,646,172 B2Parent of this division · filed 11 Feb 2014
Application14/553,651Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Nov 2014
US 8,918,987 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Dec 2014
US 2017/0291023 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 Oct 2017
US 9,717,899 B2Parent of this continuation
Application14/069,131Parent of this division
Application13/013,599Parent of this continuation
US 2011/0118815 A1Published application
US 2014/0053401 A1Published application
US 2015/0074997 A1Published application
US 11,883,647 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.