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US 11,896,835 B2Granted
Electrical shielding in implantable medical devices
AssigneeCochlear Limited
InventorsWilson Fung, Stuart Tyler, Jane Rapsey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Presented herein are implantable medical devices that include an insulator extending through a hermetically-sealed biocompatible housing. A plurality of feedthrough pins, which include at least a first feedthrough pin, a second feedthrough pin, and at least one ground feedthrough pin extend through the insulator. An electrically shielding member is disposed at the outer surface of the insulator so as to provide a grounding barrier between the first and second feedthrough pins.
Claims20
An implantable medical device, comprising:
- a hermetically-sealed biocompatible housing configured to be implanted in a recipient;
- an insulator extending through the housing, wherein the insulator comprises an outer surface that is external to the housing;
- a first feedthrough pin extending through the insulator and configured to carry first signals between a first functional component external to the housing and electronics within the housing;
- a second feedthrough pin extending through the insulator configured to carry second signals between a second functional component external to the housing and the electronics within the housing;
- and
- a conductive electrical shielding member positioned on the outer surface of the insulator between the first and second feedthrough pins, wherein the conductive electrical shielding member is configured to provide a grounding barrier between the first and second feedthrough pins to electrically shield the first feedthrough pin from the second signals and is insulated from the first and second feedthrough pins.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- providing a housing that includes an aperture extending through the housing;
- positioning an insulator in the aperture in the housing, wherein the insulator comprises a plurality of feedthrough pins extending through the insulator, and wherein the plurality of feedthrough pins include a first feedthrough pin, a second feedthrough pin, and at least one ground feedthrough pin;
- hermetically joining the insulator to the housing;
- forming a conductive electrical shielding member at an outer surface of the insulator that is external to the housing at a location between the first and second feedthrough pins and is configured to electrically shield the first feedthrough pin from signals associated with the second feedthrough pin;
- insulating the conductive electrical shielding member from the first and second feedthrough pins;
- and
- encapsulating the housing, the insulator, the plurality of feedthrough pins, and the conductive electrical shielding member in a biocompatible elastomer layer.
4 more elements
An implantable medical device, comprising:
- a hermetically-sealed biocompatible housing that includes an aperture extending there through;
- an insulator positioned in the aperture in the housing and having an outer surface that is external to the housing;
- a plurality of feedthrough pins extending through the insulator, wherein the plurality of feedthrough pins include a first feedthrough pin, a second feedthrough pin, and at least one ground feedthrough pin;
- a conductive element disposed at the outer surface of the insulator at a location between the second feedthrough pin and the first feedthrough pin, surrounding at least the second feedthrough pin, electrically connected to the at least one ground feedthrough pin and insulated from the first feedthrough pin and the second feedthrough pin, wherein the conductive element is configured to electrically shield the first feedthrough pin from signals associated with the second feedthrough pin;
- and
- a biocompatible elastomer layer encapsulating the housing, the insulator, the plurality of feedthrough pins, and the conductive element.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.