# US 11,998,739 B2 · Monolithic component for an implantable medical device

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- Number: US 11,998,739 B2
- Document ID: US11998739B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/117,753
- Filed: 2020-12-10
- Published: 2021-04-01
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-12
- Assignees: Cochlear Limited
- Applicants: Cochlear Limited
- Inventors: Milind Chandrakant Raje; Martin Joseph Svehla; Charles Roger Leigh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998739B2

## CPC

- A61N 1/3603: {Control systems}
- A61F 2/18: Internal ear or nose parts, e.g. ear-drums {(implants for middle ear ventilation or drainage A61F11/202)}
- A61N 1/0541: {Cochlear electrodes}
- A61N 1/36038: {Cochlear stimulation}
- A61N 1/375: Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
- A61F 2002/183: {Ear parts}
- H04R 25/606: {acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window}
- H04R 2460/13: Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
- 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)
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)

## Abstract

A monolithic implantable medical device component includes multiple portions on a single substrate. The portions can be electrically connected to an electronics module, which may include output connectors and input connectors to and from the various portions of the substrate. A portion of the monolithic component to be disposed within, attached to, embedded in, or otherwise combined with a magnet retention feature, such as a plate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An implantable medical device, comprising:
a monolithic implantable component, comprising:
a substrate comprising a telemetry coil region, an electrical interface region, and an elongate anatomy interface region;
a coil disposed within the substrate at the telemetry coil region;
one or more connectors formed on the electrical interface region, wherein the telemetry coil region extends from a first side of the electrical interface region in a first direction along an axis; and
a plurality of electrodes formed on the elongate anatomy interface region, wherein the plurality of electrodes is formed in a linear array, wherein the elongate anatomy interface region is configured as to be inserted into a cochlea of a recipient for positioning of the plurality of electrodes for stimulation of the recipient's auditory nerves from within the cochlea, and wherein the elongate anatomy interface region extends from a second side, opposite the first side, of the electrical interface region in a second direction, opposite the first direction, along the axis such that the telemetry coil region, the electrical interface region, and the elongate anatomy interface region are offset from one another along the axis; and
an electronics module external to the substrate, wherein the electronics module comprises a conductor configured to electrically connect to the one or more connectors of the monolithic implantable component.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a second anatomy interface region, wherein the second anatomy interface region is separate from the elongate anatomy interface region and is electrically connected to the electrical interface region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The implantable medical device of claim 2, further comprising:
at least one return electrode formed on the second anatomy interface region, wherein the at least one return electrode is in signal communication with the electrical interface region.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the elongate anatomy interface region and the electrical interface region are formed from one or more different materials.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the elongate anatomy interface region and the electrical interface region have different material properties.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The implantable medical device of claim 5, wherein the elongate anatomy interface region is more rigid than at least the electrical interface region to facilitate insertion of the elongate anatomy interface region into the cochlea.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The implantable medical device of claim 5, wherein the elongate anatomy interface region and the electrical interface region are treated differently to create differing material properties in the elongate anatomy interface region relative to the electrical interface region that facilitate insertion of the elongate anatomy interface region into the cochlea.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The implantable medical device of claim 5, wherein the elongate anatomy interface region and the electrical interface region comprise different numbers of material layers to create differing material properties in the elongate anatomy interface region relative to the electrical interface region that facilitate insertion of the elongate anatomy interface region into the cochlea.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the electronics module is disposed in a biocompatible housing.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The implantable medical device of claim 1, further comprising:
a plate; and
a magnet external to the substrate, wherein the magnet is disposed between the monolithic implantable component and the plate such that at least one of the monolithic implantable component and the plate restricts some rotational motion of the magnet.

### Claim 11

An implantable medical device, comprising:
a telemetry coil disposed within a substrate;
an electrical interface region formed on the substrate, wherein the electrical interface region comprises segments that are offset from one another to form a space therebetween;
an anatomy interface region formed on the substrate, wherein the anatomy interface region includes one or more electrodes disposed thereon,
wherein the telemetry coil, the electrical interface region, and the anatomy interface region are integrated via the substrate; and
an electronics module external to the substrate, wherein the electronics module comprises a conductor configured to directly connect to the electrical interface region, and wherein the electronics module is configured to be positioned against the segments of the electrical interface region to be positioned over and extend across the space between the segments.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The implantable medical device of claim 11, wherein the substrate comprises a second anatomy interface region, wherein the second anatomy interface region is separate from the anatomy interface region and is electrically connected to the electrical interface region.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The implantable medical device of claim 11, wherein the anatomy interface region and the electrical interface region are formed from one or more different materials.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The implantable medical device of claim 11, wherein the anatomy interface region and the electrical interface region are treated differently to create differing material properties in the anatomy interface region relative to the electrical interface region.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The implantable medical device of claim 11, wherein the anatomy interface region and the electrical interface region comprise different numbers of material layers to create differing material properties in the anatomy interface region relative to the electrical interface region.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The implantable medical device of claim 11, further comprising:
a magnetic retention feature configured to permit a rotation of a magnet external to the substrate when the magnet is subjected to an externally-generated magnetic field;
the magnet external to the substrate.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The implantable medical device of claim 16, wherein the magnetic retention feature comprises at least one plate, and wherein the at least one plate is more rigid than a body material that houses the implantable medical device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The implantable medical device of claim 16, further comprising a body material, wherein the magnetic retention feature includes the body material and a second component of the implantable medical device.

### Claim 19

A method of manufacturing an implantable medical component comprising:
obtaining a substrate;
disposing a telemetry coil within the substrate;
forming an electrical interface region on the substrate, the electrical interface region extending from the telemetry coil in a direction along an axis;
forming an anatomy interface region on the substrate, the anatomy interface region extending from the electrical interface region in the direction along the axis such that the telemetry coil, the electrical interface region, and the anatomy interface region are offset from one another along the axis; and
forming one or more electrodes on the anatomy interface region;
directly connecting an electronics module to the electrical interface region, wherein the electronics module is external to the substrate.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein directly connecting the electronics module to the electrical interface region comprises:
electrically coupling the electronics module to the electrical interface region, wherein the electronics module is configured to interact with the one or more electrodes based at least in part on a signal received at the telemetry coil.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
forming a second anatomy interface region on the substrate, wherein the second anatomy interface region is separate from the anatomy interface region and is electrically connected to the electrical interface region.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
treating the anatomy interface region and the electrical interface region differently to create differing material properties in the anatomy interface region relative to the electrical interface region.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
forming the anatomy interface region and the electrical interface region with different numbers of material layers to create differing material properties in the anatomy interface region relative to the electrical interface region.

### Claim 24 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
providing a magnet retention feature configured to permit a rotation of a magnet external to the substrate when the magnet is subjected to an externally-generated magnetic field; and
providing the magnet in the magnet retention feature.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein the magnet retention feature comprises at least one plate.