Header assembly for electrically and mechanically connecting an active medical device to a lead

An active medical device (AMD) assembly, comprising:

• a) an AMD comprising a device housing containing an electrical power source connected to a printed circuit board supporting at least one electronic component;
• b) a feedthrough welded into an opening in the device housing, the feedthrough comprising:
• i) a ferrule defining a ferrule opening extending to a ferrule device side end surface and a ferrule body fluid side end surface;
• ii) an insulator hermetically sealed to the ferrule in the ferrule opening, the insulator extending to an insulator device side residing at or adjacent to the ferrule device side end surface, and the insulator extending to an insulator body fluid side residing at or adjacent to the ferrule body fluid side end surface;
• iii) at least a first terminal pin and a second terminal pin extending through the insulator wherein the first and second terminal pins each have a device side portion extending outwardly beyond the device side of the insulator and a body fluid side portion extending outwardly beyond the body fluid side of the insulator;
• and
• iv) a hub having a hub opening, wherein the hub including the hub opening extend s distally from and outwardly beyond the body fluid side end surface of the ferrule;
• and
• c) a lead connector, comprising:
• i) an annular connector sidewall extending from a connector device side end surface to a connector body fluid side end surface, wherein a lateral web residing between the connector device side and body fluid side end surfaces is provided with at least a first connector opening and a second connector opening;
• ii) a proximally-facing and metallic first C-shaped insert and a proximally-facing and metallic second C-shaped insert residing in the respective first and second connector openings;
• iii) a first annular spring and a second annular spring nested in the respective first and second C-shaped inserts;
• iv) a strain-relief device fixedly connected to the connector body fluid side end surface, wherein the strain-relief device is connected to a lead, the lead having at least two electrical conductors connected to respective first and second electrodes;
• and
• v) a lead connector inlet extending from the connector device side end surface into the strain-relief device, the lead connector inlet having an inlet opening,
• d) wherein, with the hub of the feedthrough received in the lead connector inlet, and with a screw in the aligned hub and inlet openings securing the AMD to the lead connector including the strain-relief device, the device side portions of the first and second terminal pins of the feedthrough are electrically connected to the at least one electronic component contained in the device housing, the body fluid side portions of the first and second terminal pins are electrically connected to the respective first and second annular springs nested in the respective first and second C-shaped inserts, and the at least two electrical conductors are electrically connected to the respective first and second C-shaped inserts and the first and second electrodes of the lead.

A medical device, comprising:

• a) a device housing containing an electrical power source connected to a printed circuit board supporting at least one electronic component;
• and
• b) a feedthrough welded into an opening in the device housing, the feedthrough comprising:
• i) a ferrule defining a ferrule opening extending to a ferrule device side end surface and a ferrule body fluid side end surface;
• ii) an insulator hermetically sealed to the ferrule in the ferrule opening, the insulator extending to an insulator device side residing at or adjacent to the ferrule device side end surface, and the insulator extending to an insulator body fluid side that is recessed inwardly from the ferrule body fluid side end surface;
• iii) at least a first terminal pin and a second terminal pin extending through the insulator wherein the first and second terminal pins each have a device side portion extending outwardly beyond the device side of the insulator and a body fluid side portion extending outwardly beyond the body fluid side of the insulator;
• and
• iv) a hub having a hub opening, wherein the hub including the hub opening extend distally from and outwardly beyond the body fluid side end surface of the ferrule.