System for laser-welding components of an implantable device

An electrical connection for an implantable stimulation device comprising:

• an electrically conductive elongate member;
• and
• an electrically conductive termination component having a bore therein for the slidable lengthwise reception of the elongate member while constraining the elongate member against movement transverse of its longitudinal axis and an aperture in communication with the bore and having a rim and an axis that extends in a direction transverse an axis of the bore;
• wherein the elongate member is received in the bore of the termination component such that it is coplanar with and intersects the axis of the aperture;
• wherein a weld connection is formed by directing a laser beam transversely of the elongate member through the aperture so that the laser beam impinges on the elongate member and on the rim of the aperture to simultaneously melt the rim of the aperture of the termination component and the elongate member and create a homogeneous mix of the material of the elongate member with the material of the termination component within the aperture which, when solidified, achieves a welded connection between the elongate member and the termination component and forms a concave weld fillet overlying the former aperture.

A method of welding an elongate conductor to a termination component comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a bore through the termination component for snugly but freely slidably receiving and peripherally enveloping the elongate conductor;
• (b) forming in the termination component an aperture in communication with the bore;
• (c) positioning the elongate conductor in the bore of the termination component so as to be coextensive with the aperture;
• (d) directing a laser beam through the aperture in the termination component and onto the elongate conductor;
• (e) dimensioning the aperture so as to be sufficiently large for the laser beam to pass unimpeded to the elongate conductor yet small enough to melt the rim of the aperture and the elongate conductor simultaneously and create a homogeneous mix of the molten material of both the elongate conductor and the termination component within the aperture;
• and
• (f) allowing the homogeneous mix of the molten material of step (e) to solidify within the termination component and to solidify within the aperture to thereby create a weld rivet for firmly affixing the elongate conductor to the termination component.

A method of welding an elongate conductor to a self-fixturing termination component comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a bore through the termination component for snugly but freely slidably receiving and substantially peripherally enveloping the elongate conductor;
• (b) forming in the termination component an aperture in communication with the bore;
• (c) positioning the elongate conductor in the bore of the termination component so as to be coextensive with the aperture;
• (d) directing a laser beam through the aperture in the termination component and onto the elongate conductor;
• (e) dimensioning the aperture so as to be sufficiently large for the laser beam to pass unimpeded to the elongate conductor yet small enough to melt the rim of the aperture and the elongate conductor simultaneously and create a homogeneous mix of the molten material of both the elongate conductor and the termination component within the aperture;
• and
• (f) allowing the homogeneous mix of the molten material of step (e) to solidify within the region of the aperture to thereby create a weld rivet for firmly affixing the elongate conductor to the termination component.