Implantable lead with isolated contact coupling

An implantable lead with an isolated contact connection, comprising:

• a lead body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior surface;
• at least one conductor contained in the lead body extending from the lead proximal end to the distal end, the conductor being electrically insulated;
• at least one ring electrode contact carried on the proximal end and electrically connected to the conductor;
• at least one ring electrode contact carried on the lead distal end and electrically connected to the conductor;
• and, at least one coupling having a conductor coupling and a contact coupling, the conductor coupling being placed over the conductor and attached to the conductor and the contact coupling exiting the lead body and having a weld to connect the contact coupling to a contact slot formed in the ring electrode contact, means for isolation void of the conductor created between the conductor and the ring electrode contact to prevent directly welding the conductor to the ring electrode contact, the isolation void is a hollow portion of the coupling, wherein the hollow portion of the coupling is at least partially filled with a non-conductive fill material.

An isolated contact connection for an implantable lead, comprising:

• a connector body;
• a first region in the connector body, the first region configured for receiving a conductor end;
• a second region adjacent to the first region;
• and,
• a third region adjacent to the second region, the third region configured for being welded to a contact slot formed in a ring electrode contact to create a contact weld,
• wherein the second region is void of the conductor and provides physical isolation between the first region and the third region to isolate the contact weld from the conductor, the second region being a hollow portion of the coupling and at least partially filled with a non-conductive material.

A method for creating an isolation space in an implantable lead electrode connection, comprising:

• attaching a coupling to a conductor so that the conductor extends into a first coupling region of the coupling, the coupling having a second coupling region adjacent to the first coupling region and a third coupling region adjacent to the second coupling region;
• creating an isolation space formed by the second coupling region, the isolation space void of the conductor;
• engaging the third coupling region into a contact slot formed in a ring electrode contact;
• and,
• welding the third coupling region to the ring electrode contact creating a contact weld.