US 7,891,085 B1Granted

Electrode array assembly and method of making same

AssigneeBoston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation

InventorsJanusz A Kuzma, Anne M Pianca

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Abstract

A lead assembly and a method of making a lead are provided. The method of making a multi-contact lead assembly comprises providing conductive contacts located at an end of a lead body, disposing conductive wires in conductor lumens formed in the lead body, and connecting the conductive wires to the conductive contacts. The method further includes placing spacers between pairs of conductive contacts and inserting monofilament in at least a portion of at least one of the conductor lumens not occupied by the conductor wires. The method also includes reflowing at least one of the spacers or monofilament into at least one portion of at least one of the conductor lumens by heating the spacers and monofilament to a temperature to cause thermal flow or melting of at least one of the spacers or monofilament.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing a stimulation lead having a proximal end and a distal end, comprising:

providing a plurality of conductive contacts located at an end of a lead body of the stimulation lead;
disposing a plurality of conductor wires in a plurality of conductor lumens formed in the lead body;
connecting at least one of the plurality of conductor wires to each of the conductive contacts;
placing spacers between pairs of adjacent conductive contacts, wherein portions of the conductor lumens are located beneath the plurality of conductive contacts and the spacers;
inserting monofilament into at least one portion of at least one of the conductor lumens of the lead body that is not occupied by the conductor wires;
and
reflowing at least one of the spacers or monofilament into at least one portion of at least one of the conductor lumens not occupied by the conductive wires by heating the spacers and monofilament to a temperature to cause thermal flow or melting of at least one of the spacers or monofilament.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/329,907Filed 11 Jan 2006 · us provisional application
Priority: 11 Jan 2005
Granted: 22 Feb 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

A61N 1/05
Electrodes: for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode
A61N 1/0551
For implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode: spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
A61N 1/0553
Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes: paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
Y10T 29/49117
Electrical device making: conductor or circuit manufacturing