Steroid eluting collar undermold
AssigneeCardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
InventorsBenn Horrisberger, Joel T. Eggert, Kimberly A. Morris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods of manufacturing implantable medical devices with one or more undermolded features are disclosed. An example method includes injection molding an annular-shaped member onto an inner surface of a sacrificial mold insert, and then undermolding an elongate medical device body directly to the member. The member is directly coupled to the device body without the use of adhesives or bonding agents, thus eliminating the presence of gaps or surface irregularities that can affect device performance.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing an implantable medical device, comprising:
- inserting a mold insert into a molding tool and molding a member onto an interior surface within an interior cavity of the mold insert, the mold insert comprising a disk having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a peripheral edge, the molding tool comprising plates that engage the first and second sides of the disk to secure the mold insert during the molding;
- inserting an elongate medical device body into an interior lumen of the member while the member remains molded onto the interior surface of the mold insert;
- undermolding the elongate medical device body directly to the member to cause material defining the interior lumen of the member to thermally bond to material of the elongate medical device body while the member remains within the interior cavity the mold insert;
- and
- removing the mold insert from the member after the undermolding step.
A method of manufacturing an implantable medical electrical lead, comprising:
- inserting a mold insert into a molding tool and molding a collar onto an interior surface within an interior cavity of the mold insert, wherein the mold insert comprises a disk and the molding tool engages opposite sides of the disk to secure the disk within the molding tool during the molding;
- inserting an elongate lead body into an interior lumen of the collar while the collar remains molded onto the interior surface of the mold insert;
- undermolding the lead body directly to the collar to cause material defining the interior lumen of the collar to thermally bond to material defining an exterior of the lead body while the collar remains within the interior cavity the mold insert;
- and
- removing the mold insert from the collar after the undermolding step.
A method of manufacturing an implantable medical electrical lead, comprising:
- inserting a mold insert into a molding tool, the molding tool comprising a pair of plates;
- bringing the pair of plates together to clamp the mold insert in the molding tool;
- inserting an elongate rod into an interior cavity of the mold insert;
- injection molding a polymeric collar, the collar molded such that an exterior surface of the elongate rod forms an interior lumen of the collar and an interior surface of the interior cavity of the mold insert forms an exterior surface of the collar;
- removing the elongate rod while the collar remains within the interior cavity of the mold insert;
- inserting an elongate polymeric lead body into the interior lumen of the collar while the collar remains within the interior cavity of the mold insert;
- undermolding the lead body directly to the collar to cause polymeric material defining the interior lumen of the collar to thermally bond to polymeric material of the lead body while the collar remains within the interior cavity the mold insert;
- and
- removing the collar from within the interior cavity of the mold insert after the undermolding step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.