Implantable medical electrical device connector module assemblies and methods

#The present application is related to the co-pending and commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/473,934, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,628,348, filed concurrently herewith, and is entitled CONNECTOR MODULE ASSEMBLIES, METHODS, AND COMPONENTS FOR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL ELECTRICAL DEVICES.

#The present invention pertains to implantable medical devices, and, more particularly to connector module assemblies thereof.

#Implantable medical systems that are designed to deliver electrical stimulation, for example, to cardiac muscle or the spinal cord, and/or to monitor bodily electrical activity, typically include a relatively compact implantable device, for example, like an exemplary device 100 shown in FIG. 1, and one or more elongate implantable electrical leads (not shown). With reference to FIG. 1, those skilled in the art will appreciate that three connector terminals of one or more leads may be plugged into bores 121, 122 of a connector module assembly 115 of device 100, to electrically couple electrodes of the one or more leads to a power source and circuitry which is contained in a hermetically sealed housing 104, for example, formed from a Titanium alloy, on which connector module assembly 115 is mounted. Connector module assembly 115 includes one or more contact surfaces exposed along a length of each bore 121, 122 for electrical coupling with corresponding contact surfaces of the corresponding lead connector terminal inserted therein. An insulative body of connector module assembly 115 supports and isolates the contact components and corresponding conductive interconnects that extend from the contact components to hermetically sealed feedthroughs, within the insulative body, for electrical coupling of the contact components to the circuitry and power supply within housing 104. Numerous constructions and assembly methods for implantable medical device connector module assemblies are known in the art, some of which are disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,895,276, 7,309,262, 7,317,946, 7,526,339, 7,717,754 and 8,032,221. However, there is still a need for new and improved connector module assembly constructions and associated assembly methods.

#The following drawings are illustrative of particular embodiments of the present invention and therefore do not limit the scope of the invention. The drawings are not to scale (unless so stated) and are intended for use in conjunction with the explanations in the following detailed description. Embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein like numerals/letters denote like elements, and:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary implantable medical device including a connector module assembly, which may be constructed according to some embodiments and methods of the present invention;

#FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a welded assembly of components, according to some embodiments and methods;

#The following detailed description is exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides practical examples, and those skilled in the art will recognize that some of the examples may have suitable alternatives. Examples of constructions, materials, dimensions and fabrication processes are provided for select elements and all other elements employ that which is known by those skilled in the art.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of implantable medical device 100 including connector module assembly 115, which may be constructed according to some embodiments and methods of the present invention, for example, as introduced by FIGS. 2A-C. According to some embodiments, connector module assembly 115 includes two types of connector bores, wherein connector bore 121 corresponds to a first type of bore and each of connector bores 122 corresponds to a second type; an indicator or marker may be included in the construction of connector module assembly 115, according to some methods described below, to identify bore 121 as the first type. As mentioned above, each of bores 121, 122 is configured to receive a connector terminal of an implantable medical electrical lead for electrical coupling of the lead to the power source and circuitry contained in housing 104.

#FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a welded assembly that includes electrical components 200, 270, set screw block (ssb) contact components 230, and a multi-beam contact (mbc) component 210. FIG. 2A illustrates each electrical component 200, 270 including a feedthrough interface panel portion 290, 297 and one or more elongate finger-like portions 20, 23, 207 extending therefrom; wherein each elongate finger-like portion 20, 23 of electrical component 200 includes a contact interface 220, 223 coupled to a corresponding conductive trace (not shown) formed on interface panel portion 290; and wherein elongate finger-like portion 207 of component 270 forms an antenna. Antenna 207 is useful for telemetry communications known in the art, for example, as described in the above-referenced commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,317,946. FIG. 2A further illustrates each contact interface 220 coupled to a corresponding ssb contact component 230 or to mbc component 210, and each contact interface 223 not yet coupled to a corresponding contact component that will be described below. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that each contact component of connector module assembly 115 has a connector bore, aligned with the corresponding bore 121, 122, within which electrical contact is made with a corresponding contact element on an inserted lead connector terminal. Each feedthrough interface panel portion 290, 270 is adapted for mounting to a sidewall of device housing 104 (FIG. 1) and for coupling to the aforementioned hermetically sealed feedthrough assembly (not shown), which may be constructed according to embodiments and methods known in the art.