Method of overmoulding top mounted seal plug cavities

Abstract

A method includes providing a mold defining a mold cavity for receiving material to be molded into a molded part, positioning an insert at least partially in the mold such that a portion of the insert defines a portion of the mold cavity, and injecting the material into the mold cavity to substantially fill the mold cavity to form the molded part. The molded par can then be removed from the mold and the insert can be removed from the molded part. The mold can include silicone and the insert can include polyoxymethylene.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method, comprising:
 positioning an insert at least partially into a mold such that a portion of the insert defines a portion of a mold cavity and portions of the mold define other portions of the mold cavity, the insert defining a shape of a ridge on an outer surface of the molded part extending between holes defined by the molded part;   injecting the material into the mold cavity to substantially the mold cavity to form the molded part;   removing the molded part from the mold; and   removing the insert from the molded part.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the outer surface is an outer top surface of the molded part, the outer top surface opposite a bottom surface of the molded part configured to be coupled to a device housing. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , a bottom surface of the insert defines the outer top surface of the molded part including the ridge. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the ridge has a thickness of about 0.9 millimeters or less. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the insert is entirely contained in the mold. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the holes are set screw holes. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the mold further defines an insert cavity adjacent to the mold cavity. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the insert cavity is in fluid communication with the mold cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein at least a portion of the insert is positioned in the insert cavity, and wherein a surface of the insert defines a portion of a top of the mold cavity. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the insert includes at least two holes extending from a top surface of the insert to a bottom surface of the insert. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein a first diameter of the at least two holes along a first portion is greater than a second diameter of the at least two holes along a second portion, the first portion positioned closer to the bottom surface of the insert compared to the second portion. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , further including:
 positioning a pin in the mold cavity adjacent the insert prior to injecting the material into the mold cavity, and wherein the pin defines a shape of a receptacle of the molded part for receiving a lead; and   removing the pin from the molded part after the molded part is formed.   
     
     
         33 . A method, comprising:
 positioning an insert at least partially into a mold such that a bottom surface of the insert defines a portion of a mold cavity and portions of the mold define other portions of the mold cavity, wherein a top surface of the mold cavity, defined by a top portion of the mold cavity and the portion of the insert, forms a shape of a top surface of the molded part including a raised portion, sunken portions, and a ridge extending between the sunken portions;   injecting the material into the mold cavity to substantially fill the mold cavity to form the header;   removing the header from the mold; and   removing the insert from the header.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the sunken portions are set screw holes. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the ridge has a thickness of about 0.9 millimeters or less. 
     
     
         36 . The method of claim : 33 , further including:
 positioning a pin in the mold cavity adjacent the insert prior to injecting the material into the mold cavity, wherein the pin defines a shape of a receptacle of the molded part for receiving a lead; and   removing the pin from the molded part after the molded part is formed.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the mold further includes:
 an insert cavity configured to receive a portion of the insert;   a pin assembly cavity configured to receive a pin; and   a housing cavity configured to receive the housing.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the insert comprises a polyoxymethylene homopolymer, the mold comprises silicone, and the material comprises epoxy. 
     
     
         39 . An implantable pulse generator comprising:
 a device housing;   a header molded to the device housing, wherein the header is formed of an epoxy header material, wherein the header comprises a top surface opposite the device housing and defines a plurality of set screw holes extending into the header on the top surface, and wherein the header comprises a ridge on the top surface between the set screw holes; and   a plurality of seal plugs positioned in the set screw holes so as to seal the set screw holes, wherein the seal plug has a deformable slit extending through a top of the seal plug through which a tool can be inserted and that is substantially closed to seal and limit fluid flow through the seal plug when the tool is removed.   
     
     
         40 . The implantable pulse generator of  claim 39 , wherein the ridge has a thickness of about 0.9 millimeters or less.