Implantable medical device with modular injection molded header assembly and related methods of manufacture

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an implantable electronic device. In one embodiment, the device has a modular header-feedthru assembly and a housing. The modular header-feedthru assembly has a conductor assembly, a feedthru coupled to the conductor assembly, and a polymer header that is injected molded about the conductor assembly and at least a portion of the feedthru. The housing is welded to the feedthru.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An implantable electronic device comprising:
 a header-feedthru assembly comprising a feedthru base and a feedthru terminal extending through the feedthru base such that a first portion of the feedthru terminal extends beyond a bottom portion of the feedthru base; and   a housing that contains a female electrical receptacle within a recess of the housing, wherein the housing includes a mating end that defines a cavity, the housing configured to receive at least the bottom portion of the feedthru base into the cavity and engage the feedthru base to guide the feedthru terminal into alignment with the female electrical receptacle as the header-feedthru assembly is plugged into the cavity for the feedthru terminal to enter into and electrically connect to the female electrical receptacle.   
     
     
         2 . The implantable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein an upper edge of the housing at the mating end is coupled to the feedthru base by a weld and the weld forms a hermetic seal between the upper edge of the housing and the feedthru base. 
     
     
         3 . The implantable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is defined by an upper edge of the housing at the mating end, and the upper edge has a closed shape. 
     
     
         4 . The implantable electronic device of  claim 3 , wherein the closed shape is oblong. 
     
     
         5 . The implantable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein a second portion of the feedthru terminal extends beyond an upper portion of the feedthru base, and the header-feedthru assembly further comprises a molded polymer header that is secured to the upper portion of the feedthru base and encases the second portion of the feedthru terminal. 
     
     
         6 . The implantable electronic device of  claim 5 , wherein the molded polymer header comprises at least one of a thermoplastic polyurethane material or a thermoplastic polycarbonate material. 
     
     
         7 . The implantable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the female electrical receptable is electrically coupled to internal electronic components within the housing, and the feedthru terminal is electrically coupled to a conductor assembly of the header-feedthru assembly,
 wherein receipt of the first portion of the feedthru terminal within the female electrical receptacle as the header-feedthru assembly is plugged into the cavity electrically connects the internal electronic components of the housing to the conductor assembly.   
     
     
         8 . The implantable electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the implantable electronic device is an implantable cardiac monitor and the conductor assembly comprises an electrode plate and an antenna that are each at least partially encased within a molded polymer header of the header-feedthru assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The implantable electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the implantable electronic device is an implantable pulse generator and the conductor assembly comprises at least one of a ring block or a tip block configured to receive and electrically connect to a lead of the implantable pulse generator, the at least one of the ring block or the tip block at least partially encased within a molded polymer header of the header-feedthru assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The implantable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the female electrical receptacle is a first of plural female electrical receptacles secured in place within the recess of the housing and the feedthru terminal is a first of plural feedthru terminals coupled to and extending through the feedthru base, wherein the housing engages the feedthru base as the header-feedthru assembly is plugged into the cavity to guide the plural feedthru terminals into alignment with, and receipt into, different corresponding ones of the plural female electrical receptacles. 
     
     
         11 . The implantable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the feedthru base includes a flange with a bottom edge, and the bottom edge of the flange is configured to abut against an upper edge of the housing at the mating end of the housing to block additional movement of the header-feedthru assembly into the cavity. 
     
     
         12 . The implantable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the female electrical receptacle defines a cylindrical hole that is sized to receive the first portion of the feedthru terminal. 
     
     
         13 . The implantable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the female electrical receptacle includes an outer shell and a biasing member within the outer shell, the biasing member configured to press against an outer surface of the first portion of the feedthru terminal that is received within the female electrical receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing an implantable electronic device, the method comprising:
 coupling a feedthru terminal to a feedthru base such that the feedthru terminal extends through the feedthru base and a first portion of the feedthru terminal extends beyond a bottom portion of the feedthru base; and   plugging the feedthru base, with the feedthru terminal coupled thereto, into a cavity at a mating end of a housing that contains a female electrical receptacle, wherein the mating end of the housing is configured to engage and guide the feedthru base such that the feedthru terminal aligns with, and is received into, the female electrical receptacle to electrically connect to the female electrical receptacle as the feedthru base is plugged into the cavity.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising molding a polymer material to an upper portion of the feedthru base to form a polymer header on the feedthru base, wherein the polymer header encases a second portion of the feedthru terminal that extends beyond the upper portion of the feedthru base. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the polymer material is molded to the feedthru base prior to plugging the feedthru base into the cavity of the housing, such that the polymer header is present on the feedthru base as the feedthru base is plugged into the cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the feedthru terminal is a first of plural feedthru terminals, and the coupling of the feedthru terminal comprises coupling the plural feedthru terminals to the feedthru base, wherein the method further comprises welding an electrode array and an antenna to the plural feedthru terminals prior to molding the polymer material to the upper portion of the feedthru base such that the polymer material at least partially encases the electrode array and the antenna. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the molding of the polymer material is a direct injection process. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising welding the feedthru base to the mating end of the housing after plugging the feedthru base into the cavity of the housing to form a hermetic seal between the housing and the feedthru base. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the housing has an upper edge at the mating end, the upper edge having a closed shape and defining the cavity, wherein plugging the feedthru base into the cavity comprises aligning the feedthru base with the closed shape of the upper edge for the bottom portion of the feedthru base to be received within the cavity.