US5105811A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cochlear prosthetic package
Assignee: Australian Government
•
Filing: 1991-05-16
•
Granted: 1992-04-21
•
Expires: 2011-05-16
Abstract
Abstract A cochlear prosthetic package having a cup-shaped titanium case with a ceramic plate; a plurality of hermetically-sealed feedthroughs are formed in the plate by sintering the plate with hollow metallic tubes located in plate holes and then sealing at least one end of each tube. An electrode cable connector is provided which allows removal and replacement of a case even in the presence of body fluids. A telemetry coil is contained in a metallic tube which extends out of the case; the coil-containing tube has its two ends hermetically-sealed to the case by ceramic insulating bushings.
Inventors
- 👤 Janusz Kuzma
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:33
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/36; A61N1/372; A61N1/375; A61N1/3752; A61N1/3754; H; H01; H01B; H01B17/00; H01B17/26; H01B17/30; H01B17/303; H01B17/305; H04; H04R; H04R2225/00; H04R2225/67
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 69
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package comprising an hermetically sealed case, said case having a plurality of feedthroughs on a region thereof, a two-ended tube adapted to contain a coil extending outwardly of said case, and a pair of means for connecting the two ends of said tube to said case such that the inside of the tube is topologically continuous with the inside of the case while maintaining an hermetic seal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
71 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package comprising an hermetically sealed case, said case having a plurality of feedthroughs on a region thereof, a two-ended tube adapted to contain a coil extending outwardly of said case, and a pair of means for connecting the two ends of said tube to said case such that the inside of the tube is topologically continuous with the inside of the case while maintaining an hermetic seal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tube and at least part of said case are made of electrically conductive metal, said pair of connecting means are insulating bushings, and the two ends of said tube are electrically unconnected other than through the tube itself.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 2 wherein said plurality of feedthroughs are contained in a ceramic plate which forms part of said case.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 3 further including connector means extending outwardly of said ceramic plate from a position generally central to the positions of said feedthroughs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
114 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 4 further including a connector having a rigid cover, an electrode cable extending through said rigid cover, resilient material within said rigid cover containing a plurality of connector parts for mating with respective feedthroughs on said case, each of said connector parts being coupled to a respective wire in said electrode cable, holes in said resilient material and said rigid cover for allowing said connector means to pass therethrough when said cover is placed on said ceramic plate, and means for attachment to the connector means when it extends out of the hole in said rigid cover for forcing the connector against said ceramic plate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 5 wherein said resilient material distributes the force applied by said attachment means uniformly across said ceramic plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 6 wherein said resilient material includes a first sheet adjacent to said rigid cover, and a second facing sheet containing said connector parts.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 7 wherein the outer face of said ceramic plate is highly polished to exclude any fluid which would otherwise be disposed at the interface of said ceramic plate and said resilient material when the connector is forced against said ceramic plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 8 wherein each of said feedthroughs is a hollow tube sealed at the end inside said case and formed at the end outside said case to receive a mating connector part.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 9 wherein the outside end of each of said feedthroughs is conically shaped.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 10 wherein each of said connector parts has a configuration which allows a cavity to form between said resilient material and said ceramic plate around each of said feedthroughs when the connector is forced against said ceramic plate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 11 wherein each of said connector parts includes a pin extending partially into said resilient material, and the electrode cable wire connected to said pin has a diameter which is substantially smaller than that of said pin.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
71 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 12 wherein said connector means include a shaft which extends outwardly of said ceramic plate and passes through a hole in the ceramic plate, and a head which is secured to the face of said ceramic plate which is inside said case, said head including an undercut around said shaft to reduce the contact area of said ceramic plate and said head.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 13 wherein the diameter of the hole in said ceramic plate is greater than that of said shaft, and said shaft does not contact the wall of said hole.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 14 where said plurality of feedthroughs extend through respective holes in said ceramic plate and hermetic seals surround said feedthroughs, each of the hermetic seals consisting of a bond between the respective feedthrough and the surrounding ceramic formed during the sintering of said ceramic plate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 15 wherein said tube is bendable.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 16 wherein said case and said tube are symmetrical about a plane passing therethrough.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 1 wherein said plurality of feedthroughs are contained in a ceramic plate which forms part of said case.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 18 further including connector means extending outwardly of said ceramic plate from a position generally central to the positions of said feedthroughs.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
114 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 19 further including a connector having a rigid cover, an electrode cable extending through said rigid cover, resilient material within said rigid cover containing a plurality of connector parts for mating with respective feedthroughs on said case, each of said connector parts being coupled to a respective wire in said electrode cable, holes in said resilient material and said rigid cover for allowing said connector means to pass therethrough when said cover is placed on said ceramic plate, and means for attachment to the connector means when it extends out of the hole in said rigid cover for forcing the connector against said ceramic plate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 20 wherein said resilient material distributes the force applied by said attachment means uniformly across said ceramic plate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 21 wherein said resilient material includes a first sheet adjacent to said rigid cover, and a second facing sheet containing said connector parts.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
50 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 21 wherein the outer face of said ceramic plate is highly polished to exclude any fluid which would otherwise be disposed at the interface of said ceramic plate and said resilient material when the connector is forced against said ceramic plate.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
47 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 20 wherein each of said connector parts has a configuration which allows a cavity to form between said resilient material and said ceramic plate around each of said feedthroughs when the connector is forced against said ceramic plate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
46 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 20 wherein each of said connector parts includes a pin extending partially into said resilient material, and the electrode cable wire connected to said pin has a diameter which is substantially smaller than that of said pin.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
71 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 19 wherein said connector means includes a shaft which extends outwardly of said ceramic plate and passes through a hole in the ceramic plate, and a head which is secured to the face of said ceramic plate which is inside said case, said head including an undercut around said shaft to reduce the contact area of said ceramic plate and said head.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 26 wherein the diameter of the hole in said ceramic plate is greater than that of said shaft, and said shaft does not contact the wall of said hole.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
54 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 18 wherein said plurality of feedthroughs extend through respective holes in said ceramic plate and hermetic seals surround said feedthroughs, each of the hermetic seals consisting of a bond between the respective feedthrough and the surrounding ceramic formed during the sintering of said ceramic plate.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 18 wherein said tube is bendable.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
83 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 18 further including a connector having a rigid cover, an electrode cable extending through said rigid cover, resilient material within said rigid cover containing a plurality of connector parts for mating with respective feedthroughs on said case, each of said connector parts being coupled to a respective wire in said electrode cable, and means for attaching the connector to said case and for forcing said connector parts against said feedthroughs in said ceramic plate.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
32 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 30 wherein said resilient material includes a first sheet adjacent to said rigid cover, and a second facing sheet containing said connector parts.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
50 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 30 wherein the outer face of said ceramic plate is highly polished to squeeze out any fluid which would otherwise be disposed at the interface of said ceramic plate and said resilient material when the connector is attached to said case.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
46 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 30 wherein each of said connector parts has a configuration which allows a cavity to form between said resilient material and said ceramic plate around each of said feedthroughs when the connector is attached to said case.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 18 wherein each of said feedthroughs is a hollow tube sealed at the end inside said case and formed at the end outside said case to receive a mating part.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
22 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim .34 wherein the outside end of each of said feedthroughs is conically shaped.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
15 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tube is bendable.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 1 wherein said case and said tube are symmetrical about a plane passing therethrough.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
30 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 1 further including connector means extending outwardly of said case from a position generally central to the positions of said feedthroughs.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
87 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 1 further including a connector having a rigid cover, an electrode cable extending through said rigid cover, resilient material within said rigid cover containing a plurality of connector parts for mating with respective feedthroughs on said case, each of said connector parts being coupled to a respective wire in said electrode cable, and means for attaching the connector to said case to mate said connector parts with said feedthroughs and to force said resilient material against said case.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
29 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 39 wherein said resilient material distributes the force-applied by said attaching means uniformly across the facing region of said case.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
31 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 40 wherein said resilient material includes a first sheet-adjacent to said rigid cover, and a second facing sheet containing said connector parts.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
45 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 39 wherein each of said connector parts has a configuration which allows a cavity to form between said resilient material and said case around each of said feedthroughs when said connector is attached to said case.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
46 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 39 wherein each of said connector parts includes a pin extending partially into said resilient material, and the electrode cable wire connected to said pin has a diameter which is substantially smaller than that of said pin.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
61 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 1 wherein said case includes a shaft which extends outwardly therefrom and passes through a hole in the case, and a head which is secured to the internal wall of said case, said head including an undercut around said shaft to reduce the contact area of said case wall and said head.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
37 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 44 wherein the diameter of the hole in said case is greater than that of said shaft, and said shaft does not contact the wall of said hole.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
58 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 1 where said plurality of feedthroughs extend through respective holes in said case in a region consisting of ceramic material, and hermetic seals surround said feedthroughs, each of the hermetic seals consisting of pressure applied to the respective feedthrough by the surrounding ceramic material resulting from the shrinking thereof.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
32 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 46 wherein said tube is made of electrically conductive metal and its two ends are electrically unconnected other than through the tube itself.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
60 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package comprising an hermetically sealed case, a two-ended tube adapted to contain a coil extending outwardly of said case, and a pair of means for connecting the two ends of said tube to said case such that the inside of the tube is topologically continuous with the inside of the case while maintaining an hermetic seal.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
60 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package comprising an hermetically sealed case, a two-ended tube adapted to contain a coil extending outwardly of said case, and a pair of means for connecting the two ends of said tube to said case such that the inside of the tube is topologically continuous with the inside of the case while maintaining an hermetic seal.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
44 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 48-. wherein said tube and at least part of said case are made of electrically conductive metal, said pair of connecting means are insulating bushings, and the two ends of said tube are electrically disconnected.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
15 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 49 wherein said tube is bendable.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
23 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 49 wherein said case and said tube are symmetrical about a plane passing therethrough.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
61 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package comprising an hermetically sealed case, said case having a plurality of feedthroughs on a region thereof, a hollow tube extending outwardly of said case such that the inside of the tube is topologically continuous with the inside of the case, said tube being hermetically sealed, and means associated with said tube for serving as an antenna.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
61 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package comprising an hermetically sealed case, said case having a plurality of feedthroughs on a region thereof, a hollow tube extending outwardly of said case such that the inside of the tube is topologically continuous with the inside of the case, said tube being hermetically sealed, and means associated with said tube for serving as an antenna.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
27 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 52 wherein said plurality of feedthroughs are contained in a ceramic plate which forms part of said case.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
31 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 53 further including connector means extending outwardly of said ceramic plate from a position generally central to the positions of said feedthroughs.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
103 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 54 further including a connector having a rigid cover, an electrode cable extending through said rigid cover, resilient material within said rigid cover containing a plurality of connector parts for mating with respective feedthroughs on said case, each of said connector parts being coupled to a respective wire in said electrode cable, holes in said resilient material and said rigid cover for allowing said connector means to pass therethrough when said cover is placed on said ceramic plate, and means for attachment to the connector means for forcing the connector against said ceramic plate.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
27 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 55 wherein said resilient material distributes the force applied by said attachment means uniformly across said ceramic plate.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
32 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 56 wherein said resilient material includes a first sheet adjacent to said rigid cover, and a second, facing sheet containing said connector parts.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
50 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 57 wherein the outer face of said ceramic plate is highly polished to exclude any fluid which would otherwise be disposed at the interface of said ceramic plate and said resilient material when the connector is forced against said ceramic plate.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
54 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 53 wherein said plurality of feedthroughs extend through respective holes in said ceramic plate and hermetic seals surround said feedthroughs, each of the hermetic seals consisting of a bond between the respective feedthrough and the surrounding ceramic formed during the sintering of said ceramic plate.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
15 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 52 wherein said tube is bendable.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
83 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 52 further including a connector having a rigid cover, an electrode cable extending through said rigid cover, resilient material within said rigid cover containing a plurality of connector parts for mating with respective feedthroughs on said case, each of said connector parts being coupled to a respective wire in said electrode cable, and means for attaching the connector to said case and for forcing said connector parts against said feedthroughs in said ceramic plate.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
32 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 61 wherein said resilient material includes a first sheet adjacent to said rigid cover, and a second facing sheet containing said connector parts.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
49 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 62 wherein the outer face of said ceramic plate is highly polished to exclude any fluid which would otherwise be disposed at the interface of said ceramic plate and said resilient material when the connector is attached to said case.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
46 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 63 wherein each of said connector parts has a configuration which allows a cavity to form between said resilient material and said ceramic plate around each of said feedthroughs when the connector is attached to said case.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
39 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 52 wherein each of said feedthroughs is a hollow tube sealed at the end inside said case and formed at the end outside said case to receive a mating part.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
22 words
An implantable medical prosthetic package in accordance with claim 65 wherein the outside end of each of said feedthroughs is conically shaped.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-04-21 | 1995-10-21 | 1996-04-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-04-21 | 1999-10-21 | 2000-04-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-04-21 | 2003-10-21 | 2004-04-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |