Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
  • H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
  • H05K7/02—Arrangements of circuit components or wiring on supporting structure
  • H05K7/10—Plug-in assemblages of components, e.g. IC sockets
  • H05K7/1053—Plug-in assemblages of components, e.g. IC sockets having interior leads
  • H05K7/1076—Plug-in assemblages of components, e.g. IC sockets having interior leads co-operating by sliding
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/07—Endoradiosondes
  • A61B5/076—Permanent implantations
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F11/00—Methods or devices for treatment of the ears or hearing sense; Non-electric hearing aids; Methods or devices for enabling ear patients to achieve auditory perception through physiological senses other than hearing sense; Protective devices for the ears, carried on the body or in the hand
  • A61F11/04—Methods or devices for enabling ear patients to achieve auditory perception through physiological senses other than hearing sense, e.g. through the touch sense
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N1/00—Electrotherapy; Circuits therefor
  • A61N1/02—Details
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R24/00—Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure
  • H01R24/86—Parallel contacts arranged about a common axis
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F2250/00—Special features of prostheses classified in groups A61F2/00 - A61F2/26 or A61F2/82 or A61F9/00 or A61F11/00 or subgroups thereof
  • A61F2250/0001—Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
  • H01R13/46—Bases; Cases
  • H01R13/52—Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof cases
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
  • H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
  • H04R2225/67—Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606

Definitions

• This invention relates to improvements in connectors and articles having connectors thereon and is specifically designed for electronic connectors and articles including such connectors which are used in hostile environments; such as exist within the human body.
• the connectors are specifically designed for use in multiple electrode applications such as for hearing prostheses, visual prostheses and other in vivo electronic systems, such as control of muscle functions.
• the invention is not, however, to be considered restricted to such functions.
• the object of the invention is to provide a connector which can be used in multiple electrode applications and which is physically small, but which permits the formation of effective and durable electrical connections whilst being capable of being sealed.
• Australian patent specification 40981/78 was concerned with this problem. It sought to achieve electrical contact between a plurality of individual contacts without emphasizing the need for absolute electrical insulation between the individual contacts of the array. However to ensure that electrical contact was maintained for all contacts, it needed to be maintained under pressure. Patent applications 40981/78 sought to achieve this by providing an elastomeric connector.
• This elastomeric connector in its preferred form, is a layered connector and in this the conductive and nonconductive zones are formed and located side by side with the conductive zones extending fully through the connector so that the connector can be cut to any required size, provided the cut is transverse to the zones whilst still having effective conducting zones. If the connector is used in an implanted prosthesis, the individual conductors of the outgoing electrode group are located in the patient's body, and where these are being used to stimulate, say, the inner ear, they are located to terminate adjacent the particular areas to be stimulated.
• the prosthesis unit ceases to operate, it will be understood that it is only necessary to open the patient's skin near the point of location of this unit, undo the screws holding the upper metal plate in position and replace the prosthesis unit with a new unit using the same upper connector assembly. In this way, there is no need to disturb the location of the conductors.
• a connector should fulfill the following criteria:
• the present invention provides a connector comprising a first array of discrete electrical contacts mounted on the external surface of a first unit, a second array of discrete electrical contacts mounted on the internal surface of a second unit, wherein said first unit is shaped to resiliently fit within said second unit so that electrical contact occurs between each contact of the first array and each contact of the second array.
• each electrical contact of one of said arrays is resiliently mounted on its unit not only to ensure permanent electrical contact but also to retain the first unit within the second unit.
• the two units are preferably cylindrical and composed of ceramic material. This construction means that the connection can be separated by simply pulling the two units apart.
• the electronics module in a material transparent to the frequencies used to provide power and signals for the prosthesis.
• the connector is intended for use in implantable prostheses in which one unit is connected via electrical leads to the nerve endings of the patient while the second unit incorporates an electronicsmodule for receiving and generating signals.
• the prosthesis is for use and the electronics module for receiving and transmitting auditory signals is incorporated within the connector body and can be easily surgically removed.
• the connector system is shown in an exploded view in Fig. 1. It consists of an electronics module package 4 and a connector body 9.
• the design of the packaging for the electronics module is integral with the connector design: the package 4 is circular with each pinout being in the form of a band 5 of retallization running down the side of the package 4: a small spring 6 is welded to each band 5.
• One spring is made larger than the others, to act as a key for the otherwise unkeyed system. It is of course possible to arrange the spring electrical contacts on the connector or body 9 as an alternative.
• the package 4 shown is made of ceramic material to allow the use of a high frequency link to a coil unit inside the package, other inert materials could be used.
• the connector body consists of a cylindrical section 9 closed at one end 10, with a groove 11 of triangular cross section machined into the inside face.
• a precision '0' ring 13 is held in compression between this groove 11 and a corresponding groove 15 in a circular plate 14 pressed inside it: this seal satisfies the above leakage current requirements.
• a silicone rubber boot not shown is placed over the top of the connector to prevent the ingrowth of tissue into the
• the plate 14 incorporates a keyed recess 19 to enable easy opening of the connector for removal of the module 4.
• Connector plates 16 pass through silicone rubber lined holes 17 in the base 18 of the connector and lie in vertical grooves in the connector body 9.
• the leads from the electrode array implanted in the body are terminated by being welded to the butt of the plates 16 which are exposed on the bottom surface 18 of the connector body 9: subsequently this area is sealed with a coat of adhesive silicone rubber.
• the connector of our invention is extremely suitable for use where multiple electrode connections are required and it is also of value as it enables the prosthesis or transducer assembly to be removed without the necessity of permanently displacing the electrodes or other connections.
• the size of the connector of the present invention is very much smaller than has previously been obtainable.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Physiology (AREA)
• Medical Informatics (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Surgery (AREA)
• Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
• Neurology (AREA)
• Radiology & Medical Imaging (AREA)
• Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
• Otolaryngology (AREA)
• Psychology (AREA)
• Vascular Medicine (AREA)
• Prostheses (AREA)
• Electrotherapy Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=3768823

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

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Family Cites Families (7)

• 1981
  • 1981-11-12 CA CA000389876A patent/CA1187559A/en not_active Expired
  • 1981-11-12 IT IT25025/81A patent/IT1139699B/it active
  • 1981-11-13 EP EP81903089A patent/EP0064992A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1981-11-13 WO PCT/AU1981/000163 patent/WO1982001655A1/en unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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