Patent ID: 6862478
Filing Date: 2005-03-01
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. An implantable medical device comprising: an hermetically sealed housing having electrical circuitry therein and comprising at least one insulated electrical feed-through member coupled to the electrical circuitry and extending from the interior to the exterior of the housing, the feed-through member comprising an electrical terminal carried externally of the housing; a connector assembly adapted to receive a proximal electrical-terminal-carrying end portion of an electrical lead in sealing engagement with the housing whereby the interior of the connector assembly is sealed from the exterior thereof when in engagement with the electrical lead, the connector assembly having a pair of electrical contacts therein adapted to be engaged by individual terminals of the electrical lead and having at least a pair of electrical conductors coupled, respectively, to the contacts and extending from the interior of the connector assembly to the exterior of the connector assembly, the electrical conductors each comprising an electrical terminal carried externally of the connector assembly; and the connector assembly mounted on the sealed housing in such a manner that the external terminal of each electrical conductor on the connector assembly electrically contacts the external terminal of the feed-through member on the housing, the connector assembly comprising: a ring sub-assembly having first and second entrances into first and second passages, respectively, for slidably receiving first and second terminal ends, respectively, of the electrical lead, each of the passages having an annular shoulder facing away from its associated entrance; and a tip sub-assembly having first and second tubular extensions extending to first and second terminal rims, respectively, fittingly received within the first and second passages, respectively, of the ring sub-assembly, the first tubular extension defining a first channel extending to a first terminal bore distant from the first terminal rim for slidably receiving a tip electrode of the electrical lead, the second tubular extension defining a second channel extending to a second terminal bore distant from the second terminal rim for slidably receiving a tip electrode of the electrical lead; and an electrically conductive resilient member received in each of the first and second passages and engaged with the annular shoulder therein, the terminal rim of each tubular extension being engaged with an associated resilient member, each resilient member being electrically coupled to one of the electrical contacts of the connector assembly.