Patent ID: 8648255

Claim:
A feedthrough assembly, which comprises: a) an insulator of electrically non-conductive material comprising an insulator sidewall, having an outer insulator surface extending from a first insulator end to a second insulator end, wherein the insulator has at least one terminal pin bore extending there through to the first and second insulator ends; b) a terminal pin comprising a first metal received in the terminal pin bore, the terminal pin having a terminal pin sidewall extending from a first terminal pin portion having a first terminal pin end to a second terminal pin end, wherein the opposed first and second terminal pin ends are spaced from the respective first and second insulator ends, and wherein the first terminal pin portion has a terminal pin perimeter; c) a ferrule of an electrically conductive material comprising a ferrule opening defined by a surrounding ferrule sidewall having an inner ferrule surface, wherein the insulator is supported in the ferrule opening; d) a terminal block of a second metal and comprising a terminal block sidewall, extending to opposed first and second terminal block ends, the terminal block having at least one terminal block bore extending there through to the first and second terminal block ends, wherein the first terminal pin portion extends through the terminal block bore with the first terminal pin end spaced above the first end of the terminal block, and wherein the second end of the terminal block faces the insulator; e) a first braze material extending from a first metallization contacting the terminal pin bore to the first metal of the terminal pin, thereby hermetically sealing the terminal pin to the insulator; f) a second braze material extending from a second metallization contacting the outer insulator surface to the inner ferrule surface to thereby hermetically seal the insulator to the ferrule; and g) a weld connecting from about 10 percent to about 60 percent of the terminal pin perimeter at the first terminal pin portion to the first terminal block end.