Patent ID: 7047081

Claim:
A method of making a multicontact electrode array comprising: a. forming on a mandrel a multiwire helically-wound configuration wherein each wire of the multiwire helically-wound configuration has a distal end that is bent to extend radially outward, and wherein the multiwire helically-wound configuration has an outer diameter; b. forming a separation tube having an inside diameter that is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the multiwire lead; c. positioning the separation tube over the helically wound multiwire lead and mandrel, the separation tube having a longitudinal slit at one end thereof through which the pigtail end of each wire extends; d. placing a plurality of open-ring contacts having an open axial gap snugly over the separation tube, with the pigtail end of each wire extending through the axial gap of a respective open-ring contact; e. using a compressive die to firmly close the gap between the ring contacts and the pigtail end of each wire; f. electrically and mechanically bonding the pigtail end of each wire to the open-ring contact; g. removing the mandrel from the central lumen and replacing it with a molding stylet; h. placing the pre-assembled electrode array and molding stylet in a molding die; i. filling all internal gaps formed by the electrode components with a polymer filler material through an access hole in the molding die; j. curing the polymer filler material; k. removing the molding stylet to form a central lumen in the electrode array.