Patent ID: 8781589

Claim:
A method of forming a hermetically sealed partially stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline ceramic tube and a metal component assembly for use in living tissue, comprising the steps of: selecting a partially stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline ceramic tube comprised of about 3 percent yttria; selecting at least one metal alignment ferrule comprised of titanium or titanium alloy that is adapted for self-centering alignment of said ceramic tube in said metal alignment ferrule; selecting a ring and an eyelet both comprised of a noble metal for aligning and metallurgically bonding by welding said ring to said eyelet; selecting said metal alignment ferrule comprising at least one integral lip that enables the self-centering alignment of said ceramic tube in said metal alignment ferrule and said ring in said metal alignment ferrule; selecting a second metal alignment ferrule having at least one second integral lip and selecting an end cap for bonding to said second metal alignment ferrule; simultaneously heating said ceramic tube in said metal alignment ferrule that abuts said ring and eyelet assembly and said second metal alignment ferrule abutting said end cap to effect a metallurgical bond and metallurgically bonding said ring to said metal alignment ferrule forming said hermetically sealed component assembly; and wherein said step of metallurgically bonding said ceramic tube to said metal alignment ferrule and bonding said ring to said metal alignment ferrule is brazing.