Patent ID: 8600518

Claim:
A lead comprising: a lead body having a distal end; a plurality of electrodes disposed at the distal end of the lead body, wherein each of the plurality of electrodes comprises a unitary ring and a seat in the unitary ring, wherein the unitary ring has a circumference, an exterior surface, and an interior surface, the unitary ring defining a hollow center region, and wherein the seat deforms a portion of the ring as a depression of the portion of the unitary ring, wherein the seat extends around a portion of the circumference of the unitary ring, wherein the portion is less than an entire extent of the circumference, with an undeformed portion of the unitary ring extending in both clockwise and counter-clockwise directions around a remaining portion of the circumference of the unitary ring relative to the seat, the seat comprising an exterior surface, an interior surface, and at least one edge extending between the exterior surface and the interior surface of the seat, wherein the exterior surface of the seat is contiguous with the exterior surface of the unitary ring and the interior surface of the seat is contiguous with the interior surface of the unitary ring; and a plurality of lead wires, each extending along the lead body and attached directly onto, and in contact with, the exterior surface of the seat of a corresponding one of the plurality of electrodes producing an electrical coupling between the lead wire and the corresponding one of the plurality of electrodes.