Patent ID: 7083474

Claim:
A system for coupling a medical electrical lead to a medical device comprising: a header of non-conductive material having an outer peripheral surface, an undersurface for mounting engagement on the medical device, an elongated cylindrical bore therein having a longitudinal axis and an inner peripheral surface extending between a terminal sealed end and a bore entrance at the outer peripheral surface; a setscrew block insert molded into the header and positioned coaxially to the cylindrical bore of the header proximate the terminal sealed end and having a through bore coaxial with the cylindrical bore of the header; a plurality of pairs of seal assemblies and contact assemblies positioned, sequentially, in side by side relationship, in the cylindrical bore of the header, a first one of the seal assemblies being proximate the setscrew block, a last one of the seal assemblies being nearest the bore entrance, each contact assembly having electrical commonality with an electrically conductive feedthrough carried by a sealed housing of the medical device and coupled to a pulse generator within the sealed housing and projecting from the medical device; and a strain relief zone positioned in the cylindrical bore of the header and fixed thereto and including an annular shoulder engaged with the last one of the seal assemblies and an annular rim spaced from the annular shoulder and facing the bore entrance such that with force applied on the annular rim of the strain relief zone along the longitudinal axis toward the setscrew block, the plurality of pairs of seal assemblies and contact assemblies and the strain relief zone become firmly, sealingly, held between the proximal annular surface and the terminal sealed end, then with adhesive applied between the strain relief zone and the header bore permanently affixing the strain relief zone to the header, the plurality of pairs of seal assemblies and contact assemblies and the strain relief zone together defining a central passage coaxial with the through bore of the setscrew block and extending between the setscrew block and the bore entrance; whereby electrical contact is made between each contact assembly and an associated terminal on the electrical lead inserted through the bore entrance into the cylindrical bore of the header.