Patent ID: 7794256

Claim:
An implantable electrical connector assembly for separably connecting at least one multi-conductor implantable lead to an implantable device having electronic circuitry contained inside a hermetically sealed case, comprising: (a) a hermetic electrical feedthrough attached to the device case, the feedthrough comprising a feedthrough housing having inside walls, at least one dielectric substrate having an exterior side and an interior side, and a plurality of conductive feedthrough pins; the hermetic feedthrough having at least one exterior cavity formed by the inside walls of the feedthrough housing and the exterior side of the dielectric substrate; the feedthrough pins providing pass-through connections from the exterior cavity to the electronic circuitry in the implantable device, each feedthrough pin having a tubular section adapted to protectively confine and electrically interface a compressible contact; (b) at least one implantable lead with proximal contact terminal comprising a plurality of lead contacts, each lead contact connected to at least one conductor of the multi-conductor lead, the lead contacts disposed in a pattern directly mapped to the plurality of the feedthrough pins; (c) a plurality of resilient compressible contacts, each compressible contact electrically connected to a respective feedthrough pin and protectively confined and retained in a tubular section thereof, so that only an outer tip of each contact projects from the tubular section, the tip adapted to making a separable electrical connection to the corresponding lead contact when the connector is pressurized; (d) at least one elastomeric seal having at least one lumen for receiving the lead proximal terminal without significant interference, the seal having a substantially flat bottom side cooperating with the feedthrough exterior cavity, and a profiled top side cooperating with a clamping cover, the bottom side having apertures so that, after the lead terminal is inserted into the lumen to form a lead-seal assembly, each lead contact is exposed from the bottom side of the seal and can be accessed by the corresponding compressible contact integrated with the feedthrough pin, the seal further providing an electrical isolation of the non-common contacts when compressed against the exterior side of the dielectric substrate; and (e) a clamping means, adapted to detachably engage the feedthrough housing, comprising at least one clamping cover and at least one fastener, the cover having at least one channel with a profile generally matching the profiled top side of the seal, wherein when the cover is clamped to the feedthrough housing, the connector is pressurized by forcing the lead contacts against the compressible contacts and the seals are activated by compressing the elastomeric seal between the cover and the exterior side of the dielectric substrate.