The feed-through assembly provides for the conveyance of a feed element from one boundary environment to another. The feed-through assembly includes the following components (from bottom to top) each with an axially extending aperture through which at least one feed element passes: lower compression member; packing stack including a plurality of packing buttons; and upper compression member. The plurality of packing buttons are made from expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) foam material (e.g., GORE-TEX). A portion of the feed element is sealed within the packing stack including the plurality of packing buttons after it is compressed between the two compression members. The feed-through assembly is very cost effective and easy to make, but provides solutions to sealing problems under severe conditions or for extremely demanding requirements.

A combination of materials and processing parameters have been developed for hermetic seals for electrical feedthroughs in high performance applications. A glass-ceramic forms a hermetic seal between a stainless steel shell and a platinum-nickel-based (PtNi) pin alloy for electrical feedthroughs. The glass-ceramic is processed to develop a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) slightly higher than the pin alloy but lower than the stainless steel. The seal system employing the new processing conditions and PtNi-based pin alloy alleviates several problems encountered in previous seal systems and improves the hermetic connector performance.

An electrical feedthrough assembly for an implantable medical device includes an outer ferrule of metallic material having an outer surface hermetically sealed to an implantable device housing. There is an inner feedthrough assembly which is hermetically sealed within the ferrule and which has a structure of sintered layers that include: i. an electrical insulator of ceramic insulator material, ii. one or more electrically conductive vias of metallized conductive material embedded within and extending through the electrical insulator, and iii. a transition interface region around each of the conductive vias comprising a gradient mixture of the ceramic insulator material and the metallized conductive material forming a gradual transition and a mechanical bond between the electrical insulator and the conductive via.

A method for manufacturing a feedthrough dielectric body for an active implantable medical device includes the steps of first forming a ceramic reinforced metal composite (CRMC) paste by mixing platinum with a ceramic material to form a CRMC material, subjecting the CRMC material to a first sintering step to thereby form a sintered CRMC material, ball-milling or grinding the sintered CRMC material to form a powdered CRMC material; and then mixing the powdered CRMC material with a solvent to form the CRMC paste. The method further includes forming an alumina ceramic body in a green state, forming at least one via hole through the alumina ceramic body, filling the via hole with the CRMC paste, drying the ceramic body including the CRMC paste to form a first CRMC material filling the via hole, forming a second via hole through the first CRMC material, providing a metal core in the second via hole, and subjecting the ceramic body including the first CRMC material and the metal core to a second sintering step to thereby form the dielectric body. The dielectric body is then sealed in a ferrule opening to form a feedthrough.

A method for manufacturing a feedthrough dielectric body for an active implantable medical device includes the steps of first forming a ceramic reinforced metal composite (CRMC) paste by mixing platinum with a ceramic material to form a CRMC material, subjecting the CRMC material to a first sintering step to thereby form a sintered CRMC material, ball-milling or grinding the sintered CRMC material to form a powdered CRMC material; and then mixing the powdered CRMC material with a solvent to form the CRMC paste. The method further includes forming an alumina ceramic body in a green state, forming at least one via hole through the alumina ceramic body, filling the via hole with the CRMC paste, drying the ceramic body including the CRMC paste to form a first CRMC material filling the via hole, forming a second via hole through the first CRMC material, providing a metal core in the second via hole, and subjecting the ceramic body including the first CRMC material and the metal core to a second sintering step to thereby form the dielectric body. The dielectric body is then sealed in a ferrule opening to form a feedthrough.

A dispenser apparatus for a curable liquid material is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a flexible bag defining a first compartment for accommodating a first component of a curable liquid material, and a second compartment for accommodating a second component of the curable liquid material and adapted to communicate with the first chamber to enable mixing of the first and second components to initiate curing of the curable liquid material. A first clamp temporarily prevents mixing of the first and second components, and an elongate nozzle communicates with the second compartment to dispense the mixed curable liquid material therefrom. A second clamp temporarily prevents passage of the curable liquid material from the second compartment to the nozzle.

A dispenser apparatus for a curable liquid material is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a flexible bag defining a first compartment for accommodating a first component of a curable liquid material, and a second compartment for accommodating a second component of the curable liquid material and adapted to communicate with the first chamber to enable mixing of the first and second components to initiate curing of the curable liquid material. A first clamp temporarily prevents mixing of the first and second components, and an elongate nozzle communicates with the second compartment to dispense the mixed curable liquid material therefrom. A second clamp temporarily prevents passage of the curable liquid material from the second compartment to the nozzle.

A fuse-equipped hermetic terminal includes: a housing provided with a hollow portion and a pair of through holes located with the hollow portion being interposed therebetween; a conductive pin extending through the housing via the pair of through holes and the hollow portion; and a pair of insulating sealing materials that each hermetically seal a gap between the conductive pin and a corresponding one of the pair of through holes. Each of the conductive pins includes an inner pin, an outer pin, and a fuse element that bridges between the inner pin and the outer pin and that is located in the hollow portion.

Systems and methods for providing electrical bushings for maintaining a seal during severe incidents are provided. The bushings provide for relatively large gap formations and seal spacings by using one or more self-modulating seals. In certain configurations, the bushings provide for relatively large gap formations and seal spacings by using a wider or narrow top portion adjacent to a relatively narrower middle portion. The systems and methods can be also applied to other apparatus when deemed proper.

A pass-through cable connector assembly includes a connector body extending along an axis and having a peripheral wall which surrounds the axis and defines an interior of the connector body, the connector body also having a compartment wall which divides the interior into first and second compartment, the compartment wall having an aperture extending therethrough from the first compartment to the second compartment, the aperture defining an aperture wall. A first cable is located within the first compartment. A first terminal in electrical communication with the first cable is located within the aperture and circumferentially contacts the aperture wall. A second cable in electrical communication with the second cable is located within the second compartment. The first terminal and the second terminal have complementary mating features which mechanically lock the first terminal to the second terminal and place the first terminal in electrical communication with the second terminal.