US 11,806,547 B2
Stimulation systems with a lens arrangement for light coupling and methods of making and using
Joshua Dale Howard, Sacramento, CA (US)
Assigned to Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation, Valencia, CA (US)
Filed by Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation, Valencia, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 31, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/463,206.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/074,590, filed on Sep. 4, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0072329 A1, Mar. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. A61N 5/06 (2006.01); F21V 5/04 (2006.01); F21W 131/20 (2006.01)
CPC A61N 5/0601 (2013.01) [F21V 5/041 (2013.01); A61N 2005/063 (2013.01); A61N 2005/0626 (2013.01); F21V 2200/10 (2015.01); F21W 2131/20 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An implantable light generation arrangement for an optical or optical/electrical stimulation system, comprising:
a light source having an emission surface, wherein the light source is configured to generate light and emit the light from the emission surface;
an optical waveguide having a first end and a core;
a ball lens disposed between the light source and the optical waveguide and configured to receive the light emitted from the light source and direct the light onto the core at the first end of the optical waveguide, wherein the ball lens is spaced apart from both the emission surface of the light source and the first end of the optical waveguide, wherein the ball lens has an index of refraction of at least 1.4 and a diameter of at least 1 mm, wherein the ball lens is spaced apart from the first end of the optical waveguide by an amount that is no more than half of the diameter of the ball lens; and
a fixture holding the light source, optical waveguide, and ball lens in a fixed arrangement.