US 12,268,889 B1
Self-centering ceramic washer that prevents misalignment when positioned between a feedthrough and an EMI filter capacitor or a circuit board supporting EMI filter capacitors for a medical device
Jason Woods, Carson City, NV (US); Robert A. Stevenson, Canyon Country, CA (US); Christine A. Frysz, Orchard Park, NY (US); Thomas Marzano, East Amherst, NY (US); and Keith W. Seitz, Clarence Center, NY (US)
Assigned to Greatbatch Ltd., Clarence, NY (US)
Filed by Greatbatch Ltd., Clarence, NY (US)
Filed on Apr. 11, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/633,096.
Application 18/633,096 is a continuation of application No. 18/631,709, filed on Apr. 10, 2024.
Application 18/631,709 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/377,609, filed on Oct. 6, 2023, granted, now 11,980,766.
Int. Cl. A61N 1/375 (2006.01); F16B 43/00 (2006.01); H01G 4/35 (2006.01); H01R 13/52 (2006.01); H01R 13/533 (2006.01); H05K 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC A61N 1/3754 (2013.01) [F16B 43/001 (2013.01); H01G 4/35 (2013.01); H01R 13/521 (2013.01); H01R 13/533 (2013.01); H05K 1/0218 (2013.01); H05K 2201/10015 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An assembly that is attachable to an active medical device (AMD), the assembly comprising:
a) a feedthrough, comprising:
i) an electrically conductive ferrule comprising a ferrule sidewall defining a ferrule opening extending to a ferrule body fluid side spaced from a ferrule device side;
ii) an insulator hermetically sealed to the ferrule in the ferrule opening, the insulator extending to an insulator body fluid side spaced from an insulator device side, wherein, when the ferrule hermetically sealed to the insulator is attached to an opening in a housing of an AMD, the ferrule body fluid side adjacent to the insulator body fluid side, and the ferrule device side adjacent to the insulator device side reside outside and inside the AMD, respectively; and
iii) a first terminal pin hermetically sealed to the insulator in a first via hole by a first braze, and a second terminal pin hermetically sealed to the insulator in a second via hole by a second braze, wherein the first and second terminal pins extend outwardly beyond the insulator device side; and
b) a ceramic washer positioned on the insulator device side, the ceramic washer comprising at least a washer first opening and a washer second opening through which the respective first and second terminal pins extend, wherein:
i) the washer first opening comprises a washer first opening inner arcuate portion that contacts the first terminal pin and a washer first opening outer perimeter portion that is spaced from the first terminal pin and that exposes a portion of the first braze hermetically sealing the first terminal pin to the insulator in the first via hole; and
ii) the washer second opening comprises a washer second opening inner arcuate portion that contacts the second terminal pin and a washer second opening outer perimeter portion that is spaced from the second terminal pin and that exposes a portion of the second braze hermetically sealing the second terminal pin to the insulator in the second via hole,
iii) wherein, in an imaginary configuration having the washer first and second openings superimposed one on top of the other and when measured with respect to their orientations in the ceramic washer, the cumulative arcuate distance of the respective washer first and second opening inner arcuate portions about one of the first and second terminal pins, subtracting overlap, results in a gap between the superimposed washer first and second opening inner arcuate portions that is less than a diameter of either of the first and second terminal pins so that the ceramic washer is prevented from lateral movement with respect to the insulator device side.