Abstract: An EMI filter capacitor assembly utilizes biocompatible and non-migratable materials to adapt electronic components for direct body fluid exposure. The assembly includes a capacitor having first and second sets of electrode plates which are constructed of non-migratable biocompatible material. A conductive hermetic terminal of non-migratable and biocompatible material adjacent to the capacitor is conductively coupled to the second set of electrode plates. One or more conductive terminal pins having at least an outer surface of non-migratable and biocompatible material are conductively coupled to the first set of electrode plates, while extending through the hermetic terminal in non-conductive relation. The terminal pins may be in direct contact with the first set of electrode plates, or in contact with a termination surface of conductive connection material. The termination surface is also constructed of non-migratable and biocompatible materials.

Abstract: An EMI feedthrough filter terminal assembly includes a feedthrough filter capacitor having first and second sets of electrode plates, a passageway having a first termination surface conductively coupling the first set of electrode plates, and a second termination surface exteriorly coupling the second set of electrode plates. A conductive ferrule disposed adjacent to the capacitor includes a conductive pad of an oxide resistant biostable material on a surface thereof conductively coupled to the second termination surface. A conductive terminal pin extends through the passageway in conductive relation with the first set of electrode plates, and through the ferrule in non-conductive relation. An insulator is fixed to the ferrule for conductively isolating the terminal pin from the ferrule. A hermetic seal is disposed between the insulator and the ferrule. A second conductive pad may be conductively attached to the terminal pin and to the first termination surface independently of the lead wire.

Abstract: An EMI feedthrough filter terminal assembly includes a capacitor having first and second sets of electrode plates, a first passageway having a first termination surface coupling the first set of electrode plates, a second passageway having a second termination surface coupling the second set of electrode plates, and a third termination surface exteriorly coupling the second set of electrode plates. A ferrule is adjacent to the capacitor and includes an oxide resistant biostable conductive pad, i.e., a noble metal pad, on a surface thereof coupled to the third termination surface. A conductive terminal pin extends through the first passageway in conductive relation with the first set of electrode plates. A conductive ground lead extends through the second passageway in conductive relation with the second set of electrode plates. An insulator is fixed to the ferrule for supporting the terminal pin in conductive isolation from the ferrule.

Abstract: EMI feedthrough filter terminal assembly includes a feedthrough filter capacitor having first and second sets of electrode plates, and a first passageway having a first termination surface conductively coupling the first set of electrode plates. At least one lead wire extends through the first passageway and is conductively attached to a first oxide resistant conductive pad. The first pad is conductively coupled to the first termination surface independently of the lead wire. The terminal assembly may also include a conductive ferrule through which the lead wire passes in non-conductive relation, and an insulator fixed to the ferrule for conductively isolating the lead wire from the ferrule. The ferrule and insulator form a pre-fabricated hermetic terminal pin sub-assembly. The capacitor may include a second passageway having a second termination surface conductively coupling the second set of electrode plates, and a conductive ground lead extending therethrough.

Abstract: An EMI feedthrough filter terminal assembly includes a capacitor having first and second sets of electrode plates, a first passageway having a first termination surface coupling the first set of electrode plates, a second passageway having a second termination surface coupling the second set of electrode plates, and a third termination surface exteriorly coupling the second set of electrode plates. A ferrule is adjacent to the capacitor and includes an oxide resistant biostable conductive pad, i.e., a noble metal pad, on a surface thereof coupled to the third termination surface. A conductive terminal pin extends through the first passageway in conductive relation with the first set of electrode plates. A conductive ground lead extends through the second passageway in conductive relation with the second set of electrode plates. An insulator is fixed to the ferrule for supporting the terminal pin in conductive isolation from the ferrule.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing an EMI filter feedthrough terminal assembly is provided for mating a feedthrough filter capacitor with an hermetic terminal assembly including a ferrule and one or more lead wires which extend through the ferrule in non-conductive relation. The process includes the steps of placing the hermetic terminal assembly, having a capture flange, into a holding fixture, and forming a seat of non-conductive thermal-setting material onto the terminal assembly within the capture flange. A feedthrough filter capacitor is loaded into the capture flange on top of the seat, and then the seat is cured. A conductive thermal-setting material is dispensed between an outer diameter of the feedthrough filter capacitor and the capture flange. The assembly is then centrifuged to pack the conductive thermal-setting material. The conductive thermal-setting material is then cured between the outer diameter of the feedthrough filter capacitor and the capture flange.

Abstract: An EMI feedthrough filter terminal assembly includes a feedthrough filter capacitor having first and second sets of electrode plates, a passageway having a first termination surface conductively coupling the first set of electrode plates, and a second termination surface exteriorly coupling the second set of electrode plates. A conductive ferrule disposed adjacent to the capacitor includes a conductive pad of an oxide resistant biostable material on a surface thereof conductively coupled to the second termination surface. A conductive terminal pin extends through the passageway in conductive relation with the first set of electrode plates, and through the ferrule in non-conductive relation. An insulator is fixed to the ferrule for conductively isolating the terminal pin from the ferrule. A hermetic seal is disposed between the insulator and the ferrule. A second conductive pad may be conductively attached to the terminal pin and to the first termination surface independently of the lead wire.

Abstract: An EMI filtered connector includes a plurality of conductive terminal pins, a grounded conductive connector housing through which the terminal pins pass in non-conductive relation, and an array of feedthrough filter capacitors. Each of the feedthrough filtered capacitors has a distinct first set of electrode plates, a non-distinct second set of electrode plates, and a first passageway through which a respective terminal pin extends in conductive relation with the first set of electrode plates. At least one ground lead is conductively coupled to the conductive connector housing and extends into a second passageway through the array of feedthrough filter capacitors in conductive relation with the second set of electrode plates. An insulator is disposed in or adjacent to the connector for mounting the conductive terminal pins for passage through the conductive connector with the conductive terminal pins and the connector in non-conductive relation.

Abstract: An improved internally grounded feedthrough filter capacitor includes at least one conductive terminal pin, a feedthrough filter capacitor having first and second sets of electrode plates and a first passageway through which the terminal pin extends in conductive relation with the first set of electrode plates, and a conductive ferrule through which the terminal pin passes in non-conductive relation. A conductive ground plane includes a plate which substantially spans and supports an adjacent face of the feedthrough filter capacitor, and an integral grounded terminal pin which extends into a second passageway through the feedthrough filter capacitor in conductive relation with the second set of electrode plates. A washer electrically insulates the feedthrough filter capacitor from the conductive ferrule except for the conductive relation between the grounded terminal pin and the second set of electrode plates.

Abstract: An EMI filter feedthrough terminal assembly includes at least one conductive terminal pin, a feedthrough filter capacitor which has a passageway through which the terminal pin extends, and a conductive substrate through which the terminal pin passes in non-conductive relation. The conductive substrate includes a capture flange having a height that is less than an axial thickness of the capacitor and which is configured to at least partially surround an outer periphery of the capacitor. The height of the capture flange is preferably one-quarter to three-quarters of the axial thickness of the capacitor. A first set of capacitor electrodeplates is conductively coupled to the terminal pin, and a second set of electrode plates is conductively coupled to the capture flange by means of a thermal-setting conductive material disposed between the outer periphery of the capacitor and the capture flange.

Abstract: An EMI filter feedthrough terminal assembly includes at least one conductive terminal pin, a feedthrough filter capacitor which has a passageway through which the terminal pin extends, and a conductive substrate through which the terminal pin passes in non-conductive relation. The conductive substrate includes a capture flange having a height that is less than an axial thickness of the capacitor and which is configured to at least partially surround an outer periphery of the capacitor. The height of the capture flange is preferably one-quarter to three-quarters of the axial thickness of the capacitor. A first set of capacitor electrodeplates is conductively coupled to the terminal pin, and a second set of electrode plates is conductively coupled to the capture flange by means of a thermal-setting conductive material disposed between the outer periphery of the capacitor and the capture flange.

Abstract: An integrated hermetically sealed feedthrough capacitor filter assembly is provided for the shielding and decoupling of a conductive terminal pin or lead of the type used, for example, in an implantable medical device such as a cardiac pacemaker or cardioverter defibrillator against passage of external interference signals, such as caused by digital cellular phones. The simplified feedthrough assembly described herein eliminates the traditional terminal pin subassembly. In this novel approach, the ceramic feedthrough capacitor itself forms a hermetic seal with a conductive pacemaker housing to which it is mounted by welding or brazing. The feedthrough capacitor is configured such that its internal electrodes are not exposed to body fluids, with capacitor electrode plate sets coupled respectively to a conductive ferrule, pin or housing (which may be grounded) and to the non-grounded, or active, terminal pin(s) by conductive adhesive, soldering, brazing, welding or the like.

Abstract: An electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter capacitor assembly is provided for shielding and decoupling a conductive terminal pin or lead of the type used, for example, in an implantable medical device against passage of external interference signals. The EMI filter is constructed of relatively inexpensive ceramic chip capacitors which replace relatively expensive feedthrough capacitors as found in the prior art. The chip capacitors are mounted directly onto a hermetic feedthrough terminal in groups of two or more which vary in physical size, dielectric material and capacitance value so that they self-resonate at different frequencies. This "staggering" of resonant frequencies and direct installation at the hermetic terminal provides the EMI filter with sufficient broadband frequency attenuation. In one preferred form, multiple chip capacitor groupings are mounted onto a common base structure, with each capacitor grouping associated with a respective terminal pin.

Abstract: An electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter capacitor assembly is provided for shielding and decoupling a conductive terminal pin or lead of the type used, for example, in an implantable medical device against passage of external interference signals. The EMI filter is constructed of relatively inexpensive ceramic chip capacitors which replace relatively expensive feedthrough capacitors as found in the prior art. The chip capacitors are mounted directly onto a hermetic feedthrough terminal in groups of two or more which vary in physical size, dielectric material and capacitance value so that they self-resonate at different frequencies. This "staggering" of resonant frequencies and direct installation at the hermetic terminal provides the EMI filter with sufficient broadband frequency attenuation. In one preferred form, multiple chip capacitor groupings are mounted onto a common base structure, with each capacitor grouping associated with a respective terminal pin.

Abstract: An internally grounded ceramic feedthrough filter capacitor assembly provides for the shielding and decoupling of a conductive terminal pin or lead of the type used, for example, in an implantable medical device such as a cardiac pacemaker or cardioverter defibrillator against passage of external interference signals, such as those caused by digital cellular phones. The assembly includes a terminal pin subassembly having at least one terminal pin supported within a conductive ferrule by a hermetically sealed insulator structure. The ferrule is adapted for mounting onto a conductive substrate, such as a pacemaker housing, by welding or brazing to support the terminal pin subassembly for feedthrough passage to the housing interior. A ceramic feedthrough capacitor is mounted at an inboard side, with the capacitor electrode plate sets coupled respectively to a grounded lead and to the terminal pins(s) by conductive adhesive, soldering, brazing or the like.