Electrode and insulation assembly for a lead and method therefor

Abstract

A lead assembly includes an inner electrode coupled with a conductor, and an outer electrode disposed over the inner electrode, where the outer electrode is coupled with at least a portion of the inner electrode. Insulative material is disposed between a portion of the inner and outer electrodes, for example within a void between the inner and outer electrodes.

1 . A lead assembly comprising: 
 at least one conductor extending from a conductor proximal end to a conductor distal end;    an inner electrode mechanically coupled with the at least one conductor along an inner electrode length extending from an inner electrode first end to an inner electrode second end, the inner electrode defined in part by an inner electrode inner surface, an inner electrode outer surface and inner electrode end surfaces;    an outer electrode disposed over the inner electrode, the outer electrode coupled with at least a portion of the inner electrode positioned between the inner electrode first end and the inner electrode second end, the inner electrode and the outer electrode having a void therebetween; and    insulative material disposed between a portion of the inner electrode and the outer electrode within the void.    
   
   
       2 . The lead assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the inner electrode and the outer electrode are coupled together along at least one non-annular coupling projection extending between the inner electrode outer surface and an outer electrode inner surface.  
   
   
       3 . The lead assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one non-annular coupling projection extends from the inner electrode outer surface.  
   
   
       4 . The lead assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one non-annular coupling projection has a cross-section with one or more substantially flat sides.  
   
   
       5 . The lead assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one non-annular coupling projection is defined in part by a projection outer surface, the projection outer surface having an outer profile matable with an inner profile of the outer electrode inner surface.  
   
   
       6 . The lead assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one non-annular coupling projection has a projection length extending substantially from the inner electrode first end to the inner electrode second end.  
   
   
       7 . The lead assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one non-annular coupling projection has a projection length substantially as long as the outer electrode.  
   
   
       8 . The lead assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outer electrode includes one or more outer electrode alignment features therein.  
   
   
       9 . The lead assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more outer electrode alignment features include at least one sight hole extending from an outer electrode outer surface to the outer electrode inner surface.  
   
   
       10 . The lead assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the insulating material includes at least one recess sized and shaped to receive the at least one non-annular coupling projection.  
   
   
       11 . The lead assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one recess is smaller than the at least one non-annular coupling projection.  
   
   
       12 . A lead assembly comprising: 
 at least one conductor extending from a conductor proximal end to a conductor distal end;    an inner electrode defined in part by an inner electrode inner surface, an inner electrode outer surface, a first end, and a second end, the inner electrode mechanically coupled with the at least one conductor along a substantial length thereof;    an outer electrode disposed over the inner electrode, the outer electrode coupled with at least a portion of the inner electrode, the inner electrode and the outer electrode having a void therebetween; and    the inner electrode and the outer electrode coupled together along at least one coupling projection disposed between the inner electrode and the outer electrode.    
   
   
       13 . The lead assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising insulative material disposed between a portion of the inner and the outer electrodes within the void, the insulative material extending in part between the first end and the second end of the inner electrode.  
   
   
       14 . The lead assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the insulative material includes at least one recess, and the at least one coupling projection is disposed within the at least one recess.  
   
   
       15 . The lead assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one coupling projection has a projection length substantially as long as the outer electrode.  
   
   
       16 . A method comprising: 
 mechanically coupling a conductor with an inner electrode along a substantial portion of an inner electrode length extending from an inner electrode first end to an inner electrode second end;    disposing insulative material over the conductor and the inner electrode;    disposing an outer electrode over the inner electrode and portions of the insulative material; and    coupling the outer electrode with the inner electrode, including coupling along at least one coupling projection positioned between the inner electrode first end and the inner electrode second end and extending between an inner surface of the outer electrode and an outer surface of the inner electrode.    
   
   
       17 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein coupling the outer electrode with the inner electrode includes welding the outer electrode with the inner electrode.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein disposing insulative material over the conductor and the inner electrode includes disposing a preformed insulating material having one or more recesses therein over the conductor and the inner electrode.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising disposing the one or more recesses over one or more non-annular coupling projections of the inner electrode.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein disposing insulative material includes disposing insulative material over the conductor and the inner electrode includes disposing insulative material over the inner electrode length.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein coupling the outer electrode with the inner electrode includes coupling the outer electrode with a non-annular coupling projection extending outward from the outer surface of the inner electrode.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising forming the inner electrode using at least one of injection molding or electrical discharge machining.