Cochlear prosthesis package connector

Claim 1

A connector arrangement for connecting to each other first and second parts of a cochlear prosthesis, said first part having an hermetically sealed case adapted to contain an electronic circuit therein and said second part having a plurality of conductors extending therefrom; each of said first and second parts having a carrier with a plurality of noble-metal conducting hollow-tube feedthroughs extended therethrough and hermetically sealed thereto by reaction bonds; the two pluralities of feedthroughs having alignable patterns; a deformable sheet permanently adhered to the carrier of said first part and having a plurality of noble-metal foil contacts extending through respective slits each having its two ends bent over so that they lie flush against respective faces of said sheet, said plurality of contacts having a pattern which is alignable with the patterns of the feedthroughs in said two pluralities; each of said feedthroughs being open at that end which faces said deformable sheet and the face of each of said carriers which is disposed adjacent to said deformable sheet being lapped to a mirror finish; a screw extending outwardly of the carrier of said first part and passing through a central hole in the carrier of said second part for securing said sheet between said first and second parts to allow said plurality of contacts to establish electrical connections between respective ones of the feedthroughs in said two pluralities; said second part including a backing plate having a central hole therein, and said securing means further including a nut screwable onto the end of said screw which extends through said backing plate hole; and a plurality of conductors connected to respective ones of the feedthroughs in said second part, said plurality of conductors being wound in the form of a spiral and exiting said second part through an additional hole in said backing plate.