What is claimed is:
1. A gas generator comprising:
an igniter subassembly comprising an igniter for receiving an electrical current and igniting a gas generant inset molded in a polymeric gas generator body having a combustion chamber wall;
a polymeric closure attached to said polymeric gas generator body;
a combustion chamber for receiving a gas generant, said combustion chamber defined by said igniter, said polymeric closure and said polymeric combustion chamber wall; and
a gas generant disposed in said combustion chamber.
2. The gas generator of claim 1, wherein said igniter subassembly further comprises a polymeric flange integrally formed with said polymeric gas generator body and extending radially therefrom; and a polymeric interior annular portion extending into said combustion chamber, said polymeric annular portion forming an annular recess with an interior wall of said combustion chamber wall, said annular recess forming a part of said combustion chamber.
3. The gas generator of claim 1 wherein said combustion chamber is hermetically sealed.
4. The gas generator of claim 2 wherein said combustion chamber is hermetically sealed.
5. The gas generator of claim 1 wherein said polymeric closure is hermetically sealed to the exterior of said combustion chamber wall.
6. The gas generator of claim 1 wherein said closure is hermetically sealed to the interior of said polymeric combustion chamber wall.
7. The gas generator of claim 1 wherein said polymeric closure and polymeric gas generator body comprise nylon 66.
8. A gas generator, comprising:
a logitudinal axis;
an igniter subassembly comprising an igniter for receiving an electrical current and igniting a gas generant molded in a polymeric material;
a polymeric closure hermetically sealed to said igniter subassembly;
a combustion chamber defined by said igniter, said polymeric closure and said igniter subassembly.
9. The gas generator of claim 8, wherein said igniter subassembly further comprises:
a combustion chamber wall that partially defines said combustion chamber, said combustion chamber consisting essentially of a polymer;
a polymeric flange integrally formed with said polymeric gas generator body and extending radially outward therefrom; and
a polymeric interior annular portion extending into said combustion chamber, said annular portion forming an annular recess with said interior wall, said annular recess forming a part of said combustion chamber.
10. The gas generator of claim 9, wherein said igniter is integrally formed with said igniter subassembly, said igniter comprising:
a charge cavity defined by said polymeric annular portion; and
an electrical connector communicating with said charge cavity, such that said electrical connector is capable of receiving an electrical current and transmitting said electrical current to said charge cavity to ignite a primary pyrotechnic material.
11. An assembly comprising a vessel containing compressed gas and a gas generator adapted to open said vessel by rupturing a closure of said vessel, said gas generator, comprising:
an igniter subassembly comprising an igniter for receiving an electrical current and igniting a gas generant inset molded in a polymeric gas generator body having a combustion chamber wall;
a closure comprising a polymer;
a combustion chamber for receiving a gas generant, said combustion chamber defined by said igniter, said polymeric closure and said polymeric combustion chamber wall; and
a gas generant disposed in said combustion chamber.
12. A gas generator having a logitudinal axis for use with a vehicle occupant restraint system, said gas generator comprising:
a polymeric igniter subassembly having a combustion chamber wall with an interior wall, said combustion chamber wall comprising a polymer, a polymeric flange integrally formed with said polymeric gas generator body and extending radially outward therefrom, said igniter subassembly further comprising a polymeric interior annular portion extending into a combustion chamber, said combustion chamber having a volume formed by said polymeric igniter subassembly and a polymeric closure, said polymeric closure being hermetically sealed to said polymeric combustion wall; said annular portion forming an annular recess with said interior wall and defining a charge cavity, said polymeric material being nylon 66; and
an electrical connector communicating with said charge cavity, such that said electrical connector is adapted to receive an electrical current and to transmit said electrical current to said charge cavity to ignite a pyrotechnic material, which ignites a gas generant.
13. A gas generator comprising:
an igniter subassembly comprising an igniter for receiving an electrical current and igniting a gas generant inset molded in a polymeric gas generator body having a combustion chamber wall;
a polymeric closure attached to said polymeric gas generator body, the polymeric gas generator body and closure comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting essentially of glass fiber reinforced nylon 66, acrylo nitrile butadyene, polyetheramides, polyphenyline oxide, and polyarylamide;
a combustion chamber for receiving a gas generant, said combustion chamber defined by said igniter, said polymeric closure and said polymeric combustion chamber wall; and
a gas generant disposed in said combustion chamber.
14. A gas generator comprising:
an igniter subassembly comprising an igniter for receiving an electrical current and igniting a gas generant inset molded in a polymeric gas generator body having a combustion chamber wall;
a polymeric closure attached to said polymeric gas generator body;
a combustion chamber for receiving a gas generant, said combustion chamber defined by said igniter, said polymeric closure and said polymeric combustion chamber wall.
15. The gas generator of claim 14, wherein said combustion chamber has a volume that will accommodate not greater than about five grams of a gas generant.
16. A method for manufacturing a gas generator, comprising the steps of:
providing a mold;
inserting an igniter or an igniter header assembly into said mold;
injecting a flowable polymeric material into said mold such that an igniter subassembly is formed that surrounds said electrical connector, said igniter subassembly forming a combustion chamber such that a gas generant may be disposed therein.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein a polymeric annular portion that is integrally formed with said igniter subassembly surrounds said first end of said igniter, said polymeric annular portion extending into said combustion chamber and forming an annular recess with said interior wall.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein an igniter is integrally formed with said igniter subassembly, said igniter being a charge cavity operatively connected to said electrical connector, said electrical connector adapted to receive an electrical current and to transmit said electrical current to said charge cavity, said charge cavity being defined by a polymeric annular portion that extends into said combustion chamber, said annular portion forming an annular recess with said interior wall.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of treating a headache pain indication, exclusive of headache pain associated with total body pain, comprising:
configuring a signal generator to generate and deliver a headache pain therapy signal to a target location, wherein the target location is a cervical vertebral location between C1-C5, inclusive, via one or more implanted signal delivery devices coupled to the signal generator,
wherein at least a portion of the therapy signal is at a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz, includes pulses with a pulse width in a pulse width range of 10 microseconds to 333 microseconds, and has an amplitude in an amplitude range of 0.1 mA to 20 mA, which at least partially alleviates the headache pain indication, exclusive of headache pain associated with total body pain, without generating paresthesia.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cervical vertebral location is between C1-C3, inclusive.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cervical vertebral location is between C2-C4, inclusive.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the headache pain indication is selected from the group consisting of: herpes zoster headache pain, cluster headache pain, swimmer’s headache pain, analgesic rebound headache pain, and occipital neuralgia headache pain.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the headache pain indication is migraine pain.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency range is 3 kHz to 20 kHz.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency range is 5 kHz to 15 kHz.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more signal delivery devices include a percutaneous lead having one or more electrodes disposed toward a distal end of the percutaneous lead.
9. A method of treating a non-total body pain headache pain indication, comprising:
applying an electrical therapy signal to a cervical vertebral location of a patient’s spinal cord, wherein the cervical vertebral location is between C1-C5, inclusive, wherein at least a portion of the electrical therapy signal (a) is at a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz, (b) has electrical pulses with a pulse width in a pulse width range of 10 microseconds to 333 microseconds, and (c) is at an amplitude in an amplitude range of 0.1 mA to 20 mA, and wherein the electrical therapy signal treats the headache pain indication without generating paresthesia in the patient.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the cervical vertebral location is between C2-C4, inclusive.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the headache pain indication is selected from the group consisting of: herpes zoster headache pain, cluster headache pain, swimmer’s headache pain, analgesic rebound headache pain, and occipital neuralgia headache pain.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the headache pain indication is migraine pain.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the frequency range is 3 kHz to 20 kHz.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein the frequency range is 5 kHz to 15 kHz.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising programming the signal generator to generate the electrical therapy signal.
16. The method of claim 9,
wherein the electrical therapy signal is applied via one or more implanted signal delivery devices coupled to an implanted signal generator, wherein the signal generator is programmed with instructions that, when executed, treat the headache pain indication by generating the electrical therapy signal and delivering the electrical therapy signal to the cervical vertebral location.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more signal delivery devices include a percutaneous lead having one or more electrodes disposed toward a distal end of the percutaneous lead.
18. The method of claim 9 wherein the frequency range is 1.5 kHz to 50 kHz.
19. The method of claim 9 wherein the frequency range is 3 kHz to 10 kHz.
20. The method of claim 9 wherein the frequency is 10 kHz.
21. The method of claim 9 wherein the portion of the electrical therapy signal is biphasic.
22. The method of claim 9 wherein the pulse width range is 25 microseconds to 166 microseconds.
23. The method of claim 9 wherein the pulse width range is 30 microseconds to 35 microseconds.
24. The method of claim 9 wherein the frequency range is 5 kHz to 15 kHz, the pulse width range is 30 microseconds to 35 microseconds, and the amplitude range is 0.5 mA to 10 mA.
25. A headache pain treatment system for treating a non-total body pain headache pain indication, comprising:
a spinal cord modulation system having
at least one signal delivery device configured to be implanted proximate to a cervical vertebral location of a patient’s spinal cord, wherein the cervical vertebral location is between C1-C5, inclusive, and
a signal generator programmed with instructions that, when executed, treat the headache pain indication by generating and delivering a non-paresthesia-generating electrical therapy signal to the cervical vertebral location, via the at least one signal delivery device,
wherein at least a portion of the electrical therapy signal (a) is at a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz, (b) includes pulses having a pulse width in a pulse width range of 10 microseconds to 333 microseconds, and (c) is at an amplitude in an amplitude range of 0.1 mA to 20 mA.
26. The system of claim 25, wherein the cervical vertebral location is between C2-C4, inclusive.
27. The system of claim 25, wherein the headache pain indication is selected from the group consisting of: herpes zoster headache pain, cluster headache pain, swimmer’s headache pain, analgesic rebound headache pain, and occipital neuralgia headache pain.
28. The system of claim 25, wherein the headache pain indication is migraine pain.
29. The system of claim 25, wherein the frequency range is 3 kHz to 20 kHz.
30. The system of claim 25, wherein the frequency range is 5 kHz to 15 kHz.
31. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one signal delivery device includes a percutaneous lead having one or more electrodes disposed toward a distal end of the percutaneous lead.
32. The system of claim 25, wherein the pulse width range is between 25 microseconds and 166 microseconds.