1. A pre-electrode for a stimulation lead, the pre-electrode comprising:
a substantially-cylindrical pre-electrode body having a proximal end and a distal end, the pre-electrode body comprising
an electrically-conductive central huh having a longitudinal surface,
a plurality of connector elements extending radially outward from the longitudinal surface of the central hub, the plurality of connector elements each having a medial end coupled to the central huh and an opposing lateral end, and
a plurality of stimulation members each having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of each of the plurality of stimulation members coupled to the lateral end of at least one of the plurality of connector elements such that each of the plurality of stimulation members is electrically-coupled to each of remaining stimulation members of the plurality of stimulation members solely via the central hub, and
wherein the plurality of stimulation members are arranged circumferentially in a single circle around the central hub.
2. The pre-electrode of claim 1, wherein the central hub is tube-shaped.
3. The pre-electrode of claim 1, wherein the inner surface of each of the plurality of stimulation members is coupled to the lateral end of exactly one connector element of the plurality of connector elements.
4. A method of making a stimulation lead, the method comprising
forming at least one pre-electrode of claim 1 and disposing the at least one pre-electrode along a distal end portion of a lead body;
electrically-coupling at least one conductor of a plurality of conductors extending from a plurality of terminals disposed along a proximal end portion of the lead body to each of the plurality of stimulation members;
disposing electrically-nonconductive material around longitudinal surfaces of the central hub with the electrically-nonconductive material abutting inner surfaces of the plurality of stimulation members; and
removing the central hub from the pre-electrode body to electrically isolate each of the plurality of stimulation members from one another, thereby transforming the plurality of stimulation members into a plurality of electrically-isolated segmented electrodes disposed along the electrically-nonconductive material.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein disposing the at least one pre-electrode along a distal end portion of a lead body comprises disposing along the distal end portion of the lead body the at least one pre-electrode that comprises exactly three electrically-conductive stimulation members.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein removing the central hub to electrically isolate each of the plurality of stimulation members from one another comprises passing a drill along a portion of the lead body that includes the central hub to remove the central hub and sever connections between the plurality of connector elements, the passing of the drill forming a central lumen along at least a portion of the lead body.
7. The method of claim 4, further comprising disposing insulating material along walls of the central lumen to electrically isolate the segmented electrodes from the central lumen.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein disposing insulating material along walls of the central lumen comprises re-flowing electrically-nonconductive tubing along the walls of the central lumen.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein disposing insulating material along walls of the central lumen comprises depositing electrically-nonconductive material using chemical vapor deposition along the walls of the central lumen.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein disposing insulating material along walls of the central lumen comprises injection molding electrically-nonconductive material along the walls of the central lumen.
11. The method of claim 4, wherein disposing electrically-nonconductive material around longitudinal surfaces of the central huh with the electrically-nonconductive material abutting inner surfaces of the plurality of stimulation members comprises disposing electrically-nonconductive material around longitudinal surfaces of the central huh with the electrically-nonconductive material flush with outer surfaces of the plurality of stimulation members.
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 cylindrical magnetron sputtering target assembly, comprising:
a head; and
a main body connecting to the head, the main body comprising:
a target;
a protecting element located partially around the target; and
an insulating assembly comprising at least one insulating element, the insulating element being fastened to the inner sidewall of the inner plate.
2. The target assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulating element is fastened to the inner plate by screws, rivets, or adhesive.
3. The target assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body further comprises a target base, the insulating assembly further comprises an insulating base, the insulating base positioned between the target base and the target.
4. The target assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the insulating assembly is made of Teflon or ceramic.
5. The target assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protecting element further comprises an outer plate rotatably located partially around the inner plate and the target, when the outer plate rotates to the opposite side of the inner plate, the outer plate is closed to position the target in an enclosed space defined by the inner plate and the outer plate, when the outer plate rotates to the back of the inner plate, the outer plate is opened.
6. The target assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the main body is connected to the head by a connecting section.
7. The target assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the connecting section is a flange.
8. The target assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein two ends of the protecting element respectively connects to the connecting section and the target base.
9. The target assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head comprises a base and a first driver located on the base, the first driver drives the target to rotate around the axis of the target.
10. The target assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first driver comprises a gear and an electrical motor for driving the gear, the electrical motor connects to the base by the gear.
11. The target assembly as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a second driver, the second driver drives the outer plate to rotate around the target.