Tear-resistant thin film methods of fabrication

• US 20060232374A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monarch Biosciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TiNi Alloy Company
• Inventors: Johnson, A. David
• Granted Patent: US 7,763,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 338/308
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2403 with pivoting rigid closure members check valves with hinged closure members in general F16K15/03
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0072 For controlling internal stress or strain in moving or flexible elements, e.g. stress compensating layers
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0181 Physical Vapour Deposition [PVD], i.e. evaporation, sputtering, ion plating or plasma assisted deposition, ion cluster beam technology
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/038 Processes for manufacturing substrate-free structures not provided for in B81C2201/034 - B81C2201/036
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness

Abstract

A thin film device and fabrication method providing optimum tear resistance. A thin film layer is formed with a first and second of rows of holes. The holes in each row are spaced-apart along an axis which extends along an edge of the layer. The holes in one row are in overlapping relationship with adjacent holes in the other row. The holes have a diameter which is sufficiently large so that an imaginary line extending perpendicular from any location along the edge will intersect at least one hole, thus preventing further propagation of any tears or cracks which start from the edge.

Claims

3. A thin film device having optimum tear resistance, the device comprising a thin film first layer of a material, the first layer having first and second planar sides, the layer having an edge, the first side being formed with a plurality of spaced-apart ribs which are inclined at a first angle with respect to the edge, a thin film second layer having first and second planar sides, the first side of the second layer being bonded to the second side of the first layer, a thin film third layer having first and second planar sides, the first side of the third layer being bonded to the second side of the second layer, and the second side of the third layer being formed with a plurality of spaced-apart struts which are inclined a second angle with respect to the edge.

4. A thin film device as in claim 3 in which the material is a shape memory alloy.

5-1. A method as in claim 5 in which a shape memory alloy is provided as the material.

6. A method of fabricating a thin film device with improved tear resistance comprising the steps of providing a thin film first layer of a material having first and second planar sides and with the layer having an edge, forming the first side being with a plurality of spaced-apart ribs which are inclined at a first angle with respect to the edge, forming a thin film second layer having first and second planar sides, bonding the first side of the second layer to the second side of the first layer, forming a thin film third layer having first and second planar sides, bonding the first side of the third layer to the second side of the second layer, and forming the second side of the third layer with a plurality of spaced-apart struts which are inclined a second angle with respect to the edge.

7. A method as in claim 6 in which a shape memory alloy is provided as the material.