Retinal prosthesis and method of manufacturing a retinal prosthesis

• US 20060247734A1
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cortigent Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc. (Vivani Medical, Inc.)
• Inventors: Greenberg, Robert Jay, Talbot, Neil Hamilton, Wilkin, Kevin, Ok, Jerry
• Granted Patent: US 7,881,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37518 Anchoring of the implants, e.g. fixation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3758 Packaging of the components within the casing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16227 the bump connector connecting to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73253 Bump and layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16251 Connecting to an item not being a semiconductor or solid-state body, e.g. cap-to-substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19104 on the semiconductor or solid-state device, i.e. passive-on-chip
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 off-chip wires

Abstract

The present invention is an improved package and configuration for an implantable retinal prosthesis. The retinal prosthesis of the present invention includes an electrode array suitable to be mounted in close proximity to a retina, an electronics package and inductive receiving coil mounted next to each other on a strap surrounding the sclera so that the height above the sclera of the prosthesis is minimized.

Claims

1. A retinal prosthesis, comprising:

an electrode array suitable to be mounted in close proximity to a retina;

an electronics package suitable to be mounted to the eye;

an electrical cable coupling said electrode array to said electronics package; and

a secondary inductive coil is coplanar with said electronics package and electrically coupled to said electronics package; and

wherein height above the sclera of said electronics package and said secondary inductive coil is minimized.

2. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, further comprising a strap surrounding the sclera and supporting said electronics package and said secondary inductive coil.

3. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, further comprising suture tabs connected to said secondary inductive coil suitable for attaching said secondary inductive coil to a sclera.

4. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, further comprising a suture tab connected to said electronics package suitable for attaching said electronics package to a sclera.

5. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, further comprising a fan tail connected to said secondary inductive coil and to said strap.

6. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, further comprising a hook on said prosthesis suitable for engaging a surgical tool.

7. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, further comprising a fan tail on said electrode array.

8. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said cable and electrode array comprise metal traces sandwiched between thin polymer films.

9. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 8, wherein said cable is folded to present the same side of said cable to both said electronics package and the retina.

10. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said electrical cable is suitable to pierce pars plana region of the sclera.

11. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said secondary inductive coil is a wound wire coil.

12. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said secondary inductive coil is substantially oval shaped.

13. A retinal prosthesis comprising

a video capture device;

a source of power;

a primary inductive coil suitable to be placed outside of the body and electrically coupled to at least one of said video capture device and said source of power;

an electrode array suitable to be mounted in close proximity to a retina;

a strap suitable to surround the eye;

an electronics package mounted on said strap;

an electrical cable coupling said electrode array to said electronics package; and

a secondary inductive coil mounted on said strap next to said electronics package, electrically coupled to said electronics package and suitable to be mounted to the side of a sclera and in close proximity to said primary inductive coil;

wherein height above the sclera of said strap electronics package and coil is minimized.

14. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 13, further comprising suture tabs connected to said secondary inductive coil suitable for attaching said secondary inductive coil to a sclera.

15. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 13, further comprising suture tabs connected to said electronics package suitable for attaching said electronics package to a sclera.

16. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 13, further comprising a fan tail connected to said secondary inductive coil and to said strap suitable to facilitate to passing said strap and said secondary inductive coil through muscle tissue.

17. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 13, further comprising a hook on said prosthesis suitable for engaging a surgical tool.

18. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 13, further comprising a sleeve for attaching ends of said strap together.

19. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 13, wherein said cable and electrode array comprise metal traces sandwiched between thin polymer films.

20. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 19, wherein said cable is folded to present the same side of said cable to both said electronics package and the retina.

21. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 13, wherein said primary coil is substantially oval shaped.

22. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 13, wherein said electrical cable is suitable to pierce pars plana region of the sclera.

23. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 13, wherein said electrode array is suitable to placed in an epiretinal location.

24. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 13, wherein said secondary inductive coil is a wound wire coil.

25. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 13, wherein said primary coil is integrated in the temple of a pair of glasses.

26. A retinal prosthesis comprising:

An electrode array suitable to be mounted in close proximity to a retina;

A strap suitable for surrounding an eye;

An electronics package mounted on said strap said electronics package enclosed within a hermetic package;

An electrical cable coupling said electrode array to said electronics package; and

A secondary inductive coil mounted on said strap next to said electronics package and electrically coupled to said electronics package;

Wherein height above the sclera of said strap electronics package and coil is minimized.

27. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 26, wherein said electronics package is formed of a ceramic based, including conductive vias, and a metal cover.

28. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 26, wherein said electronics package includes a flip-chip package.

29. Thee retinal prosthesis according to claim 28, wherein said electronics package includes a stack substrate including discrete components bonded to said flip-chip package.

30. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 29, further comprising a polymer under fill under said flip-chip package.

31. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 27, further comprising wire bonds electrically coupling a filp-chip package to said conductive vias.

32. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 26, further comprising a getter within said electronics package.