DEVICE WITH FLEXIBLE MULTILAYER SYSTEM FOR CONTACTING OR ELECTROSTIMULATION OF LIVING TISSUE CELLS OR NERVES

• US 20090228085A1
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pixium Vision SA
• Original Assignee: IMI Intelligent Medical Implants AG (Pixium Vision SA)
• Inventors: Tiedtke, Hans-Jurgen
• Granted Patent: US 8,918,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0541 Cochlear electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals

Abstract

The object,—to create a printed circuit board for an implant having improved properties in connection with the electrical contacting via the contact points of the conductor tracks on the printed circuit board,—is achieved, according to the present invention, by means of a device for contacting and/or electrostimulation of living tissue cells or nerves with having a printed circuit board having with at least one contact point for electrical contacting, the printed circuit board encompassing comprising a flexible multilayer system with at least one conductor track. In accordance with the invention, the contact points for the conductor track in the multilayer system are galvanically reinforced. To this end, a galvanically reinforced layer is grown onto the already preprocessed contact point, for example by means of a galvanic process. By virtue of the application of one or more additional material layers onto the contact points of the conductor tracks, these latter are mechanically more stably anchored in the printed circuit board in mechanically more stable manner and hence become more reliable in their function.

Claims

1. A device for contacting and/or electrostimulation of living tissue cells or nerves with a circuit board comprising at least one contact point for electrical contacting, the circuit board comprising a structure having the following layers:

at least one electrically insulating material layer and at least one conductor-track layer having a conductor track,

characterized in that

at least one additional insulating material layer is provided about the conductor track, wherein the conductor track is electrically contactable from outside of the circuit board through the additional material layer via the contact point.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contact point comprises a first part which exhibits a larger lateral dimension than a second part of the contact point.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the first part of the contact point is at least partially overlapped by the additional material layer, and the second part of the contact point is at least partially surrounded by the additional material layer.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein multiple additional material layers are provided, through which the contact point extends from the conductor track as far as an outer edge of the circuit board.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the conductor track is applied on one of the electrically insulating material layers.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the conductor track is integrated within one of the electrically insulating material layers.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the conductor track is arranged between two electrically insulating material layers.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein several conductor tracks are provided which are substantially separated from one another by at least one insulating material layer.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein several conductor tracks are provided which are electrically connected to one another via through-connections or via electroplating layers.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the conductor-track layers are arranged parallel to one another.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the conductor-track layers lies within the range between a few nanometres up to a few hundred nanometres and the layer thickness of the insulating material layers lies within the range of a few micrometres.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the conductor-track layers and the insulating material layers are arranged parallel to one another.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contact point for electrically contacting the conductor track is arranged on the upper side and/or on the underside of the circuit board.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contact point for electrically contacting the conductor track exhibits a contact pad or electrode pad which is electrically contactable from outside of the circuit board.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the contact point or the contact pad extends at least as far as an outer edge of the circuit board or projects beyond it.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the contact point and/or the contact pad is/are integrated within the additional material layer.

17. A system for electrically contacting and/or electrostimulation of living tissue or nerves via one or more electrodes having a device according to claim 1.

18. The device according to claim 15, wherein the contact point and/or the contact pad is/are integrated within the additional material layer.