ELECTRONIC NETWORK COMPONENTS UTILIZING BIOCOMPATIBLE CONDUCTIVE ADHESIVES FOR DIRECT BODY FLUID EXPOSURE

• US 20090259265A1
• Filed: 05/26/2009
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Frysz, Christine A., Dabney, Warren S., Brendel, Richard L., Stevenson, Robert A., Roberts, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,660,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0539 Anchoring of brain electrode systems, e.g. within burr hole
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0556 Cuff electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3718 Monitoring of or protection against external electromagnetic fields or currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37512 Pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37514 Brain implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3754 Feedthroughs
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/35 Feed-through capacitors or anti-noise capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7197 with filters integral with or fitted onto contacts, e.g. tubular filters
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0326 Inorganic, non-metallic conductor, e.g. indium-tin oxide [ITO]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/321 by conductive adhesives

Abstract

An implantable passive or active electronic network component or component network is provided which is suitable for prolonged direct body fluid exposure and is attachable to a conductive surface, circuit trace, lead or electrode. The electronic network component or component network includes (1) a non-conductive body of biocompatible and non-migratable material, (2) a conductive termination surface of biocompatible and non-migratable material, associated with the body, and (3) a connection material of biocompatible and non-migratable material, for conductively coupling the termination surface to the conductive surface, circuit trace, lead or electrode. The electronic network component may include a capacitor, a resistor, an inductor, a diode, a transistor, an electronic switch, a MEMs device, or a microchip. A biocompatible and non-migratable adhesive is utilized to conductively couple components of the individual components of the electronic network, such as the conductive surface, circuit trace, lead or electrode.

Claims

1. An implantable passive or active electronic network component or component network, suitable for prolonged direct body fluid exposure and attachable to a conductive surface, circuit trace, lead or electrode, the electronic network component or component network comprising:

a non-conductive body of biocompatible and non-migratable material;

a conductive termination surface of biocompatible and non-migratable material, associated with the body; and

a connection material of biocompatible and non-migratable material, for conductively coupling the termination surface to the conductive surface, circuit trace, lead or electrode.

2. The electronic network component or component network of claim 1, wherein the connection material comprises an adhesive.

3. The electronic network component or component network of claim 2, wherein the adhesive comprises a thermal-setting adhesive.

4. The electronic network component or component network of claim 3, wherein the adhesive comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of:

epoxies, polyimides, polyethylene oxide, polyurethane, silicone, polyesters, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, methylacrylate, para-xylylene, and polypyrrhol.

5. The electronic network component or component network of claim 2, wherein the adhesive includes a biocompatible metal filler.

6. The electronic network component or component network of claim 5, wherein the metal filler comprises a noble metal filler.

7. The electronic network component or component network of claim 3, wherein the thermal-setting material includes a non-migratable and biocompatible conductive filler selected from the group consisting of titanium, platinum and platinum/iridium alloys, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, hafnium, nitinol, Co—

Cr—

Ni alloys such as MP35N, Havar® and

Elgiloy®

, stainless steel, gold, ZrC, ZrN, TiN, NbO, TiC, TaC, Indium Oxide/Indium Tin Oxide.

8. The electronic network component or component network of claim 1, wherein the termination surface comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

9. The electronic network component or component network of claim 1, wherein the termination surface comprises a non-migratable and biocompatible material selected from the group consisting of titanium, platinum and platinum/iridium alloys, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, hafnium, nitinol, Co—

Cr—

Ni alloys such as MP35N, Havar® and

Elgiloy®

, stainless steel, gold, ZrC, ZrN, TiN, NbO, TiC, TaC, Indium Oxide/Indium Tin Oxide.

10. The electronic network component or component network of claim 2, wherein the adhesive adheres at least a portion of the electronic network component or component network, to the conductive surface, circuit trace, lead or electrode.

11. The electronic network component or component network of claim 1, wherein the biocompatible connection material comprises a brazing, welding or soldering material selected from the group consisting of:

titanium, platinum and platinum/iridium alloys, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, hafnium, nitinol, Co—

Cr—

Ni alloys such as MP35N, Havar® and

Elgiloy®

, stainless steel, gold, ZrC, ZrN, TiN, NbO, TiC, TaC, Indium Oxide/Indium Tin Oxide (Transparent Conductive Oxides), gold-bearing glass frit, TiCuSiI, CuSiI, and gold-based braze.

12. The electronic network component or component network of claim 1, wherein the electronic network component comprises a capacitor, a resistor, an inductor, a diode, a transistor, an electronic switch, a MEMs device, or a microchip.

13. The electronic network component or component network of claim 12, wherein the capacitor comprises first and second sets of biocompatible and non-migratable electrode plates embedded within the body, each set of electrode plates being conductively coupled to a respective conductive termination surface.

14. The electronic network component or component network of claim 13, wherein the first and second sets of electrode plates comprise a noble metal or noble metal composition.

15. The electronic network component or component network of claim 14, wherein the first and second sets of electrode plates comprise gold, platinum, a gold based alloy, or a platinum based alloy.

16. The electronic network component or component network of claim 12, wherein the inductor comprises at least one biocompatible and non-migratable circuit trace on a surface of the body, which extends from a first biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface to a second biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface.

17. The electronic network component or component network of claim 16, wherein the inductor circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

18. The electronic network component or component network of claim 17, wherein the inductor circuit trace comprises gold, platinum, a gold based alloy or a platinum based alloy.

19. The electronic network component or component network of claim 12, wherein the inductor comprises at least one biocompatible and non-migratable circuit trace embedded within the body and extending from a first biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface to a second biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface.

20. The electronic network component or component network of claim 19, wherein the inductor circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

21. The electronic network component or component network of claim 20, wherein the inductor circuit trace comprises gold, platinum, a gold based alloy or a platinum based alloy.

22. The electronic network component or component network of claim 19, wherein the electronic network component comprises a capacitor in parallel with the inductor form a bandstop filter.

23. The electronic network component or component network of claim 12, wherein the resistor comprises a biocompatible and non-migratable circuit trace on a surface of the body which extends from a first biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface to a second biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface.

24. The electronic network component or component network of claim 23, wherein the resistor circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

25. The electronic network component or component network of claim 24, wherein the resistor circuit trace comprises gold, platinum, a gold based alloy or a platinum based alloy.

26. The electronic network component or component network of claim 12, wherein the resistor comprises at least one biocompatible and non-migratable circuit trace embedded within the body and extending from a first biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface to a second biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface.

27. The electronic network component or component network of claim 26, wherein the resistor circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

28. The electronic network component or component network of claim 27, wherein the resistor circuit trace comprises gold, platinum, a gold based alloy or a platinum based alloy.

29. The electronic network component or component network of claim 12, wherein the diode comprises at least one biocompatible and non-migratable circuit trace embedded within the body and extending from a first biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface to a second biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface.

30. The electronic network component or component network of claim 29, wherein the diode circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

31. The electronic network component or component network of claim 30, wherein the diode circuit trace comprises gold, platinum, a gold based alloy or a platinum based alloy.

32. The electronic network component or component network of claim 12, wherein the electronic switch comprises at least one biocompatible and non-migratable conductor embedded within the body and extending from a first biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface to a second biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface.

33. The electronic network component or component network of claim 32, wherein the electronic switch conductor comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

34. The electronic network component or component network of claim 33, wherein the electronic switch conductor comprises gold, platinum, a gold based alloy or a platinum based alloy.

35. The electronic network component or component network of claim 12, wherein the MEMs device comprises at least one MEMs conductor embedded within the body and extending from a first biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface to a second biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface.

36. The electronic network component or component network of claim 35, wherein the MEMs conductor comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

37. The electronic network component or component network of claim 36, wherein the MEMs conductor comprises gold, platinum, a gold based alloy or a platinum based alloy.

38. The electronic network component or component network of claim 12, wherein the transistor comprises at least one biocompatible and non-migratable circuit trace embedded within the body and extending from a first biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface to a second biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface.

39. The electronic network component or component network of claim 38, wherein the transistor circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

40. The electronic network component or component network of claim 39, wherein the transistor circuit trace comprises gold, platinum, a gold based alloy or a platinum based alloy.

41. The electronic network component or component network of claim 12, wherein the microchip comprises at least one biocompatible and non-migratable circuit trace embedded within the body and extending from a first biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface to a second biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface.

42. The electronic network component or component network of claim 41, wherein the microchip circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

43. The electronic network component or component network of claim 41, wherein the microchip circuit trace comprises gold, platinum, a gold based alloy or a platinum based alloy.

44. The electronic network component or component network of claim 1, including a plurality of conductive circuit traces within the non-conductive body.

45. The electronic network component or component network of claim 44, wherein the conductive circuit traces comprise a biocompatible and non-migratable material.

46. The electronic network component or component network of claim 45, wherein the conductive circuit traces comprise a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

47. The electronic network component or component network of claim 46, wherein the conductive circuit traces comprise gold, platinum, a gold based alloy or a platinum based alloy.

48. The electronic network component or component network of claim 44, including an adhesive of biocompatible and non-migratable material for conductively coupling at least two of the plurality of the conductive circuit traces together.

49. The electronic network component or component network of claim 48, wherein the electronic network component comprises an inductor.

50. The electronic network component or component network of claim 12, wherein the microchip comprises an RFID inlet.

51. The electronic network component or component network of claim 50, including an adhesive of biocompatible and non-migratable material for conductively coupling the RFID inlet to an associated antenna.