Medical Devices Including Flexible Circuit Bodies with Exposed Portions of Circuit Traces Attached to Electrical Contacts of Components
First Claim
1. A method of constructing a medical device, comprising:
- providing a flexible circuit body having at least one conductive circuit trace with an insulative body having a first external surface and a second external surface on an opposite side from the first external surface and with the first and second external surfaces covering the at least one conductive circuit trace, the at least one conductive circuit trace having a longitudinal axis and having a first portion that extends along the longitudinal axis and that is exposed from the insulative body in proximity to a first end of the insulative body by spanning a first window present in the first external surface and the second external surface of the insulative body and having a second portion that is exposed from the insulative body in proximity to a second end of the insulative body by spanning a second window present in the first external surface and the second external surface of the insulative body; and
attaching at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the circuit trace that is exposed from the insulative body to an electrical contact associated with an electrical component by using a resistive weld to create an electrical connection between the first or second portion of the circuit trace and the electrical contact such that the at least one conductive circuit trace is electrically coupled to a first circuit of the medical device that produces stimulation signals.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Medical devices include stimulation and/or sensing circuitry that is interconnected to electrical components by a flexible circuit body having exposed portions of circuit traces that are attached to electrical contacts of the electrical components. Each circuit trace may span a separate window formed in an insulative body of the flexible circuit body, or a plurality of circuit traces may span a single window or may be freely extending from the insulative body. The exposed portion of the circuit trace may be plated with a conductive metal and then attached to the electrical contact of the electrical component. The flexible circuit body may be an extension from a flexible electrical circuit board containing the circuit. The circuit may be present on a circuit board that includes electrical contacts and where the flexible circuit body has exposed portions of circuit traces attached to the electrical contacts of the circuit board.
2 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of constructing a medical device, comprising:
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providing a flexible circuit body having at least one conductive circuit trace with an insulative body having a first external surface and a second external surface on an opposite side from the first external surface and with the first and second external surfaces covering the at least one conductive circuit trace, the at least one conductive circuit trace having a longitudinal axis and having a first portion that extends along the longitudinal axis and that is exposed from the insulative body in proximity to a first end of the insulative body by spanning a first window present in the first external surface and the second external surface of the insulative body and having a second portion that is exposed from the insulative body in proximity to a second end of the insulative body by spanning a second window present in the first external surface and the second external surface of the insulative body; and attaching at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the circuit trace that is exposed from the insulative body to an electrical contact associated with an electrical component by using a resistive weld to create an electrical connection between the first or second portion of the circuit trace and the electrical contact such that the at least one conductive circuit trace is electrically coupled to a first circuit of the medical device that produces stimulation signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A medical device, comprising:
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a housing; a first circuit within the housing that generates stimulation pulses; an electrical component within the housing and spaced from the first circuit, the electrical component having an electrical contact; and a flexible circuit body within the housing and having at least one conductive circuit trace with an insulative body having a first external surface and a second external surface on an opposite side from the first external surface and with the first and second external surfaces covering the at least one conductive circuit trace, the at least one conductive circuit trace having a longitudinal axis and having a first portion that extends along the longitudinal axis and that is exposed from the insulative body in proximity to a first end of the insulative body by spanning a first window present in the first external surface and the second external surface of the insulative body and having a second portion that is exposed from the insulative body in proximity to a second end of the insulative body by spanning a second window present in the first external surface and the second external surface of the insulative body, with at least one of the first and second portions being attached to the electrical contact of the electrical component by a resistive weld to create an electrical connection between the first or second portion of the circuit trace and the electrical contact of the electrical component, and the circuit trace being electrically coupled to the first circuit. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of providing stimulation therapy from a medical device having a pulse generator circuit and having a feedthrough located separately from the pulse generator circuit, comprising:
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generating stimulation pulses by the pulse generator circuit; conducting the stimulation pulses from the pulse generator circuit to a circuit trace of a flexible circuit body; passing the signals from the circuit trace of the flexible circuit body to an electrical contact of the feedthrough, the circuit trace having a longitudinal axis and having a first portion that extends along the longitudinal axis and that is exposed from an insulative body of the flexible circuit body that has a first external surface and a second external surface on an opposite side from the first external surface where the first and second external surfaces cover the circuit trace by spanning a first window present in proximity to a first end of the flexible circuit body in the first external surface and the second external surface of the insulative body and the circuit trace having a second portion that is exposed from the insulative body of the flexible circuit body by spanning a second window present in proximity to a second end of the flexible circuit body in the first external surface and the second external surface of the insulative body such that at least the one of the first and second portions of the circuit trace is attached to the electrical contact of the feedthrough by a resistive weld; and carrying the signals from a lead conductor electrically coupled to the feedthrough to the electrode. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification