Method for circuit protection during radiation sterilization

• US 6,880,242 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2003
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minimed, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Minimed, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Fong, Jason, Prokop, Adrian, Karre, Sheana, Stinson, Sara Akiko, Van Antwerp, William P., Rosenberg, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arbes, Carl J.
• Application Number:
  US10/382,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20030169582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 298/25, 298/32, 298/40, 298/36
• US Class Current: 29/832
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/081 Gamma radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/082 X-rays
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/087 Particle radiation, e.g. electron-beam, alpha or beta radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/26 Accessories or devices or components used for biocidal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/556 against alpha rays
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0655 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1435 Random access memory [RAM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1438 Flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/145 Read-only memory [ROM]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49137 Different components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49144 by metal fusion

Abstract

A circuit protection device for protection of sensitive components during high energy radiation sterilization that includes a support substrate and a protective housing. The substrate supports the sensitive components. The protective housing is hermetically coupled to the support substrate to seal the sensitive components within the protective housing. Preferably, the protective housing stops high energy used in the high energy sterilization from damaging the sensitive components from a predetermined exposure level of high energy sterilization. The circuit protection device may further include a protective conductor that is coupled to the support substrate on a side which is opposite the protective housing to prevent high energy from entering the opposite side of the support substrate. The circuit protection device can also include an energy absorbing material contained within an area sealed by the protective housing to absorb high energy byproducts produced by the protective housing stopping the high energy used in the high energy sterilization. Preferably, the support substrate is a circuit board, and the sensitive elements are semiconductors. Also, the high energy sterilization is E-beam sterilization and the high energy are electrons, and the high energy byproducts are x-rays.

Claims

1. A method of protecting sensitive components of a medical device during a high energy radiation sterilization procedure, the method comprising:

providing a support substrate that supports the sensitive components;

providing a protective housing;

hermetically coupling the protective housing to the support substrate to seal the sensitive components within the protective housing; and

irradiating the medical device with a predetermined exposure level of the high energy radiation to sterilize the medical device, wherein the protective housing substantially prevents the high energy radiation used to sterilize the medical device from damaging the sensitive components from the predetermined exposure level of high energy radiation.

2. The method of claim 1, further including providing a protective conductor coupled to the support substrate on a side opposite the protective housing to prevent high energy radiation form entering from the side of the support substrate.

3. The method according to claim 2, further including an energy absorbing material contained within an area sealed by the protective housing to absorb high energy byproducts produced by the protective housing stopping the high energy used in the high energy sterilization.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the support substrate is a circuit board, and wherein the sensitive elements are semiconductors.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the high energy radiation sterilization is E-beam sterilization and the high energy are electrons.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the high energy byproducts are x-rays.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the energy absorbing material is an epoxy containing metal.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined exposure level is above 2.0 Mrad.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined exposure level is less than or equal to 5.0 Mrad.

10. The method according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined exposure level is above 0.5 Mrad.

11. The method according to claim 2, wherein the protective housing and protective conductor are formed from a metal.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting essentially of titanium and aluminum.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the protective housing is formed from a metal.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting essentially of titanium and aluminum.