Electronic network components utilizing biocompatible conductive adhesives for direct body fluid exposure

• US 8,660,645 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2009
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stevenson, Robert A., Dabney, Warren S., Brendel, Richard L., Roberts, John, Frysz, Christine A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAREY, MICHAEL JAMES
• Application Number:
  US12/472,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20090259265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,736 Days
• Field of Search: 607/37, 607/116, 361/302
• US Class Current: 607/37
• 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 electronic component network, comprising:

a) a capacitor, comprising;

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

ii) first and second sets of biocompatible and non-migratable electrode plates embedded within the body; and

iii) a first conductive termination surface electrically connected to the first set of electrode plates and a second conductive termination surface electrically connected to the second set of electrode plates, wherein at least one of the first and second termination surfaces is of a biocompatible and non-migratable material; and

b) a connection material of biocompatible and non-migratable material conductively coupling at least one of the first and second termination surfaces to at least one of the group consisting of a conductive surface, a circuit trace, a lead, and an electrode.

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

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

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

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

7. The electronic 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 component network of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second termination surfaces comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

9. The electronic component network of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second termination surfaces 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 component network of claim 2, wherein the adhesive adheres at least a portion of one of the first and second termination surfaces to the conductive surface, the circuit trace, the lead, and the electrode.

11. The electronic 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 component network of claim 1, wherein the electronic network component further comprises at least one of the group consisting of a resistor, an inductor, a diode, a transistor, an electronic switch, a MEMs device, and a microchip.

13. The electronic component network of claim 1 wherein the first and second sets of electrode plates comprise a noble metal or noble metal composition.

14. The electronic component network of claim 1 wherein the first and second sets of electrode plates are of a material selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, a gold based alloy, and a platinum based alloy.

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

16. The electronic component network of claim 15, wherein the inductor circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

17. The electronic component network of claim 15 wherein the inductor circuit trace is of a material selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, a gold based alloy, and a platinum based alloy.

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

19. The electronic component network of claim 18, wherein the inductor circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

20. The electronic component network of claim 19, wherein the inductor circuit trace is selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, a gold based alloy, and a platinum based alloy.

21. The electronic component network of claim 18, wherein the capacitor in parallel with the inductor form a bandstop filter.

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

23. The electronic component network of claim 22, wherein the resistor circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

24. The electronic component network of claim 22 wherein the resistor circuit trace is of a material selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, a gold based alloy, and a platinum based alloy.

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

26. The electronic component network of claim 25, wherein the resistor circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

27. The electronic component network of claim 26, wherein the resistor circuit trace is selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, a gold based alloy, and a platinum based alloy.

28. The electronic 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 the first biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface to the second biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface.

29. The electronic component network of claim 12 wherein the diode circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

30. The electronic component network of claim 12 wherein the diode circuit trace is selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, a gold based alloy and a platinum based alloy.

31. The electronic 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 the first biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface to the second biocompatible and non-migratable termination surface.

32. The electronic component network of claim 31, wherein the electronic switch conductor comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

33. The electronic component network of claim 32, wherein the electronic switch conductor is of a material selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, a gold based alloy, and a platinum based alloy.

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

35. The electronic component network of claim 34, wherein the MEMs conductor comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

36. The electronic component network of claim 35, wherein the MEMs conductor is of a material selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, a gold based alloy, and a platinum based alloy.

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

38. The electronic component network of claim 37, wherein the transistor circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

39. The electronic component network of claim 38, wherein the transistor circuit trace is of a material selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, a gold based alloy, and a platinum based alloy.

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

41. The electronic component network of claim 40, wherein the microchip circuit trace comprises a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

42. The electronic component network of claim 40, wherein the microchip circuit trace is of a material selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, a gold based alloy, and a platinum based alloy.

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

44. The electronic component network of claim 43, wherein the conductive circuit traces comprise a biocompatible and non-migratable material.

45. The electronic component network of claim 44, wherein the conductive circuit traces comprise a noble metal or a noble metal composition.

46. The electronic component network of claim 45, wherein the conductive circuit traces is of a material selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, a gold based alloy, and a platinum based alloy.

47. The electronic component network of claim 43, including an adhesive of biocompatible and non-migratable material conductively coupling at least two of the plurality of the conductive circuit traces together.

48. The electronic component network of claim 47, wherein the electronic network component comprises an inductor.

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

50. The electronic component network of claim 49, including an adhesive of biocompatible and non-migratable material conductively coupling the RFID inlet to an RFID antenna.