Systems and methods for making and using contact assemblies for leads of electrical stimulation systems
First Claim
1. An electrical stimulation lead, comprising:
- a lead body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion;
a plurality of first contacts disposed along one of the distal end portion or the proximal end portion of the lead body;
a contact assembly disposed along the other of the distal end portion or the proximal end portion of the lead body, the contact assembly comprisinga tubular-shaped composite structure comprising a plurality of layered elements mechanically coupled together and rolled into a tube, each of the plurality of layered elements comprises a first electrically-nonconductive film, a second electrically-nonconductive film, and a plurality of micro-circuits laminated between the first electrically-nonconductive film and the second electrically-nonconductive film, the micro-circuits formed from a first material and each having a first end portion and an opposing second end portion, anda plurality of second contacts disposed over the composite structure, wherein the plurality of second contacts are electrically-coupled directly to the plurality of micro-circuits; and
a plurality of lead-body conductors electrically coupling the plurality of first contacts to the plurality of second contacts, wherein each of each of the plurality of lead-body conductors is attached to the second end portion of at least one of the plurality of micro-circuits.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
First contacts are disposed along a distal end portion or a proximal end portion of a lead body of an electrical stimulation lead. A contact assembly is disposed along the other of the distal end portion or the proximal end portion of the lead body. The contact assembly includes a tubular-shaped composite structure formed from multiple layered elements mechanically coupled together and rolled together into a tube. Each of the layered elements includes a first electrically-nonconductive substrate, a second electrically-nonconductive substrate, and micro-circuits laminated therebetween. Second contacts are disposed over the composite structure and electrically coupled to a first end portion of at least one of the micro-circuits. Lead-body conductors electrically couple the first contacts to the second contacts. Each of each of the lead-body conductors is attached to a second end portion of at least one of the micro-circuits.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electrical stimulation lead, comprising:
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a lead body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion; a plurality of first contacts disposed along one of the distal end portion or the proximal end portion of the lead body; a contact assembly disposed along the other of the distal end portion or the proximal end portion of the lead body, the contact assembly comprising a tubular-shaped composite structure comprising a plurality of layered elements mechanically coupled together and rolled into a tube, each of the plurality of layered elements comprises a first electrically-nonconductive film, a second electrically-nonconductive film, and a plurality of micro-circuits laminated between the first electrically-nonconductive film and the second electrically-nonconductive film, the micro-circuits formed from a first material and each having a first end portion and an opposing second end portion, and a plurality of second contacts disposed over the composite structure, wherein the plurality of second contacts are electrically-coupled directly to the plurality of micro-circuits; and a plurality of lead-body conductors electrically coupling the plurality of first contacts to the plurality of second contacts, wherein each of each of the plurality of lead-body conductors is attached to the second end portion of at least one of the plurality of micro-circuits. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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10. A method of forming an electrical stimulation lead, the method comprising:
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extending a plurality of lead-body conductors along a lead body; electrically coupling a plurality of first contacts to first end portions of the lead-body conductors disposed along a first end portion of the lead body; forming a plurality of layered elements, each of the plurality of layered elements comprising a plurality of micro-circuits laminated between electrically-nonconductive films, wherein each of the micro-circuits has a first end portion and an opposing second end portion; severing at least one conductor tie bar coupling together at least two of the plurality of micro-circuits; coupling together the plurality of layered elements to form a composite structure; exposing contact interfaces along the first end portions of each of the plurality of micro-circuits; exposing conductor interfaces along the second end portions of each of the plurality of micro-circuits; attaching each of the lead-body conductors the exposed conductor interfaces of the plurality of micro-circuits; mechanically coupling a plurality of second contacts to the composite structure; electrically coupling each of the second contacts to the exposed contact interfaces of the plurality of micro-circuits; and mechanically coupling the composite structure to a second end portion of the lead body opposite to the first end portion. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An electrical stimulation lead, comprising:
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a lead body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion; a plurality of first contacts disposed along one of the distal end portion or the proximal end portion of the lead body; a contact assembly disposed along the other of the distal end portion or the proximal end portion of the lead body, the contact assembly comprising a plurality of micro-circuits laminated between a first electrically-nonconductive film and a second electrically-nonconductive film and rolled into a tube, the micro-circuits formed from a first material and each having a first end portion and an opposing second end portion, and a plurality of second contacts disposed over the tube formed by the plurality of micro-circuits and the first and second electrically-nonconductive films, wherein the plurality of second contacts are electrically-coupled directly to the plurality of micro-circuits; and a plurality of lead-body conductors electrically coupling the plurality of first contacts to the plurality of second contacts, wherein each of each of the plurality of lead-body conductors is attached to the second end portion of at least one of the plurality of micro-circuits.
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Specification