Method of fabricating implantable medical devices from a polymer coupon that is bonded to rigid substrate
First Claim
1. A method of assembling plural medical devices for implantation on or in a living being, said method including the steps of:
- bonding a first flexible polymer coupon formed from biocompatible material to a first rigid backing, said bonding step including the sub-steps of;
applying an adhesive layer to an exposed face of the first rigid backing;
placing the first polymer coupon on the first rigid backing;
applying a force against the first polymer coupon to urge the coupon against the first rigid backing;
while performing said step of applying the force against the first polymer coupon, drawing a suction below ambient pressure on the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing;
while performing said step of applying a force against the first polymer coupon and said step of drawing a suction on the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing, heating the first polymer coupon and the rigid backing;
decreasing the temperature of the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing;
after the temperature of the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing is allowed to decrease, terminating said step of drawing a suction on the polymer coupon and the rigid backing and terminating said step of applying a force against the first polymer coupon;
attaching plural components to an exposed face of the first polymer coupon, the components able to provide a therapeutic benefit and/or offer diagnostic information;
while the first polymer coupon remains attached the first rigid backing, bonding an additional layer of polymer over the exposed face of the first polymer coupon;
while the first polymer coupon and attached components remain attached to said first rigid backing, separating the first polymer coupon into at least two sections, wherein each section has at least one component able to provide a therapeutic benefit or perform a diagnostic function;
shaping the additional layer of polymer disposed over the at least two sections of the first polymer coupon that have a component able to provide a therapeutic benefit or perform a diagnostic function so that each section forms a polymer laminate consisting of a portion of the first polymer coupon and a portion of the additional layer of polymer to which at least one component able to provide a therapeutic benefit or perform a diagnostic function is attached;
after said step of separating the first polymer coupon into the at least two sections, dissolving the adhesive layer between the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing; and
after said step of dissolving the adhesive layer, lifting off the polymer laminates to which the components are attached from the first rigid backing, the lifted off polymer laminates and attached components forming plural medical devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Plural medical device formed from one or more layers of thin film polymer are assembled from a single polymer coupon. Initially the coupon is bonded to a rigid substrate. Force, heat and a suction are selectively applied to the coupon to ensure that it has a consistent height across its exposed surface. Once the polymer coupon is bonded the components forming the medical device are attached to the coupon and the coupon is shaped to form the individual medical devices. Shaped sections of the coupon are then lifted off the rigid backing. The lifted off sections on which the components were attached are the medical devices.
150 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of assembling plural medical devices for implantation on or in a living being, said method including the steps of:
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bonding a first flexible polymer coupon formed from biocompatible material to a first rigid backing, said bonding step including the sub-steps of; applying an adhesive layer to an exposed face of the first rigid backing; placing the first polymer coupon on the first rigid backing; applying a force against the first polymer coupon to urge the coupon against the first rigid backing; while performing said step of applying the force against the first polymer coupon, drawing a suction below ambient pressure on the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing; while performing said step of applying a force against the first polymer coupon and said step of drawing a suction on the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing, heating the first polymer coupon and the rigid backing; decreasing the temperature of the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing; after the temperature of the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing is allowed to decrease, terminating said step of drawing a suction on the polymer coupon and the rigid backing and terminating said step of applying a force against the first polymer coupon; attaching plural components to an exposed face of the first polymer coupon, the components able to provide a therapeutic benefit and/or offer diagnostic information; while the first polymer coupon remains attached the first rigid backing, bonding an additional layer of polymer over the exposed face of the first polymer coupon; while the first polymer coupon and attached components remain attached to said first rigid backing, separating the first polymer coupon into at least two sections, wherein each section has at least one component able to provide a therapeutic benefit or perform a diagnostic function; shaping the additional layer of polymer disposed over the at least two sections of the first polymer coupon that have a component able to provide a therapeutic benefit or perform a diagnostic function so that each section forms a polymer laminate consisting of a portion of the first polymer coupon and a portion of the additional layer of polymer to which at least one component able to provide a therapeutic benefit or perform a diagnostic function is attached; after said step of separating the first polymer coupon into the at least two sections, dissolving the adhesive layer between the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing; and after said step of dissolving the adhesive layer, lifting off the polymer laminates to which the components are attached from the first rigid backing, the lifted off polymer laminates and attached components forming plural medical devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of assembling plural medical devices for implantation on or in a living being, said method including the steps of:
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bonding a first flexible polymer coupon formed from biocompatible material to a first rigid backing, said bonding step including the sub-steps of; applying an adhesive layer to an exposed face of the first rigid backing; placing the first polymer coupon on the first rigid backing; applying a force against the first polymer coupon to urge the coupon against the first rigid backing, while performing said step of applying the force against the first polymer coupon, drawing a suction below ambient pressure levels on the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing; while performing said step of applying a force against the first polymer coupon and said step of drawing a suction on the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing, heating the polymer coupon and the rigid backing; allowing the temperature of the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing to decrease; after the temperature of the first polymer coupon is allowed to decrease;
terminating said step of drawing a suction on the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing and said step of applying a force against the first rigid backing;while the first polymer coupon remains bonded to the first rigid backing, forming plural spaced apart slots in the first polymer coupon that extend inwardly from an exposed face of the first polymer coupon; while the first polymer coupon remains bonded to the first rigid backing, affixing plural components to the first polymer coupon, the components able to provide a therapeutic benefit and/or offer diagnostic information; while the first polymer coupon remains attached the first rigid backing, bonding an additional layer of polymer over the exposed face of the first polymer coupon, wherein the additional layer of polymer is formed with slots that are in registration with the slots in the first polymer coupon; while the first polymer coupon and attached components remain attached to said first rigid backing, separating the first polymer coupon into at least two separate sections, where each section including at least one of the voids formed in the polymer coupon and each section having at least one component able to provide a therapeutic benefit or perform a diagnostic function and containing one of the slots formed in the first polymer coupon; shaping the additional layer of polymer disposed over the at least two sections of the first polymer coupon that have a component able to provide a therapeutic benefit or perform a diagnostic function so that each section forms a polymer laminate consisting of a portion of the first polymer coupon and a portion of the additional layer of polymer that includes a slot to which at least one component able to provide a therapeutic benefit or perform a diagnostic function is attached; after said step of separating the first polymer coupon into the at least two sections, dissolving the adhesive layer between the first polymer coupon and the first rigid backing; and after said step of dissolving the adhesive layer, lifting off the polymer laminates to which the components are attached and that include the slots from the first rigid backing, the lifted off polymer laminates and the attached components forming plural medical devices. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification