Assembly methods and apparatus for electrically stable connectors

• US 9,949,364 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pathways Medical Corporation (Asahi Intecc Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Angiometrix Corporation
• Inventors: Patil, Nitin
• Primary Examiner(s): Norris, Jeremy C
• Application Number:
  US15/189,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20160309586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6851 Guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09108 Methods for making a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0268 for electrical inspection or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0296 Conductive pattern lay-out details not covered by sub groups H05K1/02 - H05K1/0295 H05K1/11 takes precedence; lay-out adapted to mounted component configuration H05K1/18
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09481 Via in pad; Pad over filled via if used for surface mounting H05K1/113
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09709 Staggered pads, lands or terminals; Parallel conductors in different planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/10 in which conductive material is applied to the insulating support in such a manner as to form the desired conductive pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4644 by building the multilayer layer by layer, i.e. build-up multilayer circuits making via holes in the insulating layers H05K3/0011; special circuit boards as base or core whereon the multilayer is built H05K3/4602

Abstract

Assembly methods and apparatus for electrically stable connectors are described herein where a conductive wire assembly generally comprises an insulative substrate having a length, one or more conductive elements formed along a first direction upon the substrate, an insulative coverlay formed upon the one or more conductive elements, and at least one opening or window defined through the insulative coverlay exposing a portion of the one or more conductive elements. A conductive coating is formed upon the insulative coverlay such that the conductive coating is in contact with the portion of the one or more conductive elements through the at least one opening or window and the conductive coating may have at least one region removed along a second direction in proximity to the at least one opening or window such that one or more conductive pads are formed and are electrically isolated from a remainder of the conductive coating.

Claims

1. A conductive wire assembly, comprising:

an insulative substrate having a length;

one or more conductive elements formed along a first direction upon the substrate;

an insulative coverlay formed upon the one or more conductive elements;

at least one opening or window defined through the insulative coverlay exposing a portion of the one or more conductive elements; and

,

a conductive coating formed upon the insulative coverlay,

wherein the conductive coating is in contact with the portion of the one or more conductive elements through the at least one opening or window,

wherein the conductive coating has at least one region removed along a second direction in proximity to the at least one opening or window such that one or more conductive pads are formed and are electrically isolated from a remainder of the conductive coating.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or more conductive elements are comprised of conductive traces formed upon the insulative substrate.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the insulative coverlay is formed upon the one or more conductive elements and the insulative substrate.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one opening or window is formed corresponding to each conductive element, wherein each opening or window is staggered relative to one another along the first direction.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the conductive coating comprises a metallic coating upon the insulative coverlay.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one region removed is transverse to the first direction.

7. The assembly of claim 6 further comprising additional conductive elements along the first direction upon a second surface of the insulative substrate.

8. The assembly of claim 7 further comprising an additional insulative coverlay upon the additional conductive elements upon the second surface.

9. The assembly of claim 8 further comprising additional openings or windows through the additional insulative coverlay which expose a portion of the additional conductive elements.

10. The assembly of claim 9 further comprising an additional conductive coating upon the additional insulative coverlay.

11. The assembly of claim 10 further comprising additional regions of the additional conductive coating removed along the second direction.

12. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a core wire upon which the one or more conductive elements are positioned.

13. The assembly of claim 12 further comprising one or more ring elements over corresponding one or more conductive elements such that the one or more ring elements are in electrical communication with the corresponding one or more conductive elements.

14. A conductive wire assembly, comprising:

one or more conductive elements formed along a first direction;

an insulating layer formed around each of the one or more conductive elements, wherein the one or more conductive elements are secured adjacent to one another along the first direction;

at least one opening or window defined through the insulating layer exposing a portion of the one or more conductive elements; and

,

a conductive coating formed upon the insulating layer,

wherein the conductive coating is in contact with the portion of the one or more conductive elements through the at least one opening or window,

wherein the conductive coating has at least one region removed along a second direction in proximity to the at least one opening or window such that one or more conductive pads are formed and are electrically isolated from a remainder of the conductive coating.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the at least one opening or window is formed corresponding to each conductive element, wherein each opening or window is staggered relative to one another along the first direction.

16. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the conductive coating comprises a metallic coating upon the insulating layer.

17. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the at least one region removed is transverse to the first direction.

18. The assembly of claim 14 further comprising additional openings or windows through the insulating layer which expose an additional portion of the one or more conductive elements.

19. The assembly of claim 14 further comprising a core wire upon which the one or more conductive elements are positioned.

20. The assembly of claim 19 further comprising one or more ring elements over corresponding one or more conductive elements such that the one or more ring elements are in electrical communication with the corresponding one or more conductive elements.

21. A method of forming a conductive flat wire, comprising:

securing one or more conductive elements adjacent to one another along a first direction, each of the one or more conductive elements having an insulating layer;

selectively forming at least one opening or window through the insulating layer to expose a portion of the one or more conductive elements;

forming a conductive coating upon the insulating layer such that the conductive coating is in contact with the portion of the one or more conductive elements through the at least one opening or window; and

,

removing at least one region of the conductive coating along a second direction in proximity to the at least one opening or window such that one or more conductive pads are formed and are electrically isolated from a remainder of the conductive coating.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein forming one or more conductive elements comprises forming one or more conductive traces upon the insulating layer.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein selectively forming at least one opening or window comprises forming an opening or window corresponding to each conductive element, wherein each opening or window is staggered relative to one another along the first direction.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein forming a conductive coating comprises depositing a metallic coating upon the insulating layer.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein removing at least one region comprises removing the at least one region along a second direction which is transverse to the first direction.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein selectively forming at least one opening or window further comprises forming additional openings or windows through the insulating layer to expose an additional portion of the one or more conductive elements.

27. The method of claim 21 further comprising positioning the one or more conductive elements upon a core wire.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising securing one or more ring elements over corresponding one or more conductive elements such that the one or more ring elements are in electrical communication with the corresponding one or more conductive elements.

29. A method of forming a conductive wire, comprising:

forming one or more conductive elements along a first direction upon an insulative substrate;

forming an insulative coverlay upon the one or more conductive elements;

selectively forming at least one opening or window through the insulative coverlay to expose a portion of the one or more conductive elements;

forming a conductive coating upon the insulative coverlay such that the conductive coating is in contact with the portion of the one or more conductive elements through the at least one opening or window; and

,

removing at least one region of the conductive coating along a second direction in proximity to the at least one opening or window such that one or more conductive pads are formed and are electrically isolated from a remainder of the conductive coating.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein forming one or more conductive elements comprises forming one or more conductive traces upon the insulative substrate.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein forming an insulative coverlay comprises depositing the insulative coverlay upon the one or more conductive elements and the insulative substrate.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein selectively forming at least one opening or window comprises forming an opening or window corresponding to each conductive element, wherein each opening or window is staggered relative to one another along the first direction.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein forming a conductive coating comprises depositing a metallic coating upon the insulative coverlay.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein removing at least one region comprises removing the at least one region along a second direction which is transverse to the first direction.

35. The method of claim 29 wherein forming one or more conductive elements further comprises forming additional conductive elements along the first direction upon a second surface of the insulative substrate.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein forming an insulative coverlay further comprises forming an additional insulative coverlay upon the additional conductive elements upon the second surface.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein selectively forming at least one opening or window further comprises forming additional openings or windows through the additional insulative coverlay to expose a portion of the additional conductive elements.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein forming a conductive coating further comprises forming an additional conductive coating upon the additional insulative coverlay.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein removing at least one region further comprises removing at least one additional region of the additional conductive coating.

40. The method of claim 29 further comprising positioning the one or more conductive elements upon a core wire.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising securing one or more ring elements over corresponding one or more conductive elements such that the one or more ring elements are in electrical communication with the corresponding one or more conductive elements.