Flexible Circuit Electrode Array with Wire or Film Support

• US 20080288036A1
• Filed: 02/15/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cortigent Incorporated, Doheny Eye Institute
• Original Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Greenberg, Robert J., McClure, Kelly H., Mech, Brian V., Talbot, Neil Hamilton, Little, James Singleton, Neysmith, Jordan Matthew, Humayun, Mark S., Khaldi, Mohamed, Juan, Eugene de
• Granted Patent: US 9,861,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0541 Cochlear electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a flexible circuit electrode array comprising: a polymer base layer; metal traces deposited on said polymer base layer, including electrodes suitable to stimulate neural tissue; a polymer top layer deposited on said polymer base layer and said metal traces; and at least one support embedded in said array. The disclosure further relates to a flexible circuit electrode array comprising: a polymer base layer; metal traces deposited on said polymer base layer, including electrodes suitable to stimulate neural tissue; a polymer top layer deposited on said polymer base layer and said metal traces; and a folded flexible circuit cable connecting the electrode array with an interconnection pad. The disclosure further relates to a method of making a flexible circuit electrode array comprising: depositing a polymer base layer; depositing metal on said polymer base layer; patterning said metal to form metal traces; depositing a polymer top layer on said polymer base layer and said metal traces; heating said flexible circuit electrode array in a mold to form a three dimensional shape in said flexible circuit electrode array, embedding a support at least in the base layer, top layer or between the base and top layer, and/or folding a flexible circuit cable at least once connecting the electrode array with an interconnection pad the array.

Claims

1. A flexible circuit electrode array comprising:

a polymer base layer;

metal traces deposited on said polymer base layer, including electrodes suitable to stimulate neural tissue;

a polymer top layer deposited on said polymer base layer and said metal traces; and

at least one support embedded in said array.

2. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, wherein said support is one thin rod, wire, tube or strip.

3. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, wherein said support are two or more thin rods, wires, tubes or strips.

4. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, wherein said support is film or foil.

5. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, wherein said support contains at least one metal, metal alloy, metal layer structure or mixtures thereof.

6. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, wherein said metal is titanium, platinum, palladium, iridium, gold, silver, niobium, titanium nitride, iridium oxide, nitinol, shape memory alloy, nickel titanium alloy or other biocompatible metal or metal alloys or metal layers.

7. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, wherein said support contains at least one polymer, copolymer, block copolymer or mixtures thereof.

8. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 7, wherein said polymer is polyimide, thermoplastic polyimide, silicone, parylene, LCP polymers (Imidex), epoxy resin, PEEK (Victrex), urethane, silicone-urethane copolymer or a fluoropolymer.

9. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, wherein said support is embedded at least in the base layer.

10. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, wherein said support is embedded at least in the top polymer.

11. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, wherein said support is embedded at least between the base and the top polymer.

12. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, wherein said support is embedded approximately through the length of the flexible circuit cable portion of said flexible circuit electrode array.

13. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, wherein said support is embedded approximately through the length of the flexible circuit electrode region of said flexible circuit electrode array.

14. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, wherein said support has a thickness of 0.1 μ

m-2 mm.

15. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 13, wherein said support has a thickness of 1 μ

m-5 μ

m.

16. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, wherein said support contains notches, spikes or a coil, to improve adhesion between the wire and polymer.

20. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 1, further comprising

a) a camera on glasses which views images;

b) signals which are sent to a hand held device;

c) processed information is sent back to glasses and wirelessly transmitted to receiver component of retinal implant;

d) a retinal implant which sends pulses to its electrodes; and

e) electrodes which stimulate retina to send information to the brain.

17. A flexible circuit electrode array comprising:

a polymer base layer;

metal traces deposited on said polymer base layer, including electrodes suitable to stimulate neural tissue;

a polymer top layer deposited on said polymer base layer and said metal traces; and

a folded flexible circuit cable connecting the electrode array with an interconnection pad.

18. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 17, wherein said flexible circuit cable has at least one fold.

19. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 17, wherein said flexible circuit cable has at least three folds.

21. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 17, further comprising

a) a camera on glasses which views images;

b) signals which are sent to a hand held device;

c) processed information is sent back to glasses and wirelessly transmitted to receiver component of retinal implant;

d) a retinal implant which sends pulses to its electrodes; and

e) electrodes which stimulate retina to send information to the brain.

22. A method of making a flexible circuit electrode array comprising:

depositing a polymer base layer;

depositing metal on said polymer base layer;

patterning said metal to form metal traces;

depositing a polymer top layer on said polymer base layer and said metal traces;

heating said flexible circuit electrode array in a mold to form a three dimensional shape in said flexible circuit electrode array,

embedding a support at least in the base layer, top layer or between the base and top layer, and/or

folding a flexible circuit cable at least once connecting the electrode array with the interconnection pad of the array.

23. A flexible circuit electrode array comprising:

a polymer base layer;

metal traces deposited on said polymer base layer, including electrodes suitable to stimulate neural tissue;

a polymer top layer deposited on said polymer base layer and said metal traces;

a bonded or overmolded polymer layer over the said flexible circuit;

at least one support embedded in said bonded or overmolded polymer layer over the said flexible circuit.

24. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 23, wherein said bonded or overmolded polymer is silicone, urethane, or a silicone-urethane co-polymer.

25. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 23, wherein said support is one thin rod, wire, tube or strip.

26. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 23, wherein said support is two or more thin rods, wires, tubes or strips.

27. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 23, wherein said support is film or foil.

28. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 23, wherein said support contains at least one metal, metal alloy, metal layer structure or mixtures thereof.

29. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 28, wherein said metal is titanium, platinum, palladium, iridium, gold, silver, niobium, titanium nitride, iridium oxide nitinol, shape memory alloy, nickel titanium alloy or other biocompatible metal or metal alloys or metal layers.

30. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 23, wherein said support contains at least one polymer, copolymer, block copolymer or mixtures thereof.

31. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 30, wherein said polymer is polyimide, thermoplastic polyimide, silicone, parylene, LCP polymers (Imidex), epoxy resin, PEEK (Victrex), urethane, silicone-urethane copolymer or fluoropolymer.

32. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 23, wherein said support is embedded approximately through the length of the flexible circuit cable portion of said flexible circuit electrode array.

33. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 23, wherein said support is embedded approximately through the length of the flexible circuit electrode region of said flexible circuit electrode array.

34. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 23, wherein said support has a thickness of 0.1 μ

m-2 mm.

35. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 23, wherein said support has a thickness of 1 μ

m-5 μ

m.

36. The flexible circuit electrode array according to claim 23, wherein said support contains notches, spikes or a coil, to improve adhesion between the wire and polymer.