Elongated Conductors and Methods of Making and Using the Same

• US 20200046295A1
• Filed: 10/18/2019
• Published: 02/13/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonomix Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autonomix Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Toth, Landy, Schwartz, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 10,869,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00178 Electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/125 characterised by the manufacture of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/222 Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6876 Blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/00 Catheters; Hollow probes dilators A61M29/00; peritoneal catheters A61M1/285; tracheal tubes A61M16/04; for drainage A61M27/00; for uterus, vagina or rectum A61M31/00 ; for measuring or testing A61B; materials for catheters A61L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0488 Details about the lead
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/06 Insulating conductors or cables H01B13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/02 Disposition of insulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/0846 Parallel wires, fixed upon a support layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/0892 incorporated in a cable of non-flat configuration

Abstract

Elongated conductors are provided. Aspects of the elongated conductors include: an elongated structure having a proximal region and a distal region, where the elongated conductor includes two or more insulated conducting members that are in fixed relative position along at least a portion of the elongated structure and extend from the proximal region to the distal region. A pattern of insulation openings among the insulated conducting members is present at one or both of the proximal and distal regions. Aspects of the invention further include methods of making the elongated conductors, as well as devices that include the elongated conductors.

Claims

1. An elongated conductor comprising:

an elongated structure having a proximal region and a distal region and comprising two or more insulated conducting members that are in fixed relative position along at least a portion of the elongated structure and extend from the proximal region to the distal region; and

a pattern of insulation openings among the insulated conducting members at one or both of the proximal and distal regions.

2. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated structure comprises a first pattern of insulation openings among the insulated conducting members at the proximal region and a second pattern of insulation openings among the insulated conducting members at the distal region.

3. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor comprises a transversely aligned pattern of insulation openings.

4. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor comprises an axially aligned pattern of insulation openings.

5. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor comprises both a transversely aligned pattern of insulation openings and an axially aligned pattern of insulation openings.

6. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the structure comprises from 2 to 500 insulated conducting members.

7. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the elongated conductor is cylindrical.

8. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the insulated conducting members assume a wound configuration along at least a portion of the elongated structure.

9. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the insulated conducting members assume a braided configuration along at least a portion of the elongated structure.

10. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor controlled impedance.

11. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the insulated conducting members are configured to define a lumen along at least a portion of the elongated structure.

12. The elongated conductor according to claim 11, wherein the lumen has a diameter ranging from 0.025 to 20.0 mm.

13. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein elongated conductor comprises an insulated conducting member packing density ranging from 30 to 90%.

14. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein elongated conductor comprises an insulated conducting member pitch ranging from 6 to 250 μ

m.

15. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the insulated conducting members are not in fixed relative position along at least a portion of the elongated structure.

16. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the insulated conducting members are not present in a wound configuration along at least a portion of the elongated structure.

17. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the two or more insulated conductors comprise conductors of differing diameter.

18. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor comprises a central insulated conductor surrounded by a plurality of peripheral insulated conductors.

19. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the insulated conducting members are present in a sheath.

20. The elongated conductor according to claim 19, wherein the sheath comprises a conductive material.

21. The elongated conductor according to claim 19, wherein the sheath comprises an insulating material.

22. The elongated conductor according to claim 19, wherein the sheath comprises a water impermeable material.

23. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor comprises an electrical shield component.

24. The elongated conductor according to claim 23, wherein the electrical shield component comprises a sheath.

25. The elongated conductor according to claim 23, wherein the electrical shield component comprises one or more wires.

26. The elongated conductor according to claim 23, wherein the electrical shield component comprises a conductive insulating layer of one or more electrical conductors.

27. The elongated conductor according to claim 23, wherein the electrical shield component comprises a binding layer of the elongated conductor.

28. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the insulated conducting members of at least one of the proximal and distal regions are stably associated with a substrate.

29. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the insulated conductors comprise a conductive core present in an insulating coating.

30. The elongated conductor according to claim 29, wherein the conductive core comprises an electrically conductive material.

31. The elongated conductor according to claim 29, wherein the insulating coating comprises a thermostable material.

32. The elongated conductor according to claim 29, wherein conductive members are stably associated with each other by a thermoplastic material.

33. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor is dimensioned to be positioned in mammalian vasculature.

34. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor has a length ranging from 5 to 4,000 mm.

35. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor has an outer diameter ranging from 75 μ

m to 5 mm.

36. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the insulated conductors of at least one of the proximal and distal regions assume a split configuration.

37. The elongated conductor according to claim 36, wherein the split configuration is configured to provide for operative coupling to opposing sides of a component.

38. The elongated conductor according to claim 36, wherein the split configuration is configured to provide for operative coupling to the same side of a component.

39. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor is configured to be employed in a sensing device.

40. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor is configured to be employed in an actuating device.

41. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor is configured to be employed in sensing and actuating device.

42. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor comprises a piezo component.

43. The elongated conductor according to claim 42, wherein the piezo component comprises a piezoresistive component.

44. The elongated conductor according to claim 42, wherein the piezo component comprises a piezoelectric component.

45. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor is configured to function as a guidewire.

46. The elongated conductor according to claim 1, wherein the elongated conductor comprises a radiopaque region.

47. The elongated conductor according to claim 46, wherein the radiopaque region comprises a marker band.

48. A method of making an elongated conductor, the method comprising:

aligning two or more insulated conducting members in an elongated configuration having a proximal region and a distal region; and

producing a pattern of insulation openings among the insulated conducting members at one or both of the proximal and distal regions.

49. The method according to claim 48, further comprising fixing the relative position of the two or more insulated conducting members along at least a portion of the elongated conductor.

50. The method according to claim 49, wherein the relative position of the two or more insulated conducting members is fixed after the pattern of insulation openings is produced.

51. The method according to claim 49, wherein the relative position of the two or more insulated conducting members is fixed before the pattern of insulation openings is produced.

52. The method according to claim 48, wherein the method comprises producing a first pattern of insulation openings among the insulated conducting members at the proximal region and a second pattern of insulation openings among the insulated conducting members at the distal region.

53. The method according to claim 48, wherein pattern of insulation openings is transversely aligned.

54. The method according to claim 48, wherein the pattern of insulation openings is axially aligned.

55. The method according to claim 48, wherein the method comprises producing both a transversely aligned pattern of insulation openings and an axially aligned pattern of insulation openings.

56. The method according to claim 48, wherein the method comprises winding the insulated conducting members.

57. The method according to claim 56, wherein the insulated conducting members are wound about a mandrel.

58. The method according to claim 57, wherein the method comprises separating the mandrel from the wound insulated conducting members to produce a lumen in the elongated structure.

59. The method according to claim 48, wherein the method comprises inserting the aligned insulating conductors into a first sheath.

60. The method according to claim 59, wherein the method further comprises inserting a second sheath into the first sheath between the first sheath and the insulated conducting members.

61. The method according to claim 60, wherein the method comprises separating the first sheath from the second sheath and insulating conducting members.

62. The method according to claim 59, wherein at least one of the sheaths comprises a conductive material.

63. The method according to claim 59, wherein at least one of the sheaths comprises an insulating material.

64. The method according to claim 48, wherein the method comprises stably associating at least one of the proximal and distal regions with a substrate.

65. The method according to claim 48, wherein the insulated conductors comprise a conductive core present in an inner insulating coating and an outer coating.

66. The method according to claim 65, wherein the conductive core comprises an electrically conductive material.

67. The method according to claim 65, wherein the outer coating comprises a thermoplastic material.

68. The method according to claim 65, wherein the inner insulating coating comprises a thermally stable material.

69. The method according to claim 67, wherein the method comprises heating the thermoplastic material in a manner sufficient to fix the relative position of the insulted conductors.

70. The method according to claim 48, wherein the elongated conductor is dimensioned to be positioned in mammalian vasculature.

71. The method according to claim 48, wherein the elongated conductor has a length ranging from 5 to 4,000 mm.

72. The method according to claim 48, wherein the elongated conductor has an outer diameter ranging from 75 μ

m to 5 mm.

73. The method according to claim 48, wherein the method is a continuous process.

74. A device comprising:

(a) an elongated conductor comprising;

(i) an elongated structure having a proximal region and a distal region and comprising two or more insulated conducting members that are in fixed relative position along at least a portion of the elongated structure and extend from the proximal region to the distal region; and

(ii) a pattern of insulation openings among the insulated conducting members at one or both of the proximal and distal regions;

(b) a connector positioned at the proximal end of the elongated conductor; and

(c) an effector positioned at the distal end of the elongated conductor.

75. The device according to claim 74, wherein the effector comprises a sensor.

76. The device according to claim 75, wherein the sensor is electrically coupled to the insulated conductors by an integrated circuit.

77. The device according to claim 75, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of distinct sensing elements.

78. The device according to claim 74, wherein the effector comprises an actuator.

79. A method of making a device, the method comprising:

providing an elongated conductor comprising;

an elongated structure having a proximal region and a distal region and comprising two or more insulated conducting members that are in fixed relative position along at least a portion of the elongated structure and extend from the proximal region to the distal region; and

a pattern of insulation openings among the insulated conducting members at one or both of the proximal and distal regions; and

operatively coupling a connector to the proximal end of the elongated conductor and an effector to the distal end of the elongated conductor.

80. The method according to claim 79, wherein the effector comprises a sensor.

81. The method according to claim 80, wherein the sensor is electrically coupled to the insulated conductors by an integrated circuit.

82. The method according to claim 80, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of distinct sensing elements.

83. The method according to claim 79, wherein the effector comprises an actuator.

84. The method according to claim 79, wherein the method comprises producing the elongated conductor.

85. The method according to claim 84, wherein the elongated conductor is produced by a method comprising:

aligning two or more insulated conducting members in an elongated configuration having a proximal region and a distal region; and

producing a pattern of insulation openings among the insulated conducting members at one or both of the proximal and distal regions.

86. A method comprising:

contacting the effector of a device comprising;

(a) an elongated conductor comprising;

(i) an elongated structure having a proximal region and a distal region and comprising two or more insulated conducting members that are in fixed relative position along at least a portion of the elongated structure and extend from the proximal region to the distal region; and

(ii) a pattern of insulation openings among the insulated conducting members at one or both of the proximal and distal regions;

(b) a connector positioned at the proximal end of the elongated conductor; and

(c) an effector positioned at the distal end of the elongated conductor;

with a tissue location of a living subject.

87. The method according to claim 86, wherein the tissue location comprises, a cavity, a vessel or an organ location.

88. The method according to claim 86, wherein the living subject is a mammal.

89. The method according to claim 88, wherein the mammal is a human.

90. The method according to claim 88, wherein the method is a diagnostic method.

91. The method according to claim 88, wherein the method is a therapeutic method.