Method for manufacture of multi-layer-multi-turn structure for high efficiency wireless communication

• US 8,898,885 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2011
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nucurrent, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nucurrent, Inc.
• Inventors: Singh, Vinit, Frysz, Christine A., Geary, Matthew, Babcock, Eitan, Derbas, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Paul D
• Application Number:
  US13/233,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20130067738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 295/921, 295/94, 295/95, 296/021, 216/62, 216/65, 216/66, 361/283, 361/301, 735/040.2, 735/040.4, 7350412-50416, 438/674, 336/200, 336/232
• US Class Current: 29/594
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/00 Fixed inductances of the signal type coils in general H01F5/00; inductors without a potential-jump or surface barrier specially adapted for integrated circuits, details thereof and multistep manufacturing processes therefor H01L28/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0006 Printed inductances printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0013 with stacked layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2027/2809 on stacked layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 29/02 with tappings on coil or winding; with provision for rearrangement or interconnection of windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or assembling magnets, inductances or transformers; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing materials characterised by their magnetic properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/04 for manufacturing coils coils for transformer or inductances H01F27/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/041 Printed circuit coils apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in general H05K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 5/00 Coils superconducting coils H01F6/06; fixed inductances of the signal type H01F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 5/003 Printed circuit coils
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/06 Electromagnets; Actuators including electromagnets electric coils H01F5/00; devices for holding workpieces using electric force B23Q3/15; load-engaging elements for lifting articles electromagnetically B66C1/06; electromagnetic couplings F16D27/00; magnetic brakes F16D63/002; electromagnetically operated valves F16K11/24, F16K31/00; analysing materials by magnetic means G01N27/72, G01N27/80; electromagnets for winding mechanical clocks G04C1/02; electromagnetic relays H01H51/00; windings for salient poles of dynamo-electric machines H02K3/18; electromagnets for telegraphic communication H04L; for arc lamps H05B31/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 : Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/00 : Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors of trolley lines B60M1/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 : The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 : Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 : of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 13/00 : Arrangements for controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, for the purpose of obtaining a desired output regulation systems using transformers, reactors or choke coils G05F; transformers H01F; feeding a network in conjunction with a generator or a converter H02J; control or regulation of converters H02M
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/01 : Frequency selective two-port networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 : Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/45 : Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 : for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 : for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 : for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/06 : Control, e.g. of temperature, of power
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/1245 : with special coil arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/36 : Coil arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/362 : with flat coil conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 : incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0352 : Differences between the conductors of different layers of a multilayer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 : Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 : Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 : Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4908 : Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 : Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49195 : with end-to-end orienting

Abstract

A structure for wireless communication having a plurality of conductor layers, an insulator layer separating each of the conductor layers, and at least one connector connecting two of the conductor layers wherein an electrical resistance is reduced when an electrical signal is induced in the resonator at a predetermined frequency.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a structure for wireless communication, the method comprising:

a) creating a first resonator comprising a plurality of conductors, each conductor having a conductor length, a conductor width, a conductor thickness, and a conductor skin depth, wherein the conductor thickness is equal to or greater than a thickness of the skin depth so that an electrical resistance of each of the conductors is reduced when an electrical current is propagated therewithin, and wherein the plurality of conductors are arranged to form a resonator body having a resonator body length, a resonator body width and a resonator body thickness;

b) forming an insulator between each of the plurality of conductors, wherein a thickness of the insulator is equal to or less than the conductor thickness; and

c) forming at least one connection between two or more of the plurality of conductors.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the conductor is formed as a conductor layer and the insulator is formed as an insulating layer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the conductor layer comprises at least one of a conductive tape, a conductive ribbon, and a deposited metal.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the conductor is provided by at least one of a printed circuit board (PCB) process, physical vapor deposition, thin film processing techniques, and thick film processing techniques.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the conductor layer is created by depositing through a mask.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising a step of layering a plurality of conductor layers having the insulator between each of the conductor layers by placing a first conductive layer on top of a second conductive layer and separating the first conductive layer from the second conductive layer with a first insulator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulator layer is provided by at least one of a printed circuit board (PCB) process, physical vapor deposition, thin film processing techniques, and thick film processing techniques.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulator layer is created by depositing through a mask.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the connection between two of the plurality of conductors further comprises the step of joining at least two of the conductors with at least one of a via, a solder, a tab, a wire, a pin, and a rivet.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the conductor is formed from an electrically conductive material and the insulator is formed from an electrically insulative material.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrically conductive material comprises at least copper, titanium, platinum and platinum/iridium alloys, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, hafnium, nitinol, Co—

Cr—

Ni alloys, stainless steel, gold, a gold alloy, palladium, carbon, silver, a noble metal, and a biocompatible material.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrically insulative material comprises at least one air, Styrofoam, silicon dioxide, a biocompatible ceramic or any similar dielectric with a low permittivity, a non-conductive dielectric with a high permittivity, and a ferrite material.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a circuit element selected from the group consisting of a resistor, an inductor and a capacitor, the circuit element being electrically connected to the resonator.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the conductor thickness such that a current density is increased by at least 5 percent at a given operating frequency.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the conductor having at least one turn.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting a number of the plurality of conductors, a plurality of conductor thicknesses, a plurality of insulator thicknesses, the number of turns and a plurality of spaces within a turn or between turns such that a resulting parasitic capacitance is minimized at a given operating frequency.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the resonator body thickness less than or equal to a radius of a resonator body structure.

18. A method for manufacturing a structure for wireless communication, the method comprising:

a) creating a first resonator comprising a plurality of conductors, each conductor having a conductor length, a conductor width, a conductor thickness, and a conductor skin depth, wherein the conductor thickness is equal to or greater than a thickness of the skin depth so that an electrical resistance of each of the conductors is reduced from a first electrical resistance value to a lower second resistance value when an electrical current is propagated therewithin, and wherein the plurality of conductors are arranged to form a resonator body having a resonator body length, a resonator body width and a resonator body thickness less than or equal to a radius of the resonator body;

b) forming an insulator between each of the plurality of conductors; and

c) forming at least one connection between two or more of the plurality of conductors.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the conductor is formed from an electrically conductive material and the insulator is formed from an electrically insulative material.

20. A method for manufacturing a structure for wireless communication, the method comprising:

a) creating a first resonator having at least one turn comprising a plurality of conductors, each conductor having a conductor length, a conductor width, a conductor thickness, and a conductor skin depth, wherein the conductor thickness is equal to or greater than a thickness of the skin depth, and wherein the plurality of conductors are arranged to form a resonator body having a resonator body length, a resonator body width and a resonator body thickness;

b) forming an insulator between each of the plurality of conductors, wherein a thickness of the insulator is equal to or less than the conductor thickness;

c) forming at least one connection between two or more of the plurality of conductors; and

d) selecting a number of the plurality of conductors, a plurality of conductor thicknesses, a plurality of insulator thicknesses, the number of turns and a plurality of spaces within the turn or between turns such that a resulting parasitic capacitance is minimized at a given operating frequency.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the conductor is formed from an electrically conductive material and the insulator is formed from an electrically insulative material.