Thin-film electrode assembly with soft overmold

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10478617-B2
Application number	US-201715597187-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2017
Priority date	May 17, 2017
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to implantable neuromodulation devices and methods of fabrication, and in particular to a thin-film electrode assemblies and methods of fabricating the thin-film electrode assembly to include a soft overmold. Particularly, aspects of the present invention are directed to a thin-film electrode assembly that includes an overmold and a supporting structure formed within a portion of the overmold. The overmold includes a first polymer and the supporting structure includes a second polymer, different from the first polymer. The thin-film electrode assembly also includes a wire formed within a portion of the supporting structure, and an electrode formed on a top surface of the supporting structure and in electrical contact with the wire. The electrode has a top surface that is raised above a top surface of the overmold by a predetermined distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thin-film electrode assembly comprising:
an overmold comprising a first polymer;
a supporting structure formed within a portion of the overmold, wherein the supporting structure comprises a second polymer, different from the first polymer;
a wire formed within a portion of the supporting structure;
an electrode formed on a top surface of the supporting structure and in electrical contact with the wire,
wherein the electrode comprises a top surface that is raised above a top surface of the overmold by a predetermined distance;
another supporting structure formed within another portion of the overmold;
another wire formed within a portion of the another supporting structure; and
another electrode formed on a top surface of the another supporting structure and in electrical contact with the another wire,
wherein the another electrode comprises a top surface that is raised above the top surface of the overmold by the predetermined distance, and
wherein the supporting structure and the electrode are isolated from the another supporting structure and the another electrode by a region of the overmold.

2. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first polymer layer comprises polyimide or liquid crystal polymer (LCP), and the second polymer layer comprises silicone.

3. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a contact formed within the portion of the supporting structure that provides the electrical contact between the electrode and the wire.

4. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the top surface of the supporting structure is coplanar with the top surface of the overmold.

5. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wire is embedded within the portion of the supporting structure.

6. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the supporting structure is embedded within the overmold.

7. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an additional supporting structure formed within the region of the overmold, and an additional wire formed within a portion of the additional supporting structure,
wherein the supporting structure and the electrode are isolated from the additional supporting structure by a first portion of the region of the overmold and the another supporting structure and the another electrode are isolated from the additional supporting structure by a second portion of the region of the overmold; and
wherein the supporting structure and the another supporting structure have a first shape that are non-expandable, and the additional supporting structure has a second shape that is expandable.

8. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an additional supporting structure formed within the region of the overmold, wherein the supporting structure and the electrode are isolated from the additional supporting structure by a first portion of the region of the overmold and the another supporting structure and the another electrode are isolated from the additional supporting structure by a second portion of the region of the overmold.

9. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 8 , further comprising an additional wire formed within a portion of the additional supporting structure, wherein a top surface of the additional supporting structure is coplanar with the top surface of the overmold, the supporting structure, and the another supporting structure.

10. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 9 , wherein the wire is embedded within the portion of the supporting structure, the another wire is embedded within the portion of the another supporting structure, and the additional wire is embedded within the portion of the additional supporting structure.

11. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined distance is greater than 0.5 μm.

12. A thin-film electrode assembly comprising:
an overmold comprising silicone;
a first support structure within a first portion of the overmold, wherein the first support structure includes polyimide or liquid crystal polymer (LCP) and a wire, and the first support structure has a first shape that is non-expandable;
a second support structure within a second portion of the overmold, wherein the second support structure includes the polyimide or LCP and the wire, and the second support structure has a second shape that is different from the first shape that is expandable; and
an electrode formed on a top surface of the first supporting structure and in electrical contact with the wire, wherein the electrode comprises a top surface that is raised above a top surface of the overmold by a predetermined distance.

13. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 12 , further comprising one or more contact pads in electrical contact with the wire.

14. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a contact formed within first support structure that provides electrical contact between the electrode and the wire.

15. The thin-film electrode assembly claim 12 , further comprising:
a third support structure within a third portion of the overmold, wherein the third support structure includes the polyimide or LCP and the wire, and the third support structure has the first shape;
another electrode formed on a top surface of the third supporting structure and in electrical contact with the wire; and
a fourth support structure within a fourth portion of the overmold, wherein the fourth support structure includes the polyimide or LCP and the wire, and the fourth support structure has the second shape.

16. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first support structure is in physical contact with the second support structure, the third support structure is in physical contact with the second support structure and the fourth support structure, and the third support structure is isolated from the first support structure by the second support structure and the overmold.

17. The thin-film electrode assembly of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined distance is greater than 0.5 μm.

Assignees

• Verily Life Sciences Llc

Inventors

• Pepin Brian
• Sabesan Shiv
• Lu Bo

Classifications

• A61N1/3606

  adapted for a particular treatment · CPC title

• A61N1/0526

  Head electrodes (A61N1/0551 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K2201/09263

  Meander · CPC title

• H05K1/0283

  Stretchable printed circuits · CPC title

• A61N1/056

  Transvascular endocardial electrode systems · CPC title