Transducer transfer stack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10517636-B2
Application number	US-201615580744-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2016
Priority date	Jun 24, 2015
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

The invention relates to a transfer stack (TS) for transferring a portion of a foil within a perimeter (P) that includes a transducer (T) to an article (A) such as a medical device or a medical needle. The transfer stack includes a carrier substrate (CS), a foil (F) having a transducer (T) incorporated therein, and the transducer is laterally surrounded by a perimeter (P). The foil (F) is separable from the carrier substrate (CS) by overcoming a first peel retaining force (PRF1). An adhesive layer (AL) is also attached to the foil. The adhesive layer (AL) is configured to provide adhesion between the foil (F) and an article (A) such that when the article (A) is attached to the foil via the adhesive layer (AL) the foil (F) is separable from the surface of the article (A) by overcoming a second peel retaining force (PRF2). The second peel retaining force (PRF2) is greater than the first peel retaining force (PRF1).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transfer stack for transferring a portion of a foil within a perimeter that includes a transducer to an article such as a medical device or a medical needle; the transfer stack comprising:
a carrier substrate;
a foil comprising a transducer that is laterally surrounded by a perimeter, the perimeter being within the lateral extent of the foil; and
an adhesive layer;
wherein a first surface of the foil is attached to the carrier substrate, and the adhesive layer is attached to the second surface of the foil;
wherein the first surface of the foil is separable from the carrier substrate by applying in a direction normal to the carrier substrate and at an edge of the foil a peeling force that overcomes a first peel retaining force;
wherein the adhesive layer is configured to provide adhesion between the foil and an article such that when the article is attached to the foil via the adhesive layer the second surface of the foil is separable from the surface of the article by applying in a direction normal to the surface of the article and at the edge of the foil a peeling force that overcomes a second peel retaining force; and
wherein the second peel retaining force is greater than the first peel retaining force; and
wherein the foil is cut along at least a portion of the perimeter that includes the transducer such that when the article is attached to the foil via the adhesive layer and subsequently peeled in a direction normal to the carrier substrate the portion of the foil within the perimeter becomes separated from the carrier substrate at the perimeter by overcoming the first peel retaining force and the portion of the foil within the perimeter (P) remains attached to the article.

2. The transfer stack according to claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the foil is attached to the carrier substrate by means of at least one of i) a van der Waals force, ii) a second adhesive layer such as a pressure sensitive adhesive layer.

3. The transfer stack according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer is formed from a pressure sensitive adhesive.

4. The transfer stack according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier substrate is formed from a malleable material; for example silicone, PolyTetraFluoroEthylene, rubber, wax, a thermoplastic fluoropolymer such as Polyvinylidene fluoride.

5. The transfer stack according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer further comprises a removable outer liner layer.

6. The transfer stack according to claim 1 , wherein said transfer stack further comprises a support substrate;
wherein the support substrate is attached to the carrier substrate; and
wherein the support substrate is formed from a material having an indentation hardness value that exceeds the indentation hardness value of the carrier substrate.

7. The transfer stack according to claim 6 , wherein the support substrate is in the form of a roller and the transfer stack is wrapped around the roller.

8. The transfer stack according to claim 6 , wherein the interface between the adhesive layer and the foil defines an adhesive layer-foil interface; and wherein the interface between the foil and the carrier substrate defines a foil-carrier substrate interface; and wherein the extent of the adhesive layer-foil interface extends beyond the perimeter; and wherein the extent of the adhesive layer-foil interface is within the extent of the foil-carrier substrate interface such that there are gaps between the edges of the adhesive layer and the edges of the foil; and wherein the support substrate has a planar surface with a boundary that contacts the foil; and
wherein the carrier substrate is in the form of a layer;
and wherein the foil-carrier substrate interface extends beyond the boundary of the planar surface of the support substrate.

9. The transfer stack according to claim 8 , wherein the planar surface of the support substrate faces the adhesive layer.

10. The transfer stack according to claim 1 , wherein the interface between the adhesive layer and the foil defines an adhesive layer-foil interface, and wherein the interface between the foil and the carrier substrate defines a foil-carrier substrate interface; and
wherein the extent of the adhesive layer-foil interface extends beyond the perimeter;
and wherein the extent of the adhesive layer-foil interface is within the extent of the foil-carrier substrate interface such that there are gaps between the edges of the adhesive layer and the edges of the foil.

11. The transfer stack according to claim 7 , wherein the gaps are each greater than or equal to 1 mm.

12. The transfer stack according to claim 10 , wherein the transducer is an ultrasound transducer.

13. The transfer stack according to claim 1 , wherein the foil comprises two polymer sheets between which the transducer is laminated; and wherein the outer surfaces of the two laminated sheets provide the first surface and the second surface of the foil.

14. The transfer stack according to claim 13 , wherein the transducer is provided by a planar layer having a first surface and a second surface that are both parallel to the planar layer, the planar layer being arranged parallel to both the first surface and the second surface of the foil, and wherein the transducer further comprises a first electrical conductor configured to make electrical contact with the first surface of the transducer and a second electrical conductor configured to make electrical contact with the second surface of the transducer; and
wherein the transducer has an outline that is within the perimeter; and
wherein the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor both extend beyond the outline in the same direction and are separated laterally with respect to the planar layer of the transducer such that the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor do not overlap in a direction perpendicular to the planar layer of the transducer; and
wherein at least a portion of one of the two polymer sheets includes a window in a portion of the foil between the outline and the perimeter for making electrical contact with the first electrical conductor and with the second electrical conductor.

15. Article, for example a medical device or a medical needle, comprising the portion of the foil within the perimeter of claim 1 .

16. A method of forming a transfer stack for transferring a portion of a foil within a perimeter that includes a transducer to an article such as a medical device or a medical needle; the method comprising the steps of:
providing a carrier substrate;
providing a foil comprising a transducer that is laterally surrounded by a perimeter, the perimeter being within the lateral extent of the foil; and
providing an adhesive layer;
attaching a first surface of the foil to the carrier substrate;
attaching the adhesive layer to the second surface of the foil;
wherein the first surface of the foil is separable from the carrier substrate by applying in a direction normal to the carrier substrate and at an edge of the foil a peeling force that overcomes a first peel retaining force; and
wherein the adhesive layer is configured to provide adhesion between the foil and an article such that when the article is attached to the foil via the adhesive layer the second surface of the foil is separable from the surface of the article by in a direction normal to the surface of the article and at the edge of the foil a peeling force that overcomes a second peel retaining force; and
wherein the second peel retaining force is greater than the first peel retaining force; and
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Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• De Wijs Willem-Jan Arend
• Weekamp Johannes Wilhelmus
• Visser Cornelis Gerardus

Classifications

• B31D1/028

  Applying RFID chips · CPC title

• B06B1/00 Primary

  Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency · CPC title

• A61B2562/125

  characterised by the manufacture of electrodes · CPC title

• B06B2201/76

  Medical, dental · CPC title

• B06B2201/56

  Foil type, e.g. PVDF · CPC title