Sensor assemblies for electromagnetic navigation systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10835151-B2
Application number	US-201815888834-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2018
Priority date	Feb 6, 2017
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A sensor assembly includes a substrate including a first portion, a second portion, and a rolled section positioned between the first portion and the second portion. The sensor assembly further includes a first magnetic field sensor coupled to the first portion. The first magnetic field sensor has a primary sensing direction aligned with a longitudinal axis of the sensor assembly. The sensor assembly further includes a second magnetic field sensor coupled to the second portion. The rolled section is shaped such that the second magnetic field sensor is oriented with respect to the first magnetic field sensor so that the second magnetic field sensor has a primary sensing direction aligned with an axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

First claim

We claim:

1. A sensor assembly comprising:
a substrate including a first portion, a second portion, and a rolled section positioned between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the rolled section extends circumferentially about a longitudinal axis of the sensor assembly, wherein the first portion is not rolled, wherein the second portion is not rolled;
a first magnetic field sensor coupled to the first portion, wherein the first magnetic field sensor has a first primary sensing direction aligned with the longitudinal axis of the sensor assembly; and
a second magnetic field sensor coupled to the second portion, wherein the rolled section is shaped such that the second magnetic field sensor is oriented with respect to the first magnetic field sensor so that the second magnetic field sensor has a second primary sensing direction aligned with a first orthogonal axis that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

2. The sensor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a third magnetic field sensor coupled to the first portion and oriented with respect to the first magnetic field sensor such that the third magnetic field sensor has a third primary sensing direction aligned with a second orthogonal axis that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

3. The sensor assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first, the second, and the third magnetic field sensors include one of magneto-resistive sensing elements, giant magneto-impedance sensing elements, and flux-gate sensing elements.

4. The sensor assembly of claim 3 , wherein the substrate forms part of a flex circuit.

5. The sensor assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first, the second, and the third magnetic field sensors are coupled to conductors by a flip-chip approach, solder connections, fan-out, or through silicon vias.

6. The sensor assembly of claim 2 , wherein the rolled section extends circumferentially only between 90 and 180 degrees about the longitudinal axis.

7. The sensor assembly of claim 2 , wherein the rolled section extends circumferentially only between 180 and 360 degrees about the longitudinal axis.

8. The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rolled section forms a cylinder shape.

9. The sensor assembly of 8 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are substantially flat and do not form a cylinder shape.

10. The sensor assembly claim 9 , wherein the rolled section has a length along the longitudinal axis, wherein the length is substantially equal to an overall length of the sensor assembly.

11. The sensor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the rolled section includes a first arm and a second arm.

12. The sensor assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are arranged orthogonally with respect to each other.

13. The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic field sensor and the second magnetic field sensor are not positioned on a rolled portion of the substrate.

14. A medical probe comprising:
a distal portion having a sensor assembly disposed therein, wherein the sensor assembly comprises:
a substrate including a first portion, a second portion, and a rolled section positioned between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the rolled section extends circumferentially about a longitudinal axis of the sensor assembly, wherein the first portion is unrolled, wherein the second portion is unrolled;
a first magnetic field sensor coupled to the first portion, wherein the first magnetic field sensor has a first primary sensing direction aligned with the longitudinal axis of the sensor assembly; and
a second magnetic field sensor coupled to the second portion, wherein the rolled section is shaped such that the second magnetic field sensor is oriented with respect to the first magnetic field sensor so that the second magnetic field sensor has a second primary sensing direction aligned with a first orthogonal axis that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

15. The medical probe of claim 14 , further comprising a third magnetic field sensor coupled to the first portion and oriented with respect to the first magnetic field sensor such that the third magnetic field sensor has a third primary sensing direction aligned with a second orthogonal axis that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

16. The medical probe of claim 15 , wherein the first, the second, and the third magnetic field sensors include one of magneto-resistive sensing elements, giant magneto-impedance sensing elements, and flux-gate sensing elements.

17. The medical probe of claim 15 , wherein the rolled section forms a cylinder shape, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are substantially flat and do not form a cylinder shape.

18. A medical system comprising:
a medical probe including a distal portion having a sensor assembly disposed therein, wherein the sensor assembly comprises:
a substrate including a first portion, a second portion, and a rolled section positioned between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the rolled section is rolled and extends circumferentially about a longitudinal axis of the sensor assembly, wherein the first portion is unrolled, wherein the second portion is unrolled;
a first magnetic field sensor coupled to the first portion, wherein the first magnetic field sensor has a first primary sensing direction aligned with the longitudinal axis of the sensor assembly; and
a second magnetic field sensor coupled to the second portion, wherein the rolled section is shaped such that the second magnetic field sensor is oriented with respect to the first magnetic field sensor so that the second magnetic field sensor has a second primary sensing direction aligned with an a first orthogonal axis that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis;

a magnetic field generator configured to generate a multi-dimensional magnetic field in a volume including the medical probe and a patient; and
a processor operable to receive outputs from the sensor assembly to determine a position of the sensor assembly within the volume.

19. The medical system of claim 18 , wherein the sensor assembly further comprises a third magnetic field sensor coupled to the first portion and oriented with respect to the first magnetic field sensor such that the third magnetic field sensor has a third primary sensing direction aligned with a second orthogonal axis that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

20. The medical system of claim 19 , wherein the first, the second, and the third magnetic field sensors include one of magneto-resistive sensing elements, giant magneto-impedance sensing elements, and flux-gate sensing elements.

Assignees

• Boston Scient Scimed Inc

Inventors

• Blood James E
• Foster Daniel J
• Meyer Steven J
• Chizek David A

Classifications

• G01R33/098

  comprising tunnel junctions, e.g. tunnel magnetoresistance sensors · CPC title

• G01R33/0206

  Three-component magnetometers · CPC title

• A61B2562/0223

  Magnetic field sensors · CPC title

• G01D5/16

  by varying resistance · CPC title

• G01D5/20

  by varying inductance, e.g. by a movable armature · CPC title