Connectors for high density neural interfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12350501-B2
Application number	US-202418750772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2024
Priority date	Apr 25, 2019
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to connectors for high density neural interfaces and methods of microfabricating the connectors. Particularly, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a connector having a core and a supporting structure wrapped around at least a portion of the core. The supporting structure may have a first layer of a high temperature liquid crystal polymer, and the second layer of a low temperature liquid crystal polymer that is reflowed to attach the supporting structure to the core. Conductive traces are buried between the first layer and the second layer, and the conductive traces terminate at conductive contacts formed on a surface of the first layer. The connector may have a predetermined shape or profile, which facilitates alignment and insertion of the connector into a header of a neurostimulator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lead assembly comprising:
a first cable comprising a proximal end and a distal end;
a second cable comprising a proximal end and a distal end;
a connection assembly comprising:
a first connector disposed at the proximal end of the first cable, the first connector comprising a core and a first supporting structure wrapped around at least a portion of the core, wherein:
the first supporting structure comprises a first layer of high temperature liquid crystal polymer and a second layer of low temperature liquid crystal polymer that is reflowed to attach the first supporting structure to the core;
first conductive traces are located between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the first conductive traces terminate at first conductive contacts formed on a surface of the first layer;

a second connector disposed at the distal end of the second cable, the second connector comprising a second supporting structure, wherein:
the second supporting structure comprises one or more second layers of polymer;
second conductive traces are located between the one or more second layers, wherein the second conductive traces terminate at second conductive contacts formed on a surface of the one or more second layers; and

a housing comprising: a first half portion, a second half portion, a proximal port, and a distal port, wherein the first cable is inserted into the connection assembly through the distal port, the second cable is inserted into the connection assembly through the proximal port, and the first half portion is attached to the second half portion with one or more attachment features, wherein the one or more attachment features hold the first connector in physical contact with the second connector such that the first conductive contacts are in electrical contact with the second conductive contact.

2. The lead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first connector comprises a first predetermined shape or profile, which is a blade shape with the first supporting structure folded over the core, and the first conductive contacts face outward on the surface of the first layer of high temperature liquid crystal polymer.

3. The lead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second connector comprises a second predetermined shape or profile, which is a “U”-shape, and the second conductive contacts face inward on the surface of the one or more second layers of polymer.

4. The lead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first cable further comprises third conductive traces, and the second cable further comprises fourth conductive traces.

5. The lead assembly of claim 4 , further comprising an electrode assembly located at the distal end of the first cable, the electrode assembly comprising electrodes electrically connected to the fourth conductive traces via the third conductive traces, the first conductive traces, the first conductive contacts, the second conductive contacts, and the second conductive traces.

6. The lead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first connector further comprises multiple sectors extending along the surface of the first layer of high temperature liquid crystal polymer, and one or more contacts of the first conductive contacts are arranged in each sector of the multiple sectors.

7. The lead assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first conductive contacts are arranged as split rows positioned in columns and exposed on the surface of the first layer of high temperature liquid crystal polymer, and a first portion of the split rows is disposed in a first sector of the multiple sectors and a second portion of the split rows is disposed in a second sector of the multiple sectors.

8. The lead assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first sector is located on a first side of the connector and the second sector is located on a second side of the connector.

9. The lead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first half portion comprises alignment pins, a seal, and a first compliant pad, the second half portion comprises the one or more attachment features and a second compliant pad, and the first compliant pad and the second compliant pad assist the one or more attachment features in holding the first connector in physical contact with the second connector.

10. The lead assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first connector further comprises first alignment holes that fit over the alignment pins, and the second connector further comprises second alignment holes that fit over the alignment pins.

11. The lead assembly of claim 9 , wherein the one or more second layers have a thickness of from 0.5 μm to 250 μm, which allows for a spring force of the first compliant pad and the second compliant pad to be distributed across all of the first conductive contacts and the second conductive contacts.

12. A lead assembly comprising:
a high density cable comprising a proximal end and a distal end;
a low density cable comprising a proximal end and a distal end; and
a connector comprising:
a package comprising a housing, one or more multiplexor chips, distal feedthroughs connected to distal channel inputs of the one or more multiplexor chips, and proximal feedthroughs connected to proximal channel inputs of the one or more multiplexor chips; and
a connection assembly comprising a supporting structure, wherein:
the connector is located at the proximal end of the high density cable and the distal end of the low density cable;
the supporting structure comprises a first layer of dielectric material and a second layer of dielectric material;
the first layer of dielectric material is a low temperature liquid crystal polymer that is reflowed to attach the supporting structure to the package;
the second layer of dielectric material is a high temperature liquid crystal polymer;
distal conductive traces are buried between the first layer of dielectric material and the second layer of dielectric material;
proximal conductive traces are buried between the first layer of dielectric material and the second layer of dielectric material;
the distal conductive traces connected to the high density cable, and the distal conductive traces terminate at distal conductive contacts formed on a surface of the second layer of dielectric material;
the proximal conductive traces connected to the low density cable, and the proximal conductive traces terminate at proximal conductive contacts formed on the surface of the second layer of dielectric material;
the distal conductive contacts are electrically connected to the distal feedthroughs; and
the proximal conductive contacts are electrically connected to the proximal feedthroughs.

13. The lead assembly of claim 12 , wherein the high density cable further comprises first conductive traces, and the low density cable further comprises second conductive traces.

14. The lead assembly of claim 13 , further comprising an electrode assembly located at the distal end of the high density cable, the electrode assembly comprising electrodes electrically connected to the second conductive traces via the first conductive traces, the distal conductive traces, the distal conductive contacts, the distal feedthroughs, the one or more multiplexor chips, the proximal feedthroughs, the proximal conductive contacts, and the proximal conductive traces.

Assignees

• Verily Life Sciences Llc

Inventors

• Yaffe Benjamin K
• Lu Bo

Classifications

• H01R2107/00

  Four or more poles · CPC title

• H01R24/58

  Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement · CPC title

• H01R13/6598

  Shield material · CPC title

• H01R13/642

  by position or shape of contact members · CPC title

• H01B3/427

  Polyethers · CPC title