Medical device with novel electrical interconnects, and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12458272-B2
Application number	US-202117504075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2021
Priority date	Oct 20, 2020
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

Medical devices include an elongate tubular shaft having a first and opposite second end; an electrical component located proximate the first end; a plurality of electrical conductors extending through the shaft and in electrical communication with the electrical component; and an interposer element mechanically and electrically coupling electrical conductors to the electrical component. The interposer element includes a backing element defining a longitudinal axis thereof and having a first and opposite second end portion. The first end portion having a forward edge defined by a center forward edge portion and first and second lateral forward edge portions on opposite sides thereof. The first and second lateral forward edge portions angularly extend relative to the center forward edge portion. The forward edge being shaped to facilitate, during assembly of the medical device, advancement of the interposer element through the elongate shaft with electrical conductors pre-attached to the interposer element.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A medical device comprising:
an elongate shaft having a first end and an opposite second end; an electrical component located proximate the first end of the elongate shaft; a plurality of electrical conductors extending through the elongate shaft and in electrical communication with the electrical component; and an interposer element mechanically and electrically coupling each electrical conductor in the plurality of electrical conductors to the electrical component, the interposer element including a backing element defining a longitudinal axis of the interposer element and having a first major surface and an opposite second major surface, a first end portion and an opposite second end portion, wherein the first end portion has a forward edge defined by a center forward edge portion and first and second lateral forward edge portions on opposite sides of the center forward edge portion, wherein the first and second lateral forward edge portions extend at an angle relative to the center forward edge portion; wherein the first end portion includes a plurality of interposer traces extending in a direction of the longitudinal axis and an open window extending through the backing element therein forming an aperture and across the plurality of interposer traces, wherein the interposer traces are exposed from the first major surface and the second major surface of the backing element.

2 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the first end portion of the backing element has a first width in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the interposer element, and the opposite second end portion of the backing element has a second width in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the interposer element, wherein the first width is different than the second width.

3 . The medical device of claim 2 , wherein the backing element further includes a transition portion between the first end portion and the opposite second end portion, the transition portion having transition side edges that extend at an angle or along a curve relative to the longitudinal axis of the interposer element.

4 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the open window extending through the backing element is configured to facilitate alignment of each interposer trace in the plurality of interposer traces with the electrical component during assembly of the medical device.

5 . The medical device of claim 4 , wherein the opposite second end portion includes an aperture configured to receive a stringing element to facilitate stringing the interposer element with each electrical conductor in the plurality of electrical conductors pre-attached thereto through the elongate shaft during assembly of the medical device.

6 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the medical device includes a handle assembly attached to the first end of the elongate shaft, and the electrical component is a printed circuit board component located within the handle assembly.

7 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical component is attached to the first end of the elongate shaft and includes a support element, a plurality of functional elements on the support element, and a plurality of electrical traces on the support element, wherein each of the electrical traces is in electrical communication with a respective one of the functional elements and with a respective one of the interposer traces.

8 . The medical device of claim 7 , wherein at least some of the functional elements in the plurality of functional elements comprise electrodes that are configured to perform at least one of:
sensing intrinsic cardiac electrical signals or delivering ablative energy to target tissue.

9 . The medical device of claim 8 , wherein the first end portion of the backing element has a first width in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the interposer element, and the opposite second end portion of the backing element has a second width in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the interposer element, wherein the first width is equal to the second width.

10 . The medical device of claim 9 , wherein the backing element further includes a transition portion between the first end portion and the opposite second end portion, the transition portion having a third width that is less than or equal to the first width.

11 . The medical device of claim 7 , wherein at least some of the functional elements in the plurality of functional elements are ultrasound transducers.

12 . A medical device comprising:
an elongate shaft having a proximal end and an opposite distal end; an electrical component coupled to the opposite distal end of the elongate shaft, the electrical component including: a support element; a plurality of functional elements located on the support element; and a plurality of electrical traces located on the support element, wherein each of the electrical traces is in electrical communication with a respective one of the plurality of functional elements; a plurality of electrical conductors extending along the elongate shaft, wherein each electrical conductor in the plurality of electrical conductors is in electrical communication with a respective one of the electrical traces; and an interposer element mechanically coupling each electrical conductor in the plurality of electrical conductors to the support element and electrically coupling each electrical conductor in the plurality of electrical conductors to the respective one of the electrical traces; wherein the interposer element includes a backing element and a plurality of interposer traces located thereon, the backing element having a first major surface and an opposite second major surface, wherein each interposer trace in the plurality of interposer traces is in electrical communication with one of the electrical conductors and the corresponding respective one of the electrical traces, wherein the backing element includes an open window extending therethrough forming an aperture and across the plurality of interposer traces, wherein the interposer traces are exposed from the first major surface and the second major surface of the backing element.

13 . The medical device of claim 12 , wherein the backing element has a first end portion and an opposite second end portion, wherein the first end portion has a forward edge defined by a center forward edge portion and first and second lateral forward edge portions on opposite sides of the center forward edge portion, wherein the first and second lateral forward edge portions extend rearwardly at an angle relative to the center forward edge portion.

14 . The medical device of claim 12 , wherein the open window is configured to facilitate alignment of each interposer trace in the plurality of interposer traces with the corresponding respective one of the electrical traces during assembly of the medical device.

15 . The medical device of claim 12 , wherein the support element includes an attachment portion, and wherein the interposer element is mechanically secured thereto.

16 . The medical device of claim 12 , wherein the backing element includes an aperture configured to receive a stringing element to facilitate stringing the interposer element with each electrical conductor in the plurality of electrical conductors pre-attached thereto through the elongate shaft during assembly of the medical device.

Assignees

• Boston Scient Scimed Inc

Inventors

• Fagerlund Robert K
• Martinez Javier O
• Meyer Steven J

Classifications

• A61B8/445

  Details of catheter construction · CPC title

• A61B2018/00577

  Ablation · CPC title

• A61B2018/00351

  Heart · CPC title

• H05K2201/09027

  Non-rectangular flat PCB, e.g. circular · CPC title

• H05K2201/09063

  Holes or slots in insulating substrate not used for electrical connections · CPC title