10288 results about "Flexible circuits" patented technology

A radio frequency chip package is formed by assembling a connecting element such as a circuit board or flexible circuit tape having chips thereon with a bottom plane element such as a lead frame incorporating a large thermally-conductive plate and leads projecting upwardly from the plane of the plate. The assembly step places the rear surfaces of the chips on the bottom side of the connecting element into proximity with the thermal conductor and joins the conductive traces on the connecting element with the leads. The resulting assembly is encapsulated, leaving terminals at the bottom ends of the leads exposed. The encapsulated assembly may be surface-mounted to a circuit board. The leads provide robust electrical connections between the connecting element and the circuit board.

An antenna for an electromagnetic tool having a longitudinal axis and a core. The antenna includes a flexible dielectric substrate flexibly conformed about the core and an electrical conductor disposed on the dielectric substrate. The electrical conductor is disposed on the substrate such that the antenna has a dipole moment having any desired direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the tool.

An ablation catheter having distal and proximal ends for performing ablation on a human tissue region comprises at least one electrode. These elements are formed on a conductive sheet situated at the distal end of the catheter. A flex circuit assembly couples the at least one electrode to a measurement and power circuit attached to the proximal end of the catheter. The measurement and power circuit supplies power to the at least one electrode via the flex circuit.

A handheld device with a compact integrated touch panel is disclosed. A handheld device incorporating a touch panel display requiring electrical connections is reduced in size by incorporating electrical pathways within the support structure of the touch panel display, obviating the need for a flex circuit extension from the touch panel display for connection to the handheld device. A further reduction in size is obtained by providing an inherent visually homogeneous perimeter for the touch panel display by matching the colors of the conductive and dielectric materials, thereby eliminating the need for a bezel.

Devices, systems and methods are provided for stimulation of tissues and structures within a body of a patient. In particular, implantable leads are provided which are comprised of a flexible circuit. Typically, the flexible circuit includes an array of conductors bonded to a thin dielectric film. Example dielectric films include polyimide, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or other biocompatible materials to name a few. Such leads are particularly suitable for stimulation of the spinal anatomy, more particularly suitable for stimulation of specific nerve anatomies, such as the dorsal root (optionally including the dorsal root ganglion).

System, devices and methods are presented that integrate stretchable or flexible circuitry, including arrays of active devices for enhanced sensing, diagnostic, and therapeutic capabilities. The invention enables conformal sensing contact with tissues of interest, such as the inner wall of a lumen, a the brain, or the surface of the heart. Such direct, conformal contact increases accuracy of measurement and delivery of therapy. Further, the invention enables the incorporation of both sensing and therapeutic devices on the same substrate allowing for faster treatment of diseased tissue and fewer devices to perform the same procedure.

A light source arrangement for a battery-powered light source unit of an endoscope comprises a cylindrical housing, a base disposed at one end of the housing, a plurality of LEDs connected to a flexible circuit board supported on the base and a focusing lens. A light guide for directing light emanating from the LEDs. The light guide comprises a reflective surface formed on an inner wall of the housing, a reflector having a concave reflective surface which is disposed at one end of the housing so as to surround the LEDs or a micro-lens array disposed in front of the LEDs with each micro lens aligned with the LED.

The invention is directed to a method of bonding a hermetically sealed electronics package to an electrode or a flexible circuit and the resulting electronics package, that is suitable for implantation in living tissue, such as for a retinal or cortical electrode array to enable restoration of sight to certain non-sighted individuals. The hermetically sealed electronics package is directly bonded to the flex circuit or electrode by electroplating a biocompatible material, such as platinum or gold, effectively forming a plated rivet-shaped connection, which bonds the flex circuit to the electronics package. The resulting electronic device is biocompatible and is suitable for long-term implantation in living tissue.

A flexible lighting device includes an elongated flexible tube with a translucent tube shell and opposed tube ends and a flexible circuit board set in the tube so that it extends between the tube ends. The flexible circuit board has opposed interior and exterior surfaces. Electrical circuitry is mounted to the circuit board and connected to an external input source and an output source of electrical power. The circuit board defines a number of cut-outs, preferably those of a generally diamond shape. The device is described in two embodiments: one with inwardly directed LEDs on the circuit board directed into the tube and one with outwardly directed LEDs on the circuit board directed out of the tube. The method of making the flexible lighting device is also described.

A touch sensor device is provided that uses a flexible circuit substrate to provide an improved input device. Specifically, the present invention uses a touch sensor controller affixed to the flexible circuit substrate, which is coupled to a sensor component to provide a flexible, reliable and cost effective touch sensor suitable for a wide variety of applications. In one embodiment the touch sensor uses a flexible circuit substrate that provides relatively high temperature resistance. This allows the touch sensor controller to be affixed using reliable techniques, such as various types of soldering. The sensor component can comprise a relatively low-temperature-resistant substrate that can provide a cost effective solution. Taken together, this embodiment of the touch sensor provides reliability and flexibility at relatively low cost.

A probe for use in medical procedures includes a longitudinal member, a flexible sheath, and a flexible circuit. The longitudinal member includes at least one electrode and at least one thermocouple disposed thereon. The flexible sheath is coupled to and at least partially surrounding the longitudinal member. The flexible circuit is coupled to the sheath and also to the at least one electrode and the at least one thermocouple. The flexible circuit is configured to provide power to the at least one electrode and a return path to the at least one thermocouple.

In some embodiments, a lighting element comprising at least first and second solid state light emitters, a first heat sink structure with a fold region between first and second heat sink regions, and at least one light emitter on each of the heat sink regions, and methods of making. In some embodiments, a lighting element, comprising plural heat sink regions on respective regions of a flexible circuit board, and plural light emitters on respective regions of the flexible circuit board, and methods of making. In some embodiments, heat sink structures comprising plural heat sink regions and a circuit board with plural regions, and lighting elements comprising them. In some embodiments, a heat sink structure, comprising plural heat sink regions and an internal flow guide structure, and lighting elements comprising same. Also, other lighting elements, lamps and heat sink structures.

A digital camera module includes an image capture device mounted on a flexible circuit substrate. In one embodiment of the digital camera module, the image capture device is mounted directly (e.g., by an adhesive) on the flexible circuit substrate. A stiffener (e.g., a piece of circuit board material) is mounted to the back of the flexible circuit substrate to support wire bonding of the image capture device onto the flexible circuit substrate and/or to support the mounting of additional components (e.g., a lens housing).

Systems and methods described herein may comprise RFID data acquisition technology which may be embedded in a fob or tag for use in completing financial transactions. This fob may a self-contained device which includes a transponder and which may be contained on any portable form factor and may comprise flexible circuitry. For instance, the fob may be housed in a wearable transaction instrument, such as a bracelet, ring, wrist band, retractable id, necklace, jewelry charm, lanyard, key ring fob, watch, band, pin, and/or the like. The fob is configured to be used in concert with an RFID reader device.

Sensors and transponders combined on a single semiconductor substrate package. The invention includes an RFID tag and a sensor commonly assembled onto a common substrate. The substrates can be provided in the form of a flex circuit or printed circuit board. The flex circuit would be fabricated using standard flex circuit fabrication methods. It is a polymer/metal laminate film structure and incorporates the antenna pattern for the sensor and RFID tag system on the circuit. The flex circuit can also combine antennas for the sensor and the RFID tag onto a single flex circuit substrate, thus eliminating the need for separate antennas.

A flexible circuit assembly for accommodating a plurality of power electronic devices, including an insulating cover layer having first openings for power electronic devices, a flexible conductive layer arranged under the insulating cover layer and attached with a first adhesive to the insulating cover layer, an intermediate insulating layer arranged under the flexible conductive layer and attached with a second adhesive to the flexible conductive layer, the intermediate insulating layer having second openings, a plurality of heat-conductive elements arranged inside the second openings, a first thin heat sink layer, the heat-conductive elements arranged to be in contact with an upper surface of the thin heat sink layer and the lower surface of the islands via heat-conductive material; and a second thin heat sink layer, upper surfaces of the power electronic devices arranged to be in contact with a lower surface of the thin heat sink layer and the lower surface of the islands via heat-conductive material.

Conductive elastomeric circuits are used in various simulated physiological structures such as tissues and organs, enabling feedback to be provided indicating whether a simulated task is being performed correctly. For example, a surgical trainer has a simulated human tissue structure made of an elastomeric composition, at least one reinforcing layer of a fibrous material, and at least one flexible electrical circuit. The surgical trainer preferably includes multiple areas for practicing surgical skills, each with evaluation circuits for providing feedback regarding that skill. Conductive elastomers are also incorporated into other types of medical training simulators, to similarly provide feedback. In another embodiment, a simulated organ has a conductive elastomeric circuit in the periphery of the simulated organ, enabling feedback to be provided to evaluate whether a person is properly manipulating the organ in response to a manual applied pressure.

A disposable surgical device is constructed to include a shell, a smart block mounted in one end of the shell, the smart block electronic having components mounted to a circuit embedded therein, front contact pins for insertion into respective contact holes in the connector of an industry standard connector interface, and rear wire terminal points, a medical treatment terminal installed in the other side of the shell and adapted for performing surgery and treatments, and a flex circuit termination electrically connected between the smart block and the medical treatment terminal, the flex circuit termination having embedded conductor lines respectively connected to the medical treatment terminal and wire terminal points at the ends of the conductor lines respectively soldered to the wire terminal points of the smart block.