Flexible Circuit Board Integration in Nerve Stimulation Electrodes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing living body stimulating electrodes impair the sense of electric stimulation due to the weight of electric parts and wire leads, and are unable to control complex electric signals effectively.
Innovation Solution
The use of a flexible printed circuit (FPC) as the circuit for wire leads, which reduces weight and allows for pure electric stimulation of nerve fibers, while ensuring reliable electric connection and enabling control of complex signals through a mechanism that integrates the FPC between the metal terminal and a resin part, with engaging parts that physically and electrically connect the components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If copper wire leads are used for electric connection, then reliable electric connection is achieved, but weight increases and tensile force increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical copper wire lead system with a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) system. The FPC uses printed conductive traces on a flexible substrate instead of mechanical wire leads, eliminating the need for heavy copper wires while maintaining electrical connectivity. This substitution reduces weight and tensile force factors while preserving reliable electric connection through the rigid-flexible combined structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex circuits are applied to control electric signals, then control capability is improved, but weight of wire leads and tensile force increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the circuit control function with the connection structure by integrating the FPC directly into the electrode assembly. The FPC serves dual purposes: providing electrical connection and implementing complex signal control circuits. This integration eliminates the need for separate heavy wire leads while maintaining advanced control capabilities through printed circuit pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical wire lead-based control systems with an FPC-based control system. The complex circuits are implemented as printed traces on the flexible circuit board, which provides both control functionality and structural integration, thereby reducing weight and tensile force while maintaining or enhancing control capability.
3Weight of moving object
If FPC is used to reduce weight, then weight reduction is achieved, but electric connection reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure combining rigid and flexible components. The FPC (flexible part) is integrated with a rigid support structure or housing, creating a rigid-flexible combined system. This composite approach maintains the weight advantages of the FPC while the rigid components provide structural stability and reliable electrical connections, effectively balancing weight reduction with connection reliability.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Provided are a living body stimulating electrode, a living body stimulating electrode apparatus, and a method for producing a living body stimulating electrode. The living body stimulating electrode has a flexible circuit board (FPC) between a living body stimulating electrode and a resin part. The resin part and the FPC are fixed with the living body stimulating electrode. Specifically, the flexible circuit board is disposed between the living body stimulating electrode and the resin part, and one or both of a stimulating electrode and a contact electrode constituting the living body stimulating electrode have an engaging part having a pressing part and a fixing part. The pressing part presses the flexible circuit board onto the resin part. Simultaneously, the fixing part is penetrated through a through hole formed in the flexible circuit board and pressed into a hole formed in the resin part, thereby fixed to and held by the resin part. The engaging part may be subjected to a chamfering process (the edge may be chamfered into an angulated plane or a round plane) to form an inclined plane or a curved (round) plane.