Curved Flex Circuit for IVUS Catheter Strain Relief

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing solid-state IVUS catheters face challenges with electrical cable attachment causing operational harm to electronic components, increased stiffness, and susceptibility to kinks and bends, leading to material failure and conductor breakage, especially during navigation through tortuous vasculature.

Innovation Solution

Intraluminal ultrasound imaging devices with flexible substrates featuring strain relief designs, including curved paths and conductive traces that minimize fracturing during bending, such as horseshoe, serpentine, or braided patterns, to enhance flexibility and reduce strain on electrical traces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If electrical cable is attached close to electronic components, then electrical connection is achieved, but electronic components may be harmed and catheter stiffness increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidharm to electronic components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter is divided into distinct segments: a flexible distal portion containing the imaging assembly and a more proximal stiff portion containing the cable attachment. This segmentation allows the cable to be attached away from sensitive electronic components while maintaining electrical connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A flexible circuit board acts as an intermediary between the electrical cable and the imaging assembly. The flexible circuit board can be routed through a meandering path that moves away from the cable attachment point, reducing stress and harm to electronic components while maintaining electrical connectivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If electrical cable is attached close to electronic components, then electrical connection is achieved, but catheter flexibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidcatheter flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible circuit board is designed with a meandering or serpentine path that can dynamically flex and bend as the catheter navigates tortuous vasculature. This dynamic routing maintains electrical connection while preserving catheter flexibility and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If flex circuit is made thicker to ensure trace operational, then electrical connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing automation difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrace operational reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing automation difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

A thin flexible circuit board is used instead of a thick rigid circuit board. The thin film structure maintains electrical trace reliability while being thin enough to allow for automated manufacturing processes such as rolling and bending during assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible circuit board parameters (thickness, trace width, substrate material) are optimized to balance electrical reliability with manufacturability. The board is designed with specific mechanical properties that allow it to be reliably manufactured using automated processes while maintaining trace operational integrity under bending stresses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20260060651A1Curved circuit substrate for intraluminal ultrasound imaging assembly

Publication Date: 2026.03.05 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV

AI summary

An intraluminal ultrasound imaging device includes a flexible elongate member and an ultrasound imaging assembly coupled to a distal portion of the flexible elongate member. The ultrasound imaging assembly includes a flexible substrate comprising a scanner body portion, one or more control circuits mounted on the scanner body portion, and one or more transducer elements mounted on the scanner body portion. The ultrasound imaging assembly also includes an attachment portion extending proximally from the scanner body portion. The attachment portion defines a path that curves in a first direction and different second direction, and includes a plurality of conductive traces in electrical communication with the one or more control circuits. The plurality of conductive traces follows the curved path of the attachment portion, and each conductive trace comprises a pattern that bends relative to the curved path of the attachment portion.