US5201903A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of making a miniature multi-conductor electrical cable
Assignee: PI (MEDICAL) Corp A CORP OF OREGON
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Filing: 1991-10-22
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Granted: 1993-04-13
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Expires: 2011-10-22
Abstract
Abstract A miniature, electrically-insulated multi-conductor electrical cable suitable for implantation in living bodies and readily connected to sensors or electrodes with terminal pads or to conductors such as printed flex circuit traces of electrical circuits, and a method for preparing such cables. Individual electrical conductors are coated with at least one layer of insulating material. The insulated individual conductors are stranded together, or optionally bound together by an additional layer of insulating material which is compatible with implantation in living bodies. The individual conductors are separated from one another in terminal portions of the cable and are encapsulated in a ribbonizing resin which is trimmed to expose portions of the individual conductors, held by the ribbonization resin at a predetermined pitch to facilitate connection of each of the conductors to a respective conductor trace of a printed circuit or flex circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 Scott S. Corbett, III
- 👤 W. Eugene Skiens
- 👤 John J. Stobie
- 👤 Doris A. Beck
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 21:31
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R43/00; H01R43/20; H01R43/24; A; A61; A61F; A61F11/00; A61F11/04; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/02; A61N1/04; A61N1/05; A61N1/0551; H01R13/00; H01R13/46; H01R13/50; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00107; A61N1/0526; A61N1/0541; H01B; H01B7/00; H01B7/02; H01B7/0208; H01B7/08; H01B7/0892; H04; H04R; H04R2225/00; H04R2225/67; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49169; Y10T29/49171; Y10T29/49194; Y10T29/49201
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of making a miniature multiconductor electrical cable, comprising: (a) coating a plurality of fine elongate electrical conductors with a first continuous layer of a first insulating material; (b) arranging respective intermediate portions of all of said plurality of fine elongate electrical conductors closely adjacent one another; (c) placing and holding a respective terminal portion of each of said fine elongate electrical conductors in a fixture in a terminal configuration with said terminal portions of said conductors substantially parallel with one another and spaced apart from one another in a planar arrangement at a predetermined pitch; (d) ribbonizing said terminal portions of said fine elongate electrical conductors by applying and curing a layer of insulating ribbonizing material over said terminal portions, embedding said terminal portions in said material and thereby holding said terminal portions in a terminal configuration.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of making a miniature multiconductor electrical cable, comprising: (a) coating a plurality of fine elongate electrical conductors with a first continuous layer of a first insulating material; (b) arranging respective intermediate portions of all of said plurality of fine elongate electrical conductors closely adjacent one another; (c) placing and holding a respective terminal portion of each of said fine elongate electrical conductors in a fixture in a terminal configuration with said terminal portions of said conductors substantially parallel with one another and spaced apart from one another in a planar arrangement at a predetermined pitch; (d) ribbonizing said terminal portions of said fine elongate electrical conductors by applying and curing a layer of insulating ribbonizing material over said terminal portions, embedding said terminal portions in said material and thereby holding said terminal portions in a terminal configuration.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1, including coating each of said plurality of fine elongate electrical conductors with a second layer of a second insulating material covering said first layer of insulating material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
The method of claim 2, including the further step of placing said plurality of fine elongate electrical conductors in a desired arrangement closely alongside one another after coating said conductors with said first and second layers, and coating said plurality of conductors with a third layer of a third insulating material of a thickness effective to interconnect said plurality of conductors with one another along a predetermined portion of the lengths of said plurality of conductors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said third insulating material is a polyesterimide material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said third insulating material is a polyurethane material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said third insulating material is a silicone material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said third insulating material is a polymeric fluorocarbon material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 3, including the steps of forming said predetermined portions of said fine elongate electrical conductors in a generally circular solid strand configuration over a predetermined intermediate portion of said cable, and holding said predetermined portions of said conductors in said solid strand configuration by said third layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 3, including the step of applying said third layer so as to interconnect said predetermined portions of adjacent ones of said plurality of fine elongate electrical conductors to define a central lumen between said plurality of conductors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 3, including applying said third layer of insulating material to hold said plurality of fine elongate electrical conductors parallel with each other in a generally planar flexible ribbon-like configuration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first insulating material is a polyimide resin.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first insulating material is a polyurethane material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first insulating material is a silicone material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first insulating material is a fluorocarbon polymer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first layer has a radial thickness in the range of 3 microns to 6 microns.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said second layer is of a polyesterimide resin material and has a radial thickness less than that of said first layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 1, including the step of stripping away said layers of insulating material from each of said fine elongate electrical conductors in a portion of said ribbonized portion of said cable so as to lay bare a predetermined portion of each of said conductors while holding said conductors arranged with said predetermined pitch therebetween adjacent said terminal portion of each of said conductors.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 17, including the step of stripping away said insulating material from each of said fine elongate electrical conductors by use of a laser beam scanned in an appropriate pattern under computer control to provide a terminal portion of said cable with a predetermined configuration.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-04-12 | 1996-10-12 | 1997-04-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-04-12 | 2000-10-12 | 2001-04-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-04-12 | 2004-10-12 | 2005-04-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |