# US 11,304,642 B2 · Multi-axial position sensors printed on a folded flexible circuit board

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,304,642 B2
- Document ID: US11304642B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/433,072
- Filed: 2017-02-15
- Published: 2018-08-16
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-02-15
- Assignees: Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd.
- Applicants: Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd.
- Inventors: Assaf Govari; Meir Bar-Tal; Avi Reuveni
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304642B2

## CPC

- A61B 5/287: Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
- A61B 5/062: {using magnetic field}
- A61B 5/6851: {Guide wires}
- A61B 5/6852: {Catheters}
- A61B 18/1492: {having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence)}
- A61B 34/00: Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery
- H01F 5/003: {Printed circuit coils}
- H01F 41/041: {Printed circuit coils (apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in general H05K3/00)}
- A61B 2018/00351: {Heart}
- A61B 2018/00577: {Ablation}
- A61B 2034/2051: {Electromagnetic tracking systems}
- A61B 2560/0468: Built-in electrodes
- A61B 2562/0223: Magnetic field sensors
- A61B 2562/04: Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type
- A61B 2562/06: Arrangements of multiple sensors of different types
- A61B 2562/12: Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
- A61B 2562/125: characterised by the manufacture of electrodes
- A61B 2562/164: the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
- A61B 2562/166: the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
- H01F 2017/006: {flexible printed inductors}
- H05K 1/028: {Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits (H05K1/0283 takes precedence)}
- H05K 1/165: {incorporating printed inductors}
- H05K 2201/051: Rolled
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

## Abstract

A position sensor includes a flexible substrate formed into a three-dimensional (3D) shape. At least first and second field-sensing coils are formed in first and second respective layers of the flexible substrate, such that in the 3D shape the first and second field-sensing coils have first and second respective axes that are not parallel to one another.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A position sensor, comprising:
(a) a flexible substrate, which is formed into a three-dimensional (3D) shape defining a central longitudinal axis;
(b) a first field-sensing coil formed in a first layer of the flexible substrate, the first field-sensing coil defining a closed-loop shape about a first axis such that the first field-sensing coil fully encircles the first axis, the first axis being orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis, the first field-sensing coil being located at a first longitudinal position along the central longitudinal axis;
(c) a second field-sensing coil formed in a second layer of the flexible substrate, the second field-sensing coil defining a closed-loop shape about a second axis such that the second field-sensing coil fully encircles the second axis, the second axis being coaxial with the central longitudinal axis such that the second field-sensing coil fully encircles the central longitudinal axis, the second field-sensing coil being located at the first longitudinal position along the central longitudinal axis such that the second field-sensing coil overlappingly wraps around the first field-sensing coil at the first longitudinal position along the central longitudinal axis;
the first and second field-sensing coils being configured to sense components of a magnetic field oriented about the first and second respective axes.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The position sensor according to claim 1, the flexible substrate comprising a flexible circuit board.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The position sensor according to claim 1, the 3D shape comprising a cylindrical shape.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The position sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a third field-sensing coil defining a closed-loop shape about a third axis, the third axis being orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis, the third field-sensing coil being located at the first longitudinal position along the central longitudinal axis such that the first-field sensing coil overlappingly wraps around the third field-sensing coil at the first longitudinal position along the central longitudinal axis, the third field-sensing coil being configured to sense the magnetic field about the third axis.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The position sensor according to claim 4, the third field-sensing coil being formed on a third layer of the flexible substrate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The position sensor according to claim 1, the first and second layers being electrically isolated from one another by a dielectric layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The position sensor according to claim 1, further comprising one or more electrodes formed on a surface of the flexible substrate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The position sensor according to claim 1, the first and second field-sensing coils being configured generate corresponding electrical signals indicative of the sensed components of the magnetic field.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The position sensor according to claim 8, further comprising a ferromagnetic element coupled to or adjacent to the flexible substrate, the ferromagnetic element being configured to amplify at least one of the sensed components.

### Claim 10

A method for producing a position sensor, the method comprising:
(a) forming at least first and second field-sensing coils in first and second respective layers of a flexible substrate in a flat form, the first field-sensing coil being disposed in a stripe shape extending from one end of the flexible substrate in the flat form to another end of the flexible substrate in the flat form, the second field-sensing coil being disposed in a closed-loop shape and being embedded within the flexible substrate, the first and second field-sensing coils overlapping each other while the flexible substrate is in the flat form such that the stripe shape overlaps the closed-loop shape while the flexible substrate is in the flat form; and
(b) forming the flexible substrate into the 3D shape, the 3D shape extending longitudinally along a first axis, the first field-sensing coil being positioned about the first axis in the 3D shape, the second field-sensing coil being positioned about a second axis in the 3D shape, the first and second axis being orthogonal to each other in the 3D shape, the first and second field-sensing coils in the 3D shape being configured to sense components of a magnetic field oriented about the first and second respective axes.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, the flexible substrate comprising a flexible circuit board.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, forming the substrate into the 3D shape including rolling the substrate into a cylindrical shape.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, further comprising forming a third field-sensing coil such that, in the 3D shape, the third field-sensing sensing coil is configured to sense components of the magnetic field oriented about a third axis that is not parallel to any of the first and second axes.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, forming the third field-sensing coil including forming the third field-sensing coil on a third layer of the flexible substrate.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, forming the at least first and second field-sensing coils including electrically isolating the first and second field-sensing coils from one another.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, forming the flexible substrate into the 3D shape including arranging the first and second axes orthogonally to one another.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, further comprising forming one or more electrodes on a surface of the flexible substrate.

### Claim 18

A position sensor, comprising:
(a) a flexible substrate formed into a cylindrical shape, the flexible substrate defining an inward-facing surface and an outward-facing surface, the cylindrical shape defining a central longitudinal axis;
(b) a first field-sensing coil formed on the outward-facing surface of the flexible substrate, the first field-sensing coil forming a closed-loop shape extending about a first axis centered within the first field-sensing coil, the first axis being orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis, the first field-sensing coil being located at a first longitudinal position along the central longitudinal axis;
(c) a second field-sensing coil embedded internally within the flexible substrate, the second field-sensing coil forming a closed-loop shape extending about a second axis centered within the second field-sensing coil, the second axis being orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis, the second field-sensing coil being located at the first longitudinal position along the central longitudinal axis, a portion of the second field-sensing coil angularly overlapping with a portion of the first field-sensing coil about the central longitudinal axis; and
(d) a third field-sensing coil formed on the inward-facing surface of the flexible substrate, the third field-sensing coil being located at the first longitudinal position along the central longitudinal axis, the third field-sensing coil forming a closed-loop shape extending about the central longitudinal axis such that the third field-sensing coil fully encircles the central longitudinal axis, the third field-sensing coil further overlappingly wrapping around the first and second field-sensing coils;
each field-sensing coil separated by one or more dielectric layers and oriented about respective axes that are not parallel to one another, each field-sensing coil configured to sense a respective component of a magnetic field oriented about each respective axis.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, the third field-sensing sensing coil overlapping the first and second field-sensing coils while the flexible substrate is in the flat form.