Laser direct structured catheter connection for intravascular device
AssigneeVolcano Corporation
InventorsDuane De Jong, Douglas Meyer
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Abstract
The invention generally relates to intravascular imaging catheters and methods of making catheters for imaging systems. The invention provides a connector for an imaging catheter that includes a unitary body with very thin electrical contacts that are formed on the surface of the body. Due to the scale of the contacts, the connector operates essentially as a single unitary piece of material. Each of the leads may be less than about 100 μm wide and less than about 8 μm thick, and further the leads may be spaced apart by less than about 160 μm
Claims20
A connector for a medical imaging device, the connector comprising:
- an extended body having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the extended body comprises a thermoplastic doped with an organo-metal complex;
- a conductive contact disposed on a surface of the proximal end;
- and
- a conductive lead extending along a length of the body and in electrical contact with the conductive contact.
A method of making a connector for a medical imaging device, the method comprising:
- molding a thermoplastic doped with an metal-organic complex into an extended body having a proximal end and a distal end;
- irradiating an area of a surface of the body with a laser to make a metal from the metal-organic complex available at the surface;
- and
- depositing a conductor metal on the area to provide a conductive contact at the proximal end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.