Method for inspection of materials for defects
AssigneeSecond Sight Medical Products, Inc.
InventorsBoozarjomehr Faraji, Kevin Jun Ha, Neil Hamilton Talbot, James Singleton Little, Robert J. Greenberg
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Abstract
The present invention is a non-destructive method of inspecting a bond, particularly a braze bond, in a hermetic package. The invention involves a unique hermetic package design adapted for ultrasonic inspection and a method of inspecting the package. This package and non-destructive inspection process are particularly useful in implantable neural stimulators such as visual prostheses.
Claims20
A method of inspecting a bond in a hermetic package comprising:
- providing a hermetic package comprising:
- a bottom having an inside surface, an outside surface and a side surface,
- a top having a first lip in contact with the side surface,
- a bond attaching the top to the inside surface, wherein the bond is parallel to and sufficiently proximate to the outside surface to allow acoustic inspection, wherein said top, bottom and bond form a rigid, biocompatible, hermetic package suitable for implantation within a human body;
- scanning the hermetic package with acoustic energy;
- receiving reflected acoustic energy from the step of scanning;
- and
- determining the quality of the bond from the reflected acoustic energy.
A hermetic package comprising:
- a top having an edge surface;
- a bottom having an outside surface and an inside surface;
- a bond attaching the edge surface to the inside surface,
- wherein the top, bottom and bond form a rigid, biocompatible, hermetic package suitable for implantation within a human body;
- and
- wherein the bond is parallel to the outside surface and is sufficiently proximate to the outside surface to reflect acoustic energy and define the bond in an acoustic image of the hermetic package to enable inspection of the bond.
A visual prosthesis comprising a hermetic package enclosing an electronic circuit and an array of electrodes driven by the electronic circuit suitable to stimulate visual neurons,
- wherein the hermetic package comprises:
- a bottom having an inside surface, and an outside surface;
- a top having an edge surface;
- wherein the top, bottom and bond form a rigid, biocompatible, hermetic package suitable for implantation within a human body;
- and
- a bond attaching the edge surface to the inside surface, wherein the bond is parallel to the outside surface and is sufficiently proximate to the outside surface to allow for acoustic inspection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.