Method of assembling an electrode array that includes a plastically deforamble carrier

Abstract

A method of assembling an implantable electrode array from a coupon ( 108 ) formed from plastically deformable material. Layers of material are disposed on the coupon to form the electrodes ( 48 ) and conductors ( 62 ) of one or more electrode arrays. Sections of the coupon on which the electrodes and conductors are removed, along with the electrodes and conductors to form the electrode arrays. The removed sections of the coupon thus function as plastically deformable carriers ( 74 ) for the arrays ( 40 ).

1 . A method of assembling an implantable electrode array including the steps of:
 applying at least one layer of insulating material and at least one layer of conductive material in separate process steps to a section of the coupon formed from plastically deformable material so as to form on the coupon at least one electrode and at least one conductor, wherein the at least one electrode and the at least one conductor occupy a section of the coupon that is less than the whole of the coupon;   separating from the coupon the section of the coupon upon which the at least one electrode and at least one conductor are formed so that the section of the coupon functions as a carrier for an implantable electrode array that further includes at least one electrode and at least one conductor on the carrier.   
     
     
         2 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 1 , wherein, prior to said step of applying the at least one layer of insulating material and one layer of conductive material to the coupon, the at least one section of the coupon that is to function as the electrode array carrier is shaped to at least partially define the carrier, and after said shaping, remains attached to the coupon. 
     
     
         3 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 2 , wherein:
 in said step of shaping the coupon to at least partially define the electrode array carrier, slots are formed in the coupon to define the carrier and at least one tab intersects the slots to connect the at least one carrier to an adjacent section of the coupon; and   after said step of applying the at least one layer of insulating material and one layer of conductive material to the coupon, as part of said step of separating the carrier from the rest of the coupon, the at least one tab connecting the carrier to the coupon is removed.   
     
     
         4 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 1 , wherein:
 during said step of applying the at least one layer of insulating material and one layer of conductive material to the coupon, the insulating material and conductive material form, on plural sections of the coupon, assemblies consisting of at least one electrode and at least one conductor; and   during said step of separating from the coupon the section of the coupon upon which the at least one electrode and at least one conductor are formed, separating from the coupon the plural sections of the coupons on which the electrode and conductor assemblies are formed so that removed section of the coupon functions as an electrode array assembly.   
     
     
         5 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode of  claim 1 , wherein:
 prior to said step of applying the at least one layer of insulating material and one layer of conductive material to the coupon, the coupon is mounted to a rigid substrate; and   during said step of applying the at least one layer of insulating material and one layer of conductive material to the coupon, the insulating material and conductive material is applied to a surface of the carrier opposite a surface of the carrier mounted to the substrate; and   after said step of applying the at least one layer of insulating material and one layer of conductive material to the coupon, the coupon is released from the substrate.   
     
     
         6 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode of  claim 1 , wherein,
 the coupon lies in a plane;   prior to said step of applying the at least one layer of insulating material and one layer of conductive material to the coupon, the section of the coupon on which the insulating material and conductive material is applied is at least partially shaped to define the carrier and, in said shaping, is shaped to extend out the plane of the coupon;   the coupon, including the at least partially shaped carrier, is mounted to a planar substrate and, as a consequence of said step of mounting the coupon, the at least partially shaped carrier is flexed back into the plane of the coupon;   during said step of applying the at least one layer of insulating material and one layer of conductive material to the coupon, the insulating material and conductive material is applied to a surface of the at least partially shaped carrier opposite a surface of the carrier mounted to the substrate; and   after said step of applying the at least one layer of insulating material and one layer of conductive material to the coupon, the coupon is released from the substrate.   
     
     
         7 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 1 , wherein:
 prior to said step of applying the at least one layer of insulating material and one layer of conductive material to the coupon, the at least one section of the coupon that is to be occupied by the at least one electrode and the at least one conductor is shaped to at least partially shaped to define the carrier wherein during said shaping, the carrier is formed to have at least one tab that is partially separated from adjacent portions of the carrier; and   during said step of applying the at least one layer of insulating material and one layer of conductive material to the coupon, the conductive material is applied to the carrier-defining section of the coupon to form an electrode on the carrier tab.   
     
     
         8 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 1 , wherein the coupon is formed from a superelastic material. 
     
     
         9 . A method of assembling an implantable electrode array, said method including the steps of:
 at least partially shaping a carrier formed of superelastic material so that the carrier has a non-planar shape;   bonding the carrier to a rigid planar substrate so that as a result of said bonding, the carrier flexes into a planar shape;   while the carrier is bonded to the substrate, applying at least one layer of insulating material and at least one layer of conductive material in separate process steps to the carrier so as to form on the carrier at least one electrode and at least one conductor; and   after said formation of said at least one electrode and said conductor on the carrier, releasing the carrier from the substrate so that carrier and at least one electrode and at least one conductor formed thereon function as an electrode array assembly and, as a result of said releasing of the carrier from the substrate, the carrier at least partially returns to the non-planar shape the carrier had prior to said step of bonding the carrier to the substrate.   
     
     
         10 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 9 , wherein said carrier is formed from a nickel titanium alloy. 
     
     
         11 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 9 , wherein:
 during said step of at least partially shaping said carrier, the carrier is shaped to have at least one tab that is partially separated from adjacent portions of the carrier; and   during said step of applying the at least one layer of insulating material and one layer of conductive material to the coupon, the conductive material is applied to the carrier to form an electrode on the tab.   
     
     
         12 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the carrier is part of a coupon that is larger in size than the carrier;   in said step of bonding the carrier to the rigid substrate, the coupon is bonded to the substrate; and   in said step of applying at least one layer of insulating material and at least one layer of conductive material to the carrier, the insulating material and conductive material is applied to form the at least one electrode and the at least one conductor to a section of the coupon that defines the carrier; and   said method further includes the step of separating the carrier-defining section of the coupon from an adjacent section of the coupon.   
     
     
         13 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 12  wherein: said step of separating the carrier-defining section of the coupon from the adjacent section of the coupon occurs prior to said step of releasing the carrier from said substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 13 , wherein, prior to bonding the coupon to the rigid substrate, said coupon is at least partially shaped to define the carrier. 
     
     
         15 . A method of assembling an implantable electrode array including the steps of:
 bonding a carrier formed of flexible material to a rigid substrate;   while the carrier is bonded to the rigid substrate, applying at least one layer of insulating material and at least one layer of conductive material in separate steps to an exposed face of the carrier to form at least one electrode and at least conductor on the carrier; and   after said formation of said at least one electrode and said conductor on the carrier, releasing the carrier from the substrate so that carrier and at least one electrode and at least one conductor formed thereon function as an electrode array assembly.   
     
     
         16 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 15 , wherein the carrier bonded to the rigid substrate is formed from material that is plastically deformable. 
     
     
         17 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 15 , wherein the carrier bonded to the rigid substrate is a polyamide film. 
     
     
         18 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of any one of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the carrier is part of a coupon that is larger in size than the carrier;   in said step of bonding the carrier to the rigid substrate, the coupon is bonded to the substrate;   in said step of applying at least one layer of insulating material and at least one layer of conductive material to the carrier, the insulating material and conductive material is applied to a section of the coupon; and   said method further includes the step of separating the carrier-defining section of the coupon from an adjacent section of the coupon.   
     
     
         19  The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 18 , wherein: said step of separating the carrier-defining section of the coupon from an adjacent section of the coupon occurs prior to said step of releasing the carrier from said substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The method of assembling an implantable electrode array of  claim 18 , wherein, prior to bonding the coupon to the substrate, said coupon is at least partially shaped to define the carrier.