Medical illuminator flexible led printed circuit board assembly and method

Abstract

A device for variable polarization by an illumination device for illuminating organic tissue. The device includes a first set of one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), a first polarizer arranged to polarize light emitted from the first set of LEDs in a first polarization direction, a second set of one or more LEDs, a second polarizer arranged to polarize light emitted from the second set of LEDs in a second polarization direction. A lens is arranged to collect light from organic tissue illuminated by the first and/or second sets of LEDs including a viewing polarizer arranged to polarize the light collected from the organic tissue in the second polarization direction. A signal generator is operable to signal one or more drivers for driving one of the first and second sets according a signal value and driving the other of the first and second sets according to an inverse value thereof.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A light emitting diode (LED) printed circuit board (PCB) assembly comprising:
 a flexible PCB comprising:
 an LED portion comprising a castellated portion and a non-castellated portion, the non-castellated portion having a first end and a second end, wherein said castellated portion comprises a plurality of fingers, the fingers having at least one LED attached to each finger, said at least one LED being in electrical communication with non-castellated portion; 
 a PCB lead portion electrically interconnected to non-castellated portion at the first end of the non-castellated portion, said lead interconnected to a power source for providing power to the LEDs via the LED portion; and 
 wherein said first end of the non-castellated portion of the LED portion of the flexible PCB is attached to the second end of the non-castellated portion of the LED portion of the flexible LED to form a ring. 
   
     
     
         22 . The LED PCB assembly of  claim 21  wherein the fingers of the non-castellated portion each have a first and second portion, wherein the second portion of the fingers are angled relative to the first portion. 
     
     
         23 . The LED PCB assembly of  claim 22  wherein the at least one LED is positioned on the second portion of the fingers. 
     
     
         24 . The LED PCB assembly of  claim 23  wherein the at least one LED is bonded to the second portion of the fingers. 
     
     
         25 . The LED PCB assembly of  claim 22  wherein the second portion of the fingers are angled 30 degrees relative to the first portion. 
     
     
         26 . A light emitting diode (LED) printed circuit board (PCB) assembly comprising:
 a flexible PCB comprising:
 a base portion comprising a first end and a second end; 
 a joint interconnecting the first end and the second end of the base portion, the base portion forming a ring; 
 a plurality of fingers extending from the base portion; 
 the plurality of fingers each having a first generally vertical portion and a second angled portion, the second angled portion of each of said fingers extending outwardly from the center of the ring; and 
 at least one LED attached to the angled portion said plurality of fingers. 
   
     
     
         27 . The LED PCB assembly of  claim 26  further comprising a lead portion electrically interconnected to the base portion, the lead portion electrically connected to a power source for providing power to the at least one LED. 
     
     
         28 . The LED PCB assembly of  claim 26  wherein the finger second angled portion is angled thirty degrees relative to the finger first portion. 
     
     
         29 . A method of forming a light emitting diode (LED) printed circuit board (PCB) assembly comprising the steps of:
 forming a flexible PCB comprising:
 an LED portion comprising a castellated portion and a non-castellated portion, the non-castellated portion having a first end and a second end, wherein said castellated portion comprises a plurality of fingers, the fingers having at least one LED attached to each finger, said at least one LED being in electrical communication with the non-castellated portion; and 
 a PCB lead portion electrically interconnected to the non-castellated portion at the first end of the non-castellated portion, said lead interconnected to a power source for providing power to the LEDs via the LED portion; 
   attaching the first end of the non-castellated portion to the second end of the non-castellated portion to form a ring.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising the step of forming the fingers of the castellated portion into first and second portions and angling the first portion relative to the second portion. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising the step of positioning at least one LED onto the second portion of the fingers. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the step of positioning at least one LED onto the second portion of the fingers is completed by bonding. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the step of angling the first portion relative to the second portion forms an angle of 30 degrees. 
     
     
         34 . A method of forming a light emitting diode (LED) printed circuit board (PCB) assembly comprising the steps of:
 forming an elongate portion of a flexible PCB into a ring by attaching a first end of the elongate portion to the second end of the elongate potion, wherein the elongate portion of the PCB has a top end and bottom edge, the top end having a plurality of fingers extending therefrom;   forming the fingers into first and second portions by angling the second portion relative to a generally vertical first portion; and   attaching at least one LED to the second portion of at least one of the fingers.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the forming the fingers step comprises angling the second portion thirty degrees relative to the first portion. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the attaching step comprises bonding the at least one LED to the second portion of at least one of the fingers.