Pi Medical, Inc.

The United States of America as Represented by the Department of Health

Precision Interconnect, Inc.

Ushers, Inc.

Roskopf and Stobie Golf Co.

John J Stobie

Scott S Corbett, Iii

W Eugene Skiens

Doris Arlene Beck

Gerald E Loeb

Thomas R Clary

Jerry Martyniuk

William J Heetderks

Klaus Mewes

Edward M Schmidt

Martin J Bak

David Edell

Fredrick T Hambrecht

Conrad V Kufta

Michael Q Sheppard

Makuteswara Srinivasan

Roger P Sheppard

Richard L Ponzi

Richard J Roskopf

Known fabrication apparatuses, including patterned pinch rollers, molds, etc., are adapted to create articles having a shape characterized by more than six faces of identical size and shape, and by members extending outwardly in three orthogonal dimensions, the articles each including at least a pair of faces which intersect to bound a concave region, each article including a plurality of such concave regions. In certain embodiments, vibrational energy (e.g. ultrasonic or microwave energy) is utilized to aid in article formation.

Apparatus for producing shaped articles

A biologically implantable percutaneous connector (20) for providing optionally separable interconnection between an implanted connector (21) attached to bone tissue and a removable connector (40). The connectors each include a supporting matrix of dielectric material (86, 94) within which an array of tiny conductive rods (90, 88) are sealed with ends (112, 110) of the rods exposed as contacts at mating faces (94, 92) and the other ends (102, 100) joined to conductors (33, 43) of cables (32, 42). Elastomeric anisotropic connector material (44) is located between corresponding arrays of contacts to provide for repeated reliable electrical connection and disconnection of corresponding contacts. External surfaces of the implantable body (21) of the percutaneous connector may be coated with a bioactive material promoting integration of surrounding tissue into the surfaces of the implanted percutaneous connector. A contact block (22, 62) including the mating face (94, 92) and a terminal face (98, 96) to which the conductors of a cable are individually connected is made by shaping an array of conductive rods (90, 88) and supporting dielectric material to form a smooth surface including dielectric matrix material and the ends of the electrically conductive rods.

Percutaneous connector for multi-conductor electrical cables

A biologically implantable percutaneous connector for providing optionally separable interconnection of a large number of small electrical conductors of an externally located electrical cable includes a mating face incorporating an array of exposed end surfaces of tiny conductive rods sealed in a supporting matrix of dielectric material which is supported in a connector body. Elastomeric anisotropic connector material is located between corresponding arrays of contacts to provide for repeated reliable electrical connection and disconnection. External surfaces of the implantable body of the percutaneous connector are coated with a bioactive material promoting integration of surrounding tissue into the surfaces of the implanted percutaneous connector. A contact block including the mating face and a terminal face to which the conductors of a cable are individually connected is made by shaping an array of conductive rods and supporting dielectric material to form a smooth surface including dielectric matrix material and the ends of the electrically conductive rods.

Method of making percutaneous connector for multi-conductor electrical

Microelectrodes for use in stimulating and detecting activity in neurons of living organisms, and a method of manufacturing such microelectrodes. An electrically conductive electrode core member is sharpened and coated with a thin layer of a dielectric material. An extremely small area of the core at the sharpened point is exposed by ablating the dielectric material by the use of ultraviolet laser beam scanned over the material. Multiconductor microelectrodes include multiple fine wires which may be arranged in helical strands, optionally supported by a central core member of stiffer material. Multiple conductors may also be supported within a tubular support such as a hollow needle whose distal end is cut at a slant to expose the conductors, or in flat ribbon configuration with openings in dielectric material defining active electrode sites. Multiple active electrode sites may be defined on a microelectrode accompanied by an integrated circuit after connection of the integrated circuit to a multiconductor cable.

Method of making implantable microelectrode

A miniature, electrically-insulated multi-conductor electrical cable suitable for implantation in living bodies and readily connected to sensors or electrodes, and implantable microelectrodes attached to such cables. Individual electrical conductors are coated with at least one layer of, insulating material and stranded together, or optionally bound together by an additional layer of insulating material which is compatible with implantation in living bodies. The individual conductors are separated from one another in terminal portions of the cable and are held by a ribbonizing resin at a predetermined pitch to facilitate connection of each of the conductors. The terminal portions may define microelectrodes. Another microelectrode includes an electrically conductive electrode core member sharpened and coated with a thin layer of a dielectric material. An extremely small area of the core at the sharpened point is exposed by ablating the dielectric material by the use of an ultraviolet laser beam scanned over the material. Multiple conductor microelectrodes may also be supported within a hollow needle or in flat ribbon configuration, with openings in dielectric material defining active electrode sites. Multiple active electrode sites may be defined on a microelectrode accompanied by an integrated circuit after connection of the integrated circuit to a multiconductor cable.

Implantable microelectrode

A miniature, electrically-insulated multi-conductor electrical cable suitable for implantation in living bodies and readily connected to sensors or electrodes with terminal pads or to conductors such as printed flex circuit traces of electrical circuits, and a method for preparing such cables. Individual electrical conductors are coated with at least one layer of insulating material. The insulated individual conductors are stranded together, or optionally bound together by an additional layer of insulating material which is compatible with implantation in living bodies. The individual conductors are separated from one another in terminal portions of the cable and are encapsulated in a ribbonizing resin which is trimmed to expose portions of the individual conductors, held by the ribbonization resin at a predetermined pitch to facilitate connection of each of the conductors to a respective conductor trace of a printed circuit or flex circuit.

Method of making a miniature multi-conductor electrical cable

A compact catheter assembly provides for the communication of a reference pressure to a pressure-sensing transducer by forming a passageway between spaced electrical conductors mounted on a planar dielectric substrate. The cathter assembly also provides for the operative mounting of multiple transducers onto a single catheter tip by employing a plurality of planar dielectric substrates, each having an array of electrical conductors, stacked atop one another so as to protrude longitudinally from the end of the catheter bore at different distances. A plurality of electrical transducers protrude longitudinally in series from the bore overlying the substrates.

Catheter assembly

Golf putter head

Growing community of inventors

Portland, OR, United States of America

John J Stobie