Biocompatible, human implantable apparatus and method for fully encasing a circuit within a polymer housing
View Patent ↗A biocompatible, human implantable apparatus and a method for fully encasing a circuit within a polymer housing. The method may include placing the circuit in a mold, injecting a formulation into the mold, and polymerizing the formulation. The formulation may include monomers and polymers. The apparatus may include a circuit in a polymerized formulation of monomers and polymers.
1. A method for fully encasing a circuit within a polymer housing, comprising:
at least partially covering the circuit with an epoxy, wherein a sufficient amount of epoxy is used to cover the circuit so that the resulting surface topology is substantially smooth, some or all of the epoxy comprises a light blocking pigment, and the light blocking pigment is black;
placing the epoxy-covered circuit in a mold;
injecting a formulation comprising monomers and polymers into the mold; and
polymerizing the formulation to form a fully-enclosed housing for the circuit;
wherein the epoxy is located between the circuit and the polymerized formulation.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymerization step is performed in a pressure vessel where the pressure is increased to at least about 125 psi using inert gas.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monomers are MMA monomers.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymers are pre-polymerized PMMA.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monomers are MMA monomers, and the polymers are pre-polymerized PMMA.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formulation comprises between 60% and 80% pre-polymerized PMMA by volume.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formulation is injected into the mold so that the formulation surrounds the circuit.
8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the formulation comprises between 60% and 80% pre-polymerized PMMA by volume.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the formulation comprises 70% pre-polymerized PMMA by volume and 30% un-reacted MMA monomer into which the 70% pre-polymerized PMMA has been dissolved.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the formulation completely surrounds the circuit.
11. A biocompatible, human implantable apparatus, comprising:
a fully enclosed housing formed by a polymerized formulation of monomers and polymers;
a circuit encased within the fully enclosed housing formed by the polymerized formulation of monomers and polymers, and
an epoxy that at least partially covers the circuit in such a way that the epoxy-covered circuit has a surface topology that is substantially smooth, wherein some or all of the epoxy comprises a light blocking pigment, the light blocking pigment is black, and the epoxy is located between the circuit and the polymerized formulation.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the monomers are MMA monomers.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the polymers are pre-polymerized PMMA.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the monomers are MMA monomers, the polymers are pre-polymerized PMMA, and the formulation comprises between 60% and 80% pre-polymerized PMMA by volume.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the polymerized formulation surrounds the circuit.
16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the formulation comprises between 60% and 80% pre-polymerized PMMA by volume.
17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the formulation comprises 70% pre-polymerized PMMA by volume and 30% un-reacted MMA monomer into which the 70% pre-polymerized PMMA has been dissolved.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the polymerized formulation completely surrounds the circuit.