Circuit board for an implantable medical device, and method of fabricating and testing

摘要

Designs and methods of construction for a printed circuit board (PCB) in an implantable pulse generator (IPG) are disclosed which facilitate IPG PCB testing while also providing for protection of IPG circuitry in a simple and cost effective manner. The IPG PCB is formed as part of a larger test PCB, which includes an extender portion with traces routing nodes of interest in the IPG PCB to an edge connector. IPG electronics are mounted or soldered to the IPG PCB, and then such electronics are tested via the edge connector. The IPG PCB is then singulated from the extender portion in a manner leaving one or more PCB tabs at the severed edge of the PCB. The PCB tab(s) extend from the severed edge, and create an offset distance preventing traces severed and now exposed at the severed edge from contacting and potentially shorting to conductive structures in the IPG.

主权项

1. An implantable medical device, comprising:
a circuit board comprising electronic components, the circuit board comprising an edge along a side of the circuit board, wherein the edge comprises a plurality of exposed traces each coupled to a node in the circuit board; and a conductive structure proximate to the edge, wherein the edge comprises at least one first portion comprising at least some of the exposed traces, and at least one second portion not comprising the exposed traces, wherein the at least one first portion is recessed with respect to the at least one second portion to prevent the exposed traces in the at least one first portion from contacting the conductive structure.