Patent ID: 11963822
Assignee: PHILIPS IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY CORPORATION
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 0:
1. An intraluminal imaging device, comprising:
a flexible elongate member configured for insertion into a vessel of a patient, the flexible elongate member including a proximal portion and a distal portion;
an imaging assembly positioned at the distal portion of the flexible elongate member, wherein the imaging assembly comprises:
a flex circuit comprising a length between a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the flex circuit comprises a plurality of imaging elements, a plurality of controllers, and a plurality of conductive traces, wherein the plurality of controllers are in communication with the plurality of imaging elements via the plurality of conductive traces;
a bridge member separate from the flex circuit and extending along the flex circuit for a majority of the length of the flex circuit;
a support member defining a guidewire lumen such that the support member is directly adjacent to the guidewire lumen; and
a backing material different than the support member,

wherein the bridge member is positioned around the support member and the flex circuit is positioned around the bridge member,
wherein the backing material is positioned between the flex circuit and at least one of the support member or the bridge member, such that the backing material is spaced from the guidewire lumen by the support member,
wherein the bridge member comprises a proximal region comprising a first diameter, a central region comprising a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, and a distal region comprising a third diameter greater than the second diameter,
wherein the bridge member is directly coupled to an electrical wire separate from the flex circuit,
wherein the electrical wire is at electrical ground such that the bridge member is maintained at electrical ground via the electrical wire, and
wherein the central region is in contact with at least a portion of the flex circuit such that the at least the portion of the flex circuit is maintained at electrical ground via the bridge member and the electrical wire and not via the support member.