Elastic neural electrode and method for fabricating the same

An elastic neural electrode is provided, having at least one planar metal layer which comprises conductive material and which is placed on an elastomer layer (PDMS), wherein, for reinforcement of the electrode, a high-tensile-strength polymer layer, in particular parylene layer is applied directly onto the at least one metal layer, the high-tensile-strength polymer layer, in particular parylene layer being the outermost layer of the electrode.

The abstract as published by the patent office, from US2019143101A1. It describes the invention; it is not a statement of what is protected.

• Interface and electrodes

  Electrodes and arrays · Materials and coatings · Peripheral interfaces

• Packaging

  Packaging and hermeticity

What the filing appears to be about, read by published rules from its title, abstract and classification codes (A61N1/0551, A61N1/375). The claims define what a patent protects, and they are not read here.

Interface and electrodes

Everything downstream works with what the contacts pick up. Their number, size and distance from the neurons set the ceiling on the signal. The problem behind it: more contacts, closer to neurons, that still record after years in tissue that reacts to them.

Packaging

Body fluid destroys unprotected electronics. An implant meant to last has to stay sealed for years while passing every channel through its wall. The problem behind it: a seal that lasts as long as the patient needs it, at a size that leaves room for the channels.

Why the layer matters to the field, not a judgement of this filing. A patent family shows that protection was sought. It does not show that the technology was built, is used in a product, or works in people. The whole stack

One invention, published 13 times in 6 offices. Each publication opens in Espacenet.

• International (PCT)a route to several countries, not a countryWO2018015384A125 Jan 2018
• AustraliaAU2017300607A124 Jan 2019AU2017300607B213 May 2021
• ChinaCN109641128A16 Apr 2019CN109641128B9 Feb 2024 · grant
• United StatesUS2019143101A116 May 2019US11185685B230 Nov 2021 · grantUS2022040475A110 Feb 2022US11298531B212 Apr 2022 · grant
• European Patent Officea route to several countries, not a countryEP3484581A122 May 2019EP3484581B19 Dec 2020 · grant
• JapanJP2019520940A25 Jul 2019JP6908688B228 Jul 2021 · grant

1. 18 Jul 2016First filingEarliest priority, at Germany. The family is counted in this year.
2. 18 Jul 2017ApplicationsFiled at International (PCT), Australia, China, European Patent Office, Japan.
3. 25 Jan 2018First publicationWO2018015384A1, International (PCT).
4. 17 Jan 2019ApplicationFiled at United States.
5. 9 Dec 2020Grant publishedEP3484581B1, European Patent Office.
6. 28 Jul 2021Grant publishedJP6908688B2, Japan.
7. 25 Oct 2021ApplicationFiled at United States.
8. 25 Oct 2021Owner recordedUnited States, on US2019143101A1: assignment; owner named: CORTEC GMBH, GERMANY.
9. 12 Apr 2022Grant publishedUS11298531B2, United States.
10. 9 Feb 2024Grant publishedCN109641128B, China.
11. 15 Feb 2024Office recordAustralia, on AU2017300607A1: patent ceased section 143(a) (annual fees not paid) or expired.
12. 5 Jul 2024Office recordJapan, on JP2019520940A: cancellation because of no payment of annual fees.
13. 12 Dec 2025Office recordEuropean Patent Office, on EP3484581A1: lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR).

Dates as the offices published them. Office records are in the offices' own words and are a selection: refusals, lapses and withdrawals, and records that name an owner. Each concerns one member of the family, not the family as a whole, and another member in the same office may stand. Whether a patent is in force today is not assessed.

Organisation

CorTec · 27 families identified

• Bibliographic data, family members and office records: European Patent Office, Open Patent Services (the DOCDB and INPADOC databases), read 7 Oct 2026.
• The record itself, with its claims and description: US2019143101A1 in Espacenet
• Counted as a BCI patent family: classified A61N1/05 (implantable electrodes); filed by 柯泰克股份有限公司, an organisation already in the graph; describes neural hardware or methods without naming the field; cites a family already accepted. How families are found and judged