Electrode-pad package that is removable from an electrode-pad lead and method for opening the package

• US 20030017743A1
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies Europe BV (Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies Europe BV (Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Janae, Christine, Solosko, Thomas, Picardo, Anthony G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,935,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/521
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/046 Specially adapted for shock therapy, e.g. defibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0472 Structure-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5224 for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery

Abstract

A package stores at least one electrode pad having a lead. The package includes an interior for storing the pad, and includes a portion that is openable to allow removal of the package from the leads. For example, the openable portion of the package may include a sealed seam through which the lead extends. The operator can peel apart the seam to both open the package and free the package from the lead. Where the pad is a defibrillator electrode pad, the ability to quickly and easily free the package from the lead may save precious seconds during the rescue of a patient in cardiac arrest. For example, freeing the package from the lead typically allows the operator a fuller view of and easier access to the defibrillator and the patient, and eliminates a potential distraction.

Claims

1. An electrode-pad package, comprising:

an interior operable to store an electrode pad having a lead; and

a portion operable to allow the lead to extend from the interior to outside of the package, the portion openable to allow removal of the package from the lead.

2. The electrode-pad package of claim 1 wherein the portion is sealable to inhibit moisture loss from the interior.

3. The electrode-pad package of claim 1 wherein the portion comprises a seam that is peelable to allow removal of the package from the lead.

4. The electrode-pad package of claim 1 wherein the interior is operable to store a defibrillator electrode pad.

5. The electrode-pad package of claim 1 wherein the interior is operable to store a monitor electrode pad.

6. An electrode-pad package, comprising:

a seam;

an electrode-pad-lead opening disposed along the seam;

first and second side portions attached to and separable from one another along the seam; and

a package interior defined by the first and second side portions and contiguous with the lead opening.

7. The electrode-pad package of claim 6 wherein the first and second side portions respectively include first and second tabs that facilitate separating the first and second side portions along the seam.

8. The electrode-pad package of claim 6 wherein the first and second side portions respectively include first and second tabs that are aligned with the lead opening and that facilitate separating the first and second side portions along the seam.

9. The electrode-pad package of claim 6 wherein:

the first and second side portions are sealed to one another along the seam; and

the first and second side portions and the sealed seam are operable to retard moisture transfer from the package interior to outside of the package.

10. The electrode-pad package of claim 6, further comprising an edge disposed adjacent to the seam.

11. An electrode-pad package, comprising:

an electrode-pad-lead opening;

first and second seams that are adjacent to the lead opening;

first and second sides attached to and separable from one another along the first and second seams; and

a package interior disposed between the first and second sides and connected to the lead opening.

12. The electrode-pad package of claim 11 wherein the first and second sides respectively include first and second tabs that are aligned with the lead opening and that facilitate peeling apart of the first and second sides along the first and second seams.

13. The electrode-pad package of claim 11 wherein:

the first and second sides are sealed to one another along the first and second seams; and

the first and second sides and the sealed first and second seams provide a moisture barrier between the package interior and outside of the package.

14. The electrode-pad package of claim 11 wherein the first and second seams taper toward the lead opening.

15. The electrode-pad package of claim 11, further comprising:

an edge that is contiguous with the first and second seams; and

wherein the first and second sides compose a piece of material that is folded along the edge.

16. The electrode-pad package of claim 11, further comprising:

an edge that is contiguous with the first and second seams;

wherein the first and second sides compose a piece of material that is folded along the edge; and

wherein the first and second sides are peelable along the first and second seams from the lead opening toward the edge.

17. The electrode-pad package of claim 11, further comprising:

a region that is opposite the lead opening; and

wherein the first and second seams are adjacent to the region.

18. The electrode-pad package of claim 11, further comprising:

a third seam that is opposite the lead opening;

wherein the first and second seams are contiguous with the third seam; and

wherein the first and second sides are peelable along the first and second seams from the lead opening toward the third edge.

20. The electrode-pad package of claim 19 wherein the first and second side portions respectively include first and second tabs that facilitate separating the first and second side portions along the seam.

21. The electrode-pad package of claim 19 wherein:

the first and second side portions are sealed to one another along the seam; and

the first and second side portions and the sealed seam are operable to retard moisture transfer from the package interior to outside of the package.

22. The electrode-pad package of claim 19, further comprising an edge disposed adjacent to the seam.

24. The electrode-pad storage system of claim 23 wherein the seam can be peeled apart to allow removal of the package from the lead.

25. The electrode-pad storage system of claim 23 wherein the electrode pad comprises a defibrillator electrode pad.

26. The electrode-pad storage system of claim 23 wherein the electrode pad comprises a monitor electrode pad.

28. The electrode-pad storage system of claim 27 wherein the first and second sides respectively include first and second tabs that facilitate peeling apart the first and second sides along the seam.

29. The electrode-pad storage system of claim 27 wherein the first and second sides respectively include first and second tabs that are aligned with the opening and that facilitate peeling apart the first and second sides along the seam.

19. An electrode-pad package, comprising:

a seam;

first and second side portions attached to and separable from one another along the seam; and

a package interior defined by the seam and the first and second side portions.

23. An electrode-pad storage system, comprising:

an electrode-pad package comprising,

an interior, and

a seam that can be opened; and

an electrode pad disposed in the interior, the electrode pad having a lead that extends through the seam of the package.

27. An electrode-pad storage system, comprising:

an electrode-pad package comprising,

a seam,

an opening disposed along the seam,

first and second side portions attached to and separable from one another along the seam, and

a package interior defined by the first and second side portions; and

an electrode pad disposed in the package interior and having a lead that extends through the opening, which is sealed around the lead.

30. An electrode-pad storage system, comprising:

an electrode-pad package comprising,

an opening,

first and second seams that join the opening,

first and second sides attached to and separable from one another along the first and second seams, and

an interior disposed between the first and second sides; and

an electrode pad disposed in the interior and having a lead that extends through the opening, which is sealed around the lead.

31. The electrode-pad storage system of claim 30 wherein the first and second sides respectively include first and second tabs that are aligned with the opening and that facilitate peeling apart the first and second sides along the first and second seams.

32. The electrode-pad storage system of claim 30 wherein the first and second seams taper toward the opening.

33. The electrode-pad storage system of claim 30 wherein the electrode-pad package further comprises:

an edge that is contiguous with the first and second seams;

wherein the first and second sides compose a piece of material that is folded along the edge; and

wherein the first and second sides are peelable along the first and second sides from the opening toward the edge.

34. The electrode-pad storage system of claim 30 wherein the electrode-pad package further comprises:

a region that is opposite the opening;

wherein the first and second seams join the region;

wherein the first and second sides are attached to and separable from one another along the region; and

wherein the first and second sides are peelable along the first and second seams from the opening toward the region.

35. The electrode-pad storage system of claim 30 wherein the opening of the package is sealed.

36. The electrode-pad storage system of claim 30, further comprising a connector coupled to the lead and disposed outside of the electrode-pad package.

38. The defibrillator system of claim 37 wherein the defibrillator comprises a an automatic or semi-automatic external defibrillator.

39. The defibrillator system of claim 37 wherein:

the defibrillator comprises a first connector; and

wherein the defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system comprises a second connector coupled to the lead and disposed outside of the package, the second connector attachable to the first connector.

37. A defibrillator system, comprising:

a defibrillator; and

a defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system, comprising

a package comprising,

an interior, and

a sealed seam that can be peeled open, and

a defibrillator electrode pad disposed in the interior and having a lead that extends through the sealed seam of the package.

40. A defibrillator system, comprising:

a defibrillator; and

a defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system, comprising

a package comprising,

a seam,

an opening disposed along the seam,

first and second sides attached to and separable from one another along the seam, and

a package interior defined by the first and second sides, and

an electrode pad disposed in the package interior and having a lead that extends through the opening, which is sealed around the lead.

41. A defibrillator system, comprising:

a defibrillator; and

a defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system, comprising

a package comprising,

an opening,

first and second seams that are contiguous with the opening,

first and second sides attached to and separable from one another along the first and second seams, and

an interior disposed between the first and second sides, and

an electrode pad disposed in the interior and having a lead that extends through the opening, which is sealed around the lead.

42. A defibrillator system, comprising:

a defibrillator; and

a defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system, comprising

a seam,

first and second side portions attached to and separable from one another along the seam, and

a package interior defined by the seam and the first and second side portions.

43. A method, comprising:

freeing an electrode-pad lead from a package by opening a portion of the package through which the electrode-pad lead extends; and

removing an electrode pad from the package.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein opening comprises opening a portion of a seam through which the lead extends.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein opening comprises separating the package along a portion of a seam through which the lead extends.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein opening comprises peeling apart the package along a portion of a seam through which the lead extends.

47. The method of claim 43, further comprising attaching the electrode pad to a patient after removing the electrode pad from the package.

48. The method of claim 43, further comprising attaching the electrode pad to a medical device after removing the electrode pad from the package.

49. The method of claim 43, further comprising attaching the electrode pad to a medical device before removing the electrode pad from the package.

50. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

wherein the electrode pad comprises a defibrillator electrode pad; and

attaching the defibrillator electrode pad to a defibrillator before removing the defibrillator electrode pad from the package.

51. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

wherein the electrode pad comprises a defibrillator electrode pad; and

attaching the defibrillator electrode pad to a defibrillator after removing the defibrillator electrode pad from the package.

52. A method, comprising:

freeing an electrode-pad lead from a package by peeling apart a portion of a package seam through which the electrode-pad lead extends; and

removing a first electrode pad from the package after peeling apart the portion of the package seam.

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising removing a second electrode pad from the package after peeling apart the portion of the package seam.

54. A method, comprising:

pulling apart a package seam; and

removing an electrode pad from the package after pulling apart the package seam.