Electrical sensing and/or signal application device

• US 20040210122A1
• Filed: 04/15/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Sieburg, Willi
• Granted Patent: US 7,103,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/393
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0476 Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

The electrical signal sensing and/or signal application device for sensing electrical signals on a surface and/or for applying electrical signals to a surface, particularly of human or animal skin or other organs or tissues, comprises a substrate (12) having first and second major surfaces (14), and a plurality of electrodes (16) arranged on the first major surface (14) of the substrate (12) and projecting therefrom, each of the electrodes (16) comprising a pointed contact end (36) facing away from the substrate (12) for contacting the surface, and a base end (26) facing towards the substrate (12). On the first or second or both major surfaces (14) of the substrate (12) there is arranged a plurality of first contact pads (22) for electrical connection to contact elements of an evaluation and/or driving means for evaluating the sensed electric signals and/or applying signals to the electrodes (16), the first contact pads (22) being electrically connected to the electrodes (16). The first major surface (14) of the substrate (12) comprises, for each electrode (16), a second contact pad (18) the base ends (26) of the electrodes electrically and mechanically connected to the second contact pads (18). Each electrode (18) is generated by bonding an electrically conductive bonding wire to a second contact pad (18) for generating a thickened socket portion (24) of the electrode comprising its base end (26), and by tearing the bonded bonding wire off the socket portion (24) so as to generate a pointed portion (34) of the electrode (16) comprising its pointed contact end (36) and projecting from the socket portion (24) thereof.

Claims

1. An electrical signal sensing and/or signal application device for sensing electrical signals on a surface and/or for applying electrical signals to a surface, particularly of human or animal skin or other biological organs or tissues, comprising

a substrate (12) having first and second major surfaces (14),

a plurality of electrodes (16) arranged on the first major surface (14) of said substrate (12) and projecting therefrom, each of said electrodes (16) comprising a pointed contact end (36) facing away from said substrate (12) for contacting the surface, and a base end (26) facing towards said substrate (12), and

a plurality of first contact pads (22) arranged on said first or second or both major surfaces (14) of said substrate (12) for electrical connection to contact elements of an evaluation and/or driving means for evaluating the sensed electric signals and/or applying signals to said electrodes (16), said first contact pads (22) being electrically connected to said electrodes (16),

wherein said first major surface (14) of said substrate (12) comprises, for each electrode (16), a second contact pad (18) said base ends (26) of said electrodes being electrically and mechanically connected to said second contact pads (18), and

wherein each electrode (16) is generated by bonding an electrically conductive bonding wire to a second contact pad (18) for generating a thickened socket portion (24) of said electrode comprising its base end (26), and by tearing the bonded bonding wire off the socket portion (24) so as to generate a pointed portion (34) of said electrode (16) comprising its pointed contact end (36) and projecting from the socket portion (24) thereof.

2. The electrical signal sensing and/or signal application device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate (12) is flexible.

3. The electrical signal sensing and/or signal application device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate (12) is rigid.

4. The electrical signal sensing and/or signal application device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said second contact pads (18) are electrically connected to the first contact pads (18) of said substrate (12) via electrically conductive traces (20) arranged on said substrate (12).

5. The electrical signal sensing and/or signal application device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said first contact pads (22) are arranged on said second major surface of said substrate (12) and flush with the second contact pads (18) and are electrically connected to said second contact pads (18) by conductor portions extending through said substrate (12).

6. The electrical signal sensing and/or signal application device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said socket portions (24) of said electrodes (16) are connected to said electrode contact pads (18) by thermal bonding or ultrasonic bonding or both.

9. Use of the device of any one of claims 1 to 6 or the device manufactured according to claim 7 or 8 for biomedical applications, in particular for dermal diagnostic and for sensing and/or stimulating biological tissue or organs or cells.

7. A method for manufacturing an electrical signal sensing and/or signal application device for sensing electrical signals to a surface and/or for applying an electrical signal to a surface, particularly of human or animal skin or other biological organs or tissues, said method comprising the steps of

providing a substrate (12) having first and second major surfaces (14),

forming first and second contact pads (22,18) on said first or said second or both major surface (14) of said substrate (12),

providing electrically conductive traces (20) at said substrate (12) for electrically connecting said first and second contact pads (22,18),

forming protruding electrodes (16) onto said second contact pads (18) by bonding a bonding wire to each of said second contact pads (18) for generating a socket portion (24) of the respective electrode (16) bonded to said second contact pad (18), and by tearing said bonded bonding wire off said respective socket portion (24) so as to generate pointed portions (34) of said electrodes (16) protruding from said socket portions (24) thereof.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said bonding wire is thermally bonded or ultrasonically bonded or both to said second contact pads (18) of said substrate (12).