Biomedical dispersive electrode

• US 20060074411A1
• Filed: 08/16/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ElectroMedical Associates, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Granite Advisory Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Carmel, Yuval, Shkvarunets, Anatoly
• Granted Patent: US 7,771,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/16 Indifferent or passive electrodes for grounding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 using more than two electrodes on a single probe

Abstract

Herein is disclosed a biomedical dispersive electrode which can redistribute the current in the subject body, increase subject safety, reduce the chance for burns and other tissue damage as well as discomfort experienced by subject during or after usage. Electrodes based on the principles of this invention can be made smaller than electrodes based on the principles of the prior art.

Claims

1. A biomedical electrode adapted for use in combination with an electrical generator said electrode comprising:

(a) a layer of conductive dielectric;

(b) a series of discrete electrical conductors mounted to one side of said conductive dielectric layer; and

(c) one or more electrical connections attached at one end to one or more of said electrical conductors, said other end for connection to the electrical generator to establish a return current thereto,

wherein said biomedical electrode provides a favorable redistribution of current at a subject contacting surface.

2. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said electrical connections are attached to an innermost electrical conductor.

3. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said electrical connections are attached to an outermost electrical conductor.

4. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said conductive dielectric has an electrical resistivity ranging from 0.1 to 200 ohm ·

m.

5. The biomedical electrode of claim 4, wherein said electrical resistivity ranges from 1 to 20 ohm ·

m.

6. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said electrode provides a substantially uniform current density at the subject contacting surface.

7. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said electrode provides a non-uniform current density at the subject contacting surface.

8. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said electrode comprises a passive dispersive electrode that collects current induced in the body of the subject by said electrical generator.

9. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein the electrical conductors are supplied with external voltage through a series of separate electrical connectors, each of which is attached to a separate electrical conductor.

10. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said electrode comprises a thin, flexible pad adapted to conform to the body of the subject.

11. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, further comprising an electrically non-conductive backing layer disposed over said electrical conductors, opposite said layer of conductive dielectric.

12. The biomedical electrode of claim 11, further comprising a film of adhesive adhering said electrical conductors to said backing layer.

13. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said conductive dielectric layer comprises a conducting gel that conforms to the shape of the subject'"'"'s body.

14. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein the outer edges of said conductive dielectric layer extend beyond a perimeter defined by said conductors.

15. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein the outer edges of said electrical conductors are curvilinear or waved.

16. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said conductive dielectric layer is of non-uniform thickness.

17. The biomedical electrode of claim 16, wherein the thickness of said conductive dielectric layer increases from its center point to its outer edges.

18. The biomedical electrode of claim 16, wherein the thickness of said conductive dielectric layer smoothly tapers from a first thickness at its outer edge to a reduced second thickness at its center point.

19. The biomedical electrode of claim 16, wherein the thickness of said conductive dielectric layer decreases in a stepwise fashion from a first thickness at its outer edge to a reduced second thickness at its center point.

20. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, further comprising an additional layer of conductive dielectric material disposed over said electrical conductors such that the electrical conductors are sandwiched between two layers of conductive dielectric material.

21. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, further comprising one or more lumped circuit elements electrically connecting said discrete conductors, said circuit elements disposed on the side of said conductors opposite to said conductive dielectric layer.

22. The biomedical electrode of claim 21, wherein said lumped circuit elements are selected from the group consisting of resistors, capacitors, inductors and combinations thereof.

23. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said one or more electrical connections comprises an insulated wire.

24. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said electrical conductors are symmetrically disposed about the center of said conductive dielectric layer.

25. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said electrical conductors comprise a central plate surrounded by one or more concentric rings.

26. The biomedical electrode of claim 25, wherein the shape of said central plate and its corresponding concentric rings is selected from the group consisting of a circle, an ellipse, a rectangle, a square, a polygon and symmetric and non-symmetric combinations thereof.

27. The biomedical electrode of claim 25, wherein said central plate and/or one or more of said concentric rings is split into two discrete halves.

28. The biomedical electrode of claim 27, wherein said electrode comprises two electrical connections, a first connection attached to a first half of said central plate and a second connection attached to a second half of said central plate.

29. The biomedical electrode of claim 25, wherein said concentric rings are connected to each other so as to form a multi-turn spiral.

30. The biomedical electrode of claim 29, wherein said central plate is connected to said multi-turn spiral.

31. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said electrical conductors comprise a pair of nested spirals.

32. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said electrical conductors comprise a pair of mirror-image spirals.

33. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said electrical conductors comprise a pair of mirror-image split spirals.

35. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said electrical connections are attached to an innermost electrical conductor.

36. The biomedical electrode of claim 1, wherein said electrical connections are attached to an outermost electrical conductor.

34. A biomedical electrode adapted for use in combination with an electrical generator said electrode comprising:

(a) a layer of conductive dielectric;

(b) one or more electrical conductors mounted to one side of said conductive dielectric layer; and

(c) one or more electrical connections attached at one end to one or more of said electrical conductors, said other end for connection to the electrical generator to establish a return current thereto,

wherein said biomedical electrode provides a favorable redistribution of current at the subject contacting surface, further wherein the outer edges of said conductive dielectric layer extend beyond a perimeter defined by said one or more electrical conductors.

37. The biomedical electrode of claim 34, wherein the outer edges of said electrical conductors are curvilinear or waved.

38. The biomedical electrode of claim 34, wherein said conductive dielectric layer is of non-uniform thickness.

39. The biomedical electrode of claim 38, wherein the thickness of said conductive dielectric layer increases from its center point to its outer edges.

40. The biomedical electrode of claim 38, wherein the thickness of said conductive dielectric layer smoothly tapers from a first thickness at its outer edge to a reduced second thickness at its center point.

41. The biomedical electrode of claim 38, wherein the thickness of said conductive dielectric layer decreases in a stepwise fashion from a first thickness at its outer edge to a reduced second thickness at its center point.

42. The biomedical electrode of claim 34, further comprising an additional layer of conductive dielectric material disposed over said electrical conductors such that the electrical conductors are sandwiched between two layers of conductive dielectric material.

43. The biomedical electrode of claim 34, wherein said electrode comprises a series of discrete electrical conductors.

44. The biomedical electrode of claim 43, said series of electrical conductors is symmetrically disposed about the center of said conductive dielectric layer.

45. The biomedical electrode of claim 43, wherein said series of electrical conductors comprises a central plate surrounded by one or more concentric rings.