DIFFERENTIAL DIAMETER ELECTRODE

• US 20090062897A1
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axelgaard Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Axelgaard Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: AXELGAARD, JENS
• Granted Patent: US 9,072,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/152
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/04 Electrodes electrosurgical electrodes A61B18/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0452 Specially adapted for transcutaneous muscle stimulation [TMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0472 Structure-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence

Abstract

A flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or stimulation electrode includes a conductive fabric and a flexible conductive adhesive with a barrier portion surrounding a perimeter of the fabric for preventing extending and/or extendable frays of the fabric from extending exterior to the adhesive. An electrical lead wire interconnects the conductive fabric with an electrical stimulation device and a non-conductive sheet is disposed on another side of the conductive fabric for preventing undesirable electrical contact with the conductive fabric and providing a border seal.

Claims

1. A flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode comprising:

a conductive fabric comprising conductive fibers for enabling coupling electrical signals to a patient'"'"'s skin, said conductive fabric comprising an array of the conductive fibers with interstitial areas therebetween;

a flexible conductive adhesive, disposed within said interstitial areas and on one side of said conductive fabric, for both adhering the electrode to the skin of a patient and providing an electrical conducting contact therebetween, the adhesive having dimensions greater than corresponding dimensions of said conductive fabric in order to provide a border around said conductive fabric, said border having dimensions greater than any short loose or extended threads from a frayed edge of said conductive fabric;

an electrical lead wire interconnecting with said conductive fabric and adapted for interconnecting with an electrical stimulation device; and

a non-conductive sheet, disposed on another side of said conductive fabric for preventing undesirable electrical contact with the conductive fabric, dimensions of said non-conductive sheet being greater than corresponding dimensions of the adhesive in order to function as a border seal.

2. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 1 wherein the conductive fibers comprise woven conductive fibers and said flexible solid conductive comprises a material of sufficient flexibility to stretch within the interstitial areas and along the one side of the conductive fabric to prevent the flexible conductive adhesive from separating from the conductive fibers.

3. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 1 wherein the conductive fibers comprise knit conductive fibers and said flexible conductive adhesive comprises a material of sufficient flexibility to stretch within the interstitial areas and along the one side of the conductive fabric to prevent the flexible conductive adhesive from separating from the conductive fibers.

4. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 1 wherein the conductive fibers comprise non-woven conductive fibers and said flexible conductive adhesive comprises a material of sufficient flexibility to stretch within the interstitial areas and along the one side of the conductive fabric to prevent the flexible conductive adhesive from separating from the conductive fibers.

5. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 1 further comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive for holding said non-conductive sheet to the conductive fabric and for contacting the electrical lead wire with the conductive fabric.

6. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 1 further comprising a second pressure sensitive adhesive for holding a non-conductive sheet perimeter to the patient'"'"'s skin.

7. A flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode comprising:

a conductive fabric comprising conductive fibers for enabling coupling electrical signals to a patient'"'"'s skin, said conductive fabric comprising an array of the conductive fibers with interstitial areas therebetween;

a flexible conductive adhesive, disposed within said interstitial areas and on one side of said conductive fabric, for both adhering the electrode to the skin of a patient and providing an electrical conducting contact therebetween;

a barrier portion of the conductive adhesive, surrounding a perimeter of the fabric, for preventing extending and extendable frays of the fabric from extending exterior to the adhesive;

an electrical lead wire interconnecting with said conductive fabric and adapted for interconnecting with an electrical stimulation device; and

a non-conductive sheet, disposed on another side of said conductive fabric for preventing undesirable electrical contact with the conductive fabric, dimensions of said non-conductive sheet being greater than corresponding dimensions of the adhesive in order to function as a border seal.

8. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 7 wherein the conductive fibers comprise woven conductive fibers and said flexible conductive adhesive comprises a material of sufficient flexibility to stretch within the interstitial areas and along the one side of the conductive fabric to prevent the flexible conductive adhesive from separating from the conductive fibers.

9. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 7 wherein the conductive fibers comprise knit conductive fibers and said flexible conductive adhesive comprises a material of sufficient flexibility to stretch within the interstitial areas and along the one side of the conductive fabric to prevent the flexible conductive adhesive from separating from the conductive fibers.

10. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 7 wherein the conductive fibers comprise non-woven conductive fibers and said flexible conductive adhesive comprises a material of sufficient flexibility to stretch within the interstitial areas and along the one side of the conductive fabric to prevent the flexible conductive adhesive from separating from the conductive fibers.

11. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 7 further comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive for holding said non-conductive sheet to the conductive fabric and for contacting the electrical lead wire with the conductive fabric.

12. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 7 further comprising a second pressure a second sensitive adhesive for holding a non-conductive sheet perimeter to the patient'"'"'s skin.

13. A flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode comprising:

a conductive fabric comprising conductive fibers for enabling coupling electrical signals to a patient'"'"'s skin, said conductive fabric comprising an array of the conductive fibers with interstitial areas therebetween;

a flexible conductive adhesive, disposed within said interstitial areas and on one side of said conductive fabric, for both adhering the electrode to the skin of a patient and providing an electrical conducting contact therebetween, the adhesive having dimensions greater than corresponding dimensions of said conductive fabric in order to provide a current roll-off safety border;

a electrical lead wire interconnected with said conductive fabric and adapted for interconnection with an electrical stimulation device; and

a non-conductive sheet, disposed on another side of said conductive fabric and adhered thereto by the adhesive disposed in said interstitial areas, for preventing undesirable electrical contact with the conductive fabric, dimensions of said non-conductive sheet being greater than corresponding dimensions of the adhesive in order to function as a seal.

14. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 13 wherein the conductive fibers comprise woven conductive fibers and said flexible conductive adhesive comprises a material of sufficient flexibility to stretch within the interstitial areas and along the one side of the conductive fabric to prevent the flexible conductive adhesive from separating from the conductive fibers.

15. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 13 wherein the conductive fibers comprise knit conductive fibers and said flexible conductive adhesive comprises a material of sufficient flexibility to stretch within the interstitial areas and along the one side of the conductive fabric to prevent the flexible conductive adhesive from separating from the conductive fibers.

16. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 13 wherein the conductive fibers comprise non-woven conductive fibers and said flexible conductive adhesive comprises a material of sufficient flexibility to stretch within the interstitial areas and along the one side of the conductive fabric to prevent the flexible conductive adhesive from separating from the conductive fibers.

17. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 13 further comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive for holding said non-conductive sheet to the conductive fabric and for contacting the electrical lead wire with the conductive fabric.

18. The flexible transcutaneous electrical nerve and/or muscle stimulation electrode according to claim 13 further comprising a second pressure sensitive adhesive for holding a non-conductive sheet perimeter to the patient'"'"'s skin.