DISPOSABLE ELECTRODE FOR ELECTRO-STIMULATION

• US 20130197341A1
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Grob, Timon Rutger, De Laat, Antonius Wilhelmus Maria, Beckers, Lucas Johannes Anna Maria, Ter Laak, Michael Johan Ferdinand Marie, Franklin, Steven Ernest, Wheelhouse, Sean Scott, Voncken, Fudolf Maria Jozef, Huurdeman, Judith Petra, Steijvers, Ronaldus Mathias Hubertus
• Granted Patent: US 9,131,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/391
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/259 using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0408 Use-related aspects
• 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 1/048 Electrodes characterised by a specific connection between lead and electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0488 Details about the lead
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0496 characterised by using specific chemical compositions, e.g. hydrogel compositions, adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing

Abstract

An electrode configured to provide electrical contact with a subject'"'"'s skin and includes a conductive layer and a gel layer. The conductive layer spreads current and transmits electrical signals to and/or receives electrical signals from the subject'"'"'s skin and has a first conductive surface through which electrical signals are transmitted to and/or received from the subject'"'"'s skin. The first conductive surface is on a side of the conductive layer that faces toward the subject'"'"'s skin if the electrode is installed on the subject. The gel layer is formed on the same side of the conductive layer as the first conductive surface. The gel layer has a first interface surface that directly contacts the subject'"'"'s skin if the electrode is installed on the subject, and to conduct electrical signals between the subject'"'"'s skin and the first conductive surface. The first interface surface has a surface area larger than that of the first conductive surface.

Claims

1. An electrode configured to provide electrical contact with a subject'"'"'s skin, the electrode comprising:

a conductive layer configured to spread current and to transmit electrical signals to and/or receive electrical signals from the subject'"'"'s skin, the conductive layer having a first conductive surface through which electrical signals are transmitted to and/or received from the subject'"'"'s skin, the first conductive surface being on a side of the conductive layer that faces toward the skin of the subject if the electrode is installed on the subject;

a gel layer formed on the same side of the conductive layer as the first conductive surface, the gel layer having a first interface surface configured to directly contact the subject'"'"'s skin if the electrode is installed on the subject, and to conduct electrical signals between the subject'"'"'s skin and the first conductive surface, the first interface surface having a surface area larger than that of the first conductive surface.

2. The electrode of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive layer having a second interface surface configured to contact and adhere to the subject'"'"'s skin, the adhesive layer being positioned relative to the gel layer such that the first interface surface is flush with the second interface surface.

3. The electrode of claim 2, wherein the adhesive layer generally surrounds a periphery of the gel layer.

4. The electrode of claim 1, wherein the gel layer and the conductive layer are formed such that a footprint of the first interface surface overlaps the entirety of a footprint of the first conductive surface.

5. The electrode of claim 1, further comprising a first layer having a connector contact surface configured to connect the electrode to an external electrical apparatus, wherein the first layer has a generally flat back surface on the same side of the electrode as the connector contact surface and a detent in the flat back surface, the connector contact surface being located in the detent.

6. An electrode configured to provide electrical contact with a subject'"'"'s skin, the electrode comprising:

means for transmitting electrical signals to and/or receive electrical signals from the subject'"'"'s skin, the transmission provided by a conductive layer having a first conductive surface configured to transmit electrical signals to and/or receive electrical signals from the subject'"'"'s skin, the first conductive surface being on a side of the conductive layer that faces toward the skin of the subject if the electrode is installed on the subject;

means for conducting electric signals between the subject'"'"'s skin and the first conductive surface, the conduction provided by a gel layer formed on the same side of the conductive layer as the first conductive surface, the gel layer having a first interface surface configured to directly contact the subject'"'"'s skin if the electrode is installed on the subject, the first interface surface having a surface area larger than that of the first conductive surface.

7. The electrode of claim 6, further comprising means for contacting and adhering the electrode to a subject'"'"'s skin, the contact and adhesion provided by an adhesive layer having a second interface surface, the adhesive layer being positioned relative to the gel layer such that the first interface surface is flush with the second interface surface.

8. The electrode of claim 7, wherein the adhesive layer generally surrounds a periphery of the gel layer.

9. The electrode of claim 6, wherein the gel layer and the conductive layer are formed such that a footprint of the first interface surface overlaps the entirety of a footprint of the first conductive surface.

10. The electrode of claim 6, further comprising means for connecting the electrode to an external electrical apparatus, wherein the connection is provided by a first layer having a connector contact surface configured to connect the electrode to an external electrical apparatus, and wherein the first layer has a generally flat back surface on the same side of the electrode as the connector contact surface and a detent in the flat back surface, the connector contact surface being located in the detent.

11. A method of manufacturing an electrode for providing electrical contact with a subject'"'"'s skin, comprising:

forming a conductive layer configured to transmit electrical signals to and/or receive electrical signals from the subject'"'"'s skin, the conductive layer having a first conductive surface through which electrical signals are transmitted to and/or received from the subject'"'"'s skin, the first conductive surface being on a side of the conductive layer that faces toward the skin of the subject if the electrode is installed on the subject; and

forming a gel layer on the same side of the conductive layer as the first conductive surface, the gel layer having a first interface surface configured to directly contact the subject'"'"'s skin if the electrode is installed on the subject, and to conduct electrical signals between the subject'"'"'s skin and the first conductive surface, the first interface surface having a surface area larger than that of the first conductive surface.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming an adhesive layer having a second interface surface configured to contact and adhere to the subject'"'"'s skin, the adhesive layer being positioned relative to the gel layer such that the first interface surface is flush with the second interface surface.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the adhesive layer generally surrounds a periphery of the gel layer.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the gel layer and the conductive layer are formed such that a footprint of the first interface surface overlaps the entirety of a footprint of the first conductive surface.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming a first layer having a connector contact surface configured to connect the electrode to an external electrical apparatus, wherein the first layer has a generally flat back surface on the same side of the electrode as the connector contact surface and a detent in the flat back surface, the connector contact surface being located in the detent.