EYELET FOR BIOMEDICAL ELECTRODE AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION THEREOF

• US 20180370088A1
• Filed: 11/29/2016
• Published: 12/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company (Solventum Corp.)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: DERRY, CAMERON E., TRYPHONOPOULOS, JOHN P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/125 characterised by the manufacture of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/257 using adhesive means, e.g. adhesive pads or tapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/265 containing silver or silver chloride
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/266 containing electrolytes, conductive gels or pastes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/268 containing conductive polymers, e.g. PEDOT:PSS polymers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/274 using snap or button fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/461 the rollers having specific surface features
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/463 corrugated, patterned or embossed surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/465 having one or more cavities, e.g. for forming distinct products
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/467 plurality of rollers arranged in a specific manner in relation to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/22 of articles of indefinite length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/222 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/24 Calendering
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/32 Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/34 Feeding the material to the mould or the compression means B29C43/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/44 Compression means for making articles of indefinite length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/46 Rollers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1084 of continuous or running length bonded web
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1092 All laminae planar and face to face
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1093 : with covering of discrete laminae with additional lamina

Abstract

A process for producing an eyelet for a biomedical electrode (e.g. an electrocardiogram (ECG) electrode) involves: hot pressing an electrically conductive thermoplastic or elastomeric resin to produce a film having a web of eyelets, each eyelet having a post protruding from a first face of the film and a flange at a second face of the film; applying a coating of a non-polarizable conductive material (e.g. a silver-containing material) on to a contact face of the flange; and, cutting the film to produce the eyelets separated from the web. Preferably, the process involves extrusion replication. A web of eyelets for biomedical electrodes has a film of an electrically conductive thermoplastic or elastomeric resin possessing a plurality of posts protruding from a first face of the film, and preferably a layer of a non-polarizable conductive material on a second face of the film. The process may be a one-step continuous process that is cheaper and simpler than current commercial processes.

Claims

1. A process for producing an eyelet for a biomedical electrode, comprising:

hot pressing an electrically conductive thermoplastic or elastomeric resin to produce a film comprising a web of eyelets, each eyelet comprising a post protruding from a first face of the film and a flange at a second face of the film;

applying a coating of a non-polarizable conductive material on to a contact face of the flange; and

,

cutting the film to produce the eyelets separated from the web.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the non-polarizable conductive material comprises a silver-containing material.

4. The process according to claim 1, further comprising extruding the electrically conductive thermoplastic or elastomeric resin prior to the hot pressing.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the non-polarizable conductive material is applied on to the second face of the film after which the film is cut to produce the separated eyelets, wherein the flange of each eyelet comprises a contact face coated with the non-polarizable conductive material and the post of each eyelet is not coated with the non-polarizable conductive material.

11. The process according to claim 7, wherein the non-polarizable conductive material is applied by hot pressing a solid non-polarizable conductive material film on to the second face while the resin is being hot-pressed to form the film.

12. The process according to claim 7, wherein the non-polarizable conductive material is applied to the second face by continuously feeding a solid non-polarizable conductive material film comprising a liner with a coating of the non-polarizable conductive material continuously through the nip between the resin and the opposed roll to transfer the non-polarizable conductive material from the liner to the film formed from the resin.

13. The process according to claim 12, wherein the non-polarizable conductive material comprises silver-coated particles.

14. The process according to claim 13, wherein the particles comprise glass.

15. The process according to claim 1, wherein the film is cut to produce an eyelet free of non-polarizable conductive material, the eyelet comprising a contact face and a post, after which the non-polarizable conductive material is applied on to the contact face of the flange.

17. The process according to claim 1, wherein the conductive resin comprises conductive fibers dispersed in a thermoplastic resin matrix.

18. A process for producing a biomedical electrode comprising producing an eyelet by a process as defined in claim 1 and applying a backing material to the eyelet such that the post protrudes through the backing material.

20. The process according to claim 18, further comprising coating the contact face of the flange of the eyelet with a conductive gel or adhesive.

21. The process according to claim 20, further comprising applying a foam layer to contain and/or protect the conductive gel or adhesive.

22. The process according to claim 18, further comprising covering the contact face of the flange with a removable cover.

2. (canceled)

5-6. -6. (canceled)

8-10. -10. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

23-26. -26. (canceled)