FLEXIBLE CUTANEOUS ELECTRODE MATRIX

• US 3,612,061 A
• Filed: 02/20/1969
• Issued: 10/12/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medical Research Institute (Jarrow Formulas Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Carter C. Collins, Robert Bowen
• Inventors: Bowen, Robert, Collins, Carter C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US04/800,948
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 128/404,411,416,418,379,384,2.06 340/407 3/1
• US Class Current: 607/148
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/08 Devices or methods enabling eye-patients to replace direct visual perception by another kind of perception
• 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 1/0484 Garment electrodes worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/321 Electromedical belts
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays

Abstract

A porous sheet of elastic material supports an array of electrodes adapted to contact the wearer'"'"''"'"'s skin. The sheet and electrodes are conformed to the wearer'"'"''"'"'s body configuration by an outer less flexible sheath, interposed resilient material, and adjustable fastening means. The several electrodes are connected to a cable fed with electrical pulses adapted to produce a twodimensional electrical skin stimulation pattern representing or depicting a visible object.

Claims

1. An electrode matrix for pressure contact with a portion of a subject'"'"''"'"'s skin surface, comprising a flexible membrane formed from an electrically conductive material and defining a plurality of apertures, a multirow array of coaxial electrodes supported by said membrane for impressing stimuli corresponding to an image of a visible object to the subject'"'"''"'"'s skin, said electrically conductive material adapted to be grounded and said electrodes adapted to be supplied with electrical signals, insulating support means for electrically insulating each of said electrodes from said electrically conductive material, a flexible backing sheath substantially coextensive with and spaced from said membrane, resilient material interposed between said flexible membrane and said backing sheath, conductor means for coupling electrical signals to said electrodes in said array, said flexible membrane, electrodes, and resilient material conforming to the compound curvature of the subject'"'"''"'"'s skin surface to attain continual skin contact between said electrode matrix and the skin surface, and adjustable fastening means for holding said membrane and electrode array in contact with the skin surface of the subject.

2. The electrode matrix of claim 1 wherein said flexible membrane comprises a sheet of insulating material having said electrically conductive material attached thereto and wherein said insulating material serves as said insulating support means.

3. The electrode matrix of claim 2 wherein said electrically conductive material comprises a conductive layer laminated to said sheet of insulating material.

4. The electrode matrix of claim 2 wherein said electrically conductive material comprises a plurality of conductive rings affixed to said membrane and bounding said apertures respectively.

5. The electrode matrix of claim 1 wherein said backing sheath comprises a material having less compliance than the material comprising said membrane.

6. The electrode matrix of claim 1 wherein said adjustable fastening means comprises a lateral extension of said flexible backing sheath.

7. The electrode matrix of claim 6 wherein said lateral extension comprises a plurality of spaced straps.

8. The electrode matrix of claim 1 wherein said conductor means comprise a plurality of spaced leads extending respectively from said array of electrodes toward said backing sheath, and cable means bundling together said flexible leads and extending said leads in bundled form to a location external of said backing sheath.