MEDICAL ELECTRODE

• US 3,701,346 A
• Filed: 01/04/1971
• Issued: 10/31/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NDM Acquisition Corporation
• Original Assignee: Charles T. Patrick Jr, Roman Szpur
• Inventors: Szpur, Roman, Patrick, Charles T. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/103,498
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.6E,2.1E,404,417,418,DIG.4 206/63.2R
• US Class Current: 600/392
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0217 Electrolyte containing
• 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 5/274 using snap or button fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/04 Electrodes electrosurgical electrodes A61B18/14

Abstract

An electrode for attachment to the skin includes a pad of foamed material soaked with electrode jelly positioned in a low profile cup member and engaging an electrical conductor at the base of the cup member. Because the pad is wetted by the jelly, it adheres to the cup member and conductor. The cup member and soaked pad are protected by a cover, a projecting portion of which engages and holds the pad in the cup member. The area of the projecting portion engaging the pad has a relatively small area in comparison to the area of the pad engaging the cup member base and conductor. The pad therefore has comparatively little adhesion to the projecting portion and the cover can be removed from the electrode without pulling the pad away from the cup member.

Claims

1. A medical electrode of the type adapted to be adhered to the skin and having means defining a cavity opening to the skin and a conductive member at the base of the cavity, wherein the improvement comprises a pad of resilient cellular material loaded with electrolyte and substantially filling said cavity, said pad having a thickness greater than the depth of said cavity whereupon said pad projects outwardly of said cavity when said electrode is stored and is compressed into said cavity when said electrode is adhered to the skin whereupon said pad is held against movement Within said cavity during use of the electrode, and a removable covering for said pad when stored, said covering comprising sheet material having a raised portion overlying said pad and accommodating said greater thickness of said pad.

2. A medical electrode of the type adapted to be adhered to the skin and having means defining a cavity opening to the skin and a conductive member at the base of the cavity, wherein the improvement comprises a pad of cellular material loaded with electrolyte and substantially filling said cavity, said pad having a thickness greater than the depth of said cavity whereupon said pad is compressed when said electrode is adhered to the skin whereupon said pad is held against movement within said cavity during use of the electrode, and a removable protective covering for said pad when stored, said removable protective covering comprising sheet material having a raised portion overlying said pad, said raised portion having a projection engaging said pad for holding said pad in said cavity, the surface area of said projection engaging said pad being less than the surface area of said pad engaging said means, defining said cavity.

3. A medical electrode for use on the skin including an inverted cup member;

an elastic sheet member overlying said cup member;

an adhesive layer on the same side of said elastic sheet as said cup member;

means securing said elastic sheet to said cup member including an electrically conductive member projecting through the base of said cup member adapted to be electrically connected to an external electrically responsive member;

a pad of cellular material soaked with electrode jelly located in and substantially filling the interior of said cup member; and

a protective cover for said jelly-soaked pad comprising a plastic sheet surrounding the open end of said cup member and having a raised portion confronting said pad and spaced therefrom, and a projection extending from said raised portion into engagement with said pad for retaining said pad in said cup member.

4. The medical electrode of claim 3 wherein said pad has a thickness at least as great as the depth of said cup member.

5. The medical electrode of claim 3 wherein said pad has a thickness exceeding the depth of said cup member.

6. The medical electrode of claim 3 wherein the surface area of said projection engaging said pad is significantly less than the surface area of said pad engaging said cup member and said conductive member, whereupon the tendency of said soaked pad to adhere to said projection is less than the tendency of said pad to adhere to said cup member and said protective cover may be removed without removing said pad from said cup member.

7. The medical electrode of claim 3 further including a cover sheet releasably secured to said adhesive layer and means securing said protective cover to said cover sheet.

8. A medical electrode for use on the skin including an inverted cup member;

a flexible elastic sheet overlying and surrounding said cup member;

an adhesive layer on the same side of said elastic sheet as said cup member;

means securing said elastic sheet to said cup member including an electrically conductive member projecting through the base of said cup member adapted to be electrically connected to an external electrically responsive member; and

a pad of resilient cellular material soaked with electrode jelly located in and substantially filling the interior of said cup member, said pad having a thickness exceeding the depth of said cup member whereby said pad is compressed between said electrically conductive member and the skin of a subject to which said elastic sheet is applied, whereby said pad is held in a substantially fixed position during use of the electrode, and a removable covering to protect said pad prior to use of said electrode, said protective covering comprising sheet material and having a raised portion overlying said pad and accommodating the thickness of said pad which exceeds the depth of said cup member.

9. The medical electrode of claim 8 wherein said raised portion has a projection engaging said pad for holding said pad in said cup member.