DISPOSABLE MEDICAL ELECTRODE WITH LAMINATE CONTACT MEMBER

• US 3,752,151 A
• Filed: 08/30/1971
• Issued: 08/14/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert M. Robichaud
• Original Assignee: Robert M. Robichaud
• Inventors: Robichaud, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/176,050
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.6E,2.6R,2.1E,2.1R,404,411,417,418,DIG.4
• US Class Current: 600/396
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0217 Electrolyte containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/251 Means for maintaining electrode contact with the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/265 containing silver or silver chloride
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/266 containing electrolytes, conductive gels or pastes

Abstract

An electrode which provides improved performance while being characterized by a very economical construction to enhance disposability of the electrode after a single use in an electrocardiograph, heartbeat monitoring device or the like is shown to include a silver-plated, brass, snap-fastener component having a disc-like portion and a projecting ball-shaped portion. A disc of laminate material having a very thin layer of silver chloride bonded to a layer of silver-nickel alloy is secured to the disc-like portion of the snap-fastener by means of a weld which is located close to the edge of the laminate disc and to the edge of the snap-fastener disc portion, the layer of silver chloride being disposed to face away from the snap-fastener. The electrode further includes a body of electrically insulating material which has a central opening and which has an annular groove extending around the wall of the body opening, this annularly grooved portion of the insulating body being fitted over and sealed to the edge of the laminate disc and the edge of snap-fastener disc portion so that the projecting ball-shaped portion of the snap-fastener is disposed at one end of the body opening in a convenient location to be releasably connected to electrical contact means such as a mating snap-fastener component and so that the opposite end of the body opening cooperates with a portion of the silver chloride layer of the laminate disc to define a cavity which receives and holds an electrolyte paste between the layer of silver chloride and the skin of a patient. In this electrode construction, the advantages in performance known to result from the use of a silver chloride layer on a body of silver material are inexpensively achieved and additional improvement in performance is provided by use of a nickel-bearing silver alloy to support the silver chloride material. In addition, although the electrode construction is characterized by low cost, the construction avoids all possible contact of the electrolyte paste with junctures of unlike metal materials in the electrode, thereby avoiding the development of spurious electrochemical effects so that the electrode provides an accurate, rapidly stabilized signal in physiological measuring apparatus with minimal introduction of noise in the signal traceable to the electrode construction.

Claims

2. A disposable electrode as set forth in claim 1 wherein said weld is located adjacent an edge of said element and adjacent said rim of said disc-like portion of said electrically conductive member, said annular groove in said inner diameter portion of said electrically insulating member enclosing said weld therein.

3. A disposable electrode as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electrically insulating member embodies a fusible material and wherein said inner diameter portion of said member is fused to said rim portions of said disc-like portion of said electrically conductive member and said edge portions of said element of laminate material for sealing said rim and edge in said annular groove in said electrically insulating member.

4. A disposable electrode as set forth in claim 6 wherein said electrically insulating member is formed of thermoplastic material and wherein said electrically insulating member is fused to said disc-like portion of said electrically conductive member and to said layer of silver chloride entirely around the peripheries thereof for sealing said rim of said disc-like portion and said edge of said element of laminate material within said annular groove of said electrically insulating material.

5. A disposable electrode for use in physiological testing apparatus comprising a rigid, electrically conductive member having a disc-like portion with a rim and with a pair of oppositely facing disc surfaces and having an integral ball-shaped portion projecting from one of said disc surfaces of said disc-like portion to be releasably engaged by electrical contact means, an element of laminate material having a surface layer of silver chloride which has a thickness at least as small as 0.0002 inches bonded directly to a layer of silver alloy which has at least about 90 DPH hardness and which comprises about 0.3 percent by weight of nickel and the balance silver, said element of laminate material being disposed on the other of said disc surfaces of said disc-like portion of said electrically conductive member with said layer of silver chloride facing away from said electrically conductive member and having a weld located adjacent an edge of said element and adjacent said rim of said disc-like portion of said electrically conductive member securing said element in electrically conductive relation to said electrically conductive member, and an electrically insulating member of thermoplastic material mounting said electrically conductive member, said electrically insulating member having a portion which cooperates with at least a portion of said layer of silver chloride to form a cavity for receiving an electrolyte paste and which defines a cavity rim to be engaged with the body of a patient for enclosing said paste in said cavity to hold said paste between said portion of said layer of silver chloride and said patient'"'"''"'"'s body, said electrically insulating member having an annular groove therein receiving portions of said rim of said disc-like portion of said electrically conductive member and edge portions of said element of laminate material for enclosing said weld between said element and said electrically conductive member within said groove and being fused to said disc-like portion of said electrically conductive member and to said layer of silver chloride to seal said rim and said edge of said laminate material within said groove for mounting said electrically conductive member and for disposing said ball-shaped portion of said electrically conductive member to be releasably engaged by said electrical contact means while said cavity rim is engaged with said patient'"'"''"'"'s body.

6. A disposable electrode as set forth in claim 5 having adhesive material disposed on said portion of said electrically insulating member which defines said cavity rim for adhering said electrode to said patient'"'"''"'"'s body.

7. A disposable electrode for use in physiological testing apparatus comprising a rigid, electrically conductive member having a disc-like portion with a rim and with a pair of oppositely facing disc surfaces and having an integral ball-shaped portion projecting from one of said disc surfaces of said disc-like portion to be releasably engaged by electrical contact means, an element of laminate material having a layer of silver alloy embodying about 0.3 percent by weight nickel and the balance silver and having a surface layer of silver chloride bonded to said layer of silver alloy disposed on the other of said disc surfaces of said disc-like portion of said electrically conductive member in electrically conductive relation to said electrically conductive member with said layer of silver chloride facing away from said electrically conductive member, said element of laminate material and said electrically conductive member being secured in electrically conductive relation to each other by a weld between limited portions of said element and of said disc-like portion of said electrically conductive member, and an annular electrically insulating member having an inner diameter portion mounting said element anD said electrically conductive member, said electrically insulating member having a portion which cooperates with at least a portion of said layer of silver chloride to form a cavity for receiving an electrolyte paste and which defines a cavity rim to be engaged with the body of a patient for enclosing said paste in said cavity to hold said paste between said portion of said layer of silver chloride and said patient'"'"''"'"'s body, said annular electrically insulating member having an annular groove in said inner diameter portion thereof receiving said rim of said disc-like portion of said electrically conductive member and receiving the edges of said element of laminate material for mounting said element and electrically conductive member and for exposing said ball-shaped portion of said electrically conductive member to be releasably engaged by said electrical contact means while said cavity rim is engaged with said patient'"'"''"'"'s body.