Electrode and conductor therefor

• US 3,976,055 A
• Filed: 11/27/1974
• Issued: 08/24/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conmed Corporation (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NDM, Inc.
• Inventors: Monter, Robert Paul, Cartmell, James Vernon, Hall, Albert Moore
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/527,033
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.06 E, 128/2.1 E, 128/416, 128/417, 128/418, 128/DIG. 4, 174/68 A, 252/502, 252/503, 252/511, 252/513, 252/514
• US Class Current: 600/387
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0217 Electrolyte containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/252 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/274 using snap or button fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/276 Protection against electrode failure

Abstract

An electrode for sensing signals such as electrocardiograph signals used with an electrolyte is formed from an electrically conductive but galvanicallly inactive material having a galvanically active conductive material at the electrolyte interface. Examples are described including a body formed from a plastic or other non-conductive binder rendered conductive by inclusion of finely divided conductive carbon and having one or more metal particles anchored to the surface of the body which contacts the electrolyte.

Claims

1. A conductor adapted to be bridged to a source of periodically varying signals by an electrolyte contacted to one surface of said conductor and also contacted to said source, said conductor comprising:

a first conductor material and a second conductor material contacting said first conductor material, said first conductor material being galvanically inactive, said second conductor material being galvanically active and being anchored to and exposed at said surface.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first conductor material comprises a non-conductive binder rendered conductive by inclusion of electrically conductive carbon dispersed therethrough.

3. The conductor of claim 2 in which said electrically conductive carbon is present in the amount of 20 to 50-weight percent of said conductor.

4. The conductor of claim 1 wherein said second conductor material is metal.

5. The conductor of claim 4 in which said metal comprises at least one metal particle embedded in said surface.

6. The conductor of claim 1 in which said first conductor material comprises a plastic body formed from a non-conductive binder rendered conductive by inclusion of electrically conductive carbon dispersed therethrough and in which said plastic body has plural metal particles dispersed therethrough, said one metal particle being one of said plural metal particles.

7. The conductor of claim 6 in which said metal particles are silver particles.

8. The conductor of claim 7 in which the concentration of silver particles in said conductor is in the range of 0.7 to 30-weight percent.

9. The conductor of claim 7 in which the concentration of silver particles in said conductor is approximately 15-weight percent.

10. The conductor of claim 6 in which said metal particles are zinc particles.

11. The conductor of claim 10 in which the concentration of zinc particles in said conductor is approximately 30-weight percent.

12. The conductor of claim 6 wherein a portion of said first conductor material is located at said surface.

13. The conductor of claim 5 wherein a portion of said first conductor material is located at said surface.

14. The conductor of claim 1 in which said first conductor material comprises a body of plastic rendered conductive by included carbon, and said second conductor material comprises a metal adhered to said surface.

15. The conductor of claim 1 wherein said second conductor material comprises a metal paint.

16. An electrode for use in sensing periodically varying signals, said electrode comprising a formed body of non-conductive material rendered conductive by inclusion of galvanically inactive conductive particles dispersed therethrough, electrolyte means engaged with a surface of said body, said body having a particle of galvanically active conductive material anchored thereto contacting a portion of said conductive particles and contacting said electrolyte means, and means spaced from said surface for electrically connecting said body to signal monitoring equipment.

17. The electrode of claim 16 in which said body has plural metal particles dispersed therethrough, said particle of galvanically active conductive material anchored to said body comprising one of said plural metal particles.

18. The electrode of claim 16 wherein said means spaced from said surface includes a metal snap fastener part seized to said body.

19. The electrode of claim 16 in which said electrolyte means comprises a pad of cellular material soaked with electrolyte jelly.

20. An electrode for use in sensing periodically varying signals, said electrode comprising a formed body of non-conductive material, said body having a portion shaped for connection to signal monitoring equipment, a galvanically active conductive element anchored to a surface of said body spaced from said portion, means including conductive but galvanically inactive material dispersed in said body to provide electrical communication between said portion and said element, and electrolyte means contacting said element for bridging said element to a source of the periodically varying signals to be sensed.

21. In a medical electrode of the type having an electrode element, said electrode element having a surface portion for engagement with an electrolyte and means spaced from said surface portion for connection to monitoring equipment through an external conductor, the improvement wherein said electrode element comprises a formed non-conductive piece loaded with a dispersion of conductive but galvanically inactive particles, and galvanically active conductive means anchored to and exposed at said surface portion and engaging a portion of said dispersed conductive particles.

22. The improvement of claim 21 wherein said dispersed particles are carbon.

23. The improvement of claim 21 wherein said galvanically active conductive means comprises a metal particle.

24. The improvement of claim 23 wherein said metal particle is silver.

25. The improvement of claim 23 wherein said metal particle is zinc.

26. The improvement of claim 21 wherein said metal particle is a substantially pure metal and wherein there is no metal other than the same substantially pure metal exposed at said surface portion.

27. The improvement of claim 21 wherein said electrode element is molded from a mix having 0.7 to 30 percent by weight metal particles, said galvanically active conductive means being at least one of the particles in the mix from which said member is molded.

28. The improvement of claim 27 wherein said metal particles are substantially pure silver.

29. The improvement of claim 27 wherein said metal particles are substantially pure zinc.

30. The improvement of claim 21 wherein said electrode element is formed to comprise a generally cylindrical body having a circular flange at one end thereof and a head at the other end thereof, said surface portion comprising the surface of said flange opposite said head, and said means for connection to monitoring equipment including said head.

31. The improvement of claim 30 wherein said means for connection to monitoring equipment further includes a metal snap fastener part into which said head is press fitted.

32. The improvement of claim 30 wherein said head is provided with a hole for receiving a conductive jack for connection to external monitoring equipment.

33. The improvement of claim 21 wherein said electrode element is disc-shaped with a projecting hub portion from which projects a central stub having a hole adapted to receive a conductive jack.

34. The improvement of claim 21 wherein said electrode is formed as a suction cup having means for connection to an external connector and means for connection to a resilient bulb.

35. A conductor comprising:

a homogeneous mixture including a non-conductive binder, conductive, galvanically inert particles dispersed throughout said binder, and metal particles dispersed throughout said binder, at least one of which is exposed at a surface thereof, said inert particles and metal particles being present in the amount of 20 to 50-weight percent inert particles and 0.7 to 30-weight percent metal particles.

36. The conductor of claim 35 wherein said inert particles are carbon present in the amount of 25 to 30-weight percent and said metal particles are substantially pure silver present in the amount of approximately 15-weight percent.

37. The conductor of claim 35 wherein said homogeneous mixture is molded.

38. The conductor of claim 35 wherein said inert particles are carbon present in the amount of 25 to 30-weight percent and said metal particles are substantially pure zinc present in the amount of approximately 30-weight percent.