Electrode system

• US 4,381,789 A
• Filed: 11/03/1980
• Issued: 05/03/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Naser, Georg, Strahwald, Franz, Szehi, Erich
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US06/203,431
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 128/639-641, 128/643, 128/644, 128/783, 128/798, 128/799, 128/802, 128/803
• US Class Current: 607/152
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0468 Specially adapted for promoting wound healing
• 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 1/048 Electrodes characterised by a specific connection between lead and electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence

Abstract

In the exemplary embodiments, a multiple electrode for interference current therapy includes individual contact parts for emplacement on the patient at the location of application, and from which connection lines lead to the operational apparatus, or the like. In order to guarantee as simple as possible an application of the electrode system, an extended area-flexible formed part of electrically insulating plastic has flexible, electrically conductive plastic parts, as electrode contact parts, embedded in a smooth fashion. A good adaptation of the electrode system to different contours of the application location on the patient'"'"'s body thus results.

Claims

1. An electrode system for supplying electric signals to a body surface of a patient, said system comprising an electrode arrangement including a housing, electrode contact means supported by said housing for emplacement in conforming relation to the body surface of the patient for supplying electrical signals to the patient, and electrical line means electrically connected to the electrode contact means and leading from the housing for electrical connection with an interference current apparatus, or the like, said electrode arrangement having an extended area frontal face for disposition in confronting conforming relation to the body surface of the patient, the housing being an extended area flexible generally flat formed layer of electrically insulating plastic;

said electrode contact means comprising flexible electrically conductive layers of extended area generally flat configuration having extended area interior surfaces within the housing and extended area exterior surfaces disposed exterior to the housing and separated by a thickness dimension from the extended area interior surfaces;

flexible wire webs of electrically conductive material and of generally flat extended area configuration and of area substantially corresponding to the area of the interior and exterior surfaces and being embedded at the interior surfaces so as to be separated from said exterior surfaces of said flexible electrically conductive layers, said flexible wire webs being connected with said electrical line means such that electric signals are supplied from the electrical line means to the wire webs and from the wire webs through the thickness dimension of the flexible electrically conductive layers to substantially the entire area of the exterior surfaces of said flexible electrically conductive layers;

said flexible electrically conductive layers (3-5, 11-13) being of material sealable with said electrically insulating plastic and being embedded flatwise in said generally flat formed layer (2,

     10) of said electrically insulating plastic in such a fashion that the exterior surfaces of the flexible electrically conductive layers and adjacent surfaces of the generally flat formed layer of said electrically insulating plastic are continuously sealed to each other at their boundaries and such that said electrode arrangement as a whole has a substantially constant flexibility over the entire extent thereof which is to be conformed to the body surface.

2. An electrode system according to claim 1, with said electrically conductive layers comprising contact parts (3-5, 11-13) with respective exterior surfaces forming said exterior surfaces of said electrically conductive layers and projecting beyond the adjacent surfaces of the formed layer (2, 10) of said electrically insulating plastic.

3. An electrode system according to claim 1, with said electrically conductive layers comprising electrode contact parts (3, 4, 5) forming a triple electrode, the formed layer (2) of said electrically insulating plastic having a star-shaped surface with lobe-shaped parts which are offset 120°

, respectively, which each support a contact part (3, 4,

     5), the contact parts being continuously sealed to the respective lobe-shaped parts.

4. An electrode system according to claim 3, with the lobe-shaped parts being approximately square and exhibiting rounded corners.

5. An electrode system according to claim 1, with the electrically conductive layers comprising contact parts (11-13), and the formed layer (10) of said electrically insulating plastic being band-shaped and joining the contact parts (11-13) in tandem.

6. An electrode system according to claim 5, with the electrically conductive layers comprising contact parts (11-13) having approximately triangular surfaces and being inserted with the centroids alternately oppositely offset in the band-shaped formed layer (10) of said electrically insulating plastic.

7. An electrode arrangement according to claim 1, with the electrical line means comprising connection lines (21-23) connected to the wire webs of the electrically conductive layers (3-5, 11-13);

having polytitrafluoroethylene coverings and being sealed into the formed layer (2,

     10) while laid out along paths with loops therein.

8. An electrode system according to claim 1, with a coupling part (24) arranged on the formed layer (2, 10), and having a common cable (7) connected therewith and comprised of said electrical line means.

9. An electrode system according to claim 8, with the coupling part (24) having a pull relief (32) for the cable (7).

10. An electrode system according to claim 8, with the cable (7) being in the form of a flat wire cable which is connected in the coupling part (24) with the electrical line means (21-23) of the electrically conductive layers (3-5) by means of pinch connections.

11. An electrode system according to claim 1, with a coupling part of the formed layer (10) being in the form of a plug and socket type connector.

12. An electrode system according to claim 1, with said electrically conductive layers comprising electrically conductive plastic parts (3-5 11-13), and said flexible wire webs comprising wire gauze (15-17) embedded in the respective electrically conductive plastic parts (3-5, 11-13).

13. An electrode system according to claim 1, with said flexible generally flat formed layer of electrically insulating plastic and said flexible electrically conductive layers means being tightly sealed through vulcanization.

14. An electrode system according to claim 13, with said flexible wire webs being embedded at the interior surfaces of said flexible electrically conductive layers by vulcanization.

15. An electrode system according to claim 1, with said electrically conductive layers comprising electrically conductive plastic parts, and said flexible wire webs comprising wire gauze vulcanized in the respective electrically conductive plastic parts.