Method for fabricating a disposable electrode for transcutaneous nerve stimulator

• US 4,580,339 A
• Filed: 08/20/1984
• Issued: 04/08/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EMPI Incorporated (Enovis Corp.)
• Original Assignee: EMPI Incorporated (Enovis Corp.)
• Inventors: Ioffe, Zosim
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arbes, Carl J.
• Application Number:
  US06/642,487
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 128/639, 128/640, 128/641, 29/825, 29/874, 29/878
• US Class Current: 29/825
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/04 using electrically conductive adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors of trolley lines B60M1/28
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A method for fabricating an integral disposal electrode for establishing a low impedance electrical connection to a patient'"'"'s skin. A web of flexible electrically nonconductive adhesive tape, a web of flexible electrically conductive sheet material, a web of flexible biocompatible electrically conductive adhesive polymer material, and a web of nonadhesive protective material are provided and laminated together to form a composite web. The web of adhesive polymer material has a width at least essentially equal to a width of the conductive sheet material web, and less than a width of the nonconductive adhesive tape web. Electrical terminals are attached to the web of conductive sheet material at spaced longitudinal locations. Individual electrodes are formed by severing the laminated composite web in a transverse direction at positions between adjacent spaced electrical terminals.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an integral disposable electrode for establishing a low impedance electrical connection to a patient'"'"'s skin, the method comprising:

providing a first web of flexible electrically nonconductive adhesive tape having a first nonadhesive major surface and a second adhesive major surface, the first web having a first width;

providing a second web of flexible electrically conductive sheet material having first and second major surfaces, the second web having a second width which is less than the first width;

providing a third web of flexible biocompatible electrically conductive adhesive polymer material, the third web having first and second adhesive major surfaces and having a third width which is at least essentially equal to the second width and which is less than the first width;

providing a fourth web of nonadhesive protective material having first and second major surfaces and having a fourth width which is at least essentially equal to the first width;

laminating the first, second, third and fourth webs to form a composite web with the second adhesive major surface of the first web in contact with and adhered to the first major surface of the second web, with the second major surface of the second web in contact with and adhered to first adhesive major surface of the third web, and with the first major surface of the fourth web in contact with the second adhesive major surface of the third web and in contact with portions of the second adhesive major surface of the first web positioned on opposite sides of the third web;

attaching electrical terminals to the second web at spaced longitudinal locations; and

severing the first, second and third webs of the laminated composite web in a transverse direction at positions between adjacent spaced electrical terminals to define individual integral disposable electrodes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical terminals are electrically conductive snap connectors.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the fourth web has a fourth width which is greater than the first width.