Medical electrode

• US 4,838,273 A
• Filed: 06/22/1987
• Issued: 06/13/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NDM, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Cartmell, James V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US07/065,277
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 128/639-641, 128/644, 128/798, 128/802, 128/803
• US Class Current: 600/385
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0217 Electrolyte containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/125 characterised by the manufacture of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/259 using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/274 using snap or button fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/324 Means for providing electrolytes, e.g. syringes

Abstract

The signal conducting element of a medical electrode of the type bridged to skin by electrolyte and which may be X-ray transparent comprises a thin layer of a conductive paint adhered to a relatively thin supporting substrate, said substrate with adhered paint extending remotely from the electrolyte-to-skin interface for circuit connection. The electrolyte may be loaded in a sponge engaging the paint or may be in a conductive adhesive layer applied to the substrate. The electrode may also have a second and more aggressive adhesive for skin attachment. A method for producing assemblies of interconnected electrodes is also described.

Claims

1. A disposable medical electrode assembly comprising a plurality of medical electrodes aligned to form a ribbon of said medical electrodes, each medical electrode comprising a substrate having a tongue at one end thereof and a corresponding opening at the opposite end thereof, said tongue of the one of said substrates at one end of said ribbon projecting therefrom and said tongue of each of the others of said substrates interfitting said corresponding opening of an adjacent substrate, each substrate coated on one face thereof with a first adhesive layer, each electrode having a strip of plastic material adhered to said first adhesive layer, each strip having a paintable conductive layer on the face of said strip facing away from said first adhesive layer and each medical electrode having a deposit of conductive adhesive placed between its tongue and its corresponding opening and lying over a part of said paintable conductive layer.

2. The disposable medical electrode of claim 1 wherein said strip of plastic material extends lengthwise of said tongue and is narrower than said tongue, whereby portions of said first adhesive layer not contacted with said strip flank said strip for adhesive attachment to an electrode connector.

3. In combination, a disposable medical electrode and a conductor for connection of such electrode to peripheral equipment, said electrode comprising a substrate having a tongue portion at one end thereof and a corresponding opening at the opposite end thereof, said substrate having a first adhesive layer on one face thereof, a strip of plastic material adhered to said first adhesive layer, said strip having a paintable conductive layer on the face of said strip facing away from said first adhesive layer, said strip extending along the length of said tongue portion and being narrower than the width of said tongue portion, whereby portions of said first adhesive layer not covered by said strip flank said strip in the region of said tongue portion, said conductor engaging said flanking portions of said first adhesive layer while, simultaneously, lying in contact with said paintable conductive layer.

4. In combination, a disposable medical electrode and a conductor for connection of such electrode to peripheral equipment, said electrode comprising a substrate having a tongue portion at one end thereof and a corresponding opening at the opposite end thereof, said substrate having a first adhesive layer on one face thereof, a strip of plastic material adhered to said first adhesive layer, said strip having a paintable conductive layer on the face of said strip facing away from said first adhesive layer, said strip extending along said tongue portion, there being a portion of said adhesive layer on said tongue portion which is not covered by said strip, said conductor engaging said portion of said adhesive layer not covered by said strip and also lying against said paintable conductive layer.

5. A ribbon of disposable medical electrodes comprising a plurality of substrates, one for each of said electrodes, each of said substrates having tongue portion at one end thereof and a corresponding opening at an opposite end thereof, said tongue portion of the one of said substrates at one end of said ribbon projecting therefrom and said tongue portion of of each of the others of said substrates interfitting the corresponding opening of an adjacent substrates, said ribbon coated on one face thereof with a first adhesive layer, each said electrode having a strip of plastic material extending from its corresponding opening and longitudinally over said tongue portion with said strip adhered to said first adhesive layer, a paintable conductive layer lying on said strip, said paintable layer extending along said ribbon except at the junctions between tongue portions and corresponding openings, a deposit of conductive adhesive material on each of said strips between the tongue portion and the corresponding opening between which said strip extends, and a band of release material wider than said ribbon lying against said first adhesive layer and lying over said deposits of conductive adhesive material.

6. A roll of electrodes comprising a plurality of electrodes, each having a tongue at one end thereof and an opening at the opposite end thereof, said plurality of electrodes being arranged tongue-in-opening to form a continuous strip of said electrodes, each said electrode comprising a substrate having adhesive on one face thereof and conductive means forming a conductor on said substrate, a release paper adhered to the adhesive on said one face of each of said electrodes, said release paper extending continuously along the length of said strip and being wider than said strip, and said strip being rolled to form said roll of electrodes.