Electrode

• US 4,996,989 A
• Filed: 07/19/1990
• Issued: 03/05/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bodylog Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bodylog Incorporated
• Inventors: Avellanet, Frank, Stundel, Avram
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US07/556,861
• Time in Patent Office: 229 Days
• Field of Search: 128/639-641, 128/644, 128/758, 128/802, 128/803
• US Class Current: 600/383
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/274 using snap or button fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]

Abstract

An electrode in the form of a conductive balloon is mounted in a head or other body part band. An open face flange with teeth accurately spaced about the flange is secured to the headband. The teeth extend through the head band from one side and fit into spaced slots or holes in a back plate located on the other side of the headband. A portion of the headband is captured by the teeth between the flange and the back plate. A conductive fabric is held between the open face flange and the headband and covers the opening in the flange. When the flange and back plate are drawn or pressed together and held by the teeth secured in the openings in the back plate part of the captured part of the headband is forced out of the opening in the flange. Since the conductive fabric covers the opening in the flange the conductive fabric is pushed upwards by the headband material forced out of the flange opening forming a conductive balloon electrode.

Claims

1. An electrode for making electrical contact with the skin of an individual, said electrode comprising:

(a) a flange member having an open center area;

(b) a plate member having spaced openings for receiving a connector means for securing said plate member to said flange member;

(c) a connector means coupled to said flange member and spaced about said flange member for engaging said plate member through said spaced openings for connecting said flange member to said plate member;

(d) an electrically conductive resilient material means positioned between said flange member and said plate member for covering said open center area; and

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(e) a mass means positioned between said electrically conductive resilient material means and said plate member and held captive by said connector means and said plate member and said electrically conductive resilient material means, and said mass means forceably directed toward said open center area and out of said open center area by said plate member for forcing said electrically conductive resilient material means out of said open center area for forming an electrically conductive balloon above said open center area.

2. An electrode as in claim 1 and in which said flange member and said plate member and said connector means are each of electric conductor material.

3. An electrode as in claim 1 and in which said mass means has resilient characteristics.

4. An electrode as in claim 3 and in which said mass means is conductive.

5. An electrode as in claim 1 and in which said flange member and said plate member and said connector means and said mass means are each conductive.

6. An electrode as in claim 1 and in which said connector means are prongs and said spaced openings are slots.

7. An electrode as in claim 1 and in which said connector means are threaded screws and said spaced openings are tapped holes receiving said threaded screws.

8. An electrode as in claim 1 and in which said plate member further includes stud means extending from said plate member adapted to be inserted in a socket of a two piece stud/socket snap connector.

9. An electrode as in claim 1 and in which said conductive material is a metal conductor impregnated fabric.

10. An electrode as in claim 9 and in which said metal conductor impregnated fabric is silver impregnated cloth.

11. An electrode as in claim 1 and said electrode further includes a band means having length, width and thickness and said band means includes securing means at opposite ends of said length for securing said band means to a body part of an individual and said flange member is located on one side of said band means and said plate member is located on the other side of said band means and said connector means passes through said thickness of said band means securing a part of said thickness between said flange member and said plate member.

12. An electrode as in claim 11 and in which said mass means is a part of said band means.

13. An electrode as in claim 1 and in which at least said flange member is made of conductive plastic.

15. An electrode as in claim 13 and in which said connector means are prongs connected to and extending from said flange means.

16. An electrode as in claim 15 and in which said spaced openings in said plate means are slotted openings receiving said prongs.

17. An electrode as in claim 13 and in which said conductive means is a conductor impregnated fabric.

18. An electrode as in claim 17 and in which said conductor impregnated fabric is silver impregnated fabric.

19. An electrode as in claim 13 and in which said plate means includes stud means extending there from adapted to be inserted into the socket of a snap fastener.

20. An electrode as in claim 13 and in which said plate means includes socket means adapted to receive a stud means of a snap fastener.

21. An electrode as in claim 13 and in which said band means is a headband adapted to be secured around the head and hold said conductive balloon in electrical contact with the skin on the head.

22. An electrode as in claim 13 and in which said band means is a wrist band adapted to be secured around the wrist and hold said conductive balloon in electrical contact with the skin on said wrist.

23. An electrode as in claim 13 and in which said band means is a chest band adapted to be secured around the chest and hold said conductive balloon in electrical contact with the skin on said chest.

24. An electrode as in claim 13 and in which said band means is an arm band adapted to be secured around the arm and hold said conductive balloon in electrical contact with the skin on said arm.

14. An electrode for making electrical contact with the skin of an individual, said electrode comprising:

(a) a band means having length, width and thickness and at least a portion of said band means having resilience, and said band means having at least two matable parts for securing said band means around a body part for holding said electrode in contact with said skin;

(b) a flange means mounted on a first side of said band means and having an open center area for permitting a part of said band means having resilience, to be forceably bulged out of said open center area;

(c) a plate means mounted on a second side of said band means across from said flange means and essentially in alignment with said flange means, for exerting a force on said band means, across said thickness, for foreceably bulging part of said band means having resilience out of said open center area and, said plate means including spaced opening therein;

(d) a connector means connected to said flange means and adapted to pass through said thickness of said band means, said connector means extending from said flange means to said plate means and into said spaced openings for connecting said plate means to said flange means and for securing a portion of said band means having resilience, between said flange means and said plate means; and

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(e) a conductive means, in electrical contact with said flange means, positioned between said flange means and said first side of said band means and covering that part of said band means having resilience and forceably bulged out of said open center area of said flange means for forming a conductive balloon of said conductive means.

25. A band mounted electrode for making contact with the skin of an individual, said band mounted electrode comprising:

(a) band means having length and width, a first side and a second side and thickness there between and including coupling means on opposite ends of said length for securing said band means around a body part of said individual;

(b) flange means having an open center area and positioned on said first side of said band means;

(c) plate means having spaced openings therein and positioned on said second side of said band means;

(d) connector means secured to said flange means and extending there from through said thickness of said band means toward said plate means and adapted to enter said spaced openings of said plate means for securing said flange means to said plate means and for securing part of said thickness of said band means between said flange means and said plate means; and

(e) conductive means positioned between said flange means and said first side of said band means for covering said open center area, said conductive means being resilient and adapted for ballooning out of said open center area forceably by said thickness of said band means when said flange means and said plate means are secured together by said connector means.

26. A band mounted electrode as in claim 25 and in which said conductive means is a conductor impregnated fabric.

27. A band mounted electrode as in claim 26 and in which said conductor impregnated fabric is silver impregnated fabric.

28. A band mounted electrode as in claim 25 and in which said plate means further includes stud means extending from said plate means away from said band means and adapted to be inserted into the socket of a snap fastener.

29. A band mounted electrode as in claim 25 and in which said plate means further includes socket means adapted to receive a stud means of a snap fastener.