Biomedical electrode construction

• US 5,133,355 A
• Filed: 11/05/1991
• Issued: 07/28/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Company
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Strand, Jerome E., Craighead, Lawrence W., Niven, Clarence A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US07/788,192
• Time in Patent Office: 266 Days
• Field of Search: 128/639-641, 128/644, 128/798, 128/802, 128/803
• US Class Current: 600/392
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/259 using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/28 for electrocardiography [ECG]

Abstract

A biomedical electrode is disclosed which generally comprises an insulator construction and a conductor member. The conductor member is preferably a thin flat, flexible member having a pad portion and a tab portion. The insulator construction is arranged such that the conductor member pad portion is positioned on one side of the insulator construction and the tab portion is generally positioned on an opposite side. Three general embodiments are disclosed which achieve this: a first comprising two overlapping sections of insulator material, with the tab portion of the conductor member extending outwardly from therebetween; a second in which two sections of insulator construction material are oriented in a substantially coplanar relationship to define a seam therebetween, through which a portion of the conductor member extends; and, a third in which the insulator construction includes a single sheet of material having a slot therein, through which a portion of the conductor member extends. For any of those three embodiments, a substantially flat arrangement results, with advantages associated therewith. Preferred arrangements having a field of conductive adhesive, associated with the pad portion of the conductor member, completely surrounded by a border of insulator construction and skin adhesive, are described.

Claims

1. A biomedical electrode comprising:

(a) an insulator construction having first and second opposite sides and including first and second sections of substantially non-conductive material, said sections each having an edge portion;

(i) each of said first and second sections defining a portion of said insulator construction first and second opposite sides; and

(ii) said first and second sections being oriented to extend substantially coplanar with one another, with said edge portions oriented opposed to one another, and in non-overlapping relationship to one another, to define a seam in said insulator construction; and

(b) a conductor member having a pad portion and a tab portion;

(i) said conductor member being oriented in said electrode with said pad portion positioned on said first side of said insulator construction, and with said tab portion positioned on said second side of said insulator construction, and said conductor member being oriented with a portion thereof projecting between said first and second section edge portions.

2. A biomedical electrode according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) said insulator construction first side has a larger surface area than a first surface of said conductor member pad portion;

said first side defining a border portion surrounding said conductor member pad portion; and

,

(b) said insulator construction second side has a larger surface area than a first surface of said conductor member tab portion;

said second side defining a border portion surrounding said conductor member tab portion.

3. A biomedical electrode according to claim 2 including:

(a) a layer of conductive adhesive on a side of said conductor member pad portion directed away from said insulator construction first side; and

,

(b) a layer of skin adhesive on said insulator construction first side, said layer of skin adhesive including a portion completely surrounding said layer of conductive adhesive.

4. A biomedical electrode according to claim 3, wherein

(a) said insulator construction includes a polymeric plastic backing;

and

(b) said biomedical electrode includes a layer of scrim extending between at least a portion of said layer of conductive adhesive and at least a portion of said layer of skin adhesive.

5. A biomedical electrode according to claim 4, wherein

(a) said polymeric plastic backing comprises a non-woven pad of melt blown polyurethane fibre.

6. A biomedical electrode according to claim 1 including:

(a) a strip of insulating tape positioned on said insulator construction second side and over said insulator construction seam.

7. A biomedical electrode according to claim 1, wherein

(a) said conductor member comprises a strip of non-conductive plastic material having at least one side with a layer of conductive material adhered thereto.

8. A biomedical electrode according to claim 7, wherein

(a) said conductor member has a conductive layer of silver/silver chloride on only one side thereof;

said conductor member side having said conductive layer thereon comprising;

a side of said pad portion directed away from said insulator construction first side; and

, a side of said tab portion directed toward said insulator construction second side.

9. A biomedical electrode according to claim 1, wherein said insulator construction is flexible and wherein said conductor member is substantially flat and flexible.