Biomedical electrode having a disposable electrode and a reusable leadwire adapter that interfaces with a standard leadwire connector

• US 6,023,631 A
• Filed: 06/17/1998
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conmed Corporation (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NDM, Inc.
• Inventors: Sturtevant, Wayne Robert, Wolf, Michael Lee, Cartmell, James Vernon
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda C. M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ruddy, David M.
• Application Number:
  US09/099,240
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 439/909, 606/32, 600/372, 600/382, 600/384, 600/386, 600/397, 607/149, 607/152, 607/153
• US Class Current: 600/372
• 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 5/259 using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/274 using snap or button fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/909 Medical use or attached to human body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/108 Flash, trim or excess removal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1082 Partial cutting bonded sandwich [e.g., grooving or incising]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A biomedical electrode for an electrocardiograph or similar device is provided. The biomedical electrode includes a disposable electrode having an electrically conductive gel layer and a smooth layer film. The disposable electrode interfaces with a reusable leadwire connector having the relatively expensive metallic conductive material. The reusable leadwire adapter includes a vinyl top layer which attaches to the smooth layer film of the disposable electrode through surface attraction. The reusable leadwire adapter may include a suction cup which attaches to the disposable electrode through a partial vacuum. The reusable leadwire also includes a stud member which snaps into a standard leadwire connector.

Claims

1. A reusable leadwire adapter for use with a standard leadwire connector comprising:

a top layer having an upper side, a lower side having a reusable self-adhering film, and a first opening;

a conductive terminal having a base portion integrally joined to a stud member, said base portion mounted to said upper side of said top layer over said first opening, said stud member sized to interface with said standard leadwire connector; and

a conductive eyelet mounted to said lower side of said top layer over said first opening and electrically coupled to said base portion of said conductive terminal.

2. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 1 wherein said conductive terminal comprises a metallic material.

3. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 2 wherein said metallic material comprises stainless steel.

4. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 1 wherein said conductive eyelet comprises at least one metallic particle.

5. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 4 wherein said at least one metallic particle is silver.

6. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 5 wherein said silver is chlorinated.

7. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 1 wherein said top layer comprises a polyurethane material.

8. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 1 wherein said top layer comprises a polyvinylchloride material.

9. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 1 wherein said top layer includes a smooth layer film positioned on said upper side of said top layer.

10. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 9 wherein said smooth layer film is a polyethylene material.

11. A reusable leadwire adapter for use with a standard leadwire connector comprising:

a suction cup top layer having an upper side, a lower side and a first opening;

a conductive terminal having a base portion integrally joined to a stud member, said base portion mounted to said upper side of said suction cup top layer over said first opening, said stud member sized to interface with said standard leadwire connector; and

a conductive eyelet mounted to said lower side of said suction cup top layer over said first opening so that an air tight seal is formed between said conductive eyelet and said first opening, and wherein said conductive eyelet is electrically coupled to said base portion of said conductive terminal.

12. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 11, wherein said lower side of said suction cup top layer includes a self-adhering film.

13. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 11, wherein said suction cup top layer includes a pull tab along an edge of said suction cup top layer.

14. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 11 wherein said conductive terminal comprises a metallic material.

15. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 14 wherein said metallic material comprises stainless steel.

16. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 11 wherein said conductive eyelet comprises at least one metallic particle.

17. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 16 wherein said at least one metallic particle is silver.

18. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 17 wherein said silver is chlorinated.

19. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 11 wherein said suction cup top layer of said reusable leadwire adapter comprises a polyurethane material.

20. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 11 wherein said suction cup top layer of said reusable leadwire adapter comprises a polyvinylchloride material.

21. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 11 wherein said suction cup top layer of said reusable leadwire adapter includes a smooth layer film positioned on said upper side of said suction cup layer top layer.

22. The reusable leadwire adapter of claim 11 wherein said smooth layer film comprises a polyethylene material.