Methods and apparatus for conducting electrical current

• US 7,270,580 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiodynamics International Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Baura, Gail Dawn, Bradley, Patrick Walton
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US11/343,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20060128193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 439/268, 439/729, 439/819, 439/822, 439/859, 439/909, 439/910, 439/930
• US Class Current: 439/729
• 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 5/28 for electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/22 End pieces terminating in a spring clip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/506 assembled by snap action of the parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 for testing or measuring purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/4854 using a wire spring
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/5066 mounted in an insulating housing having a cover providing clamping force
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/909 Medical use or attached to human body

Abstract

An electrode assembly for use with a living subject includes a substrate having first and second openings extending therethrough, and a first terminal at least partially received within the first opening. The first terminal includes an end portion having a first size. At least a portion of the first terminal configured to conduct electrical current. A second terminal is at least partially received within the second opening. The second terminal includes an end portion having a second size that is different than the first size of the first terminal end portion. At least a portion of the second terminal is configured to conduct electrical current. The assembly also includes a first electrolytic element configured to transfer electrical current between the skin of a living subject and the first terminal, and a second electrolytic element configured to transfer electrical current between the skin of a living subject and the second terminal.

Claims

1. An electrode assembly for use with a living subject, said assembly comprising:

a substrate having first and second openings extending therethrough;

a first terminal at least partially received within said first opening, said first terminal comprising an end portion having a first size, at least a portion of said first terminal configured to conduct electrical current;

a second terminal at least partially received within said second opening, said second terminal comprising an end portion having a second size that is different than said first size of said first terminal end portion, at least a portion of said second terminal configured to conduct electrical current;

a first electrolytic element configured to transfer electrical current between the skin of a living subject and said first terminal; and

a second electrolytic element configured to transfer electrical current between the skin of a living subject and said second terminal.

2. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first terminal first size is larger than said second terminal second size.

3. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first size comprises a first diameter of said first terminal end portion, and said second size comprises a second diameter of said second terminal end portion.

4. An assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein at least one of said first terminal first diameter and said second terminal second diameter is at least about 0.155 inches.

5. An assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein at least one of said first terminal first diameter and said second terminal second diameter is between about 0.1 inches and about 0.155 inches.

6. An assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said first terminal first diameter is between about 0.18 inches and about 0.19 inches, and wherein said second terminal second diameter is between about 0.12 inches and about 0.13 inches.

7. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second terminals each comprise a root and a sidewall portion extending between said root and said respective end portion, a diameter of said first terminal end portion is larger than a diameter of said first terminal sidewall portion to facilitate attachment of a first electrical connector to said first terminal, and a diameter of said second terminal end portion is larger than a diameter of said second terminal sidewall portion to facilitate attachment of a second electrical connector to said second terminal.

8. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first terminal comprises a stimulation terminal and said second terminal comprises a measurement terminal.

9. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 further comprising an attachment element coupled to said substrate and configured to removably attach said substrate to the skin of the living subject.

10. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first terminal first size and said second terminal second size facilitate increasing an accuracy of a measurement from at least one the first and second terminals.

11. An electrical connector for electrically and mechanically coupling an electrical cable to a terminal, said connector comprising:

a housing comprising at least one wall and an internal cavity at least partially defined by said at least one wall, said at least one wall comprising a hole for receiving at least a portion of the terminal;

a spring positioned at least partially within said internal cavity and electrically coupleable to the electrical cable, said spring comprising first and second arms each having a first portion and a second portion, said first portions defining an opening positioned relative to said housing hole to receive at least a portion of the terminal when the terminal extends through said housing hole, said first portions biased toward each other such that said first portions engage the terminal when the terminal is received within said opening to facilitate electrically coupling the terminal to said spring and to facilitate retaining the terminal within said opening, said first and second portions configured such that when said first and second arm second portions move toward each other said first and second arm first portions move away from each other against the bias to enlarge said opening for receiving the terminal therethrough; and

at least one actuator coupled to said housing in engagement with said first and second arm second portions, said at least one actuator configured to move said first and second arm second portions toward each other.

12. A connector in accordance with claim 11 wherein said first and second arm first portions are partially arcuate such that said opening is generally circular.

13. A connector in accordance with claim 11 wherein said spring first arm comprises a first end portion electrically coupleable to the electrical cable and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and said spring second arm comprises a first end portion electrically coupleable to the electrical cable and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, wherein said first and second arm second end portions are coupled together.

14. A connector in accordance with claim 11 wherein said at least one actuator comprises first and second actuators, said first actuator coupled to said housing in engagement with said first arm second portion and configured to move said first arm second portion toward said second arm second portion, said second actuator coupled to said housing in engagement with said second arm second portion and configured to move said second arm second portion toward said first arm second portion.

15. A connector in accordance with claim 14 wherein said first and second actuators each comprise a first end portion rotatably coupled to said housing such that said first and second actuators each rotate with respect to said housing, and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, wherein rotation of said second end portions of said first and second actuators toward a central longitudinal axis of said connector moves said first and second arm second portions toward said central longitudinal axis.

16. A connector in accordance with claim 15 wherein said first arm second portion biases said first actuator second end away from said central longitudinal axis and said second arm second portion biases said second actuator second end away from said central longitudinal axis.

17. A connector in accordance with claim 11 wherein the terminal includes a sidewall portion extending between a root and an end portion, the end portion having a greater cross-sectional size than the sidewall portion, said first and second arm first portions each configured to engage the terminal sidewall portion.

18. A connector in accordance with claim 11 wherein said spring is configured such that said first portions are configured to engage a plurality of differently sized terminals.

19. A connector in accordance with claim 11 wherein said housing hole comprises at least one hole and said spring opening is a first opening, said spring first and second arm first portions defining a second opening positioned relative to said at least one hole to receive at least a portion of the terminal extending through said housing hole, said first portions biased toward each other such that said first portions engage the terminal when the terminal is received within said second opening to facilitate electrically coupling the terminal to said spring and to facilitate retaining the terminal within said opening, said first and second portions configured such that when said first and second arm second portions move toward each other said first and second arm first portions move away from each other against the bias to enlarge said second opening for receiving the terminal therethrough.

20. An electrical connector for electrically and mechanically coupling an electrical cable to a terminal, said connector comprising:

a housing comprising at least one wall and an internal cavity at least partially defined by said at least one wall, said at least one wall comprising at least one hole for receiving at least a portion of the terminal; and

an engagement member positioned at least partially within said internal cavity and electrically coupleable to the electrical cable, said engagement member comprising first and second openings each positioned relative to said at least one hole to receive at least a portion of the terminal when the terminal extends through said at least one hole, said engagement member configured to engage the terminal when the terminal is received within said first opening to facilitate electrically coupling the terminal to said engagement member and to facilitate retaining the terminal within said first opening, said engagement member configured to engage the terminal when the terminal is received within said second opening to facilitate electrically coupling the terminal to said engagement member and to facilitate retaining the terminal within said second opening.

21. A connector in accordance with claim 20 wherein said engagement member comprises a spring.