Dry electrode cap for electro-encephalography

• US 8,548,554 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Original Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Inventors: Popescu, Florin, Fazli, Siamac, Mueller, Klaus R., Badower, Yakob
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S
• Application Number:
  US12/517,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20100198042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,489 Days
• Field of Search: 600/383, 600/544, 600/393
• US Class Current: 600/383
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head

Abstract

An electro-encephalography electrode cap for contacting the scalp of a head with a number of pin-shaped electrodes for contacting the scalp, and an electrode holding device. The electrodes are mounted on the electrode-holding device through at least one elastic joint.

Claims

1. An electrode cap for contacting the scalp of a head in an electro-encephalography with a number of pin-shaped electrodes for contacting the scalp, and an electrode holding means wherein the electrodes are mounted on the electrode-holding means through at least one first elastic joint, the electrodes being grouped into at least one group, the electrodes of each group being mounted on a common group-holding means and the group-holding means each being mounted on the electrode-holding means through at least one second elastic joint through which the electrodes comprising the group are mounted on the electrode-holding means.

2. The electrode cap according to claim 1 wherein the second elastic joint is at least one of a semi-rigid spherical joint and a virtual ball joint which is at least one of movable around a first axis parallel to the length of the electrodes of this group with a torsional stiffness K_s and movable around at least one axis perpendicular to the length of the electrodes with a torsional stiffness of K_T.

3. The electrode cap according to claim 2 wherein K_T is greater than K_S.

4. An electrode cap for contacting the scalp of a head in an electro-encephalography with a number of pin-shaped electrodes for contacting the scalp, and an electrode holding means wherein the electrodes are mounted on the electrode-holding means through at least one first elastic joint, the electrodes being grouped into at least one group, the electrodes of each group being mounted on a common group-holding means and the group-holding means each being mounted on the electrode-holding means through at least one second elastic joint, the electrodes of at least one group being grouped into three bundles which are located at the corners of a triangle.

5. The electrode cap according to claim 4 wherein the group-holding means has a Y-structure, whereby the three bundles are located at the ends of the legs of the Y-structure.

6. An electrode cap for contacting the scalp of a head in an electro-encephalography with a number of pin-shaped electrodes for contacting the scalp, and an electrode holding means wherein the electrodes are mounted on the electrode-holding means through at least one first elastic joint, the electrodes being grouped into at least one group, the electrodes of each group being mounted on a common group-holding means and the group-holding means each being mounted on the electrode-holding means through at least one second elastic joint, the electrodes of at least one group being grouped into at least two bundles, each bundle having three electrodes which are located at the corners of a triangle.