Dry medical electrode

• US 5,197,471 A
• Filed: 05/24/1990
• Issued: 03/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Servio T.A. Otero
• Original Assignee: Servio T.A. Otero
• Inventors: Otero, Servio T. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US07/527,811
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 128/639-642, 128/798, 128/802
• US Class Current: 600/392
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/257 using adhesive means, e.g. adhesive pads or tapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/262 Needle electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/273 Connection of cords, cables or leads to electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/274 using snap or button fasteners

Abstract

A dry electrode for medical use for recording existent biopotentials on the skin surface and for electrical stimulation of different zones of the human body. The dry electrode comprises a flexible electroconductive plate provided on its bottom side with a plurality of sharp bosses for partial skin penetration. The plate has a corrugated radial extension tongue and two orifices, a first orifice in the center of the plate and a second orifice in the tongue portion. The orifices and the tongue portion allow for different connectors to be utilized, such as a stem with a circular base, a Stillson wrench or a hook type connection. The electrode makes contact on its bottom face with a needle which penetrates and stays anchored within the skin.

Claims

1. A medical electrode comprising:

a circular, flexible, electroconductive first plate having a tongue-shaped radial extension, said plate having top and bottom faces, said bottom face having a plurality of radially aligned sharp end bosses;

a second plate of greater radius than said first plate and having a surface covered with a fastening adhesive adapted for contacting skin oriented in the same direction as said bosses, said top face contacting said second plate, with said adhesive surrounding the periphery of said first plate;

a first orifice passing through said first and second plates and in the center of said first plate; and

a second orifice passing through said first and second plates and in the radial extension of said first plate;

said electroconductive plate being adapted for contacting a penetrating skin needle through a connector passing through said first orifice or said second orifice, or connected to said radial extension.

2. A medical electrode according to claim 1, wherein the electroconductive plate has sharp end bosses with a pyramidal shape.

3. A medical electrode according to claim 1, wherein the electroconductive plate has sharp end bosses with a truncated cone shape.

4. A medical electrode according to claim 1, wherein the electroconductive plate has sharp end bosses with a truncated pyramidal shape.

5. A medical electrode according to claim 1, wherein the tongue shaped radial extension is corrugated.

6. A medical electrode according to claim 1, additionally comprising a removable protective foil covering said bottom face and said fastening adhesive.

7. A medical electrode according to claim 1, additionally comprising a connector passing through said first orifice or said second orifice or connected to said radial extension.

8. A medical electrode according to claim 7, additionally comprising:

a bent down laminar piece aligned with said first orifice in said second plate, said laminar piece having lateral ends inwardly folded in symmetrical spirals close to each other at a point tangential to both spirals; and

a circular platform having a bottom perforation aligned with said first orifice and an electrical connector;

wherein said connector comprises a circular base with sharp end bosses on one surface thereof and a stem projecting from the other surface thereof, said circular base disposed against the bottom face of said first plate with said stem being inserted sequentially through said first orifice, between the spirals of said laminar piece and through said bottom perforation.

9. A medical electrode according to claim 7, additionally comprising:

a bent up laminar piece aligned with said first orifice in said second plate, said laminar piece having lateral ends inwardly folded in symmetrical spirals close to each other at a point tangential to both spirals; and

a circular platform having a bottom perforation aligned with said first orifice and an electrical connector;

wherein said connector comprises a circular base with sharp end bosses on one surface thereof and a stem projecting from the other surface thereof, said circular base disposed against the bottom face of said first plate with said stem being inserted sequentially through said first orifice, between the spirals of said laminar piece and through said bottom perforation.

10. A medical electrode according to claim 7, wherein the connector is connected to said radial extension and is a Stillson wrench type connector having a back end comprising a supporting non-skid circular platform with a center having an electrical connector.

11. A medical electrode according to claim 7, wherein the connector is a hook type connector having a circular base with a bottom face including sharp end bosses thereon.