Electrode having wire connected thereto and method for assembling same
AssigneeKatecho, Inc.
InventorsWilliam A. Todd, Lorne C. Scharnberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector for connecting a wire to an electrode includes a rigid body which presses downwardly against the wire and presses it into contact with the laminated sheet member of the electrode. The body includes first and second pairs of spaced apart prongs and third and fourth prongs, all of which pierce the laminated sheet member and are bent upwardly into contact with the central portion of the connector.
Claims17
An electrode comprising
- a laminated sheet having a hydrogel layer of tacky electrically conductive material, an electrically conductive layer, and one or more additional layers, said conductive layer being between said hydrogel layer and said additional layers and being in electrical contact with said hydrogel layer;
- a rigid body having a first body surface facing said conductive layer of said laminated sheet, a second body surface opposite from said first body surface, first and second opposite body edges, and a body opening between said first and second opposite body edges;
- said body having a first pair of prongs, a second pair of prongs, a third prong, and a fourth prong extending therefrom;
- a wire having a bare wire portion free from insulation positioned between said first body surface of said body and said conductive layer of said laminated sheet and being in electrical contact with said conductive layer of said laminated sheet;
- said bare wire portion extending across said body opening and being positioned between said first pair of spaced apart prongs and also between said second pair of spaced apart prongs;
- said first and second pairs of prongs and said third and fourth prongs each piercing in a first direction through said conductive layer and said additional layers, and then piercing in a second direction opposite from said first direction through said additional layers and said conductive layer and contacting said rigid body to attach said bare wire portion in electrical contact with said conductive layer.
In combination:
- a sheet member having an electrically conductive sheet member and a hydrogel layer in electrical contact with said conductive sheet member;
- a body having a first body surface facing said conductive sheet member, and having a second body surface opposite from said first body surface, first and second opposite body edges, and a body opening between said first and second opposite body edges;
- said body having first and second pairs of prongs extending therefrom;
- a wire having a bare wire portion free from insulation positioned between first body surface and said sheet conductive member and being in electrical contact with said conductive sheet member;
- said bare wire portion extending across said body opening and being positioned between said first pair of spaced apart prongs and also between said second pair of spaced apart prongs;
- said first and second pair of spaced apart prongs extending through said conductive sheet member and attaching said body to said conductive sheet member with said wire between said body and said conductive sheet member.
13 A combination according to claim 12 wherein said prong ends of said first pair of prongs are pinched toward one another and said prong ends of said second pair of prongs are pinched toward one another to hold said wire in contact with said sheet member.
A method for assembling and electrode comprising:
- taking a connector body having a central portion comprising a first body surface, a second opposite body surface, a body opening extending there through, a first body edge on one side of said opening and a second body edge on the opposite side of said opening, said body member having a first pair of prongs and a second pair of prongs each extending therefrom and each terminating in a spaced apart pair of prong ends;
- placing a bare wire free from insulation between said spaced apart prongs of said first and second pairs of prongs and in electrical contact with a conductive layer of a sheet member;
- piercing said prong ends of said first and second pairs of prongs in a first direction through said sheet member so that said bare wire is between, and in electrical contact with, said conductive layer of said sheet member and said first surface of said connector body;
- piercing said prong ends of said first and second pairs of prongs in a second direction opposite from said first direction through said sheet member so that said prong ends of each of said first and second pairs of prongs are on opposite sides of said bare wire;
- and
- pressing said prong ends of said first and second pairs of prongs against said central portion of said connector body to attach said wire to said sheet member in contact with said top surface of said sheet member.
A method according to claim 17 and further comprising piercing said third and fourth prongs in said second direction through said sheet member to further secure said connector body, said bare portion of said wire and said conductive layer together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.