Method of making electrode package

A method of manufacturing a pre-gelled, multiple electrode assembly, which assembly comprises a carrier member having at least one opening formed therein, with electrode devices secured to opposite sides of said carrier member in overlying relation to said opening, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a section of carrier material in strip form having at least two apertures formed therein;
• applying a base member having an adhesively-coated surface to said strip in overlying relation to each said aperture, with said adhesively-coated surface engaging said strip;
• mounting an electrical connector to each said base member with a contact portion thereof on said side corresponding to said adhesively-coated surface, and disposed within the periphery of said aperture, so as to provide an exposed annular area of adhesively-coated surface defined by the periphery of said aperture and said contact surface;
• applying a pad in overlying relation to said contact surface by engaging said pad to said exposed adhesively-coated annular area of each said base section;
• applying a quantity of electroconductive gel to each said pad;
• folding said section of carrier material along a fold line intermediate said apertures to define a pair of respective strip portions, and bringing said strip portions into surface-to-surface contact, with said apertures in generally co-axial alignment and said gelled pads into abutting face-to-face relations;
• securing said strip portions together along the peripherial edges thereof such that there is provided a double-layer carrier member with electrode devices secured to the opposite surfaces thereof, with said aligned apertures in effect providing a single opening in the resulting carrier member.

A method of fabricating an electrode package having a carrier member with at least one opening formed therein, and at least two electrode devices secured to said carrier member, one said device being secured to one surface thereof and the other to the opposite surface thereof, both in overlying relation to said opening, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a continuous length of carrier material in strip form:
• moving a section of said strip material to a first station wherein an aperture is formed therein;
• moving said section of strip material to a second station and applying a section of base material in overlying relation to said aperture formed at said first station;
• moving said section of strip material to a third station and mounting an electrical connector to said section of base material, applied at said second station;
• moving said section of strip material to a fourth station and engaging a porous pad to said adhesively-coated surface, which step includes positioning said pad within the periphery of said aperture formed in said section of strip material;
• moving said section of said strip material to a fifth station and applying a quantity of electro-conductive gel to said pad;
• performing the operation at said respective stations in sequence, such that said continuous length of carrier material is provided with a plurality of electrode devices mounted thereon;
• severing said continuous length of material to provide a section of strip material having a desired, even number of electrodes thereon;
• folding said severed section of strip material along a fold line proximate the midpoint thereof, such that two separate strip portions are defined of generally equal length and bringing said portions into surface-to-surface engagement with the apertures therein and generally co-axial alignment and said pads in face-to-face engagement;
• securing said strip portions together along the peripheral edges thereof such that said portions in effect define a multiple layer carrier number, with each pair of aligned apertures in effect defining a single opening in the said carrier member.