US 4,196,737 A · Transcutaneous electrode construction

Abstract

There is disclosed a transcutaneous electrode construction for the application of electrical pulses to a patient, such as might be employed in pain therapy. The electrode construction includes a base member comprising a sheet of nonconductive material having an adhesive coating on one surface. A thin liquid impervious nonconductive sheet of smaller surface area than the base member is centrally affixed thereto on the adhesive coated surface so as to be entirely surrounded by the adhesive coating. A sponge pad overlies the liquid impervious sheet and has a larger surface area than the liquid impervious sheet so that its peripheral edges engage and adhere to the adhesive of the base member while leaving sufficient adhesive surface exposed for adhering to the skin of the patient. Due to the fact that the sponge pad is adhered to the base member only about the edges thereof, a chamber or pocket is formed between the sponge pad and the impervious sheet for receiving a quantity of electrolytic gel. A liquid impervious cover member is releasably affixed to the exposed adhesive coating surface of the base member, to overlie and protect the electrode, and particularly the adhesive coating and the sponge pad and gel filled pocket or chamber. When use of the electrode is desired, the electrode may be removed from the cover member and the cover member discarded.

Claims6

Dependent claims

An electrode construction for transcutaneous application, such as might be employed in electrical stimulation of nerves, said electrode construction comprising:

a base member comprising a flexible sheet of nonconductive material and having one surface thereof adhesively coated for adhering to the skin of a patient and defining a predetermined surface area, a relatively thin liquid impervious nonconductive sheet of a predetermined surface area substantially less than said predetermined surface area of said base member and affixed to said adhesive coated surface so as to leave a substantial portion of said surface completely surrounding said liquid impervious sheet, a sponge member overlying said liquid impervious sheet, and a conductive electrode having a peripheral portion between said impervious sheet and said sponge member and a portion extending substantially centrally through said base member and said impervious sheet to form a terminal for receiving an electrical conductor, said sponge member defining a surface area greater than the surface area of said impervious sheet, substantially greater than the surface area of said electrode peripheral portion and less than the surface area of said base member and adhered to said base member about the peripheral edge portions of said sponge member substantially distant from said electrode peripheral portion so as to substantially overlie and surround said impervious sheet and form a pocket therewith for receiving a quantity of electrolytic gel and said impervious sheet further preventing migration of said electrolytic gel into said base member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Transcutaneous electrode construction

Life of this patent

Transcutaneous electrode construction

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims6