Clasp structure for biomedical electrodes

A clasp structure capable of being releasably secured to a planar tab-type contact of a biomedical monitoring or stimulating electrode for carrying current to or from the body of a patient comprising,

• a) a clasp body having a front end and an outwardly opening connector-receiving passage,
• b) a pair of opposed cooperating jaw members at the front end of the clasp body with a jaw opening therebetween,
• c) at least one jaw member having an electrical contact at a free end thereof and the jaw members being aligned in opposed relationship confronting each other at the front end of the clasp,
• d) a resilient spring means operatively supported by the clasp body and associated with the jaw members for biasing the jaw members toward an open position wherein the jaw members are spaced apart from one another,
• e) an operating lever movably mounted as a part of the clasp structure and operatively associated with the jaw members, said lever having an exposed portion to which pressure can be applied with a finger or the thumb for closing the clasp,
• f) said lever is movably supported on the clasp body and has a jaw-actuating portion operatively associated with at least one of the jaws,
• g) a terminal electrically connected to the electrical contact, and
• h) a removable connector member, said removable connector being sized to be slid into the passage within the clasp structure, said connector having a electrically conductive member adapted for contacting the terminal when the removable connector is inserted into the passage within the clasp body.

A biomedical clasp for establishing electrical contact with a patient-contacting electrode comprising,

• a clasp structure having a front end and a rear end and being adapted to be connected to a stud of a biomedical electrode,
• an operating lever mounted on the clasp structure for movement relative thereto for causing the biomedical electrode to be held by the clasp,
• the clasp structure includes an upper body housing portion and a lower body housing portion,
• the upper and lower body housing portions are connected together by longitudinally distributed connecting members that extend between said upper and lower body portions of the clasp structure for securing the upper and lower portions to one another,
• the operating lever is journaled between said upper and lower body portions for pivotal movement, and
• at least some of the connecting members are positioned proximate the journals for the operating lever.

A clasp structure for establishing electrical connection to a medical electrode, said clasp structure comprising,

• a clasp body having a front end, a longitudinally extending sliding connection for a removable connector, and said clasp structure including a pair of opposed cooperating jaws at the front end of the clasp body that move apart or together for grasping the electrode when placed therebetween to establish electrical contact with the electrode,
• a terminal supported by the clasp body for establishing an electrical connection to the electrode,
• a removable connector member,
• said removable connector member being sized to provide a sliding connection with the connector on the clasp body and rotated to an installed position,
• said connector member having an electrically conductive member adapted to contact the terminal when the connector member is in contact with the connector on the clasp body,
• the connector member has an outer end portion, said outer end portion of the connector has a multiple-sided outline, and said installed position is reached when the multiple-sided outline of the outer portion of the connector is aligned with an adjacent surface portion of the clasp body.

A biomedical clasp structure for establishing electrical contact with a patient-contacting electrode comprising,

• a clasp body defining a housing,
• said clasp body having a receptacle for receiving a stud of the patientcontacting biomedical electrode,
• an operating lever mounted on the clasp body for movement relative thereto for causing the biomedical electrode to be held by the clasp body,
• the clasp body includes first and second adjacent body housing portions, and
• two spaced apart pairs of lugs, each pair of lugs being supported by the clasp body, each lug of each pair being spaced apart from the other lug of the same pair, and each lug having a member thereon for connecting the lug to an adjacent body housing portion to hold the clasp structure together.