# US 8,539,671 B2 · Method for repairing an electrode assembly

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- Number: US 8,539,671 B2
- Document ID: US8539671B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/652,162
- Filed: 2010-01-05
- Published: 2010-04-29
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2006-12-13
- Assignees: HealthTronics, Inc.
- Applicants: Earnest Pringle
- Inventors: Earnest Pringle
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8539671B2

## CPC

- G10K 15/06: using electric discharge
- Y10T 29/49169: Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
- Y10T 29/49172: by molding of insulating material
- Y10T 29/49176: with molding of electrically insulating material
- Y10T 29/49179: by metal fusion bonding
- Y10T 29/49204: Contact or terminal manufacturing
- Y10T 29/49208: by assembling plural parts
- Y10T 29/4921: with bonding
- Y10T 29/49222: forming array of contacts or terminals
- Y10T 29/49721: with disassembling
- Y10T 29/49822: by applying force
- Y10T 29/53283: Means comprising hand-manipulatable implement
- G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A method of repairing a used electrode device is disclosed wherein a used electrode assembly has an inner conductor with an integral electrode tip; the inner conductor is encapsulated in an insulator body having an outer conductor and an outer electrode tip; and an outer sleeve is attached to the insulator body, the sleeve being filled with a particle suspended fluid and the sleeve being retained by a metal ring at the location of attachment to the insulator body prior to removing the inner conductor from the insulator body; the electrode assembly is placed in a fixture with a collet holding the metal ring in place; the sleeve is pushed upon to release the ring; and the inner conductor is pressed with the integral electrode tip while holding or restraining the insulator body to apply a force sufficient to disengage the inner conductor from the insulator body.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of repairing a used electrode device comprising:
providing a used electrode assembly having:
an inner conductor with an integral electrode tip; the inner conductor being encapsulated in an insulator body having an outer conductor and an outer electrode tip; and
an outer sleeve attached to the insulator body, the sleeve being filled with a particle suspended fluid and the sleeve being retained by a metal ring at the location of attachment to the insulator body prior to removing the inner conductor from the insulator body;
placing the electrode assembly in a fixture with a collet holding the metal ring in place;
pushing on the sleeve to release the ring;
pressing the inner conductor with the integral electrode tip while holding or restraining the insulator body to apply a force sufficient to disengage the inner conductor from the insulator body; and
removing the electrode assembly from the fixture and separating the sleeve from the insulator body.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
grasping an end of the inner conductor opposite the integral electrode tip while holding the insulator body; and
withdrawing the inner conductor from the insulator body.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising: measuring an amount the integral electrode tip of the inner conductor has been burnt as compared to a new tapered tip to establish a cut distance ΔX; and recutting the integral electrode tip by machining the burnt amount along a tapered surface of the integral electrode tip toward and into a shoulder of the inner conductor by a distance equal to the cut distance ΔX.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 wherein the inner conductor further has a shoulder taper surface extending from an end adjacent a base of the integral electrode tip; and further comprising: recutting the shoulder taper surface by machining the outside diameter of the inner conductor at a distance ΔX beyond an intersection of the shoulder taper surface and the diameter of the conductor along the same angle of the shoulder taper surface to form a conical surface having the same diametrical dimensions as the original shoulder surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising emptying the particle suspended fluid into a container while filtering the suspended particles.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
removing a particle holding container from the sleeve;
opening the particle holding container;
recharging the particle holding container with particles; and
closing the recharged particle holding container and reinserting the recharged particle holding container into the sleeve.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein the sleeve has two gas vent holes and the method further comprising:
sealing vent holes in the sleeve with a tape labeled “remove prior to use”;
filling the sleeve with saline solution;
placing the metal ring around the sleeve;
placing the electrode assembly into the filled sleeve and pressing the metal ring over the sleeve and insulator body joint to tightly seal the electrode assembly to the sleeve.