Composite conductive pads/plugs for surface-applied nerve-muscle electrical stimulation

A bipolar stimulator probe assembly including an active stimulator electrode, a reference electrode and a user handle provided as part of a single tool, wherein the probe tool comprises a spaced electrode mounting structure fixing the positions of the electrodes with respect to each other, and wherein at least one of said electrodes comprises a composite electrode pad, said pad comprising:

• a casing formed of porous liquid absorbing sheet material;
• a porous liquid absorbing stuffing, fill, or batting contained within the casing so as to form, with said casing, a relatively thick porous liquid absorbing pad portion;
• a relatively thin drape portion extending outwardly from said pad portion and being connected to said electrode mounting structure to secure said composite electrode pad over an associated one of said electrodes;
• and
• a plug of porous liquid absorbent material retained in contact with a side of said pad and an associated one of said electrodes, within a receptacle of said electrode mounting structure, wherein said plug is cylindrical in shape and sized to fit snugly within said receptacle, and wherein said drape portion extends outwardly beyond said plug about the entire periphery of said plug and is held in wrapping contact about the periphery of an associated arm portion of said electrode mounting structure.

A composite electrode pad for use in an electrical stimulator device, comprising:

• a casing formed of porous liquid absorbing sheet material;
• a porous liquid absorbing stuffing, filling, or batting contained within the casing so as to form, with said casing, a relatively thick porous liquid absorbing pad portion;
• and
• a relatively thin drape portion extending outwardly from said paid portion:
• wherein said relatively thin drape portion extending outwardly from said pad portion is a continuous and integral extension of a piece of material comprising the porous liquid absorbing sheet material forming the casing.