Patent EP0084972A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0084972A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Ear canal electrode
Assignee: Thermo Electron Scientific Instruments LLC
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Filing: 1983-01-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-01-24
Abstract
Abstract A non-invasive, external ear canal electrode useful for transmitting sound stimulus to an ear canal and for conducting electrical signals picked up from the ear canal epidermal surface including a tube (4) comprising electroconductive metal and having a resilient plastic foam element (26) impregnated with an eletrolytically conductive medium attached to the end to be placed in the ear.
Inventors
- 👤 Hal C. Danby
- 👤 Myron A. Beigler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 19:31
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/02; A61N1/04; A61N1/05; A61N1/0526; A61N1/0541; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/12; A61B5/68; A61B5/6801; A61B5/6813; A61B5/6814; A61B5/6815; A61B5/6817; A61F; A61F11/00; A61F11/04; A61B2562/00; A61B2562/02; A61B2562/0209; A61B2562/0215
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
A non-invasive, external ear canal electrode comprising an electrode (4) of electrically conductive material for conducting electrical signals picked up from the ear canal surface, the electrode having a proximal end (8) and a distal end (10); characterised in that the distal end (10) has mounted thereon an electrically conductive, resilient plastics foam means (26) for contacting the skin surface of the ear canal and picking up and conducting electrical signals therefrom.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
A non-invasive, external ear canal electrode comprising an electrode (4) of electrically conductive material for conducting electrical signals picked up from the ear canal surface, the electrode having a proximal end (8) and a distal end (10); characterised in that the distal end (10) has mounted thereon an electrically conductive, resilient plastics foam means (26) for contacting the skin surface of the ear canal and picking up and conducting electrical signals therefrom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
An ear canal electrode of claim 1 wherein the electrode (4) is tubular.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
An ear canal electrode of claim 2 wherein the tubular electrode (4) constitutes a means for transmitting a sound stimulus to an ear canal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
An ear canal electrode of claim 3 wherein the tubular electrode (4) is an acoustical horn.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
An ear canal electrode of any one of claims 2, 3 and 4 wherein the tubular electrode comprises metal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
An ear canal electrode of claim 5 wherein the metal consists essentially of silver or stainless steel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
An ear canal electrode of any one of the preceding claims wherein the plastics foam means (26) is an annular plastics foam member surrounding said distal end (10).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
An ear canal electrode of any one of the preceding claims wherein the plastics foam means (26) is an open-cell plastics foam.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
An ear canal electrode of claim 8 wherein the plastics foam is impregnated with an electrolytically conductive medium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
An ear canal electrode of claim 9 wherein the end of the plastics foam member (26) proximate the distal end (10) of the electrode (4) is compressedly held against the electrode by an annular clamping means (14).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
An ear canal electrode of claim 10 wherein the electrode (4) is made of metal, the distal end (10) thereof being flared back over itself to form a clamping means (14) having a diameter larger than the electrode, and the end of the plastics foam member (26) proximate said distal end (10) is compressedly pinched between the clamping means (14) and the electrode (4) .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
An ear canal electrode of any one of the preceding claims wherein the plastics foam member (26) is compressedly enclosed in an concentric outer insertion tube means (2) for inserting the ear electrode in an ear canal, whereby the plastics foam member expands within the ear canal to effect positive skin contact after the outer insertion tube means (2) is retracted to a non-enclosing position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ear canal electrode of claim 12 wherein the outer insertion tube means (2) includes guard means (22) for limiting the insertion distance in the ear canal to a predetermined distance short of the ear drum.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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