Diagnostic electrode assembly

Claim 2

A disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection to an underlying skin surface comprising, in combination: a relatively flexible base member formed of electrically-insulating material having an outside surface and an inside surface; contact means on said base member for establishing electrical contact with said underlying skin surface, said contact means including a first contact portion on said outside surface and a second contact portion in electrical communication with said first contact portion on said inside surface; a cover member having an inside surface substantially coextensive with said inside surface of said base member, said cover member being, overall, substantially less flexible than the major extent of said base member and including a thumb recess along its margin at the inside surface to facilitate peeling said base member away therefrom; and an adhesive layer on the inside surface of said base member holding said inside surface of said cover member against said inside surface of said base member so as to increase the rigidity of said electrode assembly during storage, said base member being peelable away from said cover member to enable said adhesive layer to be placed in contact with the underlying skin surface to hold said second contact portion in contact with the skin surface while the electrode assembly is in use.

Claim 3

A disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection to an underlying skin surface comprising, in combination: a base member formed of electrically-insulating material having an outside surface and an inside surface; said base member including a raised hub portion on said outside surface and a relatively flexible flange portion surrounding said hub portion, said hub portion including a recess forming an open-ended chamber on said inside surface, and a connecting aperture extending from said chamber to said outside surface; means comprising an electrically conductive terminal having a first portion on said outside surface, a second portion in said open-ended chamber, and a third portion extending through said connecting aperture, said first portion being adapted to receive a connecting terminal; means comprising a sponge-like contact member saturated with electrically conductive fluid disposed within said chamber in contact with said second portion of said terminal for establishing an electrically conductive path between said terminal and said adjacent skin surface; a cover member having an inside surface substantially coextensive with said inside surface of said base member, said cover member being, overall, substantially less flexible than said flange portion of said base member and including a thumb recess along its margin at the inside surface to facilitate peeling said base member away therefrom; and an adhesive layer on the inside surface of said base member holding said inside surface of said cover member against said inside surface of said base member so as to enclose said sponge-like contact member within said open-ended chamber and increase the rigidity of said electrode assembly during storage, said base member being peelable away from said cover member to enable said adhesive layer to be placed in contact with the underlying skin surface to hold said sponge-like contact member in contact with the skin while the electrode assembly is in use.

Claim 4

A disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection to an underlying skin surface comprising, in combination: a base member formed of electrically-insulating material having an outside surface and an inside surface; said base member including a raised hub portion on said outside surface and a relatively flexible flange portion surrounding said hub portion, said hub portion including a recess forming an open-ended chamber on said inside surface, and a connecting aperture extending from said chamber to said outside surface; means comprising an electrically conductive terminal having a first portion on said outside surface, a second portion in said open-ended chamber, and a third portion extending through said connecting aperture, said first portion being adapted to receive a connecting terminal; means comprising a sponge-like contact member saturated with electrically conductive fluid disposed within said chamber in contact with said second portion of said terminal for establishing an electrically conductive path between said terminal and said adjacent skin surface; a cover member having an inside surface substantially coextensive with said inside surface of said base member, said cover member being, overall, substantially less flexible than said flange portion of said base member and including a thumb recess along its margin at the inside surface to facilitate peeling said base member away therefrom; and an adhesive layer on the inside surface of said base member holding said inside surface of said cover member against said inside surface of said base member so as to enclose said sponge-like contact member within said open-ended chamber and increase the rigidity of said electrode assembly during storage, said base member being peelable away from said cover member to enable said adhesive layer to be placed in contact with the underlying skin surface to hold said sponge-like contact member in contact with the skin while the electrode assembly is in use.

Claim 5

A disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection to an underlying skin surface comprising, in combination: a relatively flexible disc-shaped base member formed of electrically-insulating material having an outside surface and a flat inside surface; said base member including a raised center hub portion on said outside surface and a relatively flexible flange portion surrounding said hub portion, said hub portion including a first recess forming a first open-ended chamber on said outside surface, a second recess axially aligned with said first recess forming a second open-ended chamber on said inside surface, and a connecting aperture extending between said first and second open-ended chambers; means comprising an electrically conductive terminal having a first portion adapted to receive a connecting terminal in said first chamber, and a second portion including a contact surface in said second chamber, said first and second portions being connected through said connecting aperture; means comprising a sponge-like contact member saturated with electrically conductive fluid disposed within said second chamber in contact with said contact and dimensioned to extend through the open end thereof; a disc-shaped cover member having an inside surface substantially coextensive with said inside surface of said base member, said cover member being, overall, substantially less flexible than said flange portion of said base member and including a thumb recess along its circumference at said inside surface to facilitate peeling said base member away therefrom; and an adhesive layer on the inside surface of said base member retaining said inside surface of said cover member against said inside surface of said base member so as to enclose said contact member within said second open-ended chamber and increase the rigidity of said electrode assembly during storage, said base member being peelable away from said cover member to expose said layer of adhesive for contact with the underlying skin surface to hold said sponge-like contact member in contact with the skin surface while the electrode assembly is in use.

Claim 6

A disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection to an underlying skin surface comprising, in combination: a relatively flexible disc-shaped base member formed of electrically-insulating material having an outside surface and a flat inside surface; said base member including a raised center hub portion on said outside surface and a relatively flexible flange portion surrounding said hub portion, said hub portion including a first recess forming a first open-ended chamber on said outside surface, a second recess axially aligned with said first recess forming a second open-ended chamber on said inside surface, and a connecting aperture extending between said first and second open-ended chambers; means comprising an electrically conductive terminal having a first portion adapted to receive a connecting terminal in said first chamber, and a second portion including a contact surface in said second chamber, said first and second portions being connected through said connecting aperture; means comprising a sponge-like contact member saturated with electrically conductive fluid disposed within said second chamber in contact with said contact and dimensioned to extend through the open end thereof; a disc-shaped cover member having an inside surface substantially coextensive with said inside surface of said base member, said cover member being, overall, substantially less flexible than said flange portion of said base member and including a thumb recess along its circumference at said inside surface to facilitate peeling said base member away therefrom; and an adhesive layer on the inside surface of said base member retaining said inside surface of said cover member against said inside surface of said base member so as to enclose said contact member within said second open-ended chamber and increase the rigidity of said electrode assembly during storage, said base member being peelable away from said cover member to expose said layer of adhesive for contact with the underlying skin surface to hold said sponge-like contact member in contact with the skin surface while the electrode assembly is in use.

Claim 7

In a disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection with an underlying skin surface, said electrode assembly comprising a relatively flexible base member formed of electrically-insulating material defining an outside surface and an adhesive carrying inside surface, said base member carrying an electrically conductive terminal on said inside surface and adapted for holding said terminal in contact with the skin surface, said terminal communicating with said outside surface, and a cover member being, overall, substantially less flexible than the major extent of said base member, said cover member having an inside surface attached to and being substantially coextensive with said adhesive carrying surface so as to enclose said terminal and increase the rigidity of said electrode assembly during storage, the improvement wherein said cover member includes a thumb recess about its margin at the inside surface to facilitate peeling said base member away from said cover member to enable said adhesive carrying inside surface to be placed in contact with the underlying skin surface to hold the electrically conductive terminal in contact with the skin while the electrode assembly is in use.

Claim 8

In a disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection with an underlying skin surface, said electrode assembly comprising a relatively flexible base member formed of electrically-insulating material defining an outside surface and an adhesive carrying inside surface, said base member carrying an electrically conductive terminal on said inside surface and adapted for holding said terminal in contact with the skin surface, said terminal communicating with said outside surface, and a cover member being, overall, substantially less flexible than the major extent of said base member, said cover member having an inside surface attached to and being substantially coextensive with said adhesive carrying surface so as to enclose said terminal and increase the rigidity of said electrode assembly during storage, the improvement wherein said cover member includes a thumb recess about its margin at the inside surface to facilitate peeling said base member away from said cover member to enable said adhesive carrying inside surface to be placed in contact with the underlying skin surface to hold the electrically conductive terminal in contact with the skin while the electrode assembly is in use.

Claim 9

In a disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection with an underlying skin surface, said electrode assembly comprising a relatively flexible base member formed of electrically-insulating material defining an outside surface and an adhesive carrying inside surface having an open-ended chamber thereon, said base member containing within said chamber a sponge-like electrical contact member projecting outwardly in an expanded state beyond said adhesive carrying surface, said contact member having a portion communicating with the outside surface, and a cover member being, overall, substantially less flexible than the major extent of said base member, said cover member having an inside surface attached to and being substantially coextensive with said adhesive carrying surface so as to enclose said sponge-like contact member in a compressed state within said chamber and increase the rigidity of individual ones of said electrode assemblies during storage, the improvement wherein said cover member includes a thumb recess about its margin at said inside surface to facilitate peeling said base member away from said cover member to enable said adhesive carrying inside surface to be placed in contact with the underlying skin surface to hold the sponge-like contact member in contact with the skin while the electrode assembly is in use.

Claim 10

In a disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection with an underlying skin surface, said electrode assembly comprising a relatively flexible base member formed of electrically-insulating material defining an outside surface and an adhesive carrying inside surface having an open-ended chamber thereon, said base member containing within said chamber a sponge-like electrical contact member projecting outwardly in an expanded state beyond said adhesive carrying surface, said contact member having a portion communicating with the outside surface, and a cover member being, overall, substantially less flexible than the major extent of said base member, said cover member having an inside surface attached to and being substantially coextensive with said adhesive carrying surface so as to enclose said sponge-like contact member in a compressed state within said chamber and increase the rigidity of individual ones of said electrode assemblies during storage, the improvement wherein said cover member includes a thumb recess about its margin at said inside surface to facilitate peeling said base member away from said cover member to enable said adhesive carrying inside surface to be placed in contact with the underlying skin surface to hold the sponge-like contact member in contact with the skin while the electrode assembly is in use.