Diagnostic electrode assembly

Claim 2

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 the 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; 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 surface while the electrode assembly is in use.

Claim 3

A disposable electrode assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said base member and said cover member are disc-shaped and substantially coextensive, and wherein said hub portion is centered on said base member.

Claim 4

A disposable electrode assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said hub portion includes an additional recess forming an open-ended chamber on said outside surface, said connecting aperture extends from said recess on said inside surface to said additional recess, and wherein said first portion of said terminal is disposed within said additional recess.

Claim 5

A disposable electrode assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said cover member includes a recess on its inside surface communicating with said recess on said inside surface of said base member, and wherein a portion of said sponge-like contact member is contained within said open-ended chamber on said inside surface and the remaining portion of said contact member is contained within said recess on said cover member when said cover member is in position for storage.

Claim 6

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 first recess forming a first open-ended chamber on said outside surface, a second 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 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 second portion of said terminal for establishing an electrically conductive path between said terminal and the underlying 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; and an adhesive layer on the inside surface of said cover 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 adhesive for contact with the underlying skin surface to hold said sponge-like contact member in contact with the skin surface while in use.

Claim 7

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 first recess forming a first open-ended chamber on said outside surface, a second 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 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 second portion of said terminal for establishing an electrically conductive path between said terminal and the underlying 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; and an adhesive layer on the inside surface of said cover 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 adhesive for contact with the underlying skin surface to hold said sponge-like contact member in contact with the skin surface while in use.

Claim 8

A disposable electrode assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said base member and said cover member are disc-shaped and substantially coextensive, and wherein said hub portion is centered on said base member.

Claim 9

A disposable electrode assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said first and second open-ended chambers and said connecting aperture are axially aligned.

Claim 10

A disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection to an underlying skin surface comprising in combination: a 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, a second portion having a contact surface in said second chamber, said second portion extending through said connecting aperture and into press-fit engagement with said first portion; means comprising a sponge-like contact member saturated with electrically conductive fluid disposed within said second chamber in contact with said contact surface 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; and an adhesive layer on said 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, and 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 11

A disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection to an underlying skin surface comprising in combination: a 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, a second portion having a contact surface in said second chamber, said second portion extending through said connecting aperture and into press-fit engagement with said first portion; means comprising a sponge-like contact member saturated with electrically conductive fluid disposed within said second chamber in contact with said contact surface 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; and an adhesive layer on said 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, and 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 12

A disposable electrode assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said inside surface of said cover member includes a recess containing at least a portion of said contact member when said cover member is positioned over said inside surface of said base member for storage.

Claim 13

In a disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection with an underlying skin surface, said assembly comprising a base member formed of electrically insulating material and having an inside surface and an outside surface, and further having a raised hub portion on said outside surface and a relatively thin and flexible flange portion surrounding said hub portion, said hub portion including a recess forming an open-ended chamber on said inside surface, an adhesive layer on said inside surface, and an electrically conductive terminal disposed within said chamber and communicating with the outside surface, the improvement comprising: a cover member having an inside surface substantially coextensive with said inside surface of said base member, said cover being, overall, substantially less flexible than said flange portion, said adhesive layer holding said inside surface of said cover member against said inside surface of said base member so as to enclose said electrically conductive terminal within said 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 electrically conductive terminal in contact with the skin surface while the electrode assembly is in use.

Claim 14

In a disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection with an underlying skin surface, said assembly comprising a base member formed of electrically insulating material and having an inside surface and an outside surface, and further having a raised hub portion on said outside surface and a relatively thin and flexible flange portion surrounding said hub portion, said hub portion including a recess forming an open-ended chamber on said inside surface, an adhesive layer on said inside surface, and an electrically conductive terminal disposed within said chamber and communicating with the outside surface, the improvement comprising: a cover member having an inside surface substantially coextensive with said inside surface of said base member, said cover being, overall, substantially less flexible than said flange portion, said adhesive layer holding said inside surface of said cover member against said inside surface of said base member so as to enclose said electrically conductive terminal within said 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 electrically conductive terminal in contact with the skin surface while the electrode assembly is in use.

Claim 15

In a disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection with an underlying skin surface, said assembly comprising a base member formed of electrically insulating material and having an inside surface and an outside surface, and further having a raised hub portion on said outside surface and a relatively thin and flexible flange portion surrounding said hub portion, said hub portion including a recess forming an open-ended chamber on said inside surface, an adhesive layer on said inside surface, and a sponge-like electrical contact member disposed within said chamber and projecting outwardly in an expanded state beyond said inside surface, said contact member having a portion communicating with said outside surface, the improvement comprising: 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, said adhesive layer holding said inside surface of said cover member against said inside surface of said base member so as to enclose said contact member within said chamber.

Claim 16

In a disposable electrode assembly for establishing an electrical connection with an underlying skin surface, said assembly comprising a base member formed of electrically insulating material and having an inside surface and an outside surface, and further having a raised hub portion on said outside surface and a relatively thin and flexible flange portion surrounding said hub portion, said hub portion including a recess forming an open-ended chamber on said inside surface, an adhesive layer on said inside surface, and a sponge-like electrical contact member disposed within said chamber and projecting outwardly in an expanded state beyond said inside surface, said contact member having a portion communicating with said outside surface, the improvement comprising: 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, said adhesive layer holding said inside surface of said cover member against said inside surface of said base member so as to enclose said contact member within said chamber.