Conductive adhesive and biomedical electrode

Claim 2

A process for making an essentially dry biomedical electrode comprising of an electrode plate having a first surface and a second surface, means for electrically connecting said electrode plate to a lead wire of an electro-medical device, and a swellable, dermally-nonirritating, conformable, cohesive, ionic, hydrophilic polymeric conductive material on said second surface of said electrode plate for enhancing electrical connection with the skin, said process comprising: forming said conductive material on said electrode plate by the steps of: (a) compounding a precursor of said conductive material comprising (1) a water soluble polyhydric alcohol which is a liquid at about 20° C.; (2) an ionic, unsaturated, free radically polymerizable material soluble in said polyhydric alcohol; (3) a photo initiator; and (4) a crosslinking agent of a multi-functional unsaturated free radically-polymerizable material; (b) coating said precursor on said second surface of said electrode plate or onto a releasable transfer sheet; and (c) polymerizing said coated precursor by exposure to ultraviolet light whereby an electrically conductive pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is formed on said electrode plate or said transfer sheet; and (d) if formed on said transfer sheet, adhering said adhesive layer to said second surface of said electrode plate.

Claim 3

A process for making an essentially dry biomedical electrode comprising of an electrode plate having a first surface and a second surface, means for electrically connecting said electrode plate to a lead wire of an electromedical device, and a swellable, dermally-nonirritating, conformable, cohesive, ionic, hydrophilic polymeric conductive material on said second surface of said electrode plate for enhancing electrical connection with the skin, said process comprising: forming said conductive material on said electrode plate by the steps of: (a) compounding a precursor of said conductive material comprising: (1) a water-soluble polyhydric alcohol which is a liquid at about 20° C.; (2) acrylic acid, at least 10 percent of which has been neutralized to form a salt soluble in said polyhydric alcohol; (3) a photo-initiator; and (4) a crosslinking agent of a multifunctional unsaturated free radically polymerizable material which is soluble in said polyhydric alcohol; (b) coating said precursor on said second surface of said electrode plate or onto a releasable transfer sheet; and (c) polymerizing said coated precursor by exposure to ultraviolet light whereby an electrically conductive pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is formed on said electrode plate or said transfer sheet; and (d) if formed on said transfer sheet, adhering said adhesive layer to said second surface of said electrode plate.

Claim 4

A process for making an essentially dry biomedical electrode comprising of an electrode plate having a first surface and a second surface, means for electrically connecting said electrode plate to a lead wire of an electromedical device, and a swellable, dermally-nonirritating, conformable, cohesive, ionic, hydrophilic polymeric conductive material on said second surface of said electrode plate for enhancing electrical connection with the skin, said process comprising: forming said conductive material on said electrode plate by the steps of: (a) compounding a precursor of said conductive material comprising: (1) a water-soluble polyhydric alcohol which is a liquid at about 20° C.; (2) acrylic acid, at least 10 percent of which has been neutralized to form a salt soluble in said polyhydric alcohol; (3) a photo-initiator; and (4) a crosslinking agent of a multifunctional unsaturated free radically polymerizable material which is soluble in said polyhydric alcohol; (b) coating said precursor on said second surface of said electrode plate or onto a releasable transfer sheet; and (c) polymerizing said coated precursor by exposure to ultraviolet light whereby an electrically conductive pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is formed on said electrode plate or said transfer sheet; and (d) if formed on said transfer sheet, adhering said adhesive layer to said second surface of said electrode plate.

Claim 5

The process according to claim 2 wherein said salt of acrylic acid is potassium acrylate or sodium acrylate.

Claim 6

The process according to claim 3 wherein said photo-initiator is benzildimethylketal.

Claim 7

The process according to claim 4 wherein paid precursor further comprises at least one non-ionic unsaturated free radically polymerizable monomer or comonomer which is soluble in said polyhydric alcohol.

Claim 8

The process according to claim 2 wherein said precursor further provides a tackifier.

Claim 9

The process according to claim 2 wherein said tackifier is polyacrylic acid.

Claim 10

A process for making an essentially dry biomedical electrode comprising of an electrode plate having a first surface and a second surface, means for electrically connecting said electrode plate to a lead wire of an electro-medical device, and a swellable, dermally-nonirritating, conformable, cohesive, ionic, hydrophilic polymeric conductive material on said second surface of said electrode plate for enhancing electrical connection with the skin, said process comprising: forming said conductive material on said electrode plate by the steps of: (a) compounding a precursor of said conductive material comprising: (2) a water-soluble polyhydric alcohol which is a liquid at about 20° C.; (2) an ionic unsaturated free radically polymerizable material which is soluble in said polyhydric alcohol; (3) a free radical initiator; and (4) a crosslinking agent of a multifunctional unsaturated free radically polymerizable material; (b) coating said precursor on said second surface of said electrode plate; and (c) polymerizing said coated precursor whereby an electrically conductive pressure-sensitive adhesive is formed on said electrode plate.

Claim 11

A process for making an essentially dry biomedical electrode comprising of an electrode plate having a first surface and a second surface, means for electrically connecting said electrode plate to a lead wire of an electro-medical device, and a swellable, dermally-nonirritating, conformable, cohesive, ionic, hydrophilic polymeric conductive material on said second surface of said electrode plate for enhancing electrical connection with the skin, said process comprising: forming said conductive material on said electrode plate by the steps of: (a) compounding a precursor of said conductive material comprising: (2) a water-soluble polyhydric alcohol which is a liquid at about 20° C.; (2) an ionic unsaturated free radically polymerizable material which is soluble in said polyhydric alcohol; (3) a free radical initiator; and (4) a crosslinking agent of a multifunctional unsaturated free radically polymerizable material; (b) coating said precursor on said second surface of said electrode plate; and (c) polymerizing said coated precursor whereby an electrically conductive pressure-sensitive adhesive is formed on said electrode plate.

Claim 12

A process for making an essentially dry biomedical electrode comprising of an electrode plate having a first surface and a second surface, means for electrically connecting said electrode plate to a lead wire of an electromedical device, and a swellable, dermally-nonirritating, conformable, cohesive, ionic, hydrophilic polymeric conductive material on said second surface of said electrode plate for enhancing electrical connection with the skin, said process comprising: forming said conductive material on said electrode plate by the steps of: (a) compounding a precursor of said conductive material comprising: (1) a water-soluble polyhydric alcohol which is a liquid at about 20° C; (2) an ionic unsaturate free radically polymerizable material which is soluble in said polyhydric alcohol; (3) a free radical initiator; and (4) a crosslinking agent of a multifunctional unsaturated free radically polymerizable material which is soluble in said polyhydric alcohol; (b) coating said precursor onto a releasable transfer sheet; (c) polymerizing said coated precursor whereby an electrically conductive pressure-sensitive adhesive is formed on said releasable transfer surface; and (d) adhering said polymerized electrically-conductive material to said second surface of said electrode plate.

Claim 13

A process for making an essentially dry biomedical electrode comprising of an electrode plate having a first surface and a second surface, means for electrically connecting said electrode plate to a lead wire of an electromedical device, and a swellable, dermally-nonirritating, conformable, cohesive, ionic, hydrophilic polymeric conductive material on said second surface of said electrode plate for enhancing electrical connection with the skin, said process comprising: forming said conductive material on said electrode plate by the steps of: (a) compounding a precursor of said conductive material comprising: (1) a water-soluble polyhydric alcohol which is a liquid at about 20° C; (2) an ionic unsaturate free radically polymerizable material which is soluble in said polyhydric alcohol; (3) a free radical initiator; and (4) a crosslinking agent of a multifunctional unsaturated free radically polymerizable material which is soluble in said polyhydric alcohol; (b) coating said precursor onto a releasable transfer sheet; (c) polymerizing said coated precursor whereby an electrically conductive pressure-sensitive adhesive is formed on said releasable transfer surface; and (d) adhering said polymerized electrically-conductive material to said second surface of said electrode plate.

Claim 14

The process according to claim 8 wherein said precursor further comprises at least one non-ionic unsaturated free radically polymerizable monomer or comonomer which is soluble in said polyhydric alcohol.

Claim 15

The process according to claim 8 wherein said polyhydric alcohol is glycerol.

Claim 16

The process according to claim 11 wherein said ionic material is potassium acrylate.

Claim 17

The process according to claim 8 wherein said free radical initiator is a photoinitiator.

Claim 18

The process according to claim 9 wherein said precursor further comprises at least one non-ionic unsaturated free radially polymerizable monomer or comonomer which is soluble in said polyhydric alcohol.

Claim 19

The process according to claim 9 wherein said polyhydric alcohol is glycerol.

Claim 20

The process according to claim 15 wherein said ionic material is potassium acrylate.

Claim 21

The process according to claim 9 wherein said free radical initiator is a photoinitiator.