Method for fabricating a disposable electrode for transcutaneous nerve stimulator

Claim 1

A method of fabricating an integral disposable electrode for establishing a low impedance electrical connection to a patient's skin, the method comprising: providing a first web of flexible electrically nonconductive adhesive tape having a first nonadhesive major surface and a second adhesive major surface, the first web having a first width; providing a second web of flexible electrically conductive sheet material having first and second major surfaces, the second web having a second width which is less than the first width; providing a third web of flexible biocompatible electrically conductive adhesive polymer material, the third web having first and second adhesive major surfaces and having a third width which is at least essentially equal to the second width and which is less than the first width; providing a fourth web of nonadhesive protective material having first and second major surfaces and having a fourth width which is at least essentially equal to the first width; laminating the first, second, third and fourth webs to form a composite web with the second adhesive major surface of the first web in contact with and adhered to the first major surface of the second web, with the second major surface of the second web in contact with and adhered to first adhesive major surface of the third web, and with the first major surface of the fourth web in contact with the second adhesive major surface of the third web and in contact with portions of the second adhesive major surface of the first web positioned on opposite sides of the third web; attaching electrical terminals to the second web at spaced longitudinal locations; and severing the first, second and third webs of the laminated composite web in a transverse direction at positions between adjacent spaced electrical terminals to define individual integral disposable electrodes.

Claim 2

A method of fabricating an integral disposable electrode for establishing a low impedance electrical connection to a patient's skin, the method comprising: providing a first web of flexible electrically nonconductive adhesive tape having a first nonadhesive major surface and a second adhesive major surface, the first web having a first width; providing a second web of flexible electrically conductive sheet material having first and second major surfaces, the second web having a second width which is less than the first width; providing a third web of flexible biocompatible electrically conductive adhesive polymer material, the third web having first and second adhesive major surfaces and having a third width which is at least essentially equal to the second width and which is less than the first width; providing a fourth web of nonadhesive protective material having first and second major surfaces and having a fourth width which is at least essentially equal to the first width; laminating the first, second, third and fourth webs to form a composite web with the second adhesive major surface of the first web in contact with and adhered to the first major surface of the second web, with the second major surface of the second web in contact with and adhered to first adhesive major surface of the third web, and with the first major surface of the fourth web in contact with the second adhesive major surface of the third web and in contact with portions of the second adhesive major surface of the first web positioned on opposite sides of the third web; attaching electrical terminals to the second web at spaced longitudinal locations; and severing the first, second and third webs of the laminated composite web in a transverse direction at positions between adjacent spaced electrical terminals to define individual integral disposable electrodes.