Device and method for monitoring evoked potentials and electroencephalograms

Claim 2

A unipolar electrode for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of a subject comprising: a user holder member formed of a non-conductive material and having a forward concave surface and an outside surface adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers, said user holder member including a friction increasing means on said outside surface which is adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers to aid in the grasping and rotation of said holder member relative to the subject, a spiral coil formed of a conductive material and having a pointed tip extending out from said forward concave surface and away from said holder member, said spiral coil spiraling generally between 180 and 720 degrees out from said forward concave surface, an attaching means for attaching said holder member to said spiral coil such that when said user holder member is grasped on said friction increasing means by the user'fingers, pressed against the subject's skin and rotated, said pointed tip pierces the subject's skin and said spiral coil is twisted into the subject's dermis to a distance sufficient to secure said holder member to the subject but not great enough to pierce the subject's underlying bone, an electrode wire operatively connectable to said spiral coil, exiting generally rearwardly from said holder member generally away from said forward surface and having an opposite terminus connector end adapted to be connected to a monitoring device for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of the subject, and said spiral coil having a rearward end and tightly coiled wires at said rearward end providing electrical connection with said electrode wire.

Claim 3

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said friction increasing means including said outside surface having an abraded surface portion.

Claim 4

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said friction increasing means including at least one wing member protruding out from said outer surface.

Claim 5

The unipolar electrode of claim 3 including, said at least one wing member comprising a pair of opposed spaced wing members.

Claim 6

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said friction increasing means including a knob fixed to said outside surface.

Claim 7

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said friction increasing means including said outside surface being formed of a malleable plastic.

Claim 8

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said friction increasing means including said outer surface having a rough texture.

Claim 9

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said spiral coil being formed of a wire having a 22 or lesser gauge.

Claim 10

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said holder member including a connector member electrically communicating with said spiral coil, said electrode wire including a connectable end opposite said opposite terminus connector end, and said connectable end being adapted to be removably electrically coupled to said connector member.

Claim 11

The unipolar electrode of claim 9 including, said connector member defining a female member and said connectable end defining a male member adapted to mate with said female member.

Claim 12

The unipolar electrode of claim 12 including, said connectable end defining a female member and said connector member defining a male member adapted to mate with said female member.

Claim 13

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said holder member defining a flattened spherical portion.

Claim 14

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said forward concave surface including a peripheral forward edge generally defining a plane, and said spiral coil extending from said forward concave surface towards said plane.

Claim 15

The unipolar electrode of claim 13 including, said pointed tip being positioned between said plane and said forward concave surface.

Claim 16

The unipolar electrode of claim 14 including, a removable cover extending generally in said plane and against said forward edge for sterile packaging of said spiral coil, said outside surface having a forward surface portion adjacent to said forward edge, and said removable cover being stretched over said forward edge and secured against said forward surface portion.

Claim 17

The unipolar electrode of claim 13 including said spiral coil passing through said plane, and said pointed tip being positioned beyond said plane.

Claim 18

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said pointed tip being beveled.

Claim 19

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said opposite terminus connector end being a pin connector.

Claim 20

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said opposite terminus connector end being fixed to said device.

Claim 21

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said tightly coiled wires exiting as a continuous wire with said electrode wire.

Claim 22

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said tightly coiled wires defining an opening, and said electrode wire including a male end member adapted to be received within said opening.

Claim 23

The unipolar electrode of claim 21 including, said male end member being rotatable within said opening.

Claim 24

The unipolar electrode of claim 22 including, said male end member being rotatable generally 360 degrees within said opening maintaining during this rotation constant electrical contact with said tightly coiled wires.

Claim 25

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said attaching means directly attaching said holder member to said spiral coil, and said electrode wire being directly connected to said spiral coil and to said holder member.

Claim 26

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said opposite terminus end being adapted to be connected to a device for monitoring evoked potentials.

Claim 27

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said opposite terminus end being adapted to be connected to a device for monitoring electroencephalograms.

Claim 28

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said rearward end of said spiral coil being positioned rearward of said forward concave surface and within said user holder member.

Claim 29

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said tightly coiled wires being adjacent to one another and forming progressively smaller spirals away from said forward concave surface.

Claim 30

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said spiral coil being fixed to said user holder member and relative to said friction increasing means.

Claim 31

The system of claim 1 including, said friction increasing means comprising a longitudinal ribbed configuration on said outside surface and around said user holder member.

Claim 32

The unipolar of claim 1 including, said tightly coiled wire being positioned entirely within said user holder member.

Claim 33

The unipolar electrode of claim 31 including, said spiral coil spiraling inside of said holder member and as it passes forwardly out through said forward concave surface.

Claim 34

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said spiral coil spiraling inside of said holder member and as it passes forwardly out through said forward concave surface.

Claim 35

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said friction increasing means comprising a knurled configuration disposed radially out and between said tightly coiled wires and said forward concave surface.

Claim 36

The unipolar electrode of claim 1 including, said forward concave surface including a peripheral forward edge which is smooth and positioned in a single plane so as to evenly and simultaneously contact the subject's skin about the entire circumference of said edge when pressed thereagainst.

Claim 37

A unipolar electrode for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of a subject comprising: a user holder member formed of a non-conductive material and having a forward concave surface and an outside surface adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers, said user holder member including a friction increasing means on said outside surface which is adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers and to aid in the grasping and rotation of said holder member relative to the subject, a spiral coil formed of a conductive material and having a pointed tip extending out from said forward concave surface and away from said holder member, said forward concave surface including a peripheral forward edge generally defining a plane, said spiral coil extending from said forward concave surface towards said plane, said pointed tip being disposed between said forward concave surface and said plane, a removable protective cover extending across said forward concave surface, generally in said plane, and secured to and about said holder member at a location generally adjacent to said forward edge, an attaching means for attaching said holder member to said spiral coil such that when said holder member is grasped on said friction increasing means by the user's fingers, pressed against the subject's skin and rotated, said pointed tip pierces the subject's skin and said spiral coil is twisted into the subject's dermis to a distance sufficient to secure said holder member to the subject but not great enough to pierce the subject's underlying bone, and an electrode wire operatively connectable to said spiral coil, exiting generally rearwardly from said holder member generally away from said forward surface and having an opposite terminus connector end adapted to be connected to a monitoring device for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of the subject.

Claim 38

A unipolar electrode for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of a subject comprising: a user holder member formed of a non-conductive material and having a forward concave surface and an outside surface adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers, said user holder member including a friction increasing means on said outside surface which is adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers and to aid in the grasping and rotation of said holder member relative to the subject, a spiral coil formed of a conductive material and having a pointed tip extending out from said forward concave surface and away from said holder member, said forward concave surface including a peripheral forward edge generally defining a plane, said spiral coil extending from said forward concave surface towards said plane, said pointed tip being disposed between said forward concave surface and said plane, a removable protective cover extending across said forward concave surface, generally in said plane, and secured to and about said holder member at a location generally adjacent to said forward edge, an attaching means for attaching said holder member to said spiral coil such that when said holder member is grasped on said friction increasing means by the user's fingers, pressed against the subject's skin and rotated, said pointed tip pierces the subject's skin and said spiral coil is twisted into the subject's dermis to a distance sufficient to secure said holder member to the subject but not great enough to pierce the subject's underlying bone, and an electrode wire operatively connectable to said spiral coil, exiting generally rearwardly from said holder member generally away from said forward surface and having an opposite terminus connector end adapted to be connected to a monitoring device for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of the subject.

Claim 39

The unipolar electrode of claim 36 including: said protective cover being formed of a stretchable plastic material.

Claim 40

The unipolar electrode of claim 36 including, said protective cover being fitted into place on said holder member about said forward edge when said spiral coil is in a sterile condition.

Claim 41

The unipolar electrode of claim 36 including, said spiral coil being fixed to said user holder member and relative to said friction increasing means.

Claim 42

The unipolar electrode of claim 36 including, said friction increasing means including longitudinal ribs about said user holder member.

Claim 43

The unipolar electrode of claim 36 including, said spiral coil spiraling within said user holder member and as it passes forwardly out through said forward concave surface.

Claim 44

A unipolar electrode for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of a subject, comprising: a user holder member formed of a non-conductive material and comprising a base having a forward surface and an outside surface adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers, said base including a friction increasing means on said outside surface which is adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers and to aid in the grasping and rotation of said holder member relative to the subject, a spiral coil formed of a conductive material, exiting out from said forward surface and having a pointed tip extending away from said holder member, an attaching means for attaching said holder member to said spiral coil such that when said holder member is grasped on said friction increasing means by the user's fingers, pressed against the subject's skin and rotated, said pointed tip pierces the subject's skin and said spiral coil is twisted into the subject'S dermis to a distance sufficient to secure said holder member to the subject but not great enough to pierce the subject's underlying bone, an electrode wire operatively connected to said spiral coil and having an opposite terminus connector end adapted to be connected to a monitoring device for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of the subject, and said spiral coil having its rearward portion within said base being tightly coiled and providing electrical connection with said electrode wire.

Claim 45

A unipolar electrode for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of a subject, comprising: a user holder member formed of a non-conductive material and comprising a base having a forward surface and an outside surface adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers, said base including a friction increasing means on said outside surface which is adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers and to aid in the grasping and rotation of said holder member relative to the subject, a spiral coil formed of a conductive material, exiting out from said forward surface and having a pointed tip extending away from said holder member, an attaching means for attaching said holder member to said spiral coil such that when said holder member is grasped on said friction increasing means by the user's fingers, pressed against the subject's skin and rotated, said pointed tip pierces the subject's skin and said spiral coil is twisted into the subject'S dermis to a distance sufficient to secure said holder member to the subject but not great enough to pierce the subject's underlying bone, an electrode wire operatively connected to said spiral coil and having an opposite terminus connector end adapted to be connected to a monitoring device for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of the subject, and said spiral coil having its rearward portion within said base being tightly coiled and providing electrical connection with said electrode wire.

Claim 46

The unipolar electrode of claim 42 including, said spiral coil rearward portion defining a continuous wire with said electrode wire.

Claim 47

The unipolar electrode of claim 42 including, said user holder member including a sleeve fixed relative to said base and extending rearwardly from said base away from said forward surface, and said electrode wire exiting through said sleeve.

Claim 48

A unipolar electrode for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of a subject, comprising: a user holding member formed of a non-conductive material and comprising a base having a forward surface and an outside surface adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers, and a sleeve fixed relative to said base and extending rearwardly from said base away from said forward surface, said base including a friction increasing means on said outside surface which is adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers and to aid in the grasping and rotation of said holder member relative to the subject, a spiral coil formed of a conductive material, exiting out from said forward surface and having a pointed tip extending away from said holder member, an attaching means for attaching said holder member to said spiral coil such that when said user holder member is grasped on said friction increasing means by the user's fingers, pressed against the subject's skin and rotated, said pointed tip pierces the subject's skin and said spiral coil is twisted into the subject's dermis to a distance sufficient to secure said holder member to the subject but not great enough to pierce the subject's underlying bone, an electrode wire operatively connected to said spiral coil, exiting generally rearwardly from said holder member through said sleeve and having an opposite terminus connected end adapted to be connected to a monitoring device for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of the subject, and said spiral coil having its rearward portion within said base being tightly coiled and providing electrical connection with said electrode wire.

Claim 49

A unipolar electrode for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of a subject, comprising: a user holding member formed of a non-conductive material and comprising a base having a forward surface and an outside surface adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers, and a sleeve fixed relative to said base and extending rearwardly from said base away from said forward surface, said base including a friction increasing means on said outside surface which is adapted to be grasped by the user's fingers and to aid in the grasping and rotation of said holder member relative to the subject, a spiral coil formed of a conductive material, exiting out from said forward surface and having a pointed tip extending away from said holder member, an attaching means for attaching said holder member to said spiral coil such that when said user holder member is grasped on said friction increasing means by the user's fingers, pressed against the subject's skin and rotated, said pointed tip pierces the subject's skin and said spiral coil is twisted into the subject's dermis to a distance sufficient to secure said holder member to the subject but not great enough to pierce the subject's underlying bone, an electrode wire operatively connected to said spiral coil, exiting generally rearwardly from said holder member through said sleeve and having an opposite terminus connected end adapted to be connected to a monitoring device for monitoring the electrical activity of the brain of the subject, and said spiral coil having its rearward portion within said base being tightly coiled and providing electrical connection with said electrode wire.

Claim 50

The unipolar electrode of claim 45 including, said spiral coil rearward portion defining a continuous wire with said electrode wire.