Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Strand, Jerome E.

Jerome E Strand

Gary A Thill

Lawrence W Craighead

Clarence A Niven, Jr

Perry S Dotterman

Steven S Kantner

Joseph L Galatowitsch

Kathleen M Bryan

Terry G Hargroder

Bruce E Samuelson

James M Peck

Joseph P Callahan, Jr

Wayne K Darvell

John T Rueb

Michael S Groess

Elmer Blackwell

William L Hansen

Clifford J Anderson

James R Emmerling

Jane H Machacek

Kenneth F Knoll

Connector for a biomedical electrode

A connector for use with a tab style biomedical electrode is disclosed. The connector comprises pivotally mounted movable and fixed jaws and a spring biasing the jaws toward a closed position. The connector provides a high tab release force and yet provides an acceptably low actuation force. Preferably, the fixed jaw includes a smooth, continuous surface which facilitates insertion of the tab between the jaws of the connector.

Electrode connector

A dispenser package including a stack of flexible sheets adhered together by layers of pressure sensitive adhesive with first and second ends of successive sheets in the stack adjacent; and an enclosure in which the stack of sheets is positioned having top wall portions with spaced opposed surfaces that define a wide slot. The first end portion of the uppermost sheet on the stack projects through the slot and rests against the adjacent first abutment surface. As that uppermost sheet is pulled through the slot, successive portions of it will peel away from the first underlying sheet in the stack until it contacts the second abutment surface, whereupon the first end portion of the first underlying sheet separates from the second underlying sheet, the first end portion of the first underlying sheet folds and moves through the slot with the second end portion of the uppermost sheet to leave, after the uppermost sheet is fully peeled from the first portion of the first underlying sheet, the first end portion of the first underlying sheet in a position projecting through the slot and resting against the second abutment surface in a position where it too may be grasped for manual removal in a similar manner.

Dispenser package

A connector for use with a tab style biomedical electrode as disclosed. The connector comprises pivotally mounted movable and fixed jaws and a spring biasing the jaws toward a closed position. The connector is readily assembled, while retaining a secure connection between the jaws. Preferred embodiments achieve a high tab release force and yet provides an acceptably low actuation force. Preferably, the fixed jaw includes a smooth, continuous surface which facilitates insertion of the tab between the jaws of the connector.

A biomedical electrode which generally comprises a conductor member partially overlapping a separator construction. The conductor member is preferably a thin flat, flexible member having a pad portion and a tab portion. The tab portion overlaps the separator construction in a manner which centrally positions mechanical and electrical contact of electrode with an electrical lead to electrical instrumentation. Beneath pad portion and all or a substantial portion of separator construction is a conductive adhesive to provide good electrical interface between skin of a subject and the electrical instrumentation. Methods of manufacturing biomedical electrodes from strips of components are also disclosed.

Method of making a biomedical electrode

A biomedical electrode which generally comprises an insulator construction and a conductor member. The conductor member is preferably a thin flat, flexible member having a pad portion and a tab portion. The insulator construction is arranged such that the conductor member pad portion is positioned on one side of the insulator construction and the tab portion is generally positioned on and accessible to an opposite side. Preferred arrangements having a field of conductive adhesive associated with the pad portion of the conductor member, completely surrounded by a border of insulator construction and skin adhesive, are described. A method of assembling a strip of biomedical electrodes is also disclosed.

Biomedical electrode construction

A biomedical electrode is disclosed which generally comprises an insulator construction and a conductor member. The conductor member is preferably a thin flat, flexible member having a pad portion and a tab portion. The insulator construction is arranged such that the conductor member pad portion is positioned on one side of the insulator construction and the tab portion is generally positioned on an opposite side. Three general embodiments are disclosed which achieve this: a first comprising two overlapping sections of insulator material, with the tab portion of the conductor member extending outwardly from therebetween; a second in which two sections of insulator construction material are oriented in a substantially coplanar relationship to define a seam therebetween, through which a portion of the conductor member extends; and, a third in which the insulator construction includes a single sheet of material having a slot therein, through which a portion of the conductor member extends. For any of those three embodiments, a substantially flat arrangement results, with advantages associated therewith. Preferred arrangements having a field of conductive adhesive, associated with the pad portion of the conductor member, completely surrounded by a border of insulator construction and skin adhesive, are described.

Biomedical electrode having centrally-positioned tab construction

Electrical clip for the lead wire of a medical electrode

Electrode

Biomedical electrode construction having a non-woven material

An electrical connector for releasably connecting a flat terminal, such as the terminal of a biomedical electrode, to an electric wire. The connector comprises a housing having a passageway extending substantially therethrough, and an actuator in the passageway. The housing has a first terminal-engaging surface defining one side of the passageway, and the actuator has a second terminal-engaging surface complementary to the first terminal-engaging surface of the housing. The actuator is slidable generally diagonally of the passageway in the housing between an open position, wherein the first and second terminal-engaging surfaces are spaced apart a distance at least as large as the thickness of the electrode terminal so that the terminal may be placed between the surfaces, and a wedged position, wherein the first and second terminal-engaging surfaces are sufficiently close to clamp the terminal between the surfaces with the actuator being wedged against the terminal to retain the terminal in the connector.

Electrical connector

Growing community of inventors

Hudson, WI, United States of America

Jerome E Strand