Electrode

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The general purpose of the present invention is to provide a post-operative electrode which is very thin and very flexible, very low profile, and readily manufacturable for low cost to the individual patient user which is a prime requirement in today's world of rising medical and rising medical treatment costs.
More importantly, though, the electrode is very flexible and very low profile so as not to be bulky or cumbersome to the individual, thereby requiring less conductive medium as the electrode adheres with relative ease to the skin of the individual user.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electrode including a plurality of layers, the layers including a layer of covering material such as plastic foam with an adhesive layer disposed on one side thereof, a layer of metallic foil material such as aluminum or silver disposed over a layer of conductive polycarbonate film, the metallic foil and polycarbonate film being substantially the same geometrical configuration and slightly smaller in geometrical configuration than that of the layer of plastic foam, a plurality of holes spaced throughout the metallic foil, and an electrical snap conductor engaged to the metallic foil at one end thereof and protruding through the plastic foam layer and having a wire connected thereto for connection to a suitable electrical stimulator or sensing device, a layer of conductive medium such as ionic polymer, pellon loaded with electrode conductive fluid or gel, or Karaya, and a liner of plastic of the same geometrical configuration as the layer of plastic foam whereby the randomly spaced holes secure the plastic foam layer to the polycarbonate layer with the metal film disposed therebetween, the metallic foil provides for electrical communication with the snap electrical connector providing for placement of the same at either end of the electrode with equalized current distribution, the combination of the polycarbonate layer and metallic foil layer provides for equalized current distribution and an equalized impedance for either the electrical stimulator or electrical sensor connected thereto through said electrical snap connector and said wire, and the liner retains the conductive medium sterile and sealed, thereby providing a very thin, very flexible and very low profile electrode for either stimulation or sensing