US2580628A - Suction electrode - Google Patents

Description

.I am.V 1, 1952, w. w. WELSH sucTIoN ELECTRODE Filed .my 12, 195o MW Web/L Patented Jan. 1, 1952 SUCTION ELECTRODE Wiuiam W. Welsh, Rockville, Ma.,` assigner to. Bowen &.C'ompany, Inci, Bethesda, Md.a; co1'- poration of Delaware Application July 12, 1950, Serial No. 173,348

trically connected to the skin of a patient for electrocardiographic and' similar purposes.

In` general the device comprises a` terminal clamp to be connected in the circuit or circuits of an electrocardiograph machine, said terminal clamp being in electrical connection with a con-f ductive cup member adapted' to contact the skin ofthe patient. Suitable means are providedfor at least partially evacuating the cup member to create sufficient suction to establish good electrical contact between the cup member and the skin of`a'patient and' to holdV the device in place. `It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a suction electrode that may be readily and easily applied to theskn of' the patient;

It is a further obiect of this invention to provide a suction electrode capable of.' establishing iirml contactfwith the skin of a patient without the necessity of employing straps or clamps.

It is a further object oi"A thisinvention to provide a suction electrodel that may be `applied to the skin of a patientby a simple manipulation of the device involving only the use of onehand.

It is another obiect of this invention to provide` a suction electrode of unique design. and

` simple and.' economical construction.

Further objects: and advantages will appearzas the'l descriptionproceed's in connection.` with the accompanying drawings`V wherein:

Fig. 1` isV avertical sectional view of oneem bodiment of the v present invention..

Fig. 2 is a verticalsectionalviewfof4 a different embodiment or the invention, and

Fig; 3 i w a vertical sectionalview of. a still iurther modic'ation.

The modification shown in'` Fig. l comprises a generallv hemispberical cup member 2 having lan unwardlv extending hollow boss 3': integral therewith. The boss 3isprovidedwithlaperiph'- eral ringer-engaging ange `4 about its upper end. Preferably. the cu'o member 2" will be made of'a suitable electrically conductive metal and a terminal clamp 5 is rigidly attached to` the cup member ,2' in. any suitable manner, such as by riveting `a portion 6 thereof in a countersunk opening through the cupmember 2, or by soldering, welding. or the like. The terminal clamp 5 may be provided with atransverse `opening 1 and a clamp screw 8 to suitably connectvthe terminal end of a circuit conductor to the cup 2.. Adjacent the mouth oi" the cup member 2is an inwardly facing-peripheral recess or groove 9 spaced slightlyl inwardly ofther peripheral edge II) which Vdefines the mouth-ofthe cup member 2. A' exible ri-lijzpl'lragmA I I ofrubber`v` or-the like is provided with arolledioninturnedfedge I -2 Vembracing aring I3; The ring I31ispreferably asplit ring ofresilient material whereby it may be positioned` in the recess 9 to clamp the peripheraledgeof` the diaphragmV II to tlxeAcupnu-imber` 2 with an air-tight seal, thus clening1 a flexible partition slightly inwardly of the mouth of the cup member. 2.

Anintegral boss I4 on the diaphragm. ILI extends inwardly of the cupmember 2 and has attached thereto, byrmeans of pin I5 a suitable actuating plunger I6. The lower endof plunger I6 may; as shown, be embedded in the material oi the boss |41. The plunger I 6` extends upwardly through an enlarged opening IIv providing communication between the interior of the cup member 2 and the interior of the hollow boss 3. The member IE extends outwardly through the hollowV boss 3 and isy attached at its outer end to a hollow cap` I8. The cap I8 extends into and is guided by the hollow interior of the boss 3 and houses a suitable compression spring I9. The compression spring I9 abuts at one end against the bottom of the hollow interior of the boss 3 and at its upper end abuts the interior of the cap I8;

In the'position shown in Fig. 1, the spring I9` is under compression and normally tends to` urge the cap I8, plunger I6. and boss I4 upwardly to draw the diaphragm II- upwardly into the cup member 2.

Inuse the device of Fig; l` will rst be suitably connected to a conductor, by means of terminal clamp 5, and the cap I8 will be depressed to the position shown in Fie. 1 before applicationto the skinof ak patient. With the partsV in the position shown in Fig. 1, the electrode is positioned against the` patients skin at' the i desired' position with theperipheral edge IIIof the mouth` of the cup member in snug contact with thepatients skin. After; such contact ismade, can member I8 may be released whereupon spring I9 will expand and draw the diaphragm H upwardly into the cup memberA 2, thus creating a partial vacuum between the diaphragm I I4 andthe patients skin. Thepartial vacuum thus created will result in the cup member Zbeing rmly held, by atmospl'ierc pressure,` against the skin of the patient, thus establishing good electrical contact therewith. To release the electrode, itis only necessaryto-.depressthecap I8to the position-of Fig. 1, whereupon the pressure betweenthe diaphragm I'I and lthe patientsskin will again be raised-'to substantially atmospheric pressure and the device may readily-be lifted from the patient.

Referring new7 to Fig. 2, the embodiment shown therein comprises a generally cylindrical cup memberin'havinga free peripheral` edge 2li defining the open mouth thereof; The cup member 2D' wiilalso be made of` suitable` electrical-ly conductive'` material i and f-isprovided" with a hollow; upstanding, integrai bossl 22f havingV a O-ring 28 of rubber or the like.

.connection with Eig. 2.

3 linger-engaging ange 23 thereon. An opening 24 establishes communication between the interior of the hollow boss 22 and the interior of the cup member 20. A piston 25 having a piston rod 26 is positioned within the cup member 2U with the rod 26V extending through opening 24 into and through the hollow interiorrof the boss 22. The piston 25 is provided with a suitable peripheral groove 21 receiving a suitable The normal outer diameter of the O-ring 28 is slightly greater than the internal diameter` of the cup member 20 whereby the ring 28 is held in radial compression when assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The ring 28 provides an airtight seal between the piston 25and the cylinrdrical cup'20.

A cap member 29 is threadedly connected to the rod 26 and is of such diameter and length as to be readily received in and guided by the hollow interior of the boss 22 whereby movement of the cap member 29 downwardly results in driving the piston 25 downwardly within the cup member 20.V A suitable compression spring 30 is housed within the hollow boss 22 and abuts at one end against the partition wall between the boss 22 and the cup member 25 and at its other end abuts a downwardly facing shoulder defined by the lowermost end of the cap 29. The compression spring 30 normally tends to assume the position shown in Fig. 2 so that depression of the cap 29 will compress the spring 3|). The spring 30 therebyl normally urges piston 25 upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2.

A clamp member 3| of suitable electrically conductive material is firmly connected to the boss 22 to establish electrical contact therewith and may be provided with a split portionv 32 and clamp screw 33 whereby an electrical conductor may be clamped thereto in rm electrical contact. Thus the member 3| provides for establishing electrical contact between an external circuit and the conductive cup member 20.

The operation of the embodiment just described in connection with Fig. 2 is identical with the operation described in connection with the embodiment of Fig. 1, that is, after connection to the circuit of an electrocardiograph or other machine, the cap 29 and piston 25 may be depressed, the device may then be placed against the skin of a patient, and upon release of cap 29, spring 30 will move the piston 25 upwardly, thus creating a partial vacuum between the piston 25 and the skin of the patient to utilize atmospheric pressure to hold the peripheral edge 2| of the cup 23 in firm electrical contact with the patient. v

The embodiment shown in Fig. 3 comprises a substantially hemispherical cup 35 of conductive material having a peripheral edge 36 defining the open mouth of the cut. A metallic tubular connector 31 having a reduced end portion 38 is attached to the cup member 35 with the reduced end portion 38 extending through an opening in the cup member. The nt between the reduced end portion 38 and the cup 35 may be a tight irictional t or the reduced end portion may be expanded after assembly or may be Y soldered or otherwise fastened to the cup member to form a permanent assembly establishing good electrical contact at the joint.

A conductor clamping member 39 surrounds the tubular member 31 and may be substantially identical to the clamp member 3| described'in The clamp member 39 will, however, be in rm electrically conductive contact with the tubular member 31.

A resilient hollow bulb 48 of vrubber or like material has an extending neck portion 4| tightly embracing the tubular member 31 outwardly of the terminal clamp 39. The tubular member 31 Vthus establishes communication between the interior of the flexible bulb 4U and the interior of the cup member 35.

The exible bulb 40 is suiciently rigid to normally assume the position shown in Fig. 3 with the generally spherical bulb portion fully extended. In applying the device of Fig. 3, the terminal end of the desired conductor will first be clamped in the clamp member 3S and the operator will then squeeze the bulb 40 to collapse the same, thus expelling a substantial portion of the air therein through the tubular member 31 and outwardly of the cup member 35. While the bulb is maintained in such collapsed condition, the cup member 35 is engaged with the skin of the patient by rmly pressing the peripheral edge 36 against the patients skin. While being so held, the bulb 40 is released and will expand to the position of Fig. 3 due to its own resiliency, thus creating a partial vacuum Within the cup member 35 and again utilizing atmospheric pressure to maintain the cup member 35 in rm electrical contact with the patient. To release the device it is necessary only to squeeze the bulb 4D to collapse the same, whereupon lthe entire electrode may be readily lifted from the patient.

While a limited number of specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but encompasses all modifications falling fairly within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A suction electrode comprising, a cup member of electrically conductive material, said cup member being in the shape of a spherical segment no greater than a hemisphere and having a smooth terminal edge defining an open mouth, a tubular member of electrically conductive material iixed to said cup member and extending therefrom in a direction away from said open mouth, the interior of said tubular member communicating with the interior of said cup member, a terminal clamp xed to said tubular member, and a hollow resilient bulb having a short integral neck portion embracing said tubular member with the interiors thereof in communication whereby to provide an air passageway between the interiors of said bulb and cup member,said terminal clamp being provided with an opening through which said tubular member extends with a tight iit and being closely adjacent said cup member, said neck portion of said bulb abutting said terminal clamp whereby to maintain the overall'length of said electrode at a minimum.

WILLIAM W. WELSH.

. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Y Name Date 158,224 Stephens Dec. 29, 1874 655,747 Winckeld Aug. 14, 1900 839,649 Roth Dec. 25, 1906 1,585,104 Montgomery Ma;r 18, 19,2()`

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