Biomedical electrode with anti-microbial properties
Inventors
Porter, Justin • Morgan, Gary Chad • Shaw, Anthony • Adams, Jenifer
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12070594-B2
Publication Date
2024-08-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
A biomedical electrode for electrically contacting a user's skin includes a carrier layer, a backing layer, an electrical lead, a conductive member, and a gel contact member. The backing layer is disposed on the carrier layer. The electrical lead is positioned at least in part below the carrier layer. The conductive member is coupled to the electrical lead. The gel contact member is electrically coupled to the conductive member for directly contacting the user's skin. The gel contact member is electrically conductive. The gel contact member includes a gel combined with an anti-microbial agent.
Core Innovation
A reusable biomedical electrode electrically contacts a user’s skin and includes a gel contact member that is electrically conductive and includes a gel combined with an anti-microbial agent. The gel contact member inhibits the growth of microbes, prevents growth of microbes, or kills microbes under the gel contact member, and provides a zone of inhibition around the electrode having a size greater than a size of the electrode.
In some embodiments, the gel contact member has one or more of bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties to prevent the gel contact member from being contaminated so that the gel contact member may be used multiple times. The claims further identify microbes selected from E. cloacae ATCC BAA-2468 (CRE), S. aureus ATCC 33592 (MRSA), E. coli ATCC BAA-196 (ESBL), E. faecalis ATCC 51575 (VRE), P. aeruginosa ATCC BAA-2114 (Multi-Drug Resistant), and A. baumannii ATCC BAA-1605 (Multi-Drug Resistant).
Some embodiments include a carrier layer, a backing layer, an electrical lead positioned at least in part below the carrier layer, a conductive member coupled to the electrical lead, and a gel contact member directly contacting the user's skin. Additional embodiments include an insulator layer disposed on and coupled to the carrier layer configured to increase pull strength, and another embodiment includes a carbon film conductive layer and a gel contact member extending at least 0.25 inches beyond the plurality of edges of the carbon film conductive layer.
The claims also provide microbe-specific zone-of-inhibition ranges, including ranges for S. aureus ATCC 33592 (MRSA), E. coli ATCC BAA-196 (ESBL), E. faecalis ATCC 51575 (VRE), P. aeruginosa ATCC BAA-2114 (Multi-Drug Resistant), and A. baumannii ATCC BAA-1605 (Multi-Drug Resistant).
Claims Coverage
The document provides multiple independent claims. They recite an electrically conductive anti-microbial gel contact member that creates a zone of inhibition larger than the electrode, identify affected microbes by ATCC designation, and in several claims require bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties for multiple uses. Quantitative zone-of-inhibition ranges are provided for five microbes.
Reusable biomedical electrode with anti-microbial electrically conductive gel contact member and enlarged zone of inhibition
A reusable biomedical electrode for electrically contacting a user's skin including a carrier layer, a backing layer, an electrical lead positioned at least in part below the carrier layer, a conductive member coupled to the electrical lead, and a gel contact member electrically coupled to the conductive member and directly contacting the user's skin, wherein the gel contact member is electrically conductive and includes a gel combined with an anti-microbial agent; wherein the gel contact member inhibits the growth of microbes, prevents growth of microbes, or kills microbes under the gel contact member; wherein the gel contact member provides a zone of inhibition around the electrode, the zone of inhibition having a size greater than a size of the electrode, where the zone of inhibition is a zone where microbes are killed, where growth of microbes is inhibited, where growth of microbes is prevented, or a combination thereof; wherein the electrode affects microbes selected from the group consisting of E. cloacae ATCC BAA-2468 (CRE), S. aureus ATCC 33592 (MRSA), E. coli ATCC BAA-196 (ESBL), E. faecalis ATCC 51575 (VRE), P. aeruginosa ATCC BAA-2114 (Multi-Drug Resistant), and A. baumannii ATCC BAA-1605 (Multi-Drug Resistant).
Insulator layer for increased pull strength
An electrically insulative carrier layer with an insulator layer disposed on and coupled to the carrier layer, configured to increase a pull strength of the reusable biomedical electrode.
Carbon film conductive layer with gel extending beyond edges
A reusable biomedical electrode including a carbon film conductive layer positioned below the electrical lead wire and the adhesive, and a gel contact member electrically coupled to the carbon film conductive layer and extending at least 0.25 inches beyond the plurality of edges of the carbon film conductive layer for directly contacting the user's skin.
Bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties for multiple uses
The gel contact member has one or more of bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties to prevent the gel contact member from being contaminated so that the gel contact member may be used multiple times.
The independent claims center on a reusable biomedical electrode with an anti-microbial electrically conductive gel contact member that produces an enlarged zone of inhibition, with additional claims directed to pull-strength enhancement, carbon film conductive layer embodiments, and bacteriostatic/bactericidal properties for multiple uses.
Stated Advantages
Inhibits the growth of microbes, prevents growth of microbes, or kills microbes under the gel contact member.
Provides a zone of inhibition around the electrode that is larger than the electrode.
Provides bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties to prevent the gel contact member from being contaminated so that the gel contact member may be used multiple times.
Increases pull strength of the reusable biomedical electrode.
Documented Applications
Electrically contacting a user's skin.
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