GB2115700A

GB2115700A - Contact electrode

Info

Publication number: GB2115700A
Application number: GB08230079A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Vladislav Kympl; Pravoslav Urban; Josef Langmajer; Vaclav Radostny
Original assignee: Tesla Koncernovy Podnik
Current assignee: Tesla Koncernovy Podnik
Priority date: 1982-02-26
Filing date: 1982-10-21
Publication date: 1983-09-14
Also published as: FR2522271A1; CS228175B1; DD230427A3; GB2115700B; SU1635995A1; FR2522271B3; DE3245241A1

Abstract

A contact electrode for electronic instruments, which are applied for suppressing pains and for seeking active spots on the skin. The aim is to secure a sufficient, if possible constant, pressure of the electrode on the body surface, which causes no pain even on sensitive parts of the body, but which secures the same physical conditions at diagnostical and therapeutical repeated applications. The contact electrode comprises a sprung needle electrode 5, which is slidingly seated by means of an insulating body 7 inside an outer electrode 1, which is provided with an extension sleeve 2. The electrode may be for single handed use, when a separate connection is made to the outer electrode 1 which is gripped by the patient for self application, or (Fig. 2) for use by a doctor when the second connection is made by a separate tubular electrode (13) gripped by the patient. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Contact electrode The invention relates to a design of a contact electrode for electronic instruments which are applied for suppressing pain and for seeking active spots on a skin.

The mentioned instruments work so that at first they determine active spots on skin. The said spots are characterized by the fact that their electric resistance is lower than the resistance in other parts of the skin. That is why it is needed that pressure of contact electrodes onto the skin may be the same during every measuring operation. Another limiting factor of pressure of the contact electrode is the fact that active spots are situated on differently sensible parts of a body, as e.g. on hands, legs, face, ears.

During an electronic suppression of pain, electric pulses are supplied into active spots by means of electrodes. But it is needed that pressure of electrode in the active spot may be sufficient and moreover it must not cause pains.

Hitherto applied electrodes for medical instruments are designed as fixed assemblies.

Pressure of an electrode on the skin depends upon experiences of a person which works with the electrode. As instruments for an electronic suppression of pain are determined for a public use, the application of rigid electrodes for these instruments does not suit the above-mentioned requirements.

Drawbacks of rigid electrodes may be obviated by the contact electrode according to the invention, which consists of an outer electrode being connected to an extension sleeve, the inner wall of the outer electrode is provided with an insulating insert with a guide bush, in which a needle electrode is slidingly seated, being mechanically and conductively connected to a contact spring, the other end of which is leaned against an insulating body slidingly seated in the extension sleeve. The limit axial position of the insulating body is limited by a step of the inner diameter of the extension sleeve.

Another characteristic feature of the invention is the fact that the insulating body is provided with a terminal plate, and that the first feeding conductor is connected by means of the said terminal plate and spring to the needle electrode, and the other feeding conductor is connected by means of the said terminal plate and spring to the outer electrode.

Another characteristic feature of the invention resides in the fact that the first feeding conductor is connected by means of the terminal plate and spring to the needle electrode and the other feeding conductor is connected to a separate outer electrode.

The springing of the needle electrode by means of a long weak spring secures an approximately constant pressure of the electrode on the skin surface, and in this way constant physical conditions when measuring and stimulating active spots. The sprung needle electrode obviates simultaneously a painful pressing of the electrode on the body surface. The arrangement of outer electrodes makes possible a self-contacting of a patient, which may seek and stimulate active spots by himself.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, two preferred embodiments thereof, by way of example, hereinafter more fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:~ FIGURE 1 shows a single-hand embodiment of the contact electrode; FIGURE 2 shows a two-hand embodiment of the contact electrode.

A single-hand contact electrode consists of an outer cylindrical electrode 1, provided with an extension sleeve 2 made of plastics. Inside the outer electrode 1, an insulating insert 3 is seated and in a narrowed part, by means of a guide bush 4, a needle electrode 5 is slidingly seated.

The contact surface of the needle electrode 5 is shaped as a ball. The other end of the needle electrode 5 is mechanically and conductively connected to a long weak spring 6, which leans against an insulating body 7 being slidingly seated in the extension sleeve 2. The axial position of the insulating body 7 is limited by a step 9 of the inner diameter of the extension sleeve 2. The insulating body 7 is provided with a terminal plate 8, in which the first feeding conductor 1 1 is connected, by means of the spring 6, the free end of which passes through the insulating body 7, to the needle electrode 5, and the second feeding condutor 12, by means of the spring 10, passing through the groove in the insulating body 7, to the outer electrode 1.

The two-hands electrode differs from the single-hand type only in the fact that the outer electrode 1 stays unconnected and the other feeding conductor 12 is connected to a separate outer electrode 13.

When seeking active spots or when stimulating them, the contact electrode is put onto the skin and it is slightly pressed down till the needle electrode 5 is partially slid in. As the needle electrode 5 is rounded and the pressure of the spring 6 is smaller than 10 Pa, the touch of the needle electrode 5 cannot cause a pain; moreover at each contact of the electrode the pressure difference on the skin is neglectable. Another accuracy increasing may be achieved so that a gauge mark is made on the needle electrode 5, and in this way a recommended depth of a slidingin is evident.

If it concerns a single-hand embodiment of the contact electrode, an informed patient, when taking the outer electrode 1 in his hand, is conductively connected to an instrument and he may now stimulate an active spot or seek it by himself by means of the needle electrode 5.

In case of the two-hands embodiment with a separate outer electrode 13, the patient holds the said electrode, and the other, single-hand contact electrode with the unconnected outer electrode 1, is held by a doctor, which seeks or stimulates active spots.

The contact electrode according to the invention may be applied even for complicated diagnostical medical instruments for measuring changes of nerve endings,-for scanning biological potentials.

Although the invention is illustrated and described with reference to two preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be expressly understood that it is in no way limited to the disclosure of such preferred embodiments, but it is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A contact electrode for electronic instruments which are applied for suppressing pains and for seeking active points on a skin, comprising an outer electrode being connected with an extension sleeve, an inner wall of the outer electrode is provided with an insulating insert with a guide bush, in which a needle electrode is slidingly seated, being mechanically and conductively connected to a spring, the other end of which leans against an insulating body slidingly seated in the extension sleeve, the limit axial position of the insulating body is limited by a step of the inner diameter of the extension sleeve.

2. A contact electrode as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the insulating body is provided with a terminal plate.

3. A contact electrode as claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein the first feeding conductor is connected, by means of the terminal plate and spring, to the needle electrode, and the other feeding conductor is connected, by means of the terminal plate and another spring, to the outer electrode.

4. A contact electrode as claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein the first feeding conductor is connected, by means of the terminal plate and spring, to the needle electrode and the other feeding conductor is connected to a separate outer electrode.

5. A contact electrode for electronic instruments which are applied for suppressing pains and for seeking active points on a skin substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.