Abstract:
An electrode connector for connecting a conventional tab electrode or sensor to a lead assembly for use with a physiological data collection system. The electrode connector includes a lead connecting portion for attaching the electrode connector to a lead assembly and a tab connection portion for attaching the electrode connector to a tab electrode or sensor. During use of the present invention, the electrical signals corresponding to physiological data of the patient pass from the tab electrode or sensor, through the electrode connector, and to the lead assembly.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    The application claims the benefit of the filing date pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 120 of application Ser. No. 60/394,080, for a ELECTRODE CONNECTOR, filed Jul. 3, 2002, the disclosure and content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an electrode connector, more particularly to an electrode connector for a connecting a conventional tab electrode or sensor to a system for collecting physiological data from a patient.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Conventional systems for collecting physiological data from a patient utilize conventional electrodes or sensors selectively placed on the patient&#39;s body. Traditionally, multiple cables or leads electrically connect to the electrodes or sensors and the physiological data is transferred from the electrodes or sensors to a patient monitor via the multiple cables or leads. With regard to wireless collection systems or telemetry units, the electrodes or sensors electrically connect to a chest assembly and the physiological data is transferred from the electrodes or sensors to the chest assembly before being wirelessly transmitting to a patient monitor.  
           [0004]    One type of electrode or sensor that is commonly used with both the traditional wired systems and the wireless systems is an electrode or sensor having a conductive tab integrally formed thereon. Those electrodes or sensors are commonly referred to as tab electrodes. Such tab electrodes are commonly used for resting 12 lead or discrete ECG. Tab electrodes attach to the cables, wires or chest assemblies via alligator clips. However, many of the wires, cables, and chest assemblies used with conventional physiological data collection systems do not contain alligator clips to connect to the tab electrodes, but rather terminate in snaps designed to be used for so called snap electrodes. Thus, such lead wire sets are not compatible with for use with tab electrodes. Similarly, lead wire sets containing alligator clips are incapable of making a secure connection to conventional snap electrodes. This necessitates having different lead wire sets for the different types of electrodes.  
           [0005]    Accordingly, there exists a need for an electrode connector that is capable of connecting a conventional tab electrode to the wires, cables, or chest assemblies used with conventional physiological data systems in situations where such wires, cables, or chest assemblies are equipped with snaps rather than alligator clips. The present invention fills this need. The novel advantages, details, embodiments, features, and objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings, listed herein below, which are useful in explaining the invention.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention relates to an electrode connector for connecting a conventional tab electrode or sensor to a lead assembly for use with a physiological data collection system. The electrode connector is constructed of a suitable electrically conductive material and includes a lead connecting portion and tab connection portion. The lead connecting portion attaches the electrode connector to a lead assembly and the tab connection portion attaches the electrode connector to a tab electrode or sensor. During use of the present invention, the electrical signals corresponding to physiological data of the patient pass from the tab electrode or sensor, through the electrode connector, and to the lead assembly.  
           [0007]    The lead connecting portion may be shaped and configured such that the lead connecting portion contacts a perimeter of a conductive area on a lead assembly. The connection between the lead connecting portion and the perimeter of the conductive rivet removably secures the electrode connector to the lead assembly and provides an electrical link between the electrode connector and the lead assembly. Alternatively, the electrode connector may include a male portion that can be removably inserted into a corresponding female portion in the conductive area (such as a riveted snap on a chest assembly as disclosed in U.S. patent application entitled “Wireless ECG System” Ser. No. 09/998,733 filed on Nov. 30, 2001, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). The male portion removably secures the electrode connector to the lead assembly and provides an electrical link between the electrode connector and the lead assembly.  
           [0008]    The tab connection portion of the electrode connector is defined by retaining arms configured to retain the tab of the tab electrode or sensor there between. Alternatively, the tab connection portion of the electrode connector may be in the form of an alligator clip or clasp. In either embodiment, the tab connection portion functions to mechanically secure the tab electrode or sensor to the electrode connector and provide an electrical link between the tab electrode or sensor and the electrode connector. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0009]    The foregoing aspects and many of the advantages of the present invention will become readily appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector of the present invention in conjunction with a lead assembly;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector in conjunction with a patient and a lead assembly;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a top view of an exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 depicts and exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector in conjunction with a lead assembly and tab electrode or sensor;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5A depicts an exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector in conjunction with a lead assembly;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5B depicts a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector shown in FIG. 5A;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6A depicts another exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6B depicts a top view of the exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector shown in FIG. 6A;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 7 depicts another exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector in conjunction with a tab electrode or sensor;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 8 depicts another exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector in conjunction with a tab electrode or sensor;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 9 depicts another exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 10 depicts another exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]    For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector  10  of the present invention, which operates to electrically connect a conventional tab electrode or sensor  12  to a lead assembly  16 . The electrode connector  10  may be used to connect conventional tab electrodes or sensors  12  to both traditional wired systems and wireless systems for collecting physiological data from a patient.  
         [0023]    As shown in FIG. 2, the lead assembly  16  connects directly to a patient  18  for collecting physiological data detected by tab electrodes or sensors  12 , such as EKG signals, blood pressure data, temperature readings, pulse, respiration rate data, and pulse oximeter data. The tab electrodes or sensors  12  connect to the lead assembly  16  at electrode connection points  20 . FIGS. 1, 3, and  4  depict a lead assembly  16  for connecting to a male snap electrode (not shown). Such a lead assembly  16  contains a conductive rivet  20  having a female receptacle  22  for receiving and securing a male portion of the male snap electrode. An exemplary embodiment of the electrode connector  10  of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and  4 , functions to connect a conventional tab electrode or sensor  12  to the lead assembly  16 . The electrode connector  10  is constructed of a resilient, electrically conductive material such as beryllium copper or other suitable material. The electrode connector  10  may be fabricated from an integral piece of material or may be constructed of multiple pieces of material bonded or otherwise secured together.  
         [0024]    The electrode connector  10  includes a lead connecting portion  24  for removably securing the electrode connector  10  to the conductive rivet  20 . The lead connecting portion  24  is generally circular in configuration and removably secures to the conductive rivet  20  by contacting a portion of a perimeter  25  of the conductive rivet  20 . The lead connecting portion  24  may have alternative shapes and configurations. For example, the lead connecting portion  24  may be oval, square, triangular, semi-circular, or the like, so long as the connecting portion  24  is appropriately shaped and configured to provide a sufficient connection to mechanically hold the electrode connector  10  to the conductive rivet  20  and to provide an electrical link between the electrode connector  10  and the conductive rivet  20 .  
         [0025]    The electrode connector  10  further includes an extension portion  26  defined by extension arms  27 A and  27 B extending from the lead connecting portion  24 . The extension portion  26  connects the lead connecting portion  24  to a tab connection portion  28 . The tab connection portion  28  is defined by retaining arms  30 ,  32 . The retaining arms  30 ,  32  are formed by semi-circular loops. The loops that form the retaining arms  30 ,  32  may be of different shapes if so desired. For example, the loops may be rectangular, square, oval, triangular, helical, or the like. The tab connection portion  28  removably connects to the tab electrode or sensor  12  when a tab  34  on the tab electrode or sensor  12  is inserted between the retaining arms  30 ,  32 . The electrode connector  10  mechanically holds the tab electrode or sensor  12  to the lead assembly  16  and provides an electrical link between the tab electrode or sensor  12  and the lead assembly  16 . Accordingly, the electrical signals corresponding to physiological data of the patient pass from the tab electrode or sensor  12  to the electrode connector  10  and to the lead assembly  16 .  
         [0026]    In another embodiment of the present invention, the electrode connector  10  may include a male portion  34 . As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the male portion  34  may be integrally formed on the electrode connector  10  or may be a separate piece of material that is bonded or otherwise fixedly secured to the electrode connector  10 . Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the lead connecting portion  24  may removably secure the electrode connector  10  to the male portion  34  by contacting a portion of a perimeter  36  of a base  37  of the male portion  34 . The contact between the lead connecting portion  24  and the perimeter  36  establishes a mechanical hold between the lead connecting portion  24  and the perimeter  36 . In both embodiments shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B,  6 A, and  6 B, the male portion  34  removably inserts into the female receptacle  22  of the conductive rivet  20  to mechanically hold the electrode connector  10  in place and provide an electrical link between the electrode connector  10  and the lead assembly  16 . The electrode connector  10  having a male portion  34  is useful in connecting a tab electrode or sensor  12  to a lead assembly  16  having an electrode or sensor connector assembly as described in U.S. patent application entitled “FASTENER ASSEMBLY” (Attorney Docket No. 005123.00053, Express Mail No. EV 075511056 US) filed on Jul. 1, 2001, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.  
         [0027]    In other embodiments of the present invention, as shown in FIGS.  7 - 9 , the electrode connector  10  is constructed from an integral piece of resilient, electrically conductive material. Referring to FIG. 7, the retaining arms  30 ,  32  of the tab connection portion  28  are formed from a helical loop. The extension portion  26  is defined by the single extension arm  27 A, which connects the tab connection portion  28  to the male portion  34 . The tab electrode or sensor  12  is removably secured to the electrode connector  10  when the tab  34  is inserted between the retaining arms  30 ,  32 . The male portion  34  inserts into the corresponding female receptacle  22  (not shown) of the conductive rivet  20  (not shown) to removably secure the electrode connector  10  to the lead assembly  16  (not shown).  
         [0028]    Similarly, as shown in FIG. 8, the retaining arms  30 ,  32  of the tab connection portion  28  are formed from a helical loop. The extension portion  26  is defined by the single extension arm  27 A, which connects the tab connection portion  28  to the lead connecting portion  24 . The lead connecting portion  24  is semicircular in shape. The lead connecting portion  24  contacts a portion of the perimeter  25  (not shown) of the conductive rivet  20  (not shown) to secure the electrode connector  10  to the lead assembly  16  (not shown). Alternatively, the lead connecting portion  24  could connect the male portion  34  (not shown) by contacting a portion of the perimeter  36  of the base  37  of the male portion  34 .  
         [0029]    Referring now to FIG. 9, the tab connection portion  28  is defined by retaining arms  30 ,  32 . The retaining arms  30 ,  32  are formed by semi-circular loops. The extension portion  26 , which is defined by extension arms  27 A and  27 B connect the tab connection portion  28  to the lead connecting portion  24 . Similar to the exemplary embodiment as shown in FIG. 8, the lead connecting portion  24  is semicircular in shape.  
         [0030]    Referring to FIG. 10, in yet another embodiment of the present invention, the tab connection portion  28  may be in the form of an alligator clip or clasp. The alligator clip or clasp may be integrally formed on the electrode connector  10  or may be a separate piece of material that is bonded or otherwise fixedly secured to the extension portion  26  of the electrode connector  10 . The alligator clip or clasp removably connects to the tab  34  of the tab electrode or sensor  12 . In addition, the lead connecting portion may be defined a male portion that is configured to insert into the female receptacle of the conductive rivet. The advantage over present lead wires terminating in alligator clips is that when the devices of the present invention are removed, the lead wire set can be used with conventional snap electrodes without changing the lead wire set.  
         [0031]    In the foregoing specification, the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that a person understanding this invention may conceive of changes or other embodiments or variations, which utilize the principles of this invention without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. The specification and drawings are, therefore, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.