Abstract:
A disposable tab electrode has core elements that include an adhesive conductive laminate layer and a logo sticker layer with a penetrating hole for contacting a sensor electrode. A protecting film is put around both ends of the core elements. As a result, the disposable tab electrode can be made inexpensively, stored hygienically for a long time and used easily. A lead wire for connecting to the tab electrode has a projection on one end of a sensor electrode that is adhered onto the conductive laminate layer of the disposable tab electrode. The projection is fixed to the lead wire body by a fixing member. As a result, expensive Ag—AgCl electrode sensors can be used repeatedly. The lead wire can have a nipper self-contained or integrated with the lead wire body to prevent the lead wire from separating from the disposable tab electrode during use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a tab electrode, and more particularly to a disposable tab electrode for sensing bioelectrical signals of living body such as a human body and a lead wire which can be joined into the disposable tab electrode repeatedly. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    An electrode for living body is adhered closely to a surface of outer layer of skin of living body, and it is for sensing bioelectrical signals exposed by the activities of heart, brain, muscle and so on. It is an essential part for electrocardiographs. 
         [0005]    In a conventional electrode for living body  1 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  (refer to Korean Utility model Publication No. 20-1990-0006903), a disclosed part  3  is formed in the inner side of a skin adhering part  2  and  2   a , a lead wire connecting apparatus  4  and a disc type electrode part are formed in the disclosed part, and a lead wire connecting part  4   a  is formed on the lead wire connecting apparatus  4 . 
         [0006]    A lead wire  6  connecting to a conventional electrode for living body, as shown in  FIG. 3  (refer to Korean Utility model Publication No. 20-1990-0006903), is joined by a lead wire connecting body  7  having a concave part  7   a  to surround the lead wire connecting part  4   a . In  FIG. 3 , reference number  8  is a water-containing gel for reducing contact resistance of living body. 
         [0007]    As described before, a disc-type electrode part  5 , which is made of expensive Ag—AgCl, and a lead wire connecting apparatus  4  are essentially formed in the conventional electrode for living body  1 , and therefore, the conventional electrode should be bulky and expensive, and every time measuring minute voltage, there has been inconvenience that the gel containing water  8  should be attached to under the disc-type electrode  5 . 
         [0008]    Because a lead wire  6  connecting to a conventional electrode is connected to the lead wire connecting part  4   a  by simple insertion by a lead wire connecting body  7  having a concave part  7   a , problems such as inferiority of electrical contact and easy breakaway of the lead wire from an electrode by minor movement often arise with the conventional lead wire. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    To solve the problems which the conventional tab electrode and lead wire have, the present invention is directed to a disposable tab electrode which can be produced in large quantities with cheap price and a lead wire which can be joined and applied to the disposable tab electrode repeatedly. 
         [0010]    To achieve the objective of the present invention, a disposable tab electrode is characterized by comprising a rectangular or circular bottom film; an adhesive conductive laminate layer adhered onto the bottom film with smaller size than the bottom film; a logo sticker layer having a penetrating hole in the middle of it, adhered onto the conductive laminate layer with the same or larger than the conductive laminate layer in size; and a cover film adhered onto the disclosed conductive laminate layer through the penetrating hole of the logo sticker layer. 
         [0011]    A lead wire for connecting to a tab electrode is characterized by a sensor electrode that one end of the sensor electrode is adhered onto the part of the conductive laminate layer disclosed through the penetrating hole of the logo sticker layer and the other end of the sensor electrode has a projection; a lead wire body which the projection of the sensor electrode is inserted into and electrically connected to; and one or more sensor electrode fixing members which can fix the projection of the sensor electrode to the lead wire body or release it. 
         [0012]    The present invention embodies a disposable tab electrode by removing the conventional sensor electrode and the lead wire connecting part, making an adhesive conductive laminate layer and a logo sticker layer having a penetrating hole for making contact with a sensor electrode as core elements, and putting protecting films around both ends of the core elements. As a result, it is possible to produce the disposable tab electrode in large quantities with cheap price. When using a disposable tab electrode of the present invention, user may cut a disposable tab electrode as much as need be or in stamped size and remove the protecting film around both ends only. Therefore, it is possible to keep hygienic storage of the disposable tab electrode for a long time and make use of it easily. 
         [0013]    And the present invention embodies a lead wire for connecting to the tab electrode by forming a projection on one end of a sensor electrode which is adhered onto the conductive laminate layer of the disposable tab electrode, and fixing the projection to the lead wire body by a fixing member. As a result, it is possible to use expensive Ag—AgCl electrode sensor repeatedly. The lead wire of the present invention can further comprise a nipper self-contained or integrated with the lead wire body. It can prevent the lead wire separating from the disposable tab electrode when it is being used. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show structures of conventional electrodes for living body. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a structure of a lead wire connecting to a conventional electrode for living body. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a skew drawing illustrating a patch comprised of a plurality of disposable tab electrodes and a single disposable tab electrode according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a skew drawing showing a kernel structure of a disposable tab electrode according to the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is an exploded skew drawing showing a connecting relationship of elements of a lead wire for connecting to a tab electrode according to the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view when a sensor electrode is connected to a lead wire for connecting to a tab electrode according to the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 8 to 12  show states of connecting a lead wire to a disposable tab electrode according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    Reference number  10  is a lead wire body,  20  means a sensor electrode,  30  is a cable,  40  means a nipper,  50  indicates a lead wire body integrated with a nipper,  100  is a patch comprised of a plurality of disposable tab electrodes,  110  is a bottom film,  120  means a conductive laminate layer,  130  indicates a logo sticker layer, and  140  is a cover film. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    A detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention is provided below with respect to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0023]    First, a disposable tab electrode, as shown in  FIG. 5 , comprises basically an adhesive conductive laminate layer  120  and a logo sticker layer  130  having a penetrating hole  132  for making contact with a sensor electrode as core elements  102 . And the disposable tab electrode, as shown in  FIG. 4 , further comprises protecting films  110  and  140  putting around both sides of the core elements in order to produce in large quantities and keep a hygienic storage for a long time. 
         [0024]    Therefore, when user cut a disposable tab electrode patch  100  following to the stamped line  101 , the disposable tab electrode comprises a rectangular bottom film  110 ; an adhesive conductive laminate layer  120  adhered onto the bottom film with smaller size than the bottom film; a logo sticker layer  130  having a penetrating hole  132  in the middle of it, adhered onto the conductive laminate layer with the same or larger than the conductive laminate layer in size; and a cover film  140  adhered onto a part of the conductive laminate layer  122  disclosed through the penetrating hole  132  of the logo sticker layer as its basic components. 
         [0025]    Here, the shape of the bottom film  110  can be circular, and the size of the cover film  140  to cover the disclosed conductive laminate layer  122  through the penetrating hole  132  is big enough, but, as shown in  FIG. 4 , it is preferable that the size of the cover film  140  is about the same as that of the bottom film  110  from a point of view about mass production. And it is preferable that the size of the logo sticker layer  130  is the same as that of the conductive laminate layer  120  from a point of view about mass production. 
         [0026]    The logo sticker layer  130  includes one or more things selected from printing papers, nonwoven fabric, PE(polyethylene) foam and PET(polyethylene terephthalate) film on which a logo such as a product name is to be printed. As shown in  FIG. 4 , it is preferable that the size is smaller than that of a bottom film  110  and larger than that of a conductive laminate layer  120  to remove both films  110  and  140  at both ends easily. It is preferable that the logo sticker layer has one side end part  134  which does not attach to the conductive laminate layer  120  in order that the one side end part  134  functions as a grasp for a tab electrode, and as space for fixing a lead wire by a nipple  40  of a lead wire for connecting to a tab electrode, as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0027]    It is preferable that the conductive laminate layer  120  is hydro-gel which has adhesive property to the surface of living body like human body and is excellent in conductivity. However, any material which has adhesive property to skin and is able to reduce contact resistance with a sensor electrode can be used for the conductive laminate layer. 
         [0028]    It is sufficient that the bottom film  110  and the cover film  140  are a transparent and thin vinyl film. However, it is more preferable for the bottom film and the cover film to be made of PE(polyethylene) or PET(polyethylene terephthalate). 
         [0029]    The penetrating hole  132  formed at the logo sticker layer  130  is intended to reveal a lower conductive laminate layer  120 , and to attach a sensor electrode plate of a lead wire onto it for connecting to a tab electrode. Therefore, the penetrating hole should be formed considering the size and shape of a sensor electrode plate. 
         [0030]    Next, a detailed description of another embodiment of a lead wire for connecting to the disposable tab electrode of the present invention is provided below. 
         [0031]    A lead wire for connecting to the tab electrode of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 , basically, comprises a sensor electrode  20  that one end of the sensor electrode is adhered onto the part of the conductive laminate layer  122  disclosed through the penetrating hole  132  of the logo sticker layer  130  and the other end of the sensor electrode has a projection  22 ; a lead wire body  10  which the projection  22  of the sensor electrode  20  is inserted into and electrically connected to; and one or more sensor electrode fixing members  14 ,  16 , etc., which can fix the projection  22  of the sensor electrode  20  to the lead wire body  10  or release it. 
         [0032]    More specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the lead wire body  10  has one side disclosed for the sensor electrode fixing members  14 ,  16 , etc. to be equipped, two pillars  13  formed separately toward the disclosed side at the inner side, and an insertion hole  12  formed perpendicularly with the each pillar on at least under part of the lead wire body  10  for the projection  22  of the sensor electrode  20  to be inserted into and contacted with it, coated with conductive material to the inner side of it, and the sensor electrode fixing members are comprised of two springs  14  inserted onto the two pillars  13  respectively; and a mobile fixing key  16  having two long grooves  17  formed at both sides for holding each of the springs inserted onto the pillars and a hole  18  formed at the middle for the projection  22  of the sensor electrode  20  to penetrate. 
         [0033]    With the above-mentioned formation, as shown in  FIG. 6 , when two springs  14  are respectively inserted onto two pillars  13  projected toward the inner side of the lead wire body  10 , and a mobile fixing key  16  is put into the lead wire body  10  of which one end is disclosed so as that the other end of each spring  14  is made fit to a long groove  17 , and the projection  22  of the sensor electrode  20  is made fit to the insertion hole  12  and the hole  18  of the mobile fixing key  16 , as shown in  FIG. 7  of a cross sectional view, by elasticity of two springs  14 , the projection  22  of the sensor electrode  20  is contacted closely to the inner side of the insertion hole  12  onto which conductive material is applied, and is fixed at between the insertion hole  12  and a hole  18  of a mobile fixing key  16 . 
         [0034]    In reverse, in order to separate the sensor electrode  20  from the lead wire body  10 , user can pull the sensor electrode  20  out with pressing the mobile fixing key  16 . So, it is easy to replace a sensor electrode. 
         [0035]    In order to adhere the lead wire for connecting to a tab electrode to a disposable tab electrode, as shown in  FIG. 8 , user can attach the lead wire body  10 , which the sensor electrode  20  is joined, to the insertion hole  132  of a disposable tab electrode  102  which has been already attached to a living body. 
         [0036]    Then, the adhesive strength of the conductive laminate layer  122  of a disposable tab electrode  102  can make a sensor electrode  20 , further a cable  30  attached. So, it is possible to conduct a simple examination with the above-mentioned formation only. 
         [0037]    However, for a long-time examination or with examinee&#39;s movement, a lead wire  30  can be separated from a tab electrode  102 . To prevent a cable  30  separating from a tab electrode  102 , it is more preferable that a lead wire further comprises a nipper  40  for fixing the logo sticker layer  134 , wherein the nipper  40  is attached to the cable  30  connected to one end of the lead wire body  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . Or, as shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , a lead wire body  50  integrated with a nipper for fixing the logo sticker layer  134  is more preferable. 
         [0038]    In  FIGS. 9 and 11 , reference number  42  and  52  are a fixing ring of a lead wire,  44  and  54  are a lower nipper jaw,  46  and  56  are a upper nipper jaw,  48  and  58  is a grip, and  34  is a lead wire plug. 
         [0039]    In order to attach a lead wire for connecting to a tab electrode with a separate nipper to a disposable tab electrode, as shown in  FIG. 9 , user can put a lead wire body  10  to which the sensor electrode  20  is joined on the insertion hole  132  of a disposable tab electrode  102  which has been attached to the surface of living body, tighten a grip  48  of a nipper  40 , widen the space between the lower and upper nipper jaws  44  and  46 , and let a nipper hold one side end part  134  of the logo sticker layer  130  which is not attached to the conductive laminate layer  120  of a tab electrode, as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0040]    In order to attach a lead wire for connecting to a tab electrode with an integrated nipper to a disposable tab electrode, as shown in  FIG. 11 , user can tighten a grip  58  of a nipper integrated into the lead wire body  50 , widen the space between the lower and upper nipper jaws  54  and  56 , move the lead wire toward a disposable tab electrode  102  which has been attached to the surface of living body, place the lead wire body  50  onto the insertion hole  132  of a tab electrode  102 , and hold one end part  134  of the logo sticker layer  130  which is not attached to the conductive laminate layer  120  of a tab electrode between the lower and upper nipper jaws  54  and  56 . Then, as shown in  Fig. 12 , a sensor electrode can be joined together at the same time. 
         [0041]    In  FIG. 11 , reference number  51  means a mobile fixing key which performs the same function as reference number  16  in  FIGS. 9 and 7 .