Electrode Apparatus and Method of Manufacturing Electrodes
A method is provided for creating an electrode node array device. First and second conductors are stamped from a stock sheet. Each of the conductors has a plurality of raised protrusions. The protrusions are interleaved in a manner in which in both directions of the array, a raised protrusion of one conductor alternates with a raised protrusion of the other conductor. The method includes assembling the device in stages on a vacuum apparatus having guide pins that interact with guide holes on laminate sheets that are applied to both sides of the first and second conductors.
1 . An electrode node array apparatus, comprising:
a first physical electrode element having a first plurality of electrode nodes formed therein interconnected by a common first conductor; and
a second physical electrode element having a second plurality of electrode nodes formed therein interconnected by a common second conductor;
the first and second conductors being arranged to interfit the first and second pluralities of electrode nodes to form an array of electrode nodes.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first electrical lead coupled to the first conductor; and
a second electrical lead coupled to the second conductor, the first and second electrical leads adapted to be connected to a source to establish a first polarity for the first conductor and a second polarity for the second conductor, wherein when the source is activated adjacent pairs of electrode nodes within the electrode node array have opposite polarities.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the number of electrode nodes is greater than the number of physical electrode elements.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein there are only a first and second conductor.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the array of electrode nodes comprises a square array having the same number of electrode nodes in each of two axes.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode nodes comprise raised protrusions stamped from a stock sheet of conductive material.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conductors comprise portions of a stock sheet of conductive material and are formed simultaneously during a stamping process.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor extends along a majority of the perimeter of the device and is connected to alternating ones of the plurality of electrode nodes by a plurality of conductive bridge elements.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of electrode nodes associated with the second conductor is encompassed by a perimeter defined by a portion of the first conductor.
10 . A method of making an electrode node array, comprising:
providing a conductive sheet;
forming a plurality of raised protrusions in the conductive sheet to correspond to a plurality of electrode nodes;
stamping a first conductor from the conductive sheet, the first conductor comprising a first set of the plurality of the raised protrusions interconnected by a common first conductor element;
stamping a second conductor from the conductive sheet, the second conductor comprising a second set of the plurality of raised protrusions interconnected by a common second conductor element; and
interfitting the first and second conductors, wherein the first and second sets of raised protrusions are configured in an array of electrode nodes.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising connecting a first electrical lead having a first polarity to the first conductor and connecting a second electrical lead having a second polarity to the second conductor, wherein any pair of adjacent electrode nodes has opposite polarities when the first and second electrical leads are connected to a source.
12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
applying a first laminate to a first side of the stamped first and second conductors; and
applying a second laminate to a second side of the stamped first and second conductors, wherein the first and second laminates cooperate to hold the first conductor in alignment with the second conductor.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first and second laminates comprises a lead protection tab, and the method further comprising folding the lead protection tab over to cover at least a portion of the lead connections.
14 . An apparatus for manufacturing an electrode node array device, the apparatus comprising:
a receiving tray having defined therein a plurality of recesses to correspond with a plurality of electrode nodes of the array device; and
one or more vacuum passages having a first end connectable to a vacuum source and a second end terminating at a hole at a surface of the apparatus, the hole operable to interact with at least a portion of an array device positioned on the apparatus to hold at least a portion of the array device against the apparatus.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising at least one suction cup disposed in at least one of the plurality of recesses, the at least one suction cup operable to interact with a surface of at least one of the plurality of electrode nodes of the array device to hold the surface adjacent the apparatus.
16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising at least one alignment pin operable to receive a corresponding at least one alignment hole of a laminate associated with the array device.