Electrode and connector assemblies for non-invasive transcutaneous electrical stimulation and biological signal sensing
The invention concerns an assembly ( 100 ) for delivering electrical currents to and/or sensing electrical signals from a skin portion of an individual. The assembly comprises an electrode ( 1 ) having an electrical conductive portion ( 2 ) with a surface for entering in contact with a skin portion ( 200 ) of the individual and an electrical insulating stratum ( 3 ) covering the electrical conductive portion ( 2 ). The assembly comprises a conductor assembly ( 40 ) having a connector assembly ( 4 ) with protuberances ( 8 ) for removably retaining the electrode and electrically connecting said electrical conductive portion ( 2 ) of the electrode to said monitoring and/or stimulating device. The protuberances have sharpened elements ( 8 ) for piercing the insulating stratum ( 3 ) and engaging themselves inside the electrical conductive portion ( 2 ).
1. A connector assembly for electrically connecting an electrode to a monitoring and/or stimulating device; whereby the electrode has an essentially flat conductive portion arranged to contact a skin portion of an individual, and an insulating stratum covering the conductive portion; the connector assembly comprising electrical conductive protuberances having sharpened elements so to pierce the conductive portion and/or the insulating stratum of the electrode and to engage themselves inside the electrical conductive portion of the electrode, wherein the assembly further comprises a portion configured to take a configuration in response to an external force so as to modify the orientation of at least part of the sharpened elements for piercing the conductive portion and/or the insulating stratum of the electrode;
wherein said portion is a moveable portion being movable from a rest configuration to a second configuration in response to said external force;
wherein the sharpened elements, in the second configuration, are oriented essentially along parallel directions for piercing the conductive portion and/or the insulating stratum of the electrode; and wherein at least one of the sharpened elements, in the rest configuration, is oriented along a direction being inclined with respect to a direction of another of said sharpened elements for providing retaining when engaged inside the electrical conductive portion of the electrode.
2. The connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the moveable portion or the resilient portion is arranged for being moveable or deformable in response to a pair of opposed forces applied to a first and second application points of the connector assembly.
3. The connector assembly according to claim 2 , the moveable portion or the resilient portion being arranged for being moveable or deformable from the rest configuration to the second configuration in response of a force applied by fingers of the individual.
4. The connector assembly according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of said sharpened elements comprises at least a substantially radially extending element for providing retaining when engaged inside the electrical conductive portion of the electrode.
5. The connector assembly according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of said sharpened elements comprises an elongated body and a sharpened end.
6. The connector assembly according to claim 5 , said sharpened end being conical-shaped, curved, or hook-shaped.
7. The connector assembly according to claim 6 , wherein said sharpened end comprises an elongated portion with a longitudinal axis being inclined with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated body.
8. The conductor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sharpened elements, in the second configuration, are oriented essentially along perpendicular directions to the insulating stratum and the conductive portion.
9. The conductor assembly of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the sharpened elements, in the rest configuration, is oriented along a direction being perpendicular with respect to the insulating stratum and the conductive portion.
10. The conductor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sharpened elements, in the second configuration, pierce the insulating stratum through to the conductive portion.
11. The conductor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the sharpened elements, in the second configuration, pierce the conductive portion without contacting the skin portion.
12. A connector assembly for electrically connecting an electrode to a monitoring and/or stimulating device; whereby the electrode has an essentially flat conductive portion arranged to contact a skin portion of an individual, and an insulating stratum covering the conductive portion; the connector assembly comprising electrical conductive protuberances having sharpened elements so to pierce the conductive portion and/or the insulating stratum of the electrode and to engage themselves inside the electrical conductive portion of the electrode, wherein the assembly further comprises a portion configured to take a configuration in response to an external force so as to modify the orientation of at least part of the sharpened elements for piercing the conductive portion and/or the insulating stratum of the electrode;
wherein said portion is a moveable portion being movable from a rest configuration to a second configuration in response to said external force;
wherein the sharpened elements, in the second configuration, are oriented essentially along parallel directions to each other for piercing the conductive portion and the insulating stratum of the electrode; wherein the sharpened elements, in the second configuration, are oriented essentially along perpendicular directions to the insulating stratum and the conductive portion; and wherein at least one of the sharpened elements, in the rest configuration, is oriented along a direction being inclined with respect to a direction of another of said sharpened elements for providing retaining when engaged inside the electrical conductive portion of the electrode.
13. The connector assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the moveable portion or the resilient portion is arranged for being moveable or deformable in response to a pair of opposed forces applied to a first and second application points of the connector assembly.
14. The connector assembly according to claim 13 , the moveable portion or the resilient portion being arranged for being moveable or deformable from the rest configuration to the second configuration in response of a force applied by fingers of the individual.
15. The connector assembly according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of said sharpened elements comprises at least a substantially radially extending element for providing retaining when engaged inside the electrical conductive portion of the electrode.
16. The connector assembly according to claim 15 , wherein at least one of said sharpened elements comprises an elongated body and a sharpened end.
17. The connector assembly according to claim 16 , said sharpened end being conical-shaped, curved, or hook-shaped.
18. The connector assembly according to claim 16 , wherein said sharpened end comprises an elongated portion with a longitudinal axis being inclined with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated body.