Dry applied and operably dry electrode device

Claim 1

An electrode device for establishing an electrical connection between electromedical apparatus and the skin of the human anatomy, said electrode device comprising composite electrode body means for self-adhering engagement with a substantial surface area of the skin to establish the aforesaid electrical connection throughout substantially the entire engaged area of the skin without the use of conductive pastes, gels or other liquids, such as solvents or the like, said composite electrode body means including a tacky skin-engaging surface formed by a thin flexible layer of pressure sensitive adhesive material having fine non metallic electrically conductive particles dispersed throughout including said tacky skin-engaging surface in an amount sufficient to provide the aforesaid electrical connection with the engaged area of the skin through said layer by particle to particle contact while permitting the skinengaging surface of said layer to remain tacky prior to skin engagement, removable sheet means having a release surface engaging the tacky skin-engaging surface of said layer operable to be separated therefrom without substantially reducing the tackiness thereof in response to the removal of said removable sheet means, said composite electrode body means further including carrier layer means disposed in substantially coextensive connected relation with said adhesive layer and presenting a non-tacky exterior surface generally opposed to said skin-engaging surface and electrical terminal means carried by said carrier means and forming an exterior terminal part of the aforesaid electrical connection with which a detachable electrical connection with the electromedical apparatus can be effected.