Upper water adding electrode device and electroencephalogram cap

Abstract

The utility model provides an upper water-adding electrode device and an electroencephalogram cap, the upper water-adding electrode device comprises a support and a device main body, the support is positioned on one side of a mounting hole of a net-shaped fixing part, and one end of the device main body penetrates through the mounting hole and is connected with the support; therefore, the electrode device can be conveniently assembled, disassembled and moved to different mounting holes to meet different electroencephalogram signal acquisition / electrical stimulation requirements. The support is provided with the water absorption expansion part capable of absorbing saline water, the device main body adopts the annular electrode and is provided with the water injection hole which penetrates through the annular electrode, one end of the water injection hole is positioned at the upper end of the device main body, and the other end of the water injection hole can be in contact with the water absorption expansion part, so that the saline water can be conveniently supplemented to the water absorption expansion part by utilizing the water injection hole as required in the use process; and the injected saline water accurately reaches the water absorption expansion part through the water injection hole and is absorbed by the water absorption expansion part, so that the water absorption expansion part is kept in a state of fully absorbing water and fully contacting with the annular electrode and the scalp, and a good signal transmission effect is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of EEG acquisition components, specifically relating to an upper water electrode device and an EEG cap using the upper water electrode device. Background Technology

[0002] In electroencephalogram (EEG) signal acquisition, an EEG cap with multiple electrodes is typically worn on the subject's head. Each electrode contacts a different location on the subject's scalp to collect EEG signals from different brain regions. Because of the high contact impedance between human skin and electrodes, conductive gel or saline solution is usually used in conjunction with the electrode device to reduce this impedance and ensure the quality of EEG signal transmission. However, conductive gel is costly and time-consuming to use. It requires thorough cleaning and degreasing of the scalp before use, and post-use cleaning is also necessary. Furthermore, the sticky nature of the conductive gel makes it difficult and inconvenient to remove residues. During use, the conductive gel gradually dries and shrinks, leading to a decrease in signal quality, and refilling it is also inconvenient. In contrast, saline solution is much simpler and more convenient. The entire EEG cap with saline electrodes is simply soaked in saline solution before use. No scalp pretreatment is required, and post-use cleaning is easy. Saline solution is inexpensive, has low skin irritation, and rarely causes allergic reactions in subjects, thus its use is increasingly widespread.

[0003] However, existing saline electrodes designed for use with saline solutions also have many shortcomings. For example, the saline solution gradually evaporates over time during use, leading to a decrease in signal quality, necessitating targeted replenishment. However, some existing saline electrodes lack a pre-designed saline replenishment channel, requiring the electrode to be flipped with a straw for replenishment, which is inconvenient and can easily damage the elastic band. The location of the saline replenishment is crucial; the optimal location is close to the scalp, which quickly reduces scalp contact resistance and allows for hydration. Because saline electrodes are far more complex than conductive gels, requiring high levels of waterproofing, corrosion resistance, and sufficient saline contact with the electrode while ensuring the sponge doesn't detach, the choice of electrode material is significantly limited by the structural design. For instance, commonly used powdered silver / silver chloride electrodes are typically cylindrical or annular, making the effective integration of these materials into the saline electrode design a significant challenge. In addition, existing saline electrodes are usually quite complex in structure due to the above requirements, making manufacturing, wiring, assembly and adjustment very inconvenient. Moreover, because of waterproof requirements, they are usually glued together to form a single piece, which not only leads to low production efficiency of such saline electrodes and EEG caps, but also makes electrode replacement complicated and costly, and the materials are wasted because they cannot be recycled.

[0004] Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, make it easier and more accurate to replenish saline solution during use, and support the types of electrodes on the market, it is necessary to design a new type of saline electrode device. Utility Model Content

[0005] This invention addresses the aforementioned problems by providing an EEG electrode device that allows for convenient top-feeding saline supplementation during use, along with an EEG cap incorporating this electrode device. This invention utilizes a minimal number of readily available commercially available components, combining them based on their characteristics to achieve specific performance objectives. It also simplifies the manufacturing process and improves production efficiency. Furthermore, the electrodes are easily replaceable and recyclable.

[0006] Specifically, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] This invention provides a top-mounted water electrode device for mounting at a mounting hole in a mesh fixing part that matches the head of a subject to form an EEG cap. The top-mounted water electrode includes: a support located on one side of the mounting hole; and a device body extending through the mounting hole from the other side and connected to the support. The support includes a water-absorbing and expanding portion for absorbing saline solution and contacting the subject's scalp. The device body has: an annular electrode in contact with the water-absorbing and expanding portion; and a water injection hole passing through the annular electrode, one end of which is located at the upper end of the device body, and the other end in contact with the water-absorbing and expanding portion for replenishing saline solution to the water-absorbing and expanding portion.

[0008] The water-adding electrode device provided by this utility model may also have the following technical features, wherein the main body of the device includes: an electrode seat having a through hole in its middle; an isolation sleeve passing through the through hole, with the water injection hole formed inside it; and a sleeve fixing member for detachably fixing the isolation sleeve in the through hole.

[0009] The water-adding electrode device provided by this utility model may also have the following technical features: the electrode seat includes a disc portion and a protrusion protruding from the middle of a surface of the disc portion; the through hole is disposed in the middle of the disc portion and the protrusion; and the annular electrode is sleeved on the outer periphery of the protrusion.

[0010] The water-adding electrode device provided by this utility model may also have the following technical features: the main body of the device further includes a conductive wire; another surface of the disc portion has a receiving groove communicating with the through hole; the receiving groove includes a conductive wire receiving groove; a gap is formed between the outer wall of the isolation sleeve and the inner wall of the through hole; the conductive wire passes sequentially through the conductive wire receiving groove and the gap to extend to the outside of one end of the protrusion, and is wound around the outer periphery of the protrusion to form one or more turns of winding portion; the winding portion is in contact with the annular electrode.

[0011] The water-adding electrode device provided by this utility model may also have the following technical features: the annular electrode is a common non-polarized electrode on the market, which can be any one of the following electrodes: silver / silver chloride powder electrode, silver-plated silver chloride electrode, plastic-plated silver chloride electrode, etc.

[0012] The water-adding electrode device provided by this utility model may also have the following technical feature: the annular electrode is another polarization electrode, which can be any one of gold electrode, silver electrode, titanium-platinum electrode, etc.

[0013] The water-adding electrode device provided by this utility model may also have the following technical features: the annular electrode is a titanium-platinum electrode; the main body of the device also includes a rectangular circuit board; the annular electrode is electrically connected to the circuit board through the conductive wire; and the receiving groove also includes a circuit board receiving groove connected to the conductive wire receiving groove for receiving the circuit board.

[0014] The water-adding electrode device provided by this utility model may also have the following technical features: the upper end of the electrode seat has a flat surface, and the main body of the device further includes: a top sealing part, which is a sheet-like shape that matches the flat surface of the upper end of the electrode seat and is attached and fixed to the flat surface to close the receiving groove; the middle part of the top sealing part has a through hole for exposing one end of the water injection hole to the outside.

[0015] The water-adding electrode device provided by this utility model may also have the following technical features: the support further includes an adsorption fixing part with a receiving cavity inside, one end of which has an assembly hole communicating with the receiving cavity; the outer end of the protrusion has a plurality of hooks extending obliquely toward the disc part; the water-absorbing expansion part is a cylindrical sponge; after absorbing salt water and expanding, the water-absorbing expansion part is engaged and fixed in the receiving cavity; and one end of the water-absorbing expansion part is in contact with at least the lower surface of the annular electrode; the plurality of hooks are embedded in the water-absorbing expansion part.

[0016] The water electrode device provided by this utility model may also have the following technical features: the isolation sleeve is made of waterproof material or a capillary tube with a waterproof coating; both ends of the isolation sleeve protrude outside the two ends of the through hole; and the sleeve fixing component is a drum spring with a waterproof coating.

[0017] This utility model provides an EEG cap with the following technical features: the EEG cap includes: one or more top-mounted water electrode devices for contacting the scalp of a subject to collect EEG signals and / or perform transcranial electrical stimulation; and a mesh fixing part having multiple mounting holes for mounting one or more of the top-mounted water electrode devices, such that the top-mounted water electrode devices are fixed at corresponding positions on the subject's head, wherein the top-mounted water electrode devices are any of the above-mentioned top-mounted water electrode devices.

[0018] Functions and effects of utility models

[0019] According to the water-filled electrode device and EEG cap provided by this utility model, the water-filled electrode device includes a support and a main body. The support is located on one side of the mounting hole of the mesh fixing part, and one end of the main body passes through the mounting hole and connects to the support. Therefore, the water-filled electrode device can be easily assembled, disassembled, and moved to different mounting holes as needed, thereby meeting different EEG signal acquisition / electrical stimulation requirements. In particular, because the support has a water-absorbing and expanding part that can absorb saline, and the main body adopts a ring electrode with a water injection hole that passes through the ring electrode, with one end located at the upper end of the main body and the other end in contact with the water-absorbing and expanding part, saline can be conveniently added to the water-absorbing and expanding part as needed during use. The injected saline will accurately reach the appropriate position of the water-absorbing and expanding part through such a water injection hole and be absorbed by it, so that the water-absorbing and expanding part remains fully hydrated, thereby maintaining full contact with the ring electrode and the subject's head, achieving a good signal transmission effect. In addition, by setting the length of the isolation sleeve, saline can be quickly and accurately delivered to near the edge of the scalp, thereby rapidly reducing impedance. When using common ring electrodes, both assembly and disassembly are very convenient, and the materials can be recycled. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the upper brain electro-contrast cap in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the upper water electrode device in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the upper water electrode device in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the marking information of the top closed part in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the elastic band in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the upper water electrode device in Embodiment 2 of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the upper water electrode device in Embodiment 3 of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the water-adding electrode device in Embodiment 4 of this utility model.

[0028] Figure label:

[0029] EEG cap 100; water electrode device 10; device body 10A; support 10B; electrode holder 11; disc portion 111; flat portion 111a; conductive wire receiving groove 1111; circuit board receiving groove 1112; protrusion 112; outer annular groove 1121; inner annular groove 1122; hook portion 113; through hole 114; isolation sleeve 12; water injection hole 121; annular gap 122; sleeve fixing component 13; conductive wire 14; winding portion 141; annular electrode

[0030] 15; Adsorption fixing part; 16; Assembly hole; 161; Receiving cavity; 162; Water absorption and expansion part; 17; Top sealing part; 18; Circuit board; 19; Displacement hole; 191; Mesh fixing part; 20; Elastic band; 21; Circular sheet-like part; 211; Mounting hole; 2111; Long strip-shaped sheet-like part; 212. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects of this utility model easy to understand, the following describes the water electrode device and EEG cap of this utility model in detail with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0032] <Example 1>

[0033] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the EEG cap in this embodiment.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the EEG cap 100 includes multiple top-mounted water electrode devices 10 and a mesh fixing part 20. The multiple top-mounted water electrode devices 10 are used to perform EEG detection on different parts of the human head, and the mesh fixing part 20 is used to fix the multiple top-mounted water electrode devices 10 at predetermined positions on the human head.

[0035] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the upper water electrode device in this embodiment. Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the water-adding electrode device in this embodiment.

[0036] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the top water electrode device 10 includes an electrode base 11, an isolation sleeve 12, a sleeve fixing component 13, a conductive wire 14, a ring electrode 15, an adsorption fixing part 16, an expansion fixing part 17, and a top sealing part 18.

[0037] The electrode holder 11 includes a disc portion 111, a protrusion 112, and a plurality of hook portions 113. The disc portion 111 is in the shape of a circular plate, and a conductive wire receiving groove 1111 is formed on one surface of the disc portion. The groove is an elongated groove that extends from the middle of the disc portion 111 to its edge and communicates with the outside. It is used to receive the conductive wire 14, and its cross-section in the extending direction can be semi-circular or rectangular.

[0038] The protrusion 112 protrudes outward from the middle of another surface of the disc portion 111 in a direction perpendicular to the surface direction of the disc portion 111, and is coaxially arranged with the disc portion 111. The protrusion 112 includes two cylindrical sections, wherein the cylindrical section connected to the disc portion 111 has a smaller diameter, thus forming an outer annular groove 1121 at one end of the protrusion 112. One side wall of the outer annular groove 1121 is a limiting surface 1121a facing the disc portion 111, and the limiting surface 1121a is an annular surface perpendicular to the axial direction of the electrode holder 11. The outer diameter of the protrusion 112 is smaller than the outer diameter of the disc portion 111. A plurality of hooks 113 are formed on the outer end edge of the protrusion 112 and are evenly distributed along the edge (a circumference). Each hook 113 is triangular pyramidal and extends obliquely from the outer end of the protrusion 112 toward the disc portion 111. In this embodiment, there are four hooks 113.

[0039] The electrode holder 11 has a through hole 114 extending through its central part along its axial direction, that is, the through hole 114 passes through the disk portion 111 and the protrusion 112. The through hole 114 is a circular through hole with a uniform inner diameter. The conductive wire receiving groove 1111 is located at one end of the central part of the disk portion 111 and communicates with the through hole 114, so that the conductive wire 14 can extend from the conductive wire receiving groove 1111 into the through hole 114.

[0040] The electrode holder 11 is made of an insulating material, such as a single piece of plastic.

[0041] The isolation sleeve 12 is a long and slender cylindrical shape, with an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 114. It is fitted inside the through hole 114. Preferably, the length of the isolation sleeve 12 is slightly larger than the length of the through hole 114, and its two ends extend outward from the two ends of the through hole 114. The sleeve fixing member 13 is engaged between the isolation sleeve 12 and the inner wall of the through hole 114, thereby fixing the isolation sleeve 12 in the through hole 114. A very narrow annular gap 122 is formed between the outer wall of the isolation sleeve 12 and the inner wall of the through hole 114, and a through circular water injection hole 121 is formed inside the isolation sleeve 12.

[0042] The isolation sleeve 12 is made of an insulating and waterproof material or has an insulating and waterproof coating, such as a plastic capillary.

[0043] The sleeve fixing member 13 is an insulating and waterproof fixing member, such as a drum spring (compression spring), whose body is made of metal and has an insulating and waterproof coating. The drum spring is fitted (tightened) between the outer wall of the isolation sleeve 12 and the through hole 114, thereby fixing the isolation sleeve 12 therein. In an alternative, the sleeve fixing member 13 may not be provided. For example, when the isolation sleeve 12 is a plastic capillary tube, it is relatively soft and has a certain degree of elasticity. A plastic capillary tube with an outer diameter close to that of the through hole 114 can be selected and directly embedded into the mounting hole to hold it in place.

[0044] The conductive wire 14 extends from the outside through the conductive wire receiving groove 1111 on the electrode seat 11 to the annular gap between the isolation sleeve 12 and the through hole 114, and then extends through the annular gap to the outside of one end of the protrusion 112. After being bent or folded, it is wound around the protrusion 112 (the part of the protrusion 112 between the hook part 113 and the disc part 111) one or more times to form one or more wound portions 141. Preferably, it is wound at least two times to ensure the contact area between the conductive wire 14 and the annular electrode 15. Preferably, the diameter of the conductive wire 14 is approximately equal to the width of the annular gap 122 (i.e., the distance between the outer wall of the isolation sleeve 12 and the inner wall of the through hole 114), so that the conductive wire 14 is roughly pressed between the isolation sleeve 12 and the through hole 114. During use, the conductive wire 14 will not be displaced relative to the electrode seat 11 or the isolation sleeve 12 due to external forces, thereby avoiding situations such as breakage of the conductive wire 14 or poor contact with the electrode.

[0045] Optionally, glue or similar material can be filled into the conductive wire receiving groove 1111 to fix a portion of the conductive wire 14 within the conductive wire receiving groove 1111. Alternatively, a protective sleeve can be added to one end of the conductive wire receiving groove 1111 located at the edge of the disc portion 111, and the conductive wire 14 can pass through the protective sleeve to protect the portion of the conductive wire 14 located next to the electrode holder 11, preventing it from being damaged by repeated bending.

[0046] The conductive wire 14 is made of a material with good electrical conductivity, preferably a very fine silver wire, with a diameter of 0.2 mm.

[0047] The annular electrode 15 is ring-shaped and is fitted and fixed onto the protrusion 112 between the hook portion 113 and the disc portion 111, making full contact with one or more turns of conductive wire 14 wound around this portion. The annular electrode 15 can be, for example, a silver / silver chloride electrode, i.e., a non-polarized electrode. For example, the conductive wire 14 can be wound around the protrusion 112, and then a suitable amount of silver paste / silver chloride paste can be coated onto the wound conductive wire 14 by brushing, followed by heating and curing to form the annular electrode 15 as described above. The annular electrode 15 shown in the figure is relatively thick; in practice, the annular electrode 15 used for signal acquisition can be very thin, meaning the shape of the annular electrode 15 can be close to the shape of the outer end of the protrusion 112 with multiple hooks.

[0048] The adsorption fixing part 16 is an elastic suction cup used to adhere to the user's scalp or other skin. The adsorption fixing part 16 is a cylindrical shape with a gradually decreasing diameter, forming an internal cylindrical receiving cavity 162 with a gradually decreasing diameter. An assembly hole 161 is formed on the smaller diameter end. The diameter of the assembly hole 161 is smaller than the outer diameter of the annular electrode 15 and is approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the protrusion 112. The end of the electrode base 11 with the annular electrode 15 (i.e., the end of the protrusion 112) is inserted through the assembly hole 161 into the receiving cavity 162. The smaller end of the adsorption fixing part 16 is positioned between the disc part 111 and the annular electrode 15, and is approximately engaged with the protrusion 112. The larger diameter end of the adsorption fixing part 16 is rolled outwards to form a suction cup opening.

[0049] Preferably, the diameter of the assembly hole 161 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the protrusion 112 at the outer ring groove 1121, so that the adsorption fixing part 16 can be fitted onto the protrusion 112 with an interference fit, and the movement of the adsorption fixing part 16 in two directions along the axial direction of the electrode seat 11 is limited by a surface of the disk part 111 and the limiting surface 1121a, respectively.

[0050] The adsorption and fixing part 16 can be made of plastic or silicone, and preferably a transparent material.

[0051] The water-absorbing and swelling portion 17 is disposed in the receiving cavity 162 of the adsorption and fixing portion 16, and is used to contact the annular electrode 15 and the subject's skin respectively during use, and to achieve the conductive function through the adsorbed saline. In the initial state before absorbing saline, the water-absorbing and swelling portion 17 is cylindrical, with a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the large end of the receiving cavity 162 and a diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of the small end of the receiving cavity. Therefore, one end of it can be roughly stuck near the small end of the receiving cavity 162 and will not easily fall off. After absorbing a predetermined amount of saline, the water-absorbing and swelling portion 17 will expand and lock into the receiving cavity 162, and multiple hooks 113 are also embedded inside the water-absorbing and swelling portion 17 to fix and limit it. One end of the water-absorbing and swelling portion 17 is in full contact with the annular electrode 15 in the receiving cavity 162, and it is at least in contact with the lower end surface of the annular electrode 15. Preferably, it can simultaneously contact the lower end surface and part or all of the outer peripheral surface of the annular electrode 15. When one end of the water-absorbing expansion section 17 contacts the annular electrode 15, that end also contacts the lower end of the water injection hole 121. Therefore, salt water can be accurately replenished to the water-absorbing expansion section 17 through the water injection hole 121. When the salt water evaporates after a period of use, causing the resistance to rise, the small amount of injected salt water will be completely absorbed by the water-absorbing expansion section 17, and there will be no leakage.

[0052] The water-absorbing and swelling part 17 is made of a human-friendly material that can absorb water and swell, such as a sponge.

[0053] The upper surface of the disc portion 111 (the surface with the conductive wire receiving groove 1111) has a large-area planar portion 111a. The top sealing portion 18 is a circular sheet with a central hole, used to be mounted on the planar portion 111a of the disc portion 111, thereby sealing the upper end of the electrode holder 11. One end of the isolation sleeve 12 can pass through the central hole of the top sealing portion 18 to the outside for easy water addition. The top sealing portion 18 can be, for example, a paper or plastic patch with certain waterproof properties, directly pasted onto the aforementioned planar portion 111a of the disc portion 111. Optionally, corresponding warning signs and / or information can be provided on the outer surface of the top sealing portion 18.

[0054] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the identification information of the top closed part in this embodiment.

[0055] like Figure 4 As shown, for example, an indicator arrow pattern pointing to the upper end of the water inlet 121 can be formed on the outer surface of the top closure 18, and the words "water inlet" can be formed near the arrow pattern, or words such as recommended water volume and product model can be formed.

[0056] In this embodiment, the overall width of the top-filled electrode device 10 (i.e., the diameter of the disc portion 111) is approximately 10mm to 18mm, preferably 10mm, and the overall axial height is 5mm to 15mm, preferably 8mm. This ensures high-quality signal transmission for approximately 1 to 2 hours. The diameter of the water injection hole 121 is 1mm to 2mm, preferably 1mm. The tip of the injection needle can be roughly fitted into the injection hole 121 after insertion, preventing shaking or overflow during water injection. Each time, approximately 10 times the weight of the sponge itself can be added to the sponge through the water injection hole 121. After one water replenishment, the top-filled electrode device 10 returns to its ideal state, meaning that each water replenishment can extend the high-quality signal transmission for approximately 1 to 2 hours.

[0057] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the elastic rubber band in this embodiment.

[0058] like Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the mesh fixing part 20 is formed by combining multiple elastic bands 21, and the whole is hemispherical, completely covering the top of the human head, to tension and fix multiple top-mounted water electrode devices 10 to the scalp and maintain their position. Each elastic band 21 has two annular sheet-like parts 211 at both ends and a long strip-like part 212 connecting the two annular sheet-like parts 211 in the middle. A circular mounting hole 2111 is formed in the middle of the annular sheet-like part 211, and the diameter of the mounting hole 2111 is approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the diameter of the thinner segment of the protrusion 112.

[0059] In an alternative, the mesh fixing part 20 can also be integrally formed, that is, it includes a plurality of the above-mentioned annular sheet parts 211, each annular sheet part 211 having a plurality of the above-mentioned elongated sheet parts 212 extending from its edge, and the elongated sheet parts 212 being interconnected with other annular sheet parts 211.

[0060] The mesh fixing part 20 is made of a human-friendly elastic material, such as silicone.

[0061] As can be seen, the above-mentioned water-adding electrode device 10 has a small number of components, and all of them can be manufactured using low-cost materials and simple processes. Except for the electrode base 11, which needs to be made by mold, and the annular electrode 15, which needs to be formed by coating with silver paste (or silver chloride paste) and heating and curing, the other components, including the isolation sleeve 12, the sleeve fixing part 13, the conductive wire 14, the adsorption fixing part 16, and the water absorption expansion part 17, can all use standard parts of corresponding sizes available on the market. No special tools are required for assembly; it can be assembled by hand. After assembly, the isolation sleeve 12 and the adsorption fixing part 16 (sponge) can also be easily disassembled and replaced.

[0062] Before use, the electrode holder 11, isolation sleeve 12, sleeve fixing part 13, conductive wire 14, annular electrode 15, and top sealing part 18 can be pre-assembled into a whole as the main body 10A of the device; the adsorption fixing part 16 (suction cup) and the water absorption expansion part 17 (sponge) can be pre-assembled into a whole as the support 10B. In this way, the number of parts required for assembly during use is very small. Then, as needed, the main body 10A and the support 10B are placed on the upper and lower sides of the mounting holes 2111 of the mesh fixing part 20, respectively. Then, the protrusion 112 of the main body 10A and the annular electrode 15 are inserted and pressed through the mounting holes 161 of the support 10B to complete the installation of the top water electrode device 10.

[0063] Then, during use, the EEG cap 100, which is equipped with multiple water-filled electrode devices 10, is immersed in saline solution. After the water-absorbing expansion part 17 absorbs the saline solution and expands, it is locked in the adsorption fixing part 16 and makes full contact with the annular electrode 15. Then, the EEG cap 100 can be worn on the subject's head, and multiple conductive wires 14 are further connected to the signal acquisition device. The EEG signal is acquired through the signal acquisition device and the multiple water-filled electrode devices 10.

[0064] During use, when one or more of the top-filled electrode devices 10 need to be replenished with saline solution, such as when the quality of the acquired signal decreases, or when the EEG signal acquisition time exceeds a predetermined time threshold (due to prolonged time and the sponge absorbing the saline solution), a suitable tool such as a syringe can be used to replenish the saline solution through the injection hole 121 on the top-filled electrode device 10. The injected saline solution directly reaches the upper end of the water-absorbing expansion part 17 (sponge) through the injection hole 121 and is absorbed by it, thereby conveniently maintaining the signal quality of all the top-filled electrode devices 10. At the same time, since the isolation sleeve 12 provides isolation and protection, the injected saline solution will not affect components such as the conductive wire 14.

[0065] Furthermore, since the conductive wire receiving groove 1111 is also filled with glue to achieve a seal, even if a small amount of salt water overflows upward along the annular gap 122, it will not affect the live parts.

[0066] Furthermore, in practical applications, it is usually not necessary to replenish saline solution to all the top-mounted electrode devices 10 in an EEG cap 100. Instead, saline solution is only replenished to a few devices when signal quality deteriorates. Therefore, multiple top-mounted electrode devices 10 can share one or more sets of isolation sleeves 12 and sleeve fixing members 13. That is, during the initial assembly of the EEG cap 100, all the top-mounted electrode devices 10 may not be equipped with isolation sleeves 12 and sleeve fixing members 13; that is, the device body 10A may not include isolation sleeves 12 and sleeve fixing members 13. When a particular top-mounted electrode device 10 needs replenishment, a set of isolation sleeves 12 and sleeve fixing members 13 is inserted into the through-hole 114 of that top-mounted electrode device 10. In this case, the conductive wire 14 can also be selectively fixed, for example, by adhering a portion of it located in the through-hole 114.

[0067] After one subject has finished using the device, the main body 10A can be separated from the support 10B, and only the support 10B can be discarded and replaced with a new one. Similarly, after assembling multiple top-fill electrode devices 10 in the same manner, the EEG cap 100 can be soaked in saline solution again and used for the next subject. Alternatively, only the water-absorbing expansion part 17 (sponge) can be removed and discarded, and a new sponge can be replaced. That is, only the suction cup and sponge that are in direct contact with the subject's scalp need to be discarded, or only the sponge needs to be discarded. The cost of the discarded part is very low, while the main body 10A, which is relatively expensive in the top-fill electrode device 10, can be retained and reused multiple times. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the operations of replacing the water-absorbing expansion part 17, replacing the support 10B, and reassembling into the top-fill electrode device 10 can be performed by hand.

[0068] Functions and effects of Example 1

[0069] According to the water-filling electrode device and electrode cap provided in this embodiment, since the water-filling electrode device includes a support and a device body, and the support is located on one side of the mounting hole of the mesh fixing part, and one end of the device body passes through the mounting hole and is connected to the support, the water-filling electrode device can be easily assembled, disassembled, and moved to different mounting holes as needed, thereby meeting different EEG signal acquisition / electrical stimulation requirements. In particular, since the support has a water-absorbing and expanding part that can absorb saline, and the device body adopts a ring electrode, and is provided with a water injection hole that passes through the ring electrode, with one end located at the upper end of the device body and the other end able to contact the water-absorbing and expanding part, saline can be conveniently added to the water-absorbing and expanding part as needed during use. The injected saline will accurately reach the appropriate position of the water-absorbing and expanding part through such a water injection hole and be absorbed by it, without leaking to other parts or even the outside of the electrode device, so that the water-absorbing and expanding part remains fully hydrated, thereby maintaining full contact with the ring electrode and the subject's head, achieving a good signal transmission effect.

[0070] In this embodiment, the main body of the device includes an electrode base with a through hole, an annular electrode, a waterproof isolation sleeve, and a sleeve fixing component. The isolation sleeve is a plastic capillary tube with a water injection hole formed in the middle of the isolation sleeve. The sleeve fixing component is a drum spring with a waterproof coating, which secures the isolation sleeve in the through hole. These two components can be commercially available standard parts, so not only can a reliable water injection hole be formed at a very low cost, but the isolation sleeve can also be easily disassembled and replaced. Depending on actual needs, multiple water-adding electrode devices in an EEG cap can share one or more sets of isolation sleeves and sleeve fixing components, thereby further reducing costs.

[0071] Furthermore, the main body of the device also includes a conductive wire. The conductive wire can extend from the gap between the isolation sleeve and the through hole to the bottom to contact the annular electrode. The conductive wire can be roughly pressed and fixed in the gap by the isolation sleeve. Therefore, the conductive wire is limited and fixed with a very simple structure, so that the conductive wire will not be displaced or bent when subjected to a certain external force. This can reduce or even avoid problems such as breakage and poor contact of the conductive wire. Moreover, the waterproof isolation sleeve can prevent the added saline from affecting the conductive wire. Therefore, saline can be added at any time during use, and the water replenishment operation will not affect the acquisition of EEG signals.

[0072] Furthermore, the electrode base has a cylindrical protrusion with multiple hooks formed on its outer end. The annular electrode is positioned above the hooks. Therefore, after the sponge absorbs water and expands, the multiple hooks embedded in the side of the sponge can fix and limit its position, preventing it from falling off during use. Based on the sponge's expansion rate, after absorbing a predetermined amount of saline solution, the sponge will at least contact the entire lower surface of the annular electrode and may also contact the outer circumferential surface of the annular electrode, thus providing a large contact area. Through the action of the suction cup and mesh fixing part, both ends of the sponge will also remain pressed firmly against the annular electrode and the subject's scalp, thus ensuring signal transmission quality. Even if the subject engages in some activity during use, the signal transmission quality will remain largely unaffected. Therefore, this EEG cap is suitable for a wider range of testing scenarios.

[0073] Furthermore, the conductive wire extends from one end of the protrusion and is wound around the protrusion of the electrode holder. The wound portion contacts the annular electrode. By forming multiple turns of the wound portion, the contact area between the conductive wire and the annular electrode can be ensured, thereby ensuring the signal transmission quality. Moreover, no additional connecting and fixing structure is required to ensure the contact between the conductive wire and the annular electrode, making the structure of the electrode device simpler and easier to process and manufacture, which is conducive to the mass production of such electrode devices.

[0074] Furthermore, the ring electrode is a silver / silver chloride electrode, which is a non-polarized electrode. Therefore, it can achieve high-quality EEG signal acquisition. The ring electrode can be formed by wrapping the corresponding slurry on the wound part of the conductive wire and then heating and solidifying it. Not only is the process simple, but the ring electrode formed in this way will well cover the arc-shaped outer surface of the conductive wire, so the contact with the conductive wire is very reliable and poor contact is not likely to occur.

[0075] Furthermore, the upper end of the disc portion of the electrode holder has a conductive wire receiving groove, and the conductive wire receiving groove is sealed by attaching a sheet-like top sealing part. The top sealing part has a round hole that allows one end of the water injection hole to be exposed. Therefore, the conductive wire and other components can be sealed and protected in a convenient and low-cost way by attaching the sheet, and the overall appearance of the electrode device is aesthetically pleasing.

[0076] Furthermore, arrow patterns, prompts, or recommended water volume can be formed on the outer surface of the top closure (patch) to indicate the water injection hole, allowing users to easily and intuitively obtain this information. Combined with the ease of assembly and low cost of the electrode device, even non-medical personnel and non-researchers can easily use the electrode device, making it suitable for large-scale promotion and use by individuals, families, and other users.

[0077] Furthermore, the electrode device uses a mesh fixing part to fix multiple top-water electrode devices to the subject's scalp. The mesh fixing part includes multiple annular sheet parts and multiple strip sheet parts, and is made of human-friendly material. Therefore, it is not only more comfortable for the subject to wear, and will not cause allergies or a feeling of heat on the head, but also provides more operating space by covering less of the scalp. Therefore, it is also easy to disassemble and adjust each top-water electrode device during use, providing greater flexibility.

[0078] Furthermore, after a subject has finished using the device, the sponge or support can be removed and discarded, and a new sponge or support can be replaced for use on the next subject. The support only includes a suction cup and a sponge, which is very low cost. The mesh fixation part and the main body of the device can be retained and reused multiple times. Therefore, while avoiding cross-infection, the cost of use can be greatly reduced, which is also conducive to the large-scale promotion and application of this EEG cap.

[0079] <Example 2>

[0080] This embodiment provides an upper water electrode and an electrode cap. In this embodiment, the same symbols are assigned to the same constituent elements as in Embodiment 1, and the corresponding descriptions are omitted.

[0081] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the structure of the water electrode in this embodiment.

[0082] like Figure 6 As shown, compared with Embodiment 1, the difference lies in that, in the water-adding electrode device 10 of this embodiment, one surface of the disc portion 111 of the electrode base 11 also has a circuit board receiving groove 1112, which is a shallow square groove. One end of the conductive wire receiving groove 1111 and the through hole 114 are connected to the circuit board receiving groove 1112. The water-adding electrode device 10' also includes a circuit board 19 for realizing electrical stimulation. The circuit board 19 is a square circuit board, which is roughly fitted into the circuit board receiving groove 1112, and the center of the circuit board 19 has a circular clearance hole 191 for one end of the isolation sleeve 12 to pass through, so as not to affect the formation of the water injection hole 121. A portion of the conductive wire 14 is soldered to a corresponding solder point on the circuit board 19.

[0083] Furthermore, in the water-adding electrode device 10 of this embodiment, the annular electrode 15 is an electrode used for electrical stimulation, such as a titanium-platinum electrode, that is, its inner layer is an annular titanium substrate and its outer layer is a platinum layer, that is, the annular electrode 15 of this embodiment is a polarization electrode.

[0084] Accordingly, on the outer surface of the top closure 18 in this embodiment, words of recommended parameters related to electrical stimulation may also be formed.

[0085] In this embodiment, the other structures are the same as in Embodiment 1, so they will not be described again.

[0086] Furthermore, as needed, several water-filled electrode devices 10 of Embodiment 1 and several water-filled electrode devices 10 of this embodiment can be simultaneously provided in the EEG cap 100, so that the EEG cap 100 can be used for both EEG signal acquisition and electrical stimulation. Preferably, the top closure portion 18 of the water-filled electrode device 10 used for EEG signal acquisition and the water-filled electrode device 10 used for electrical stimulation are identified by different colors. Similarly, each electrode device can be easily disassembled or its installation position changed as needed.

[0087] Functions and effects of Example 2

[0088] The water-filled electrode device and EEG cap provided in this embodiment are well-suited for transcranial electrical stimulation because they also have a circuit board electrically connected to the ring electrode, and the ring electrode is a polarized electrode. Similar to Embodiment 1, the multiple water-filled electrode devices in this EEG cap can also conveniently replenish saline solution to the sponge at any time during use as needed, thereby maintaining the ideal electrical stimulation effect.

[0089] Furthermore, the water-adding electrode devices in Embodiments 1 and 2 can also be mounted on the same electrode cap, and their installation positions can be disassembled and replaced as needed, thereby making the EEG cap applicable to more application scenarios and providing high flexibility.

[0090] <Example 3>

[0091] This embodiment provides an upper water electrode and an electrode cap. In this embodiment, the same symbols are assigned to the same constituent elements as in Embodiment 1, and the corresponding descriptions are omitted.

[0092] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the water electrode in this embodiment.

[0093] like Figure 7 As shown, compared with Embodiment 1, the difference lies in the fact that the structures of the electrode holder 11, conductive wire 14, and annular electrode 15 in this embodiment are different from those in Embodiment 1.

[0094] The wall thickness at the outer end of the protrusion 112 of the electrode holder 11 is less than the wall thickness of other parts of the protrusion 112, so an open inner ring groove 1122 is formed on the inner side of the outer end, that is, a stepped structure is formed on the inner ring of the outer end of the protrusion 112.

[0095] The portion of the conductive wire 14 extending to the outer end of the protrusion 112 is wound around the outer periphery of the isolation sleeve 12, forming one or more turns of the wound portion 141, preferably two or more turns, and all the wound portions 141 are accommodated within the inner annular groove 1122. The wound portion 141 may or may not be in contact with the isolation sleeve.

[0096] The annular electrode 15 is irregularly shaped and covers the outer end of the protrusion 112. In particular, it extends into the inner annular groove 1122 and covers the conductive wire 14, filling the space between the inner annular groove 1122 and the outer wall of the isolation sleeve 12. The annular electrode 15 is relatively thin, so its shape is close to the shape of the outer end of the protrusion 112 (it is drawn relatively thick in the figure for the convenience of showing the annular electrode structure). When manufacturing the annular electrode 15 of this embodiment, the isolation sleeve 12 can be inserted into the electrode base 11, and the conductive wire 14 can be wound on the isolation sleeve 12 as described above. Then, the outer end of the protrusion 112, one end of the isolation sleeve 12 and the wound portion 141 thereon are immersed in silver / silver chloride paste to form a thin coating layer. After the coating layer is cured, the last part of the isolation sleeve 12 that is blocked by the electrode material is removed (for example, it is cut off), so that the isolation sleeve 12 can be made to pass through, forming the above-mentioned annular electrode 15 that covers the outer end of the protrusion 112 and extends into the inner annular groove 1122 to cover the wound conductive wire 14.

[0097] The annular electrode 15 of this embodiment can be formed by directly immersing in slurry and then curing, which greatly improves production efficiency. Furthermore, the annular electrode 15 of this embodiment not only makes full contact with the wound conductive wire 14, but also seals one end of the annular gap 122 between the isolation sleeve 12 and the through hole 114, thus completely eliminating the problem of brine overflow during use.

[0098] In this embodiment, the other structures are the same as in Embodiment 1, so they will not be described again.

[0099] Furthermore, the conductive wire and electrode structure of this embodiment can also be used in Embodiment 2.

[0100] Functions and effects of Example 3

[0101] Based on the functions and effects of the above-water electrode device and EEG cap provided in this embodiment, since the inner side of the outer end of the protrusion has an inner annular groove, the conductive wire can be wound around the outer circumference of the isolation sleeve and accommodated in the inner annular groove. Then, by soaking in slurry and curing, an annular electrode covering the outer end of the protrusion and filling the inner annular groove can be obtained. Compared with the first embodiment, not only is the manufacturing of the annular electrode more convenient and faster, but it can also seal the annular gap between the isolation sleeve and the through hole of the electrode seat. There will be no problem of saline overflow during use, and it has better waterproof performance, making the electrode device and EEG cap more reliable.

[0102] <Example 4>

[0103] This embodiment provides an upper water electrode and an electrode cap. In this embodiment, the same symbols are assigned to the same constituent elements as in Embodiment 1, and the corresponding descriptions are omitted.

[0104] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the water electrode in this embodiment.

[0105] like Figure 8 As shown, compared with Embodiment 1, the difference lies in the structure of the electrode holder 11 and the annular electrode 15 in this embodiment.

[0106] In the top-filling electrode device 10, since the adsorption fixing part 16 (suction cup) is assembled with an interference fit and its movement is limited by one surface of the disc part 111 and the limiting surface 1121a, no axial force is applied to the sponge. Furthermore, the sponge, after fully absorbing salt water, is tightly embedded in the suction cup. Therefore, even without the hook part 113, the water-absorbing expansion part 17 (sponge) will not fall off during use. Thus, the structure of the electrode holder 11 can be further simplified, without having multiple hook parts 113.

[0107] In the electrode holder 11 of this embodiment, the outer end of the protrusion 112 does not have a hook, that is, the outer end of the protrusion 112 is cylindrical. The conductive wire 14 is similarly wound around the outer periphery of the outer end of the protrusion 112, forming one or more turns of the wound portion 141.

[0108] In this embodiment, the annular electrode 15 is a pre-fabricated annular electrode, and almost any commercially available type of annular electrode can be used, such as a powdered silver / silver chloride electrode. The inner diameter of the annular electrode 15 is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the outer end of the protrusion 112, and it can be directly fitted onto the protrusion 112 with the winding portion 141. The inner ring of the annular electrode 15 presses one or more turns of the winding portion 141 tightly, thereby ensuring sufficient contact between the annular electrode 15 and the conductive wire 14. During installation, the annular electrode 15 is fitted onto the outer end of the protrusion 112 from bottom to top, pressing it against the winding portion 141.

[0109] In this embodiment, the other structures are the same as in Embodiment 1, so they will not be described again.

[0110] Functions and effects of Example 4

[0111] Based on the function and effect of the water-filled electrode device and EEG cap provided in this embodiment, since the outer end of the protrusion does not have a hook, all commonly used ring electrodes on the market can be selected. They can be directly fitted onto the protrusion of the electrode base to press the winding part of the conductive wire, making assembly more convenient. Furthermore, since the ring electrode is only fitted onto the protrusion, it can be easily replaced or recycled, even by the user without tools.

[0112] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of specific implementations of this utility model, and the utility model is not limited to the scope of the above embodiments. Those skilled in the art should understand that the utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are only for illustrating the principles of the utility model. Various changes and modifications can be made to the utility model without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the utility model as claimed. The scope of protection of this utility model is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A top-mounted water electrode device, for mounting at a mounting hole in a mesh fixing part that matches the subject's head to form an EEG cap, characterized in that, include: A support is located on one side of the mounting hole; as well as The main body of the device passes through the mounting hole from the other side and connects to the support. The support includes: The water-absorbing and swelling part is used to absorb saline solution and come into contact with the subject's scalp. The main body of the device has: The annular electrode is in contact with the water-absorbing and expanding portion that absorbs brine; and A water injection hole passes through the annular electrode, with one end located at the upper end of the device body and the other end in contact with the water-absorbing expansion part that absorbs and expands with brine, for replenishing brine to the water-absorbing expansion part.

2. The water-adding electrode device according to claim 1, Its features are: in, The main body of the device includes: Electrode holder, with a through hole in its middle; An isolation sleeve is inserted into the through hole, and the water injection hole is formed inside it; as well as A sleeve fixing component is used to detachably fix the isolation sleeve in the through hole.

3. The water-adding electrode device according to claim 2, characterized in that: in, The electrode holder includes a disk portion and a protrusion extending from the center of one surface of the disk portion, and the through hole is disposed at the center of the disk portion and the protrusion. The annular electrode is sleeved on the outer periphery of the protrusion.

4. The water-adding electrode device according to claim 3, characterized in that: in, The main body of the device also includes conductive wires. The other surface of the disk portion has a receiving groove communicating with the through hole, the receiving groove including a conductive wire receiving groove. A gap is formed between the outer wall of the isolation sleeve and the inner wall of the through hole. The conductive wire passes sequentially through the conductive wire receiving groove and the gap to the outside of one end of the protrusion, and is wound around the outer periphery of the protrusion to form one or more turns of winding portion, the winding portion being in contact with the annular electrode.

5. The water-adding electrode device according to claim 4, characterized in that: in, The ring electrode is a non-polarized electrode or a non-polarized electrode. The non-polarized electrodes include silver / silver chloride powder electrodes, silver-plated silver chloride electrodes, and plastic-plated silver chloride electrodes. The polarization electrodes include gold electrodes, silver electrodes, and titanium-platinum electrodes.

6. The water-adding electrode device according to claim 4, characterized in that: in, The main body of the device also includes a rectangular circuit board, and the annular electrode is electrically connected to the circuit board via the conductive wire. The receiving groove also includes a circuit board receiving groove connected to the conductive wire receiving groove, for receiving the circuit board.

7. The water-adding electrode device according to claim 4, characterized in that: in, The upper end of the electrode holder has a flat surface. The main body of the device further includes: a top sealing portion, which is a sheet-shaped part that matches the plane of the upper end of the electrode holder, and is attached and fixed to the plane to close the receiving groove. The top closed portion has a through hole in the middle, which allows one end of the water injection hole to be exposed outward.

8. The water-adding electrode device according to claim 3, characterized in that: in, The support also includes an adsorption and fixing part, which has a receiving cavity inside and an assembly hole communicating with the receiving cavity at one end. The outer end of the protrusion has a plurality of hooks that extend obliquely toward the disk portion. The water-absorbing and expanding part is a cylindrical sponge. After absorbing salt water and expanding, the water-absorbing expansion part is engaged and fixed in the receiving cavity, and one end of the water-absorbing expansion part is in contact with at least the lower surface of the annular electrode, and the plurality of hooks are embedded in the water-absorbing expansion part.

9. The water-adding electrode device according to claim 2, characterized in that: in, The isolation sleeve is made of waterproof material or is a capillary tube with a waterproof coating, and both ends of the isolation sleeve protrude outside the two ends of the through hole. The sleeve fixing component is a drum spring with a waterproof coating.

10. An EEG cap, characterized in that, include: One or more top-mounted water electrode devices are used to contact the subject's scalp for electroencephalogram (EEG) signal acquisition and / or transcranial electrical stimulation. as well as The mesh fixing part has multiple mounting holes for mounting one or more of the above-applied water electrode devices, such that the above-applied water electrode devices are fixed at the corresponding positions on the subject's head. The water-adding electrode device is the water-adding electrode device according to any one of claims 1-9.

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