Modular Therapy Electrode With Replaceable Gas Charge for Reuse

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cardiac monitoring and treatment devices, such as therapy electrodes, are designed as single-use items due to the inability to replace the gas cartridge without damaging other components, leading to unnecessary waste and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A therapeutic electrode component with a detachable gas charge mechanism that allows for the reuse of non-destroyed portions by providing a hermetic seal and fluid communication between the gas charge and the conductive fluid repository, enabling the replacement of the gas charge without damaging the base plate or rupturable membrane.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If the gas charge is made detachable from the base plate, then the electrode component can be reused and waste is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to the need for coupling and sealing mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewaste of electrode componentsVSAvoidcomplexity of detachable coupling mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The electrode component is divided into separable modules: a reusable base plate and a replaceable gas charge cartridge. This segmentation allows the gas charge to be replaced independently without discarding the entire electrode assembly, reducing waste while maintaining functional integrity through standardized coupling interfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The design enables selective discarding of only the consumable gas charge cartridge while recovering and reusing the durable base plate, repository, and membrane components. This partial discarding strategy reduces overall waste compared to single-use electrodes while the coupling mechanism ensures proper reconnection of functional components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Loss of substance

If the gas charge is made detachable without destruction, then costs are reduced through reuse, but the ease of operation decreases due to the need for proper attachment and sealing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost through wasteVSAvoidease of gas charge replacement

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling mechanism and hermetic seal are pre-configured and integrated into the base plate design before use. This preliminary preparation ensures that gas charge replacement can be performed quickly and reliably without requiring complex assembly steps or specialized tools, maintaining ease of operation while enabling reuse.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If a hermetic seal is provided between the gas charge and base plate, then fluid communication is ensured for reliable operation, but the device complexity increases due to sealing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid communication reliabilityVSAvoidcomplexity of hermetic sealing mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hermetic seal function is merged with the mechanical coupling structure itself rather than being a separate component. The coupling mechanism incorporates sealing elements that automatically engage when the gas charge cartridge is attached to the base plate, ensuring fluid communication reliability while avoiding the complexity of separate sealing systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables the reuse of non-destroyed portions of the therapeutic electrode, reducing waste and costs by allowing the replacement of the gas charge independently, thus extending the life cycle of the electrode components.

Implementation Method 1

A gas charge is detachably engageable with a coupling... to provide fluid communication between an internal volume of a repository and the outlet of gas charge

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas pressurization: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

The coupling is configured to detachably engage a gas charge... to provide a hermetic seal with an outlet of the gas charge

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHermetic sealing:

Implementation Method 3

therapy electrodes that release conductive gel onto the skin of a subject prior to delivering electrical therapy to the subject to decrease electrical resistance

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentUS20250256090A1Modular electrical therapy device

Publication Date: 2025.08.14 ZOLL MEDICAL CORPORATION

AI summary

A therapeutic electrode component includes a base plate having a first side and a second side having a conductive surface. A repository having an internal volume to releasably retain a conductive fluid is disposed on the first side of the base plate. A rupturable membrane is disposed between the internal volume of the repository and the conductive surface of the base plate. A coupling is disposed on the base plate that is configured to detachably engage a gas charge, whereby the gas charge is detachable from the coupling without causing destruction of the gas charge, to provide a hermetic seal with an outlet of the gas charge, and to provide fluid communication between the internal volume of the repository and the outlet of gas charge when the gas charge is engaged by the coupling. A retainer is configured to detachably secure the gas charge to the base plate.