Pad Tray With Recessed Region For Electrode Gel Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The handling of electrode pads with conductive gel is cumbersome due to the need for applying and wiping off flowable conductive gel, which is time-consuming and troublesome.
Innovation Solution
A pad tray designed to accommodate electrode pads with a conductive gel, featuring a base member and recessed regions that hold the pads securely, allowing for easy attachment and detachment from electrodes, and includes a supporting mechanism to bias the pad toward the bottom, facilitating handling and reducing the force required for engagement with the electrode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flowable conductive gel is applied to each electrode using a tube, then conductivity and skin followability are improved, but the work required for applying and wiping off the gel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive gel is pre-applied to the electrode pad in advance during manufacturing, so that when the electrode pad is attached to the electrode, the gel is already in position and ready for use. This eliminates the need for manual application at the time of measurement, reducing the work required while maintaining conductivity and skin followability.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode pad serves as an intermediary carrier that transports the conductive gel from the manufacturing stage to the measurement stage. Instead of applying gel directly to electrodes during measurement, the gel is delivered through the electrode pad, which simplifies the measurement process while ensuring proper gel placement.
2Ease of operation
If electrode pads with conductive gel are used, then the task of applying and wiping off gel is reduced, but new issues arise concerning the handling of electrode pads
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into distinct components: the electrode pad with pre-applied gel, the electrode, and the pad tray. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the electrode pad handles gel delivery, the electrode provides the measurement function, and the pad tray manages the electrode pads during storage and attachment, simplifying overall handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode pad is designed to be self-contained with the conductive gel already applied, eliminating the need for separate gel application steps. The pad can be directly attached to the electrode and used immediately, making the system self-sufficient and reducing handling complexity.
3Reliability
If the holding face is in direct contact with the bottom region, then the electrode pad is securely held, but the force required for engagement with the electrode increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pad tray is designed with localized support features - the sidewall region provides support at the edges while the bottom region provides support at the base. This distributed support structure reduces the force concentration at any single point, making engagement easier while maintaining secure holding of the electrode pad.
Solution Approach 2:
The recessed region with its bottom region and sidewall region is designed in advance to provide cushioning and support for the electrode pad during attachment. This pre-configured support structure absorbs and distributes the engagement forces, reducing the peak force required for attachment while ensuring the pad is securely held in position.
Data Source
AI summary
A pad tray includes a base portion and a recessed region that is formed in the front side of the base portion and is for accommodating an electrode pad, the recessed region having a bottom region and a sidewall region that extends up from the bottom region and is provided so as to surround the electrode pad.