Silver-Coated Particle Electrode Sensor for Reduced Silver Consumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical electrodes, particularly ECG sensors, require significant amounts of silver for effective operation, leading to high production costs and inefficiencies, as they rely on continuous silver layers that are not optimized for reduced silver usage.
Innovation Solution
The development of an electrode sensor with silver-coated particles embedded in a conductive polymeric resin substrate, where only the surface requires silver for functionality, allowing for controlled silver distribution and reduced overall silver usage, utilizing thermally embedded micron-sized silver-coated particles for enhanced surface area and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous silver layers are used in electrode sensors, then electrical conductivity and sensor performance are improved, but silver consumption and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating silver coating only on the outer surface of the plastic resin substrate where electrical contact is needed, rather than coating the entire substrate. The sensor comprises a plastic resin substrate with silver coating applied only to the outer surface, achieving necessary electrical conductivity while minimizing silver usage. This localized application resolves the contradiction between maintaining sensor performance and reducing silver consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the sensor structure into distinct functional layers: a plastic resin substrate providing mechanical support and a separate silver-coated outer surface providing electrical conductivity. This segmentation allows each material to perform its optimal function while reducing overall silver requirements compared to traditional continuous silver layer approaches.
2Reliability
If silver coating methods such as electroplating or ink printing are used, then sensor performance is maintained, but production complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the silver coating process from complex electroplating or ink printing methodologies and simplifies it to a direct surface coating application on the plastic resin substrate. By separating the substrate preparation from the coating application and using simpler coating techniques, the production process becomes less complex while maintaining the necessary silver coating for sensor performance.
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
This approach reduces the amount of silver required while maintaining or improving recovery times during defibrillation events, achieving lower silver usage without compromising performance, and simplifies the production process, making it more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
Implementation Method 1
Covering the plastic resin with silver is generally accomplished by any one of a number of methods including electroplating, ink printing and silver sputtering.
Implementation Method 2
The sensor comprises silver-coated particles distributed on and embedded into a surface of the substrate
Data Source
Figure 1A~1D
Figure 2A~2D
AI summary
An electrode sensor involves a solid conductive polymeric substrate shaped as an electrode sensor or portion of an electrode sensor having a layer of silver-coated particles distributed on and embedded into a surface of the substrate. The electrode sensor is particularly useful for ECG electrodes and utilizes less silver without unduly sacrificing performance. A process for producing the electrode sensor involves distributing a layer of silver-coated particles on a surface of a solid conductive polymeric substrate shaped as an electrode sensor or portion of an electrode sensor and thermally embedding the silver-coated particles into the surface. The process is simpler and less costly than existing processes for producing electrode sensors.