US 12,456,831 B2
Multi-part sensing electrode connector
David Eric Schwartz, Concord, MA (US); David K Biegelsen, Portola Valley, CA (US); and Ping Mei, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to XEROX CORPORATION, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed by XEROX CORPORATION, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed on Oct. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/499,216.
Prior Publication US 2023/0116242 A1, Apr. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/1477 (2006.01); A63B 71/08 (2006.01); G01N 27/327 (2006.01); H01R 12/78 (2011.01); H01R 13/20 (2006.01)
CPC H01R 12/78 (2013.01) [A61B 5/1477 (2013.01); A61B 5/682 (2013.01); G01N 27/3275 (2013.01); H01R 13/20 (2013.01); A63B 71/085 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multi-part sensing electrode connector, comprising:
an electrode portion comprising:
a flexible substrate;
one or more electrodes positioned on a side of the flexible substrate that is configured to be exposed to an ambient environment;
one or more electrode traces, one portion of each electrode trace connected to one of the electrodes and a further portion of that electrode trace is positioned on the side of the flexible substrate that is opposite to the side on which the electrodes are positioned;
one or more connectors positioned on the side of the flexible substrate that is opposite to the side on which the electrodes are positioned, each connector shaped to detachably mate to a further connector positioned on an interconnect portion; and
an enclosure of the further portions of the electrode traces, wherein the connectors are comprised at least one of within the enclosure and/or on the enclosure; and
the interconnect portion comprising:
a further flexible substrate;
one or more further connectors positioned on a side of the further flexible substrate;
one or more electrically conductive contact structures positioned on the same side of the further flexible substrate as the one or more further connectors are positioned, wherein the contact structures electrically interface with the further portions of the one or more of the electrode traces when the connectors mate the further connectors;
one or more interconnect traces, each interconnect trace interfaced to one of the contact structures and configured to interface the contact structures to an external device when the interconnect portion and the electrode portion are inserted into the external device; and
a further enclosure formed on the same side of the further flexible substrate as the one or more further connectors and the contact structures, wherein the further connectors are at least one of within the further enclosure and/or on the further enclosure, wherein the enclosure and the further enclosure form an interlock that insulates the further portions of the electrode traces and the contact structures from the ambient environment when the connectors are mated to the further connectors, and wherein the external device is configured to sense data regarding the ambient environments via one or more of the electrodes when the connectors are mated to the further connectors and the interconnect portion and the electrode portion are inserted into the external device.