US Patent 7103398 Electrical sensing and/or signal application device

The electrical signal sensing and/or signal application device for sensing electrical signals on a surface and/or for applying electrical signals to a surface, particularly of human or animal skin or other organs or tissues, comprises a substrate (12) having first and second major surfaces (14), and a plurality of electrodes (16) arranged on the first major surface (14) of the substrate (12) and projecting therefrom, each of the electrodes (16) comprising a pointed contact end (36) facing away from the substrate (12) for contacting the surface, and a base end (26) facing towards the substrate (12). On the first or second or both major surfaces (14) of the substrate (12) there is arranged a plurality of first contact pads (22) for electrical connection to contact elements of an evaluation and/or driving means for evaluating the sensed electric signals and/or applying signals to the electrodes (16), the first contact pads (22) being electrically connected to the electrodes (16). The first major surface (14) of the substrate (12) comprises, for each electrode (16), a second contact pad (18) the base ends (26) of the electrodes electrically and mechanically connected to the second contact pads (18). Each electrode (18) is generated by bonding an electrically conductive bonding wire to a second contact pad (18) for generating a thickened socket portion (24) of the electrode comprising its base end (26), and by tearing the bonded bonding wire off the socket portion (24) so as to generate a pointed portion (34) of the electrode (16) comprising its pointed contact end (36) and projecting from the socket portion (24) thereof.