Compact multi-line connector
AssigneeTechnical Services for Electronics, Inc.
InventorsRyan Cook, David Wandler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multi-line electrical assembly that includes a multi-line cable (14), including a multiplicity of insulated conductive wires (59); and a multi-line electrical plug (16), physically connected to the cable. The plug has a housing (56) and a plurality of spaced-apart printed circuit boards (PCBs, 48), housed in the housing and having a first end (47) that is connected to the cable and having a second end (46), separated from the first end. Further, the PCBs bear a plurality of conductive traces (50), at least some of the traces being electrically connected to the wires proximal to the first end. The traces terminate proximal to the second end.
Claims21
A multi-line electrical catheter assembly, comprising:
- (a) a multi-line cable, including a multiplicity of insulated conductive wires, having a first end and a second end, opposed to said first end;
- (b) a multi-line electrical plug, physically connected to said first end of said cable and including:
- (i) a cylindrical housing adapted to electrically engage a socket;
- (ii) a plurality of spaced-apart printed circuit boards (PCB), housed in said cylindrical housing and having a first end that is connected to said cable and having a second end, separated from said first end, said PCBs bearing a plurality of conductive traces, at least some of said plurality of traces being electrically connected to said wires proximal to said first end, said plurality of traces terminating proximal to said second end, said PCBs further having tapered ends at said second ends;
- and
- (iii) a plurality of spacing elements to hold said PCBs in the spaced apart orientation, said plurality of spacing elements and PCBs being fixed in said cylindrical housing;
- and wherein said PCBs are all identical, and are arranged in rows, with intermediate rows having two PCBs, but having two outermost rows, each having a single PCB only;
- and
- (c) a catheter, attached to said second end of said multi-line cable, and including sensing elements that generate signals on said wires of said cable.
A multi-line electrical catheter assembly, comprising:
- (a) a multi-line cable, including a multiplicity of insulated conductive wires, said multi-line cable having a first end and a second end;
- and
- (b) a multi-line electrical plug, physically connected to said first end of said cable and including:
- (i) a cylindrical housing adapted to electrically engage a socket, said cylindrical housing having a visual alignment guide;
- (ii) a plurality of spaced-apart printed circuit boards (PCB), housed in said cylindrical housing and having a first end that is connected to said cable and having a second end, separated from said first end, said PCBs bearing a plurality of conductive traces, at least some of said plurality of traces being electrically connected to said wires proximal to said first end, said plurality of traces terminating proximal to said second end, said PCBs further having, tapered second ends;
- (iii) a plurality of spacing elements to hold said PCBs in the spaced apart orientation and said plurality of spacing elements and PCBs being fixed in said cylindrical housing, wherein said PCBs are arranged in a stack and wherein the top and bottom PCBs in said stack are more narrow than the middle PCBs in said stack;
- and
- (c) a catheter assembly, and including a catheter at an end of said electrical cable opposed to said plug, said catheter including sensing elements that generate signals on said wires of said cable, wherein said assembly can withstand an autoclave cycle, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilization, dry heat sterilization, gamma radiation, sterilization and ethylene oxide sterilization.
A compact multi-line electrical connector assembly for connecting a biological measurement and monitoring system with a catheter assembly, comprising:
- (a) a socket having a socket housing and a plurality of socket electrical contacts;
- (b) the catheter assembly including sensing elements and a plug, wherein said plug is advanced in a forward direction in order to engage said socket, and having a forward-most front and a rear, opposed to said front, said plug including;
- (i) a plug housing;
- (ii) a set of printed circuit boards, each printed circuit board having a set of traces terminating in forward-positioned ping electrical contacts, at least some of which are connected to further conductors that exit from said rear of said plug;
- and
- (iii) a plurality of spacing elements to hold said set of printed circuit boards in a spaced apart orientation, said plurality of spacing elements and printed circuit boards being fixed in said plug housing, wherein said PCBs are arranged in a stack and wherein the top and bottom PCBs in said stack are more narrow than the middle PCBs in said stack;
- wherein said plug electrical contacts and said socket electrical contacts being arranged and configured to slide into contact with one another as said plug is advanced in a forward direction into said socket;
- and
- wherein said printed circuit boards of said plug have tapered frontal ends and wherein said socket includes tapered front entries for the aligned engagement with said tapered front ends of said printed circuit boards of said plug.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.