Systems and methods for high-speed data transmission across an electrical isolation barrier

A medical system comprising:

• a first electrical circuit on a printed circuit board (“PCB”) and configured to provide data;
• a second electrical circuit on the PCB and electrically isolated from the first electrical circuit;
• and
• a free space optics interface assembly on the PCB, the free space optics assembly comprising
• a housing defining a free space chamber in the housing,
• an optical transmitter in the housing at a first end of the free space chamber, the optical transmitter having input pins that are electrically coupled to the first electrical circuit by way of a first feedthrough assembly and configured to optically transmit modulated light representative of the data into the free space chamber,
• an optical receiver in the housing at a second end of the free space chamber opposite the first end, the optical receiver having output pins that are electrically coupled to the second electrical circuit and configured to receive the modulated light transmitted into the free space chamber,
• a first end plate secured to a first end flange of the housing and having a first opening through which the input pins of the optical transmitter extend,
• a second end plate secured to a second end flange of the housing and having a second opening through which the output pins of the optical receiver extend,
• a first O-ring in the first end plate and located to compress against the first end flange of the housing when the first end plate is secured to the first end flange of the housing, and
• a second O-ring in the second end plate and configured to compress against the second end flange of the housing when the second end plate is secured to the second end flange of the housing;
• wherein the first and second O-rings hermetically seal the optical transmitter and the optical receiver within the housing.

An endoscope comprising:

• a camera head;
• and
• a shaft that extends from the camera head and that comprises
• a distal end configured to be positioned within a surgical area of a patient, and
• one or more components within the shaft that are configured to provide signals to the camera head;
• wherein the camera head houses
• a printed circuit board (“PCB”),
• a first electrical circuit on the PCB and configured to
• receive the signals, and
• generate data based on the signals,
• a second electrical circuit on the PCB and electrically isolated from the first electrical circuit, and
• a free space optics interface assembly on the PCB, the free space optics assembly comprising
• a housing defining a free space chamber in the housing,
• an optical transmitter having an input that is electrically coupled to the first electrical circuit, and
• an optical receiver having an output that is electrically coupled to the second electrical circuit;
• a feedthrough assembly electrically connecting the input of the optical transmitter to the first electrical circuit, the feedthrough assembly comprising a tombstone PCB on and perpendicular to the PCB upon which the first and second electrical circuits are located, the tombstone PCB comprising
• a first conductive receptacle that receives and is soldered to a first input pin of the optical transmitter,
• a second conductive receptacle that receives and is soldered to a second input pin of the optical transmitter,
• a first conductive pad electrically coupled to the first conductive receptacle by way of a first conductive path, and
• a second conductive pad electrically coupled to the second conductive receptacle by way of a second conductive path;
• and
• a surface mount technology pin adapter electrically coupled to the first and second conductive pads and comprising a plurality of conductive pins soldered to the PCB such that the first and second input pins of the optical transmitter are electrically connected to the first electrical circuit.