Immersible ultrasound probe and cable

A sterilizable connector comprising:

• a connector housing which has been sealed to prevent moisture from entering it;
• a multi-wire cable which is electrically coupled to a probe at a first end and coupled to the connector housing at a second end, said multi-wire cable having its second end sealed within the connector housing to prevent moisture from entering the sealing between the multi-wire cable and the connector housing;
• and
• a plurality of electrical contacts formed on at least one surface of the sterilizable connector,
• wherein the sterilizable connector can be connected to a mating connector of a medical equipment, said mating connector having a plurality of mating contacts formed thereon for electrical coupling with the electrical contacts of the sterilizable connector, and
• wherein the sterilizable connector can be separated from the mating connector to be sterilized.

A connector assembly comprising:

• a sterilizable connector comprising:
• a connector housing which has been sealed to prevent moisture from entering it;
• a multi-wire cable which is electrically coupled to a probe at a first end and coupled to the connector housing at a second end, said multi-wire cable having its second end sealed within the connector housing to prevent moisture from entering the sealing between the multi-wire cable and the connector housing;
• and
• a plurality of electrical contacts formed on at least one surface of the sterilizable connector;
• a standard connector for connecting directly to a standard medical equipment connector of a medical equipment;
• a mating connector for electrically coupling the sterilizable connector to the standard connector, said mating connector having a plurality of mating contacts formed thereon for electrical coupling with the electrical contacts of the sterilizable connector,
• wherein the sterilizable connector can be separated from the standard connector and the mating connector to be sterilized.

A medical ultrasound system comprising:

• an ultrasound platform that can be used to generate, process and display ultrasound images;
• a probe for taking ultrasound images;
• a sterilizable connector comprising:
• a connector housing which has been sealed to prevent moisture from entering it;
• a multi-wire cable which is electrically coupled to the probe at a first end and coupled to the connector housing at a second end, said multi-wire cable having its second end sealed with the connector housing to prevent moisture from entering the sealing between the multi-wire cable and the connector housing;
• and
• a plurality of electrical contacts formed on at least one surface of the sterilizable connector;
• a standard connector for connecting directly to the ultrasound platform;
• a mating connector for electrically coupling the sterilizable connector to the standard connector, said mating connector having a plurality of mating contacts formed thereon for electrical coupling with the electrical contacts of the sterilizable connector,
• wherein the sterilizable connector can be separated from the standard connector and the mating connector, such that the probe and the sterilizable connector can be sterilized.