Shielded connector assembly
AssigneeMasimo Corporation
InventorsAmmar Al-Ali, Kevin Forrest, Yassir Abdul-Hafiz, Eric Yang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector assembly according to embodiments of the present disclosure is advantageously configured to allow a sensor connector to straightforwardly and efficiently join with and detach from a patient cable connector. Further, embodiments of the connector assembly advantageously reduce un-shielded area in an electrical connection between a patient cable and a sensor connector. In addition, embodiments of the connector assembly advantageously increase the shielding of detector signals coming from the patient sensor to the monitor.
Claims20
An apparatus in a noninvasive patient monitoring system, the apparatus configured to generate detector signals indicative of attenuation of light by body tissue and to communicate the signals via a shielded connection, the apparatus comprising:
- a patient sensor and a patient cable, the patient sensor comprising sensing componentry configured to emit light and generate detector signals indicative of attenuation of light by body tissue;
- first and second connectors releasably attached to one another, the first connector mechanically irremovably coupled to one of the patient sensor and the patient cable and the second connector mechanically irremovably coupled to the other of the patient sensor and the patient cable, wherein, when in the relesably attached configuration, a physiological patient monitor communicates emitter signals through the first and second connectors to the sensing componentry, and wherein the detector signals are communicated through the first and second connectors to the monitor;
- a plurality of emitter conductor segments each configured to communicate an emitter signal and one or more detector conductor segments each configured to communicate a detector signal, each emitter conductor segment and each detector conductor segment comprising a first portion supported by the first connector and a second portion separably mating with the with the first portion and supported by the second connector;
- and
- one or more elongate detector shields supported by one or more of the first connector and the second connector, each detector shield surrounding and extending along the length of at least a portion of one or more of the detector conductor segments, the emitter conductor segments disposed outside the one or more detector shields.
A method of operating an apparatus in a noninvasive patient monitoring system, the apparatus configured to generate detector signals indicative of attenuation of light by body tissue and configured to communicate the detector signals via a shielded connection, the method comprising:
- providing an apparatus comprising:
- a patient sensor and a patient cable, the patient sensor comprising sensing componentry configured to emit light and generate detector signals indicative of attenuation of light by body tissue;
- first and second connectors releasably attached to one another, the first connector mechanically irremovably coupled to one of the patient sensor and the patient cable and the second connector mechanically irremovably coupled to the other of the patient sensor and the patient cable, wherein, when in the relesably attached configuration, a physiological patient monitor communicates emitter signals through the first and second connectors to the sensing componentry, and wherein signals generated by the optical detectors are communicated through the first and second connectors to the monitor;
- a plurality of emitter conductor segments each configured to communicate an emitter signal and one or more detector conductor segments each configured to communicate a detector signal, each emitter conductor segment and each detector conductor segment comprising a first portion supported by the first connector and a second portion separably mating with the with the first portion and supported by the second connector;
- and
- one or more elongate detector shields supported by one or more of the first connector and the second connector, each detector shield surrounding and extending along the length of at least a portion of one or more of the detector conductor segments, the emitter signal conductors disposed outside the one or more detector shields;
- mechanically actuating a first latching element attached to the first connector to disengage the first latching element from a second latching element attached to the second connector;
- and
- detaching the first connector from the second connector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.