Rotatable electric coupling apparatus and method
AssigneeOASYS Healthcare Corporation
InventorVincent A. Borg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
What is presented is a method of manufacturing a rotatable electric coupling. The rotatable electric coupling comprises a male connector half and a female connector half. The male connector half comprises one or more male coupling parts, one or more male insulator elements, and a male connector core that has a central burrow. The female connector half comprises a female core base having a channel, one or more female coupling parts that have a channel extender, one or more female core spacers that also have a channel extender, and a female end cap. The method comprises assembling the male connector half, assembling the female connector half, and inserting the male connector half into the female connector half.
Claims35
A method of manufacturing a rotatable electric coupling, wherein the rotatable electric coupling comprises a male connector half and a female connector half, the male connector half comprises one or more male coupling parts, one or more male insulator elements, and a male connector core having a central burrow, the female connector half comprises a female core base having a channel, one or more female coupling parts having a channel extender, one or more female core spacers having a channel extender, and a female end cap, the method comprises:
- assembling the male connector half, which comprises the steps of:
- (1) mounting one male coupling part on the male connector core;
- (2) mounting one male insulator element on the male connector core;
- repeating steps (1) or (2) or both (1) and (2) until all male coupling parts and all male insulator elements are mounted on the male connector core;
- and
- filling the central burrow in the male connector core with dielectric adhesive;
- assembling the female connector half, which comprises the steps of:
- (1) fastening one female coupling part to one female core spacer in such a way that the channel extenders are aligned;
- (2) stacking the fastened female coupling part and female core spacer on the female core base or on an already stacked female coupling part and female core spacer, in such a way that the channel of the female core base is extended by the channel extenders of the fastened female coupling parts and female core spacers;
- repeating steps (1) or (2) or both (1) and (2) until all fastened female coupling parts and female core spacers are stacked on the female core base or on an already stacked female coupling part and female core spacer, creating a female connector core;
- fastening the female end cap to the female connector core;
- applying dielectric adhesive throughout the channel of the female connector core;
- and
- inserting the female connector core and female end cap into a female connector housing;
- and
- inserting the male connector half into the female connector half to complete the rotatable electric coupling.
A rotatable electric coupling for maintaining a continuous electric connection through a pivot joint of a pendant arm system or other similar apparatus that comprises the pivot joint, said rotatable electric coupling comprises:
- a female connector half for corresponding with a male connector half to maintain the continuous electric connection, said female connector half comprises a female connector core and a female connector housing;
- said female connector core comprises:
- a female coupling part for operatively contacting a corresponding male coupling part, said female coupling part and said male coupling part maintain a rotational connection;
- a female core spacer fastened to said female coupling part, said female core spacer for insulating said female coupling part;
- said female core spacer and said female coupling part mounted to a female core base, said female core base for stabilizing said female connector core in said female connector half, said female core base having a channel;
- and
- said channel is extended when said female core spacer and said female coupling part are mounted on said female core base, said channel laterally extending along said female connector core;
- and
- said male connector half comprises:
- said male coupling part for operatively contacting said corresponding female coupling part, said male coupling part and the female coupling part maintain the rotational connection;
- a male insulator element fastened to said male coupling part, said male insulator element for insulating said male coupling part;
- both said male coupling part and said male insulator element mounted on a male connector core, said male connector core having a central burrow;
- and
- said male connector core for stabalizing both said male coupling part and said male insulator element when said male connector half is operatively inserted into said female connector half.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.