Stackable assembly for direct connection between a pulse generator and a human body

• US 20050186829A1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering Incorporated (Kaman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering Incorporated (Kaman Corporation)
• Inventors: Balsells, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,070,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/352
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/187 with spring member in the socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/33 Contact members made of resilient wire
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/909 Medical use or attached to human body

Abstract

A stackable electrical connector assembly includes a plurality of contact housings with each housings having a bore therethrough alignable with adjacent housing bores. The adjacent housings define, in combination, spaced apart radial spring grooves. A plurality of electrically conducting garter springs are disposed in corresponding spring grooves with each spring including a lead extending to an exterior of adjacent housings. A cable having a plurality of wires is provided with each wire attached to a corresponding lead. The housings are modular enabling the contacts to provide a different number of terminal connections.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

a plurality of contact housings, each housing having a bore therethrough alignable with adjacent housing bores, said adjacent housings defining, in combination, spaced apart radial spring grooves;

a plurality of electrically conducting garter springs, each spring disposed in a corresponding groove, each spring including a lead extending to an exterior of the adjacent housings; and

a cable having a plurality of wires, each wire attached to a corresponding lead.

2. The connector according to claim 1 further comprising snap fittings removably holding the adjacent housings to each other.

3. The connector according to claim 1 wherein the adjacent housing further define, in combination, seal grooves and the connector further comprises a plurality of annular seals, each annular seal being disposed in a corresponding seal groove.

4. The connector according to claim 3 further comprising snap fittings removably holding adjacent housings to each other.

5. The connector according to claim 1 each spring and lead are formed from a single piece of wire.

6. The connector according to claim 1 wherein each spring includes two leads extending to the exterior of the adjacent housings.

7. The connector according to claim 2 wherein said snap fittings comprise overlapping circumferential portions of each adjacent housings.

8. The connector according to claim 3 further comprising snap fittings, including overlapping circumferential portion of each adjacent housing said snap fittings being disposed over one of the spring groove and seal groove.

9. The connector according to claim 8 wherein each seal groove and annular seal have a T-cross section.

10. An electrical connector comprising:

a receptacle including;

a plurality of contact housings, each housing having a bore therethrough alignable with adjacent housing bores, said adjacent housings defining, in combination, spaced apart radial spring grooves;

a plurality of electrically conducting garter springs, each spring disposed in a corresponding groove, each spring including a lead extending to an exterior of the housings; and

a cable having a plurality of wires, each wire attached to a corresponding lead;

a plug including a rod receivable by the housing bores, said rod having a plurality of spaced apart electrical terminals corresponding to the spaced apart spring grooves; and

a latch removably holding the rod in position within the bores with electrical connection between corresponding rod terminals and springs.

14. The connector according to claim 10 each spring and lead are formed form a single piece of wire.

15. The connector according to claim 10 wherein each spring includes two leads extending to the exterior of the adjacent housings.

11. The connector according to claim 11 further comprising snap fittings removably holding the adjacent housings to each other.

12. The connector according to claim 11 wherein the adjacent housing further define, in combination, seal grooves and the connector further comprises a plurality of annular seals, each annular seal being disposed in a corresponding seal groove.

13. The connector according to claim 12 further comprising snap fittings removably holding adjacent housings to each other.

16. The connector according to claim 11 wherein said snap fittings comprise overlapping circumferential portions of each adjacent housings.

17. The connector according to claim 12 further comprising snap fittings, including overlapping circumferential portion of each adjacent housing said snap fittings being disposed over one of the spring groove and seal groove.

18. The connector according to claim 17 wherein each seal groove and annular seal house a T-cross section oriented to effect radial sealing with the rod between spring grooves and static axial sealing of a corresponding snap seal.