CONNECTION SYSTEM FOR SENSOR DEVICE

• US 20130015841A1
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verathon Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verathon Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Caprio, Matthew, McMorrow, Gerald J., Clay, Andrew, Ivanova, Ekaterina Filipova, Valenzuela, Antonio, Beasley, Vanessa
• Granted Patent: US 9,024,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/126
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287

Abstract

A system for connecting remote equipment to a sensor device having a connector coupled to at least two terminals located on different portions of the sensor device. The portions of the sensor device may be an anterior portion and a posterior portion with each having at least one terminal. In turn, the terminals are nested on top of one another and at least one terminal is electrically accessible through a window region of the other portion. Further, the terminals are alignable with each other and with a connector by alignment indicators, which may provide a visual alignment indication for the terminals as well as a mechanical alignment of the connector with the sensor device.

Claims

1. An electrode system comprising:

a sensor device

a first conductive terminal located on the sensor device;

a second conductive terminal located proximate to and registered with respect to the first conductive terminal on the sensor device; and

,

a connector electrically coupled to both the first and second conductive terminals.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first conductive terminal is located on a first portion of the sensor device;

the second conductive terminal is located on a second portion of the sensor device and the first and second portion of the sensor device are nested on top of one another for coupling with the connector.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the connector includes:

a first electrical contact for removable engagement with the first conductive terminal; and

a second electrical contact for removable engagement with the second conductive terminal.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first and second electrical contacts on the connector are substantially coplanar.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the first portion of the sensor device includes a first window substantially adjacent the first terminal; and

,

the second portion of the sensor device includes a second window substantially adjacent the second terminal, such that when the first and second portions of the sensor device are nested on top of one another, the first window is substantially aligned with the second electrical contact of the connector and the second window is substantially aligned with the first electrical contact of the connector.

6. An electrical connector for a sensor device having a plurality of terminals, the electrical connector comprising:

a housing;

a first electrical contact affixed to the housing; and

an alignment member coupled to the housing, the alignment member engageable with the sensor device to align the first electrical contact with at least two terminals of the sensor device.

7. The electrical connector of claim 6, further comprising a second electrical contact affixed to the housing, wherein the alignment member aligns a second one of the plurality of terminals with the second electrical contact of the sensor device.

8. The electrical connector of claim 6, further comprising a retention element coupled to the housing, the retention element configured to retain at least two of the terminals in contact with the housing.

9. A sensor device for a human patient, the sensor device comprising:

a connector;

a first electrode mounting portion having a first conductive terminal, a first window and a first alignment element; and

a second electrode mounting portion having a second conductive terminal, a second window, and a second alignment element,

wherein alignment of the first and second conductive terminals with corresponding first and second windows permits both terminals to be in electrical communication with the connector.

10. The sensor device of claim 9, wherein the first portion is positioned on top of the second portion.

11. The sensor device of claim 9, wherein the second portion is positioned on top of the first portion.

12. A sensor vest engageable with a connector, the sensor vest comprising:

a first electrode mounting portion having a first conductive terminal and a first window located proximate the first conductive terminal; and

a second electrode mounting portion having a second conductive terminal and a second window located proximate the second conductive terminal,

wherein the first window is configured to provide electrical access to the second conductive terminal when the first and second conductive terminals are placed proximate each other,

wherein the second window is configured to provide electrical access to the first conductive terminal when the first and second conductive terminals are placed proximate each other.

13. A sensor vest engageable with a connector, the sensor vest comprising:

a first electrode mounting portion having a first conductive terminal and a first alignment indicator; and

a second electrode mounting portion having a second conductive terminal and a second alignment indicator,

wherein registering the first and second alignment indicators in an overlapping manner provides a visual indication that the first and second conductive terminals are electrically accessible.

14. A sensor vest comprising:

a connector having a housing with an alignment member;

a first vest mounting portion having a first conductive terminal and a first alignment indicator; and

a second vest mounting portion having a second conductive terminal and a second alignment indicator,

wherein registering the first and second alignment indicators in an overlapping manner permits the alignment member of the connector to be received by the alignment indicators to make the first and second conductive terminals electrically engageable with the connector.