SHIELDED CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY

• US 20150140863A1
• Filed: 10/20/2014
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Inventors: Al-Ali, Ammar, Forrest, Kevin, Abdul-Hafiz, Yassir, Yang, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,397,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/607.05
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6581 Shield structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6585 Shielding material individually surrounding or interposed between mutually spaced contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6599 Dielectric material made conductive, e.g. plastic material coated with metal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 for testing or measuring purposes

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.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A connector in a noninvasive patient monitoring system, the connector configured to communicate emitter signals and detector signals, the detector signals generated by a light sensor and indicative of attenuation of light by body tissue, the connector comprising:

a connector housing;

one or more detector conductors supported by the connector housing and each configured to communicate a detector signal, the one or more detector conductors each including a portion configured to be separably matable with corresponding detector conductors of a corresponding second connector; and

one or more detector conductor shields supported by the connector housing, each detector conductor shield extending along at least a portion of a length of one of the detector conductors, at least one of the detector conductor shields comprising an elongate portion having an interior cavity, wherein at least one of the one or more detector conductors is positioned at least partially within the interior cavity, wherein the one or more detector conductor shields do not communicate signals indicative of patient parameters.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein at least one of the detector conductor shields at least partially surrounds a corresponding detector conductor.

4. The connector of claim 2, wherein at least one of the detector conductor shields terminates within the connector.

5. The connector of claim 2 further comprising:

a shielding shell configured to surround at least a portion of each of the one or more detector conductors.

6. The connector of claim 5, wherein the shielding shell is supported by the connector housing.

7. The connector of claim 6, wherein the shielding shell is surrounded by the connector housing.

8. The connector of claim 2, wherein the connector housing is configured to be separably matable with a second connector housing of the second connector.

9. The connector of claim 2 further comprising:

one or more emitter conductors supported by the connector housing and each configured to communicate an emitter signal, the one or more emitter conductors each including a portion configured to be separably matable with corresponding emitter conductors of the second connector,

wherein the emitter conductors are disposed outside the one or more detector conductor shields.

10. The connector of claim 9 further comprising:

a shielding shell configured to surround at least a portion of each of the one or more detector conductors and the one or more emitter conductors.

11. The connector of claim 2, wherein the portion of each detector conductor configured to be separably matable with corresponding detector conductors of the second connector comprises an elongate shroud configured to releasably receive a corresponding elongate pin of a corresponding detector conductor, and wherein each detector conductor shield surrounds and extends along the length of at least a portion of one of the elongate shrouds and its corresponding elongate pin.

12. The connector of claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more detector conductor shields comprises a cylindrical sleeve.

13. The connector of claim 2, wherein the one or more detector conductor shields comprise at least one of metal or metal and an inner plastic core.

14. A method of enhancing the electrical shielding of detector conductors in a connector in a noninvasive patient monitoring system, the connector configured to communicate emitter signals and detector signals, the detector signals generated by a light sensor and indicative of attenuation of light by body tissue, the method comprising:

providing a connector comprising;

a connector housing;

one or more detector conductors supported by the connector housing and each configured to communicate a detector signal, the one or more detector conductors each including a portion configured to be separably matable with corresponding detector conductors of a corresponding second connector; and

one or more detector conductor shields supported by the connector housing, each detector conductor shield extending along at least a portion of a length of one of the detector conductors, at least one of the detector conductor shields comprising an elongate portion having an interior cavity, wherein at least one of the one or more detector conductors is positioned at least partially within the interior cavity, wherein the one or more detector conductor shields do not communicate signals indicative of patient parameters;

wherein the connector is configured to, following separable mating of the one or more detector conductors of the connector with the corresponding detector conductors of the second connector, communicate detector signals indicative of attenuation of light by body tissue and generated by a sensor circuit through the one or more detector conductors.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the detector conductor shields at least partially surrounds a corresponding detector conductor.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the detector conductor shields terminates within the connector.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the connector further comprises:

a shielding shell configured to surround at least a portion of each of the one or more detector conductors.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the shielding shell is supported by the connector housing.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the shielding shell is surrounded by the connector housing.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the connector housing is configured to be separably matable with a second connector housing of the second connector.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the connector further comprises:

one or more emitter conductors supported by the connector housing and each configured to communicate an emitter signal, the one or more emitter conductors each including a portion configured to be separably matable with corresponding emitter conductors of the second connector,

wherein the emitter conductors are disposed outside the one or more detector conductor shields.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the connector further comprises:

a shielding shell configured to surround at least a portion of each of the one or more detector conductors and the one or more emitter conductors.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the portion of each detector conductor configured to be separably matable with corresponding detector conductors of the second connector comprises an elongate shroud configured to releasably receive a corresponding elongate pin of a corresponding detector conductor, and wherein each detector conductor shield surrounds and extends along the length of at least a portion of one of the elongate shrouds and its corresponding elongate pin.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the one or more detector conductor shields comprises a cylindrical sleeve.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more detector conductor shields comprise at least one of metal or metal and an inner plastic core.