Barrier for a connector

• US 5,230,031 A
• Filed: 05/22/1992
• Issued: 07/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Biomedical Sensors Limited (Allegro Biodiesel Corp.)
• Inventors: Markle, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PALMER, PHAN T H
• Application Number:
  US07/887,986
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 385/56, 385/60, 385/69
• US Class Current: 385/56
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3816 for use under water, high pressure connectors provisionally see G02B6/4428
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3849 using mechanical protective elements, e.g. caps, hoods, sealing membranes G02B6/3816 takes precedence; provisionally see H01R13/44

Abstract

A barrier for a connector defining a junction between an interengaging member and a conjugating part, which barrier comprises a resilient sleeve shaped to snugly fit a proximal portion of reduced cross section which abuts a proximally facing shoulder and captures an open end of an elastic open ended sheath therebetween.

Claims

1. A barrier 10 for a connector 27 formed from an interengaging member 12 and a conjugating part 13 which define a junction 11 when engaged, comprising:

an interengaging member 12 having a body 14 terminating in a distal end 15, said distal end 15 having pieces 16 thereon and an edge 17 thereabout;

a conjugating part 13 having a handle 18 reaching to a terminal face 19 having features 21 associated therewith for matingly engaging with said pieces 16 and having a periphery 20 thereabout, said body 14 or said handle 18 with a proximal portion 22 of reduced cross section terminating in a centrally positioned proximally facing shoulder 23, said interengaging member 12 and said conjugating part 13 forming said connector 27 when said distal end 15 pieces 16 engage said terminal face 19 features 21 mating at said junction 11 therebetween, said connector 27 having a key 28 and a keyway 29 therebetween to prealign said distal end 15 pieces 16 and said terminal faced 19 features 21, said distal end 15 pieces 16 and said terminal face 19 features 21 including optical paths and electrical circuits;

a junction 11 formed about and between said interengaging member 12 and said conjugating part 13 when joined with said pieces 16 and said features 21 fully united with said distal end 15 against said terminal face 19, said junction 11 including releasable locking means 30;

an elastic open ended sheath 31 appended to said body 14 or said handle 18 and capable of being extended over said body 14 to said handle 18 or over said handle 18 to said body 14 for covering said junction 11 and thereafter said elastic open ended sheath 31 gatherable to uncover said junction 11 and for revealing either said handle 18 or said body, said elastic open ended sheath 31 forming a rolling seal 32 with the end opposite the captured end everted and rolled back along the extended sheath 31 to form a compact toroidal shaped accumulation 33, the elastic open ended sheath 31 being formed of a latex material and being stretched slightly to fit about said handle 18 and body 14 when extended, said releasable locking means 30 located for and accessible to movement when covered over by said elastic open ended sheath 31 extended over said body 14 to the handle 18 or over said handle 18 to said body 14 covering the junction 11 so the covered junction may be locked or released while within said elastic open ended sheath 31 and

a resilient sleeve 24 having an internal passage 25 shaped to snugly fit the proximal portion 22 of reduced cross section abutting said proximally facing shoulder 23 and capturing an open end of said elastic open ended sheath 31 therebetween.