Connection arrangement for monitoring fetal heart rate

• US 5,632,274 A
• Filed: 12/06/1994
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Corometrics Medical Systems
• Original Assignee: Corometrics Medical Systems
• Inventors: Boucher, Donald R., Quedens, Phillipp J., Malis, Michael J., Izzo, Joseph A., Shipherd, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casler, Brian L.
• Application Number:
  US08/349,834
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 128/642, 128/639-641, 128/644, 607/37, 439/530, 439/668, 439/669, 439/877, 439/909, 439/910
• US Class Current: 600/394
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/274 using snap or button fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/288 for foetal cardiography, e.g. scalp electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/303 Patient cord assembly, e.g. cable harness
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4362 Assessing foetal parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5224 for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/62 Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/909 Medical use or attached to human body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 607/902 Fetal monitoring other than heart rate

Abstract

A connector attached to an end of a twisted wire pair, whose other end has fetal and maternal electrodes. A driving tube is removed from the twisted wire pair by pulling a drive handle and driving tube over the connector. The outer diameter of the connector is smaller than the inner diameter of the driving tube. After the connector is free, it is inserted into a housing of a leg plate, which electrically interconnects terminals of the connector and thereby the electrodes with a remote monitoring device. The housing has finger grips to help hold the housing during the insertion of the connector. The leg plate also has a base which is held in position against a mother'"'"'s leg and has a ground electrode which is also electrically interconnected with the device. The housing is rotatable relative to the base.

Claims

1. A connector device for use in monitoring fetal heart rate by being adapted for making electrical connection between a remote monitoring device and a connector body having spaced terminals that are in electrical connection with fetal and maternal electrodes, said connector device comprising:

a housing having an elongated opening that extends inwardly of the housing from an entrance so as to define an elongated path for receiving a single connector body having spaced apart terminals, the path extending about a centerline in a direction of elongation of the path;

input means for receiving electrical signals including first and second contacts within the opening and accessible from outside via the entrance said first and second contacts being adjacent said path and being spaced apart in the direction of elongation whereby said first and second contacts will respectively engage one of the spaced terminals of said single conductor body inserted into said opening;

output means supported by the housing and adapted for making electrical connection with a remote device;

a base having ground electrode means accessible from an underside of the base; and

means for electrically connecting the output means with both the input means and the ground electrode means.

2. A device as in claim 1 and further comprising means for rotatably connecting together said base and said housing so that said base is rotatable with respect to said housing.

3. A device as in claim 1 wherein said housing has two outwardly facing surfaces which are concavely curved to facilitate gripping.

4. A device as in claim 1 wherein said base includes an adhesively coated pad.

5. A device as in claim 1 wherein said base includes a belt plate and said device further comprises a belt extending from said belt plate.

6. A device as in claim 1 wherein said housing has an opening through which may be viewed establishment of said electrical contact.

7. A device as in claim 1 wherein said electrically connecting means includes an electrically conductive compartment in said housing and a stud portion extending from said ground electrode means through said base and into electrical contact with said compartment, said compartment rotatably holding said stud.

8. A device as in claim 7 wherein said stud portion snaps into said receptacle.

9. A device as in claim 7 wherein said base includes means for holding a belt adapted to be wrapped around a leg, said ground electrode means including a ground plate held by said base.

10. The connector device set forth in claim 1 wherein said opening is constructed and arranged to receive a connector body having electrodes which are spaced apart in the direction of elongation when the connector is in the opening, said first and second contacts being spaced apart in said direction for respectively engaging one of the electrodes on the connector body.

11. The connector device set forth in claim 10 wherein said first and second contacts are electrically isolated from each other.

12. The connector device set forth in claim 11 wherein said electrical connecting means includes an electrically conductive compartment in said housing and a stud portion extending from said ground electrode means through said base and into electrical contact with said compartment, said compartment rotatably holding said stud.

13. The connector device set forth in claim 12 wherein said base extends in a plane, said opening being elongated and extending in said housing at an incline relative to said plane.

14. The combination of the connector device set forth in claim 1 and a connector body wherein said connector body including first and second spaced apart annular electrodes, said first and second contacts being spaced apart a distance equal to that between said annular electrodes, said opening being circular in cross-section for receiving said connector body.

15. The combination set forth in claim 14 including first and second conductor means connected to said first and second electrodes for electrically connecting said first and second electrodes to fetal and maternal electrodes, respectively, and third and fourth conductor means connected to said first and second contacts for connecting said first and second contacts to a fetal monitor.

16. A connector device for use in monitoring fetal heart rate by being adapted for making electrical connection between a remote monitoring device and a connector that is in electrical connection with fetal and maternal electrodes, comprising:

a housing having an elongated opening that extends inwardly of the housing from an entrance so as to define an elongated path for receiving a connector body, the path extending about a centerline in a direction of elongation of the path;

input means for receiving electrical signals including two contacts within the opening that are accessible from outside via the entrance and that lie radially outside the path with respect to a radial direction from the centerline;

output means supported by the housing and adapted for making electrical connection with a remote device;

a base having ground electrode means accessible from an underside of the base;

means for electrically connecting the output means with both the input means and the ground electrode means; and

a printed circuit board within said housing, said means for electrically connecting including contacts on said printed circuit board for electrically connecting said output means with both said input means and said ground electrode means via said contacts.

17. A connector device for use in monitoring fetal heart rate by being adapted for making electrical connection between a remote monitoring device and a connector that is in electrical connection with fetal and maternal electrodes, comprising:

a housing having an elongated opening that extends inwardly of the housing from an entrance so as to define an elongated path for receiving a connector body, the path extending about a centerline in a direction of elongation of the path;

input means for receiving electrical signals including two contacts within the opening that are accessible from outside via the entrance and that lie radially outside the path with respect to a radial direction from the centerline;

output means supported by the housing and adapted for making electrical connection with a remote device;

a base having ground electrical means accessible from an underside of the base; and

means for electrically connecting the output means with both the input means and the ground electrode means, said base extending in a plane, said opening being elongated and extending in said housing at an incline relative to said plane.