Ultrasound transducer connector and multiport imaging system receptacle arrangement
First Claim
1. An ultrasound transducer connector and multiport ultrasound imaging system receptacle arrangement, comprising:
- a plurality of ultrasound imaging system receptacles, each having a set of receptacle contacts;
a plurality of ultrasound transducer connectors insertable in respective ones of said receptacles, each said connector having a set of connector contacts arranged to electrically contact a corresponding set of receptacle contacts when said connector is received in and engaged by one of said receptacles; and
an engagement actuator for electrically engaging only one connector by the receptacle into which it is inserted.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of ultrasound imaging system receptacles are arranged either vertically one above the other or horizontally side-by-side, each receptacle having an insertion slot for receiving the contact pads of an inserted ultrasound transducer connector. All of a number of connectors may be inserted into corresponding receptacles, and the system functions to mutually exclusively engage a single receptacle with its inserted connector. An electrical circuit arrangement is provided for automatically sensing the transducer in use without an operator having to make the selection manually. An interconnect and actuation scheme permits the multiport connector/receptacle arrangement to be manufactured at low cost. The modest size of the connectors and the receptacle assembly allows their placement at convenient locations on the system, and the simple basic design of the connector allows for submersion in liquid disinfectants.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. An ultrasound transducer connector and multiport ultrasound imaging system receptacle arrangement, comprising:
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a plurality of ultrasound imaging system receptacles, each having a set of receptacle contacts; a plurality of ultrasound transducer connectors insertable in respective ones of said receptacles, each said connector having a set of connector contacts arranged to electrically contact a corresponding set of receptacle contacts when said connector is received in and engaged by one of said receptacles; and an engagement actuator for electrically engaging only one connector by the receptacle into which it is inserted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An ultrasound transducer connector and multiport ultrasound imaging system receptacle arrangement, comprising:
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a plurality of ultrasound imaging system receptacles, each having a set of receptacle contacts; a plurality of ultrasound transducers, each having a connector with a set of connector contacts, said plurality of connectors being insertable into said plurality of receptacles without mutually engaging said set of receptacle contacts with said set of connector contacts; and an actuator, responsive to a transducer being used, for automatically electrically engaging the set of connector contacts of the transducer being used with the receptacle contacts of the receptacle into which the connector of the transducer being used is inserted. - View Dependent Claims (28, 30, 31, 32)
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29. An ultrasound transducer connector and multiport ultrasound imaging system receptacle arrangement, comprising:
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a plurality of imaging system receptacles, each having a set of receptacle contacts, the contacts of all receptacles being connected in parallel; a plurality of ultrasound transducer connectors insertable in respective ones of said receptacles, each having a set of connector contacts arranged to electrically contact a corresponding set of receptacle contacts when said connector is received in and engaged by one of said receptacles; and a connector selector for electrically engaging the set of connector contacts of any one of the connectors with the set of receptacle contacts of the receptacle into which it is inserted.
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33. An ultrasound transducer connector and receptacle arrangement, comprising:
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an imaging system receptacle having a set of receptacle signal contacts on a first surface of a receptacle substrate, and further having at least one receptacle ground contact on a second surface of said substrate, said second surface spaced from said first surface, said substrate having at least one aperture therein providing access to one of said set of receptacle signal and ground contacts through said substrate; an ultrasound transducer connector insertable in said receptacle, said connector having a set of connector contacts arranged to electrically contact a corresponding set of receptacle signal and ground contacts when said connector is received in and is electrically engaged by one of said receptacles, said receptacle being coupled to an actuator which provides electrical engagement responsive to a transducer being used a contact nest comprising a plurality of resilient contacts interconnecting said set of receptacle contacts with said set of connector contacts. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. An ultrasound transducer connector and receptacle arrangement, comprising:
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an imaging system receptacle having a set of receptacle contacts on a first surface of a receptacle substrate; an ultrasound transducer connector insertable in said receptacle, said connector having a set of connector contacts arranged to electrically contact a corresponding set of receptacle contacts when said connector is received in and electrically engaged by one of said receptacles; a contact nest comprising a plurality of resilient contacts for interconnecting said set of receptacle contacts with said set of connector contacts; and interengaging raised frames around the sets of contacts on said connector and said receptacle to align said set of receptacle contacts with respect to said set of connector contacts when said connector and receptacle are interconnected. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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36. An ultrasound transducer connector and receptacle arrangement, comprising:
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an imaging system receptacle mounted on a receptacle frame and having a set of receptacle contacts on a first surface of a receptacle substrate; an ultrasound transducer connector insertable in said receptacle, said connector having a set of connector contacts arranged to electrically contact a corresponding set of receptacle contacts when said connector is received in and engaged by one of said receptacles, said receptacle being coupled to an actuator which provides electrical engagement responsive to a transducer being used; a contact nest comprising a plurality of resilient contacts for interconnecting said set of receptacle contacts with said set of connector contacts; and a contact nest hinge for pivoting said contact nest with respect to said receptacle frame, resulting in a tangential motion of said receptacle contacts with respect to said connector contacts.
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37. An ultrasound transducer connector and multiport ultrasound imaging system receptacle arrangement, comprising:
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an ultrasound imaging system receptacle having a set of receptacle contacts, said receptacle comprising a contact nest assembly having a first set of contacts exposed on a first surface thereof defining said set of receptacle contacts, and a second set of contacts on a second surface thereof for electrical connection with ultrasound imaging system electronics, each of said first set of nest contacts being connected to corresponding ones of said second set of nest contacts; a plurality of ultrasound transducer connectors each engageable with said receptacle, each said connector having a set of connector contacts arranged to be electrically coupled to corresponding ones of said set of receptacle contacts when said connector and receptacle are interengaged, each said connector comprising a printed wiring board portion having said set of connector contacts formed as contact pads exposed on a surface thereof; and an engagement actuator for exclusively engaging only one connector with the receptacle, said engagement actuator comprising a stepper motor and lead screw cam for translating said receptacle contact nest to one of a plurality of receptacle positions, one of said connectors being located at each said receptacle position.
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Specification