ECG electrode connector

• US 8,038,484 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kpr U.S., LLC (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Meyer, Peter, Selvitelli, David
• Primary Examiner(s): LEON MUNOZ, EDWIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/330,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20090149731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 439/729, 439/261, 439/268, 439/859, 439/909, 439/835, 439/838, 600/372, 607/152
• US Class Current: 439/729
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/274 using snap or button fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/303 Patient cord assembly, e.g. cable harness
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/193 Means for increasing contact pressure at the end of engagement of coupling part , e.g. zero insertion force or no friction
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6277 comprising annular latching means, e.g. ring snapping in an annular groove
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/62933 Comprising exclusively pivoting lever
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2101/00 One pole
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/20 Coupling parts carrying sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/909 Medical use or attached to human body

Abstract

Disclosed is an ECG electrode lead wire connector which provides improved electrical and mechanical coupling of the ECG electrode press stud to the lead wire, provides enhanced ergonomics to the clinician, and may alleviate patient discomfort associated with the attachment and removal of ECG leads. The connector may be engaged and disengaged with little or no force imparted to the patient or the ECG pad, which significantly minimizes the risk of inadvertent dislodgement of the pad. In one embodiment the disclosed connector provides a thumb cam lever which affirmatively engages the press stud to the connector, and provides tactile feedback to the clinician that the connector is properly engaged. In other embodiments, the connector provides a pushbutton to enable the clinician to easily engage and disengage the connector from the ECG stud. The disclosed connectors may also decrease clinician fatigue, and may provide more reliable ECG results.

Claims

1. An ECG connector assembly, comprising:

a housing having a first opening disposed therein dimensioned to operably receive the press stud of an ECG electrode pad;

an electrical contact member defining a contact plane and having a second opening disposed therein, the second opening disposed substantially concentrically to the first opening, wherein the perimeter of the second opening is less than the perimeter of the first opening;

a resilient member having a movable leg and a fixed leg, wherein the movable leg has at least a relaxed position and a compressed position, the movable leg being configured in its compressed position to operably engage a narrow waist portion of the press stud and further configured to couple the narrow waist portion of the press stud with the electrical contact member; and

a lever pivotably coupled to the housing and having at least an open position and a closed position, wherein the lever is pivotable about an axis orthogonal to the contact plane and includes a cam configured to cause the resilient member to move to its compressed position when the lever is in the closed position.

2. An ECG connector assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the movable leg of the resilient member includes a detent configured to cooperatively engage the cam to retain the lever in the closed position.

5. The ECG connector assembly in accordance with any of claims 1, 3, and 4, wherein the second opening has a shape selected from the group consisting of ovoid shaped, pear-shaped, keyhole-shaped, circular, and a shape described by the intersection of two partially-coincident circles.

6. The ECG connector assembly in accordance with any of claims 1, 3, and 4, wherein the electrical contact member is constructed from material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and low-carbon steel.

7. The ECG connector assembly in accordance with any of claims 1, 3, and 4, wherein the housing is constructed from electrically non-conducting material.

8. The ECG connector assembly in accordance with claim 7, wherein the housing material is selected from the group consisting of polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, thermoplastic urethanes, thermoplastic elastomers, and fiber-reinforced polymers.

9. The ECG connector assembly in accordance with any of claims 1, 3, and 4, further comprising:

a lead wire having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end thereof is electrically coupled to the electrical contact member; and

a strain relief included with the housing and having at least part of the lead wire disposed therethrough.

10. The ECG connector assembly in accordance with claim 9, wherein the coupling of the lead wire to the electrical contact member is selected from the group consisting of a solder connection, a crimp connection, a welded connection, and a wire bond connection.

11. The ECG connector assembly in accordance with any of claims 1 and 4, further comprising:

a lever recess provided within the housing dimensioned to receive at least part of the lever while the lever is positioned in a closed position.

12. The ECG connector assembly in accordance with claim 11, further comprising:

a detent provided within the lever recess; and

a dimple, corresponding to the detent, provided on the lever;

wherein the detent and dimple engage to retain the lever while the lever is positioned in a closed position.

13. The ECG connector assembly in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a finger recess provided within the housing and disposed substantially adjacently to a proximal end of the lever recess.

3. An ECG connector assembly, comprising:

a housing having a first opening disposed therein dimensioned to operably receive the press stud of an ECG electrode pad;

an electrical contact member defining a contact plane and having a second opening disposed therein, the second opening disposed substantially concentrically to the first opening, wherein the perimeter of the second opening is less than the perimeter of the first opening; and

a lever pivotable about an axis orthogonal to the contact plane and disposed within the housing and having at least an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the lever further includes an actuating end, an engaging region, and a pivot, the engaging region configured to operably engage a narrow waist portion of the press stud and further configured to couple the narrow waist portion of the press stud with the electrical contact member when the lever is in the engaged position.

4. An ECG connector assembly, comprising:

a housing having a first opening disposed therein dimensioned to operably receive the press stud of an ECG electrode pad;

an electrical contact member defining a contact plane and having a second opening disposed therein, the second opening disposed substantially concentrically to the first opening, wherein the perimeter of the second opening is less than the perimeter of the first opening; and

a lever pivotably coupled to the housing about an axis orthogonal to the contact plane and having at least an open position and a closed position, wherein the lever includes a cam configured to operably engage a narrow waist portion of the press stud and further configured to couple the narrow waist portion of the press stud with the electrical contact member when the lever is in the closed position.