ECG electrode connector

• US 8,795,004 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kpr U.S., LLC (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Selvitelli, David, Meyer, Peter, Yu, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Leon, Edwin A.
• Application Number:
  US14/041,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20140170896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 439/729, 439/261, 439/268, 439/859, 439/909, 439/835, 439/838, 607/152, 600/372
• 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 dimensioned to receive a press stud of an ECG electrode pad;

an electrical contact member fixed to the housing and defining a contact plane and having a second opening smaller than and disposed at least partially within the first opening; and

a lever pivotable about an axis orthogonal to the contact plane and having at least an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the lever comprises an actuating portion, an engaging region, and a pivot, the engaging region configured to operably engage the press stud to cause a portion of the press stud to contact the electrical contact member when the lever is in the engaged position.

2. The ECG connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the engaging region extends across the second opening when the lever is in the engaged position.

3. The ECG connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the engaging region is between the pivot and the actuating portion.

4. The ECG connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the second opening is disposed substantially concentrically with respect to the first opening.

5. The ECG connector assembly of claim 1 further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the lever towards the engaged position.

6. The ECG connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the second opening includes a first contact opening portion and a second contact opening portion, wherein an internal dimension of the first contact opening portion is greater than a corresponding internal dimension of the second contact opening portion.

7. The ECG connector assembly of claim 1 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.

8. The ECG connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the electrical contact member is constructed from material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and low-carbon steel.

9. The ECG connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the housing and the lever are constructed from an electrically non-conducting material.

10. The ECG connector assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a lead wire coupled to the electrical contact member; and

a strain relief having at least a portion of the lead wire disposed therethrough.

11. The ECG connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the actuating portion of the lever protrudes through a lever recess defined in a side wall of the housing when the lever is in the engaged position.

12. The ECG connector assembly of 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 the dimple engage to retain the lever when the lever is in the disengaged position.

13. An ECG connector assembly, comprising:

a housing having an aperture dimensioned to operably receive a press stud;

an electrical contact member defining a contact plane and having a contact opening that is at least partially exposed within the aperture;

a lever having an actuating portion, a pivot, and an engaging region, wherein the pivot is pivotable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the engaging region configured to retain a press stud inserted into the aperture of the housing against at least a portion of the electrical contact member when the lever is in the engaged position and wherein the actuating portion and the engaging region are positioned in a lever plane parallel to the contact plane; and

a biasing member configured to bias the lever towards the engaged position.

14. The ECG connector assembly of claim 13 wherein the engaging region extends across the contact opening when the lever is in the engaged position.

15. The ECG connector assembly of claim 13 wherein the engaging region is between the pivot and the actuating portion.

16. The ECG connector assembly of claim 13 wherein the contact opening is disposed substantially concentrically with respect to the aperture.

17. The ECG connector assembly of claim 13 wherein the lever is pivotable about an axis orthogonal to the contact plane.

18. An ECG connector assembly, comprising:

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

an electrical contact member defining a contact plane and having a second opening smaller than and disposed at least partially within the first opening; and

a lever pivotable about an axis orthogonal to the contact plane and having at least an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the lever comprises an actuating portion, a pivot, and an engaging region between the pivot and the actuating portion, the engaging region configured to operably engage the press stud to cause a portion of the press stud to contact the electrical contact member when the lever is in the engaged position.

19. The ECG connector assembly of claim 18 wherein the engaging region extends across the first opening when the lever is in the engaged position.

20. The ECG connector assembly of claim 18 further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the lever towards the engaged position.

21. The ECG connector assembly of claim 18 wherein the housing and the lever are constructed from an electrically non-conducting material.

22. An ECG connector assembly, comprising:

a housing having an opening dimensioned to receive a press stud of an ECG electrode pad;

an electrical contact member fixed to the housing and defining a contact plane, wherein the contact member comprises a contact region disposed within the housing opening; and

a lever pivotable about an axis orthogonal to the contact plane and having at least an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the lever comprises an actuating portion, an engaging region, and a pivot, the engaging region configured to operably engage the press stud to cause a portion of the press stud to contact the contact region of the electrical contact member when the lever is in the engaged position.

23. The ECG connector assembly of claim 22 wherein the engaging region is located between the pivot and the actuating portion.

24. The ECG connector assembly of claim 22 wherein the pivot is located between the engaging region and the actuating portion.

25. The ECG connector assembly of claim 22 further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the lever towards the engaged position.