Safety system for electrostimulation device

• US 9,572,980 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DJO Global Switzerland SARL (Enovis Corp.)
• Original Assignee: DJO Global Switzerland SARL (Enovis Corp.)
• Inventors: Muller, Pierre-Yves, Schonenberger, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Porter, Jr., Allen
• Application Number:
  US14/691,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20150224306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/4, 607/5, 607/9, 607/10, 607/33, 607/34, 607 36- 38, 607/63, 607/115, 439775-864
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36 for stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/453 Shutter or cover plate opened by engagement of counterpart
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4534 Laterally sliding shutter
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0208 Interlock mechanisms; Means for avoiding unauthorised use or function, e.g. tamperproof

Abstract

A housing for an electrostimulation device comprising a charger plug and a stimulation plug, designed to receive respectively a connector linked to a charger and a connector linked to a stimulation electrode, characterized in that it comprises a mobile locking element designed to alternately lock the charger plug or the stimulation plug.

Claims

1. A housing for an electrostimulation device, comprising:

a charger plug positioned offset from a first axis and configured to receive a connector linked to a charger;

a stimulation plug positioned on the first axis and configured to receive a connector linked to a stimulation electrode; and

a locking strip extending along a second axis parallel to the first axis and extending through the charger plug, the locking strip including at least one tooth, and the locking strip configured to alternately lock the charger plug or the stimulation plug.

2. The housing of claim 1, comprising a plurality of stimulation plugs positioned along the first axis, wherein the at least one tooth comprises a plurality of teeth, and wherein the locking strip is configured to alternately lock the charger plug or, in a single action, the plurality of stimulation plugs.

3. The housing of claim 2, wherein the locking strip is alternatively displaceable along the second axis between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position, a first end of the locking strip covers a portion of the charger plug, and, in the second position, each of the plurality of teeth each cover a portion of one of the plurality of stimulation plugs.

4. The housing of claim 3, wherein the first end of the locking strip includes an inclined surface located, when the locking strip is in the first position, to cover a portion of the charger plug so that insertion of a connector into the charger plug exerts a force on the inclined surface so as to sufficiently displace the locking strip from the first position to the second position.

5. The housing of claim 3, wherein the locking strip comprises a thrust element which, when activated by a user, transitions the locking strip between the first position and the second position.

6. The housing of claim 3, further comprising a spring positioned so as to bias the locking strip towards the first position.

7. The housing of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of teeth extend perpendicularly from the locking strip.

8. The housing of claim 3, wherein, in the first position, at least some of the plurality of teeth are positioned between the plurality of stimulation plugs.

9. The housing of claim 3, wherein the first end of the locking strip comprises an inverted L-shape.

10. The housing of claim 3, wherein the plurality of stimulation plugs are disposed on a single side of the charger plug.

11. The housing of claim 2, wherein the plurality of stimulation plugs comprise four stimulation plugs and the plurality of teeth comprise four teeth.

12. The housing of claim 1, comprising two locking strips aligned along the second axis and separated at the charger plug.