CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY

• US 20120276786A1
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Inventors: Al-Ali, Ammar, Forrest, Kevin, Abdul-Hafiz, Yassir, Yang, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,529,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/709
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6581 Shield structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6585 Shielding material individually surrounding or interposed between mutually spaced contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6599 Dielectric material made conductive, e.g. plastic material coated with metal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 for testing or measuring purposes

Abstract

A connector assembly according to embodiments of the present disclosure is advantageously configured to allow a sensor connector to straightforwardly and efficiently join with and detach from a patient cable connector. Further, embodiments of the connector assembly advantageously reduce un-shielded area in an electrical connection between a patient cable and a sensor connector. In addition, embodiments of the connector assembly advantageously increase the shielding of detector signals coming from the patient sensor to the monitor.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A sensor path in a noninvasive patient monitoring system, the sensor path configured to generate detector signals indicative of attenuation of light by body tissue and to communicate the signals via a shielded connection between a patient sensor and a cabling apparatus for processing by a physiological patient monitor, the sensor path comprising:

a patient sensor and a cabling apparatus, the patient sensor comprising sensing componentry including a plurality of optical emitters and one or more optical detectors configured to generate detector signals indicative of attenuation of light by body tissue;

first and second connectors releasably attached to one another, the first connector mechanically irremovably coupled to one of the patient sensor and the cabling apparatus and the second connector mechanically irremovably coupled to the other of the patient sensor and the cabling apparatus, wherein, when in the relesably attached configuration, a physiological patient monitor communicates emitter signals through the first and second connectors to the optical emitters and the detector signals are communicated through the first and second connectors to the monitor;

a plurality of emitter conduit segments each configured to communicate an emitter signal and one or more detector conduit segments each configured to communicate a detector signal, each emitter conduit segment and each detector conduit segment comprising a first portion supported by the first connector and a second portion separably mating with the with the first portion and supported by the second connector; and

one or more elongate detector shields supported by one or more of the first connector and the second connector, each detector shield surrounding and extending along the length of at least a portion of one or more of the detector conduit segments, the emitter conduits segments disposed outside the one or more detector shields.

3. The sensor path of claim 2, wherein the first portion of each detector conduit segment comprises an elongate pin, wherein the second portion of each detector conduit segment comprises an elongate shroud releasably receiving a corresponding one of the pins, and wherein each detector shield surrounds and extends along the length of at least a portion of one of the elongate shrouds and its corresponding elongate pin.

4. The sensor path of claim 3, further comprising a first metallic shield layer, supported by one of the first connector and the second connector, and wrapped around at least a portion of each emitter conduit segment and at least a portion of each detector conduit segment.

5. The sensor path of claim 4, further comprising a second metallic shield layer supported by the other of the first connector and the second connector, and wrapped around at least a portion of each emitter conduit segment and at least a portion of each detector conduit segment.

6. The sensor path of claim 5, wherein, in the releasably attached configuration, substantially the entire length of each of the first and second portion of each detector conduit segment is disposed within one or more of the corresponding detector shield, the first metallic shield layer, and the second metallic shield layer.

7. The sensor path of claim 2, wherein each of the one or more detector shields surrounds and extends along the length of a portion of a single corresponding detector conduit segment.

8. The sensor path of claim 2, wherein each of the one or more detector shields comprises a cylindrical sleeve.

9. The sensor path of claim 2, wherein the one or more detector shields comprise metal.

10. The sensor path of claim 2, further comprising:

a first latching element attached to the first connector and a corresponding second latching element attached to the second connector,

the first and second latching elements configured to engage with one another to provide the releasable attachment between the first connector and the second connector.

11. The sensor path of claim 10, wherein the first latching element pivots to disengage from the second latching element when the first latching element is mechanically actuated by a user.

12. The sensor path of claim 11, wherein the first latching member is configured to pivot when subject to a threshold amount of tension.

13. The sensor path of claim 11, wherein the first latching element pivots in response to thumb actuation by a user.

14. The sensor path of claim 10, wherein one of the first and second latching elements comprises a pocket, and the other of the first and second latching elements comprises a protuberance configured to engage with the pocket.

15. A method of operating a sensor path in a noninvasive patient monitoring system, the sensor path configured to generate detector signals indicative of attenuation of light by body tissue and configured to communicate the detector signals via a shielded connection between a patient sensor and a cabling apparatus for processing by a physiological patient monitor, the method comprising:

providing a sensor path comprising;

a patient sensor and a cabling apparatus, the patient sensor comprising sensing componentry that includes a plurality of optical emitters and one or more optical detectors configured to generate detector signals indicative of attenuation of light by body tissue;

first and second connectors releasably attached to one another, the first connector mechanically irremovably coupled to one of the patient sensor and the cabling apparatus and the second connector mechanically irremovably coupled to the other of the patient sensor and the cabling apparatus, wherein, when in the relesably attached configuration, a physiological patient monitor communicates emitter signals through the first and second connectors to the optical emitters and signals generated by the optical detectors are communicated through the first and second connectors to the monitor;

a plurality of emitter conduit segments each configured to communicate an emitter signal and one or more detector conduit segments each configured to communicate a detector signal, each emitter conduit segment and each detector conduit segment comprising a first portion supported by the first connector and a second portion separably mating with the with the first portion and supported by the second connector; and

one or more elongate detector shields supported by one or more of the first connector and the second connector, each detector shield surrounding and extending along the length of at least a portion of one or more of the detector conduit segments, the emitter signal conduits disposed outside the one or more detector shields;

mechanically actuating a first latching element attached to the first connector to disengage the first latching element from a second latching element attached to the second connector; and

detaching the first connector from the second connector.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said mechanically actuating causes the first latching element to pivot to disengage from the second latching element.