Apparatus, system, and method for creating an electrical connection to a tool

• US 7,914,350 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2010
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cadwell Laboratories, Incorporated (Cadwell Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cadwell Laboratories, Incorporated (Cadwell Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cadwell, John, Bozich, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ta; Tho D
• Application Number:
  US12/758,931
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 439/506, 439/759, 439/822, 439/829, 439/909
• US Class Current: 439/822
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00178 Electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/24 with gripping jaws, e.g. crocodile clip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/909 Medical use or attached to human body

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for creating an electrical connection with an electrically conductive element. The apparatus includes a first contact element having an engagement surface for engaging a first side of the electrically conductive element and a second contact element positioned opposite the first contact element includes an opposing engagement surface for engaging a second side of the electrically conductive element. The first contact element is slideable past the second contact element to form a scissor-like jaw. A valley formed in at least one of the engagement surface and the opposing engagement surface of the first and second contact elements creates a stage. At least one of the first and the second contact elements are made of an electrically conductive material that conducts an electrical current between the electrically conductive element and at least one of the first and second contact elements.

Claims

1. An apparatus for creating an electrical connection with an electrically conductive element, the apparatus comprising:

a first contact element having an engagement surface for engaging a first side of the electrically conductive element;

a second contact element having an opposing engagement surface for engaging a second side of the electrically conductive element, the second contact element disposed opposite the first contact element, wherein the first contact element is slideable past the second contact element to form a scissor-like jaw;

a plurality of stages formed in the scissor-like jaw, each stage comprising a valley formed in at least one of the engagement surface of the first contact element and the opposing engagement surface of the second contact element, each stage comprising a different sized stage; and

wherein at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element comprise an electrically conductive material to conduct an electrical current between the electrically conductive element and at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element comprise an angled section at a receiving end of the scissor-like jaw, wherein the angled section deflects to receive the electrically conductive element.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each stage comprises a successively smaller stage deeper within the scissor-like jaw.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive element is selectively placed in a different stage based on at least one of a size of the electrically conductive element and a desired amount of tension between the electrically conductive element and the first contact element and the second contact element.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive element comprises a shaft of a tool, wherein an electrical connection is maintained when the shaft of the tool is rotated relative to the scissor-like jaw.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an electrical connector coupled to at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a feedback indicator that provides feedback to a user in response to a feedback signal from the electrically conductive element.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a resistor, a potentiometer, and a switch for controlling a level of electric current between an electrical source and at least one of the one of the first contact element and the second contact element.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element is resiliently biased to position the scissor-like jaw in a closed position, wherein the first contact element overlaps the second contact element when the scissor-like jaw is positioned in the closed position.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element comprise a material having a structural resiliency sufficient to resiliently bias the scissor-like jaw in the closed position.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element comprise a wireform having a structural resiliency sufficient to resiliently bias the scissor-like jaw in the closed position.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a biasing element coupled to at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element, wherein the biasing element resiliently biases the scissor-like jaw in the closed position.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing that engages at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element to bias the scissor-like jaw in a closed position.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the housing comprises at least one prong rigidly extending from a substantially rigid support base, wherein the first contact element and the second contact element comprise a receiving end and a recessed end, wherein at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element is engaged with the housing at one or more of the receiving end and the recessed end.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the housing provides a substantially rigid support structure against which at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element apply a biasing force to bias the scissor-like jaw in the closed position.

16. An apparatus for creating an electrical connection with an electrically conductive element, the apparatus comprising:

a first contact element having an engagement surface for engaging a first side of the electrically conductive element;

a second contact element having an opposing engagement surface for engaging a second side of the electrically conductive element, the second contact element disposed opposite the first contact element, wherein the first contact element is slideable past the second contact element to form a scissor-like jaw;

at least one stage formed in the scissor-like jaw, the at least one stage comprising a valley formed in at least one of the engagement surface of the first contact element and the opposing engagement surface of the second contact element;

a housing that engages at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element to bias the scissor-like jaw in a closed position; and

wherein at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element comprise an electrically conductive material to conduct an electrical current between the electrically conductive element and at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the housing provides a substantially rigid support structure against which at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element apply a biasing force to bias the scissor-like jaw in the closed position, wherein at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element comprise a material having a structural resiliency sufficient to resiliently bias the scissor-like jaw in the closed position.

18. An apparatus for creating an electrical connection with an electrically conductive element, the apparatus comprising:

a first contact element having an engagement surface for engaging a first side of the electrically conductive element;

a second contact element having an opposing engagement surface for engaging a second side of the electrically conductive element, the second contact element disposed opposite the first contact element, wherein the first contact element is slideable past the second contact element to form a scissor-like jaw, wherein at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element is resiliently biased to position the scissor-like jaw in a closed position, the first contact element overlapping the second contact element when the scissor-like jaw is positioned in the closed position;

at least one stage formed in the scissor-like jaw, the at least one stage comprising a valley formed in at least one of the engagement surface of the first contact element and the opposing engagement surface of the second contact element;

a housing that engages at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element to bias the scissor-like jaw in the closed position, the housing comprising a substantially rigid support structure against which at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element apply a biasing force to bias the scissor-like jaw in the closed position;

an electrical connector coupled to at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element; and

wherein at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element comprise an electrically conductive material to conduct an electrical current between the electrically conductive element and at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein at least one of the first contact element and the second contact element comprise a wireform having a structural resiliency sufficient to resiliently bias the scissor-like jaw in the closed position.