Contact connection adapter for producing an intermittent electrical contact between two plugs

A contact connection adapter for producing an intermittent electrical contact between two plugs has a main body and two socket-like receptacles placed thereon for the plugs. The cross-sections of the receptacle receiving the plugs to be connected intersect peripherally in this case in such a way that the plugs press against one another at their lateral contact faces and produce an electrical contact.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a contact connection adapter for producing an intermittent electrical contact between a first plug, particularly a standard terminal plug of a cardiac pacemaker electrode, and at least one second plug, particularly a typical laboratory plug for intermittent connection of the electrode to a stimulus threshold analyzer.

2. Background Art

The background of the present invention is the procedure during implantation of a cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, or similar cardiological device, whose electrophysiological stimulation pulses are delivered by appropriate electrodes positioned in or on the heart. During the implantation procedure, the electrodes are typically advanced in a controlled way via the vascular system of the patient with the aid of a mandrel inserted into the electrode. This mandrel runs coaxially through the proximal terminal plug of the electrode. This plug is typically a plug standardized for medical application, designated IS-1/IS-4/DF-1, etc., for example, which may be implemented as unipolar or bipolar.

After an electrode is seated, its seat and stimulation pulse delivery behavior must be analyzed, for which a stimulus threshold analyzer is responsible. This device simulates the cardiac pacemaker otherwise coupled via the electrode terminal plug and must be electrically connected to the electrode plug for this purpose. However, this may not be performed by simply plugging the plug into the device, since the electrode plug must be kept sterile, and, in addition, the mandrel is not to be pulled out of the electrode yet for the present test, since repositioning of the electrode with the aid of the control mandrel may possibly be necessary. Since the mandrel end is guided through the plug, the plug may not be inserted into a device socket in any case.

DE 198 10 262 A1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,067 B1) discloses a test cable assembly, in which, on a cardboard-like support, a terminal pole of the electrode plug may be fixed on a clamp terminal attached to the support. The second pole, typically an electrode terminal ring, is contacted via an alligator clip, which simultaneously produces a further mechanical connection between the paperboard-like support and the electrode plug. Clamp terminal and alligator clip are electrically connected via thin litz wires, which may be plugged into a fitting socket of the test unit via a corresponding plug device.

This previously known achievement of the object has a provisional character, and, in addition, multiple steps are necessary for the production of the adapter, namely cutting the paperboard support to length and wiring and attaching the terminal clamp and alligator clip. Handling this test adapter is cumbersome and the contact provided, particularly to the alligator clip, is in need of improvement in its reliability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is based on the object of specifying a contact connection adapter of the type cited at the beginning, which may be manufactured with significantly less production complexity, is extremely simple to handle, and offers high contact reliability between the electrical parts to be connected at the same time.

This object is achieved by a contact connection adapter comprising a main body, in which socket-like receptacles for the two plugs to be connected, in the concrete example the terminal plug of a cardiac pacemaker electrode and a typical laboratory plug on a laboratory cable leading to the stimulus threshold analyzer, are placed. The cross-sections of these receptacles intersect peripherally in such a way that the plugs plugged into the receptacles press against one another at their lateral contact faces and produce an electrical contact.

It may be seen that the main body itself does not require any contact elements to produce an electrical contact. This is produced solely via the plugged-in plugs directly with one another. Therefore, the contact connection adapter may be produced from a uniform material, such as plastic which may be injection molded. The adapter is thus also distinguished by especially good ability to be sterilized.

Preferred embodiments of the contact connection adapter and features, details, and advantages thereof will become clear from the following description of the present invention on the basis of the attached drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The contact connection adapter1shown in the drawing is used for producing an intermittent electrical contact between a standardized IS-1/IS-4/DF-1 terminal plug2of a cardiac electrode3shown cut away inFIG. 1and, in addition, two typical laboratory plugs4,5—colloquially referred to as “banana plugs”—which are to be electrically connected via appropriate cables to the terminal sockets of a stimulus threshold analyzer (not shown in greater detail).

The adapter1has an essentially cuboid main body6, which is injection molded from a transparent, sterilizable plastic material in one piece. A socket-like receptacle7is placed in the main body approximately centrally, but shifted toward the top and running parallel thereto, whose cross-sectional area pointing to the outside is housed in a projection8, which is triangular in profile. This extends beyond the top9of the adapter1.

As may be seen fromFIG. 1, the receptacle7is stepped twice starting from a plug area at the mouth having a diameter d10, namely to a somewhat narrower plug area11having the diameter d11and a deepest plug area12having an even smaller diameter d12. The plug areas10,11, and12have their diameters d10, d11, and d12tailored to the corresponding external diameters D13, D14, D15of the plug shaft13, the annular contact14, and the tip contact15placed at the tip of the plug2. The shaft13is separated from annular contact14by a double peripheral annular seal16in this case. Likewise, a further pair of annular seals17are provided on the shaft area following the annular contact14before the step to the tip contact15.

To receive the two laboratory plugs4,5, the adapter has an essentially cylindrical receptacle18,19in each of two planes P18and P19, which lie one behind another in the insertion direction E and are perpendicular thereto. As may be seen fromFIG. 1, the depth of these receptacles18,19approximately corresponds to the length l of the laboratory plugs4,5and the receptacles end shortly before the narrow side22of the adapter1facing away from the mouth20,21. They are each permeable to sterilization liquid there via an opening23,24.

As may be seen fromFIG. 3in particular, the cross-sections of the receptacle7for the IS-1/IS-4/DF-1 plug2and the two receptacles for the laboratory plugs4,5intersect slightly peripherally, so that the two cross-sectional volumes pass into one another via contact windows25,26(FIG. 1). If the IS-1 plug2is plugged into the receptacle7and a laboratory plug4,5is plugged into each of the receptacles18,19, the spring lamellae27of the laboratory plugs4,5provide an optimum electrical connection to the annular contact14or tip contact15of the plug2via the contact windows25,26.

As may be seen fromFIG. 3in particular, the two receptacles18,19have an offset V to one another for adaptation to the stepped diameter reduction of the receptacle7.

For the above-mentioned mandrel seated in the electrode, which is merely partially indicated inFIG. 1at reference number28, the receptacle7for the plug2is open laterally over its complete length through a passage slot29provided in the projection8. Furthermore, its innermost plug area12continues in the coaxial direction in a passage hole30, which expands into a funnel-shaped mouth31. Via the passage slot29and a passage hole30, the section of the mandrel28running in front of the tip contact15may be inserted into the receptacle7from the side. Direct threading is not possible, since the mandrel ends in a voluminous control handle. After the insertion of the mandrel into the receptacle7, the plug2may be plugged in. To make inserting the mandrel easier, the passage slot29is provided with insertion bevels32.