Electrical connector having a mechanical mating cycle limitation

An electrical connector having a mechanical mating cycle limitation that renders the connector inoperable after a predetermined number of mating cycles is disclosed. The electrical connector includes a rotating component that rotates within the connector for the predetermined number of mating cycles until the rotating component is prohibited from further rotation, which prevents the connector from further mating, thereby rendering the connector inoperable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electrical connector that includes a mechanical mating cycle limiter that renders the connector inoperable after a predetermined number of mating cycles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Current methods to limit the number of uses of electrical devices, such as those used in surgical procedures or other health or medical related applications, have relied upon regulatory actions subject to penalties for non-compliance. For example, medical devices may be required to limit the number of uses because of efficacy, sterility, and to limit cross contamination. However, such self-regulation may be difficult due to the high cost and limited availability of these medical devices.

Electrical circuits with associated software may be used to limit the number of times a device may be used. However, the systems and methods using this type of control are expensive, difficult to retrofit, and subject to failure from exposure to sterilization procedures.

Additionally, mechanical limiter devices have been proposed that can be incorporated in the interface between the device and a panel or receptacle to which the device is connected for use. However, these mechanical limiters may be subject to tampering or removal.

Thus, there is a need for a system and method that limits the number of uses of a device, such as a medical device, that is inexpensive, reliable and difficult to disable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment of the invention, an electrical connector for providing an electrical connection to a receptacle assembly is disclosed that includes a plug housing, contacts disposed within the plug housing, a midpiece having outer ramps disposed therewithin, the midpiece securely assembled to the plug housing. The connector also include a plunger component, a rotating component, and a spring disposed within the securely assembled plug housing and midpiece. The plug housing includes an insertion portion, a shell, and inner ramps disposed within the plug housing. The rotating component is configured to rotate within the electrical connector when mating and unmating the electrical connector to the receptacle assembly for a predetermined number of mating cycles until the rotating component is prohibited from further rotation during a mating cycle, thereby preventing the mating of the electrical connector to the receptacle assembly and rendering the electrical connector inoperable.

In another embodiment of the invention, a method of rendering an electrical connector inoperable after a predetermined number of mating cycles is disclosed that includes providing an electrical connector including a plug housing, contacts disposed within the plug housing, a midpiece having outer ramps disposed therewithin, the midpiece securely assembled to the plug housing. The plug housing includes an insertion portion, a shell, and inner ramps disposed within the plug housing. The connector also includes a plunger component, a rotating component, and spring disposed within the securely assembled plug housing and midpiece. The act of mating and unmating the electrical connector to the receptacle assembly rotates the rotating component within the connector for a predetermined number of mating cycles until the rotating component is prohibited from further rotation during a mating cycle, thereby preventing the mating of the electrical connector to the receptacle assembly and rendering the electrical connector inoperable.

Further aspects of the method and system are disclosed herein. The features as discussed above, as well as other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary embodiment of a limited use connector10for terminating wires12of cable14and providing an electrical connection to a receptacle assembly16is disclosed. The connector10includes a plug housing18, a midpiece20, and a rotating clamp17.

As shown inFIG. 2, the connector10further includes a plunger component24, a rotating component30, and a resilient device such as a spring32. The plunger component24includes a plunger ring26having plunger arms28extending therefrom.

The midpiece20includes an aligning section42and a midpiece shell44. The aligning section42includes protrusions46(a protrusion46is present but not shown on the opposite side of the aligning section42). The midpiece20further includes cable retention fingers47that extend from the midpiece shell44that, in conjunction with the rotating clamp17, provides strain relief to the cable14. The midpiece20additionally includes a groove50and retention ring51for engaging the rotating clamp17, thereby securely assembling the rotating clamp17to the midpiece20.

Referring again toFIGS. 1 and 2, the plug housing18includes an insertion portion34and a shell36. The insertion portion34includes a guide protrusion38and compliant spring arms40(a compliant spring arm is present but not shown on the opposite side of the insertion portion34) for aligning and retention of the connector10to the receptacle assembly16, respectively. Alternatively, the insertion portion34may have other shapes and arrangements of the guide protrusion38and compliant spring arms40as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art for guiding and mating the connector10to the receptacle assembly16. Additionally, although the insertion portion34in this exemplary embodiment has a generally cylindrical geometry, other geometries including, but not limited to, square, rectangular and oval may be used in alternative embodiments.

As further shown inFIG. 2, the plug housing18also includes recesses48(a recess48is present but not shown on the opposite side of the plug housing18) configured to receive protrusions46of the midpiece20so as to securely assemble the plug housing18and midpiece20. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the plug housing18may be securely assembled to the midpiece20by alternative configurations of protrusions, tabs, recesses and indentations as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art.

The plug housing18also includes pin contacts52, which terminate wires12of the cable14. The pin contacts52are configured to mate with corresponding socket contacts (312, shown onFIG. 3) disposed within the receptacle assembly16. The number of wires12and pin contacts52may vary based on the size and application of the connector10. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the pin contacts52and the socket contacts (312, shown onFIG. 3) may be reversely disposed in the receptacle assembly16and the plug housing18, respectively. Also the plug housing18and receptacle assembly16could use other methods of electrical contact including but not limited to blade and beam, spring pins and pads, card edge, etc.

The rotating clamp17and cable retention fingers47provide strain relief to the cable14to prohibit the wires12from becoming unintentionally disconnected from the connector10. The rotating clamp17is configured to provide a compressive force upon the cable retention fingers47when the rotating clamp17is securely assembled to the midpiece20, the compressive force compressing the cable retention fingers47around the cable14. The cable clamp17and midpiece20are further disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/027,339 filed 7 Feb. 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. In alternative embodiments of the invention, alternative strain relief devices, including, but not limited to cap and ferrule, wire ties, and split clamping housings may be used in place of the rotating clamp17, with modification made to the midpiece20to accept the alternative strain relief device as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art.

A front view of the receptacle assembly16is shown inFIG. 3. As can be seen inFIG. 3, the receptacle assembly16includes an inner space305configured to receive insertion portion34(FIGS. 1 and 2). The inner space305is at least partially defined by an inner cylindrical surface307. Disposed within the inner space305is a contact housing310containing socket contacts312. The inner cylindrical surface307includes a guide slot314configured to receive corresponding guide protrusion38(FIGS. 1 and 2) and receiving arm slots316configured to receive corresponding compliant spring arms40(FIGS. 1 and 2). As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the geometry and arrangement of the inner space305, guide slot314and receiving arm slots316may vary in alternative embodiments to correspond to the geometry and arrangement of the corresponding mating elements of the connector10(FIGS. 1 and 2).

A front view of the connector10is shown inFIG. 4. As can be seen inFIG. 4, the insertion portion34of the plug housing18includes an insertion portion inner cylindrical surface410. The plunger arms28extend along the insertion portion inner cylindrical surface410of the insertion portion34as shown when the connector10is not mated to the receptacle assembly16(FIGS. 1 and 2). The pin contacts52are disposed and configured within the insertion portion34so as to mate with corresponding socket contacts312of the receptacle assembly16(FIG. 3).

A rear view of the plug housing18with the pin contacts52removed therefrom is shown inFIG. 5. As can be seen inFIG. 5, the plug housing18further includes a rear inner cylindrical surface510disposed within the shell36, the rear inner cylindrical surface510including inner ramps512radially disposed about the circumference thereof. As can also be seen inFIG. 5, the plug housing18additionally includes a cylindrical contact housing514disposed therewithin. The cylindrical contact housing514includes cavities516for receiving pin contacts52(FIG. 4). The plug housing18also includes a rear wall518disposed at least partially around the cylindrical contact housing514. The plug housing18further includes plunger slots530for receiving plunger arms28of the plunger component24(FIG. 2). The plunger slots530and cylindrical contact housing514are configured to receive the plunger component24so that the plunger ring26is capable of being inserted over the cylindrical contact housing514and slid up to the rear wall518.

A front view of the midpiece20is shown inFIG. 6. As can be seen inFIG. 6, the midpiece20includes a midpiece inner cylindrical surface610. The midpiece inner cylindrical surface610includes outer ramps612radially disposed about the circumference thereof. The midpiece20further includes an inner rear wall710(seeFIG. 7).

A cross sectional view of the connector10and receptacle assembly16as shown unmated inFIG. 1and taken along line8-8ofFIG. 1is shown inFIG. 7. As can be seen inFIG. 7, the spring32, which is disposed at one end against inner rear wall710of the midpiece20, urges the rotating component30against the plunger ring26of the plunger component24. The plunger ring26is urged into an unmated resting position against the rear wall518of the plug housing18. As can be further seen inFIG. 7, the plunger component24further includes plunger push surfaces715disposed at one end of the plunger arms28.

A cross sectional view of the connector10and receptacle assembly16ofFIG. 1after mating is shown inFIG. 8. As can be seen inFIG. 8, the cylindrical contact housing310of the receptacle assembly16has contacted the plunger push surfaces715and urged the plunger ring26away from the rear wall518of the plug housing18, thereby urging the rotating component30and compressing the spring32towards the inner rear wall710of the midpiece20.

The actions of mating and unmating the connector10and the receptacle assembly16rotates the rotating component30up to a predetermined number of mating cycles until the rotating component30is prohibited from further rotation rendering the connector10unmatable, thereby inoperable, as will be discussed by referring toFIGS. 9 and 10. As can be seen inFIG. 9, the rotating component30includes a top surface905and an outer cylindrical surface910. The outer cylindrical surface910has drive lugs915disposed thereupon, proximate to the top surface905. In this exemplary embodiment, the outer cylindrical surface910has three drive lugs915equally radially disposed around the circumference thereof, however, in alternative embodiments, the number of drive lugs may be one, two or more than three. The outer cylindrical surface910also has a recess920disposed therethrough, also proximate the top surface905.

FIG. 10shows the position of the rotating component30within the connector10when the connector is in the unmated position as shown inFIGS. 1 and 7. Portions of the plug housing18and midpiece20have been cut away to show the relative position of the inner ramps512and the outer ramps612of the plug housing18and the midpiece20, respectively. As can be seen inFIG. 10, the inner ramps512include beveled edges1005, and the inner ramps512are separated from one another by inner gaps1010. As can be further seen inFIG. 10, the outer ramps612include beveled edges1020, and the outer ramps612are separated from one another by outer gaps1025. Additionally, disposed between the outer ramps612is a stop surface1030.

As can be seen inFIG. 10, the rotating component30is urged against the plunger ring26by the spring32. When the connector10is mated with the receptacle assembly16, the plunger ring26is urged toward the rotating component30as described above, the spring32is compressed, and the drive lugs915are urged towards the outer ramps612. The drive lugs915contact the beveled edges1020of the outer ramps612, which forces the rotating component30to rotate. The rotating component30is further urged towards the outer ramps612and the drive lugs915are received in the outer gaps1025until the connector10and receptacle assembly16are mated.

When the connector10and the receptacle assembly16are unmated, the rotating component30is urged towards the plunger ring26by the spring32by the spring32, and the drive lugs915are urged towards the inner ramps512. The drive lugs915contact the beveled edges1005of the inner ramps512, which forces the rotating component30to rotate. The rotating component30is further urged towards the inner ramps512and the drive lugs915are received in the inner gaps1010until the connector10and receptacle assembly16are unmated.

By mating and unmating the connector10from the receptacle assembly16as described above, the rotating component30is rotated within the connector10until the drive lugs915contact the stop surface1030while attempting to mate the connector10to the receptacle assembly16. When this occurs, the rotating component30is prohibited from being further urged towards the outer ramps612, which prohibits the plunger component24(FIGS. 7 and 8) from being further urged towards the rotating component30, thus prohibiting the connector10and receptacle assembly16from mating. The number of mating cycles before the connector10is rendered inoperable can be predetermined by selecting the number and position of drive lugs915relative to the number of inner and outer ramps512,612and the stop surface1030. As would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the number of mating cycles can also be predetermined by the assembled orientation of the rotating component30relative to the plug housing18.

As shown inFIG. 11, the plug housing18may be provided with optional openings1110having corresponding reference numerals1120to view the position of a particular drive lug915within the connector10to provide a visual indication or display of the number of mating cycles that the connector10has performed, as well as display the number of mating cycles still available before the connector10is rendered inoperable. Reference numerals1120could be an integral part of the plug housing18as shown, or in alternative embodiments, could be marked with ink, applied as a label, or otherwise provided as known in the art. Additionally, as shown inFIG. 11, the midpiece20may be provided with a hole1030positioned and configured to permit a pin or other similar tool access to the recess920in the rotating component30, thereby restricting the motion of the rotating component30during a mating cycle for testing purposes.