Patent Publication Number: US-8535089-B2

Title: Connector assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Electrical connectors are utilized in a variety of applications to couple a first group of conductors to a second group of conductors so as to complete an electrical circuit. For example, a medical catheter device may include a group of conductors. Individual contacts may be soldered to the conductors. The connectors may then be connected to a second group of conductors originating from a piece of monitoring equipment. To prevent the circuits from shorting, the connectors for the respective conductors may be spaced apart after being connected and covered by an epoxy. The hardened epoxy serves as an insulator and prevents the connectors from moving or from becoming disconnected. 
     Assembly of the connector, however, is time consuming as there may be a large number of conductors that have to be connected. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     An object of the invention is to provide a connector assembly that overcomes the assembly problems above. The connector assembly includes an insertion member that includes a plurality of contact pads, and a housing that defines an opening at a first end configured to receive the insertion member. The upper inside surface and the lower inside surface of the housing define a group of slots and a rear wall of the housing defines a plurality of openings. Electrical contacts are positioned adjacent to one another in the slots of the housing. Each electrical contact includes a cross-member, and a first extension member and a second extension member that extend from respective ends of the cross member. At least one of the first and second extensions is configured as a resilient member configured to make electrical contact with a contact pad of the insertion member. A mating extension extends from the cross-member and through one of the plurality of openings defined in the rear wall of the housing. 
     In another embodiment, the invention provides a method for assembling a connector assembly. The method includes providing a housing that defines an opening at a first end configured to receive an insertion member that includes a plurality of contact pads. An upper inside surface and a lower inside surface of the housing define a plurality of slots, and a rear wall of the housing defines a plurality of openings. A plurality of electrical contacts are positioned adjacent to one another within the opening in the first end. Each electrical contact includes a cross-member, a first extension member and a second extension member that extend from a first end and a second end, respectively, of the cross-member, wherein the first and the second extension members are positioned within respective slots of the housing, and wherein at least one of the first and second extension members is configured as a resilient electrical contact for contacting a contact pad of the insertion member; and a mating extension that extends from the cross-member and through one of the plurality of openings defined in the wall of the housing. An insertion member is inserted within the housing. 
     Other features and advantages will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional features and advantages included within this description be within the scope of the claims, and be protected by the following claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the claims, are incorporated in, and constitute a part of this specification. The detailed description and illustrated embodiments described serve to explain the principles defined by the claims. 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate front and rear perspective views, respectively, of a first embodiment of a connector assembly; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a partially exploded view of the first embodiment of the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates features of an insertion member of the first embodiment of the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates electrical contacts positioned within a housing of the first embodiment of the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates first and second electrical contact configurations of the first embodiment of the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a cross-section of the first embodiment of the connector assembly taken along section A-A of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a cross-section of the first embodiment of the connector assembly taken along section B-B of  FIG. 7   
         FIG. 9  is a partially exploded view of a second embodiment of a connector assembly; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates features of an insertion member of the second embodiment of the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates electrical contacts positioned within a housing of the second embodiment of the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a cross-section of the second embodiment of the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 13  is a partially exploded view of a third embodiment of a connector assembly; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a rear view of the third embodiment of the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates an electrical contact of the third embodiment of the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 16  illustrates a cross-section of the third embodiment of the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 17  illustrates internal features of the housing of the third embodiment of the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 18  illustrates the insertion member of the third embodiment of the connector assembly; and 
         FIG. 19  illustrates a cross-section of the third embodiment of the connector assembly when the insertion member is fully inserted in the housing. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate front and rear perspective views, respectively, of a first embodiment of a connector assembly  100 . The connector assembly  100  includes an insertion member  105 , and a housing  110 . The insertion member  105  is selectably insertable within the housing  110 . In other words, the insertion member  105  may be inserted and removed by a user. In some implementations, the insertion member  105  is selectably maintained within the housing  110  via friction. In other implementations, respective locking features, such as tabs, grooves, latches, and the like may positioned on the insertion member  105  and housing  110  and configured to maintain the insertion member  105  within the housing  110 . In yet other implementations glue, straps, and the like may be utilized to permanently maintain the insertion member  105  within the housing  110 . 
     The insertion member  105  and the housing  110  cooperate to couple a first group of conductors  115 , such as wires, flex strips or conductive materials known in the art, to a group of mating extensions  620  that extend from a rear wall  125  of the rear end of the housing  110 . The group of conductors  115  may originate, for example, from an end of a medical catheter. In some implementations, the rear end of the housing is configured to be connected or mated to another connector (not shown). In other implementations, conductors (e.g., wires) may be attached (e.g., soldered) to the mating extension  620 . For example, the mating extension  620  may correspond to a tab suited for soldering of wires. In some implementations, a boss  112  may extend from a top side of the housing. The boss  112  enables positioning of the connector assembly  100  in a mold for forming an over-mold layer over the entire connector assembly  100  after the connector assembly  100  is fully assembled to provide a hygienic connector suitable for a medical operating room. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a partially exploded view of the first embodiment of the connector assembly  100 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , the insertion member  105  includes an upper portion  300 , a lower portion  305 , and a circuit  310 . The circuit  310  is positioned between the upper portion  300  and the lower portion  305 . The lower portion  305  may include one or more locating features  315   a  and  315   b  such as alignment posts and the upper portion  300  may define one or more complementary locating features such as openings (not shown) sized to receive the locating features of the lower portion  315   a  and  315   b . The form of the locating features may correspond to any suitable means for aligning components. The circuit  310  may define locating features  320   a  and  320   b  such as one or more openings through which the locating features  315   a  and  315   b  of the lower portion  305  extend when the insertion member  105  is assembled. The locating features  315   a  and  315   b  of the lower portion  305  and locating features of the circuit  310  cooperate to predictably align the circuit  310  within the insertion member  105 . In some implementations, the respective locating features are configured such that the upper portion  300  and lower portion  305  are non-separable after being joined. For example, the upper portion  300  and lower portion  305  may be glued together or snap-fitted. 
     The circuit  310  may correspond to a planar circuit board. The circuit  310  includes one or more contact pads  325 . The circuit  310  may include one or more traces for electrically coupling the contact pads  325  to the first group of conductors  115 , described above. The contact pads may be positioned on one side of the circuit  310  (e.g., the upper surface). In some implementations, the circuit  310  corresponds to a flexible circuit board. The flexible circuit board may include a region upon which the contact pads  325  are positioned. The flexible circuit may also include a “tail” portion where electrical traces from the contact pads are brought together. The “tail” may perform the function of the group of conductors  115  and may extend to a termination point of the catheter described above. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the upper portion  300  and the lower portion  305  of the insertion member  105  define a plurality of guides  400  and  405 . Each guide  400  of the upper portion  300  is in-line with a respective guide  405  of the lower portion  305 . Each of the guides  400  and  405  is also in line with a contact pad  325  of the circuit  310 . The respective guides  400  and  405  are configured to ensure that a resilient member of an electrical contact (described below) of the housing  110  is positioned over a contact pad  325  positioned on the upper surface of the circuit  310  when the insertion member  300  is inserted into the housing  110 . 
     In some implementations, forward edges of the respective guides  400  and  405  are tapered to accommodate positioning of resilient members that may not be perfectly centered with the centers of the respective guides  400  and  405 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the housing  110  defines an opening  500  at a first end. The opening  500  is sized to receive the insertion member  105  and to provide a snug fit with the insertion member  105 . The inside geometry of the opening  500  is generally configured to match the outside geometry of the insertion member  105 . An upper inside surface  505  and a lower inside surface  510  of the housing define a plurality of slots  515  and  520 . The rear wall  125  ( FIG. 2 ) of the housing  110  defines a plurality of openings through which mating extensions  620  of electrical contacts  600  and  605  ( FIG. 6 ) extend, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The openings and mating extensions  620  may be arranged in a first and a second row and may be evenly spaced apart from adjacent openings and mating extensions  620  and/or evenly distributed over the rear wall  125 . In some implementations, the mating extensions  620  and openings in the first row are staggered in relation to the mating extensions  620  and openings in the second row. 
     The electrical contacts  600  and  605  ( FIG. 6 ) are positioned adjacent to one another in the opening  500  at the first end of the housing  110 . The electrical contacts  600  and  605  are of either a first configuration  600  or a second configuration  605 . The electrical contacts  600  and  605  may be arranged so the electrical contacts  600  and  605  alternate between the first configuration  600  and the second configuration  605 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , each electrical contact  600  and  605  includes a cross-member  610 , a first and a section extension member  615   a  and  615   b , a resilient member  625 , and a mating extension  620 . The first and the second extension members  615   a  and  615   b  extend from a first end and a second end, respectively, of the cross-member  610 . In some implementations, the first and the second extension members  615   a  and  615   b  are parallel to one another and extend in a direction that is generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the cross-member  610 . The respective extension members  615   a  and  615   b  are configured to be positioned within the slots  515  and  520  defined in the opening  500  of the housing  110 . 
     The resilient member  625  extends from a first side of the cross-member  610  and is positioned between the first and the second extension members  615   a  and  615   b . In some implementations, the resilient member  625  is offset towards one of the first and the second extension members  615   a  and  615   b  rather than centered between the two. In some implementations, the resilient member  625  includes a generally straight portion  627  and a tip portion  630 . The straight portion  627  may be parallel to either of the first and the second extension members  615   a  and  615   b  or formed at an angle with respect to the respective extension members  615   a  and  615   b . A tip portion  630  of the resilient member  625  may be formed at an angle relative to the straight portion  627  to enable the tip portion  630  of the resilient member  625  to “ride” over the contact pad  325  of the insertion member  105  to make electrical contact with the contact pad  325 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . For example, the angle formed between the tip portion  630  and the straight portion  627  may be an obtuse angle and the tip portion  630  may angle towards one of the first and the second extension members  615   a  and  615   b . The resilient member  625  is configured so that the tip portion  630  will apply pressure against the contact pad when the insertion member  105  is inserted within the housing  110 . 
     The mating extension  620  extends from the cross-member  610  from a side opposite to that of the resilient member  625 . The mating extension may correspond to a pin configured to enter a complementary connector or a tab suitable for soldering wires. In a first configuration  600 , the mating extension  620  may be offset towards the first extension member  615   a . In a second configuration  605 , the mating extension may be offset towards the second extension member  615   b . This offset arrangement results in the first and second staggered rows of mating extensions shown in  FIG. 2 . That is, the first row of mating extensions may belong to electrical contacts of the first configuration  600  and the second row of mating extensions may belong to electrical contacts  605  of the second configuration, or vice versa. 
     The cross-member  610 , first extension member  615   a , second extension member  615   b , resilient member  625  and mating extension  620  may be formed from a single planar sheet of conductive material. For example, the respective members may be stamped from a sheet of conductive material. In the case where the mating extension  620  corresponds to a pin, the pin may be formed by a rolling process or different process suitable for forming a planar material into a generally cylindrical shape. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a partially exploded view of a second embodiment of a connector assembly  900 . Shown is an insertion member  905  that includes an upper portion  915 , a lower portion  925 , a circuit  920 , and a housing  910 . The upper portion  915 , lower portion  925 , and circuit  920  may fit together in a similar manner as the upper and lower portions  300  and  305  and circuit  310  described above. 
     The circuit  920  may include features similar to the circuit  310  described above. However, in the second embodiment of the connector assembly  100 , contact pads  325  may be positioned on both an upper and lower surface of the circuit  920 . At least some of the contact pads  930  may be staggered in relation to one another. For example, one or more of the contact pads on the lower surface (not shown) may be positioned below or centered with a space defined between two adjacent contact pads  930  on the upper surface. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , the upper portion  915  and the lower portion  925  of the insertion member  905  may define a plurality of overlapping guides  1005  and  1010  that define a space there between configured to guide resilient members of electrical contacts, described below, over the contact pads  920  on the top surface of the circuit  920  and the contact pads (not shown) on the bottom surface of the circuit  920 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the housing  110  may correspond to the housing  110  described above. However, in the second embodiment, the electrical contacts  600  may be of the same configuration. As noted above, in a given configuration  600 , the mating extension  620  may be offset towards either the first extension member  615   a  or the second extension member  615   b . Adjacent electrical contacts  600  are rotated 180 degrees relative to one another so that, for example, even numbered mating extensions extend through a first row of openings in the rear wall  125  of the housing  110 , and odd numbered mating extensions extend through a second row of openings in the rear wall  125  of the housing to form the staggered mating extension pattern shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , the guides  1005  of the upper portion  915  may guide a first group of resilient members over contact pads  930  on the upper surface of the circuit  920 . The guides  1010  on the lower portion  925  may guide a second group of resilient members over contact pads  1105  on the lower surface of the circuit  920 . At least some of the guides  1005  on the upper portion  915  may be positioned so that they are centered over the space defined between the guides  1010  of the lower portion  925 . Each guide  1005  and  1010  supports a contact pad  930  and  1105  that is either above or below the guide  1005  and  1010 , as the case may be, to enable a secure connection between the contact pad  930  and  1105  and a respective tip portion  630  of a resilient member. In other words, the contact pad  930  and  1105  is effectively “sandwiched” between the respective tip portion  630  and the guide  1005  and  1010 . 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a third embodiment of a connector assembly  1300 . The connector assembly  1300  includes an insertion member  1305  and a housing  1310 . As described above, the housing  1310  defines an opening at a first end configured to receive the insertion member  1305 . An upper inside surface of the housing  1310  and a lower inside surface of the housing  1310  may define a plurality of slots within which are positioned a group of electrical contacts  1500 , as more clearly illustrated in  FIG. 16 . 
     A rear wall  1400  of the housing  1310  defines a plurality of openings through which mating extensions  1520  of the electrical contacts  1500  ( FIG. 15 ) extend. The openings and mating extensions  1520  may be arranged in rows and may be staggered, as described above. 
     The electrical contacts  1500  are positioned within the opening of the housing  1310  adjacent to one another. Referring to  FIG. 15 , each electrical contact  1500  includes a cross-member  1505 , a first extension member  1510   a , a second extension member  1510   b , and a mating extension  1520 . The first and second extension members  1510   a  and  1510   b  extend from first and second ends, respectively, of the cross-member and are positioned within respective slots of the housing  1310 . 
     At least one of the first and second extensions members  1510   a  and  1510   b  may be configured as a resilient electrical contact for contacting a contact pad  1315  of the circuit  1310  of the insertion member  1305 . The slots of the housing  1310  may be sized to enable the resilient electrical contact to resiliently move within the slots. In other words, the depth of each slot may be increased to enable the resilient electrical contact to move upward within the slot when the insertion member  1305  is inserted in the housing  1310 . 
     Positioned at the end of the resilient member is a contact tip  1515  configured to make electrical contact with the contact pad  1315  of the circuit  1310 . The distance between respective tips  1515  of the first and second extension members  1510   a  and  1510   b  is configured to produce a resilient force on the contact pads  1315  when the insertion member  1305  is in a fully inserted state. For example, the distance is configured so that the contact pad  1315  is squeezed by the resilient force produced between the tips  1515  of the extension members  1510   a  and  1510   b  when the insertion member  1305  is inserted into the housing  1310 , as illustrated in  FIG. 16 . 
     The mating extension  1520  of the electrical contact extends from the cross-member  1505  and is configured to extend through one of the plurality of openings defined in the rear wall  1400  of the housing  1305 , as described above. The mating extensions  1520  are offset towards one of the first and the second extension members  1510   a  and  1510   b.    
     Referring to  FIG. 17 , the housing defines first and second slots  1700  and a ridge  1705  on a lower interior surface. An interior side surface of the housing  1310  defines a pair of ledges  1710 . 
     The insertion member  1305  defines a slot in which the circuit is positioned. Although illustrated as single piece, in alternative implementations, the insertion member  1305  may correspond to any insertion member described above. For example, the insertion member  1305  may include upper and lower portions, such as the upper and lower portions  300  and  305  shown in  FIG. 3 . The insertion member  1305  may include locating features to align the upper and lower portions with the circuit. 
     Referring to  FIG. 18 , the insertion member  1305  includes a first and a second resilient finger  1800 . The tip  1810  of each resilient finger  1800  is configured as a snap-lock-mechanism that cooperates with the ledge  1710  of the housing  1310  to allow the insertion member  1305  to be inserted into the housing  1310 , but not fully removed from the housing  1310  after the insertion member  1305  is partially inserted into the housing  1310 . The tip  1810  may also include a protrusion  1825  on a lower surface. The protrusions  1825  on the respective tips  1810  are configured to enter the slots  1700  of the housing  1310  when the insertion member  1305  is fully inserted within the housing  1310 . The protrusions  1825  cooperate with the slots  1700  to prevent the insertion member  1305  from being removed once fully inserted within the housing  1310 . 
     In some implementations, the insertion member  1305  also includes a second resilient member  1820 . The second resilient member  1820  is configured to contact the ridge  1705  of the housing  1310  to selectably maintain the insertion member  1305  in the partially inserted state. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 13 , the insertion member  1305  includes a support surface upon which a circuit  1310  is positioned. The circuit  1310  may be formed as described above and may include a group of contact pads  1315  on a top surface. The insertion member  1305  may define locating features within which the flex is partially positioned. 
     In operation, the connector assembly  1300  may be assembled by partially inserting the insertion member  1305  within the housing  1310 . In this state, the tip  1810  of each resilient finger  1800  cooperates with a respective ledge  1710  defined within the housing  1310  to prevent the insertion member  1305  from being removed. The second resilient member  1820  of the insertion member  1305  cooperates with the ridge  1705  of the housing  1310  to prevent the insertion member  1305  from being unintentionally inserted further within the housing  1310 . 
     In the partially inserted configuration, the circuit  1310  may be positioned within the slot of the insertion member. To complete assembly, the insertion member  1305  may be fully inserted within the housing  1310  such that the protrusions  1825  on the first and second resilient fingers  1800  engage the slots  1700  defined in the lower surface of the housing  1310 , as shown in  FIG. 19 . Once engaged, the insertion member  1305  is prevented from being removed from the housing  1310 . 
     While various embodiments of the embodiments have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the claims. The various dimensions described above are merely exemplary and may be changed as necessary. Accordingly, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the claims. Therefore, the embodiments described are only provided to aid in understanding the claims and do not limit the scope of the claims.