Patent ID: 8727817

Claim:
An active medical device, comprising a generator and a connector head, the connector head comprising: at least one female housing having an electrical connection terminal for receiving a plug end of a lead along an axis of insertion; locking means for mechanical immobilization of the plug in the housing, said locking means comprising an elastic element having a free state and a deformed state, the deformed state having said elastic element under elastic tension during insertion of the plug into the electrical connection terminal and after insertion, the deformation of the elastic element being such that along the axis of insertion the elastic element exerts a retaining force against extraction of the plug in a direction opposite to the insertion, the retaining force being greater than the force of insertion of the plug into the housing, and that, in the radial direction, exerts a contact pressure against the plug, means for releasing the locking means by an external force on the elastic element, to neutralize said retaining force and thereby permit a removal of the plug from the housing, and an internal cavity isolated from the external environment, wherein said elastic element is a U-shaped leaf spring having a first branch and a second branch and a central region, the first and second branches of the U being elastically connected to the central region of the U-shape with the first branch of the U extending from the central region in a direction forming a first angle to the axis of insertion, and the second branch extending from the central region forming a second angle to the axis of insertion, wherein the end of one of the first and second branches is a free end having a flange extending into the internal cavity, the first and second branches having respective first and second holes, the first and second holes having respective dimensions that allow the plug to be inserted through the first and second holes in the housing, said elastic element being deformable between: the free state, in the absence of an inserted plug, in which the projections of the first and second holes in a plane perpendicular to the axis of insertion are overlapping but misaligned, and the deformed state, in the presence of an inserted plug, in which the projections of the first and second holes in the plane perpendicular to the axis of insertion are aligned so that an edge of each of the first and second holes contact the plug inserted therein and exert through a reaction effect of the deformed leaf spring, a radial stress force against the plug, producing said contact pressure.