Patent ID: 7131860

Claim:
A connector system for connecting an electrosurgical instrument to an electrosurgical generator, the connector system comprising: a plug portion connectable to the electrosurgical instrument, said plug portion including a plurality of pins which extend outwardly therefrom and an electrical prong which extends outwardly therefrom; a plug receptacle portion disposed within the generator, said plug receptacle portion defining a recess for receiving said plug portion therein, said plug receptacle portion including a corresponding plurality of pin receptacles for receiving said pins from said plug portion and said plug receptacle also including a prong receptacle for receiving said prong, said prong receptacle including a smart connection which is backward; and a tactile feedback mechanism for providing positive feedback to a user that the plug portion has been properly inserted into the plug receptacle portion, wherein the tactile feedback mechanism includes: a first post extending through and pivotally supported on the plug receptacle portion, wherein the first post is spring biased; a second post extending through and supported on the plug receptacle portion; a linkage member extending between the first post and the second post, the linkage member including a first arm extending radially from the first post and a second arm supported on and extending from the second post; and a camming pin extending through a distal end of the first arm, the camming pin including: a first portion slidably receivable in an elongate slot formed in the second arm; a second portion slidably receivable in an arcuate slot formed in the prong receptacle, the second portion extending an amount sufficient to engage a groove formed in a lower surface of the prong; and a spring positioned to bias the first portion to a distal-most position of the elongate slot.