Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 12/606,150 filed Oct. 26, 2009. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Increasingly, hand held medical devices are connected to a base station with a multi-connector cable ferrying data from the device and commands to the device. Diagnostic or therapeutic catheters, for example, ablation catheters, ultrasound imaging (IVUS) catheters and electrophysiology mapping catheters, all produce data that must be delivered to a base station and may require commands from a base station. Unfortunately, medical devices must often be manipulated by a medical professional who is concentrating deeply about the task at hand. The manipulation may cause a rotation of the device. As a result the cable for the medical device becomes twisted, resisting further rotation and thereby interfering with the procedure. Potential bending of the catheter threatens data and power flow and could harm the cable. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements. 
         [0004]    In a first separate aspect, the present invention may take the form of a method of performing a surgical procedure using an electrical surgical device, which utilizes an electrical surgical assembly including the surgical device connected to a base station by a cable having a plurality of mutually electrically insulated conductors, and an electrical adapter interposed at a point between the base station and the device. The adapter is comprised of a first half and a second half that have freedom of rotation relative to each other. The first half is equipped with a first connector-half and the second half is equipped with a second connector-half. While the surgical procedure is performed, the adapter permits relative rotation between the first half and the second half, thereby avoiding a problem of cable twisting. 
         [0005]    In a second separate aspect, the present invention may take the form of an electrical medical device assembly that includes a handheld unit, adapted to be manipulated by a medical professional and requiring multi-conductor electrical connection to a base unit and a base unit adapted to provide electrical power to the handheld unit. Also, a multi-conductor electrical cable connects the handheld unit to the base unit and a multi-conductor electrical adapter is interposed between the handheld unit and the base unit, the adapter including a first half and a second half and wherein relative rotation is permitted between the first half and the second half and wherein the first half is equipped with a first connector-half and the second half is equipped with a second connector-half. 
         [0006]    In a third separate aspect, the present invention may take the form of an adapter that includes a first half that defines a plurality of contacts having circular conductive surfaces and a second half that includes a set of resilient contacts, each positioned to contact one of the circular conductive surfaces to create an electrical connection. 
         [0007]    In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following detailed descriptions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a medical device assembly that may be implemented in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2A  is a top side perspective view of a connector according to the present invention, in closed form. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2B  is a top side perspective view of the connector of  FIG. 1A , in open form. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2C  is a side sectional view of the connector of  FIG. 1A  taken along line  1 C- 1 C of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0013]      FIG. 2D  is an alternative preferred embodiment of the connector of the present invention, which is internally the same as the connector of  FIG. 1A , but which is embedded into a base station. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3A  is a top side perspective view of an alternative preferred embodiment of a connector according to the present invention, shown in closed form. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3B  is a top side perspective view of the connector of  FIG. 2A , shown in open form. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4A  is a top side perspective view of a connector according to an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown in closed form. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4B  is a top side perspective view of the connector of  FIG. 4A , shown in open form. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a side perspective view of an multi-conductor adapter, relative rotation permitting adapter, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a part of the adapter of  FIG. 5 , expanded relative to the view of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the part of  FIG. 6 , taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a cut-away view of the part of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is an exploded cut-away view of the part of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a medical device assembly  10  is made up of a handheld medical device  12  connected to a base station  14  by a multi-conductor cable  16 . A connector  18  is located either at the point where cable  16  meets base station  14 , with one half of the connected being a part of base station  14  ( FIG. 2D ), or is located between two longitudinal halves of cable  16 . 
         [0024]    Each one of the following embodiments is shown with only a few contacts for ease of illustration. In reality, however, connectors according to the present invention may have upwards of fifty contacts, which would be necessary to support some of the hand-held devices available today. The contacts are typically have a surface layer of gold plated on nickel, which is plated onto copper. Nickel is used primarily to gain good adhesion of the gold, which does not bond well directly on copper. Gold is used because it does not oxidize. Oxidation could defeat the formation of robustly conductive connection between contacts. Another material that can be used for the contacts is a platinum-iridium alloy. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 2A-2C , in one preferred embodiment a rotatable connector  110  is made up of a first half  112  defining a set of circular contacts  114 , arranged concentrically. A second half  116  is made up of a set of spring-loaded, conductive pins  118  (pogo pins, in industry parlance), which are positioned so that each one will touch a circular contact  114  when the first and second halves are joined, thereby forming an electrical connection. when the second half  116  is rotated relative to the first half  112 , the pins  118  move in a circle, with each pin maintaining contact with its corresponding circular contact  114 . A lip defined by the housing for connector-half  112  fits into a groove  122  in the exterior of connector-half  116 , to keep halves  112  and  116  together, but without fitting so tightly as to prevent rotation between the two halves,  112  and  116 . 
         [0026]    Various techniques may be used in constructing the connector described above. One method of creating concentric circle contacts  114  utilizes conductor deposition techniques used for printed circuit boards. In addition pogo-pins  118 , other types of resilient contacts can be made, for example by a wire forming process in which the wire-end is compressed. 
         [0027]    In an alternative preferred embodiment (not shown) each circular contact is broken up into a pair of semicircular contacts, with a pin connecting to each one. 
         [0028]    This alternative embodiment provides twice as many connections, but permits only  180  degree rotation. As noted previously,  FIG. 2D  shows the case in which half  112  of connector  110  is embedded in base station  14 . Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , in an alternative preferred embodiment of a rotatable multi-contact connector  210 , a first half  212  includes a set of circular contacts  214  arranged in stacked form. A second half includes first and a second semi-circular elements  216  and  218 , adapted to lock together about first half  212 . Element  218  has stacked resilient contacts  220  adapted to touch stacked circular contacts  214 . 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 4A and 4B , a further alternative preferred embodiment of a rotatable multi-conductor connector  310  has a first half  312  similar to first half  212  with stacked circular contacts  314 , but wherein a second half  316  has a plurality of resilient horseshoe contacts  318 , each being sufficiently flexible to snap about the corresponding circular contact  314 . To gain this flexible contacts  318  may be formed of a flexible beryllium copper alloy and may have a thickness of about one millimeter. 
         [0030]    In one preferred embodiment circular contacts  214  and/or  314  are made in modular fashion so that they can be easily fit together to form a connector having as many contacts as is desired. 
         [0031]    One type of problem potentially encountered by the above described systems is that of a distortion of delicate analog signals caused by a variation in the robustness of the connection between two corresponding contacts whether a pin  118  with a circular contact  114 , or a resilient contact  220  with a circular contact  214 . One method of addressing this problem is to have a plurality of pins  118  or resilient contacts  220  per corresponding contact  114  or  214 . The embodiment of  FIGS. 4A and 4B , each arm of each horseshoe contact  318 , acts largely as an independent contact, ensuring good connectivity. 
         [0032]    In this manner, for a reduction in overall conductivity to occur in a signal path, at least two contact-to-contact paths would have to lose conductivity simultaneously. This amounts to at least two independent events, both of which are fairly rare. If for example, there was a 0.05 chance of either of two contact pairs falling below 50% of normal conductivity, then the chance of both falling below 50% at the same time would be 0.0025. 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the present invention may alternatively take the form of an adapter  410  that can be plugged in between a first cable section, using first connector-half  412 , and a second cable section, using second connector half  414 , to make the first cable section rotatable relative to the second section. A cable section  416  provides flexibility between first connector-half  412  and a rotation-permitting cylinder  420 , which is held within an outer cylindrical housing  421 . 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 6-9 , rotation-permitting cylinder  420 , permits first connector-half  412  to rotate relative to second connector-half  414 , without interrupting the flow of electrical signals through adapter  410 . A set of first wires  422  enters cylinder  420  from first connector-half  412  and a set of second wires  424  enters cylinder  420  from the second connector-half  414 . An inner cylindrical housing  426  supports and protects inner portions of cylinder  420  described below. 
         [0035]    Cylinder  420  includes a top frame  432  and a bottom frame  434  that fit together about a cylinder  436 , which is permitted to rotate relative to the frame formed from upper and bottom frames  432  and  434 . Each first wire  422  is electrically connected to a conductive ring  442  and each second wire is electrically connected to a conductive staple  444 , which is held by a pair of apertures  446  in frame  432  or  434  so as to be in electrical contact with a ring  442 . In  FIG. 8 , top and bottom stapes  444  are transversely aligned, with staples  444  extending downwardly from the top only extending part way down in the side window 
         [0036]    Top and bottom frames  432  and  434  are held together by pegs  456 , which fit into matching holes  458 . Further, frames  432  and  434  are oriented relative to inner cylindrical housing  426  by a ridge  458  ( FIG. 7 ) that mates into a groove  460 . A toroid bearing  462  ( FIG. 9 ), helps to maintain the cylinder  436 , in position relative to top and bottom frames  432  and  434 . 
         [0037]    In operation, cylinder  436  and therefore rings  442  are free to rotate relative to staples  444 . Moreover, staples  444  are resilient and are held by frames  432  and  434  so as to press gently against rings  442 , thereby providing a robust electrical contact. Both staples and rings are made of gold plated brass or beryllium copper. 
         [0038]    Cylinder  436  is created by injecting polymer into a mold, with rings in place in the mold at the time the polymer is injected. In a preferred embodiment the polymer used is a low friction material such as Nylon. The first and second connector halves  412  and  414  are industry standard Redel® connectors. Cylinder  420  has a diameter 1.4 cm (0.55 in) and a length of 2.54 cm (1 in). 
         [0039]    While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those possessed of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope.

Technology Category: 5