Electrical Connector

Abstract

An electrical connector is described. In one implementation, the connector includes a female portion including one or more electrical contacts and a male portion including one or more electrical contacts. The female portion and the male portion each have a self-orientating geometry that allows the male portion to be mated with the female portion in any rotational position along 360 degrees of rotation. When mated, the electrical contacts of the female portion mate with corresponding one or more electrical contacts of the male portion to form one or more electrical connections between two electronic components.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a partial cut view of an orientation free connector.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional views of male and female portions of a rotatable connector.

FIG. 3 illustrates a rotatable multi-pin connector.

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a medical imaging system.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a medical imaging catheter.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a connector in a medical imaging catheter.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: a connector that is configured to connect a motor drive unit to a catheter, the catheter being a tubular instrument that can be inserted into a body cavity or blood vessel, the connector including: a female portion, including one or more electrical contacts and a locking geometry, where the one or more electrical contacts are configured to mate to one or more electrical contacts of a male portion and the locking geometry is configured to mate to a corresponding locking geometry of the male portion; anda male portion, including one or more electrical contacts and a locking geometry, where the one or more electrical contacts are configured to mate to one or more electrical contacts of the female portion and the locking geometry is configured to mate to a corresponding locking geometry of the female portion,where the connector is configure to rotate such that when the female and male portions are mated, rotational movement from the motor drive unit is transferred to the catheter and an electrical connection is made between the motor drive unit and the catheter; andwhere the connector is a multi-pin connector and the male portion includes a plurality of pins and the female portion includes a plurality of corresponding apertures configured to receive the plurality of pins.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, where the locking geometry includes one or more keys in either the female or male portion and one or more corresponding grooves in the other portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, where: the catheter includes a rotator core, a drive shaft, and an imaging core; andthe connector is positioned within the rotator core.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, where the connector conforms to the USB (Universal Serial Bus) electrical specification and protocol.