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 imaging system, comprising: an imaging catheter comprising a rotator core, a drive shaft, and an imaging core, and configured to electrically connect to a motor drive unit by a connector, where a female or male portion of the connector is included within the rotator core;a motor drive unit configured to electrically connect to the imaging catheter by the connector and to provide rotational movement to the imaging core, where a female or male portion of the connector is included at a distal end of the motor drive unit; anda connector configured to electrically connect the imaging catheter to a motor drive unit, and comprising: a female portion including one or more electrical contacts; anda male portion including one or more electrical contacts;where the connector is rotatable and the male portion and the female portion each have a corresponding locking geometry that allows for transfer of rotational movement between the male and female portions when mated and where one of either the male or female portion of the connector is included at the distal end of the motor drive unit and the corresponding portion is included within the rotator core of the imaging catheter.

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

3. The apparatus of claim 1, where: the electrical contacts on the male portion are shaped as a series of axially stacked rings;the electrical contacts on the female portion are shaped as fingers spaced around a circumference of the female portion and axially offset from one another; andwhere the male and female portions are configured to mate such that each finger is in contact with a corresponding one of the rings.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, where the fingers include a spring force that urges the fingers to press against the rings when the male and female portions are mated.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, where each finger has a ridged portion along the length of the finger and the ridged portion of the finger comes into contact with the corresponding ring.

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