Connector for medical equipment, connector assembly and anaesthesia machine system

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector for medical equipment, a connector assembly and an anaesthesia machine system. The connector for the medical equipment comprises a first shell, a second shell and a connector, wherein the first shell comprises a first end and a second end which are opposite; the second end of the first shell is configured to be connected into the second shell in a floating manner, and the first end of the first shell is exposed out of the second shell; and the terminals are arranged on the first end of the first shell, and the terminals comprise a power supply terminal and a signal terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medical devices, and more particularly, to a connector for medical devices, a connector assembly including the connector, and an anesthesia machine system including the connector assembly. Background Art

[0002] A connector is a commonly used and important device for connecting two devices or two parts of a device. Connectors can be used for connecting medical devices. Inside some connectors for medical devices, one end of a connector terminal is welded to a circuit board and extends a certain length from one side of the circuit board. These terminals are generally used for power supply connection of medical devices. For example, a component to be powered in a medical device may have a port that matches the above connector, and after the port is docked with the connector, power can be supplied to the component to be powered through the terminal.

[0003] The connector provides convenience for the detachable connection of components to be powered in medical devices. Especially in some usage scenarios, the components to be powered can be frequently disassembled and connected to the connector according to actual usage needs. The inventor has found that the processes of docking and disassembly are likely to cause damage to the connector and the port because once the docking angle is deviated, the connector, the port, and their internal electrical components may be bent and damaged. In addition, in addition to power supply, the components to be powered may need to be communicatively connected, and at this time, an additional communication interface is required, which is disadvantageous for compact components and increases the complexity of operation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To solve at least one or more of the above technical problems and / or other possible technical problems, the present invention provides a connector for medical devices, including: a first housing including opposite first and second ends; a second housing, the second end of the first housing being configured to be floatingly connected inside the second housing, and the first end being exposed outside the second housing; and terminals disposed on the first end of the first housing, the terminals including power terminals and signal terminals.

[0005] Preferably, the length of at least part of the signal terminals exposed at the first end is less than the length of the power terminals exposed at the first end.

[0006] Preferably, at least part of the signal terminals include test terminals for controlling the power-on and power-off of the power terminals according to their electrical connection states, and the length difference causes the electrical connection of the power terminals to be earlier than the electrical connection of the test terminals, and causes the disconnection of the electrical connection of the power terminals to be later than the disconnection of the electrical connection of the test terminals.

[0007] Preferably, the signal terminals include: a CAN bus terminal configured to transmit signals to a medical device connected to the connector; and / or an Ethernet terminal configured to provide an Ethernet connection to the connected medical device.

[0008] Preferably, the first housing includes a first part and a second part, with at least one of the shape or size of the first part and the second part being different.

[0009] Preferably, the power terminals include at least two power terminals, and the terminals further include at least two power return terminals, where each power terminal corresponds to each power return terminal to form a power circuit.

[0010] Preferably, the terminals further include a ground terminal.

[0011] Preferably, the connector further includes a circuit board accommodated in the first housing. The terminals are fixed on the first side of the circuit board and pass through the first end of the first housing, and multiple wires coupled to the terminals are included on the second side of the circuit board, where the multiple wires are divided into at least two bundles of cables.

[0012] Preferably, the wires in each of at least two bundles of cables are bundled by a bundling member.

[0013] Preferably, the first ends of the wires near the terminals are fixed in the first housing, and the second ends of the wires far from the terminals are fixed in the second housing.

[0014] Preferably, the connector further includes: a first encapsulation member disposed in the first housing, configured to gather the first ends of the wires together and fix the first ends of the wires in the first housing by glue; and a second encapsulation member disposed in the second housing, configured to gather the second ends of the wires together and fix the second ends of the wires in the second housing by fasteners.

[0015] Preferably, there is a gap between the first housing and the second housing to allow circumferential floating of the first housing relative to the second housing, and a protrusion is provided on the side wall of the first housing, and a notch is provided at the position of the side wall of the second housing relative to the protrusion. The notch accommodates the protrusion, and the size of the notch is larger than the size of the protrusion, thereby at least partially defining the floating range of the first housing relative to the second housing.

[0016] Preferably, the second end of the first housing includes a guide pin extending from the second end, the second housing includes a hole for accommodating the guide pin, and the connector further includes a spring sleeved on the guide pin of the first housing and accommodated in the hole of the second housing to assist in the axial floating of the first housing relative to the second housing.

[0017] Preferably, the radial dimension of the base portion of the guide pin is larger than the radial dimension of the spring, and the interior of the hole includes a step for abutting against the spring to confine the spring in a specific space.

[0018] The present invention also provides a connector assembly, comprising: a connector as described in any one of the above paragraphs, and an electronic evaporator, the electronic evaporator including an interface that matches the connector, wherein the electronic evaporator transmits power and signals via the terminals of the connector.

[0019] Preferably, a bevel is included around the inner surface of the interface of the electronic evaporator, and when the first end of the first housing contacts the bevel, it can float to guide the docking of the interface with the connector.

[0020] Preferably, the terminals of the connector include spring pins, and the interface of the electronic evaporator includes pads corresponding one-to-one to the spring pins.

[0021] The present invention also provides an anesthesia machine system, comprising: an anesthesia machine main unit; and a connector assembly as described in any one of the above paragraphs; wherein the anesthesia machine main unit is configured to supply power to the electronic evaporator through the power terminals of the connector and to achieve signal communication with the electronic evaporator through the signal terminals.

[0022] Preferably, the anesthesia machine main unit includes a power supply for supplying power to the power terminals of the connector and a power management circuit, and the power management circuit is configured to: when detecting a test signal generated by the connection of the test terminal in the signal terminals with the interface of the electronic evaporator, control the power supply to supply power to the power terminals of the connector; when not detecting the test signal, control the power supply to stop supplying power to the power terminals of the connector.

[0023] Preferably, the power management circuit is further configured to: after detecting the test signal and lasting for a certain period of time, control the power supply to supply power to the power terminals; and when not detecting the test signal, immediately stop the power supply from supplying power to the power terminals.

[0024] Preferably, the anesthesia machine system further includes a chassis, and the second housings of one or more connectors can be fixed to the chassis; wherein, the bottom of the chassis includes tracks for providing installation guidance to the electronic evaporator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] In order to further clarify the embodiments of the present invention, the embodiments of the present invention will be specifically presented with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these drawings may only depict typical embodiments of the present invention and thus will not be considered as limiting the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0026] In addition, the main connection relationships or relative position relationships of the various components are shown in the drawings, rather than all of these relationships, and the components and connections in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale in actuality.

[0027] Figure 1 Shows a connector that can be used in an anesthesia machine system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2A Shows an exploded view of the connector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2B Shows according to Figure 2A An assembled perspective view of the connector according to the embodiment of;

[0030] Figure 2C Shows according to Figure 2A An assembled side view of the connector according to the embodiment of;

[0031] Figure 3 Shows a schematic diagram of the terminals provided on the first end of the front shell according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4A Shows an independent perspective view of the second overmolded part of the connector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4B Shows a perspective view of the second overmolded part that gathers the rear ends of the wires together according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5A Shows a schematic structural diagram of the front shell and the rear shell of the connector in a separated state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 5B Shows a schematic structural diagram of the separate rear shell;

[0036] Figure 6 Shows Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of the connection part between the connector and the electronic evaporator in;

[0037] Figure 7 Shows a schematic diagram of the terminals of the connector connected to the interface of the electronic evaporator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 8A Shows a schematic diagram of the chassis in an anesthesia machine system for connecting the connector to the electronic evaporator;

[0039] Figure 8B Shows a schematic diagram of the connector fixed to the chassis according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 8C Shows a schematic diagram of the connector fixed to the chassis and connected to the electronic evaporator in place. Detailed Description

[0041] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of example, specific embodiments in which the claimed subject matter may be practiced. It should be understood that the following specific embodiments are intended to provide a detailed description of typical examples for purposes of illustration, but should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention; those skilled in the art can make appropriate modifications and adjustments to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter claimed in the present invention, upon a sufficient understanding of the spirit of the present invention.

[0042] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of each of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the various described embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments. Unless otherwise defined, the terms used herein shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains.

[0043] The terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of this application do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components or features.

[0044] The embodiments of this application are exemplary implementations or examples. References in the specification to "an embodiment", "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "alternative embodiments", or "other embodiments" mean that the specific features, structures described in connection with the embodiments are included in at least some embodiments of the present technology, but not necessarily all embodiments. The various occurrences of "an embodiment", "one embodiment", or "some embodiments" do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Elements or aspects from one embodiment may be combined with elements or aspects of another embodiment.

[0045] The connector for a medical device according to the present invention, a connector assembly including the connector, and an anesthesia machine system including the connector assembly will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] In some of the following embodiments of the present disclosure, the connector of the present invention is mainly described in connection with an anesthesia machine system. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto. After understanding the design concept of the present invention, the connector of the present invention can be used in any other suitable medical device.

[0047] Figure 1Disclosed is a connector 100 applicable to an anesthesia machine system according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the connector 100 is in a connected state with an electronic vaporizer 200. In this embodiment, the connector 100 can be used for connection between an anesthesia machine mainframe (not shown) of an anesthesia machine system and the electronic vaporizer 200. The anesthesia machine system anesthetizes a patient by delivering anesthetic into the body of the subject (e.g., a patient). The anesthesia machine system generally includes an anesthesia machine mainframe (not shown), an electronic vaporizer 200, and a gas path for delivering the anesthetic into the body of the subject. The anesthetic is generally stored in a liquid form and can be first vaporized in the electronic vaporizer 200 and then delivered into the body of the subject through the gas path of the anesthesia machine system. In the embodiment of the present invention, power supply, information transmission, and control of the electronic vaporizer 200 by the anesthesia machine mainframe can be achieved through the connector 100.

[0048] Figure 2A is an exploded view of the connector 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2B is according to Figure 2A an assembled perspective view of the connector 100 of the embodiment of Figure 2C is according to Figure 2A an assembled side view of the connector 100 of the embodiment of. The connector 100 of the present invention can be used for medical devices, such as the anesthesia machine described above in this application or other medical devices in the art. As Figures 2A - 2C shown, the connector 100 can include a first housing (also referred to as a front housing) 101 and a second housing (also referred to as a rear housing) 102. The front housing 101 can include opposite first and second ends 1011 and 1012. The second end 1012 of the front housing 101 can be configured to be floatingly connected within the rear housing 102, and the first end 1011 of the front housing 101 can be exposed outside the rear housing 102. The connector 100 of the present invention can further include terminals 103. The terminals 103 can be disposed on the first end 1011 of the front housing 101. In the embodiment of the present invention, the terminals 103 include a power terminal 1031 and a signal terminal 1033. The terminals 103 of the connector 100 can be used to couple or connect to a matching interface on the electronic vaporizer 200 as Figure 1 shown. Thus, the electronic vaporizer 200 can perform power connection and signal transmission via the terminals 103 of the connector 100.

[0049] In the above embodiments, the floating connection means that the front housing 101 floats relative to the rear housing 102 at least axially (or in the length direction of the rear housing 102). That is, the front housing 101 is telescopic relative to the rear housing 102. When the connector 100 in the embodiment of the present application is used for electrical connection, the floating connector 100 ensures that the connection process can have a certain buffer and thus proceed more smoothly, which largely avoids damage to the connector 100. During use, the user does not need to strictly align the interface to be docked (for example, the interface of a medical device) with the connector 100 at the beginning and is allowed to have a certain deviation. On the one hand, the connection efficiency is improved, and on the other hand, the service life of the device is extended. In addition, the terminals 103 of the connector 100 of the present application include both power terminals 1031 and signal terminals 1033. The user only needs to make one connection to simultaneously provide power and signal transmission functions for the components of the medical device, which reduces the complexity of the operation and can also save space as much as possible for some compact medical devices.

[0050] Figure 3 FIG. shows a schematic diagram of the terminal 103 provided on the first end 1011 of the front housing 101 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, the front housing 101 may be made of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) material, so that any frictional charges accumulated on the connector 100 can be dissipated elsewhere, for example, dissipated to the chassis 300 of the anesthesia system that will be described in more detail below, which can add a layer of safety measures for the electrical / oxygen-rich interface. In a specific embodiment, the front housing 101 may include a PPS-PA (polyphenylene sulfide-polystyrene) composite material. Figures 8A - 8C As described above, the terminal 103 includes a power terminal 1031 and a signal terminal 1033. In addition, the terminal 103 may further include a power return terminal 1032, and the power return terminal 1032 can provide a power return path. In a preferred embodiment, the terminal 103 may include at least two power terminals 1031 and at least two corresponding power return terminals 1032 respectively. Each power terminal 1031 and the corresponding each power return terminal 1032 can form a power loop. Providing at least two sets of power terminals 1031 and power return terminals 1032 is advantageous and can provide redundancy when one set is damaged. In one embodiment, the power terminal 1031 may be configured to provide a DC power supply to the connected medical device (for example, the electronic evaporator 200).

[0051] As described above, the terminal 103 includes a power terminal 1031 and a signal terminal 1033. In addition, the terminal 103 may further include a power return terminal 1032, and the power return terminal 1032 can provide a power return path. In a preferred embodiment, the terminal 103 may include at least two power terminals 1031 and at least two corresponding power return terminals 1032 respectively. Each power terminal 1031 and the corresponding each power return terminal 1032 can form a power loop. Providing at least two sets of power terminals 1031 and power return terminals 1032 is advantageous and can provide redundancy when one set is damaged. In one embodiment, the power terminal 1031 may be configured to provide a DC power supply to the connected medical device (for example, the electronic evaporator 200).

[0052] In an embodiment of the present invention, the terminal 103 may additionally include a ground terminal 1034 for providing grounding of a medical device (e.g., the electronic vaporizer 200) to which the connector 100 is connected. In one embodiment, at least two ground terminals 1034 may be included to provide redundancy in case one of the ground terminals 1034 is contaminated or damaged.

[0053] In an embodiment of the present invention, the signal terminal 1033 may include a CAN bus terminal 1033a and / or an Ethernet terminal 1033c. The CAN bus terminal 1033a may be configured to transmit signals to a medical device to which the connector 100 is connected, e.g., to transmit signals from an anesthesia machine host to the electronic vaporizer 200. The Ethernet terminal 1033c may be configured to provide an Ethernet connection to the connected medical device (e.g., the electronic vaporizer 200 as described above). Additionally, the signal terminal 1033 may further include a test terminal 1033b.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the length of at least a part of the signal terminal 1033 exposed at the first end 1011 of the front housing 101 is less than the length of the power terminal 1031 exposed at the first end 1011. For example, the length of the test terminal 1033b among at least the signal terminals 1033 exposed at the first end 1011 of the front housing 101 is less than the length of the power terminal 1031 exposed at the first end 1011, so that arcing can be avoided when the connector 100 is connected and disconnected. Specifically, the test terminal 1033b may be configured to control the power-on and power-off of the power terminal 1031 according to its electrical connection state. The length difference between the power terminal 1031 and the test terminal 1033b may cause the electrical connection of the power terminal 1031 to occur earlier than that of the test terminal 1033b, and may cause the disconnection of the electrical connection of the power terminal 1031 to occur later than the disconnection of the electrical connection of the test terminal 1033b. In other words, when the connector 100 is connected to the medical device to be connected, the longer power terminal 1031 may be connected first, and at this time the power terminal 1031 is not powered on, but is subsequently powered on by the connection of the shorter test terminal 1033b; when the connector 100 is disconnected from the connected medical device, the shorter test terminal 1033b may be disconnected first, so that before the longer power terminal 1031 is disconnected, the disconnection of the test terminal 1033b can trigger the immediate disabling of the power-on of the power terminal 1031. Thus, the chance of spark generation can be eliminated.

[0055] As a specific example, in an embodiment where the connector 100 is configured for connection between the anesthesia machine main unit and the electronic vaporizer 200, the anesthesia machine main unit may include a power source for supplying power to the power terminal 1031 of the connector 100 and a power management circuit. The power management circuit may be configured to control the power source to supply power to the power terminal 1031 of the connector 100 when detecting a test signal generated by the connection of the test terminal 1033b in the signal terminal 1033 to a corresponding position in the interface of the electronic vaporizer 200 (such as the interface 204 shown in Figure 7 as shown below). For example, the power management circuit may control the power source to supply power to the power terminal 1031 of the connector 100 by closing the control switch. As described above, since the length of the test terminal 1033b is less than the length of the power terminal 1031, when the connector 100 is connected, the test terminal 1033b may start supplying power to the power terminal 1031 after the power terminal 1031 is connected in place. The power management circuit may also be configured to control the power source to stop supplying power to the power terminal 1031 of the connector 100 when no test signal is detected. As described above, since the length of the test terminal 1033b is less than the length of the power terminal 1031, when the connector 100 is disconnected, the test terminal 1033b may disconnect before the power terminal 1031 and may stop supplying power to the power terminal 1031 before the power terminal 1031 is disconnected. For example, the power management circuit may control the stop of supplying power to the power terminal 1031 of the connector 100 by opening the switch. Thus, the generation of sparks can be suppressed.

[0056] It should be noted that supplying power to the power terminal 1031 of the connector 100 should be understood as providing a normal operating voltage (i.e., strong electricity) to the connected device such as the electronic vaporizer 200. When the connector 100 is connected such that the power terminal 1031 is connected but the test terminal 1033b is not yet connected, or when the connector 100 is disconnected such that the test terminal 1033b is disconnected but the power terminal 1031 is not yet disconnected, although the power control circuit stops supplying strong electricity to the electronic vaporizer 200 because no test signal is detected, in some embodiments, it may be allowed that there is actually still weak electricity passing through the power terminal 1031. The weak electricity can be used for basic functions such as testing the electrical connection state of the terminals and will not generate dangerous situations such as electric sparks.

[0057] In a preferred embodiment, the power management circuit of the anesthesia machine main unit can be further configured to: after detecting a test signal and maintaining it for a certain preset time, control the power supply to supply power to the power terminal 1031. The power management circuit can immediately enable a timer after detecting the test signal, and after the timer reaches the preset time, control the power supply to supply power to the power terminal 1031. The preset time can be a length of time set as needed. In one embodiment, the preset time can be set to less than 5 seconds. In a further embodiment, the preset time can be set to less than 3 seconds. In a still further embodiment, the preset time can be set to 2 seconds. In addition, the power management circuit of the anesthesia machine main unit can also be configured to immediately control the power supply to stop supplying power to the power terminal 1031 when the test signal is not detected. This can more effectively prevent the generation of electric sparks.

[0058] In some embodiments, the lengths of all the signal terminals 1033 exposed at the first end 1011 of the front shell 101 can be set to be less than the length of the power terminal 1031 exposed at the first end 1011. In other embodiments, only the length of the test terminal 1033b exposed at the first end 1011 of the front shell 101 can be set to be less than the length of the power terminal 1031 exposed at the first end 1011, while the lengths of the other signal terminals 1033 can be set to be the same as the length of the power terminal 1031. In the embodiment where only the length of the test terminal 1033b is less than the length of the power terminal 1031, the other signal terminals 1033 can be fully compressed when docked with the corresponding interfaces (for example, Figure 7 the interface 204 in) to ensure good contact.

[0059] In some other preferred embodiments, as Figure 3 shown, the front shell 101 can include a first part 1013 and a second part 1014, where at least one of the shape or size of the first part 1013 and the second part 1014 can be different. By using the differences in the shape and / or size of the first part 1013 and the second part 1014 of the front shell 101, the danger or equipment damage caused by incorrect insertion can be prevented during the use of the connector 100. It can be understood that the above-mentioned first part 1013 and second part 1014 refer to two parts divided by a section plane parallel to the length direction of the front shell 101 (or the connection direction of the first end and the second end). In such a setting method, the cross-sections of the first end and the second end of the same front shell 101 have different shapes or sizes. Thus, it can ensure an effective anti-fooling effect both during the assembly process with the rear shell 102 and during the electrical connection process with components other than the connector.

[0060] It should be noted that the above two-part description is only used to describe the shape of the front housing 101 and does not represent a limitation on the manufacturing process. For example, the entire front housing 101 can be integrally formed by injection molding.

[0061] In some embodiments, the power terminal 1031 can be disposed in the first part 1013 of the front housing 101, while the signal terminal 1033 can be disposed in the second part 1014 of the front housing 101. Separating the power terminal and the signal terminal for wiring in two parts will provide convenience in assembly. However, this application is not limited to this.

[0062] It should be understood that, by way of example, Figure 3 schematically shows different types of the terminals 103, the number of each type of terminal 103, and the specific arrangement of the terminals 103. However, this is only an example and not a limitation. In some other embodiments of the present invention, there may be more or fewer types of terminals 103. For example, the terminals 103 of the present invention can include a power terminal 1031 and a signal terminal 1033, wherein the signal terminal 133 can include one or more of a CAN bus terminal 1033a, a test terminal 1033b, and an Ethernet terminal 1033c. In addition, in some other embodiments of the present invention, the number of each type of terminal 103 and the arrangement of the terminals 103 can also be selected and set according to specific needs. For example, it can be correspondingly set according to the circuit design of the medical device involved (such as the above-mentioned anesthesia machine main unit and the electronic vaporizer 200).

[0063] The present invention includes a power terminal 1031 for power connection of a medical device (e.g., an electronic evaporator 200) and a signal terminal 1033 for information transmission in the same connector 100. In addition, the connector 100 may additionally include a ground terminal 1034, which improves the integration of the connector 100, can reduce the use of different types of connectors, and makes the use of the device simpler and more convenient. Further, the power terminal 1031 and the signal terminal 1033 in the present invention may be arranged in regions with different shapes and / or sizes, thereby effectively preventing misplugging of the connector 100 and improving the safety of using the connector 100. Further, the signal terminal 1033 of the present invention may include a test terminal 1033b, and the length of the test terminal 1033b exposed at the first end 1011 of the front shell 101 is set to be less than the length of the power terminal 1031 exposed at the first end 1011. Therefore, this length difference can make the electrical connection of the power terminal 1031 earlier than that of the test terminal 1033b, and make the disconnection of the electrical connection of the power terminal 1031 later than the disconnection of the electrical connection of the test terminal 1033b. Thus, the test terminal 1033b can be used to control the power-on and power-off of the power terminal 1031 according to its electrical connection state, which eliminates the possibility of generating electric sparks and further improves the safety of using the connector 100.

[0064] In the actual use process, the inventor found that a floating connector may be subject to a large resistance during use. In addition, in some scenarios, a floating connector (e.g., the front shell 101) is prone to tilt and shift during compression. Further, the inventor found that the reason for the above phenomenon is caused by the cable inside the connector housing. A bundled cable usually has a high stiffness. During the compression of the connector, the cable will generate resistance to the compression, and the cable resistance during the compression process will not act perpendicularly on the front shell of the connector, which affects the floating effect of the connector. Considering this, some embodiments of the present application propose improvements.

[0065] Return Figure 2A , the connector 100 may further include a circuit board 104. The circuit board 104 may be accommodated in the front shell 101. In one embodiment, the circuit board 104 may be fixed to the first end 1011 of the front shell 101 by, for example, one or more screws (not shown). The terminal 103 may be fixed on the first side of the circuit board 104 and pass through the first end 1011 of the front shell 101, for example, through a hole in the first end 1011 of the front shell 101. A plurality of wires 105 coupled to the terminal 103 may be included on the second side of the circuit board 104. In an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of wires 105 may be divided into at least two bundles of cables, and the wires 105 in each bundle of cables may be bundled by a bundling member 111 (such as Figure 2Cbe bundled together as shown. As an example, the bundling member 111 may include, but is not limited to, clips, cable ties, etc.

[0066] In this way, instead of being concentrated into a single bundle inside the connector, the multiple wires 105 are divided into at least two bundles. Compared with a single bundle, at least two bundles of cables are more likely to deform under an external force, thereby reducing the resistance to the floating of the front housing 101. In addition, at least two bundles of cables can provide support for the front housing at more sites, thereby improving the evenness of the force on the front housing. In an embodiment of the present invention, the first end (also referred to as the front end) of the wire 105 close to the terminal 103 is fixed inside the front housing 101, and the second end (also referred to as the rear end) of the wire 105 away from the terminal 103 is fixed inside the rear housing 102. For example, in a specific embodiment, the connector 100 may further include a first encapsulation member 106 disposed in the front housing 101. The first encapsulation member 106 may be configured to gather the front ends of the wires 105 together and may fix the front ends of the wires 105 inside the front housing 101 through, for example, glue 107 (as Figure 2C shown). The connector 100 may also include a second encapsulation member 108. Figure 4A FIG. shows an exploded perspective view of the second encapsulation member 108 of the connector 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4B FIG. shows a perspective view of the second encapsulation member 108 that gathers the rear ends of the wires 105 together according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in conjunction with Figure 2A shown, the second encapsulation member 108 may be disposed and fixed in the rear housing 102. The second encapsulation member 108 may be configured to gather the rear ends of the wires 105 together. For example, the second encapsulation member 108 may include a bundling hole 1081 in the middle for gathering the rear ends of the wires 105 together. In addition, the second encapsulation member 108 may fix the rear ends of the wires 105 inside the rear housing 102 through a fastener 109. As an example, the fastener 109 may include a screw, and the second encapsulation member 108 may include one or more side holes 1082 to facilitate the screw passing through the side holes 1082 and fixing the second encapsulation member 108 inside the rear housing 102 through the screw. The rear housing 102 may include screw holes that mate with the screws to fix the rear ends of the wires 105 inside the rear housing 102 by screwing the screws with the screw holes. Preferably, the fastener 109 may include at least two screws, and correspondingly, the side holes 1082 may also include at least two.

[0067] As described above, the terminal 103 may include a ground terminal 1034. Correspondingly, as Figure 2AAs shown, the wire 105 may include a ground wire 1051 coupled to the ground terminal 1034. After being bundled by the second encapsulation member 108, the ground wire 1051 may be separated from other wires 1052. The ground wire 1051 may be connected to a ground structure, such as the chassis 300 of an anesthesia machine system described below, to achieve a ground connection for a medical device (e.g., the electronic vaporizer 200).

[0068] In an embodiment of the present invention, as described above, the second end 1012 of the front shell 101 may be configured to be floatingly connected within the rear shell 102, and the first end 1011 of the front shell 101 may be exposed outside the rear shell 102. Among them, as in any of the embodiments described above, the floating connection includes the axial floating of the front shell 101 (the first housing) relative to the rear shell 102 (the second housing). In another embodiment of the present application, the floating connection may further include the circumferential floating of the front shell 101 relative to the rear shell 102, which will be described in detail below.

[0069] Specifically, as Figure 2C shown, there is a gap l between the front shell 101 and the rear shell 102. The existence of this gap l enables the second end 1012 of the front shell 101 to be circumferentially floating relative to the rear shell 102. This floating structure design of the present invention is advantageous. When tolerance stacking hinders the connector 100 from smoothly entering the interface (e.g., the interface 204) of the connected medical device (e.g., the electronic vaporizer 200), the floating can compensate for the tolerance stacking and help the connector 100 smoothly enter the interface. In one embodiment, the gap l may be set to 0.5 mm to 3 mm. In a further embodiment, the gap l may be set to approximately 1 mm.

[0070] Figure 5A The structural diagram shows the front shell 101 and the rear shell 102 of the connector 100 in a separated state. Figure 5B The schematic structural diagram of the separate rear shell 102 is shown. In an embodiment of the present invention, protrusions 1015 may be provided on the side wall of the front shell 101, and notches 1021 may be provided at positions on the side wall of the rear shell 102 corresponding to the protrusions 1015. The notches 1021 may be used to accommodate the protrusions 1015. The size of the notches 1021 is larger than the size of the protrusions 1015, thereby at least partially defining the floating range of the front shell 101 relative to the rear shell 102. In one implementation, the protrusions 1015 may be formed in the shape of a hook.

[0071] The circumferential direction described above can be understood as the direction of the inner circumference of the rear housing 102, which is jointly defined by the inner surface of the rear housing 102 and the gap l between the front and rear housings. Circumferential floating can, on the one hand, compensate for tolerances and reduce the accuracy requirements of the device. More importantly, on the other hand, it can reduce the requirements for the connection accuracy between the medical device and the connector 100. When the interface of the medical device and the connector 100 are not strictly aligned, the front housing 101 of the connector 100 can thus bend to a certain extent, thereby playing a buffering role.

[0072] It should be noted that, under the teaching of the present disclosure, the floating manner of the connector 100 can include various types. For example, it can be axial floating (i.e., telescopic). Or, it can be circumferential floating (i.e., the front housing can move within the inner circumference range of the rear housing). In a preferred embodiment, it can simultaneously have the functions of axial floating and circumferential floating. The technical effects of the floating connection have been described in detail above and will not be elaborated here.

[0073] In an embodiment of the present invention, the length of the wire 105 inside the connector 100 should be set such that when the protrusion 1015 moves to the edge position of the notch 1021, the wire 105 will not be pulled. In other words, a certain length needs to be reserved for the wire 105 inside the connector 100, so that the axial floating range of the front housing 101 relative to the rear housing 102 is not limited by the length of the wire 105, but is limited by the axial floating range of the protrusion 1015 within the notch 1021.

[0074] The second end 1012 of the front housing 101 may include a guide pin 1016 extending from the second end 1012. Correspondingly, the rear housing 102 may include a hole 1022 for receiving the guide pin 1016. The connector 100 may further include a spring 110, and the spring 110 may be sleeved on the guide pin 1016 of the front housing 101 and received in the hole 1022 of the rear housing to assist the circumferential / axial floating of the front housing 101 relative to the rear housing 102.

[0075] In an embodiment of the present invention, the radial dimension of the base 1017 of the guide pin 1016 can be set to be greater than the radial dimension of the spring 110 (see Figure 2C and Figure 5A ), so that the spring 110 can abut against the base 1017 of the guide pin 1016 to limit one side of the spring 100. As shown in 5B, the inside of the hole 1022 may include a step 1023 for abutting against the spring 110 to limit the other side of the spring 100. Therefore, the spring 110 can be limited in a specific space inside the connector 100.

[0076] In the assembled connector 100, the spring 110 can have a certain amount of pre-compression. When the connector 100 is connected to a medical device (e.g., the electronic evaporator 200), the front shell 101 with the terminal 103 will be axially floated when contacting the medical device, that is, move backward (e.g., Figure 2A move in the m direction shown in), at this time, the compressed spring 100 can provide a reverse thrust (e.g., a thrust opposite to the direction m), so as to provide a fastening force to keep the terminal 103 in stable and reliable contact with the corresponding interface 204 of the electronic evaporator 200 (e.g., the corresponding pad 206 in the interface 204). In addition, the spring 110 can also help the front shell 101 move more smoothly relative to the rear shell 102.

[0077] Preferably, the connector 100 of the present invention can include a set of guide pins 1016 and a set of corresponding springs 110 arranged on the diagonal of the cross-section at the rear end 1012 of the front shell 101 of the connector 100, and a set of corresponding holes 1022 are arranged in the rear shell 102, so that the circumferential / axial floating of the front shell 101 relative to the rear shell 102 is more stable and uniform. In addition, this design of the present invention can also allow the length of the guide pins 1016 extending from the rear end 1012 of the front shell 101 and the corresponding depth of the holes 1022 in the rear shell 102 to be designed according to actual needs, so that the axial floating of the front shell 101 of the present invention relative to the rear shell 102 can have a longer guiding stroke.

[0078] The inventor further realized that the floating connector may cause damage to the internal circuit of the connector. For example, the floating connector will generate shear stress on the terminals and / or wires during the deformation process, resulting in undesired poor contact or even disconnection of the connector, and this inclination will also cause the terminals themselves to bend or be damaged, shortening the service life of the connector. In the present invention, the above-described technical solution can largely solve the above problems by splitting the wires 105. Because the split wires have higher flexibility and deform more uniformly after being stressed. In some other embodiments, the present application further improves the floating connector. Further detailed description is given below.

[0079] In an embodiment of the present invention, the terminal 103 can be fixed to the front shell 101 through, for example, a circuit board 104, the front end of the wire 105 is fixed to the front shell 101, the rear end of the wire 105 is fixed to the rear shell 102, and the front shell 101 is floatingly mounted to the rear shell 102, so that the movement of the rear shell 105 and the wire 105 will not be transmitted to the front shell 101, and thus will not be transmitted to the terminal 103 fixed to the front shell 101, so the stability and reliability of the connection of the terminal 103 can be increased.

[0080] Specifically, when the connector 100 is connected to a medical device (e.g., the electronic evaporator 200), the front shell 101 with the terminal 103 will be subjected to a backward force (e.g., the force in the m direction shown in Figure 1 and move backward when contacting the medical device. At this time, the internal wire 105 will be bent and deformed due to extrusion. In the solution of the present invention, as described above, one end of the wire 105 inside the connector 100 can be fixed to the inside of the front shell 101 through the first encapsulation member 106, for example, and the other end of the wire 105 can be fixed to the inside of the rear shell 102 through the second encapsulation member 108, for example. In addition, the wire 105 can be divided into at least two bundles of cables, and the bundling member 111 can be used to bundle the wires 105 in each bundle of cables, improving flexibility. Therefore, no matter how the middle part of the wire 105 bends, deforms or moves inside the housing, the front shell 101 with the terminal 103 can maintain a stable plug-in connection without being affected, so that the connector 100 can achieve a good and stable connection with the connected medical device (e.g., the electronic evaporator 200) during operation. This can reduce the risk of disconnection of the connector 100 during operation, thus ensuring the normal operation of the connected medical device (e.g., the electronic evaporator 200).

[0081] In addition, in the design of the present invention, while the front shell 101 and the rear shell 102 adopt a floating manner, the rear end of the wire 105 is fixedly connected to the rear shell 102. Accordingly, the gravity generated by the weight of the wire 105 carried on the rear shell 102 and the tensile force generated by the movement will not be transmitted to the front shell 101, so the front shell 101 will not be tilted downward, and the connector 100 can achieve a smooth connection and disconnection. Further, since the front shell 101 is stably connected without tilting downward, there is no shear stress on the terminal 103, and the terminal 103 can always be vertically connected to the corresponding interface (e.g., the interface 204), thereby extending the service life of the terminal 103.

[0082] In an embodiment of the present invention, the protrusion 1015 on the side wall of the front housing 101 and the corresponding notch 1021 on the side wall of the rear housing 102 can define the floating range of the front housing 101 relative to the rear housing 102. The size of the notch 1021 can be flexibly designed to adjust the floating range of the front housing 101 relative to the rear housing 102. In the embodiment of the present invention, up to six-dimensional floating (including the above-mentioned axial and circumferential floating) can be achieved. For example, the m direction and its opposite direction, the n direction and its opposite direction, and two opposite directions perpendicular to the plane where mn is located. Therefore, the technical solution of the present invention also allows the connector 100 to have more floating, which can compensate for the misalignment caused by tolerance stacking between the connector 100 and the interface of the medical device to be connected (for example, the electronic vaporizer 200). Furthermore, since the connector 100 of the present invention can absorb a part of the stacked tolerance, the processing accuracy requirements for related components can be correspondingly reduced, thereby reducing the production difficulty, improving the production efficiency and reducing the cost.

[0083] Returning to the specific embodiment where the connector 100 is used in an anesthesia machine system and referring to Figure 6 , Figure 6 shows Figure 1 a partial enlarged view of the connecting portion between the connector 100 and the electronic vaporizer 200 in. In the embodiment where the connector 100 is used to connect the electronic vaporizer 200, the inner surface of the interface 204 of the electronic vaporizer 200 connected to the connector 100 may include an inclined surface 202. When the first end 1011 of the front housing 101 contacts the inclined surface 202, it can float to guide the interface 204 of the electronic vaporizer 200 to dock with the connector 100, so that the connection between the interface 204 of the connector 100 and the electronic vaporizer 200 can be completed more smoothly.

[0084] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the terminal 103 of the connector 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention being connected to the interface 204 of the electronic vaporizer 200. As an example but not a limitation, the terminal 103 of the connector 100 may include spring pins. Correspondingly, the interface 204 of the electronic vaporizer 200 may include pads 206 corresponding to the spring pins one by one.

[0085] Figure 8A shows a schematic structural diagram of the chassis 300 for connecting the connector 100 to the electronic vaporizer 200 in an anesthesia machine system according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 8B shows a schematic structural diagram of the connector 100 fixed to the chassis 300. Figure 8AThe dashed box in [Figure] shows the positions on the chassis 300 for mounting two connectors 100. In an embodiment of the present invention, the second housing 102 of one or more connectors 100 can be fixed to this position on the chassis 300. For example, the second housing 102 of the connector 100 can be fixed to the chassis 300 by fasteners 112 such as screws. The chassis 300 can be made of a metallic material. As described above, the ground wire 1051 of the connector 100 can also be fixed to the chassis 300. For example, the end of the ground wire 1051 can have a hole 1053, so that the end of the ground wire 1051 can be fixed to the chassis 300 using a screw.

[0086] As an example, Figure 8A and Figure 8B show two connectors 100 and the positions on the chassis 300 for receiving the two connectors 100. However, it can be understood that in other embodiments of the present invention, only one or more than two connectors 100 can be fixed to the chassis 300. Accordingly, the chassis 300 can include only one or more than two mounting positions.

[0087] The chassis 300 can be used to connect the connector 100 fixed thereto to the electronic evaporator 200. Specifically, Figure 8C shows a schematic diagram of the connector 100 fixed to the chassis 300 being connected to the electronic evaporator 200 in place. The bottom of the chassis 300 can include rails 302, which can be used to provide an installation guide for the electronic evaporator 200, such that the bottom surface of the electronic evaporator 200 can enter the chassis 300 along the rails 302 through a sliding / wiping action, so as to be close to the front end 1011 of the front housing 101 of the connector 100, and assist the interface 204 on the electronic evaporator 200 to dock with the terminal 103 on the front housing 101 of the connector 100.

[0088] It should be understood that the descriptions of positions and directions in this specification are made in conjunction with the specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, and are thus a relative description of positions. In other embodiments where the placement direction of the device or apparatus is opposite to or different from the direction shown in the drawings, these position descriptions can change accordingly.

[0089] Therefore, without departing from the spirit and gist of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make appropriate modifications and adjustments to the above specifically described embodiments. Accordingly, it is intended that the claimed subject matter not be limited to the specific examples disclosed, and these claimed subject matters can also include all implementations falling within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A connector for a medical device, the connector comprising: A first housing, the first housing including opposite first and second ends; A second housing, the second end of the first housing being configured to be floatingly connected within the second housing, and the first end being exposed outside the second housing; And Terminals, the terminals being disposed on the first end of the first housing, the terminals including power terminals and signal terminals.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein The length by which at least a portion of the signal terminals are exposed at the first end is less than the length by which the power terminals are exposed at the first end.

3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein The at least a portion of the signal terminals includes test terminals, the test terminals being configured to control the energization and de-energization of the power terminals based on their electrical connection states, the length difference causing the electrical connection of the power terminals to occur earlier than the electrical connection of the test terminals, and causing the disconnection of the electrical connection of the power terminals to occur later than the disconnection of the electrical connection of the test terminals.

4. The connector according to claim 2 or 3, wherein The signal terminals include: CAN bus terminals, configured to transmit signals to a medical device to which the connector is connected; and / or Ethernet terminals, configured to provide an Ethernet connection to the connected medical device.

5. The connector according to claim 1, wherein The first housing includes a first portion and a second portion, at least one of the shape or size of the first portion and the second portion being different.

6. The connector according to claim 1, wherein The power terminals include at least two power terminals, and the terminals further include at least two power return terminals, wherein each of the power terminals corresponds to each of the power return terminals to form a power circuit.

7. The connector according to claim 1, wherein The terminals further include a ground terminal.

8. The connector according to claim 1, wherein The connector further includes a circuit board, the circuit board being received within the first housing, the terminals being fixed on a first side of the circuit board and passing through the first end of the first housing, and a plurality of wires coupled to the terminals being included on a second side of the circuit board, wherein the plurality of wires are divided into at least two bundles of cables.

9. The connector according to claim 8, wherein The wires in each of at least two bundles of cables are bundled by a bundling member.

10. The connector according to claim 8, wherein The first ends of the wires near the terminals are fixed within the first housing, and the second ends of the wires remote from the terminals are fixed within the second housing.

11. The connector according to claim 10, wherein The connector further includes: A first potting member, disposed within the first housing, configured to gather the first ends of the wires together and fix the first ends of the wires within the first housing by glue; and A second potting member, disposed within the second housing, configured to gather the second ends of the wires together and fix the second ends of the wires within the second housing by a fastener.

12. The connector according to claim 1, wherein A gap exists between the first housing and the second housing to allow circumferential floating of the first housing relative to the second housing, and Protrusions are provided on the side wall of the first housing, and notches are provided at positions of the side wall of the second housing relative to the protrusions, the notches receiving the protrusions, the size of the notches being greater than the size of the protrusions, thereby at least partially defining the floating range of the first housing relative to the second housing.

13. The connector according to claim 1, wherein The second end of the first housing includes a guide pin extending from the second end, The second housing includes a hole for receiving the guide pin, and The connector further includes a spring sleeved on the guide pin of the first housing and received in the hole of the second housing to assist the axial floating of the first housing relative to the second housing.

14. The connector according to claim 13, wherein The radial dimension of the base of the guide pin is greater than the radial dimension of the spring, and the interior of the hole includes a step for abutting against the spring to confine the spring in a specific space.

15. A connector assembly, the connector assembly comprising: The connector according to any one of claims 1-14, and an electronic evaporator, the electronic evaporator including an interface matching with the connector, wherein the electronic evaporator transmits power supply and signals via the terminals of the connector.

16. The connector assembly according to claim 15, wherein, The inner surface around the interface of the electronic evaporator includes a bevel surface, When the first end of the first housing contacts the bevel surface, it can float to guide the interface to dock with the connector.

17. The connector assembly according to claim 15, wherein, The terminals of the connector include spring pins, and the interface of the electronic evaporator includes pads corresponding to the spring pins one by one.

18. An anesthesia machine system, the anesthesia machine system comprising: An anesthesia machine mainframe; and The connector assembly according to any one of claims 15-17; wherein The anesthesia machine mainframe is configured to supply power to the electronic evaporator through the power supply terminals of the connector and to achieve signal communication with the electronic evaporator through the signal terminals.

19. The anesthesia machine system according to claim 18, wherein, The anesthesia machine mainframe includes a power supply for supplying power to the power supply terminals of the connector and a power management circuit, and the power management circuit is configured to: When detecting a test signal generated by the connection of the test terminal in the signal terminals to the interface of the electronic evaporator, control the power supply to supply power to the power supply terminals of the connector; When the test signal is not detected, control the power supply to stop supplying power to the power supply terminals of the connector.

20. The anesthesia machine system according to claim 19, wherein, The power management circuit is further configured to: When detecting the test signal and after a certain period of time, control the power supply to supply power to the power supply terminals; and When the test signal is not detected, immediately stop the power supply from supplying power to the power supply terminals.

21. The anesthesia machine system according to claim 18, wherein, The anesthesia machine system further includes a chassis, and the second housings of one or more of the connectors can be fixed to the chassis; wherein, the bottom of the chassis includes tracks for providing installation guidance to the electronic evaporator.

Images