CATHETER HAVING TWO-PIECE CONNECTOR FOR A SPLIT HANDLE ASSEMBLY
A catheter and method for the treatment of a patient having atrial flutter or other arrhythmia comprises an elongated catheter body having an outer wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough. Further it has a distal tip section comprising a flexible tubing having a proximal end and a distal end and a plurality of lumens extending therethrough. The proximal end of the tip section is fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body. The tip section further comprises a nitinol tube having slots formed therein which causes the distal tip section to deflect using the same puller-wire action used to cause the deflectable catheter to deflect at a point proximal to the distal tip section.
1 . A catheter comprising:
an elongated catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;
a distal tip attached to the distal end of the catheter body having a plurality of electrodes disposed on the distal tip for diagnosing or treating a patient;
a control handle attached to the proximal end of the catheter body;
a plurality of electrical leads for communicating electrical signals each lead being attached to one of the plurality of electrodes, each lead passing through the catheter body into a two-piece connector for operably and releasably electrically coupling the plurality of electrodes to a system for diagnosing or treating a patient;
wherein the two-piece connector comprises:
a plug assembly and a receptacle assembly wherein the plug assembly is adapted to be inserted into the receptacle assembly to operably connect the plurality of electrical leads to the system.
2 . The catheter of claim 1 wherein the plug assembly further comprises:
a plug body;
a plug insulator adapted to hold a plurality of contacts;
an insulator lead adapted to capture and hold the plug insulator in the plug body;
a plug housing adapted to receive a portion of the plug body; and,
a cable for housing the plurality of electrical leads connected to the plurality of contacts.
3 . The catheter of claim 2 wherein the insulator lead captures and holds the plug insulator in the plug body through a plurality of snap features designed to engage a plurality of snap receivers in the plug body.
4 . The catheter of claim 2 wherein the plug body comprises a lock and release button adapted to engage and disengage a locking button catch in the receptacle assembly
5 . The catheter of claim 2 wherein the plug body further comprises an EEPROM recess for securing an EEPROM in the plug assembly.
6 . The catheter of claim 2 where in the plug housing receives the plug body when a plurality of snap features on the plug body engages a plurality of snap receivers in the plug housing.
7 . The catheter of claim 2 wherein the plug assembly further comprises strain relief to create an atraumatic transition from the plug housing to the cable.
8 . The catheter of claim 2 wherein the plug insulator has a first key and a second key disposed there on to require one way insertion into the plug body.
9 . The catheter of claim 2 wherein the contacts are pins.
10 . The catheter of claim 2 wherein the contacts are socket contacts.
11 . The catheter of claim 1 wherein the receptacle assembly comprises:
a receptacle body;
a receptacle insulator adapted to hold a plurality of contacts;
an insulator lead adapted to capture and hold the receptacle insulator in the receptacle body;
a receptacle housing adapted to receive a portion of the receptacle body; and,
a cable for housing a plurality of electrical leads connected to the plurality of contacts.
12 . The catheter of claim 11 wherein the insulator lead captures and holds the receptacle insulator in the receptacle body through a plurality of snap features designed to engage a plurality of snap receivers in the receptacle body.
13 . The catheter of claim 11 wherein the receptacle body comprises a locking button catch adapted to engage the lock and release button catch in the plug assembly.
14 . The catheter of claim 11 wherein the receptacle housing further comprises shielding to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI).
15 . The catheter of claim 11 wherein the shielding is a layer of Mu metal disposed on the inside surface of the receptacle housing.
16 . The catheter of claim 11 wherein the receptacle housing receives the receptacle body when a plurality of snap features on the receptacle body engages a plurality of snap receivers in the receptacle housing.
17 . The catheter of claim 11 wherein the receptacle assembly further comprises strain relief to create an atraumatic transition from the receptacle housing to the cable.
18 . The catheter of claim 11 wherein the receptacle insulator has a first key and a second key disposed there on to require one way insertion into the receptacle body.
19 . The catheter of claim 11 wherein the contacts are pins.
20 . The catheter of claim 11 wherein the contacts are socket contacts.
21 . The catheter of claim 1 wherein the plug assembly has at least one key disposed thereon to mate with a key way in the receptacle assembly so as to prevent the plug assembly from being inserted improperly in the receptacle assembly.
22 . A two-piece connector for operably connecting a device having a plurality of electrical leads to a system for the diagnosis and treatment of a patient wherein the two-piece connector comprises a plug assembly and a receptacle assembly wherein the plug assembly is adapted to be inserted into the receptacle assembly to operably connect the plurality of electrical leads to the system.
23 . The connector of claim 22 herein the plug assembly further comprises:
a plug body;
a plug insulator adapted to hold a plurality of contacts;
an insulator lead adapted to capture and hold the plug insulator in the plug body;
a plug housing adapted to receive a portion of the plug body; and,
a cable for housing the plurality of electrical leads connected to the plurality of contacts.
24 . The connector of claim 23 wherein the insulator lead captures and holds the plug insulator in the plug body through a plurality of snap features designed to engage a plurality of snap receivers in the plug body.
25 . The connector of claim 23 wherein the plug body comprises a lock and release button adapted to engage and disengage a locking button catch in the receptacle assembly
26 . The connector of claim 23 wherein the plug body further comprises an EEPROM recess for securing an EEPROM in the plug assembly.
27 . The connector of claim 23 where in the plug housing receives the plug body when a plurality of snap features on the plug body engages a plurality of snap receivers in the plug housing.
28 . The connector of claim 23 wherein the plug insulator has a first key and a second key disposed there on to require one way insertion into the plug body.
29 . The connector of claim 22 wherein the receptacle assembly comprises:
a receptacle body;
a receptacle insulator adapted to hold a plurality of contacts;
an insulator lead adapted to capture and hold the receptacle insulator in the receptacle body;
a receptacle housing adapted to receive a portion of the receptacle body; and,
a cable for housing a plurality of electrical leads connected to the plurality of contacts.
30 . The connector of claim 29 wherein the insulator lead captures and holds the receptacle insulator in the receptacle body through a plurality of snap features designed to engage a plurality of snap receivers in the receptacle body.
31 . The connector of claim 29 wherein the receptacle body comprises a locking button catch adapted to engage the lock and release button catch in the plug assembly.
32 . The connector of claim 29 wherein the receptacle housing further comprises shielding to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI).
33 . The connector of claim 32 wherein the shielding is a layer of Mu metal disposed on the inside surface of the receptacle housing.
34 . The connector of claim 29 wherein the receptacle housing receives the receptacle body when a plurality of snap features on the receptacle body engages a plurality of snap receivers in the receptacle housing.
35 . The connector of claim 29 wherein the receptacle assembly further comprises strain relief to create an atraumatic transition from the receptacle housing to the cable.
36 . The connector of claim 29 wherein the receptacle insulator has a first key and a second key disposed there on to require one way insertion into the receptacle body.
37 . The connector of claim 22 wherein the plug assembly has at least one key disposed thereon to mate with a key way in the receptacle assembly so as to prevent the plug assembly from being inserted improperly in the receptacle assembly.