CONNECTOR PLUG FOR A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector plug for a medical instrument, in particular a bipolar electrode or forceps, comprising an insulating body for connecting two limbs of the instrument, wherein the insulating body has openings for receiving, inserting or sliding in the limbs, wherein in each of the openings a latching or spring element is provided for fastening one of the limbs of the instrument in the insulating body.

Claims

1. A connector plug (1) for a medical instrument, in particular a bipolar electrode or forceps, comprising an insulating body (2) for connecting two limbs of the instrument (7), wherein the insulating body (2) has openings (4) for receiving, inserting or sliding in the limbs (7), and, a latching or spring element (5) provided in each of the openings (4) for fastening the limbs of the instrument (7) to the insulating body (2).

2. The connector plug (1) according to claim 1, wherein the latching or spring elements (5) each have an essentially U-shaped cross-section and a limb of the instrument (7) can be inserted and/or latched into the latching or spring element (5) via the open side of the cross-section.

3. The connector plug (1) according to claim 2, wherein the latching or spring elements (5) each have two fastening limbs (13), which run substantially parallel to one another at least in sections, wherein at least one of the fastening limbs (13) is configured elastic and is movable relative to the other fastening limb (13), so that a limb of the instrument (7) is clampable between the fastening limbs of the latching or spring elements (5).

4. The connector plug (1) according to claim 3, wherein the elastically configured fastening limb (13) has an inwardly pointing nose-like projection (13a).

5. The connector plug (1) according to claim 4, wherein the other fastening limb (13) has a planar inner side (17) lying opposite the projection (13a).

6. The connector plug (1) according to claim 1, wherein the insulating body (2) is formed by a plastic sleeve.

7. The connector plug (1) according to claim 1, wherein the openings each have, viewed in the cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the insulating body (2), two opposing, planar and non-parallel side walls (6), between which one end of a limb of the instrument (7) is clampable.

8. The connector plug (1) according to claim 1, wherein the insulating body (2) has one or more inlet channels (9) for filling the insulating body with a casting compound.

9. The connector plug (1) according to claim 8, wherein the one or more inlet channels (9) are arranged together with the openings (4) on one end face of the insulating body.

10. . A medical instrument, in particular a bipolar electrode or forceps, comprising two limbs (7), in particular electrode shafts, and a connector plug (1) according to claim 1, wherein ends of the limbs of the instrument (7) are accommodated in the insulating body (2) of the connector plug (1) and fixed therein.

11. The medical instrument according to claim 10, wherein, in the case of both limbs (7), viewed in the cross-section, the one end has outer sides which are configured at least partially complementary to the inner sides of the latching or spring element (5), so that the limbs (7) are at least partially positively connected to the latching or spring elements (5).

12. The medical instrument according to claim 10, wherein for both limbs (7), viewed in the cross-section, a projection (15) is configured at the one end, which projection (15) is engaged behind through a nose-like projection (13a) on the inner side of the latching or spring elements (5) and/or a depression (14) in which the nose-like projection (13a) comes to rest.

13. The medical instrument according to claim 10, wherein the limbs of the instrument (7) form electrodes, and wherein the fastening limbs (13) of the connector plug (1) are made of electrically conductive material and create an electrical connection to the electrodes.

14. The medical instrument according to claim 10, further comprising two contact pins (10) which penetrate the insulating body (2) on a proximal end face (11), and which on the one hand are electrically connected to the latching or spring elements (5), and on the other hand, provide a connection of the instrument to an external current source.

15. The medical instrument according to claim 14, wherein the contact pins (10) are formed by metal bodies (20) which are configured plate-shaped or platelet-shaped and in particular form a flat plug (20).

16. The medical instrument according to claim 13, comprising two cables (18) with electrical leads contained therein, wherein the cables penetrate the insulating body at a proximal end face, and wherein the electrical leads, on the one hand, are electrically connected to the latching or spring elements (5) and, on the other hand, provide a connection to an external current source.

17. The medical instrument according to claim 14, wherein the contact pins (10) are welded or soldered to the latching or spring elements (5).

18. A method for manufacturing a medical instrument, the method comprising: providing a bipolar electrode or forceps, comprising two electrodes or forceps limbs; providing a connector plug according to claim 1; connecting the electrodes or forceps limbs (7) to the connector plug (1) by receiving, inserting or sliding the proximal ends of the electrodes or forceps limbs into the latching or spring elements (5) of the connector plug (1); and creating a fixed, non-detachable connection between the electrodes or forceps limbs (7) and the connector plug (1).

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the non-detachable connection is produced by sealing the openings (4) with casting compound.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the casting compound is introduced into the insulating body (2) by one or more channels (9) provided in the insulating body (2).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective representation of an exemplary embodiment of a connector plug according to the invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 is a sectional representation of an exemplary embodiment of the connector plug;

[0028] FIG. 3 is a further sectional representation of an exemplary embodiment of the connector plug;

[0029] FIG. 4 is a sectional representation of an exemplary embodiment of the connector plug with a pushed-in electrode shaft;

[0030] FIG. 5 is a representation of an application example of the plug connector,

[0031] FIG. 6 is a representation of a further exemplary embodiment of the connector plug, and

[0032] FIGS. 7a and 7b are representations of a further exemplary embodiment of the connector plug as a flat plug.

FIGURE DESCRIPTION

[0033] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the connector plug 1 in a perspective representation. The connector plug 1 comprises a cylindrical insulating body 2 which has openings 4 on one end face 3. The insulating body can also have any other shape. As can be seen clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the openings 4 have an approximately trapezoidal cross-section, wherein the limbs of the trapezoids are in each case formed by opposing planar and non-parallel inner walls 6.

[0034] A spring element 5 is arranged in each case in the interior of the openings 4. In the left opening 4 in FIG. 2, a limb of an instrument 7 is inserted into the spring element 5. The limb of the instrument 7 is loaded by the spring element 5 and fixed therein. The limb of the instrument 7 has beveled side walls 8 which project laterally beyond the spring element 5 and lie against the inner walls 6 of the insulating body 2.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 3, the insulating body 2 has channels 9 on the end face 3. The channels 9 extend from the end face 3 of the insulating body 2 into the interior of the insulating body 2. The channels 9 provide a connection between the end face 3 of the insulating body and the inner regions of the openings 4. The openings 4 can be filled with a casting compound, for example, epoxy resin, through the channels.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the connector plug 1 along the longitudinal axis of the insulating body 2. The spring elements 5 are each configured approximately U-shaped and are welded at one end to contact pins 10 which extend through passage openings 12 on a further end face 11 of the insulating body toward the outside. The contact pins 10 have a T-shaped cross-section. The contact pins 10 each have a head-like thickening at their end regions positioned within the insulating body 2. The contact pins 10 are introduced together with the spring elements 5 from the end face 3 of the insulating body 2 through the openings 4 into the insulating body 2 and are fixed with the head-like thickening against an edge of the passage openings 12 lying in the insulating body 2.

[0037] The spring elements 5 are designed as U-shaped clamp elements. Each of the spring elements 5 each has two fastening limbs 13, wherein each one of the fastening limbs 13 has a nose-like projection 13a. As shown in FIG. 4, the end regions of the fastening limbs 13 are canted to facilitate the insertion of the limbs of the instrument. The limb of the instrument 7 has a depression 14 and a projection 15 in its proximal end region. The nose-like projection 13a engages with the depression 14 and engages behind the projection 15. The contact point between the nose-like projection 13a and the limb of the instrument 7 forms a first electrical and mechanical contact point. The limb of the instrument 7 further has a planar region 16 in its proximal end region. The planar region 16 of the electrode shaft lies against a planar inner side 17 of the fastening limb 13 of the spring element 5 and forms a second electrical and mechanical contact point. The planar inner side 17 of the fastening limb 13 lies opposite the fastening limb 13 with the nose-like projection 13a.

[0038] FIG. 5 shows a medical instrument according to an embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment shown, the medical instrument is formed by a bipolar forceps, the forceps limbs 7 of which are connected to one another by the connector plug 1. The illustration shows an instrument handle (7a).

[0039] FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of the connector plug 1. Instead of the contact pins 10, two cables 18 are provided, which are inserted into the passage openings 12 and are conductively connected to the spring elements 5. The cables 18 create a connection to a current source. The cables 18 are combined into a cable harness 19.

[0040] FIGS. 7a and 7b show a further embodiment of the connector plug 1, wherein the contact pins 10 are configured as an elongated, flat metal body. The metal bodies form a flat plug 20 and enable connection to an electrical current source. In the embodiment as a European flat plug 20, the insulating body 2 of the connector plug 1 has a displaced region 21 with a smaller cross-section. The displaced region 21 has a smaller diameter than the rest of the insulating body 2 and is designed in its dimensions to be complementary to a corresponding cable plug.

[0041] FIG. 7a shows a top view of the connector plug 1, wherein the two contact pins 10 are shown parallel side by side. The two contact pins 10 are stabilized by an intermediate piece 22.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0042] 1 Connector plug [0043] 2 Insulating body [0044] 3 End face of the insulating body [0045] 4 Openings [0046] 5 Spring elements [0047] 6 Inner walls of the insulating body [0048] 7 Limb of an instrument [0049] 7a Instrument handle [0050] 8 Beveled side walls [0051] 9 Channels [0052] 10 Contact pins [0053] 11 End face of the insulating body [0054] 12 Passage openings [0055] 13 Fastening limbs [0056] 13a Nose-like projection [0057] 14 Depression [0058] 15 Projection [0059] 16 Planar region of the electrode shaft [0060] 17 Planar inner side of the spring element [0061] 18 Cable [0062] 19 Cable harness [0063] 20 Flat connector [0064] 21 Displaced region [0065] 22 Intermediate piece