The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 14, 1999
Filed:
May. 06, 1997
Sheldon B Moberg, Granada Hills, CA (US);
Buehl E Truex, Glendora, CA (US);
Alfred D Acken, deceased, late of Sylmar, CA (US);
Clyde K Nason, Valencia, CA (US);
William H Stutz, Jr, Eagle Rock, CA (US);
Edward Gene Rourke, Topanga, CA (US);
Pacesetteer, Inc., Sylmar, CA (US);
Abstract
A connector assembly mounted on an implantable cardiac stimulation device has an actuator mechanism for fixing and sealing electrical leads inserted into lead receptacles within the connector assembly without the use of setscrews. Fixing and sealing of the leads is accomplished by compressing resilient lead lock seals of O-ring shape, disposed in annular recesses, with lip portions of a plunger drawn toward the molded support by the actuator mechanism. In a first embodiment of the actuator mechanism, rotation of a cam actuator transversely journaled within the support, using a torque wrench or similar tool, moves a cam slide attached to the plunger through a fixed displacement between lock and unlock positions as an offset camming portion of the actuator engages the surfaces of a slot within the cam slide. In a second embodiment, constant-force compression of the lead lock seals by the plunger is provided by using a torque wrench to rotate a screw actuator having one end coupled to the plunger and an opposite threaded end received within a screw block transversely disposed within the support. In a third embodiment, a rotatable toothed pinion engages a toothed slot within a slidable rack to provide incremental advancement of the rack, and thereby stepped displacement and force, with a resulting increased resolution. In a fourth embodiment, compliance provided by either a spring formed within the cam slide, or a spring nut mounted thereon, prevents excessive force from being exerted on leads of larger diameter.