Importance

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Abstract

An electrical connector (70) for use in connecting an ultrasonic transducer (16) to a coaxial cable (88) running through a catheter (10). The transducer is normally disposed at a distal end of the catheter and is removably attached to and supported by the electrical connector. The connector includes a plastic collar (72), and a pair of cylindrical, flexible conductive ring clips (74 and 76). Enlarged rims (82) on the ring clips are molded into the connector in coaxial alignment, and the ring clips are spaced apart from each other by a distance that corresponds to the thickness of the cylindrical transducer, but are slightly closer together at their projecting ends. Each ring clip include a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart slots (84) to define a plurality of fingers (86), adding flexibility to the ring clips. One of the ring clips is electrically connected to a grounding shield of the coaxial cable and the other is electrically connected to an internal conductor of the cable.

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First Claim