Single contacts withstand medical uses

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 27, 2003

ODU manufactures a range of single contacts for applications requiring very secure contact coupled with low insertion force and a high number of mating cycles.

ODU manufactures a range of single contacts for applications requiring very secure contact coupled with low insertion force and a high number of mating cycles - features particularly needed for connection tasks in medical equipment.

A typical use sees the Springtac single contact used with dental equipment where it must be possible to disinfect, autoclave or exchange treatment instruments.

In addition this type of contact has many other medical equipment applications such as power supply connection to portable respiratory equipment and ECG unit-to-patient leads.

Three designs are available.

The Springtac, as used on the dental equipment, provides the highest number of contact points, having spring wires inside to independently contact the mating pin surface.

The lamella, or louvered, variant has radial contact points on stamped contact bands and can be manufactured cost effectively.

Slotted sockets have one slot and are the simplest and generally suitable for lower mating cycles.

The mating contact pins can be solid or spring-wire depending on the socket design.

All three types of single contacts can be used without housings or insulators but can also be integrated in to panels, connectors and modules where power and signal are required.

They are capable of handling very high voltages and in some instances up to one million mating cycles.

Apart from medical use they also have applications in power supplies, testing and monitoring equipment, lighting, aeronautics and, in heavier duty situations, robotic docking systems, and other industrial equipment.