Steering mechanism for bi-directional catheter
First Claim
1. A bi-directional catheter comprising:
- an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends;
a catheter tip section at the distal end of the catheter body and first and second diametrically-opposed off-axis lumens;
a control handle at the proximal end of the catheter body, the control handle having a longitudinal axis and comprising at least a steering assembly having a lever arm rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the steering assembly including at least two pulleys rotatably mounted on opposing portions of the lever arm;
first and second puller wires, each puller wire having proximal and distal ends and extending from the control handle through the catheter body, wherein the first puller wire extends into the first lumen in the tip section and the second puller wire extends into the second lumen in the tip section, and wherein the distal end of each puller wire is anchored to the tip section; and
a first stop member that defines a first stop position for the first puller wire and a second stop member that defines a second stop position for the second puller wire;
wherein each puller wire is trained on a respective pulley and rotation of the lever arm results in proximal movement of one of said pulleys relative to the control handle thereby drawing proximally at least a segment of its respective puller wire for deflecting the tip section in the direction of the off-axis lumen in which that puller wire extends; and
wherein each stop position is adjustable proximally and distally within the control handle.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bi-directional catheter with nearly double the throw in its catheter tip deflection defines a puller wire travel path having a U-turn a pulley which minimizes the offset angle between the puller wire and the longitudinal axis of the control handle while maximizing the travel distance of that puller wire for any given distance traveled by the pulley drawing the puller wire. In particular, the control handle of the catheter which includes a steering assembly having a lever arm carrying a pair of pulleys for drawing corresponding puller wires to deflect the tip section of the catheter. The pulleys are rotatably mounted on opposing portions of the lever arm such that one pulley is moved distally as the other pulley is moved proximally when the lever arm is rotated. Because each puller wire is trained on a respective pulley, rotation of the lever arm causes the pulley that is moved proximally to draw its puller wire to deflect the tip section in the direction of the off-axis lumen in which that puller wire extends.
184 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A bi-directional catheter comprising:
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an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends;
a catheter tip section at the distal end of the catheter body and first and second diametrically-opposed off-axis lumens;
a control handle at the proximal end of the catheter body, the control handle having a longitudinal axis and comprising at least a steering assembly having a lever arm rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the steering assembly including at least two pulleys rotatably mounted on opposing portions of the lever arm;
first and second puller wires, each puller wire having proximal and distal ends and extending from the control handle through the catheter body, wherein the first puller wire extends into the first lumen in the tip section and the second puller wire extends into the second lumen in the tip section, and wherein the distal end of each puller wire is anchored to the tip section; and
a first stop member that defines a first stop position for the first puller wire and a second stop member that defines a second stop position for the second puller wire;
wherein each puller wire is trained on a respective pulley and rotation of the lever arm results in proximal movement of one of said pulleys relative to the control handle thereby drawing proximally at least a segment of its respective puller wire for deflecting the tip section in the direction of the off-axis lumen in which that puller wire extends; and
wherein each stop position is adjustable proximally and distally within the control handle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A bi-directional catheter comprising:
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an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends;
a catheter tip section at the distal end of the catheter body comprising first and second diametrically-opposed off-axis lumens;
a control handle at the proximal end of the catheter body, the control handle having a longitudinal axis and comprising at least a steering assembly having a lever arm rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the lever arm having two pulleys rotatably mounted thereon;
first and second puller wires, each puller wire having proximal and distal ends and extending from the control handle through the catheter body;
means for adjustably setting a stop position for each puller wire; and
wherein the first puller wire extends into the first lumen in the tip section and the second puller wire extends into the second lumen in the tip section, and wherein the distal end of each puller wire is anchored to the tip section, and wherein a travel path of each puller wire within the control handle includes a turn away from the longitudinal axis of at least 180 degrees about a respective pulley; and
wherein rotation of the lever arm results in movement of one of said pulleys relative to the control handle thereby drawing at least a segment of its respective puller wire for deflecting the tip section in the direction of the off-axis lumen in which that puller wire extends. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A bi-directional catheter comprising:
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an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends;
a catheter tip section at the distal end of the catheter body;
a control handle at the proximal end of the catheter body, the control handle having a longitudinal axis and comprising at least a steering assembly having a lever arm rotatable about a throw axis, the steering assembly including at least two pulleys rotatably mounted on opposing portions of the lever arm;
first and second puller wires, each puller wire having proximal and distal ends and extending from the control handle through the catheter body; and
a first stop member that defines a first stop position for the first puller wire and a second stop member that defines a second stop position for the second puller wire;
wherein each puller wire is trained on a respective pulley and rotation of the lever arm results in proximal movement of one pulley and distal movement of the other pulley, the one pulley moved proximally drawing proximally at least a segment of its respective puller wire for deflecting the tip section.
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Specification