TENSION ADJUSTMENT FOR STEERING ACTUATOR FOR DEFLECTABLE CATHETER

• US 20190111236A1
• Filed: 10/15/2018
• Published: 04/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Oliverius, Andrew R., Terwey, Russell D.
• Granted Patent: US 11,202,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/715 Cable tensioning mechanisms for removing slack
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0113 Mechanical advancing means, e.g. catheter dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0136 Handles therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires

Abstract

A tuning pin for a steering actuator comprising a head portion proximate a proximal end of the tuning pin, the head portion comprising an anti-rotation element, a body portion distal the head portion, the body portion comprising a through hole, and a tip portion distal the body portion and proximate a distal end of the tuning pin, the tuning pin configured to couple with a pin block in the steering actuator. A system comprising a catheter, and a steering actuator comprising a tuning pin, the tuning pin comprising a head portion proximate a proximal end of the tuning pin, the head portion comprises an anti-rotation element, a body portion distal the head portion, where the body portion comprises a through hole, and a tip portion distal the body portion and proximate a distal end of the tuning pin, wherein the tuning pin is configured to couple with a pin block.

Claims

1. A tuning pin for a steering actuator comprising:

a head portion proximate a proximal end of the tuning pin, where the head portion comprises an anti-rotation element;

a body portion distal of the head portion, where the body portion comprises a through hole; and

a tip portion distal of the body portion proximate a distal end of the tuning pin,

wherein the tuning pin is configured to couple with a pin block in the steering actuator.

2. The tuning pin of claim 1, wherein the tip portion comprises a hold down element to limit longitudinal movement of the tuning pin in the pin block

3. The tuning pin of claim 1, wherein the anti-rotation element comprises a channel and a locking pin, where the locking pin is configured to couple with the channel and a portion of the pin block.

4. The tuning pin of claim 1, wherein the anti-rotation element comprises a treatment of an outwardly-facing surface of the head portion where the treatment increases friction between the outwardly-facing surface and the pin block.

5. The tuning pin of claim 3, wherein the treatment is selected from the group consisting of the outwardly-facing surfacing being roughened, textured, knurled, coated, serrated, and undulating.

6. The tuning pin of claim 1, wherein the anti-rotation element comprises a ratchet mechanism, where the ratchet mechanism comprises one or more teeth on the head portion of the tuning pin and a plurality of notches on the pin block, where the plurality of notches are configured to couple with the teeth to limit the rotation of the tuning pin to a single direction.

7. The tuning pin of claim 1, wherein the anti-rotation element comprises a plurality of teeth on the pin block, and the pin block comprises a pawl, where one or more of the teeth engage the pawl to limit the rotation of the tuning pin to a single direction.

8. The tuning pin of claim 2, wherein the hold down element comprises

an angled face of the tip portion, where the tip portion includes a first diameter at a distal edge and a second diameter at a proximal edge and the second diameter is larger than the first diameter, and the body portion proximate the proximal edge is a third diameter less than the second diameter.

9. A system comprising:

a catheter; and

a steering actuator comprising a tuning pin, where the tuning pin comprises

a head portion proximate a proximal end of the tuning pin, where the head portion comprises an anti-rotation element,

a body portion distal the head portion, where the body portion comprises a through hole, and

a tip portion distal the body portion and proximate a distal end of the tuning pin,

wherein the tuning pin is configured to couple with a pin block in the steering actuator.

10. The tuning pin of claim 9, wherein the tip portion comprises a hold down element to limit longitudinal movement of the tuning pin in the pin block

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the anti-rotation element comprises a channel and a locking pin, where the locking pin is configured to couple with the channel and a portion of the pin block.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the anti-rotation element comprises a treatment of an outwardly-facing surface of the head portion where the treatment increases friction between the outwardly-facing surface and the pin block.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the treatment is selected from the group consisting of the outwardly-facing surfacing being roughened, textured, knurled, coated, serrated, and undulating.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the anti-rotation element comprises a ratchet mechanism, where the ratchet mechanism comprises one or more teeth on the head portion of the tuning pin and a plurality of notches on the pin block, where the plurality of notches are configured to couple with the teeth to limit the rotation of the tuning pin to a single direction.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the anti-rotation element comprises a plurality of teeth on the pin block and the pin block comprises a pawl, where one or more of the teeth engage the pawl to limit the rotation of the tuning pin to a single direction.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the pin block comprises a plurality of reliefs to facilitate insertion of the tuning pin into the pin block.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the pin block comprises a plurality of flanges to facilitate insertion of the tuning pin into the pin block.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the tuning pin comprises an angled face of the tip portion, where the tip portion includes a first diameter at a distal edge and a second diameter at a proximal edge and the second diameter is larger than the first diameter, and the body portion proximate the proximal edge is a third diameter less than the second diameter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the hold down element comprises interaction between the plurality of flanges and a surface proximate the proximal edge tip of the tuning pin.