Locking mechanism for catheters
First Claim
1. A catheter having a deflectable distal tip, the catheter comprising:
- a resilient body member having a distal end and a proximal end, the body member having a resilient force tending to maintain and restore the distal end of the body member in a predetermined shape;
a manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the body member having first and second elements slidably movable in longitudinal relation to each other;
a deflection control device mounted in the body member and connected at a proximal end to the first element of the handle and extending into the distal end of the body member wherein said sliding longitudinal movement of the first element in relation to the second element results in movement of the control device in the distal end, said movement of the control device in one direction causing deflection of the distal end from its predetermined shape against the restoring force, said restoring force also tending to cause sliding movement of the first element in relation to the second element;
a locking device having a contact member and a biasing member mounted on the first element with the contact member being continuously urged into contact with the second element by the biasing member, said biasing member comprising at least a partially compressed resilient member providing a force against said contact member that exceeds and directly opposes the restoring force provided by the body member so that the locking member holds the first and second elements in a selected position relative to one another and thereby maintains the control device at a selected position in the distal end.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A locking mechanism for a steerable catheter, the catheter comprising a resilient body member having a restoring force that tends to maintain the body member at a predetermined orientation, and a manipulation handle including a control element and a second element movable in relation to one another and adapted for controlling the orientation of the body member. The locking mechanism maintains the selected deflection of the body member against the restoring force but permits a physician to overcome the locking force by moving the control element. The locking mechanism does not interfere with the other control movement of the handle. The locking device has a biasing member and a contact member mounted between the control element and the second element. The biasing member urges the contact member into frictional contact with one of the elements for holding the control element at the selected longitudinal position.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A catheter having a deflectable distal tip, the catheter comprising:
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a resilient body member having a distal end and a proximal end, the body member having a resilient force tending to maintain and restore the distal end of the body member in a predetermined shape; a manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the body member having first and second elements slidably movable in longitudinal relation to each other; a deflection control device mounted in the body member and connected at a proximal end to the first element of the handle and extending into the distal end of the body member wherein said sliding longitudinal movement of the first element in relation to the second element results in movement of the control device in the distal end, said movement of the control device in one direction causing deflection of the distal end from its predetermined shape against the restoring force, said restoring force also tending to cause sliding movement of the first element in relation to the second element; a locking device having a contact member and a biasing member mounted on the first element with the contact member being continuously urged into contact with the second element by the biasing member, said biasing member comprising at least a partially compressed resilient member providing a force against said contact member that exceeds and directly opposes the restoring force provided by the body member so that the locking member holds the first and second elements in a selected position relative to one another and thereby maintains the control device at a selected position in the distal end.
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2. A catheter having a deflectable distal tip, the catheter comprising:
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a resilient body member having a distal end and a proximal end, the body member having a resilient force tending to maintain and restore the distal end of the body member in a predetermined shape; a manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the body member having first and second elements slidably movable in longitudinal relation to each other; a deflection control device mounted in the body member and connected at a proximal end to the first element of the handle and extending into the distal end of the body member wherein said longitudinal sliding movement of the first element in relation to the second element results in movement of the control device in the distal end, said movement of the control device in one direction causing deflection of the distal end from its predetermined shape against the restoring force, said restoring force also tending to cause sliding movement of the first element in relation to the second element; a locking device having a contact member and a biasing member mounted on the first element with the contact member being continuously urged into contact with the second element by the biasing member, said biasing member providing a force against said contact member that exceeds and directly opposes the restoring force provided by the body member so that the locking member holds the first and second elements in a selected position relative to one another and thereby maintains the control device at a selected position in the distal end; wherein the contact member comprises an annular contact arm having a circumferential contact surface; and wherein the biasing member is a resilient member that is at least partially compressed into contact with the contact arm to urge the arm against the second element and bias the contact surface to exert radial pressure against the second element.
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3. A catheter having a deflectable distal tip, the catheter comprising:
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a resilient body member having a distal end and a proximal end, the body member having a resilient force tending to maintain and restore the distal end of the body member in a predetermined shape; a manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the body member having first and second elements movable in relation to each other; a deflection control device mounted in the body member and connected at a proximal end to the first element of the handle and extending into the distal end of the body member wherein said movement of the first element in relation to the second element results in movement of the control device in the distal end, said movement in one direction causing deflection of the distal end from its predetermined shape against the restoring force, said restoring force also tending to cause movement of the first element in relation to the second element; a locking device having a contact member and a biasing member mounted on the first element with the contact member being continuously urged into contact with the second element by the biasing member, said biasing member providing a force against said contact member that exceeds the restoring force provided by the body member so that the locking member holds the first and second elements in a selected position relative to one another and thereby maintains the control device at a selected position in the distal end, wherein the contact member comprises an annular contact arm having a circumferential contact surface, the biasing member being disposed in contact with the contact arm to urge the contact arm against the second element and bias the contact surface to exert radial pressure against the second element, the contact member being U-shaped in cross section having inner and outer arms, one of the arms being the contact arm and the volume between the arms defining an annulus in which the biasing member is disposed, the biasing member having a size selected to urge the contact arm outward from the annulus into contact with the second element. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A catheter having a deflectable distal tip, the catheter comprising:
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a resilient body member having a distal end and a proximal end, the body member having a resilient force tending to maintain and restore the distal end of the body member in a predetermined shape; a manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the body member having first and second elements movable in relation to each other, wherein the second element surrounds the first element and slides in relation to the first element; a deflection control device mounted in the body member and connected at a proximal end to the first element of the handle and extending into the distal end of the body member wherein said sliding movement of the first element in relation to the second element results in movement of the control device in the distal end, said movement in one direction causing deflection of the distal end from its predetermined shape against the restoring force, said restoring force also tending to cause movement of the first element in relation to the second element; a locking device having a contact member and a biasing member mounted on the first element with the contact member being continuously urged into contact with the second element by the biasing member, said biasing member providing a force against said contact member that exceeds and directly opposes the restoring force provided by the body member so that the locking member holds the first and second elements in a selected position relative to one another and thereby maintains the control device at a selected position in the distal end, wherein the contact member is mounted at a fixed position on the first member and is biased into contact with the second member to secure the second member at a selected position to which it has been slid in relation to the first member. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A catheter having a deflectable distal tip, the catheter comprising:
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a resilient body member having a distal end and a proximal end, the body member having a resilient force tending to maintain and restore the distal end of the body member in a predetermined shape; a manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the body member having first and second elements movable in relation to each other, the first element and second element mounted so as to be movable axially and rotationally relative to one another; a deflection control device mounted in the body member and connected at a proximal end to the first element of the handle and extending into the distal end of the body member wherein said axial and rotational movement of the first element in relation to the second element results in movement of the control device in the distal end, said movement in one direction causing deflection of the distal end from its predetermined shape against the restoring force, said restoring force also tending to cause movement of the first element in relation to the second element; a locking device having a contact member and a biasing member mounted on the first element with the contact member being continuously urged into contact with the second element by the biasing member, the contact member comprising a lubricous material that contacts the second element, said biasing member providing a force against said contact member that exceeds and directly opposes the restoring force provided by the body member so that the locking member holds the first and second elements in a selected position relative to one another and thereby maintains the control device at a selected position in the distal end, said locking device mounted so that it provides no significant force to oppose the rotation.
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9. A catheter having a deflectable distal tip, the catheter comprising:
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a resilient body member having a distal end and a proximal end, the body member having a resilient force tending to maintain and restore the distal end of the body member in a predetermined shape; a manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the body member having first and second elements movable in relation to each other, the first element and second element mounted so as to be movable axially and rotationally relative to one another; a deflection control device mounted in the body member and connected at a proximal end to the first element of the handle and extending into the distal end of the body member wherein said axial and rotational movement of the first element in relation to the second element results in movement of the control device in the distal end, said movement in one direction causing deflection of the distal end from its predetermined shape against the restoring force, said restoring force also tending to cause movement of the first element relation to the second element; a locking device having a contact member and a biasing member mounted on the first element with the contact member being continuously urged into contact with the second element by the biasing member, the contact member comprising at least a partially compressed resilient member comprising a lubricous material that contacts the second element, said biasing member providing a force against said contact member that exceeds the restoring force provided by the body member so that the locking member holds the first and second elements in a selected position relative to one another and thereby maintains the control device at a selected position in the distal end, said locking device mounted so that it provides no significant force to oppose the rotation, wherein the first element includes an annular groove in which the contact member is mounted.
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10. A catheter having a deflectable distal tip, the catheter comprising:
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a resilient body member having a distal end and a proximal end, the body member having a resilient restoring force tending to maintain and restore the distal end of the body member in a predetermined shape; a manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the body member having first and second elements movable in relation to each other; a deflection control device mounted in the body member and connected at a proximal end to the first element of the handle and extending into the distal end of the body member wherein said movement of the first element in relation to the second element results in movement of the control device in the distal end, said movement in one direction causing deflection of the distal end from its predetermined shape against the restoring force, said restoring force also tending to cause movement of the first element in relation to the second element; a locking device having a contact member and a biasing member mounted on the first element with the contact member being continuously urged into contact with the second element by the biasing member, the contact member comprising a ball, said biasing member providing a biasing force against said contact member that exceeds the restoring force provided by the body member so that the locking member holds the first and second elements in a selected position relative to one another and thereby maintains the control device at a selected position in the distal end, wherein the biasing member urges the ball into contact with the second element to apply locking force to the second element to hold it in the selected position. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A catheter having a deflectable distal tip, the catheter comprising:
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a resilient body member having a distal end and a proximal end, the body member having a force tending to maintain and restore the distal end of the body member in a predetermined shape; a manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the body member having first and second elements slidably moveable in longitudinal relation to each other; a deflection control device mounted in the body member and connected at a proximal end to the first element of the handle and extending into the distal end of the body member wherein said sliding longitudinal movement of the first element in relation to the second element results in movement of the deflection control device in the distal end, said movement in one direction causing variation in the deflection of the distal end from its predetermined shape against the restoring force, said restoring force also tending to cause movement of the first element in relation to the second element; a locking device contained entirely within the manipulation handle, and being inaccessible to a user, that holds the first and second elements in a selected position relative to one another and thereby maintains the control device at a selected position in the distal end, wherein the locking device comprises; a contact member that comprises an annular contact arm having a circumferential contact surface; and a biasing member comprising a resilient member at least partially compressed into contact with the contact arm to urge the contact arm against the second element and bias the contact surface to exert radial pressure against the second element. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification