Steering mechanism
First Claim
1. A steering mechanism for use as part of a medical device, comprising:
- an elongate housing adapted to be coupled to a steerable member of a medical device; and
an actuation system coupled to the elongate housing, the actuation system adapted to control movement of the steerable member of the medical device within a body of a patient, the actuation system including an actuator, a first cam, and a second cam, wherein;
the actuator is adapted to move the first cam from a first position to a second position different than the first position when the actuator is moved in a first direction about a first axis,the first cam is adapted to move the steerable member of the medical device in a first direction along a first plane when the first cam is moved from the first position to the second position,the actuator is adapted to move the second cam from a first position to a second position different than the first position when the actuator is moved in a first direction about a second axis different than the first axis,the second cam is adapted to move the steerable member of the medical device in a first direction along a second plane when the second cam is moved from the first position to the second position, andthe first cam is adapted to move about the first axis and the second axis, and the first cam and the second cam are adapted to rotate about the first axis,wherein the elongate housing includes a first grip portion and a second grip portion different than the first grip portion, and the actuator is coupled to the elongate housing between the first grip portion and the second grip portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A steering mechanism is used as part of a medical device such as a catheter or an endoscope to allow movement of a steerable distal portion of the catheter or endoscope. The mechanism can include a elongate housing adapted to be coupled to the steerable portion of the medical device and an actuation system including an actuator, a first cam, and a second cam. The actuator can move the first cam between a first position and a second position along a first axis (or about a second axis different than the first axis) to move the steerable portion of the medical device along a first plane. The actuator can move the second cam between a first position and a second position along the second axis (or about the first axis) to move the steerable portion of the medical device along a second plane different than the first plane.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A steering mechanism for use as part of a medical device, comprising:
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an elongate housing adapted to be coupled to a steerable member of a medical device; and an actuation system coupled to the elongate housing, the actuation system adapted to control movement of the steerable member of the medical device within a body of a patient, the actuation system including an actuator, a first cam, and a second cam, wherein; the actuator is adapted to move the first cam from a first position to a second position different than the first position when the actuator is moved in a first direction about a first axis, the first cam is adapted to move the steerable member of the medical device in a first direction along a first plane when the first cam is moved from the first position to the second position, the actuator is adapted to move the second cam from a first position to a second position different than the first position when the actuator is moved in a first direction about a second axis different than the first axis, the second cam is adapted to move the steerable member of the medical device in a first direction along a second plane when the second cam is moved from the first position to the second position, and the first cam is adapted to move about the first axis and the second axis, and the first cam and the second cam are adapted to rotate about the first axis, wherein the elongate housing includes a first grip portion and a second grip portion different than the first grip portion, and the actuator is coupled to the elongate housing between the first grip portion and the second grip portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A steering mechanism for use with or as part of a medical device, comprising:
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a housing adapted to be coupled to a medical device including a steerable portion; an actuator coupled to the housing, the actuator movable with respect to the housing in a first direction about a first axis, the actuator movable with respect to the housing in a first direction about a second axis different than the first axis; a first cam movable in response to movement of the actuator in the first direction about the first axis and in the first direction about the second axis, the first cam adapted to move the steerable portion of the medical device along a first plane; a second cam movable in response to movement of the actuator in the first direction about the second axis, the second cam adapted to move the steerable portion of the medical device along a second plane different than the first plane; and a protrusion coupled to the first cam, the protrusion adapted to move in a first direction when the actuator is moved in its first direction about the second axis, the protrusion adapted to engage a portion of the second cam at least partially through a recess defined by the second cam as the protrusion is moved in its first direction to cause rotation of the second cam about the first axis. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A steering mechanism for use as part of a medical device, comprising:
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an elongate stationary housing adapted to be coupled to a steerable member of a medical device; and an actuation system coupled to the elongate stationary housing, the actuation system adapted to control movement of the steerable member of the medical device within a body of a patient, the actuation system including an actuator, a first cam, and a second cam, wherein; the actuator is adapted to move the first cam about a first axis from a first position to a second position, the first cam is adapted to move the steerable member of the medical device along a first plane when the first cam is moved from the first position to the second position, the actuator is adapted to move the first cam about a second axis substantially normal to the first axis from a third position to a fourth position, the second cam is adapted to move the steerable member of the medical device along a second plane when the first cam is moved from the third position to the fourth position, and the first cam and the second cam are adapted to rotate about the first axis.
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Specification