Loop structures for supporting multiple electrode elements
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A catheter assembly, comprising:
- a sheath including a side wall defining an interior bore and a distal end;
a bendable catheter tube carried for sliding movement in the interior bore of the sheath, the catheter tube defining a distal tip region; and
a pivot assembly, associated with the distal end of the sheath and the distal tip region of the catheter tube, including a movable member that is movable relative to the distal end of the sheath.
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Abstract
A catheter assembly comprises a sheath, which includes a side wall enclosing an interior bore, a distal region, and an opening in the sidewall. The assembly also comprises a bendable catheter tube, which is carried for sliding movement in the interior bore. The catheter tube has a distal portion. The assembly further comprises a coupling, which joins the distal region of the sheath and the distal portion of the catheter tube. The coupling causes bending of the catheter tube outwardly through the opening, in response to sliding movement of the catheter tube within the interior bore toward the distal region of the sheath.
384 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A catheter assembly, comprising:
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a sheath including a side wall defining an interior bore and a distal end;
a bendable catheter tube carried for sliding movement in the interior bore of the sheath, the catheter tube defining a distal tip region; and
a pivot assembly, associated with the distal end of the sheath and the distal tip region of the catheter tube, including a movable member that is movable relative to the distal end of the sheath. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
at least one operative element carried by the catheter tube.
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7. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one operative element includes an electrode.
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8. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivot assembly is located in spaced relation to the distal end of the sheath.
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9. A catheter assembly, comprising:
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a sheath including a side wall defining an interior bore and a distal region;
a bendable catheter tube carried for sliding movement in the interior bore of the sheath, the catheter tube defining a distal region; and
a pivot assembly including a base member and a movable member that is movable relative to the base member, the base member having a socket and the movable member having a ball adapted to be received in the socket;
the pivot assembly being associated with the distal region of the sheath and the distal region of the catheter tube such that the movable member is movable relative to at least one of the distal region of the sheath and the distal region of the catheter tube. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 16)
a pin extending across the socket such that the ball is secured within the socket.
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11. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the movable member further comprises a connector adapted to be secured to the distal region of the catheter tube and a neck member extending from the ball to the connector.
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12. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:
at least one operative element carried by the catheter tube.
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13. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one operative element includes an electrode.
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16. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one operative element includes an electrode.
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14. A catheter assembly, comprising:
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a sheath including a side wall defining an interior bore and a distal region;
a bendable catheter tube carried for sliding movement in the interior bore of the sheath, the catheter tube defining a distal region; and
a pivot assembly including a base member and movable member that is movable relative to the base member, the base member defining a slot through which the movable member moves, and the movable member and base member slot being configured such that the movable member is substantially prevented from rotating when a portion thereof is within the slot;
the pivot assembly being associated with the distal region of the sheath and the distal region of the catheter tube such that the movable member is movable relative to at least one of the distal region of the sheath and the distal region of the catheter tube. - View Dependent Claims (15)
at least one operative element carried by the catheter tube.
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17. A catheter assembly, comprising:
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a sheath including a side wall defining an interior bore and a distal region;
a bendable catheter tube carried for sliding movement in the interior bore of the sheath, the catheter tube defining a distal region; and
a pivot assembly including a base member and movable member that is movable relative to the base member and pivotably secured to the base member by a pin;
the pivot assembly being associated with the distal region of the sheath and the distal region of the catheter tube such that the movable member is movable relative to at least one of the distal region of the sheath and the distal region of the catheter tube. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
at least one operative element carried by the catheter tube.
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19. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one operative element includes an electrode.
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20. A catheter assembly, comprising:
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a sheath including a side wall defining a distal region, a distal end, and an interior bore with an inner surface having a shape and a longitudinal axis;
a bendable catheter tube carried for sliding movement in the interior bore of the sheath, the catheter tube defining a distal region, a distal end, a longitudinal axis and an outer surface having a shape; and
a pivot assembly associated with the distal region of the sheath and the distal region of the catheter tube;
wherein the respective shapes of the outer surface of the catheter tube and inner surface of the sheath at at least one location proximally spaced from the distal ends of the catheter tube and sheath are such that rotation of the catheter tube relative to the sheath about the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube will cause at least a portion of the outer surface of the catheter tube to engage the inner surface of the sheath when the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the interior bore at the at least one location. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
at least one operative element carried by the catheter tube.
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22. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 21, wherein the at least one operative element includes an electrode.
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23. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 20, wherein the respective shapes of the outer surface of the catheter tube and inner surface of the sheath are such that rotation of the catheter tube relative to the sheath is substantially prevented.
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24. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 20, wherein the sheath and the catheter tube define respective distal ends and the pivot assembly is adapted to allow the distal end of the catheter tube to pivot at least approximately 180 degrees relative to the distal end of the sheath.
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25. A catheter assembly, comprising:
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a sheath including a side wall defining a distal region, a distal end, and an interior bore with an inner surface having a shape and a longitudinal axis;
a bendable catheter tube carried for sliding movement in the interior bore of the sheath, the catheter tube defining a distal region, a distal end, a longitudinal axis and an outer surface having a shape; and
a pivot assembly associated with the distal region of the sheath and the distal region of the catheter tube;
wherein the outer surface of the catheter tube and inner surface of the sheath are elliptically keyed at at least one location proximally spaced from the distal ends of the catheter tube and sheath, and rotation of the catheter tube relative to the sheath about the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube will cause at least a portion of the outer surface of the catheter tube to engage the inner surface of the sheath when the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the interior bore at the at least one location. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
at least one operative element carried by the catheter tube.
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27. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 26, wherein the at least one operative element includes an electrode.
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28. A catheter assembly, comprising:
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a sheath including a side wall defining a distal region, a distal end, and an interior bore with an inner surface having a shape and a longitudinal axis;
a bendable catheter tube carried for sliding movement in the interior bore of the sheath, the catheter tube defining a distal region, a distal end, a longitudinal axis and an outer surface having a shape; and
a pivot assembly associated with the distal region of the sheath and the distal region of the catheter tube;
wherein the outer surface of the catheter tube defines a non-circular cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube at at least one location proximally spaced from the distal ends of the catheter tube and sheath, the sheath includes an outer surface that defines a circular cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sheath at the at least one location, and rotation of the catheter tube relative to the sheath about the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube will cause at least a portion of the outer surface of the catheter tube to engage the inner surface of the-sheath when the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the interior bore at the at least one location. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
at least one operative element carried by the catheter tube.
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30. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 29, wherein the at least one operative element includes an electrode.
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31. A catheter, comprising:
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a sheath including a side wall defining a distal region, a distal end, and an interior bore with an inner surface having a shape and a longitudinal axis;
a bendable catheter tube carried for sliding movement in the interior bore of the sheath, the catheter tube defining a distal region, a distal end, a longitudinal axis and an outer surface having a shape; and
a pivot assembly associated with the distal region of the sheath and the distal region of the catheter tube;
wherein the inner surface of the sheath is butterfly shaped at at least one location proximally spaced from the distal end of the sheath and the respective shapes of the outer surface of the catheter tube and inner surface of the sheath at the at least one location are such that rotation of the catheter tube relative to the sheath about the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube will cause at least a portion of the outer surface of the catheter tube to engage the inner surface of the sheath when the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the interior bore at the at least one location. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
at least one operative element carried by the catheter tube.
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33. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 32, wherein the at least one operative element includes an electrode.
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34. A catheter assembly, comprising:
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a sheath including a side wall defining a longitudinal axis, an interior bore, a distal end and a distal region;
a bendable catheter tube carried for sliding movement in the interior bore of the sheath, the catheter tube defining a distal tip region; and
a pivot assembly, associated with the distal end of the sheath and the distal tip region of the catheter tube, that allows the distal tip region of the catheter tube to pivot at least approximately 180 degrees relative to the distal end of the sheath about an axis substantially perpendicular to the distal region of the longitudinal axis of the sheath. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
at least one operative element carried by the catheter tube.
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37. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 36, wherein the at least one operative element includes an electrode.
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38. A catheter assembly, comprising:
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a sheath including a side wall defining a distal end, a distal region, a distal end, and an interior bore with a longitudinal axis;
a bendable catheter tube, defining a longitudinal axis, a distal end and a distal region, carried for sliding movement in the interior bore of the sheath;
the sheath and catheter tube further including respective distal region portions proximally spaced from the respective distal ends that are longitudinally aligned with one another when the longitudinal axis of the interior bore is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube; and
a pivot assembly associated with the distal region of the sheath and the distal region of the catheter tube that allows the distal region portion of the catheter tube to pivot at least approximately 180 degrees relative to the distal end of the sheath about an axis substantially perpendicular to the distal region of the longitudinal axis of the interior bore. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
at least one operative element carried by the catheter tube.
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41. A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 40, wherein the at least one operative element includes an electrode.
Specification