Drive assembly for facilitating deployment of an implantable medical device
First Claim
1. An introducer assembly including a carrier element for carrying an implantable medical device, the carrier element including a distal end at which an implantable medical device is carried and a proximal end;
- a sheath overlying the carrier element and being retractable so as to expose the distal end of the carrier element, the sheath including a distal end and a proximal end;
a handle assembly at the proximal end of the carrier element and sheath, the handle assembly including first and second handle portions, attached respectively to the proximal ends of the sheath and the carrier element, the handle assembly being manually operable to retract the sheath by pulling the first and second handle portions towards one another;
and a drive assembly coupled between the first and second handle portions and operable to provide a retraction assistance force pulling the first and second handle portions together;
wherein the drive assembly includes a brake element configured to prevent the drive assembly from providing the retraction assistance force when there is no manual actuation;
a yoke fitted over the sheath;
a sprung element attached to the yoke;
a brake release element attached to the yoke and releasable engaged to the brake element;
the sprung element imparting a pulling force on the yoke, thereby placing the yoke in a tilted position relative to the sheath; and
wherein when the yoke is in the tilted position, the brake release element engages the brake element so that the brake element prevents the drive assembly from providing the retraction assistance force.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A driver assembly (50) for an introducer assembly (10) for the deployment of an implantable medical device (16) includes a sprung element (52) coupled to a yoke (56). The yoke (56) is coupled to a gripper element (58). The yoke (56) is coupled to a first handle unit (30) of the introducer (10). The sprung element (52) is coupled to a proximal handle unit (32). A brake element (66) acts to prevent operation of the sprung element (52) when no manual force is being applied to attract a sheath (24) and the assembly (10). When manual retraction force is applied to the assembly (50) the gripper element (58) the brake element (66) releases a sprung element (52) so that the lighter can apply a force assistance to assist in the retraction of the sheath (24) and thereby to assist in the deployment of a medical device.
66 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An introducer assembly including a carrier element for carrying an implantable medical device, the carrier element including a distal end at which an implantable medical device is carried and a proximal end;
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a sheath overlying the carrier element and being retractable so as to expose the distal end of the carrier element, the sheath including a distal end and a proximal end; a handle assembly at the proximal end of the carrier element and sheath, the handle assembly including first and second handle portions, attached respectively to the proximal ends of the sheath and the carrier element, the handle assembly being manually operable to retract the sheath by pulling the first and second handle portions towards one another; and a drive assembly coupled between the first and second handle portions and operable to provide a retraction assistance force pulling the first and second handle portions together;
wherein the drive assembly includes a brake element configured to prevent the drive assembly from providing the retraction assistance force when there is no manual actuation;a yoke fitted over the sheath; a sprung element attached to the yoke; a brake release element attached to the yoke and releasable engaged to the brake element; the sprung element imparting a pulling force on the yoke, thereby placing the yoke in a tilted position relative to the sheath; and wherein when the yoke is in the tilted position, the brake release element engages the brake element so that the brake element prevents the drive assembly from providing the retraction assistance force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A drive assembly and an introducer assembly including a carrier element for carrying an implantable medical device, the carrier element including a distal end at which an implantable medical device is carried and a proximal end;
- a sheath overlying the carrier element and being retractable so as to expose the distal end of the carrier element, the sheath including a distal end and a proximal end;
a handle assembly at the proximal end of the carrier element and sheath and including first and second handle portions, attached respectively to the proximal ends of the sheath and the carrier element, the handle assembly being manually operable to retract the sheath by pulling the first and second handle portions towards one another;
wherein the drive assembly is able to be coupled between the carrier element and the sheath and operable to provide a retraction assistance force in response to manual retraction of the sheath;
the drive assembly including;a brake element operable to prevent retraction of the sheath until the sheath is manually pulled back by the user and to prevent a sprung element from providing the pulling force if there is no manual actuation of the handle assembly; a brake release mechanism operable to release the brake upon manual pulling of the handle portions together; a yoke fitted over the sheath; the sprung element attached to the yoke; the sprung element imparting a pulling force on the yoke, thereby placing the yoke in a tilted position relative to the sheath; and wherein when the yoke is in the tilted position, the brake release mechanism engages the brake element so that the brake element prevents the drive assembly from providing the retraction assistance force.
- a sheath overlying the carrier element and being retractable so as to expose the distal end of the carrier element, the sheath including a distal end and a proximal end;
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14. An introducer assembly comprising:
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a carrier element having a distal end and a proximal end; a sheath overlying the carrier element and having a distal end and a proximal end; a first handle portion attached to the proximal end of the sheath and a second handle portion attached to the proximal end the carrier element; and a drive assembly coupled between the first handle portion and the second handle portion and operable to provide a retraction assistance force pulling the first handle portion and the second handle portion together; wherein the drive assembly includes; a yoke fitted over the sheath; a sprung element attached to the yoke; a brake element releasably engaged to the sprung element; a brake release element attached to the yoke and releasably engaged to the brake element; the sprung element imparting a pulling force on the yoke, thereby placing the yoke in a tilted position relative to the sheath; and wherein when the yoke is in the tilted position, the brake release element engages the brake element so that the brake element prevents the drive assembly from providing the retraction assistance force. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification