Actuator for use with a catheter with independent proximal and distal control

Claim 2

A handle/actuator (12) according to claim 1, including: means (102, 108) associated with said wheel (92) for indicating when said wheel (92) is rotated to a position in which substantially no tension is applied to said one cable (32a, c); means (164) associated with said slider (140) for indicating when said slider (140) is in a position in which substantially no tension is supplied to said second cable (32b, d); a pulley (96) attached to said wheel (92), said one cable (32a, c) passing over at least a section of said pulley (96); means (110, 114) cooperating with said wheel (92) for maintaining tension on said one cable (32b, d) when said first force is removed from said wheel (92); and means (150) cooperating with said slider (140) for maintaining tension on said second cable (32b, d) when said second force is removed from said slider (140).

Claim 3

A handle/actuator (12) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein first and second pull cables (32a, c) are anchored to said wheel (92) such that clockwise rotation of said wheel (92) applies tension to said first pull cable (32a) and counter-clockwise rotation of said wheel applies tension to said second pull cable (32c), said slider (140) is mounted in said housing (12) for linear movement in response to a second manual force, third and fourth pull cables (32b, d) are anchored to said slider (140) such that linear movement of said slider (140) in one direction applies tension to said third cable (32b) and longitudinal movement of said slider (140) in a direction opposite said one direction applies tension to said fourth cable (32d).

Claim 4

A handle/actuator (12) according to claim 3 as dependent on claim 1 or 2 and including: a pulley (96) mounted for rotation within said housing (12) and spaced from said slider (140), said fourth pull cable (32d) extending around said pulley (96), said pulley (96) being attached to said wheel (92), said first and second cables (32a, c) passing over at least a section of said pulley (96), said handle/actuator (12) further including means (110, 114) cooperating with said wheel (92) for maintaining the angular position of said wheel (92) when said first manual force is removed from said wheel (92), and means (150) cooperating with said slider (140) for maintaining the linear position of said slider (140), when said second manual force is removed from said slider (140).

Claim 5

A handle/actuator according to claim 3 as dependent on claim 1 or 2 and including: means (102, 108) associated with said wheel (92) for indicating when said wheel (92) is rotated to a position in which the tension applied to said first and second cables (32a, c) is substantially equal, and means (150) associated with said slider for indicating when the tension applied to said third and fourth cables (32b, d) is substantially equal; means (110, 114) cooperating with said wheel (92) for maintaining the angular position of said wheel (92) when said first manual force is removed from said wheel (92); and means (150) cooperating with said slider (140) for maintaining the linear position of said slider (140) when said second manual force is removed from said slider (140).

Claim 6

A handle/actuator (12) according to any of claims 3 to 5 in combination with a steerable catheter, the combination comprising: an elongated flexible shaft (10) having a lumen (20) running the length of the shaft (10), and a flexible tip assembly (14) connected to the distal end of said shaft (10), said pull cables (32) passing through said shaft (10) to said tip assembly (14), and said housing (12) being connected to the proximal end (15) of said shaft 10; means (50, 52) for securing the distal ends of said first and second pull cables (32a, c) at a first location along said tip assembly so that tension applied to one of said first and second cables (32a, c) will cause a first section (16) of said flexible tip assembly (14) to bend; and means (72) for securing the distal ends of said third and fourth pull cables (32b, d) at a second location along said tip assembly (14) axially displaced from said first location so that tension applied to one of said third and fourth cables (32b, d) will cause a second section (15) of said tip assembly (14) displaced axially from said first section (16) to bend.

Claim 7

A combination according to claim 6, further including means (152) exterior of said housing for moving said slider (140).

Claim 8

A combination according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said first and second sections (15, 16) are bent in different planes.

Claim 9

A combination according to claim 8, wherein said first plane and said second plane are coplanar or perpendicular.

Claim 10

A combination according to any of claims 6 to 9, wherein the stiffness and length of each of said first and second sections (15, 16) are selected to provide a predetermined curve configuration of said tip assembly (14) when said first section (16) or second section (15) is bent.

Claim 11

A combination according to claim 10, one of said first (16) and second (15) sections being a distal section, the other a proximal section, wherein said shaft (10) is sufficiently stiffer than said proximal section (15) so that the shaft (10) does not bend substantially when said proximal section (15) is bent, and wherein said proximal section (15) is sufficiently stiffer than said distal section (16) so that the proximal section (15) does not bend substantially when said distal section (16) is bent.

Claim 12

A combination according to claim 10 or 11, wherein each of said means for bending (50, 72) bends said tip assembly (14) in at least two opposite directions.

Claim 13

A combination according to any of claims 8 to 12, wherein said first and second planes form an angle between them of approximately ninety degrees.

Claim 14

A combination according to any of claims 6 to 13, wherein each of said first and second sections (15, 16) includes a central lumen (56, 62) and at least two outer lumens (42), and wherein said first and second pull cables (32a, c) are positioned in respective outer lumens (42) of said first section (16) and said third and fourth pull cables (32b, d) are positioned in respective outer lumens (42) of said second section (15), wherein said first and second pull cables (32a, c) are anchored at the distal end of said first section (16) and said third and fourth pull cables (32b, d) are anchored at the distal end of said second section (15).

Claim 15

A combination of any of claims 6 to 14, wherein said catheter is an electrocardial catheter, comprising at least one electrode (26) mounted on said tip assembly (14).

Claim 16

A combination according to any of claims 6 to 15, wherein said cables (32) comprise ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene enveloped by a polyfluoroethylene sheath.