Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
274 words
A steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter comprising: a control handle; a catheter shaft comprising proximal and distal ends and a plurality of lumens wherein the distal end is deflectable and the proximal end of the catheter shaft is connected to the control handle; an electromagnetic sensor with proximal and distal ends wherein the proximal end of the sensor is adjacent to the distal end of the catheter shaft; an electromagnetic sensor cable connected to the electromagnetic sensor wherein the sensor cable is disposed within one of the catheter shaft lumens and is connected to the control handle; a tip electrode adjacent to the distal end of the sensor having a corresponding electrode lead wire attached which runs through one of the shaft lumens and is connected to the control handle; a puller wire having proximal and distal ends wherein the proximal puller wire end is connected to the control handle and the distal puller wire end is connected to the tip electrode, and wherein the puller wire extends through one of the shaft lumens; a noncompressible coil within the lumen through which the puller wire extends in surrounding relation to the puller wire from about the proximal end of the catheter shaft to a location spaced apart from the distal end of the catheter shaft, said compression coil being fixedly attached at its proximal and distal ends to the catheter shaft; and a bridging tube glued to the distal end of the catheter shaft and to the tip electrode, wherein the electrode lead wire and the electromagnetic sensor are glued within the bridging tube and the puller wire is slidably retained within the bridging tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
274 words
A steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter comprising: a control handle; a catheter shaft comprising proximal and distal ends and a plurality of lumens wherein the distal end is deflectable and the proximal end of the catheter shaft is connected to the control handle; an electromagnetic sensor with proximal and distal ends wherein the proximal end of the sensor is adjacent to the distal end of the catheter shaft; an electromagnetic sensor cable connected to the electromagnetic sensor wherein the sensor cable is disposed within one of the catheter shaft lumens and is connected to the control handle; a tip electrode adjacent to the distal end of the sensor having a corresponding electrode lead wire attached which runs through one of the shaft lumens and is connected to the control handle; a puller wire having proximal and distal ends wherein the proximal puller wire end is connected to the control handle and the distal puller wire end is connected to the tip electrode, and wherein the puller wire extends through one of the shaft lumens; a noncompressible coil within the lumen through which the puller wire extends in surrounding relation to the puller wire from about the proximal end of the catheter shaft to a location spaced apart from the distal end of the catheter shaft, said compression coil being fixedly attached at its proximal and distal ends to the catheter shaft; and a bridging tube glued to the distal end of the catheter shaft and to the tip electrode, wherein the electrode lead wire and the electromagnetic sensor are glued within the bridging tube and the puller wire is slidably retained within the bridging tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The electromagnetic sensor catheter of claim 1 comprising a compressible tube slidably covering a distal portion of the puller wire from the distal end of the noncompressible coil to the tip electrode, and the compressible tube is glued within the bridging tube.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The electromagnetic sensor catheter of claim 1 wherein the catheter shaft has three lumens.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electromagnetic sensor catheter of claim 3 wherein one of the three lumens is relatively larger than the other two lumens.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The electromagnetic sensor catheter of claim 4 wherein the larger lumen contains the electromagnetic sensor cable; one of the two smaller lumens contains the noncompression coil, the puller wire and part of the compressible tube; and the other smaller lumen contains the tip electrode lead wire.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The electromagnetic sensor catheter of claim 1 further comprising a thermocouple attached within the tip electrode wherein the thermocouple has two lead wires attached which run through one of the shaft lumens and are connected to the control handle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The electromagnetic sensor catheter of claim 6 wherein the thermocouple wires are grouped with the tip electrode lead wire and run through the same shaft lumen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The electromagnetic sensor catheter of claim 1 further comprising a ring glued between the tip electrode and the electromagnetic sensor and glued within the bridging tube.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
The electromagnetic sensor catheter of claim 1 further comprising at least one ring electrode attached to the outside of the bridging tube and a corresponding ring electrode lead wire attached to the ring electrode and to the control handle wherein the ring electrode lead wire runs through one of the shaft lumens.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The electromagnetic sensor catheter of claim 1 further comprising a printed circuit board disposed within the control handle and connected to the sensor cable wherein the printed circuit board helps to control the input and output of the electromagnetic sensor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
258 words
A steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter comprising: an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends; a flexible tip portion connected to the distal end of the catheter body having proximal and distal ends; at least one lumen extending lengthwise through the catheter body and the tip portion; a tip electrode connected to the distal end of the tip portion and having an electrode lead wire attached to the tip electrode which extends through one of the at least one lumen to the proximal end of the catheter body. a bridging tube located at the distal end of the tip portion, the bridging tube having a distal end connected to the tip electrode and a cavity communicating with one of the at least one lumen in the flexible tip portion wherein the tip electrode lead wire passes through the cavity in the bridging tube. an electromagnetic sensor contained within the tip portion adjacent to the distal end of the tip portion, at least a portion of the electromagnetic sensor being disposed in the bridging tube; an electromagnetic sensor cable having a distal end connected to the electromagnetic sensor and extending through one of the at least one lumen to the proximal end of the catheter body; and a puller wire having a distal end fixedly attached to the tip portion, the puller wire extending through one of the at least one lumen to the proximal end of the catheter body, wherein longitudinal movement of the puller wire relative to the catheter body results in deflection of the tip portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
258 words
A steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter comprising: an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends; a flexible tip portion connected to the distal end of the catheter body having proximal and distal ends; at least one lumen extending lengthwise through the catheter body and the tip portion; a tip electrode connected to the distal end of the tip portion and having an electrode lead wire attached to the tip electrode which extends through one of the at least one lumen to the proximal end of the catheter body. a bridging tube located at the distal end of the tip portion, the bridging tube having a distal end connected to the tip electrode and a cavity communicating with one of the at least one lumen in the flexible tip portion wherein the tip electrode lead wire passes through the cavity in the bridging tube. an electromagnetic sensor contained within the tip portion adjacent to the distal end of the tip portion, at least a portion of the electromagnetic sensor being disposed in the bridging tube; an electromagnetic sensor cable having a distal end connected to the electromagnetic sensor and extending through one of the at least one lumen to the proximal end of the catheter body; and a puller wire having a distal end fixedly attached to the tip portion, the puller wire extending through one of the at least one lumen to the proximal end of the catheter body, wherein longitudinal movement of the puller wire relative to the catheter body results in deflection of the tip portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter according to claim 11 in which the distal end of the puller wire is connected to the tip electrode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter according to claim 11 in which the puller wire extends through the cavity in the bridging tube and is connected to the tip electrode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter according to claim 11 in which the electromagnetic sensor is glued into the cavity in the bridging tube.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter according to claim 11 further comprising a noncompressible coil having a proximal end and a distal end, the noncompressible coil surrounding the puller wire between the proximal and distal ends of the catheter body.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter according to claim 15 in which the at least one lumen containing the puller wire is an off-axis lumen.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter according to claim 15 further comprising a compressible tube slidably covering the puller wire from the distal end of the noncompressible coil to the distal end of the puller wire.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor cathether according to claim 13 further comprising a compressible tube slidably covering the puller wire from the tip electrode to at least the proximal end of the bridging tube.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor cathether according to claim 18 in which the compressible tube is glued into the cavity in the bridging tube.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter according to claim 11 in which the at least one lumen containing the puller wire is off-axis in the tip portion.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The steerable electromagnetic catheter according to claim 20 in which the at least one lumen containing the puller wire is in generally co-axial relation to the catheter body.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter according to claim 11 further comprising a control handle attached to the proximal end of the catheter body.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter according to claim 22 in which the control handle further comprises means attached to the proximal end of the puller wire for causing longitudinal movement of the puller wire in order to deflect the tip portion.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor cathether according to claim 22 in which the control handle is attached to the sensor cable.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor cathether according to claim 24 in which the control handle contains means attached to the sensor cable for processing signals to and from the electromagnetic sensor.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
54 words
The steerable electromagnetic sensor catheter according to claim 11 further comprising at least one ring electrode attached to the outside of the bridging tube and a corresponding ring electrode lead wire attached to the ring electrode and passing through one of the at least one lumen to the proximal end of the catheter body.