Rotatable control mechanism for steerable catheter

Claim 2

A control mechanism for manipulating a pair of control wires having respective distal portions anchored to the distal end of a steerable catheter corresponding to predetermined directional deflections of said catheter, said control mechanism including: a driver rotatable about a central axis; and a deflection device coupled to said driver to selectively secure said control wire proximal ends and formed with an eccentric deflection surface for tangentially engaging said control wires, said surface having a reducible radius in response to driver rotation from a predetermined neutral position, said device operative, as said driver rotates a selected radial direction, to place a selected one of said wires in tension as said radius reduces and correspondingly decrease torque acting upon said driver thereby minimizing operator fatigue.

Claim 3

A control mechanism according to claim 1 wherein: said surface is formed such that rotation of said driver decreases said radius proportionately to said tension to maintain a constant torque on said driver.

Claim 4

A control mechanism according to claim 1 wherein: said driver comprises a manually controllable actuator; and said deflection device comprises at least one eccentric element responsive to rotary movement of said actuator.

Claim 5

A control mechanism according to claim 3 wherein: said actuator comprises a circular thumbwheel.

Claim 6

A control mechanism according to claim 3 wherein: said at least one eccentric element comprises at least one eccentric cam pulley.

Claim 7

A control mechanism according to claim 1 wherein: said deflection device comprises a pair of independently rotatable eccentric cam pulleys disposed coaxially on said driver central axis and selectively responsive to rotation of said driver to place a selected one of said wires in tension.

Claim 8

A control mechanism according to claim 6 wherein: said thumbwheel includes a formed pin disposed radially outwardly from said central axis; and said pulleys include respective formed tabs projecting radially outwardly to selectively engage said pin as said thumbwheel rotates a selected direction thereby placing a selected one of said wires in tension.

Claim 9

A control mechanism according to claim 1 wherein: said deflection device is formed with at least one fastener to selectively secure said control wires.

Claim 10

A control mechanism according to claim 8 wherein: said fasteners comprise unidirectional stops, when said driver rotates, to pull a selected one of said wires in tension while simultaneously maintaining said other wire in a static state.

Claim 11

A control mechanism for manipulating a pair of control wires having respective distal portions anchored to the distal end of a steerable catheter corresponding to predetermined directional deflections of said catheter, said control mechanism including: a driver rotatable about a central axis; and a deflection device coupled to said driver and comprising a pair of independently rotatable pulleys disposed coaxially on said central axis, said pulleys selectively responsive to directional rotation of said driver, as said driver rotates a selected radial direction, to place a selected one of said wires in tension while the other of said pulleys maintains said other of said wires in a static state thereby minimizing control wire fatigue.

Claim 12

A control mechanism for manipulating a pair of control wires having respective distal portions anchored to the distal end of a steerable catheter corresponding to predetermined directional deflections of said catheter, said control mechanism including: a driver rotatable about a central axis; and a deflection device coupled to said driver and comprising a pair of independently rotatable pulleys disposed coaxially on said central axis, said pulleys selectively responsive to directional rotation of said driver, as said driver rotates a selected radial direction, to place a selected one of said wires in tension while the other of said pulleys maintains said other of said wires in a static state thereby minimizing control wire fatigue.

Claim 13

A control mechanism according to claim 10 wherein: said driver comprises a manually controllable actuator; and said pulleys are selectively responsive to directional rotation of said actuator.

Claim 14

A control mechanism according to claim 11 wherein: said actuator comprises a circular thumbwheel.

Claim 15

A control mechanism according to claim 10 wherein: said pulleys comprise respective eccentric cam pulleys.

Claim 16

A control mechanism according to claim 12 wherein: said thumbwheel includes a formed pin disposed radially outwardly from said central axis; and said pulleys include respective formed tabs projecting radially outwardly to engage said pin as said actuator rotates a selected direction thereby placing a selected one of said wires in tension.

Claim 17

A control mechanism according to claim 12 wherein: said eccentric pulleys are each formed with an eccentric deflection surface for tangentially engaging said control wires, said surface having a reducible radius in response to rotation of said actuator from a predetermined neutral position, said pulleys operative, as said driver rotates a selected radial direction away from said neutral position, to place a selected one of said wires in tension as said radius reduces and correspondingly decreases torque acting upon said driver thereby minimizing operator fatigue.

Claim 18

A control mechanism according to claim 15 wherein: said respective deflection surfaces are formed such that rotation of a selected one of said cams decreases said radius proportionately to said tension to maintain a constant torque on said driver.

Claim 19

A steerable catheter for controllable manipulation through a vasculature, said catheter comprising: a shaft having a distal end; at least two control wires having distal portions respectively anchored to said shaft distal end and corresponding to predetermined directional deflections of said shaft; and a control mechanism mounted upon the shaft, said control mechanism including a driver rotatable about a central axis; and a deflection device coupled to said driver to selectively secure said control wire proximal ends, said device comprising a pair of independently rotatable eccentric cam pulleys disposed coaxially on said central axis and selectively responsive to rotation of said driver, said pulleys each formed with a deflection surface for tangentially engaging said control wires, said surface having a reducible radius in response to driver rotation from a predetermined neutral position, said device operative, as said driver rotates a selected radial direction, a selected one of said pulleys places a selected one of said wires in tension while said other of said pulleys maintains said other of said wires in a static state and continued rotation of said actuator reduces said radius to correspondingly decrease torque acting upon said driver.

Claim 20

A steerable catheter for controllable manipulation through a vasculature, said catheter comprising: a shaft having a distal end; at least two control wires having distal portions respectively anchored to said shaft distal end and corresponding to predetermined directional deflections of said shaft; and a control mechanism mounted upon the shaft, said control mechanism including a driver rotatable about a central axis; and a deflection device coupled to said driver to selectively secure said control wire proximal ends, said device comprising a pair of independently rotatable eccentric cam pulleys disposed coaxially on said central axis and selectively responsive to rotation of said driver, said pulleys each formed with a deflection surface for tangentially engaging said control wires, said surface having a reducible radius in response to driver rotation from a predetermined neutral position, said device operative, as said driver rotates a selected radial direction, a selected one of said pulleys places a selected one of said wires in tension while said other of said pulleys maintains said other of said wires in a static state and continued rotation of said actuator reduces said radius to correspondingly decrease torque acting upon said driver.

Claim 23

A method according to claim 18 wherein: said reducing step includes reducing said effective radius proportionately to the tension in said applying step to maintain a constant torque on said actuator.

Claim 24

A method according to claim 18 and further including the step of: maintaining said other of two control wires in a static state simultaneously with said applying step to minimize wire fatigue.

Claim 27

A method according to claim 21 wherein said pulleys each are formed with an eccentric deflection surface having a reducible radius in response to driver rotation from a predetermined neutral position, said method further including the step of: reducing said radius through continued rotation of said actuator thereby decreasing the torque acting on said actuator and correspondingly reducing operator fatigue.

Claim 28

A method according to claim 22 wherein: said reducing step includes reducing said effective radius proportionately to the tension in said applying step to maintain a constant torque on said actuator.