Control systems for shapeable catheters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12447313-B2
Application number	US-202318470392-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2023
Priority date	Mar 10, 2020
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

An intravascular device includes an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end, and a plurality of energy transmitting conduits extending within the elongated body. The distal ends of the energy transmitting conduits terminate at different axial locations along the distal end of the elongated body. In one embodiment, the number of energy transmission conduits is only two, such that the number of bends in the compound curve assumed by the distal end of the elongated body is only two, although the number of energy transmission conduits may be any suitable number.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An intravascular device, comprising:
an elongated catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;
a plurality of conduits extending within the elongated catheter body, wherein distal ends of the conduits terminate at different axial locations along the distal end of the catheter body;
a controller; and
a linkage coupled between proximal ends of the conduits and the controller, wherein the linkage is configured for, in response to a single energy input applied to the linkage by the controller, simultaneously applying a plurality of energy outputs respectively to the proximal ends of the conduits at a preset control parameter ratio;
wherein the distal end of the elongated catheter body is configured for assuming a compound curve comprising a plurality of bends in response to the application of the plurality of energy outputs by the linkage to the proximal ends of the conduits.

2. The intravascular device of claim 1 , further comprising a handle affixed to the proximal end of the elongated catheter body, wherein the controller and linkage are supported by the handle.

3. The intravascular device of claim 1 , wherein the number of conduits is only two, such that the number of bends in the compound curve assumed by the distal end of elongated body is only two.

4. The intravascular device of claim 1 , wherein the control parameter ratio of the linkage is different than unity.

5. The intravascular device of claim 1 , wherein the control parameter ratio of the linkage is adjustable.

6. The intravascular device of claim 5 , further comprising a another controller configured for adjusting the preset control parameter ratio of the linkage.

7. The intravascular device of claim 6 , wherein the other controller is configured for adjusting the preset control parameter ratio of the linkage within a continuous range.

8. The intravascular device of claim 6 , wherein the other controller is configured for adjusting the preset control parameter ratio of the linkage within a discrete range.

9. The intravascular device of claim 1 , wherein the conduits are mechanical conduits, the linkage is a mechanical linkage, the single energy input is a single mechanical energy input, and the energy outputs are mechanical energy outputs.

10. The intravascular device of claim 9 , wherein the mechanical energy outputs are applied to the proximal ends of the mechanical conduits in accordance with one of a preset force ratio and a preset linear displacement ratio.

11. The intravascular device of claim 10 , wherein the mechanical conduits are pull wires and the one of the preset force ratio and the preset linear displacement ratio comprises one of a pull wire tension ratio and a pull wire displacement ratio.

12. The intravascular device of claim 11 , wherein the one of the preset pull wire tension ratio and the preset pull wire displacement ratio comprises the preset pull wire displacement ratio, and the mechanical energy outputs are linear displacement outputs.

13. The intravascular device of claim 12 , wherein the mechanical linkage comprises a first cam to which a proximal end of a first one of the pull wires is operatively coupled, a second cam to which a proximal end of a second one of the pull wires is operatively coupled, and a drive assembly operatively coupled to the first cam and the second cam, wherein the controller is configured for applying the mechanical energy input to the drive assembly, such that the first cam applies a first one of the linear displacement outputs to the proximal end of the first pull wire, and the second cam applies a second one of the linear displacement outputs to the proximal end of the second pull wire, in accordance with the preset pull wire displacement ratio.

14. The intravascular device of claim 13 , wherein the first cam comprises a first linear element to which the proximal end of the first pull wire is affixed, the first cam comprises a first rotary element engaged with the drive assembly, the second cam comprises a second linear element to which the proximal end of the second pull wire is affixed, and the second cam comprises a second rotary element engaged with the drive assembly.

15. The intravascular device of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured for applying the mechanical energy input to the drive assembly, such that the first rotary element and the second rotary element have the same angular displacement, and the first rotary element and the second rotary element have different radii, whereby the first linear displacement output and second linear displacement output are different.

16. The intravascular device of claim 15 , wherein the drive assembly comprises a linear drive rack having a first geared side and a second geared side opposite the first geared side, the first linear element comprises a first linear gear affixed to the proximal end of the first pull wire, the first rotary element comprises a first rotary gear and a second rotary gear fixed in relation to the first rotary gear, the first rotary gear engaged with the first linear gear, the second rotary gear engaged with the first geared side of the linear drive rack, the second linear element comprises a second linear gear affixed to the proximal end of the second pull wire, the second rotary element comprises a third rotary gear engaged between the second linear gear and the second geared side of the linear drive rack, and the controller is configured for applying the mechanical energy input to the linear drive rack, such that the first rotary gear and the second rotary gear rotate in unison to linearly displace the first linear gear, thereby applying the first linear displacement output to the proximal end of the first pull wire, and the third rotary gear rotates to linear displace the second linear gear, thereby applying the second linear displacement output to the proximal end of the second pull wire, in accordance with the preset pull wire displacement ratio.

17. The intravascular device of claim 16 , wherein a radius of the first rotary gear is different from a radius of the third rotary gear, such that the preset pull wire displacement ratio is different from unity.

18. The intravascular device of claim 15 , wherein drive assembly comprises an axle, the first linear element comprises a first belt, the second linear element comprises a second belt, the mechanical transmission linkage comprises a wheel assembly having a first annular groove that forms the first rotary element, and a second annular groove that forms the second rotary element, the first belt looped around the first annular groove of the wheel assembly to form a first distal end coupled to the proximal end of the first pull wire and a second distal end coupled to a first anchor point, the second belt is looped around the second annular groove of the wheel assembly to form a first distal end coupled to the proximal end of the second pull wire and a second distal end coupled to a second anchor point, and the controller is configured for applying the mechanical energy input to the axle, such that first annular groove rotates to linearly displace the first belt, thereby applying the first linear displacement output to the proximal end of the first pull wire, and the second annular groove rotates to linearly displace the second belt, thereby applying the second linear displacement output to the proximal end of the second pull wire, in accordance with the preset pull wire displacement ratio.

19. The intravascular device of claim 18 , wherein the first looped belt has a first ra

Assignees

• Stryker Corp
• Stryker European Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Porter Stephen

Classifications

• A61M25/0136 Primary

  Handles therefor · CPC title

• A61M2025/0161

  wherein the distal tips have two or more deflection regions · CPC title

• A61M25/0155

  with hydraulic or pneumatic means, e.g. balloons or inflatable compartments · CPC title

• A61M2025/015

  Details of the distal fixation of the movable mechanical means · CPC title

• A61M25/0147 Primary

  with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires · CPC title