# US 10,118,021 B2 · Catheter having an active return-to-straight mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,021 B2 - Document ID: US10118021B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/500,809 - Filed: 2014-09-29 - Published: 2015-04-02 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-09-30 - Assignees: St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc. - Applicants: St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc. - Inventors: Varun Bansal; Michael Bowers; Troy T. Tegg; David Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118021B2 ## CPC - A61M 25/0147: {with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires} - A61M 25/0133: {Tip steering devices} - A61M 25/0136: {Handles therefor} - A61M 2025/0166: {Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract Actuators for steerable medical devices are disclosed that not only deflect or steer a portion of a medical device (e.g., a distal portion of a catheter shaft), but also include mechanisms for actively returning the deflected portion of the medical device to an initial configuration (e.g., straight or substantially straight). These active return-to-straight mechanisms may return a catheter shaft from a deflected configuration to a substantially straight configuration throughout a medical procedure, may employ one or more tension members extending along the catheter shaft, and may comprise a gross return actuator and a fine return actuator. For example, the gross return actuator may be configured to partially reverse the deflection of the distal portion of the catheter; and the fine return actuator may be configured to continue reversing the deflection. The gross return actuator may automatically trigger or actuate (mechanically or electromechanically) the fine return actuator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A deflectable catheter comprising the following: a catheter shaft comprising the following: a shaft proximal end, a shaft distal end, a shaft deflectable distal portion, and first and second tension members extending from the shaft proximal end to the shaft deflectable distal portion; a deflection actuator operatively coupled to the first and second tension members and configured to cause deflection of the deflectable distal portion from an initial configuration, wherein the deflection actuator comprises an active return-to-straight mechanism comprising (i) a primary return actuator configured to partially reverse the deflection of the deflectable distal portion and (ii) a secondary return actuator configured to continue reversing the deflection of the deflectable distal portion towards the initial configuration, wherein the primary return actuator is configured to automatically and directly trigger the secondary return actuator; and a handle housing, wherein the deflection actuator is at least partially mounted in the handle housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The deflectable catheter of claim 1, wherein the primary return actuator is operatively coupled to the first tension member, and the secondary return actuator is operatively coupled to the second tension member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The deflectable catheter of claim 2, wherein the secondary return actuator comprises a lever and an actuation boss, wherein the actuation boss is configured to actuate the lever from an unactuated configuration to an actuated configuration, and wherein the lever is adapted to tension the second tension member when the lever is actuated. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The deflectable catheter of claim 2, wherein the secondary return actuator comprises a lever and an activation boss. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The deflectable catheter of claim 4, wherein the lever is pivotally mounted on the primary return actuator, and wherein the actuation boss is affixed to the handle housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The deflectable catheter of claim 4, wherein the lever is mounted for movement relative to the primary return actuator, and wherein the actuation boss is affixed to the handle housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The deflectable catheter of claim 4, wherein the lever is pivotally mounted on the handle housing, and wherein the actuation boss is affixed to the primary return actuator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The deflectable catheter of claim 4, wherein the lever is mounted for movement relative to the handle housing, and wherein the actuation boss is affixed to the primary return actuator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The deflectable catheter of claim 4, wherein the lever is attached to the second tension member via a tuner and a tuner drum. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The deflectable catheter of claim 1, wherein the deflection actuator is operable to variably deflect the shaft deflectable distal portion to a predetermined maximum deflection angle relative to a shaft longitudinal axis extending between the shaft proximal end and a deflection commencement point located at a proximal end of the shaft deflectable distal portion; wherein the primary return actuator is operable to variably return the shaft deflectable distal portion to an offset angle relative to the shaft longitudinal axis, the offset angle being less than the predetermined maximum deflection angle; and wherein the secondary return actuator is operable to variably return the shaft deflectable distal portion from the offset angle and into alignment with the shaft longitudinal axis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The deflectable catheter of claim 1, wherein said deflection actuator comprises a plunger assembly that is slidably supported by at least one sleeve bearing mounted to the handle housing, wherein the secondary return actuator comprises a lever and an activation boss, and wherein the lever is pivotably mounted to a proximal end of the plunger assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The deflectable catheter of claim 1, wherein the deflection actuator is adapted to be variably actuated between (A) a neutral configuration wherein the deflection actuator is not actively deflecting the shaft deflectable distal portion, and (B) a fully-actuated configuration wherein the deflection actuator is actively deflecting the shaft deflectable distal portion to a maximum set deflection angle; and wherein the active return-to-straight mechanism is adapted to be automatically actuated to place the shaft deflectable distal portion in a substantially straight configuration as the deflection actuator is returned to the neutral configuration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The deflectable catheter of claim 1, wherein the secondary return actuator comprises a pin affixed to the handle housing and configured to alter a path length of the second tension member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The deflectable catheter of claim 1, wherein the primary return actuator is coupled to the secondary return actuator, and wherein the secondary return actuator is configured to continue reversing the deflection of the distal portion of the catheter shaft in response to the primary return actuator reaching a positional threshold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The deflectable catheter of claim 1, wherein the primary return actuator and the secondary return actuator are commonly embodied on a plunger device.