Catheter actuators providing mechanical advantage

A control handle comprising the following:

• (a) a handle upper housing and a handle lower housing together defining a handle housing;
• (b) a pull wire arm guide plate mounted in said handle housing, wherein said pull wire arm guide plate comprises the following:
• a top surface and a bottom surface;
• a first arm channel in said top surface, wherein said first arm channel has a distal end and a proximal end;
• and
• a first arcuate pin groove in said top surface, wherein said first arcuate pin groove extends from a first end to a second end, and wherein said second end meets said distal end of said first arm channel;
• (c) a drive wheel attached around said pull wire arm guide plate and pivotable in said handle housing relative to said pull wire arm guide plate, wherein said drive wheel comprises first and second thumb bosses for pivoting said drive about a drive wheel axis of rotation;
• (d) a first pull wire arm slidably mounted in said first arm channel and comprising a proximal end and a distal end;
• (e) a sliding pin carrier slidably disposed on said top surface of said pull wire arm guide plate, said sliding pin carrier comprising a first pushing pin riding in said first arcuate pin groove;
• and
• (f) a first bendable pushing member slidably positioned in said first arcuate pin groove between said first pushing pin and said distal end of said first pull wire arm.

A pull wire actuator comprising the following:

• (a) a pull wire arm guide plate adapted to be mounted in a handle housing, wherein said pull wire arm guide plate comprises the following:
• a top surface and a bottom surface;
• a first arm channel in said top surface, wherein said first arm channel has a distal end and a proximal end;
• and
• a first longitudinally-extending pin channel through said top surface, wherein said first longitudinally-extending pin channel extends from a distal end to a proximal end;
• (b) a drive wheel attached around said pull wire arm guide plate and pivotable relative to said pull wire arm guide plate, wherein said drive wheel comprises (i) first and second thumb bosses for pivoting said drive wheel about a drive wheel axis of rotation, and (ii) a first pushing pin;
• (c) a first pull wire arm slidably mounted in said first arm channel, wherein said first pull wire arm comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and a first pushed pin riding in said first longitudinally-extending pin channel;
• and
• (d) a first cam arm pivotally mounted on said top surface of said pull wire arm guide plate at a first pivot pin, wherein said first pivot pin is both laterally and longitudinally offset from said drive wheel axis of rotation, and wherein said first cam arm comprises (i) a first pushing surface adapted to push against said first pushed pin, and (ii) a first pushed surface against which said first pushing pin is adapted to push.

A control handle comprising the following:

• (a) a handle upper housing and a handle lower housing together defining a handle housing;
• (b) a pull wire arm guide plate mounted in said handle housing, wherein said pull wire arm guide plate comprises the following:
• a top surface and a bottom surface;
• a first arm channel in said top surface, wherein said first arm channel has a distal end and a proximal end;
• and
• a first longitudinally-extending pin channel through said top surface, wherein said pin channel extends from a distal end to a proximal end;
• (c) a drive wheel attached around said pull wire arm guide plate and pivotable relative to said pull wire arm guide plate, wherein said drive wheel comprises (i) first and second thumb bosses for pivoting said drive wheel about a drive wheel axis of rotation, and (ii) a first pushing pin;
• (d) a first pull wire arm slidably mounted in said first arm channel, wherein said first pull wire arm comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and a first pushed pin riding in said first longitudinally-extending pin channel;
• and
• (e) a first cam arm pivotally mounted on said top surface of said pull wire arm guide plate at a first pivot pin, wherein said first pivot pin is both laterally and longitudinally offset from said drive wheel axis of rotation, and wherein said first cam arm comprises (i) a first pushing surface adapted to push against said first pushed pin, and (ii) a first pushed surface against which said first pushing pin is adapted to push.