US 2014/0350342 A1 · STEERING MECHANISM

Abstract

A steering mechanism is used as part of a medical device such as a catheter or an endoscope to allow movement of a steerable distal portion of the catheter or endoscope. The mechanism can include a elongate housing and an actuation system. The elongate housing is adapted to be coupled to the steerable portion of the medical device. The actuation system includes an actuator, a first cam, and a second cam. The actuator can move the first cam between a first position and a second position as the actuator is moved along a first axis (or about a second axis different than the first axis). Movement of the first cam between its first and second positions moves the steerable portion of the medical device along a first plane. The actuator can move the second cam between a first position and a second position as the actuator is moved along the second axis (or about the first axis). Movement of the second cam between its first and second positions moves the steerable portion of the medical device along a second plane different than the first plane.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A steering mechanism for use as part of a medical device, comprising:

an elongate housing adapted to be coupled to a steerable member of a medical device;
and
an actuation system coupled to the elongate housing, the actuation system adapted to control movement of the steerable member of the medical device within a body of a patient, the actuation system including an actuator, a first cam, and a second cam, the actuator adapted to move the first cam from a first position to a second position different than the first position when the actuator is moved in a first direction along a first axis, the first cam adapted to move the steerable member of the medical device in a first direction along a first plane when the first cam is moved from the first position to the second position, the actuator adapted to move the second cam from a first position to a second position different than the first position when the actuator is moved in a first direction along a second axis different than the first axis, the second cam adapted to move the steerable member of the medical device in a first direction along a second plane when the second cam is moved from the first position to the second position.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Steering mechanism

Life of this patent

Steering mechanism

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20