Control system for medical devices and related methods of use
AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorsRobinson GREIG, Jeffrey BEAN, Kevin ZEPHIR
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for controlling a medical device includes a shaft rotatable about a longitudinal axis and a plurality of arms extending radially outwards from the shaft. Each arm includes an inward end positioned near the shaft and an outward end. The system also includes a collapsible pulley formed from a plurality of pulley pieces. At least one of the pulley pieces is slidably mounted on at least one of the plurality of arms and has a surface configured to receive at least one control element. The system further includes at least one biasing member located between the shaft and the at least one slidably-mounted pulley piece.
Claims21
-20. (canceled)
A method for steering a distal end of a medical device, comprising:
- rotating a shaft of a control system about a longitudinal axis to cause movement of a control element and deflection of the distal end of the medical device, wherein:
- the control element extends from the control system to the distal end of the medical device, and
- the control system includes a collapsible pulley having a variable diameter;
- and
- decreasing the diameter of the pulley.
A method for steering a distal end of a medical device, comprising:
- rotating a shaft of a control system, wherein the control system includes an elongated shaft, a plurality of arms extending from the shaft, and a plurality of pulley pieces;
- moving at least one pulley piece of the plurality of pulley pieces along one of the plurality of arms towards the shaft;
- and
- deflecting a distal end of the medical device.
A method for steering a distal end of a medical device, comprising:
- rotating a shaft of a control system about a longitudinal axis to rotate a collapsible pulley formed from a plurality of pulley pieces, each pulley piece of the plurality of pulley pieces being mounted on a corresponding one of a plurality of arms;
- sliding at least one of the pulley pieces along the corresponding one of the plurality of arms, wherein each arm includes an inward end positioned near the shaft and an outward end positioned away from the shaft;
- compressing at least one biasing member located between the inward end and the outward end of the one of the plurality of arms;
- and
- tensioning at least one control element releasably coupled to at least one of the plurality of pulley pieces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.