Articulation state indicator for steerable catheter

A guiding sheath assembly, comprising:

• (a) an elongate shaft;
• (b) a control handle proximal of the elongate shaft, the control handle having a longitudinal axis, and including:
• (i) a control handle housing,
• (ii) a control knob configured for rotation about the longitudinal axis,
• (iii) a rotatable shaft inside the control handle housing and configured for rotation about the longitudinal axis in response to rotation of the control knob, the rotatable shaft being coupled for common translational movement and common rotational movement to the control knob,
• (iv) a first shuttle configured for translation along the longitudinal axis in a first direction in response to rotation of the rotatable shaft, and
• (v) a second shuttle configured for translation along the longitudinal axis in a second direction opposite to the first direction in response to translation of the first shuttle in the first direction;
• (c) a first puller wire extending along a first side of the elongated shaft and having a proximal end portion responsive to at least translation of the first shuttle in a proximal direction;
• (d) a second puller wire extending along a second side of the elongated shaft and having a proximal end portion responsive to at least translation of the second shuttle in the proximal direction;
• and
• (e) at least one proximity sensor secured to the control handle housing and configured to generate one or more signals indicative of an articulation state of the elongate shaft based on a longitudinal position of at least one of the first or second shuttles.

A control handle for use in controlling deflection of a medical guiding sheath shaft, the control handle having a longitudinal axis, and including:

• (a) a control handle housing;
• (b) a control knob configured for rotation about the longitudinal axis;
• (c) a rotatable shaft inside the control handle housing and configured for rotation about the longitudinal axis in response to rotation of the control knob, the rotatable shaft being coupled for common translational movement and common rotational movement to the control knob;
• (d) a first shuttle configured for translation along the longitudinal axis in a first direction in response to rotation of the rotatable shaft;
• (e) a second shuttle configured for translation along the longitudinal axis in a second direction opposite to the first direction in response to translation of the first shuttle in the first direction, the first and second shuttles being configured to respectively act on first and second puller wires extending along the medical guiding sheath shaft;
• and
• (f) at least one deflection sensor assembly secured to the control handle housing and configured to generate one or more signals indicative of an articulation state of the medical guiding sheath shaft based on a longitudinal position of at least one of the first or second shuttles.