Pressure sensor for therapeutic delivery device and method

An apparatus for treating a region of patient tissue, wherein the tissue has a surface, the apparatus comprising:

• an accessing tool for accessing the region, the accessing tool having a distal end and a proximal end and being manipulable from the proximal end to place the distal end in contact with the region;
• a shaft disposed proximate the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a cap member coupled to the shaft and disposed at the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a support member having an opening therein for receiving the shaft therethrough, the shaft extending through the opening, and the support member being capable of being positioned near or in contact with a proximal-facing side of the cap member;
• and
• a plurality of pressure transducer elements coupled to the support member or to the cap member at one or more locations at least partially surrounding the shaft;
• wherein:
• during operation of the accessing tool, at least one of the one or more pressure transducer elements, in response to a force applied to the cap member by the region, generates one or more information signals;
• and
• the one or more information signals are indicative of the incident angle of the cap with respect to the surface.

An apparatus for treating a region of patient tissue, wherein the tissue has a surface, the apparatus comprising:

• an accessing tool for accessing the region, the accessing tool having a distal end and a proximal end and being manipulable from the proximal end to place the distal end in contact with the region;
• a shaft disposed proximate the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a cap member coupled to the shaft and disposed at the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a support member having an opening therein for receiving the shaft therethrough, the shaft extending through the opening, and the support member being capable of being positioned near or in contact with a proximal-facing side of the cap member;
• and
• a plurality of pressure transducer elements coupled to the support member or to the cap member at one or more locations at least partially surrounding the shaft;
• wherein:
• during operation of the accessing tool, at least one of the one or more pressure transducer elements, in response to a force applied to the cap member by the region, generates one or more information signals;
• and
• the one or more information signals are indicative of the direction of the force applied to the cap member by the region.

An apparatus for treating a region of patient tissue, wherein the tissue has a surface, the apparatus comprising:

• an accessing tool for accessing the region, the accessing tool having a distal end and a proximal end and being manipulable from the proximal end to place the distal end in contact with the region;
• a shaft disposed proximate the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a cap member coupled to the shaft and disposed at the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a support member having an opening therein for receiving the shaft therethrough, the shaft extending through the opening, and the support member being capable of being positioned near or in contact with a proximal-facing side of the cap member;
• and
• a plurality of pressure transducer elements coupled to the support member or to the cap member at one or more locations at least partially surrounding the shaft;
• wherein:
• during operation of the accessing tool, at least one of the one or more pressure transducer elements, in response to a force applied to the cap member by the region, generates one or more information signals;
• and
• the one or more information signals are indicative of the orientation of the cap member with respect to the distal end of the accessing tool.

An apparatus for treating a region of patient tissue, wherein the tissue has a surface, the apparatus comprising:

• an accessing tool for accessing the region, the accessing tool having a distal end and a proximal end and being manipulable from the proximal end to place the distal end in contact with the region;
• a shaft disposed proximate the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a cap member coupled to the shaft and disposed at the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a support member having an opening therein for receiving the shaft therethrough, the shaft extending through the opening, and the support member being capable of being positioned near or in contact with a proximal-facing side of the cap member;
• and
• a plurality of pressure transducer elements coupled to the support member or to the cap member at one or more locations at least partially surrounding the shaft;
• wherein:
• during operation of the accessing tool, at least one of the one or more pressure transducer elements, in response to a force applied to the cap member by the region, generates one or more information signals;
• the opening is centrally positioned on the support member;
• and
• the pressure transducer elements are disposed about the support member at least partially surrounding the opening.

An apparatus for treating a region of patient tissue, wherein the tissue has a surface, the apparatus comprising:

• an accessing tool for accessing the region, the accessing tool having a distal end and a proximal end and being manipulable from the proximal end to place the distal end in contact with the region;
• a shaft disposed proximate the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a cap member coupled to the shaft and disposed at the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a support member having an opening therein for receiving the shaft therethrough, the shaft extending through the opening, and the support member being capable of being positioned near or in contact with a proximal-facing side of the cap member;
• and
• a plurality of pressure transducer elements coupled to the support member or to the cap member at one or more locations at least partially surrounding the shaft;
• wherein:
• during operation of the accessing tool, at least one of the one or more pressure transducer elements, in response to a force applied to the cap member by the region, generates one or more information signals;
• the pressure transducer elements lie generally in a plane;
• and
• the shaft is disposed at a generally normal angle with respect to the plane.

An apparatus for treating a region of patient tissue, wherein the tissue has a surface, the apparatus comprising:

• an accessing tool for accessing the region, the accessing tool having a distal end and a proximal end and being manipulable from the proximal end to place the distal end in contact with the region;
• a shaft disposed proximate the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a cap member coupled to the shaft and disposed at the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a support member having an opening therein for receiving the shaft therethrough, the shaft extending through the opening, and the support member being capable of being positioned near or in contact with a proximal-facing side of the cap member;
• and
• one or more pressure transducer elements coupled to the support member or to the cap member at one or more locations surrounding the shaft;
• wherein:
• during operation of the accessing tool, at least one of the one or more pressure transducer elements, in response to a force applied to the cap member by the region, generates one or more information signals;
• the shaft has a longitudinal axis;
• and
• the distal end of the cap member is movable in a direction lateral to the longitudinal axis.

An apparatus for treating a region of patient tissue, wherein the tissue has a surface, the apparatus comprising:

• an accessing tool for accessing the region, the accessing tool having a distal end and a proximal end and being manipulable from the proximal end to place the distal end in contact with the region;
• a shaft disposed proximate the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a cap member coupled to the shaft and disposed at the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a support member having an opening therein for receiving the shaft therethrough, the shaft extending through the opening, and the support member being capable of being positioned near or in contact with a proximal-facing side of the cap member;
• and
• one or more pressure transducer elements coupled to the support member or to the cap member at one or more locations surrounding the shaft;
• wherein:
• during operation of the accessing tool, at least one of the one or more pressure transducer elements, in response to a force applied to the cap member by the region, generates one or more information signals;
• and
• at least one of said one or more pressure transducer elements includes (i) first and second conductors, (ii) an insulating layer adjacent the first conductor, said layer having one or more perforations therein, and (iii) a conductive elastomer disposed between the insulating layer and the second conductor and in contact with the second conductor.

An apparatus for treating a region of patient tissue, wherein the tissue has a surface, the apparatus comprising:

• an accessing tool for accessing the region, the accessing tool having a distal end and a proximal end and being manipulable from the proximal end to place the distal end in contact with the region;
• a shaft disposed proximate the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a cap member coupled to the shaft and disposed at the distal end of the accessing tool;
• a support member having an opening therein for receiving the shaft therethrough, the shaft extending through the opening, and the support member being capable of being positioned near or in contact with a proximal-facing side of the cap member;
• and
• one or more pressure transducer elements coupled to the support member or to the cap member at one or more locations surrounding the shaft;
• wherein, during operation of the accessing tool, at least one of the one or more pressure transducer elements, in response to a force applied to the cap member by the region, generates one or more information signals and at least one of said one or more pressure transducer elements includes (i) a primary layer of material having a primary surface, (ii) a first conductive ink layer disposed on the primary surface, (iii) a first semiconductive ink layer disposed on the first conductive ink layer, (iv) a secondary layer of material having a secondary surface, (v) a second conductive ink layer disposed on the secondary surface, and (vi) a second semiconductive ink layer disposed on the second conductive ink layer and separated from the first semiconductive ink layer by an air gap.

An apparatus for treating a region of patient tissue, the apparatus comprising:

• an accessing tool for accessing the region, the accessing tool having a distal end and a proximal end and being manipulable from the proximal end to place the distal end in contact with the region;
• a tool shaft extending along the length of the accessing tool;
• a probe contact member coupled to the tool shaft at the distal end of the accessing tool for contacting the region;
• and
• a plurality of sensing shafts running parallel or coherently along the length of the accessing tool from the distal end of the accessing tool to the proximal end of the accessing tool, the sensing shafts having distal and proximal ends, the distal ends of the sensing shafts being in operative communication with the contact member, the proximal ends of the sensing shafts being in operative communication with the distal ends of the sensing shafts and being responsive to movement of the contact member with respect to the tool shaft;
• wherein during operation of the accessing tool, the orientation of the proximal ends of the sensing shafts indicates the orientation of the contact member with respect to the tool shaft.