# US 9,433,752 B2 · Catheter with flat beam deflection in tip

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- Number: US 9,433,752 B2
- Document ID: US9433752B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/677,214
- Filed: 2012-11-14
- Published: 2014-05-15
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-14
- Assignees: Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd.
- Applicants: Biosense Webster (Israel), Ltd.
- Inventors: Jose Jimenez; Ricardo Padilla; Thomas V. Selkee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9433752B2

## CPC

- A61M 25/0147: {with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires}
- A61M 25/0009: {Making of catheters or other medical or surgical tubes}
- A61M 25/0026: {Multi-lumen catheters with stationary elements (catheter assemblies comprising a catheter in combination with a guide tube, sheath or sleeve A61M2025/0681; catheters comprising telescoping coaxial elements A61M2025/0175)}
- A61M 25/0138: {having flexible regions as a result of weakened outer material, e.g. slots, slits, cuts, joints or coils}
- A61M 25/0141: {having flexible regions as a result of using materials with different mechanical properties}
- A61M 25/0144: {having flexible regions as a result of inner reinforcement means, e.g. struts or rods}
- B29C 63/0069: {of tubular articles}
- B29C 63/18: using tubular layers or sheathings (B29C63/26 {and B29C63/38} take precedence; {placing tubular labels around rigid containers B65C3/065})
- B29C 65/02: by heating, with or without pressure
- A61B 18/1492: {having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence)}
- A61M 25/0051: {made from fenestrated or weakened tubing layer}
- A61M 25/0052: {Localized reinforcement, e.g. where only a specific part of the catheter is reinforced, for rapid exchange guidewire port}
- A61M 2025/015: {Details of the distal fixation of the movable mechanical means}
- A61M 2207/00: Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
- B29K 2995/0049: Heat shrinkable
- B29L 2031/7542: {Catheters}
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A catheter has a deflection beam with rectangular cross-section and a single continuous puller wire for predictable on-plane bi-directional deflection. The puller wire extends through spacers on opposite sides of the beam so the puller wire is maintained a predetermined separation distance from the beam surface. Tubular structures of the catheter body and the deflectable section are fused at a joint by C-shaped brackets mounted opposite surface of the beam to form a hollow body with holes into which thermoplastic materials covering the catheter body and the deflectable section can melt to form interlocking nodes. Elongated beam stiffeners can be mounted on the beam to provide different curve and deflection geometries.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A catheter, comprising:
an elongated catheter body comprising a first tubular structure having a first central lumen, a distal end and a proximal end;
a deflectable section having a second tubular structure having a second central lumen, a distal end, and a proximal end that is distal of the proximal end of the catheter body;
a flat beam having first and second opposing surfaces, a distal end and a proximal end;
the flat beam extending through at least the second central lumen of the deflectable section, the flat beam defining a first sub-lumen and a second sub-lumen;
a puller wire configured with first and second puller wire segments and a U-bend puller wire segment therebetween, the U-bend puller wire segment being anchored to the distal end of the flat beam, the first puller wire segment extending through the first sub-lumen and through the first central lumen of the catheter body, the second puller wire segment extending through the second sub-lumen and through the first central lumen of the catheter body;
a first compression coil surrounding a portion of the first puller wire segment extending through the catheter body, a second compression coil surrounding a portion of the second puller wire segment extending through the catheter body;
a pair of first and second half-cylindrical brackets, the first half-cylindrical bracket comprising a first inwardly-extending flange mounted on the first opposing surface of the beam, the second half-cylindrical bracket comprising a second inwardly-extending flange mounted on the second opposing surface of the beam, the first and second half-cylindrical brackets forming a hollow body generally surrounding the beam at or near a junction between the catheter body and the deflectable section, wherein the distal end of the first tubular structure covers a proximal portion of the hollow body and the proximal end of the second tubular structure covers a distal portion of the hollow body, and wherein the first and second inwardly-extending flanges extend into a lumen generally defined by the pair of first and second half-cylindrical brackets.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The catheter of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second half-cylindrical brackets has a G cross section.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The catheter of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second half-cylindrical brackets has two longitudinal edges extending along a length of a respective one of the half-cylindrical brackets, one longitudinal edge is unattached and the second longitudinal edge is adjoined to a respective one of the first and second inwardly-extending flanges, and wherein the first and second inwardly-extending flanges are each affixed to a respective opposing surface of the beam.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The catheter of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second half-cylindrical brackets has at least two holes, and each of the first and second tubular structures has an inner layer with at least one interlocking node extending into a respective hole in each of the first and second half-cylindrical brackets.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a first spacer extending along the first opposing surface of the beam, the first spacer surrounding a portion of the first puller wire segment extending along the first opposing surface of the beam generally between the proximal end of the beam and the distal end of the beam, and a second spacer extending along the second opposing surface of the beam, the second spacer surrounding a portion of the second puller wire segment extending along the second opposing surface of the beam generally between the proximal end of the beam and the distal end of the beam.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The catheter of claim 1, wherein the beam generally bisects the second central lumen such that the first sub-lumen is a first lumen half and the second sub-lumen is a second lumen half, the flat beam having a neutral bending axis and being adapted to deflect in two opposing directions from the neutral bending axis, the distal end of the flat beam being at or near the distal end of the second tubular structure of the deflectable section, and the proximal end of the flat beam extending into the distal end of the first tubular structure of the catheter body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The catheter of claim 1, wherein the beam has longitudinal side edges with friction-inducing surfaces.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The catheter of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the beam has a slit receiving the U-bend puller wire segment.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The catheter of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the beam has a through-hole receiving the U-bend puller wire segment.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The catheter of claim 1, wherein the puller wire has a generally round cross-section.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The catheter of claim 5, wherein at least one of the first and second spacers includes an extruded tube.

### Claim 12 (depends on 5)

The catheter of claim 5, wherein each of the first and second spacers maintains a predetermined separation distance between the respective one of the first and second puller wire segments and the beam.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The catheter of claim 1, wherein the first tubular structure has a layer of thermoplastic material, and the second tubular structure has a layer of thermoplastic material.