US 11,717,644 B2
Robotically augmented catheter manipulation handle
Ryan Douglas, Stillwater, MN (US); Richard Farrell, Delwood, MN (US); Dennis Berke, River Falls, WI (US); Davis Flanagan, Saint Paul, MN (US); David Bontrager, Minneapolis, MN (US); and Brian Loushine, Minnetonka, MN (US)
Assigned to Nextern Innovation, LLC, White Bear Lake, MN (US)
Filed by Nextern, Inc., White Bear Lake, MN (US)
Filed on Apr. 29, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/861,633.
Application 16/861,633 is a continuation of application No. 15/425,982, filed on Feb. 6, 2017, granted, now 10,675,442.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/292,699, filed on Feb. 8, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0254219 A1, Aug. 13, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61M 25/01 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 25/0136 (2013.01) [A61M 25/0113 (2013.01); A61M 2025/0166 (2013.01); A61M 2205/332 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3331 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3379 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A hand-held catheter apparatus, comprising:
a handle body extending from a proximal end to a distal end along a longitudinal axis;
an interface module coupled to the handle body, wherein the interface module is configured to generate a rotation command signal in response to a remotely generated control signal;
a rotational actuator module positioned in the handle body and having a rotatable output, wherein the rotational actuator module controls an angular rotation of the rotatable output in response to the rotational command signal;
a handle coupling disposed at the distal end of the handle body and configured to releasably couple to a replaceable catheter head at a proximal end of a disposable catheter structure adapted to extend distally therefrom, wherein when the handle coupling is engaged with the catheter head, the rotational actuator module is operative to rotate the catheter structure about the longitudinal axis in response to rotation of the rotatable output, wherein the handle coupling comprises a handle deflection interface adapted to releasably couple to a catheter deflection interface in the catheter head;
a first deflection actuator disposed in the handle body and configured to impart, via the handle deflection interface and the catheter deflection interface, a first deflection angle command in a first plane to a steerable tip at a distal end of the catheter structure.