The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 05, 2019
Filed:
Dec. 17, 2014
St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc., St. Paul, MN (US);
Anthony Knutson, St. Paul, MN (US);
Michael Bowers, Edina, MN (US);
Stephan P. Miller, Vadnais Heights, MN (US);
St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc., St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A medical device includes an elongate body having a proximal end and a deflectable distal region, a handle coupled to the proximal end, an actuator movable relative to the handle, and a resistance assembly adjacent the actuator. The resistance assembly exerts a force on the actuator that varies according to a direction in which the actuator is moving relative to the handle. For example, the resistance assembly can exert a lower (or zero) force when the actuator is moving relative to the handle in a direction that effects deflection of the distal region of the elongate body from neutral and higher when the actuator is moving relative to the handle in a direction that effects return of the distal region of the elongate body towards neutral. The resistance assembly can also include materials that exhibit anisotropic frictional properties and/or have surface finishes or treatments that yield directionally-dependent frictional forces.