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:
Jul. 03, 2012
Filed:
Dec. 21, 2007
Saurav Paul, Minnetonka, MN (US);
Chou Thao, Brooklyn Park, MN (US);
Troy T. Tegg, Elk River, MN (US);
Saurav Paul, Minnetonka, MN (US);
Chou Thao, Brooklyn Park, MN (US);
Troy T. Tegg, Elk River, MN (US);
St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc., St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A contact sensing catheter system includes a catheter shaft having a distal end; a flexible conductive polymer electrode located at the distal end of the shaft; and an electro-mechanical contact sensor positioned at least partially within the electrode. The sensor outputs an electrical signal in response to a mechanical force acting thereon. The sensor may be a piezoelectric sensor, a strain gauge, a fiber optic sensor, or another suitable electro-mechanical contact sensor. The electrical signal output by the sensor typically varies in response to variations in the mechanical force acting on the sensor. An output device may receive the signal output by the contact sensor and present to a user of the system an indicator of contact between the electrode and a tissue by assessing, for example, the amplitude or periodicity of the signal.