Patent ID: 8147481
Filing Date: 2012-04-03
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. A controller which facilitates manual control of a guidewire, said controller comprising: a housing having an outer side wall which extends around a passage, said passage extends between proximal and distal end portions of said housing, an engagement slot which extends between opposite side portions of said housing in a direction transverse to a longitudinal central axis of said passage, said engagement slot extends through said outer side wall of said housing to enable a portion of the guidewire positioned in said engagement slot to extend between opposite end portions of said engagement slot and to extend across said passage, a second slot extending from a first one of the end portions of said engagement slot to said distal end portion of said housing, said second slot extends through said outer side wall of said housing to enable a portion of the guidewire to move through said second slot into said passage, a third slot extending from a second one of the end portions of said engagement slot to said proximal end portion of said housing, said third slot extends through said outer side wall of said housing to enable a portion of the guidewire to move through said third slot into said passage, said second and third slots are disposed at opposite side portions of said housing, and a gripper at least partially disposed within and connected with said housing, said gripper having surfaces to grip a portion of the guidewire disposed in said passage, said gripper includes a gripper actuator connected with said housing and a gripper member having surfaces which are pressed against the guidewire under the influence of force transmitted from said gripper actuator to hold the guidewire against movement relative to said gripper member, said gripper member having a fourth slot which is aligned with one of said second and third slots to enable a portion of the guidewire to move through said one of said second and third slots and said fourth slot into said passage.