Patent ID: 8852258

Claim:
A catheter assembly comprising: a catheter comprising an inner member and a sheath housing the inner member and axially slidable over the inner member; a handle comprising: a housing having a proximal end, a distal end and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a housing interior, the housing having a housing axis; a braking element assembly comprising an elongate braking element located within the housing interior and a braking element rotator operably coupled to the braking element for selective rotation of the braking element about the housing axis; a carriage located within the housing interior and movable along the housing axis, the carriage comprising at least one carriage braking surface engaging the braking element; and a carriage driver biasing the carriage towards the proximal end of the handle; the inner member having a proximal end secured to the housing; the sheath having a proximal end secured to the carriage; and whereby operation of the braking element rotator to cause the braking element to rotate in a first rotary direction allowing the carriage to move in a proximal direction, so that the sheath moves proximally relative to the inner member.