Patent ID: 8577447

Claim:
A contact sensing assembly comprising: a catheter including a body defining an axis extending between a proximal end and a distal end; an electrode including a tip portion and a base portion, the base portion configured to be received within the catheter body and to be movable along the axis relative to a portion of the catheter body; and an optical sensor, wherein the base portion of the electrode includes an optically interactive surface configured to reflect a signal from the optical sensor, the optically interactive surface being unitary with or rigidly coupled with the tip portion so as to move in unison with the tip portion; a portion of the electrode is connected to the distal end of the catheter; and the optical sensor is spaced from, operatively interacts with, and is moveable along the axis and radial to the axis relative to the optically interactive surface such that the relative intensity of the signal as reflected by the optically interactive surface is indicative of an external axial force and an external radial force applied to the electrode.