Patent ID: 8758340

Claim:
An actuator system for deploying an electrode from a catheter assembly comprising a catheter assembly comprising a catheter tube and an operative element at a distal end of the catheter, said operative element comprising a basket including an array of arms, the basket movable to an expanded position, a handle carrying the catheter tube having a trigger lever and adapted to carry an actuator rod, the actuator rod being mechanically coupled to a plurality of electrodes each slidable within a lumen in the arms of the basket of the operative element and adapted to move the electrodes between a retracted position wherein the electrodes are contained within the operative element and an extended position wherein the electrodes extends out of the operative element, the trigger lever being actuable to deploy the electrodes prior to application of energy to the electrodes, the actuator rod movable between proximal and distal positions solely in a linear movement, a pinion carried by the trigger lever, and a rack carried by the actuator rod, the pinion engaging the rack upon compression of the trigger lever to move the rack along the actuator rod between a first position corresponding to the electrodes being in the retracted position and a second position corresponding to the electrodes being in an extended position to advance the electrodes prior to application of energy to the electrodes.