Patent Grant
11931527
This invention relates to a catheter, in particular, a control handle having multiple control mechanisms for deflecting and contracting portions of a medical device
Electrode catheters have been in common use in medical practice for many years. They are used to stimulate and map electrical activity in the heart and to ablate sites of aberrant electrical activity. Atrial fibrillation is a common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and a major cause of stroke. This condition is perpetuated by reentrant wavelets propagating in an abnormal atrial-tissue substrate. Various approaches have been developed to interrupt wavelets, including surgical or catheter-mediated atriotomy. Prior to treating the condition, one has to first determine the location of the wavelets. Various techniques have been proposed for making such a determination, including the use of catheters with a mapping assembly that is adapted to measure activity within a pulmonary vein, coronary sinus or other tubular structure about the inner circumference of the structure. One such mapping assembly has a tubular structure comprising a generally circular main region generally transverse and distal to the catheter body and having an outer circumference and a generally straight distal region distal to the main region. The tubular structure comprises a non-conductive cover over at least the main region of the mapping assembly. A support member having shape-memory is disposed within at least the main region of the mapping assembly. A plurality of electrode pairs, each comprising two ring electrodes, are carried by the generally circular main region of the mapping assembly.
In use, the electrode catheter is inserted into a guiding sheath which has been positioned a major vein or artery, e.g., femoral artery, and guided into a chamber of the heart. Within the chamber, the catheter is extended past a distal end of the guiding sheath to expose the mapping assembly. The catheter is maneuvered through movements that include deflection of a distal portion of the catheter so that the mapping assembly is positioned at the tubular region in the heart chamber. The ability to control the exact position and orientation of the catheter and also the configuration of the mapping assembly is critical and largely determines how useful the catheter is.
Steerable catheters are generally well-known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. Re 34,502 describes a catheter having a control handle comprising a housing having a piston chamber at its distal end. A piston is mounted in the piston chamber and is afforded lengthwise movement. The proximal end of the elongated catheter body is attached to the piston. A puller wire is attached to the housing and extends through the piston, through the catheter body, and into a tip section at the distal end of the catheter body. The distal end of the puller wire is anchored in the tip section of the catheter. In this arrangement, lengthwise movement of the piston relative to the housing results in deflection of the catheter tip section.
The design described in U.S. Pat. No. RE 34,502 is generally limited to a catheter having a single puller wire. If bi-directional deflection is desired, more than on puller wire becomes necessary. Moreover, if more control is desired, such as a contraction of the mapping assembly, an additional puller wire is needed. Space is limited within a control handle and operation of puller wire control mechanisms must not interfere with components that extend through the control handle, such as lead wires, cables, and irrigation tubing. Moreover, it is desirable that the control mechanisms be arranged such that the catheter can be operated single-handedly by the user. Accordingly, a desire exists for a control handle capable of moving three puller wires for at least two independent movements, such as bi-directional deflection of the catheter shaft and contraction of the mapping assembly, preferably through a single-handed manipulation of the user. A further desire exists for a deflection/contraction mechanism without excessive stress or kinking to the tensile component by which deflection/contraction is accomplished, whether it is a puller wire, a contraction wire, or another component.
The present invention is directed to a medical device which has a distal member with a configuration that can be changed by means of a control handle with a control assembly employing a rotational cam, a shaft, and a pulley, where the rotational cam is rotationally mounted on a portion of the control handle for rotation by a user. The rotational cam operates on the shaft to move it proximally or distally depending on the direction of rotation which in turn rotates the pulley to draw or release a puller wire to change the configuration of the distal member of the medical device. The shaft is oriented along a diameter of the control handle. The shaft has two ends which extends through two axial guide slots in the portion of the control handle to sit two opposing helical tracks formed on inner surface of the rotational cam. The guide slots are parallel with the longitudinal axis of the control handle and therefore maintain the shaft's diametrical orientation as the rotational cam is rotated to move the shaft proximall or distally. Actuation of the puller wire by means of the control assembly can result in a change of the distal member's configuration, including deflection, contraction and/or expansion.
In one embodiment, a catheter for use in a patient's heart, especially for mapping a tubular region of the heart, includes a catheter body and a deflectable intermediate section distal the catheter body. Distal the intermediate section is a mapping assembly that has a generally circular portion adapted to sit on or in a tubular region of the heart. A control handle of the catheter allows for single-handed manipulation of various control mechanisms that can deflect the intermediate section and contract the mapping assembly by means of a deflection control assembly and a rotational control assembly. The deflection control assembly has a deflection arm and a rocker member. The rotational control assembly has an outer rotational cam, a shaft and a pulley. A pair of puller members are responsive to the defelction control assembly to bi-directionally deflect the intermediate section. A third puller member is responsive to the rotational control assembly to contract the generally circular portion of the mapping assembly.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is understood that selected structures and features have not been shown in certain drawings so as to provide better viewing of the remaining structures and features.
Referring to
With reference to
The outer diameter of the catheter body 12 is not critical, but is preferably no more than about 8 French. Likewise the thickness of the outer wall 22 is not critical. The inner surface of the outer wall 22 is lined with a stiffening tube 20, which can be made of any suitable material, e.g., polyimide. The stiffening tube 20 is held in place relative to the outer wall 22 at the proximal end of the catheter body 12. A first glue joint 23 is made between the distal ends of the stiffening tube 20 and the outer wall 22 by a fast drying glue, e.g. Super Glue.®. Thereafter a second glue joint 25 is formed between the proximal ends of the stiffening tube 20 and outer wall 22 using a slower drying but stronger glue, e.g., polyurethane.
The stiffening tube, along with the braided outer wall 22, provides improved torsional stability while at the same time minimizing the wall thickness of the catheter, thus maximizing the diameter of the single lumen. The outer diameter of the stiffening tube 20 is about the same as or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the outer wall 22. Polyimide tubing is suitable because it may be very thin walled while still providing very good stiffness. This maximizes the diameter of the central lumen 18 without sacrificing strength and stiffness. Polyimide material is typically not used for stiffening tubes because of its tendency to kink when bent. However, it has been found that, in combination with an outer wall 22 of polyurethane, nylon or other similar material, particularly having a stainless steel braided mesh, the tendency for the polyimide stiffening tube 20 to kink when bent is essentially eliminated with respect to the applications for which the catheter is used.
In one embodiment, the outer wall 22 has an outer diameter of about 0.092 inch and an inner diameter of about 0.063 inch and the polyimide stiffening tube 20 has an outer diameter of about 0.0615 inch and an inner diameter of about 0.052 inch.
As shown in
A means for attaching the catheter body 12 to the intermediate section 14 is illustrated in
As shown in
A single lumen catheter body 12 can be preferred over a multi-lumen body because the single lumen 18 body can permit better tip control when rotating the catheter 10. The single lumen 18 permits the components passing therethrough to float freely within the catheter body. If such components were restricted within multiple lumens, they can build up energy when the handle 16 is rotated, resulting in the catheter body 12 having a tendency to rotate back if, for example, the handle is released, or if bent around a curve, to flip over, either for which are undesirable performance characteristics.
A deflection puller member 42 extends through the central lumen 18 of the catheter body 12 and into the second lumen 31 of the intermediate section 14. Another deflection puller member 42 extends through the central lumen 18 and into the fourth lumen 33 of the intermediate section 14. The distal ends of the deflection puller members 42 are anchored to the wall of the tubing 19 near the distal end of the intermediate section 14 by means of T-anchors 83 (
As shown in
The compression coils 44 are anchored at their proximal ends to the proximal end of the stiffening tube 20 in the catheter body 12 by glue joint 50 (
With reference to
The generally circular main region 39 is generally traverse, if not also perpendicular, to the catheter body 12. The generally circular main region 39 can form a flat circle or can be very slightly helical. In one embodiment, the main region 39 has an outer diameter ranging from about 10 mm to about 25 mm, more preferably about 12 mm to about 20 mm. The generally circular main region 39 can curve in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction. As shown in
In the depicted embodiment, a pre-formed support member 54 extends through the non-conductive cover 52 to define the shape of the generally circular main region 39. The support member 54 is made of a material having shape-memory, i.e., that can be straightened or bent out of its original shape upon exertion of a force and is capable of substantially returning to its original shape upon removal of the force. On suitable material for the support member 54 is a nickel/titanium alloy. Such alloys typically comprise about 55% nickel and 45% titanium, but may comprise from about 54% to about 57% nickel with the balance being titanium. A suitable nickel/titanium alloy is Nitinol, which has excellent shape memory, together with ductility, strength, corrosion resistance, electrical resistivity and temperature stability.
A series of ring electrodes 26 are mounted on the non-conductive cover 52 of the generally circular main region 39 of the mapping assembly 17, as shown in
The contraction puller member 35, for example, a contraction puller wire, is provided to contract the generally circular main region 39 to thereby change or reduce its diameter, for example, when mapping or ablating circular or tubular regions of the heart. The contraction wire 35 has a proximal end anchored in the control handle 16, which is used to manipulate the contraction wire as described further below. The contraction wire 35 extends through the central lumen 18 of the catheter body 12, through the third lumen 32 of the intermediate section 14 and into the non-conductive cover 52 of the mapping assembly 17. The portion of the contraction wire 35 extending through the non-conductive cover 52 is positioned on the side of the generally circular main region 39 closer to the center of the generally circular main region, as best shown in
As shown in
A third compression coil 46 is situated within the catheter body 12 and intermediate section shaft 14 in surrounding relation to the contraction wire 35 (
The third compression coil 46 is anchored at its proximal end to the outer wall 20 of the catheter body 12 by the proximal glue joint 50 and to the intermediate section 14 by distal glue joint 72.
It is understood that glue joints throughout the catheter 10 may comprise polyurethane glue or the like. The glue may be applied by means of a syringe or the like through a hole made in the tubing walls. Such a hole may be formed, for example, by a needle or the like that punctures the tubing walls where the needle is heated sufficiently to form a permanent hole. The glue is then introduced through the hole to wick around the component(s) within the tubing to form a glue joint about the entire circumference of the component(s).
In the depicted embodiment of
At the junction of the intermediate section 14 and the mapping assembly 17 as shown in
The lead wires 40 attached to the ring electrodes 26 extend through the first lumen 30 of the intermediate section 14 (
The lead wires 40 are attached to the ring electrode 26 by any conventional technique. In one embodiment, each ring electrode 26 is mounted by first forming a hole in the non-conductive cover 52. An electrode lead wire 40 is fed through the hole, and the ring electrode 26 is welded in place over the lead wire and non-conductive cover 52.
With reference to
In the illustrated embodiment of
The rocker member 78 has a length L dimension, a width W dimension and a thickness T dimension (
As understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the rocker member 78 and the pulleys 147 are arranged such that rotation of the rocker member in one direction about the axis 76 draws back one puller member 42 to deflect the intermediate section 14 in that direction. With reference to
Each deflection puller member 42 may comprise multiple segments. As illustrated in
Each puller wire 42a is made of any suitable metal, such as stainless steel or Nitinol. Preferably each puller wire has a low friction coating, such as a coating of Teflon.® or the like. Each puller wire has a diameter preferably ranging from about 0.006 inch to about 0.012 inch. Preferably both of the puller wires have the same diameter. Flat puller wires may be used in place of round puller wires. Their cross sectional dimensions should be such that they provide comparable tensile strengths as round puller wires.
Each tensile fiber 42b may be of a high modulus fiber material, preferably having an ultimate tensile strength substantially in the range of 412-463 ksi (2480-3200 Mpa) such as High Molecular Density Polyethylene (e.g., Spectra™ or Dyneema™), a spun para-aramid fiber polymer (e.g., Kevlar™) or a melt spun liquid crystal polymer fiber rope (e.g., Vectran™), or a high strength ceramic fiber (e.g., Nextel™). The term fiber is used herein interchangeably with the term fibers in that the tensile fiber may be of a woven or braided construction. In any case, these materials tend to be flexible, providing suitable durability when used in wrapped engagement with the pulleys and the like for greater throw in deflecting the catheter tip. Further, they are substantially non-stretching, which increases the responsiveness to the manipulation of the control handle, and nonmagnetic so that they generally appear transparent to an MRI. The low density of the material causes it to be generally transparent to an x-ray machine. The materials can also be nonconductive to avoid shorting. Vectran™, for example, has high strength, high abrasion resistance, is an electrical insulator, nonmagnetic, is polymeric, and has low elongation under sustained loading conditions.
In the illustrated embodiment of
The construction and assembly of the deflection control assembly 74 including the deflection arm 75 and a tension adjustment member 101 on the control handle 16 are described as follows. With reference to
The annular formation 140a has recesses 160 (
Opposing the deflection arm 75 is the deflection tension adjustment member or dial 101 (
The dial 101 has a generally circular cross section with a circumferential edge 115 having a friction-inducing surface (
The locking plate 102 is sandwiched between the dial 101 and the handle housing 16b (
The threaded body 115 of the cap screw 103 extending through the central hole 107 of the locking plate 102 engages the retaining nut 136 situated in the opening 143 of the rocker member 78. A head 115 of the nut abuts and is anchored against a neck 132 formed in the inner surface of the opening 143 of the rocker member 78. The opening 120b in the housing half 16b (
The central protrusion 105 of the dial 101 (
Between the polygonal end 126 of the nut 136 and the housing handle 16b is the washer 119 whose compression against the nut 136 and the housing handle 16b is adjustable by the user's rotation of the dial 101 which tightens or releases the engagement between cap screw 103 and the nut 136, thus increasing or decreasing the ease with which the rocker member 78 and hence the deflection arm 75 can be rotated.
Components that extend through the control handle, including, for example, the lead wires 40 and the contraction wire 35 also enter the control handle at the distal end. In the illustrated embodiment of
Alternatively, the components extending through the control handle, with the exception of the contraction wire 35, are routed on an off-axis path 153 diverging from the deflection puller members 42 at entry into the distal end of the control handle 16. The components thus extend along the periphery of the housing handle, bypassing the rocker member 78.
It is understood that the distance between the distal end of the compression coils 44 and the distal anchor sites of each deflection puller members 42 in the intermediate section 14 determines the curvature of the intermediate section 14 in the direction of the deflection puller members. For example, an arrangement wherein the two deflection puller members 42 are anchored at different distances from the distal ends of the compression coils 44 allows a long reach curve in a first plane and a short reach curve in a plane 90. degree. from the first, i.e., a first curve in one plane generally along the axis of the intermediate section 14 before it is deflected and a second curve distal to the first curve in a plane transverse, and preferably normal to the first plane. The high torque characteristic of the catheter intermediate section 14 reduces the tendency for the deflection in one direction to deform the deflection in the other direction. Suitable deflection control handles and parts thereof for use with such a catheter are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/924,611, filed Sep. 5, 1997, entitled “Omni-Directional Steerable Catheter”, Ser. No. 09/130,359, filed Aug. 7, 1998, entitled “Bi-Directional Control Handle for Steerable Catheter”, and Ser. No. 09/143,426, filed Aug. 28, 1998, entitled “Bidirectional Steerable Catheter with Bidirectional Control Handle”, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
For adjusting the mapping assembly 17 by means of a third puller member, e.g., the contraction wire 35, a distal end of the contraction wire extending between the two deflection puller members 42 within the control handle is anchored in the control handle for actuation by means of a rotational control assembly 200. In the illustrated embodiment of
The proximal portion 116 under the cam 202 has two diametrically opposing guide slots 208 extending axially in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis 205 of the proximal portion 116. The cam 202 has on its inner surface two opposing helical tracks or grooves 210 extending about the longitudinal axis 205. The helical grooves 210 are configured such that any plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis intersects the grooves along a diameter of the proximal portion 116. The shaft 204 extends diametrically between the two guide slots 208, traversing the interior of the proximal portion at an angle generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 205. The guide slots 208 are sized so that the shaft 204 can pass through the slots and have each of its two opposing ends 212 be received in a respective helical groove on the inner surface of the cam. As such, the length of the shaft is greater than an outer diameter of the proximal portion 116 but lesser than an outer diameter of the cam 202. Accordingly, the helical grooves 210 are sized to receive the ends 212 and allow the ends to slide therein.
Mounted on the shaft, for example, at or near a midpoint of the length of the shaft, is the pulley 206 on which the third puller member is wrapped. The third puller member which can be any suitable material, including a puller wire or contraction wire, has a proximal end (not shown) that is anchored to the control handle or to any other rigidly mounted component within the control handle, at a location distal of the distal ends of the guide slots. Longitudinal movement of the contraction wire 35 relative to the catheter body 12 can effectuate, for example, contraction and expansion of the mapping assembly 17.
With reference to embodiment of
In operation, the rotational control assembly 200 is manipulated by means of the cam 202. As a user holds the control handle 16 and rotates the cam with his thumb and forefinger to contract or expand the mapping assembly, the two opposing helical tracks 210 on the inner surface are rotated relative to the proximal portion 116 thereby exerting a force on the shaft 204 via the ends 212 received in the tracks 210 to diametrically spin about the central longitudinal axis 205 of the control handle. However, because the shaft 204 extends through the guide slots 208 of the proximal portion 116, the guide slots limit the shaft to a translational movement proximally or distally along the longitudinal axis depending on the direction of rotation of the cam 202 as the ends 212 slide in the helical tracks 210. As the shaft 204 moves proximally or distally, the pulley 206 thereon correspondingly moves proximally or distally thereby drawing or releasing the third puller member 35. Advantageously, the rotational control assembly provides a multiplied linear motion of the third puller member, with greater sensitivity in the amount of motion controlled by the user. In the disclosed embodiment of
Lead wires and other components (e.g., thermocouple wires, cables, irrigation tubing) extending through proximal portion 116 in a protective tubing so as not to interfere with the interior components of the rotational control assembly.
In use, a suitable guiding sheath is inserted into the patient with its distal end positioned at a desired mapping location. An example of a suitable guiding sheath for use in connection with the present invention is the Preface.™. Braiding Guiding Sheath, commercially available from Biosense Webster, Inc. (Diamond Bar, Calif.). The distal end of the sheath is guided into one of the chamber, for example, the atria. A catheter in accordance with the present invention is fed through the guiding sheath until its distal end extends out of the distal end of the guiding sheath. As the catheter is fed through the guiding sheath, the mapping assembly 17 is straightened to fit through the sheath. Once the distal end of the catheter is positioned at the desired mapping location, the guiding sheath is pulled proximally, allowing the deflectable intermediate section 14 and mapping assembly 17 to extend outside the sheath, and the mapping assembly 17 returns to its original shape due to the shape-memory of the support member 54.
By manipulating and rotating the deflection arm 75 of the deflection control assembly 74 to deflect the intermediate section 14, the mapping assembly 17 is then inserted into a pulmonary vein or other tubular region (such as the superior vena cava, or inferior vena cava) so that the outer circumference of the generally circular main region 39 of the assembly 17 is in contact with a circumference inside the tubular region. Turning the deflection arm 75 in one direction deflects the intermediate section 14 to that direction. Turning the deflection 75 in the opposite direction deflects the intermediate section 14 to that opposite direction. Tension of the deflection 75 is adjusted by manipulating and rotating the dial 101. Turning the dial 101 in one direction increases the tension. Turning the dial 101 in the opposition direction decreases the tension. Preferably at least about 50%, more preferably at least about 70%, and still more preferably at least about 80% of the circumference of the generally circular main region is in contact with a circumference inside the tubular region.
The circular arrangement of the electrodes 26 permits measurement of the electrical activity at that circumference of the tubular structure so that ectopic beats between the electrodes can be identified. The size of the generally circular main region 39 permits measurement of electrical activity along a diameter of a pulmonary vein or other tubular structure of or near the heart because the circular main region has a diameter generally corresponding to that of a pulmonary vein or the coronary sinus. By manipulating and rotating the cam 202 of the rotational assembly 200, the assembly 17, in particular, the generally circular main region 39, is contracted to fit the pulmonary vein or other tubular structure.
In accordance with a feature of the present invention, rotational motion of the cam results in linear motion of the shaft and the pulley along the central longitudinal axis of the control handle. The shaft rides along the helical grooves of the cam as it is rotated. The opposing linear guide slots of the proximal portion of the control handle ensure that the shaft maintains its general perpendicular orientation resulting in linear motion of the shaft relative to the proximal portion. As the shaft translates along the longitudinal axis, the pulley is also moved wherein its linear displacement results in twice the linear displacement of the third puller member. In the disclosed embodiment, the contraction wire is drawn proximally by the rotational control assembly to tighten and decrease the diameter of the generally circular region 39 when the cam is turned in one direction. By turning the cam in the opposition direction, the contraction wire 35 is released to release the generally circular region 39 such that it expands its diameter.
The preceding description has been presented with reference to presently preferred embodiments of the invention. Workers skilled in the art and technology to which this invention pertains will appreciate that alterations and changes in the described structure may be practiced without meaningfully departing from the principal, spirit and scope of this invention. It is understood that the present invention is applicable to multiplying linear motion of a puller wire, contraction wire, or any other object requiring insertion, removal, or tensioning within a medical device, including the disclosed electrophysiology catheter. As understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the drawings are not necessarily to scale. Accordingly, the foregoing description should not be read as pertaining only to the precise structures described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but rather should be read consistent with and as support to the following claims which are to have their fullest and fair scope.
This application is a continuation of and claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/375,035 filed Apr. 4, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,213,655, which is a continuation of and claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/627,260 filed Jun. 19, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,252,031, which is a continuation of and claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/981,353 filed Dec. 28, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,682,214, which is a continuation of and claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/101,300 filed Dec. 9, 2013, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,220,868, which is a continuation of and claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/960,286 filed Dec. 3, 2010, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,617,087, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4815478 | Buchbinder et al. | Mar 1989 | A |
| 5254088 | Lundquist et al. | Oct 1993 | A |
| RE34502 | Webster, Jr. | Jan 1994 | E |
| 5275151 | Shockey et al. | Jan 1994 | A |
| 5391199 | Ben-Haim | Feb 1995 | A |
| 5395329 | Fleischhackor et al. | Mar 1995 | A |
| 5443489 | Ben-Haim | Aug 1995 | A |
| 5645065 | Shapiro et al. | Jul 1997 | A |
| 5656029 | Imran et al. | Aug 1997 | A |
| 5891088 | Thompson et al. | Apr 1999 | A |
| 6123699 | Webster, Jr. | Sep 2000 | A |
| 6171277 | Ponzi | Jan 2001 | B1 |
| 6183463 | Webster, Jr. | Feb 2001 | B1 |
| 6484118 | Govari | Nov 2002 | B1 |
| 6491681 | Kunis et al. | Dec 2002 | B1 |
| 6500129 | Mahurkar | Dec 2002 | B1 |
| 6554794 | Mueller et al. | Apr 2003 | B1 |
| 6574492 | Ben-Haim et al. | Jun 2003 | B1 |
| 6690963 | Ben-Haim et al. | Feb 2004 | B2 |
| 6788967 | Ben-Haim et al. | Sep 2004 | B2 |
| 6961602 | Fuimaono et al. | Nov 2005 | B2 |
| 7174202 | Bladen et al. | Feb 2007 | B2 |
| 7274957 | Drysen | Sep 2007 | B2 |
| 7615044 | Scheibe et al. | Nov 2009 | B2 |
| 7931616 | Selkee | Apr 2011 | B2 |
| 8617087 | Schultz | Dec 2013 | B2 |
| 8792962 | Esguerra et al. | Jul 2014 | B2 |
| 9220868 | Schultz | Dec 2015 | B2 |
| 9682214 | Schultz | Jun 2017 | B2 |
| 10252031 | Schultz | Apr 2019 | B2 |
| 20030028096 | Niwa et al. | Feb 2003 | A1 |
| 20030125663 | Coleman et al. | Jul 2003 | A1 |
| 20030160721 | Gilboa et al. | Aug 2003 | A1 |
| 20070164900 | Schneider et al. | Jul 2007 | A1 |
| 20080255540 | Selkee | Oct 2008 | A1 |
| 20090005754 | Soetermans | Jan 2009 | A1 |
| 20090192412 | Sela et al. | Jul 2009 | A1 |
| 20100069834 | Schultz | Mar 2010 | A1 |
| 20100168827 | Schultz | Jul 2010 | A1 |
| 20100222664 | Lemon et al. | Sep 2010 | A1 |
| 20110054287 | Schultz | Mar 2011 | A1 |
| 20120172703 | Esguerra et al. | Jul 2012 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 457 226 | Sep 2004 | EP |
| 2 151 209 | Feb 2010 | EP |
| 2 165 730 | Mar 2010 | EP |
| 2 460 558 | Jun 2012 | EP |
| 2003-230630 | Aug 2003 | JP |
| 2010-155081 | Jul 2010 | JP |
| WO 9634652 | Nov 1996 | WO |
| WO 2007130720 | Nov 2007 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| Partial European Search Report dated Jun. 25, 2012 for EP 11196031.6 (6 pages). |
| Extended European Search Report dated Sep. 17, 2012 for EP 11196031.6 (12 pages). |
| Extended European Search Report dated Feb. 14, 2012 for EP 11191759 (3 pages). |
| JP Patent Office Notification of Refusal dated Nov. 17, 2015, issued in JP application No. 2011-264494 (English translation) 5 pages. |
| Extended European Search Report dated Feb. 14, 2023 for EP 11191759 ( 6 pages). |
| CN Patent Office Notification—Translation of First Office action, dated Nov. 27, 2014, issued for CN Application No. 201110411390.8, 4 pages. |
| CA Patent Office Notification—Office action, dated Jan. 19, 2019, issued in CA Application No. 2,760,311, 4 pages. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20220118224 A1 | Apr 2022 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16375035 | Apr 2019 | US |
| Child | 17567732 | US | |
| Parent | 15627260 | Jun 2017 | US |
| Child | 16375035 | US | |
| Parent | 14981353 | Dec 2015 | US |
| Child | 15627260 | US | |
| Parent | 14101300 | Dec 2013 | US |
| Child | 14981353 | US | |
| Parent | 12960286 | Dec 2010 | US |
| Child | 14101300 | US |
