Thumbwheel actuated vascular intervention device delivery system

1. A vascular intervention device delivery system comprising:

a handle;

a thumbwheel rotatably mounted in the handle and having a spool and a radially outward thumb surface;

a catheter with a proximal end attached to the handle, and a distal carrier segment for mounting a vascular intervention device thereon;

a retractable sheath movable from a first position covering the distal carrier segment to a second position retracted proximally uncovering the distal carrier segment; and

a pull extending between the thumbwheel and the retractable sheath, and the pull having a cross sectional shape with a concave side that is opposite to a convex side, both of which are flanked by rounded edges;

an idler wheel rotatably mounted in the handle at a location proximal to the thumbwheel; and

wherein the pull wraps around the idler wheel to return in a direction for being wound onto the spool of the thumbwheel.

2. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 1 wherein one of the convex side and the concave side of the pull is in contact with the idler wheel; and

an other of the convex side and the concave side of the pull is in contact with the spool.

3. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 2 wherein the idler wheel defines a perimeter notch;

a pin movably mounted in the handle, and being movable between a first position and a second position;

wherein the pin is received in the perimeter notch to block rotation of the idler wheel in the first position, but being outside the perimeter notch to permit rotation of the idler wheel at the second position.

4. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 3 wherein the pin has a knurled surface in contact with the pull in the first position; and

the knurled surface is out of contact with the pull in the second position.

5. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 4 including a lock slidably positioned in the handle, and being movable between a locked position in contact with the thumbwheel and an unlocked position out of contact with the thumbwheel;

the pin is attached to move with the lock.

6. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 1 wherein the thumbwheel includes a radially inward oriented ratchet surface of a ratchet;

a ratchet pawl of the ratchet being mounted in the handle and having a catch in contact with the ratchet surface; and

the ratchet locking the thumbwheel against rotation in a forward direction, and the retractable sheath moving responsive to rotation of the thumbwheel in a reverse direction.

7. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 6 wherein the idler wheel defines a perimeter notch;

a pin movably mounted in the handle, and being movable between a first position and a second position;

wherein the pin is received in the perimeter notch to block rotation of the idler wheel in the first position, but being outside the perimeter notch to permit rotation of the idler wheel at the second position.

8. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 7 including a lock slidably positioned in the handle, and being movable between a locked position in contact with the thumbwheel and an unlocked position out of contact with the thumbwheel; and

the pin is attached to move with the lock;

wherein the pin is in contact with the pull in the first position; and

the pin is out of contact with the pull in the second position.

9. A vascular intervention device delivery system comprising:

a handle;

a thumbwheel rotatably mounted in the handle and having a spool and a radially outward thumb surface;

a catheter with a proximal end attached to the handle, and a distal carrier segment for mounting a vascular intervention device thereon;

a retractable sheath movable from a first position covering the distal carrier segment to a second position retracted proximally uncovering the distal carrier segment; and

a pull extending between the thumbwheel and the retractable sheath;

an idler wheel rotatably mounted in the handle at a location proximal to the thumbwheel, and the idler wheel defines a perimeter notch;

a pin movably mounted in the handle, and being movable between a first position at which the pin is received in the perimeter notch to block rotation of the idler wheel, and a second position outside the perimeter notch to permit rotation of the idler wheel; and

wherein the pull wraps around the idler wheel to return in a direction for being wound onto the spool of the thumbwheel.

10. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 9 including a lock slidably positioned in the handle, and being movable between a locked position in contact with the thumbwheel and an unlocked position out of contact with the thumbwheel; and

the pin is attached to move with the lock.

11. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 10 wherein the pin is in contact with the pull in the first position; and

the pin is out of contact with the pull in the second position.

12. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 11 including a stability sheath;

the pull is positioned between the catheter and the stability sheath, and the pull has a cross sectional shape with a convex side in contact with the stability sheath and a concave side.

13. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 12 wherein the pull is a metallic band with a curved cross section.

14. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 9 wherein the thumbwheel includes a radially inward ratchet surface of a ratchet;

a ratchet pawl of the ratchet being mounted in the handle and having a catch in contact with the ratchet surface; and

the ratchet locking the thumbwheel against rotation in a forward direction, and the retractable sheath moving responsive to rotation of the thumbwheel in a reverse direction.

15. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 14 including a stability sheath;

the pull is positioned between the catheter and the stability sheath, and the pull has a cross sectional shape with a convex side in contact with the stability sheath and a concave side;

wherein the pull is a metallic band with a curved cross section.

16. The vascular intervention device delivery system of claim 15 including a lock slidably positioned in the handle, and being movable between a locked position in contact with the thumbwheel and an unlocked position out of contact with the thumbwheel;

the pin is attached to move with the lock;

wherein the pin has a knurled surface in contact with the pull in the first position; and

the knurled surface is out of contact with the pull in the second position.

17. A method of operating a vascular intervention device delivery system that includes a thumbwheel rotatably mounted in the handle and having a radially outward thumb surface; a catheter with a proximal end attached to the handle, and a distal carrier segment for mounting a vascular intervention device thereon; a retractable sheath movable from a first position covering the distal carrier segment, and a second position retracted proximally uncovering the distal carrier segment; a pull extending between the thumbwheel and the retractable sheath; an idler wheel rotatably mounted in the handle at a location proximal to the thumbwheel, and the idler wheel defines a perimeter notch; a pin movably mounted in the handle, and being movable between a first position at which the pin is received in the perimeter notch to block rotation of the idler wheel, and a second position outside the perimeter notch to permit rotation of the idler wheel, wherein the pull wraps around the idler wheel to return in a direction for being wound onto the spool of the thumbwheel, and the method comprising the steps of:

inhibiting movement of the retractable sheath toward the second position while a distal carrier segment of the vascular intervention device delivery system is being maneuvered to a delivery site at least in part by contacting the pull with a pin mounted in the handle;

moving the pin out of contact with the pull when the distal end arrives at the delivery site;

moving the retractable sheath from the first position to the second position responsive to rotation of the thumbwheel in a reverse direction.

18. The method of claim 17 including blocking rotation of the idler wheel during the inhibiting step at least in part by receiving the pin in a notch defined by the idler wheel; and

wherein the step of moving the pin includes moving the pin out of the notch to enable rotation of the idler wheel.

19. The method of claim 18 including contacting one of the convex side and the concave side of the pull with the idler wheel; and

contacting an other of the convex side and the concave side of the pull with the spool.

20. The method of claim 19 including rotating the thumbwheel in the reverse direction to build up tension in the pull without moving the retractable sheath relative to the distal carrier segment of the catheter;

pausing rotation of the thumbwheel in the reverse direction;

maintaining tension in the pull by locking a ratchet and preventing rotation of the thumbwheel in the forward direction.