Force limiting handle assembly and heart catheter based delivery

1. A handle assembly for a structural heart catheter based delivery system, comprising:

an actuation mechanism connectable to a delivery member and adapted to move the delivery member along a longitudinal axis;

a wheel element; and

a force limiting coupling unit attaching the wheel element to the actuation mechanism, the force limiting coupling unit disengaging the wheel element from the actuation mechanism if a mechanical force applied to the wheel element exceeds a threshold value, the force limiting coupling unit has a ball that engages a recess as long as the mechanical force does not exceed the threshold value.

2. The handle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the force limiting coupling unit has a ball plunger, the ball plunger having a body and the ball spring-loaded in the body.

3. The handle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wheel element is rotatable around the longitudinal axis.

4. The handle assembly of claim 3 , wherein the force limiting coupling unit has an inner bearing element coupled to the actuation mechanism and an outer bearing element accessible by a user.

5. The handle assembly of claim 4 , wherein the outer bearing element is engaged with the inner bearing element as long as the mechanical force is below the threshold value.

6. The handle assembly of claim 5 , wherein the outer bearing element has a pair of segments that are interconnected with each other along an interface that extends along the longitudinal axis.

7. The handle assembly of claim 5 , wherein the outer bearing element has a tube shape with a pair of end faces and a plurality of balls spring-loaded along the longitudinal axis.

8. The handle assembly of claim 7 , wherein the balls protrude beyond at least one of the end faces.

9. The handle assembly of claim 8 , wherein the inner bearing element has a tube shape with a collar arranged at a peripheral end of the tube around a circumference of the tube.

10. The handle assembly of claim 9 , wherein the collar has a plurality of recesses engaging the balls.

11. The handle assembly of claim 10 , wherein the balls and the recesses are distributed equidistantly around a circumference of the at least one end face and the collar.

12. The handle assembly of claim 11 , wherein each of the balls disengages from a recess when the mechanical force exceeds the threshold value and engages with an adjacent recess.

13. The handle assembly of claim 4 , wherein the outer bearing element has a plurality of ball plungers arranged along the longitudinal axis.

14. A delivery system for intravascularly delivering replacement components, comprising:

a handle assembly including an actuation mechanism connectable to a delivery member and adapted to move the delivery member along a longitudinal axis, a wheel element, and a force limiting coupling unit attaching the wheel element to the actuation mechanism, the force limiting coupling unit disengaging the wheel element from the actuation mechanism if a mechanical force applied to the wheel element exceeds a threshold value, the force limiting coupling unit has a ball that engages a recess as long as the mechanical force does not exceed the threshold value.

15. A handle assembly for a structural heart catheter based delivery system, comprising:

an actuation mechanism connectable to a delivery member and adapted to move the delivery member along a longitudinal axis;

a wheel element rotatable around the longitudinal axis; and

a force limiting coupling unit attaching the wheel element to the actuation mechanism, the force limiting coupling unit disengaging the wheel element from the actuation mechanism if a mechanical force applied to the wheel element exceeds a threshold value, the force limiting coupling unit has an inner bearing element coupled to the actuation mechanism and an outer bearing element accessible by a user, the outer bearing element is engaged with the inner bearing element as long as the mechanical force is below the threshold value.

16. The handle assembly of claim 15 , wherein the outer bearing element has a pair of segments that are interconnected with each other along an interface that extends along the longitudinal axis.

17. The handle assembly of claim 15 , wherein the outer bearing element has a tube shape with a pair of end faces and a plurality of balls spring-loaded along the longitudinal axis.

18. The handle assembly of claim 17 , wherein the balls protrude beyond at least one of the end faces.

19. The handle assembly of claim 18 , wherein the inner bearing element has a tube shape with a collar arranged at a peripheral end of the tube around a circumference of the tube.

20. The handle assembly of claim 19 , wherein the collar has a plurality of recesses engaging the balls.

21. The handle assembly of claim 20 , wherein the balls and the recesses are distributed equidistantly around a circumference of the at least one end face and the collar.

22. The handle assembly of claim 21 , wherein each of the balls disengages from a recess when the mechanical force exceeds the threshold value and engages with an adjacent recess.