Drive assembly for use in a robotic control and guidance system

Abstract

A drive assembly for use in a robotic control and guidance system comprises a cartridge having an outer housing and a rotatable medical device assembly disposed therein. The rotatable assembly includes a medical device having proximal and distal ends, and a housing having first and second ends, and a longitudinal axis extending therethrough. The proximal end of the medical device is disposed within the housing, and the housing further comprises an opening through which the medical device extends outwardly from said housing. The rotatable assembly further comprises a drive interface coupled with the housing. The drive assembly further comprises a manipulation base comprising a mounting plate onto which the cartridge is removably attached, and a drive system mounted to the mounting plate. The drive system is configured to operatively engage the cartridge drive interface and to impart rotational movement onto the rotatable assembly through the drive interface.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A manipulation base for use with a medical device cartridge in a robotically controlled medical device guidance system, comprising:
 a mounting plate configured to have a medical device cartridge removably attached thereto and defining a longitudinal axis; and   a drive system mounted to said mounting plate, wherein said drive system comprises a rotary actuator and is configured to operatively engage a drive interface of said cartridge and to impart rotational movement onto said drive interface of said cartridge.   
     
     
         12 . The manipulation base of  claim 11 , wherein said drive system is a first drive system and said drive interface of said cartridge is a first drive interface, said manipulation base further including a second drive system mounted to said mounting plate, wherein said second drive system comprises an electromechanical device and is configured to operatively engage a second drive interface of said cartridge and to impart translational movement onto said second drive interface. 
     
     
         13 . The manipulation base of  claim 12  wherein said electromechanical device of said second drive system comprises a motor and one of a motor-driven ball screw and a motor-driven lead screw. 
     
     
         14 . The manipulation base of  claim 12  wherein and said second drive system further comprises a driven member configured to operatively engage said second drive interface of said cartridge and to be driven by electromechanical device. 
     
     
         15 . The manipulation base of  claim 14  wherein said drive system further comprises a force sensor, said force sensor configured for mechanically isolated sensing of the force applied by said second drive system onto said second drive interface 
     
     
         16 . The manipulation base of  claim 15 , wherein said driven member of said second drive system is coupled to said electromechanical device by said force sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The manipulation base of  claim 15 , wherein said force sensor comprises one of a strain gauge and a motor current sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The manipulation base of  claim 14  wherein said driven member is a drive fork. 
     
     
         19 . The manipulation base of  claim 14  wherein said driven member comprises a roller disposed therein, said roller configured to operatively engage said second drive interface of said cartridge to facilitate rotation of said second drive interface. 
     
     
         20 . The manipulation base of  claim 14  further comprising a bearing block associated with said driven member and a bearing rail, said bearing block configured to travel along said bearing rail as said driven member is driven by said electromechanical device. 
     
     
         21 . The manipulation base of  claim 11  further comprising a commutator mounted on said mounting plate, said commutator having a first electrical connector configured to be electrically connected to an electrical port of said cartridge to thereby electrically connect said commutator to at least one sensor of said elongate medical device electrically connected to said electrical port, said commutator further having a second electrical connector configured for coupling with a complementary electrical connector of an electrical cable. 
     
     
         22 . The manipulation base of  claim 11  wherein said rotary actuator comprises a motor, and said drive system further comprises one of a motor-driven friction interface and a motor-driven gear arrangement. 
     
     
         23 . A drive assembly for use in a robotically controlled medical device guidance system, comprising:
 a medical device cartridge including an outer housing and a rotatable medical device assembly disposed within said outer housing, said rotatable medical device assembly comprising:
 an elongate medical device having a proximal end and a distal end; 
 a housing having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, wherein said proximal end of said elongate medical device is disposed within said housing and said housing further comprises an opening disposed in said first end thereof through which said elongate medical device extends outwardly from said housing in an axial direction relative to said longitudinal axis; 
 and a drive interface coupled with said housing of said rotatable medical device assembly; and 
   a manipulation base, said manipulation base comprising a mounting plate onto which said medical device cartridge is removably attached, and a drive system mounted to said mounting plate, wherein said drive system comprises a rotary actuator and is configured to operatively engage said drive interface of said cartridge and to impart rotational movement onto said rotatable medical device assembly through said drive interface.   
     
     
         24 . The assembly of  claim 23  further comprising a sterile barrier disposed between said cartridge and said manipulation base. 
     
     
         25 . The assembly of  claim 23  wherein:
 said cartridge has an electrical port disposed in said housing of said rotatable medical device assembly, said electrical port having a first end configured to be electrically coupled with a lead wire of a sensor associated with said elongate medical device, and a second end disposed external to said housing; and 
 said manipulation base comprises a commutator mounted on said mounting plate thereof proximate said cartridge, said commutator having a first electrical connector electrically coupled to said second end of said electrical port of said cartridge, and a second electrical connector configured for coupling with a complementary electrical connector of an electrical cable. 
 
     
     
         26 . A rotatable medical device assembly for use in a medical device cartridge of a robotically controlled medical device guidance system, comprising:
 an elongate medical device having a proximal end and a distal end;   a housing having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, wherein said proximal end of said elongate medical device is disposed within said housing and said housing further comprises an opening disposed in said first end thereof through which said elongate medical device extends outwardly from said housing in an axial direction relative to said longitudinal axis; and   a drive interface coupled with said housing and configured to be operatively engaged with a drive system of a manipulation base to impart rotational movement onto said rotatable medical device assembly about said longitudinal axis of said housing.   
     
     
         27 . The assembly of  claim 26  further comprising an anchor member disposed within said housing and rigidly coupled with said proximal end of said elongate medical device. 
     
     
         28 . The assembly of  claim 26  further comprising an electrical port disposed in said housing, said port having a first end and a second end, said first end configured to be electrically coupled with a lead wire of a sensor associated with said elongate medical device, said second end disposed external to said housing and configured to be electrically coupled with a complementary electrical connector. 
     
     
         29 . The assembly of  claim 26 , wherein said drive interface is a first drive interface configured to be operatively engaged with a first drive system of said manipulation base, and said elongated medical device comprises at least one steering wire, said assembly further comprising:
 a control member disposed within said housing and rigidly coupled with a said steering wire of said elongate medical device, said control member configured for translational movement relative to said longitudinal axis; and   a second drive interface coupled with said control member and configured to be operatively engaged with a second drive system of said manipulation base to impart translational movement onto said control member.   
     
     
         30 . The assembly of  claim 29  wherein said housing includes an axially extending slot therein, and said control member includes a pin extending therefrom in a radial direction relative to said longitudinal axis of said housing, and further wherein said pin is disposed and configured for travel within said slot in an axial direction relative to said longitudinal axis, and said second drive interface is coupled with said pin. 
     
     
         31 - 32 . (canceled)