STEREOTACTIC DRIVE SYSTEM

• US 20100042112A1
• Filed: 08/13/2009
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monteris Medical Incorporated (Monteris Medical US, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Monteris Medical Incorporated (Monteris Medical US, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fernandes, Luis Filipe Silva, Qureshi, Salman, Grant, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,728,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3403 Needle locating or guiding means guides for suture needles A61B17/0482; guiding or tracking by nuclear magnetic resonance G01R33/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3409 including needle or instrument drives
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/10 Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles G05G1/085 takes precedence

Abstract

A drive system for controlling movement of an elongate member includes a base unit having a first rotatable knob and a second rotatable knob, a follower assembly including a follower slidably coupled to a guide rail, a longitudinal movement wire, and a rotational movement wire. The follower includes a longitudinal movement pulley, a rotational movement pulley, and an alignment element structured to receive an elongate member such that the elongate member is attachable thereto. The longitudinal movement wire operably couples the first rotatable knob to the longitudinal movement pulley such that rotation of the first knob drives the follower in a longitudinal direction along the guide rail. The rotational movement wire operably couples the second rotatable knob to the rotational movement pulley such that rotation of the second knob rotates the alignment element and attached elongate member.

Claims

1. A drive system for controlling movement of an elongate member comprising:

a base unit having a first rotatable knob and a second rotatable knob;

a follower assembly including a follower slidably coupled to a guide rail, wherein the follower includes a longitudinal movement pulley, a rotational movement pulley, and an alignment element structured to receive an elongate member such that the elongate member is attachable thereto;

a longitudinal movement wire operably coupling the first rotatable knob to the longitudinal movement pulley such that rotation of the first knob drives the follower in a longitudinal direction along the guide rail; and

a rotational movement wire operably coupling the second rotatable knob to the rotational movement pulley such that rotation of the second knob rotates the alignment element and attached elongate member.

2. The drive system of claim 1, wherein the first knob is operably coupled to a first drive spool shaft and the second knob is operably coupled to a second drive spool shaft.

3. The drive system of claim 2, wherein the longitudinal movement wire operably couples the first drive spool shaft to the longitudinal movement pulley and the rotational movement wire operably couples the second drive spool shaft to the rotational movement pulley, wherein rotation of the second knob effects longitudinal movement of the rotational movement wire causing rotational movement of the alignment element.

4. The drive system of claim 2, wherein the base unit further comprises:

a first internal knob having a first knob gear, wherein the first internal knob operably couples the first rotatable knob to the first drive spool shaft; and

a second internal knob having a second knob gear, wherein the second internal knob operably couples the second rotatable knob to the second drive spool shaft.

5. The drive system of claim 4, wherein the first internal knob further comprises a first knob gear having a plurality of knob gear teeth.

6. The drive system of claim 5, wherein the first drive spool shaft includes an end portion that is generally square in cross-section.

7. The drive system of claim 6, wherein the first knob gear of the first internal knob includes an aperture structured to receive the generally square in cross-section end portion of the first drive spool shaft.

8. The drive system of claim 5, further comprising a locking device coupled to the base unit, the locking device having a plurality of locking teeth engageable with the plurality of knob gear teeth when the first rotatable knob is in a locked position.

9. The drive system of claim 2, wherein the first drive spool shaft comprises a first spool structured to receive a first end of the longitudinal movement wire and a second spool structured to receive a second end of the longitudinal movement wire.

10. The drive system of claim 9, wherein the second drive spool shaft comprises a first spool structured to receive a first end of the rotational movement wire and a second spool structured to receive a second end of the rotational movement wire.

11. The drive system of claim 1, wherein the follower further comprises one or more idler pulley members positioned adjacent the rotational movement pulley for engaging the rotational movement wire.

12. The drive system of claim 1, wherein the follower assembly further comprises:

a follow gear coupled to the longitudinal movement pulley and including a plurality of gear teeth; and

a gear track having a plurality of gear track teeth structured to engage the gear teeth of the follower gear.

13. The drive system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first pair of wire sheaths extending between the base unit and the follower assembly and structured to receive the longitudinal movement wire therein; and

a second pair of wire sheaths extending between the base unit and the follower assembly and structured to receive the rotational movement wire therein.

14. The drive system of claim 13, further comprising:

a first tension block assembly attachable to the first pair of wire sheaths; and

a second tension block assembly attachable to the second pair of wire sheaths.

15. The drive system of claim 1, wherein the follower assembly further comprises a follower gear coupled to the longitudinal movement pulley and moveable along a gear track in order to drive the follower in the longitudinal direction along the guide rail.

16. A method for controlling movement of an elongate member comprising:

providing a drive system comprising;

a base unit having a first rotatable knob and a second rotatable knob;

a follower assembly including a follower slidably coupled to a guide rail, wherein the follower includes a longitudinal movement pulley, a rotational movement pulley, and an alignment element structured to receive an elongate member such that the elongate member is attachable thereto;

a longitudinal movement wire operably coupling the first rotatable knob to the longitudinal movement pulley; and

a rotational movement wire operably coupling the second rotatable knob to the rotational movement pulley;

rotating the first rotatable knob to drive the follower in a longitudinal direction along the guide rail; and

rotating the second rotatable knob to rotate the alignment element and attached elongate member.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the follower assembly further comprises:

a follow gear coupled to the longitudinal movement pulley and including a plurality of gear teeth; and

a gear track having a plurality of gear track teeth structured to engage the gear teeth of the follower gear.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first knob is operably coupled to a first drive spool shaft and the second knob is operably coupled to a second drive spool shaft.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the longitudinal movement wire operably couples the first drive spool shaft to the longitudinal movement pulley and the rotational movement wire operably couples the second drive spool shaft to the rotational movement pulley, wherein rotation of the second knob effects longitudinal movement of the rotational movement wire causing rotational movement of the alignment element.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of moving the first rotatable knob from a locked position to an unlocked position prior to rotating the knob to drive the follower along the guide rail.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of moving the second rotatable knob from a locked position to an unlocked position prior to rotating the knob to rotate the alignment element and attached elongate member.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first and second rotatable knobs each include a plurality of knob gear teeth structured to engage a corresponding plurality of locking teeth of the base unit when the knobs are in the locked positions.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first and second rotatable knobs may be moved from the locked positions to the unlocked positions by applying a substantially axial force to the knobs.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the knob gear teeth of the first and second rotatable knobs are disengaged from the corresponding locking teeth when the knobs are moved to the unlocked positions.