ROTATIONAL ATHERECTOMY DEVICE WITH EXCHANGEABLE DRIVE SHAFT AND MESHING GEARS

摘要

An atherectomy device with an exchangeable drive shaft is disclosed, having a drive shaft gear at a distal end of the exchangeable drive shaft for meshing engagement with a prime mover gear on the output shaft of the prime mover. The exchangeable drive shaft is inserted into an opening at the distal end of the handle housing and moved axially in a proximal direction. Surface features on at least the prime mover housing and the engageable drive shaft help to align the drive shaft gear with the prime mover gear for meshing engagement.

主权项

1. A device, comprising:
an exchangeable drive shaft cartridge, comprising:
a gear engagement assembly comprising a drive shaft gear; anda nosecone; a handle, comprising:
a distal section comprising a channel extending proximally from an opening in a distal end of the handle; andan elongated hollow intermediate section extending proximally from the distal section, wherein an interior of the intermediate section is continuous with the channel in the distal section and with a longitudinally extending slot through a side of the intermediate section; a prime mover carriage disposed within the interior of the intermediate section, the prime mover carriage comprising:
a prime mover; anda prime mover gear fixedly attached to a shaft of the prime mover; at least one alignment element configured for aligning the prime mover gear and the drive shaft gear with each other when the gear engagement assembly is inserted through the opening in the distal section of the handle into the interior of the intermediate section; at least one biasing element configured for:
removably meshing the prime mover gear and the drive shaft gear with each other when the gears are juxtaposed; andremovably attaching the prime mover carriage and the gear engagement assembly to each other; and a self-releasing locking mechanism configured for:
retaining the prime mover carriage at a distal end of the intermediate section when:
the prime mover gear and the drive shaft gear are un-meshed; andthe prime mover carriage and the gear engagement assembly are detached from each other; andreleasing the prime mover carriage from the distal end of the intermediate section when:
the prime mover gear and the drive shaft gear are removably meshed with each other; andthe prime mover carriage and the gear engagement assembly are removably attached to each other.