Rotate-to-Advance Catheterization System

摘要

An apparatus for accessing a bodily passageway includes: an endoscope including an insertion portion configured to inserted into the bodily passageway; a drive tube including a lumen configured to receive the endoscope; a helically-wound thread disposed on an outer wall of the drive tube and configured such that rotation of the drive tube causes the drive tube with the endoscope to move along the passageway; a flexible drive shaft configured to transfer rotary motion generated by a power supply; and a rotatable drive collar disposed on the endoscope and configured to rotate the drive tube relative to the endoscope, the rotatable drive collar including a stator, a rotor rotatable over the stator and detachably coupled to the drive tube, a rotary gear configured to transfer the rotary motion from the flexible drive shaft to the rotor to rotate the drive tube, and a watertight seal disposed between the stator and the rotor.

主权项

1. A drive assembly comprising:
an inner rotor disposed in an apparatus; a watertight cover being configured to cover an outer surface of the inner rotor such that the watertight cover separates inside and outside of the apparatus, the inner rotor being configured to contact with an interior surface of the watertight cover, wherein one or more projections are configured to form on an outer surface of the watertight cover; and an outer rotor being configured to engage with the one or more projections such that rotary motion of the inner rotor is transferred to the outer rotor across the one or more projections, wherein the rotary motion transferred across the one or more projections causes the outer rotor to rotate.