Endoscope Instrumentation Drive System

Abstract

An instrument drive system for advancing, controlling, and removing an instrument from an endoscope assembly. The instrument drive system comprises two drive wheels, a working channel, a body, and a drive gap. The two drive wheels comprise a first drive wheel, and a second drive wheel. The instrument drive system is configured to receive a portion of the instrument in the working channel, direct a portion of the instrument between the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel, drive the instrument through an instrument channel of the endoscope assembly, and selectively slow or reverse turning of the two drive wheels.

1 . instrument drive system for advancing, controlling, and removing an instrument from an endoscope assembly, wherein:
 said instrument drive system comprises two drive wheels, a working channel, a body, and a drive gap;   said two drive wheels comprise a first drive wheel, and a second drive wheel;   said instrument drive system is configured to
 receive a portion of said instrument in said working channel, 
 direct a portion of said instrument between said first drive wheel and said second drive wheel, 
 drive said instrument through an instrument channel of said endoscope assembly, and 
 selectively slow or reverse turning of said two drive wheels . 
   
     
     
         2 . The instrument drive system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said instrument comprises cameras, catheters, snare, forceps, or similar instruments as used in the medical industry.   
     
     
         3 . The instrument drive system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said instrument channel comprises a channel for inserting said instrument into and through a flexible shaft.   
     
     
         4 . The instrument drive system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 said working channel is configured to receive and release a portion of said instrument.   
     
     
         5 . The instrument drive system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 said instrument drive system comprises a female locking coupling for mounting to a male locking coupling of said instrument channel.   
     
     
         6 . The instrument drive system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 said female locking coupling comprises A port gasket that is configured to form a hermetic seal between said female locking coupling and said male locking coupling of said instrument channel.   
     
     
         7 . The instrument drive system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 said female locking coupling comprises A shaft gasket that is configured to form a hermetic seal between said female locking coupling and a shaft.   
     
     
         8 . The instrument drive system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 said female locking coupling comprises said port gasket that is configured to form a hermetic seal between said female locking coupling and said male locking coupling of said instrument channel; and   said female locking coupling comprises said shaft gasket that is configured to form a hermetic seal between said female locking coupling and said shaft.   
     
     
         9 . The instrument drive system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said instrument drive system comprises a drive wheels assembly; and   said drive wheels assembly is removeable, rechargeable and adjustable.   
     
     
         10 . The instrument drive system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 said drive wheels assembly is located inside of said body and under A cover; and   said cover is clear and removeable to monitor the status of said shaft, said two drive wheels, said working channel, and said drive gap.   
     
     
         11 . The instrument drive system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said drive wheels assembly further comprises An adjustable tensioner;   said adjustable tensioner is configured to allow for fine tuning of instrumentation feed speed;   said drive wheels assembly further comprises and a clutch-brake assembly;   said clutch-brake assembly is configured to allow for decoupling of a motor drive and/or a brake;   said drive wheels assembly further comprises a battery for operating said two drive wheels;   said drive wheels assembly further comprises one or more direction buttons; and   said one or more direction buttons comprise a forward direction button and a reverse direction button, and are used to switch the polarity of said motor drive for insertion/removal of said instrument.   
     
     
         12 . The instrument drive system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said drive wheels assembly further comprises said adjustable tensioner; and   said adjustable tensioner is configured to allow for fine tuning of instrumentation feed speed.   
     
     
         13 . The instrument drive system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said drive wheels assembly further comprises and said clutch-brake assembly; and   said clutch-brake assembly is configured to allow for decoupling of said motor drive and/or said brake.   
     
     
         14 . The instrument drive system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said instrument drive system comprises A control knob rotatably mounted to said body;   said control knob is used to switch the polarity of said motor drive for insertion/removal of said instrument;   said control knob is configured to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise with respect to a control axis to switch the polarity;   said control knob is configured to further control the desired speed of insertion/removal of said instrument; and   the speed of insertion/removal is linearly or non-linearly related to the angle of rotation of said control knob.   
     
     
         15 . The instrument drive system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said drive gap is adjustable to One or more widths to accommodate different diameters for said instrument.   
     
     
         16 . The instrument drive system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said instrument drive system is configured to further comprise a battery level monitor and a display/indicator light;   said instrument drive system is configured to monitor the status of said battery, and indicate   a healthy battery with a first signal on said display/indicator light or   an unhealthy battery with a second signal said display/indicator light); and   Said instrument drive system is configured to display characters, symbols and animations representative of the various alarms and modes of operation of said instrument drive system on said display/indicator light.   
     
     
         17 . The instrument drive system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 said instrument drive system comprises A rotary position sensor; and   a controller is configured to monitor a signal from said rotary position sensor indicating rotational speed of said two drive wheels.   
     
     
         18 . The instrument drive system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said instrument drive system further comprises A plurality of optical signatures;   said plurality of optical signatures comprises a first optical signature at a distal end of said instrument and a second optical signature at a proximal end of said instrument; and   said plurality of optical signatures comprises optically unique signature at both ends of said instrument.   
     
     
         19 . The instrument drive system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said instrument drive system further comprises said plurality of optical signatures;   said plurality of optical signatures are arranged along a length of said instrument at pre-determined distances from one another;   Said controller is configured to read said plurality of optical signatures and determine a current location between said distal end and said proximal end;   said plurality of optical signatures are sensed by an optical sensor, and said controller;   said controller is programmed to alter a speed, direction or other setting of said drive wheels assembly upon receiving a signal related to said plurality of optical signatures;   said controller is configured to cause said two drive wheels to disengage or decouple or otherwise engage said clutch-brake assembly and/or said brake in order to slow/stop movement of said instrument; and   said controller is configured to cause the system to reverse movement of said instrument for safety.   
     
     
         20 . The instrument drive system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 said plurality of optical signatures are configured to further contain groups of optical bands of varying lengths and spacings that is configured to encode information about said instrument such as the length of said instrument and the outer diameter of said shaft.   
     
     
         21 . The instrument drive system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said instrument drive system further comprises said first optical signature at either said proximal end or said distal end of said instrument.   
     
     
         22 . The instrument drive system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said controller is configured to contain memory that is configured to store data associated with the use of said instrument drive system; and   Such data is configured to include temperature, number of co-processing cycles, number of charging cycles of said battery, number of manipulations of said instrument, alarms and other data, as is known in the art.