Patent ID: 7998020
Filing Date: 2011-08-16
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for selectively advancing and/or rotating an elongate device, comprising: a carrier mounted for rotation about a primary axis; a pair of opposed rollers on the carrier adapted to receive and engage an elongate device between them, and drive the device in a direction along the primary axis; a drive bevel gear disposed on the carrier and coupled to a drive mechanism for driving at least one of the pair of opposed rollers on the carrier such that rotation of the drive bevel advances or retracts the elongate device; a first ring gear for selectively rotating a bevel gear engaged with the drive bevel gear on the carrier in first or second directions to advance or retract an elongate device engaged by the pair of opposed rollers; a second ring gear for selectively rotating the carrier in first and second directions to rotate an elongate device engaged by the pair of opposed rollers; wherein rotation of only the first ring gear rotates the drive bevel gear to advance or retract an elongate device engaged by the pair of opposed rollers, rotation of only the second ring gear rotates the carrier and causes the drive bevel gear to rotate relative to the bevel gear to simultaneously rotate an elongate device engaged by the pair of rollers and advance or retract the elongate device, and coordinated rotation of the first and second ring gears rotates the carrier to rotate an elongate device engaged by the pair of opposed rollers without advancing or retracting the elongate device; and a drive shaft having a plurality of drive gears, the drive shaft being moveable among: a first position in which one of the plurality of drive gears engages only the first ring gear to rotate only the first ring gear, to turn the bevel drive gear and advance and retract an elongate device engaged by the pair of opposed rollers; a second position in which one of the plurality of drive gears engages only the second ring gear to rotate only the second ring gear, to rotate the carrier to both rotate an elongated device engaged by the pair of opposed rollers, and move the drive bevel gear relative to the first ring gear to advance or retract the elongate device; and a third position in which one of the plurality of drive gears engages the first ring gear and another of the plurality of drive dears engages the second ring gear to simultaneously rotate the first and second ring, to rotate the carrier to both rotate an elongated device engaged by the pair of opposed rollers and move the first ring gear relative to the moving drive bevel gear so that the elongated device is not advanced or retracted as it rotates.