Patent ID: 8603068

Claim:
A drive mechanism for controlling a first elongated medical implement having a control element secured to a bendable segment thereof, comprising: a plurality of motors; a first pulley mechanically coupled to a first motor of the plurality of motors; a second pulley; a first connector mechanically coupled to the second pulley, the first connector defining first inner space for laterally receiving the first elongated medical implement; a first belt wrapped around the first and second pulleys such that the belt extends around the first connector and around the first elongated medical implement positioned in the first connector to transmit force from the first motor to the first connector so that operation of the first motor causes controllable rotation of the first elongated medical implement; a second motor of the plurality of motors configured for operatively coupling to the control element so that operation of the second motor causes controllable bending of the first elongated medical implement, the first motor, the first pulley, the second pulley, the first connector and the first belt being collectively linearly translatable by actuation of a third motor of the plurality of motors such that the first elongated medical implement is controllable with at least three degrees of freedom.