Rotational drive apparatus with ratcheting mechanism
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10352411-B2
Publication Date
2019-07-16
Expiration Date
Abstract
A hand-held, hand-operated apparatus for rotating, or spinning, rotatably oscillating and/or inducing back and forth longitudinal movement in a device, such as an elongated medical device. A drive shaft of the hand-held, hand-operated rotational drive apparatus includes a ratcheting mechanism capable of enabling oscillating (repeated forward and reverse) rotation of a device that has been coupled thereto when there is little or no resistance on the rotated device, and of enabling an actuator to return to a position that will enable further forward, or driving, rotation of the drive shaft and the rotated device when resistance on the rotated device prevents the rotated device and the drive shaft from rotating in a reverse direction.
Core Innovation
The invention is directed to a manually operable rooter that includes a rotatable element and an actuator for causing the rotatable element to rotate. The actuator includes a distal member that slides over the rotatable element without driving rotation of the rotatable element, where the distal member has engagement features on a proximal side, and a proximal member that drives rotation of the rotatable element in a first direction and has engagement features on a distal side.
The core mechanism is a cooperative engagement arrangement between the distal and proximal members. The engagement features of the distal member engage the engagement features of the proximal member as the distal member is forced proximally to hold the proximal member rotationally stationary and enable the proximal member to engage the rotatable element to drive rotation in the first direction. When the rotatable element is capable of rotating in a second direction opposite from the first direction, the engagement features of the proximal member engage the engagement features of the distal member so that the proximal member is held rotationally stationary relative to the rotatable element, enabling movement of the proximal member distally along the rotatable element to drive rotation in the second direction.
When the rotatable element is not capable of rotating in the second direction, the engagement features of the proximal member disengage the engagement features of the distal member to enable the proximal member to rotate about the rotatable element as the proximal member moves distally along the rotatable element. The rooter further includes a moveable element of a handle coupled to the distal member and capable of forcing the distal member proximally over the rotatable element to drive rotation in the first direction while holding the proximal member rotationally stationary, and a biasing member biases the proximal member distally.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims, a device/rooter claim and a method claim. Across them, the claims emphasize at least two main inventive features: cooperating proximal/distal engagement features that lock and unlock depending on the rotatable element’s ability to rotate in opposite directions, and a handle-driven forcing and release sequence that maintains or changes actuator engagement to drive rotation of an elongated medical device.
Cooperating distal and proximal actuator members that ratchet rotation based on rotational resistance
A distal member slides over the rotatable element without driving rotation and includes engagement features; a proximal member drives rotation in a first direction and includes engagement features such that the distal and proximal engagement features engage to hold the proximal member rotationally stationary to drive rotation in the first direction, then engage in a second direction by holding the proximal member rotationally stationary relative to the rotatable element to enable movement distally to drive rotation in the second direction, and disengage when the rotatable element is not capable of rotating in the second direction to enable the proximal member to rotate about the rotatable element as the proximal member moves distally.
Handle-forced proximal member engagement with biasing to enable repeatable engagement behavior
A moveable element of a handle coupled to the distal member is capable of forcing the distal member proximally over the rotatable element to cause engagement of the distal member engagement features with the proximal member engagement features to hold the proximal member rotationally stationary while forcing the proximal member proximally over the rotatable element to drive rotation of the rotatable element in the first direction, and a biasing member biases the proximal member distally.
Method maintaining or changing engagement depending on whether the elongated medical device can rotate in an opposite direction
Securing a proximal end of the elongated medical device to a coupling element of a manually operable rooter; forcing the distal member proximally over a rotatable element without allowing the distal member to rotate about the rotatable element and without the distal member rotationally driving the rotatable element; causing the distal member to engage the proximal member to prevent the proximal member from rotating relative to the rotatable element and to enable the proximal member to engage the rotatable element to drive rotation of the rotatable element and rotate the elongated medical device in a first rotational direction; releasing a proximally oriented force on the distal member; applying a distally oriented force to the proximal member; and upon releasing the proximally oriented force, maintaining engagement between the proximal and distal actuator members if the elongated medical device can rotate in a second rotational direction opposite from the first rotational direction so as to hold the proximal member rotationally stationary relative to the rotatable element and cause the proximal member to drive rotation in the second rotational direction.
Overall, the independent claims cover an actuator system that uses cooperating proximal and distal engagement features to selectively hold a proximal member rotationally stationary to ratchet a rotatable element in a first direction and to drive rotation in a second opposite direction when possible, while disengaging when rotational resistance prevents rotation in the second direction. The method claim additionally specifies forcing, releasing, and applying forces so that actuator engagement is maintained or changed based on whether the elongated medical device can rotate in the opposite rotational direction.
Stated Advantages
Enables driving rotation of the rotatable element in a first rotational direction while holding the proximal member rotationally stationary during the forced proximally action.
Enables driving rotation of the rotatable element in a second rotational direction opposite from the first direction when the elongated medical device can rotate in that second direction.
Enables disengagement when the rotatable element is not capable of rotating in the second direction, allowing the proximal member to rotate about the rotatable element as the proximal member moves distally.
Documented Applications
Rotating an elongated medical device using a manually operable rooter with a coupling element.
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