Robotized module for guiding an elongate flexible medical device
The robotized module for actuating an elongated flexible medical device comprises a pair of actuation members that are either in an actuation configuration or in a free configuration. The pair of actuation members is movable between a first position and a second position. A control member acts in repeated cyclical manner to cause the actuation member, when in the actuation configuration, to move from the first position to the second position, and when in the free configuration, to move from the second position to the first position.
1 . A robotized module for actuating an elongated flexible medical device comprising:
a base,
a pair of actuation members each having an actuation surface, the pair of actuation members being suitable for being placed alternately in an actuation configuration wherein the actuation surfaces of the actuation members of the pair of actuation members are engaged with the elongated flexible medical device to be actuated and arranged on either side thereof, and in a free configuration wherein the actuation surface of the actuation members of the pair of actuation members is not engaged with the elongated flexible medical device,
the pair of actuation devices being movably mounted with respect to the base according to a degree of freedom between a first and a second positions,
a control member suitable for controlling in a cyclically repeated manner a movement with respect to the base of the actuation members of the pair of actuation members in the actuation configuration from the first to the second position, thus actuating the elongated flexible medical device with respect to the base, and a movement with respect to the base of the actuation members of the pair of actuation members in the free configuration from the second to the first position without actuating the elongated flexible medical device with respect to the base,
wherein the movement with respect to the base of the actuation members from the first position to the second position comprises at least:
a translation of the actuation members with respect to the base along a transverse direction to the local longitudinal direction of the elongated flexible medical device and in the same direction,
wherein the degree of freedom between the first and second positions is a first degree of freedom, wherein the pair of actuation members is also movably mounted with respect to the base according to a second degree of freedom differing from the first degree of freedom between the first and a third positions,
the control member being suitable for controlling in a cyclically repeated manner a movement with respect to the base of the actuation members in the actuation configuration from the first to the third position, thus actuating the elongated flexible medical device with respect to the base, and a movement with respect to the base of the actuation members in the free configuration from the third to the first position
without actuating the elongated flexible medical device with respect to the base,
wherein the control member controls in a cyclically repeated manner a movement with respect to the base of the actuation members, so as to generate translation of the elongated flexible medical device over a stroke in the first direction along the longitudinal direction, by cyclically repeating in controlled manner the following steps:
first step: the free configuration enters the actuation configuration, by both actuation members moving in opposite directions along the transverse direction,
second step: in the actuation configuration, simultaneous movement of the actuation members is generated in the same direction along the longitudinal direction in a first direction, thereby generating an identical movement of the elongated flexible medical device,
third step: in order to pass from the actuation configuration to the free configuration, the two actuation members are caused to move in opposite directions along the transverse direction, in the direction opposite to the direction used for passing the actuation members from the free configuration to the actuation configuration,
fourth step: in the free configuration, optionally simultaneous movement in the same direction of the actuation members is generated in the longitudinal direction in a second direction opposite to the first direction, thereby not generating a movement of the elongated flexible medical device, thereby returning to the free configuration of said first step, at same location as in said first step,
and wherein the translation of the actuation members with respect to the base along the transverse direction to the local longitudinal direction of the elongated flexible medical device and in opposite directions is suitable rolling of the elongated flexible medical device on the actuation surfaces about the local longitudinal direction of the elongated flexible medical device.
2 . The robotized module according to claim 1 , wherein the movement of the actuation members from the first position to the second position with respect to the base comprises a combination of:
a translation of the actuation members with respect to the base along a parallel direction to a local longitudinal direction of the elongated flexible medical device,
and/or a translation of the actuation members with respect to the base along a transverse direction to a local longitudinal direction of the elongated flexible medical device and in opposite directions,
and/or the translation of the actuation members with respect to the base along the transverse direction to a local longitudinal direction of the elongated flexible medical device, said translation being performed in the same direction for both actuation members,
and/or a translation of the actuation members with respect to the base along a transverse direction to a local longitudinal direction of the elongated flexible medical device and in the same direction.
3 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 2 , wherein the base is a first base, the pair of actuation members is a first pair of actuation members, the robotized module further comprising:
a second base,
a second pair of actuation members each having an actuation surface, the second pair of actuation members being suitable for being placed alternately in an actuation configuration wherein the actuation surfaces of the actuation members of the second pair of actuation members are engaged with the elongated flexible medical device to be actuated and arranged on either side thereof, and in a free configuration wherein the actuation surface of the actuation members of the second pair of actuation members is not engaged with the elongated flexible medical device,
the second pair of actuation members being movably mounted with respect to the second base according to a degree of freedom between a first and a second positions,
the control member being further suitable for controlling in a cyclically repeated manner a movement with respect to the base of the actuation members of the second pair of actuation members in the actuation configuration from the first to the second position, thus actuating the elongated flexible medical device with respect to the second base, and a movement with respect to the second base of the actuation members of the second pair of actuation members in the free configuration from the second to the first position without actuating the elongated flexible medical device with respect to the second base.
4 . The robotized method for actuating a catheter and/or a guide, controlling the set of actuation members of a robotized module according to claim 2 and comprising:
a first operating mode wherein the set of actuation members moves in translation the guide and/or the catheter,
a second operating mode wherein the set of actuation members rotates the guide and/or the catheter about itself,
characterized in that the method also comprises:
a third operating mode wherein:
the set of actuation members moves, simultaneously, in translation the guide and rotates, alternately in one direction and in the other direction, the guide about itself,
and/or, the set of actuation members moves, simultaneously, in translation the catheter and rotates, alternately in one direction and in the other direction, the catheter about itself.
5 . The robotized method for actuating a catheter and/or a guide, according to claim 4 , characterized in that:
in the third operating mode, the set of actuation members moves, simultaneously, in translation the guide and/or the catheter according to the variations of the control of a man-machine interface and automatically rotates the guide and/or the catheter about itself alternately in one direction and in the other direction.
6 . The robotized method for actuating a catheter and/or a guide, according to claim 5 , characterized in that:
in the third operating mode, the set of actuation members moves, simultaneously, in translation the guide and/or the catheter according to the variations of the control of a man-machine interface and automatically rotates the guide and/or the catheter about itself alternately in one direction and in the other direction, the alternating rotational frequency being proportional to the translation speed.
7 . The robotized module according to claim 1 , wherein the degree of freedom between the first and second positions is a first degree of freedom, wherein the pair of actuation members is also movably mounted with respect to the base according to a second degree of freedom differing from the first degree of freedom between the first and a third positions,
the control member being suitable for controlling in a cyclically repeated manner a movement with respect to the base of the actuation members in the actuation configuration from the first to the third position, thus actuating the elongated flexible medical device with respect to the base, and a movement with respect to the base of the actuation members in the free configuration from the third to the first position without actuating the elongated flexible medical device with respect to the base.
8 . The robotized module according to claim 7 , wherein the movement with respect to the base of the actuation members from the first position to the second position and the movement with respect to the base of the actuation members from the first to the third position comprise two distinct combinations from:
a translation of the actuation members with respect to the base along a parallel direction to the local longitudinal direction of the elongated flexible medical device,
a translation of the actuation members with respect to the base along a transverse direction to the local longitudinal direction of the elongated flexible medical device and in opposite directions,
the translation of the actuation members with respect to the base along the transverse direction to the local longitudinal direction of the elongated flexible medical device, said translation being performed in the same direction for both actuation members,
a translation of the actuation members with respect to the base along a transverse direction to the local longitudinal direction of the elongated flexible medical device and in the same direction.
9 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of actuation members is suitable for being placed from the free configuration thereof to the actuation configuration thereof by a relative movement of the actuation members with respect to the base, and preferably wherein the first and second positions define the first degree of freedom, wherein the pair of actuation members is also movably mounted with respect to the base according to a third degree of freedom from the free configuration thereof to the actuation configuration thereof.
10 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 1 , wherein the base is a first base, the pair of actuation members is a first pair of actuation members, the robotized module further comprising:
a second base,
a second pair of actuation members each having an actuation surface, the second pair of actuation members being suitable for being placed alternately in an actuation configuration wherein the actuation surfaces of the actuation members of the second pair of actuation members are engaged with the elongated flexible medical device to be actuated and arranged on either side thereof, and in a free configuration wherein the actuation surface of the actuation members of the second pair of actuation members is not engaged with the elongated flexible medical device,
the second pair of actuation members being movably mounted with respect to the second base according to a degree of freedom between a first and a second positions,
the control member being further suitable for controlling in a cyclically repeated manner a movement with respect to the base of the actuation members of the second pair of actuation members in the actuation configuration from the first to the second position, thus actuating the elongated flexible medical device with respect to the second base, and a movement with respect to the second base of the actuation members of the second pair of actuation members in the free configuration from the second to the first position without actuating the elongated flexible medical device with respect to the second base.
11 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 10 , wherein the first base and the second base are rigidly connected or a common base.
12 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 9 , wherein the control member is suitable for controlling the movements of the actuation members of the first pair and of the second pair in a synchronized manner.
13 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 12 , wherein the control member is suitable for placing the actuation members of the first pair and of the second pair simultaneously in the actuation configuration, and/or wherein the control member is suitable for placing the actuation members of the first pair and of the second pair simultaneously in the free configuration, and/or wherein the control member is suitable for placing simultaneously the actuation members of the first pair and of the second pair in one case in the actuation configuration and in the other in the free configuration.
14 . The robotized module for actuating a movable element in the form of an elongated flexible medical device according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a movement transmission chain comprising:
a base block of a member for actuating a movable element,
three actuators controlling the block of the actuation member respectively along three mutually distinct translation directions, via three respective interfaces with the base block of the actuation member,
and in that the intersection of the mean surface areas of the three interfaces is located in the central region of the base block of the actuation member.
15 . The robotized module for actuating the movable element in the form of the elongated flexible medical device according to claim 14 , characterized in that:
the three interfaces are substantially plane,
these three interfaces are orthogonal with respect to one another,
and these three interfaces are interlocked in one another.
16 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 1 , characterized in that it also comprises at least:
an actuator controlling the pair of actuation members,
an intermediate part transmitting the movement of the actuator to the pair of actuation members, so as to translate in opposite directions the two actuation members of the pair of actuation members, while keeping the distance between the two actuation members of the pair of actuation members substantially constant, so as to rotate the elongated flexible medical device about itself when said device is arranged between the two actuation members of the pair of actuation members.
17 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 16 , characterized in that:
the intermediate part is a rocker converting the translation of the actuator along a first direction into two translations in opposite directions of the two respective actuation members along a second orthogonal direction to the first direction.
18 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 17 , characterized in that:
the rocker comprises a plate which is connected to the actuator and which has two inclined oblong holes of opposing inclination wherein at least two lugs respectively connected to the pair of actuation members slide, the inclination of the oblong holes being closer to the first direction than the second direction.
19 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 17 , characterized in that:
the rocker comprises a plate which is connected to the actuator and which has two inclined oblong holes of opposing inclination wherein at least two rollers respectively connected to the pair of actuation members slide, the inclination of the oblong holes being closer to the first direction than the second direction.
20 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 17 , characterized in that:
the rocker comprises a plate which is connected to the actuator and which has two inclined oblique rails of opposing inclination wherein at least two slides respectively connected to the pair of actuation members slide, the inclination of the rails being closer to the first direction than the second direction.
21 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 20 , characterized in that:
the two rails are in the same plane parallel to the plane formed by the first direction and by the second direction.
22 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 20 , characterized in that:
the two rails are in two distinct planes perpendicular to the plane formed by the first direction and by the second direction.
23 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 17 , characterized in that:
the rocker is pivoting about an axis and comprises a plate which is connected to the actuator and which has inclined oblong holes of the same inclination wherein at least three lugs or three roller respectively connected to the actuator and to the actuation members slide, the inclination of the oblong holes being closer to the first direction than the second direction, two of the oblong holes being arranged symmetrically with respect to the pivoting axis and receiving the lugs or the rollers respectively connected to the two actuation members, the third oblong hole being arranged further from the pivoting axis than the two oblong holes connected to the actuation members and receiving the lug or the roller connected to the actuator.
24 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 17 , characterized in that:
the rocker comprises a plate which is connected to the actuator and which has two connecting rod and L-shaped crankshaft systems, the two L-shaped crankshafts being oriented in opposite directions, the small part of the L of the crankshafts being substantially along a first direction, the large part of the L of the crankshafts being substantially along the second direction.
25 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 17 , characterized in that:
the rocker comprises a plate which is connected on one side to the actuator and which is connected on an other side to a first end of a connecting rod a second end whereof is connected to a first end of a first rod sliding at a center thereof in a first oblong hole situated at a first end of a bar pivoting at the center thereof and the second end whereof has a second oblong hole wherein the center of a second rod slides, the oblong holes being parallel to the bar the second ends of the two rods being respectively connected to the actuation members.
26 . The robotized actuation module according to claim 17 , characterized in that:
the rocker comprises a plate which is connected to the actuator and which has a first rack along the first direction, two second racks which are respectively connected to the actuation members and which are along the second direction and the toothed parts whereof face one another, two gear systems situated between the first rack and the respective two second racks, each of the gear systems comprising a large gear engaging with the first rack and a small gear engaging with one of the second racks.
27 . The robotized method for actuating a catheter and/or a guide, controlling the set of actuation members of a robotized module according to claim 1 and comprising:
a first operating mode wherein the set of actuation members moves in translation the guide and/or the catheter,
a second operating mode wherein the set of actuation members rotates the guide and/or the catheter about itself,
characterized in that the method also comprises:
a third operating mode wherein:
the set of actual s moves, simultaneously, in translation the guide and rotates, alternately in one direction and in the other direction, the guide about itself,
and/or, the set of actuation members moves, simultaneously, in translation the catheter and rotates, alternately in one direction and in the other direction, the catheter about itself.