Load sensing of elongated medical device in robotic actuation

1. An apparatus comprising:

a drive module including a drive module base component and a load-sensed component;

an elongated medical device (EMD) removably coupled to an isolated component;

the isolated component being isolated from an external load other than an actual load acting on the EMD;

the isolated component being removably coupled to the load-sensed component; and

a load sensor secured to the drive module base component and the load-sensed component sensing the actual load acting on the EMD;

further comprising a cassette including a cassette housing removably attached to the drive module base component, the isolated component being positioned within and separate from the cassette housing in at least one direction when the isolated component is connected to the load-sensed component; and

wherein an actuator to rotate the EMD about its longitudinal axis is located outside of the load-sensed component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the load sensor is the sole support of the load-sensed component in at least one direction of load measurement.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the load sensor measures a reaction force and/or a reaction torque applied by the EMD to the isolated component of the cassette.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an actual force acting along a longitudinal axis of the EMD and a torque about the longitudinal axis of the EMD are determined based on the load sensor measurements.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an actuator to pinch/unpinch the EMD within the drive module is located outside of the load-sensed component.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drive module includes a power transmission device driven by a rotation actuator and/or pinching/unpinching actuator located outside the load-sensed component which is used to actuate a part inside the load-sensed component in order to manipulate the EMD.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the power transmission device does not impart a load on the load-sensed component at least in one load measurement direction.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the power transmission device between the rotation actuator and/or pinching/unpinching actuator and load-sensed component is a flexible device that does not withstand a shear force selected from one of a belt, cable, and chain.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the power transmission device is perpendicular to a load measurement direction so that it does not impart a load on the load-sensed component in the load measurement direction.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drive module includes a bearing supporting the load-sensed component at least in one non-measurement direction to support off-axis loads in that direction.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a processing unit that corrects the load measurements for parasitic loads corrupting the measurement of an actual load acting on the EMD.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the parasitic loads include one or more of frictional loads, inertia loads, drag loads, and gravity loads.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein an acceleration of the load-sensed component is determined using a sensor selected from one of an accelerometer, a velocity transducer, and/or a displacement transducer.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the acceleration of the load-sensed component is determined to correct for parasitic inertia loads.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the load sensor is spaced from a longitudinal axis of the EMD.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the EMD is spaced from and in non-contact with the cassette housing when an on-device adapter is coupled to the isolated component.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the isolated component is separate from the cassette housing in all directions.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the isolated component is separate from and in a non-contact relationship with the cassette housing.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the cassette includes a cover pivotably coupled to the isolated component separate and in non-contact with the cassette housing.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drive module moves the EMD in a first direction, the isolated component being separate from the cassette housing in the first direction.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the drive module moves the EMD in a second direction, the isolated component being separate from the housing in the first direction and the second direction.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the EMD is removably coupled to the isolated component when the cassette is coupled to the drive module base component.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the isolated component moves along the longitudinal axis of the EMD independently of the cassette.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the EMD does not contact the cassette when the EMD is secured to the isolated component.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including an actuator to rotate a proximal portion of the EMD adjacent the isolated component about a longitudinal axis of the EMD.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including an actuator to move the drive module base along a longitudinal axis of the cassette.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including an on-device adapter to removably fix the EMD thereto, the on-device adapter being removably coupled to the isolated component and in non-contact with the cassette housing.

28. An apparatus comprising:

a drive module including a drive module base component and a load-sensed component;

an elongated medical device (EMD) removably coupled to an isolated component;

the isolated component being isolated from an external load other than an actual load acting on the EMD;

the isolated component being removably coupled to the load-sensed component; and

a first load sensor secured to the drive module base component and the load-sensed component;

a cassette including a cassette housing removably attached to the drive module base component, the isolated component being positioned within and separate from the cassette housing in at least one direction when the isolated component is connected to the load-sensed component;

wherein the drive module includes a first on-device adapter that has a first state operatively engaging the EMD and a second state operatively disengaging the EMD;

a second drive module having a second on-device adapter includes a third state engaging the EMD and a fourth state disengaging the EMD, wherein a reset state includes moving the first on-device adapter relative to the second drive module between an extended position and a reset position;

a second load sensor operatively connected to the second on-device adapter and second drive module; and

a processor receiving a first signal from the load sensor and a second signal from the second load sensor and determines the actual load on the EMD as a function of the first signal, second signal and whether the first on-device adapter is in the first state or the second state and whether the second on-device adapter is in the third state or the fourth state.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 , wherein the distance between the first on-device adapter and the second on-device adapter is greater in the reset position than in the extended position when the apparatus is advancing the EMD and the distance between the first on-device adapter and the second on-device adapter is greater in the extended position than the reset position when the apparatus is retracting the EMD.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 , wherein the first state of the first on-device adapter is a pinch state and the second state of the first on-device adapter is an unpinched state, and the third state of the second on-device adapter is a grip state, and the fourth state of the second on-device adapter is an ungripped state.