Robotizable module for driving an elongated flexible medical member, medical robot and system including such a module

A robotizable module for driving an elongated flexible medical member, comprising:

• a base (31);
• a drive motor (34);
• a first drive member (28a), defining a first axis (29a) and comprising a first peripheral driving surface (30a) around said first axis (29a),
• the first drive member (28a) being mounted so as to rotate relative to the base (31) about the first axis (29a) and comprising a member (33a) connecting to said drive motor (34) adapted to rotate the first drive member (28a) about the first axis (29a);
• a second drive member (28b), defining a second axis (29b) parallel to the first axis (29a) and comprising a second peripheral driving surface (30b) around said second axis (29b),
• the second drive member (28b) being mounted so as to rotate relative to the base (31) about the second axis (29b), and
• the second drive member (28b) also being mounted so as to be movable relative to the first drive member (28a) between:
• a first configuration wherein the first and second peripheral driving surfaces (30a, 30b) face each other with a first spacing therebetween, and
• a second configuration wherein the first and second peripheral driving surfaces (30a, 30b) face each other with a second spacing therebetween that is greater than the first spacing;
• an actuation system (43) operable by a user, adapted to move the second drive member (28b) from one of the first and second configurations to an other of the first and second configurations;
• a motion transmission system (35) that transmits a driving movement generated by said drive motor (34) to the second drive member (28b) in order to rotate the second drive member (28b) about the second axis (29b) at least in any configuration between the first and second configurations,
• said motion transmission system (35) comprised of
• a first gear (36a) that is coaxial with the first drive member (28a) and forms an input member of the motion transmission system (35),
• an intermediate gear (37) having an intermediate gear axis (38) parallel to and offset from the first axis (29a), teeth of the intermediate gear (37) entering into spaces formed by teeth of the first gear (36a) at least in any configuration between the first and second configurations, and
• a transmission (39) between the intermediate gear (37) and the second drive member (28b), transmitting the rotational motion of the intermediate gear (37) about the intermediate gear axis (38) into said rotational motion of the second drive member (28b) about the second axis (29b);
• and
• an elastic system (46) directly connected to the second drive member (28b) and biasing the second drive member (28b) from the second configuration towards the first configuration,
• wherein the actuation system (43) is operable to move the second drive member (28b) from the first configuration and to the second configuration while compressing said elastic system (46).