# US 11,439,464 B2 · Appliance for conveying a catheter, light guide or cable in a controlled manner > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,464 B2 - Document ID: US11439464B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/313,936 - Filed: 2017-06-21 - Published: 2020-02-06 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-28 - Applicants: Karl Pieper; Thilo Schmuck - Inventors: Karl Pieper; Thilo Schmuck - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439464B2 ## CPC - A61B 18/24: with a catheter (A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence) - A61B 1/00133: {Drive units for endoscopic tools inserted through or with the endoscope} - A61B 1/0016: {using motor drive units} - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 34/70: {Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery} - A61J 1/035: {Blister-type containers (blisters in general B65D75/36)} - A61M 25/0113: {Mechanical advancing means, e.g. catheter dispensers} - A61B 2018/00196: {reciprocating lengthwise} - A61B 2018/00404: {Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart} - A61B 2018/00619: {Welding} - A61B 2018/2222: {Fibre material or composition} - A61B 2018/2238: {with means for selectively laterally deflecting the tip of the fibre} - A61B 2034/301: {for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes} - A61B 2090/0813: {Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable} - A61M 25/09041: {Mechanisms for insertion of guide wires} - A61M 2205/3327: Measuring - A61M 2205/3365: Rotational speed - A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated - G02B 23/2476: {Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61J: CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract The device serves for the controlled conveying of a cable. The device has a housing, having a cover plate, on which are externally mounted a drive wheel and contact wheel which can be radially pressed onto the drive wheel, between which the cable can be clamped. The cable can be conveyed by means of the drive wheel being driven by a drive unit in the interior of the housing. The rotational motion of the drive wheel is guided through a stationary light barrier by means of a counting disc, running synchronously therewith and having radial slots or holes in the circumferential area, for determining the motion and rotational speed of the drive wheel. The cover plate and the housing can be sterilized. The drive unit in the interior of the housing is not sterilizable, yet is completely enclosed by the sterilized housing and cover plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for the controlled conveying of a cable in the form of a catheter having a light guide or a glass fiber or of an electric cable or of a cable-like tubelet, the device comprising: a drive wheel and a contact wheel which can be pressed radially onto the drive wheel, between which the cable to be conveyed can be clamped, so that it is conveyable by the drive of the drive wheel of a drive unit having an appurtenant control unit comprising electronic controls with a measuring device for measuring the rotational motion and rotational speed of the drive wheel, wherein the device is designed in three parts, having firstly a cover plate on whose outer side are externally mounted the drive wheel and the contact wheel which can be radially pressed onto said drive wheel, wherein the cover plate, the drive wheel, and the contact wheel can be sterilized by heating to at least 180° C., secondly a non-sterilizable drive unit having an electronic control, an electric motor, a reduction gear and a power supply, and thirdly a box-shaped housing which can also be sterilized by heating to at least 180° C. and into which the drive unit can be completely inserted and can be closed sterilely with the sterilized cover plate so that the device is completely sterile on its outside on all sides, and a separate appurtenant control unit which can be connected to the sterilized device via an electric cable. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the rotational motion of the drive wheel is transmitted to a counting disc running synchronously therewith, having radial slots or holes in the circumferential area, which is rotatable by a stationary light barrier, for determining the motion and rotational speed of the drive wheel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has on its outer side a drive wheel, having the contact wheel which acts on its circumferential surface in the radial direction thereto and is displaceable at right angles to its axis, having an axis mounted parallel to that of the drive wheel, so that the cable can be clamped between the drive wheel and the contact wheel for conveying purposes, and that the drive unit has inside the housing an electric motor having an appurtenant power supply and electronic control, by which the drive wheel can be driven via a reduction gear, and that a counting disc having radial slots or holes is present inside the housing in its circumferential area, through which a stationary light barrier can pass, for detecting motion and rotational speed of the counting disc of the measuring device and thus of the drive wheel, for generating electric signals for the processing and display of on an associated control unit which can be connected by an electric cable and from which the the device can be controlled. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the electric motor is connected inside the drive unit with its output axis to a shaft which carries a bevel gear which is in engagement with a gear wheel on the shaft of the drive wheel located outside on the drive unit, which in turn can be brought into torque-locking coupling with a transmission wheel on the underside of the cover plate, wherein this transmission wheel is seated on the shaft of the drive wheel located outside the cover plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device according to claim 4, wherein the drive wheel carries a transmission wheel outside on the cover plate with its shaft at the underside of the cover plate, for torque-locking coupling to the drive wheel above the drive unit upon placing the cover plate on the housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The device according to claim 4, wherein the torque-locking connection of the driving wheel to the transmission wheel is realized by an axial engagement of the same, just as the torque-locking connection of the driving wheel on the underside of the cover plate to a pick-up wheel on the upper side of the drive unit, which carries a counting disc with its shaft inside the drive unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device according to claim 6, wherein the torque-locked connection of the driving wheel to the transmission wheel and the torque-locked connection of the driving wheel to the pick-up wheel are realized by the fact that respectively one wheel has axial cams which, upon the cover plate being placed on the housing, engage in recesses in the adjoining wheel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the displaceable contact wheel belonging to the drive wheel outside the cover plate has a shaft which passes through the cover plate in a recess, and this shaft is guided displaceably on a slide away from the drive wheel against the force of springs on the underside of the cover plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein a freely rotating measuring wheel having a shaft is mounted on the cover plate parallel to the shaft of the drive wheel, with its own spring-loaded contact wheel like that contact wheel to the drive wheel, and in that the shaft of the measuring wheel on the underside of the cover plate carries a driving wheel for a pick-up wheel on the upper side of the drive unit, to which driving wheel it can be torque-lockingly coupled upon placing the cover plate on the housing, and which pick-up wheel carries a counting disc with its shaft in the interior of the drive unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the device and its electronic control can be operated via an electric cable by a remote control device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the power supply is ensured by a number of rechargeable batteries inside the drive unit, which can be charged via the electric cable. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein using the control device and the electronic control connected thereto in the drive unit at least the following functions can be switched and actionable: Switching the device on and off to connect or disconnect the power supply, and switching on the laser for a counting disc Rotary knob for stepless or discrete selection of the conveying speed of the cable Selection of the conveying length to be covered Ready light for starting the device Display of the selected conveying speed at the control unit Start button for starting the conveying Stop button for stopping the conveying Display of the travelled conveying length Restart button for zeroing the displayed conveying path Indicator of battery charge when powered by batteries Automatic shutdown of a catheter laser when the delivery is stopped via control cable to the generator of a laser Stopping the conveyor when the selected conveying length has been covered and emitting a signal tone.