Method and apparatus for Operating a Micromotor in a fluid
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsWarren Lee, Douglas Glenn Wildes, Weston Blaine Griffin
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Abstract
A device and a method for sealing a micromotor with an optional associated gearbox are disclosed where, in one aspect of the present invention, a catheter tip comprises: a micromotor; an ultrasound imaging transducer; a gearbox mechanically coupled to the micromotor, the gearbox having a rotatable portion mechanically coupled to the ultrasound imaging transducer array; and a moisture barrier disposed so as to reduce or prevent acoustic coupling fluid from entering both the gearbox and the micromotor.
Claims20
A catheter tip comprising:
- a micromotor;
- an ultrasound imaging transducer rotatably coupled to said micromotor;
- and;
- a moisture barrier disposed so as to reduce or prevent acoustic coupling fluid from entering said micromotor.
A catheter tip comprising:
- a micromotor;
- an ultrasound imaging transducer, said ultrasound imaging transducer attached to an output drive shaft rotatably coupled to said micromotor;
- and
- a membrane seal having a resilient shaft opening enclosing said output drive shaft, said membrane seal functioning to reduce or prevent acoustic coupling fluid from entering said micromotor.
A method for reducing or preventing acoustic coupling fluid from entering a micromotor or a gearbox rotatably coupled to an ultrasound imaging transducer, said method comprising the step of:
- disposing a moisture barrier between the acoustic coupling fluid and at least one of said micromotor and said gearbox, said moisture barrier configured and positioned to allow said ultrasound imaging transducer to rotate with respect to at least one of said micromotor and said gearbox.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.