Driveable catheter system

A catheter drive unit, removably mountable to a catheter drive module, comprising:

• a housing;
• a catheter core rotator within the housing;
• a drive unit translator within the housing, the drive unit translator comprising:
• a translator drive motor;
• a translator drive output;
• and
• a translator drive train operably coupling the translator drive motor and the translator drive output, the translator drive train comprising a user-operable clutch for selectively decoupling the translator motor from the translator drive output;
• and
• a translation displacement sensor located along the translator drive train between the clutch and the translator drive output.

A catheter drive unit comprising:

• a housing;
• a catheter core rotator carried by the housing;
• a drive unit translator carried by the housing;
• a translation displacement display mounted to the housing and operably coupled to the drive unit translator.

A driveable catheter system comprising:

• a driveable catheter assembly comprising a catheter drive unit and a catheter extending from the catheter drive unit;
• the catheter comprising a catheter core rotatable and translatable by the catheter drive unit;
• and
• a control unit spaced-apart from but operably coupled to the driveable catheter assembly, said control unit comprising:
• a catheter drive unit power supply;
• and
• a catheter drive unit controller comprising a catheter core rotation speed input and a catheter core translation speed input.

A driveable catheter assembly comprising:

• a catheter drive sled;
• a catheter drive unit removably mountable to the sled;
• a catheter comprising a rotatable and translatable catheter core operably coupled to and extending from the catheter drive unit;
• the catheter drive unit comprising:
• a drive unit translator operably coupled to the sled for selective translational movement of the catheter drive unit and catheter core therewith relative to the sled;
• a catheter core rotator operably coupled to the catheter core for selective rotation of the catheter core;
• and
• a proximity switch operably coupled to at least one of the drive unit translator and catheter core rotator;
• and
• the sled comprising a proximity switch actuator which interacts with and actuates the proximity switch when the catheter drive unit is mounted to the sled.

A driveable catheter system comprising:

• a driveable catheter assembly comprising a catheter drive unit, a catheter extending from the catheter drive unit, and a catheter drive sled, the catheter drive unit removably mountable to the catheter drive sled for translational movement therealong;
• the catheter drive unit comprising:
• a catheter core rotator drivingly coupled to the catheter;
• a catheter drive unit translator drivingly coupled to the catheter drive sled;
• a rotator drive on/off input operably coupled to the catheter core rotator;
• and a translator drive on/off input operably coupled to the catheter drive unit translator;
• and
• a drive unit translation displacement display operably coupled to the catheter drive unit translator;
• the catheter comprising a catheter core rotatable by the catheter core rotator and translatable with the catheter drive unit by the catheter drive unit translator;
• and
• a control unit spaced-apart from but operably coupled to the driveable catheter assembly, said control unit comprising:
• a rotator drive on/off input operably coupled to the catheter core rotator and a translator drive on/off input operably coupled to the catheter drive unit translator;
• a control unit translation displacement display operably coupled to the catheter drive unit translator;
• a catheter drive unit power supply electrically coupled to the catheter core rotator and the catheter drive unit translator;
• and
• a catheter drive unit controller comprising a catheter core rotation speed input and a catheter core translation speed input.

A method for setting up a catheter drive system comprising:

• selecting a catheter drive unit with a catheter extending therefrom, the catheter comprising a rotatable and translatable catheter core, the catheter drive unit comprising a rotator drive motor selectively rotationally coupled to the catheter core, a translator drive motor, and a catheter core drive train having a translator drive output drivingly coupling the translator drive motor and the tranlator drive output, the catheter drive unit being enclosed within a removable drapeable barrier;
• mounting the catheter drive unit to a catheter drive sled, the catheter drive sled comprising a drive unit interface configured for mating engagement with the translator drive output;
• and
• said mounting step comprising effectively piercing the drapeable barrier by the engagement of the translator drive output and the drive unit interface.

A method for setting up a catheter drive system comprising:

• selecting a catheter drive unit with a catheter extending therefrom, the catheter comprising a rotatable and translatable catheter core, the catheter drive unit comprising a rotator drive motor selectively rotationally coupled to the catheter core, a translator drive motor, and a catheter core drive train having a translator drive output drivingly coupling the translator drive motor and the tranlator drive output, the catheter drive unit being enclosed within a removable drapeable barrier;
• mounting the catheter drive unit to a catheter drive sled, the catheter drive sled comprising a drive unit interface configured for mating engagement with the translator drive output;
• and
• said mounting step comprising effectively piercing the drapeable barrier by the engagement of the translator drive output and the drive unit interface;
• setting rotational and translational speeds for the catheter core from a control unit physically remote from but operably coupled to the catheter drive unit;
• and
• selectively controlling starting and stopping of rotational and translational movement of the catheter core from the catheter drive unit and from the control unit.