Positioner for medical instruments

Claim 1

A device for selectively positioning an endoscope within the body of a patient during a medical procedure, said endoscope having an axially elongated shaft defining an axis, said device comprising a clamp having a first portion and a second portion pivotally attached to the first portion, said clamp being characterized by an open condition wherein the shaft of the endoscope can laterally pass between the first and second portions of said clamp, enabling the device to selectively engage with or disengage from the shaft of the endoscope, and by a closed condition wherein the shaft of the endoscope is laterally held between the first and second portions of said clamp, laterally coupling said device to the shaft of the endoscope, said first portion of said clamp comprising a main bracket and said second portion of said clamp comprising a proximal link having a proximal end pivotally attached to the main bracket and a distal end and a distal link having a proximal end pivotally attached to the distal end of said proximal link and a distal free end, said main bracket having a retention element for selectively locking said distal free end of said distal link thereto, a drive wheel rotatably coupled to said clamp and having a surface exposed for frictional engagement with the shaft of the endoscope, said drive wheel being rotatable about an axis that is perpendicular to the axis defined by the endoscope so that when the surface of said drive wheel engages with the shaft of the endoscope rotation of the drive wheel moves the endoscope in a direction along the axis defined by the endoscope, and a motor mechanically coupled to said drive wheel for rotating said drive wheel to cause controlled axial motion of endoscope within the body of the patient.

Claim 2

A device for selectively positioning an endoscope within the body of a patient during a medical procedure, said endoscope having an axially elongated shaft defining an axis, said device comprising a clamp having a first portion and a second portion pivotally attached to the first portion, said clamp being characterized by an open condition wherein the shaft of the endoscope can laterally pass between the first and second portions of said clamp, enabling the device to selectively engage with or disengage from the shaft of the endoscope, and by a closed condition wherein the shaft of the endoscope is laterally held between the first and second portions of said clamp, laterally coupling said device to the shaft of the endoscope, said first portion of said clamp comprising a main bracket and said second portion of said clamp comprising a proximal link having a proximal end pivotally attached to the main bracket and a distal end and a distal link having a proximal end pivotally attached to the distal end of said proximal link and a distal free end, said main bracket having a retention element for selectively locking said distal free end of said distal link thereto, a drive wheel rotatably coupled to said clamp and having a surface exposed for frictional engagement with the shaft of the endoscope, said drive wheel being rotatable about an axis that is perpendicular to the axis defined by the endoscope so that when the surface of said drive wheel engages with the shaft of the endoscope rotation of the drive wheel moves the endoscope in a direction along the axis defined by the endoscope, and a motor mechanically coupled to said drive wheel for rotating said drive wheel to cause controlled axial motion of endoscope within the body of the patient.

Claim 10

A device for selectively positioning an endoscope within the body of a patient during a medical procedure, said endoscope having an axially elongated shaft having an outer diameter and defining an axis, said device comprising a clamp having a first portion and a second portion pivotally attached to the first portion, said clamp being characterized by an open condition wherein the shaft of the endoscope can laterally pass between the first and second portions of said clamp, enabling the device to selectively engage with or disengage from the shaft of the endoscope, and by a closed condition wherein the shaft of the endoscope is laterally held between the first and second portions of said clamp, laterally coupling said device to the shaft of the endoscope, said first portion of said clamp comprising a main bracket and said second portion of said clamp comprising a proximal link having a proximal end pivotally attached to the main bracket and a distal end and a distal link having a proximal end pivotally attached to the distal end of said proximal link and a distal free end, said main bracket having a retention element for selectively locking said distal free end of said distal link thereto, a drive wheel rotatably coupled to said clamp and having a surface exposed for frictional engagement with the shaft of the endoscope, said drive wheel being rotatable about an axis that is perpendicular to the axis defined by the endoscope so that when the surface of said drive wheel engages with the shaft of the endoscope rotation of the drive wheel moves the endoscope in a direction along the axis defined by the endoscope, a motor mechanically coupled to said drive wheel for rotating said drive wheel to cause controlled motion of endoscope within the body of the patient in a direction along the axis defined by the endoscope, and a second wheel coupled to said clamp and having a surface exposed for frictional engagement with the shaft of the endoscope, said second wheel being rotatable about an axis that is perpendicular to the axis defined by the endoscope and that lies in a common plane with the axis of rotation of said drive wheel, the exposed surface of said second wheel being resiliently mounted with respect to said clamp so that the position of the exposed surface of said second wheel relative to the drive wheel yields in a direction perpendicular to both the axis defined by the endoscope and the axis of rotation of said second wheel in response to force applied by the endoscope to accommodate the outer diameter of the shaft of the endoscope and to apply a pre-load to the shaft with sufficient force to prevent slippage of the endoscope relative to said device.

Claim 11

A device for selectively positioning an endoscope within the body of a patient during a medical procedure, said endoscope having an axially elongated shaft having an outer diameter and defining an axis, said device comprising a clamp having a first portion and a second portion pivotally attached to the first portion, said clamp being characterized by an open condition wherein the shaft of the endoscope can laterally pass between the first and second portions of said clamp, enabling the device to selectively engage with or disengage from the shaft of the endoscope, and by a closed condition wherein the shaft of the endoscope is laterally held between the first and second portions of said clamp, laterally coupling said device to the shaft of the endoscope, said first portion of said clamp comprising a main bracket and said second portion of said clamp comprising a proximal link having a proximal end pivotally attached to the main bracket and a distal end and a distal link having a proximal end pivotally attached to the distal end of said proximal link and a distal free end, said main bracket having a retention element for selectively locking said distal free end of said distal link thereto, a drive wheel rotatably coupled to said clamp and having a surface exposed for frictional engagement with the shaft of the endoscope, said drive wheel being rotatable about an axis that is perpendicular to the axis defined by the endoscope so that when the surface of said drive wheel engages with the shaft of the endoscope rotation of the drive wheel moves the endoscope in a direction along the axis defined by the endoscope, a motor mechanically coupled to said drive wheel for rotating said drive wheel to cause controlled motion of endoscope within the body of the patient in a direction along the axis defined by the endoscope, and a second wheel coupled to said clamp and having a surface exposed for frictional engagement with the shaft of the endoscope, said second wheel being rotatable about an axis that is perpendicular to the axis defined by the endoscope and that lies in a common plane with the axis of rotation of said drive wheel, the exposed surface of said second wheel being resiliently mounted with respect to said clamp so that the position of the exposed surface of said second wheel relative to the drive wheel yields in a direction perpendicular to both the axis defined by the endoscope and the axis of rotation of said second wheel in response to force applied by the endoscope to accommodate the outer diameter of the shaft of the endoscope and to apply a pre-load to the shaft with sufficient force to prevent slippage of the endoscope relative to said device.

Claim 13

A system for selectively positioning an endoscope within the body of a patient during a medical procedure, said endoscope having an axially elongated shaft defining an axis, said system being of the type wherein the position of the endoscope relative to the patient is maintained by an instrument-supporting articulated support arm having a distal end capable of supporting the endoscope in the region of a surgical operating site, said system comprising a device for adjusting the axial position of the endoscope within the patient independent of the orientation of the support arm, said device being selectively attached to and detached from the distal end of said support arm, said device comprising a clamp having a first portion and a second portion pivotally attached to the first portion, said clamp being characterized by an open condition wherein the shaft of the endoscope can laterally pass between the first and second portions of said clamp, enabling the device to selectively engage with or disengage from the shaft of the endoscope, and by a closed condition wherein the shaft of the endoscope is laterally held between the first and second portions of said clamp, laterally coupling said device to the shaft of the endoscope, said first portion of said clamp comprising a main bracket and said second portion of said clamp comprising a proximal link having a proximal end pivotally attached to the main bracket and a distal end and a distal link having a proximal end pivotally attached to the distal end of said proximal link and a distal free end for selectively attaching to and detaching from said main bracket, said main bracket having a retention element for selectively locking said distal free end of said distal link thereto, a drive wheel rotatably coupled to said clamp and having a surface exposed for frictional engagement with the shaft of the endoscope, said drive wheel being rotatable about an axis that is perpendicular to the axis defined by the endoscope so that when the surface of said drive wheel engages the shaft of the endoscope rotation of the drive wheel moves the endoscope in the axis defined by the endoscope, a second wheel coupled to said clamp and having a surface exposed for frictional engagement with the shaft of the endoscope, said second wheel being rotatable about an axis that is perpendicular to the axis defined by the endoscope and lies in a common plane with the axis of rotation of said drive wheel, the exposed surface of said second wheel being resiliently mounted with respect to said clamp so that the position of the exposed surface of said second wheel relative to said drive wheel yields in a direction perpendicular to both the axis defined by the endoscope and the axis of rotation of said second wheel to accommodate the outer diameter of the shaft of the endoscope and to apply a pre-load to the shaft with sufficient force to prevent slippage of the endoscope relative to said device, and a motor mechanically coupled to said drive wheel for rotating said drive wheel to cause controlled axial motion of endoscope within the body of the patient.

Claim 14

A system for selectively positioning an endoscope within the body of a patient during a medical procedure, said endoscope having an axially elongated shaft defining an axis, said system being of the type wherein the position of the endoscope relative to the patient is maintained by an instrument-supporting articulated support arm having a distal end capable of supporting the endoscope in the region of a surgical operating site, said system comprising a device for adjusting the axial position of the endoscope within the patient independent of the orientation of the support arm, said device being selectively attached to and detached from the distal end of said support arm, said device comprising a clamp having a first portion and a second portion pivotally attached to the first portion, said clamp being characterized by an open condition wherein the shaft of the endoscope can laterally pass between the first and second portions of said clamp, enabling the device to selectively engage with or disengage from the shaft of the endoscope, and by a closed condition wherein the shaft of the endoscope is laterally held between the first and second portions of said clamp, laterally coupling said device to the shaft of the endoscope, said first portion of said clamp comprising a main bracket and said second portion of said clamp comprising a proximal link having a proximal end pivotally attached to the main bracket and a distal end and a distal link having a proximal end pivotally attached to the distal end of said proximal link and a distal free end for selectively attaching to and detaching from said main bracket, said main bracket having a retention element for selectively locking said distal free end of said distal link thereto, a drive wheel rotatably coupled to said clamp and having a surface exposed for frictional engagement with the shaft of the endoscope, said drive wheel being rotatable about an axis that is perpendicular to the axis defined by the endoscope so that when the surface of said drive wheel engages the shaft of the endoscope rotation of the drive wheel moves the endoscope in the axis defined by the endoscope, a second wheel coupled to said clamp and having a surface exposed for frictional engagement with the shaft of the endoscope, said second wheel being rotatable about an axis that is perpendicular to the axis defined by the endoscope and lies in a common plane with the axis of rotation of said drive wheel, the exposed surface of said second wheel being resiliently mounted with respect to said clamp so that the position of the exposed surface of said second wheel relative to said drive wheel yields in a direction perpendicular to both the axis defined by the endoscope and the axis of rotation of said second wheel to accommodate the outer diameter of the shaft of the endoscope and to apply a pre-load to the shaft with sufficient force to prevent slippage of the endoscope relative to said device, and a motor mechanically coupled to said drive wheel for rotating said drive wheel to cause controlled axial motion of endoscope within the body of the patient.