US6358199B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Drive means for flexible eversion tube system
Assignee: STM Medizintechnik Starnberg GmbH
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Filing: 1999-05-05
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Granted: 2002-03-19
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Expires: 2019-05-05
Abstract
Abstract A drive mechanism for moving a shaft or rod along its central axis that utilizes a flexible eversion tube surrounding a portion of and slidingly engaged to the outer surface of the shaft or rod. The drive mechanism uses at least one wheel group having two or more drive wheels that are coplanar with each other and, along the shaft's axis of movement, are aligned with each other and spaced apart. The drive wheels are in compressive contact with a central portion of the flexible eversion tube. The at least one wheel group is supported and located around the central portion by a sleeve that surrounds the central portion of the eversion tube. The sleeve contains slits that permit the individual wheels to contact the central portion of the tube and a casing having two pivotally connected halves that when clamped together, seal the wheel groups and sleeve within its cavity and enable a drive source to drive the wheels.
Inventors
- 👤 Fritz Pauker
- 👤 Thomas Viebach
- 👤 Robert Pauker
- 👤 Gerhard Weiglhofer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:54
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B23/00; G02B23/24; G02B23/2476; A; A61; A61B; A61B1/00; A61B1/00131; A61B1/00133; A61B1/00147; A61B1/00151; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0113; A61M25/0119
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A drive for transmitting a feed force to a shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having an outside surface, comprising: a flexible eversion tube having an inner tube section slidingly engaging a portion of the outside surface of the shaft; and at least one wheel group comprising a plurality of drive wheels, each drive wheel having a center and an axis of rotation passing through the center, each drive wheel being in compressive contact with the inner tube section, and at least one axis of rotation being substantially coplanar with and parallel to at least one other axis of rotation thereby defining a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
A drive for transmitting a feed force to a shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having an outside surface, comprising: a flexible eversion tube having an inner tube section slidingly engaging a portion of the outside surface of the shaft; and at least one wheel group comprising a plurality of drive wheels, each drive wheel having a center and an axis of rotation passing through the center, each drive wheel being in compressive contact with the inner tube section, and at least one axis of rotation being substantially coplanar with and parallel to at least one other axis of rotation thereby defining a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A drive according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of wheel groups are equally spaced circumferentially around the longitudinal axis and operatively linked to an intermediary gear mechanism, the gear mechanism being operatively linked to a drive source.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A drive according to claim 2 , wherein the drive source is an electric motor having an output shaft operatively coupled to the intermediary gear mechanism.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A drive according to claim 2 , having four wheel groups circumferentially spaced 90° apart around the longitudinal axis and each wheel group having two drive wheels.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A drive according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one second wheel group comprising one drive wheel being in compressive contact with the inner tube section of the flexible eversion tube.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
145 words
A drive for transmitting a feed force to a shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having an outside surface, comprising: a flexible eversion tube having an inner tube section slidingly engaging a portion of the outside surface of the shaft; at least one wheel group comprising a plurality of drive wheels, each drive wheel having a center and an axis of rotation passing through the center, each drive wheel being in compressive contact with the inner tube section, and at least one axis of rotation being substantially coplanar with and parallel to at least one other axis of rotation thereby defining a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft; and a casing enclosing and supporting the at least one wheel group with the casing having at least two casing members pivotally connected to each other along a first edge of each casing member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
145 words
A drive for transmitting a feed force to a shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having an outside surface, comprising: a flexible eversion tube having an inner tube section slidingly engaging a portion of the outside surface of the shaft; at least one wheel group comprising a plurality of drive wheels, each drive wheel having a center and an axis of rotation passing through the center, each drive wheel being in compressive contact with the inner tube section, and at least one axis of rotation being substantially coplanar with and parallel to at least one other axis of rotation thereby defining a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft; and a casing enclosing and supporting the at least one wheel group with the casing having at least two casing members pivotally connected to each other along a first edge of each casing member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
A drive according to claim 6 , wherein a plurality of wheel groups are equally spaced circumferentially around the longitudinal axis and operatively linked to an intermediary gear mechanism, the gear mechanism being operatively linked to a drive source.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A drive according to claim 6 , wherein a drive source is mounted to one of the casing members on an exterior mounting surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A drive according to claim 6 , wherein the flexible eversion tube further comprises two free tube ends and an outer tube section radially opposite the outside surface of the shaft and formed by eversing the two free tube ends over the inner tube section and toward each other.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
A drive according to claim 9 , wherein the free tube ends are sealingly fixed to a sleeve that is slipped over the inner tube section and has a plurality of slits corresponding to the number and position of the plurality of drive wheels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
A drive according to claim 10 , wherein the sleeve further comprises an axial center portion having an eye-shaped outer contour and located between two axial end portions having a surface selected from the group consisting of a fluted surface and a surface having at least two grooves to prevent the free tube ends of the outer tube section from slipping off.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
A drive according to claim 11 , further comprising clamping rings attaching the axial end portions of the sleeve to the free tube ends thereby impeding slipping of the free tube ends off the sleeve.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
70 words
A drive according to claim 11 , wherein the casing members have contact surfaces comprising eye-shaped recesses such that the recesses mate with the eye-shaped outer contour of the axial center portion of the sleeve when the casing members are adducted, and the recesses position the slits of the sleeve to allow penetration of the wheels through the sleeve and onto the inner tube section of the flexible eversion tube.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
189 words
A drive for transmitting a feed force to a shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having an outside surface, comprising: a flexible eversion tube having an inner tube section slidingly engaging a portion of the outside surface of the shaft, two free tube ends, and an outer tube section radially opposite the outside surface of the shaft and formed by eversing the two free tube ends over the inner tube section and toward each other; at least one wheel group comprising a plurality of drive wheels, each drive wheel having a center and an axis of rotation passing through the center, each drive wheel being in compressive contact with the inner tube section of the flexible eversion tube, and at least one axis of rotation being substantially coplanar with and parallel to at least one other axis of rotation thereby defining a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft; and a sleeve having a plurality of slits corresponding to the number and position of the plurality of drive wheels, the sleeve being slipped over the inner tube section and sealingly fixed between the two free tube ends.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
189 words
A drive for transmitting a feed force to a shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having an outside surface, comprising: a flexible eversion tube having an inner tube section slidingly engaging a portion of the outside surface of the shaft, two free tube ends, and an outer tube section radially opposite the outside surface of the shaft and formed by eversing the two free tube ends over the inner tube section and toward each other; at least one wheel group comprising a plurality of drive wheels, each drive wheel having a center and an axis of rotation passing through the center, each drive wheel being in compressive contact with the inner tube section of the flexible eversion tube, and at least one axis of rotation being substantially coplanar with and parallel to at least one other axis of rotation thereby defining a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft; and a sleeve having a plurality of slits corresponding to the number and position of the plurality of drive wheels, the sleeve being slipped over the inner tube section and sealingly fixed between the two free tube ends.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
A drive according to claim 14 , wherein a plurality of wheel groups are equally spaced circumferentially around the longitudinal axis and operatively linked to an intermediary gear mechanism, the gear mechanism being operatively linked to a drive source.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
62 words
A drive according to claim 14 , wherein the sleeve further comprises an axial center portion having an eye-shaped outer contour and located between two axial end portions having a surface selected from the group consisting of a fluted surface and a surface having at least two grooves to prevent the free tube ends of the outer tube section from slipping off.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
A drive according to claim 16 , further comprising clamping rings attaching the axial end portions of the sleeve to the free tube ends thereby impeding slipping of the free tube ends off the sleeve.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
102 words
A drive according to claim 16 , further comprising a casing enclosing and supporting the at least one wheel group, the casing having at least two casing members pivotally connected to each other along a first edge of each casing member, the casing members having contact surfaces comprising eye-shaped recesses wherein the recesses mate with the eye-shaped outer contour of the axial center portion of the sleeve when the casing members are adducted, and the recesses position the slits of the sleeve to allow penetration of the wheels through the sleeve and onto the inner tube section of the flexible eversion tube.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A drive according to claim 18 , wherein a drive source is mounted to one of the casing members on an exterior mounting surface.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-03-18 | 2005-09-17 | 2006-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-03-18 | 2009-09-17 | 2010-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-03-18 | 2013-09-17 | 2014-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |