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US 11,452,545 B2Granted
Low friction cannula seals for minimally invasive robotic surgery
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorsStephen J. Blumenkranz, Bruce M. Schena, Randal P. Goldberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of a cannula seal are disclosed. In some embodiments, a cannula seal can include a base portion that engages with a cannula; and a seal portion integrally formed with the base portion that slidebly engages with an instrument shaft such that an insertion frictional force between the seal portion and the instrument shaft for insertion of the instrument shaft is symmetrical and substantially equal with a retraction frictional force.
Claims18
A cannula seal, comprising:
- a base portion sized and shaped to engage with a cannula;
- and
- a seal portion connected to the base portion, the seal portion comprising:
- a proximal seal lip defining a proximal seal opening configured to receive an instrument shaft;
- and
- a distal seal lip symmetrically opposite to the proximal seal lip, the distal seal lip defining a distal seal opening configured to receive the instrument shaft, wherein:
- the proximal seal lip extends from the base portion to a first terminal end in a distal-to-proximal direction;
- the distal seal lip extends from the base portion to a second terminal end in a proximal-to-distal direction;
- and
- the first and second terminal ends are free ends spaced apart from the base portion.
7 more elements
A cannula seal, comprising:
- a base portion sized and shaped to engage with a seal retainer of a cannula;
- and
- a seal portion connected to the base portion, the seal portion comprising:
- a proximal seal lip defining a proximal seal opening configured to receive an instrument shaft;
- and
- a distal seal lip, the distal lip defining a distal seal opening configured to receive the instrument shaft, and the proximal seal lip and the distal seal lip integrally formed with the base portion, wherein:
- the proximal seal lip extends from the base portion to a first terminal end in a proximal-to-distal direction;
- the distal seal lip extends from the base portion to a second terminal end in a distal-to-proximal direction;
- and
- the first and second terminal ends are free ends spaced apart from the base portion.
7 more elements
A cannula seal, comprising:
- a base portion sized and shaped to engage with a cannula;
- and
- a seal portion connected to the base portion, the seal portion comprising:
- a proximal seal lip defining a proximal seal opening, and
- a distal seal lip symmetrically opposite to the proximal seal lip, the distal lip defining a distal seal opening, and
- the proximal seal lip and the distal seal lip being configured to receive an instrument shaft;
- wherein the proximal seal lip and the distal seal lip are oriented such that:
- friction of the distal seal lip against the instrument shaft is lower than friction of the proximal seal lip against the instrument shaft during insertion of the instrument shaft into the seal portion, and
- friction of the proximal seal lip against the instrument shaft is lower than the friction of the distal seal lip against the instrument shaft during retraction of the instrument shaft from the seal portion.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.