US 2006/0220325 A1 · Floating seal assembly for a trocar

Abstract

A seal assembly used in combination with a trocar assembly and disposed and structured to establish sealing engagement with the exterior surface of medical instrument introduced into the trocar assembly so as to maintain adequate insufflation pressure within a body cavity accessed by the trocar assembly. The seal assembly includes a seal member unconnected to and freely moveable, at least laterally, within a seal chamber of the trocar assembly. The seal member and the seal chamber are cooperatively dimensioned to maintain one or more outer peripheral surfaces of the seal member in surrounding, sealing relation to one or both of the inlet and outlet ports of the seal chamber thereby eliminating or reducing the escape of insuflation gas through the trocar assembly when an instrument is present therein.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A seal assembly for use with a trocar or like device, said seal assembly comprising:

a seal member including a first section and a second section cooperatively structured to define a channel extending through said first and second sections,
a seal structure connected to said second section and disposed and structured to sealingly engage an instrument passing into and through said channel,
a sleeve connected to said first section and disposed within said seal member up stream of said seal structure along said channel and in interruptive relation to the instrument passing into and through said channel, and
both said first and second sections comprising an apertured construction which at least partially defines said channel.

1 more element

A seal assembly for use with a trocar or like device structured to introduce a medical instrument into a body cavity, said seal assembly comprising:

a seal housing including an interior chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port,
said chamber comprising oppositely positioned inner surfaces each disposed contiguous to a different one of said inlet port and said outlet port and extending radially outward there from,
a seal member comprising first and second sections and a channel extending there through, said seal member unconnected to said housing and dimensioned and structured for free lateral movement within said chamber and disposable into and out of substantially coaxial alignment between said channel and said inlet and outlet ports,
a seal structure connected to said second section and disposed and structured to sealingly engage an instrument passing into and through said channel,
a sleeve moveably connected to said first section and disposed within said seal member upstream of said seal structure along said channel and in an interruptive relation to the instrument passing into and through said channel, and
both said first and second sections comprising an apertured construction which at least partially define said channel.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Floating seal assembly for a trocar

Life of this patent

Floating seal assembly for a trocar

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims34