Seals for surgical access devices

A valve assembly for a surgical access device, the valve assembly comprising:

• a seal assembly including an outer flange and a septum seal extending across the outer flange;
• a guard assembly disposed within the outer flange of the seal assembly, the guard assembly including a plurality of guard members, each guard member of the plurality of guard members consisting of a ring portion and a single flap portion extending from the ring portion;
• and
• a centering mechanism including an annular ring and a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the annular ring, the outer flange of the seal assembly being supported within the annular ring, wherein the flap portions of the guard members of the guard assembly are configured to engage and stretch the septum seal during reception of a surgical instrument through the valve assembly.

A valve assembly comprising:

• a seal assembly including an outer flange and a septum seal extending across the outer flange;
• a guard assembly disposed within the outer flange of the seal assembly, the guard assembly including a guard member having a ring portion and a plurality of petals, each petal of the plurality of petals having an outwardly curved outer edge;
• and
• a centering mechanism including an annular ring and a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the annular ring, the outer flange of the seal assembly being supported within the annular ring, wherein the plurality of petals of the guard member are configured to engage and stretch the septum seal during reception of a surgical instrument through the valve assembly.

A valve assembly comprising:

• a seal assembly including an outer flange and a septum seal extending across the outer flange;
• a guard assembly disposed within the outer flange of the seal assembly, the guard assembly including a plurality of guard members, each guard member of the plurality of guard members having a ring portion and a flap portion, the flap portions having a substantially mushroom cap shape;
• and
• a centering mechanism including an annular ring and a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the annular ring, the outer flange of the seal assembly being supported within the annular ring, wherein the flap portions of the plurality of guard members of the guard assembly are configured to engage and stretch the septum seal during reception of a surgical instrument through the valve assembly.