Surgical cannula with ball valve
OwnerKevin Farley, Daniel M. Gudemaninventors
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Abstract
This invention relates to a surgical cannula that has a simple ball valve assembly comprising a ball, rotatably mounted on an axle extending between opposing legs of a pivotable yoke, which engages a seat to seal the instrument inlet to the cannula passageway when a trocar instrument is removed and moves out of the path of the instrument during insertion thus avoiding wear and strain on the valve and the instrumentation.
Claims20
In a surgical cannula, having a hollow body defining a cannula passageway sized to receive instruments running therethrough, a distal end configured for insertion into a body cavity and a proximal end having an opening to said cannula passageway, the improvement comprising:
- a ball valve assembly, arranged at said proximal end of said cannula proximate said opening to said cannula passageway, said assembly comprising a ball, rotatably mounted on an axle extending between opposing legs of a yoke, and a seat;
- said seat being configured to receive said ball and comprising an opening, which is aligned in a path with said opening to said cannula passageway and is sized to receive instruments running therethrough;
- means for pivoting said yoke from a first position, wherein said ball engages said seat within said path between said opening of said seat and said opening to said cannula passageway, to another position;
- means for urging said yoke, about said pivot, to said first position;
- means for urging said yoke, about said pivot, from said first position to said another position.
A surgical cannula comprising:
- a hollow body, defining a cannula passageway sized to receive instruments running therethrough, having a distal end configured for insertion into a body cavity and a proximal end comprising an opening to said cannula passageway;
- a valve housing, arranged at said proximal end of said cannula and comprising an outlet at a first end, in fluid communication with said opening to said cannula passageway, an inlet at a second end and a cavity arranged therebetween;
- a ball valve assembly, arranged at said second end of said valve housing, said assembly comprising a ball, rotatably mounted on an axle extending between opposing legs of a yoke, and a seat;
- said seat being configured to receive said ball and comprising an opening to said inlet, said opening to said inlet being aligned in a path with said opening to said cannula passageway and being sized to receive instruments running therethrough;
- means for pivoting said yoke from a first position, wherein said ball engages said seat within said path between said opening of said seat and said opening to said cannula passageway, to another position;
- means for urging said yoke, about said pivot, to said first position;
- means for urging said yoke, about said pivot, from said first position to said another position;
- wherein said means for urging said yoke from said first position to said second position is actuatable exterior said housing.
A ball valve assembly for use with a surgical cannula comprising:
- a valve housing, attachable to a proximal end of said cannula and comprising an outlet at a first end, in fluid communication with an opening to a passageway in said cannula sized for the insertion of instruments therethrough, an inlet at a second end and a cavity therebetween;
- a ball valve, arranged in said cavity at said second end of said valve housing, said ball valve comprising a ball, rotatably mounted on an axle extending between opposing legs of a yoke, and a seat comprising an opening to said inlet;
- said seat being configured to receive said ball, said opening to said inlet being aligned in a path with said opening to said cannula passageway, and being sized to receive instruments running therethrough;
- means for pivoting said yoke from a first position, wherein said ball engages said seat within said path between said opening of said seat and said opening to said cannula passageway, to another position;
- means for urging said yoke, about said pivot, to said first position;
- means for urging said yoke, about said pivot, from said first position to said another position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.