Vented seal having redundant sealing components
AssigneeMedical Instrument Development Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsDavid E. Chen, Erik W. Peterson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seal having a body and several bands extending away from the body. The bands extend around an axial portion of the body. In some embodiments, the bands project from and are formed integral with the body. For example, the bands can be rings. Two bands can be located on the outside of the body and two additional bands can be located on the inside of the body to provide redundant sealing components between separated fluids. A vent aperture can be positioned between the two bands on each side of the body. The two inner bands can be offset from the two outer bands. The seal can be used in a surgical cutting device, among other things.
Claims14
A surgical cutting device, comprising:
- a housing having a first chamber, a second chamber, and a passage extending between the first and second chamber;
- a vent defined by a channel extending through the housing from the passage;
- a shaft having a first end located in the first chamber and a second end located outside of the housing, the shaft extending from the first chamber at the first end and through the passage and the second chamber to the second end;
- a seal located between the shaft and the passage to separate the first chamber from the second chamber, the seal comprising:
- a body having at least one inner surface positioned adjacent the shaft, at least one outer surface positioned adjacent the passage, and an aperture extending between the at least one inner surface and the at least one outer surface,
- a first and second band projecting from and formed integral with the body, the first and second band each surrounding at least an axial portion of the outer surface of the body and dimensioned for sealing engagement with the passage, the first band axially disposed from the second band and the aperture;
- and
- a third and fourth band projecting from and formed integral with the body, the third and fourth band each surrounding at least an axial portion of the inner surface of the body and dimensioned for sealing engagement with the shaft, the third band axially disposed from the fourth band and the aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.