Trocar seal assembly
AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
InventorMark S. Zeiner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A seal assembly adapted for use in conjunction with a trocar assembly includes a plurality of seal segments, each seal segment including a peripheral edge and a seam edge. Each seal segment further includes a first section and a second section with a vertical wall connecting the first section and the second section in such a way that the first section is displaced relative to the second section such that the first section of a first seal segment may be placed upon the second section of a second seal segment with the first sections of the first and second seal segments lying in the same plane and the second sections of the first and second seal segments lying in the same plane. The seal segments are assembled in an overlapping woven arrangement to provide a complete seal body without the need for a secondary seal.
Claims20
A seal assembly adapted for use in conjunction with a trocar assembly, the seal assembly comprising:
- a plurality of seal segments, each seal segment includes a peripheral edge and a seam edge;
- each seal segment further includes a first section and a second section with a vertical wall connecting the first section and the second section in such a way that the first section is displaced and offset relative to the second section such that the first section of a first seal segment may be placed upon the second section of a second seal segment with the first sections of the first and second seal segments lying in the same plane and the second sections of the first and second seal segments lying in the same plane, wherein the vertical walls of the seal segments, with the respective first sections and second sections, create two separate sealing surfaces which are separated with an air space therebetween;
- wherein the seal segments are assembled in an overlapping woven arrangement to provide a complete seal body without the need for a secondary seal.
A trocar assembly, comprising:
- a trocar cannula including a proximal end and distal end;
- a trocar housing coupled to the proximal end of the trocar cannula for receiving and guiding an obturator through the trocar cannula, the trocar housing includes an open proximal end portion defining an opening provided with a seal assembly;
- the seal assembly includes:
- a plurality of seal segments, each seal segment includes a peripheral edge and a seam edge;
- each seal segment further includes a first section and a second section with a vertical wall connecting the first section and the second section in such a way that the first section is displaced and offset relative to the second section such that the first section of a first seal segment may be placed upon the second section of a second seal segment with the first sections of the first and second seal segments lying in the same plane and the second sections of the first and second seal segments lying in the same plane, wherein the vertical walls of the seal segments, with the respective first sections and second sections, create two separate sealing surfaces which are separated with an air space therebetween;
- wherein the seal segments are assembled in an overlapping woven arrangement to provide a complete seal body without the need for a secondary seal.
A trocar assembly, comprising:
- a trocar cannula including a proximal end and distal end;
- a trocar housing coupled to the proximal end of the trocar cannula for receiving and guiding an obturator through the trocar cannula, the trocar housing includes an open proximal end portion defining an opening provided with a proximal seal assembly and a distal seal assembly;
- the proximal seal assembly includes:
- a plurality of seal segments, each seal segment includes a peripheral edge and a seam edge;
- each seal segment further includes a first section and a second section with a vertical wall connecting the first section and the second section in such a way that the first section is displaced and offset relative to the second section such that the first section of a first seal segment may be placed upon the second section of a second seal segment with the first sections of the first and second seal segments lying in the same plane and the second sections of the first and second seal segments lying in the same plane, wherein the vertical walls of the seal segments, with respective first sections and second sections, create two separate sealing surface which are separated with an air space therebetween;
- wherein the seal segments are assembled in an overlapping woven arrangement to provide a complete seal body without the need for a secondary seal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.