Patent · US Expired

Trocar with improved universal seal

US5628732A · kind A · utility

348Cited by
13References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 19, 1996
Grant dateMay 13, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 19, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B2017/3464
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A trocar containing a universal seal for sealing against surgical instruments of varying diameter to maintain insufflation in the body cavity is disclosed. The universal seal has an elastomeric sealing component with a centrally located interior region containing an aperture, and a concentrically located sealing region. The sealing region is composed of an integral laminate having an overlaying layer co-molded with an underlying layer. The overlaying layer has a hardness between about 40 Shore A Durometer Scale and about 80 Shore D Durometer Scale. The underlying layer has a hardness between about 5 Shore A Durometer Scale and about 40 Shore A Durometer Scale. The co-molded laminate balances the properties of tear resistance and elasticity which are necessary for a working universal seal, and does so without the need for resilient legs or protectors to facilitate the opening of the aperture of the seal or to prevent tearing when instruments are inserted.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.