Trocar seal with reduced contact area
US7976501B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 7, 2007 |
| Grant date | Jul 12, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 8, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2017/3464
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Seal assemblies or valves, generally for use in trocar assemblies, are provided for reducing the amount of contact between an instrument being passed into and out of a trocar assembly and an inner surface of a sealing wall of such seal assemblies or valves. In one exemplary embodiment a valve includes an activation extension that is formed on the inner surface of the sealing wall of the valve and is configured such that a distal end of the sealing wall is moved to the open position by an instrument contacting the activation extension. In one embodiment the instrument does not come into contact with the inner surface of the sealing wall during the procedure. In another embodiment a distal-most end of the activation extension can be closer to a longitudinal axis extending through the flange than the inner surface of the sealing wall.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.