Gear activated trocar assembly

Claim 2

A trocar assembly for use in inserting an endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity, comprising: a housing; first and second elongate cylindrical members having first ends mounted through said housing, said cylindrical members being concentrically disposed relative to one another; one of said members defining a passageway therethrough for insertion of said endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity; one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a first normally retracted external diameter selectively expandable to a second enlarged external diameter to resist withdrawal of said assembly from within an abdominal cavity when the external diameter of said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a first normally retracted external diameter is selectively expanded; said one of said members having a normally retracted external diameter further having a first gear member including first inter-engageable means; and a second gear member carried on said housing and having second inter-engageable means for companion interfacing with said first inter-engageable means, said gear members being manually manipulable to move said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter, between retracted and enlarged diameters.

Claim 3

The assembly of claim 1 each of said cylindrical members being secured against relative movement therebetween in at least one of longitudinal and rotational directions.

Claim 4

The assembly of claim 1 said gear member on said one of said cylindrical members comprising a series of annular teeth.

Claim 5

The assembly of claim 1 said second end of said one of said cylindrical members comprising a series of serrated flexing elements circumferentially defined on said second end.

Claim 6

The assembly of claim 1 said one of said cylindrical members being carried concentrically around the exterior of the other of said cylindrical members to form a sleeve, said sleeve including a serrated flexing element circumferentially defined on said second end.

Claim 7

The assembly of claim 1 further comprising: a cylindrical extension member positioned within said housing and having a no-go shoulder for abutting relationship with said first gear member to limit travel of said one of said cylindrical members in one direction.

Claim 8

The assembly of claim 1 further comprising an opening through said housing; and manually manipulatable control means protruding through said opening and communicating with said second gear member to manipulate said second gear member.

Claim 9

The assembly of claim 1 further comprising: a sleeve portion defined on said one of said cylindrical members and including a series of regularly spaced flexing members, each of said flexing members including a serration thereon.

Claim 10

A trocar assembly for use in inserting an endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity, comprising: a housing; first and second elongate cylindrical members having first ends mounted through said housing, said cylindrical members being concentrically disposed relative to one another; one of said members defining a passageway therethrough for insertion of said endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity; one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a first normally retracted external diameter selectively expandable to a second enlarged external diameter to resist withdrawal of said assembly from within an abdominal cavity when the external diameter of said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter is selectively expanded; said one of said members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter further having a first gear member including first inter-engageable means; and a second gear member carried on said housing and having second inter-engageable means for companion interfacing with said first inter-engageable means, said gear members being manually manipulatable to move said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter, between retracted and enlarged diameters without moving the diameter of the other of said cylindrical members from retracted to enlarged diameter.

Claim 11

A trocar assembly for use in inserting an endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity, comprising: a housing; first and second elongate cylindrical members having first ends mounted through said housing, said cylindrical members being concentrically disposed relative to one another; one of said members defining a passageway therethrough for insertion of said endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity; one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a first normally retracted external diameter selectively expandable to a second enlarged external diameter to resist withdrawal of said assembly from within an abdominal cavity when the external diameter of said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter is selectively expanded; said one of said members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter further having a first gear member including first inter-engageable means; and a second gear member carried on said housing and having second inter-engageable means for companion interfacing with said first inter-engageable means, said gear members being manually manipulatable to move said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter, between retracted and enlarged diameters without moving the diameter of the other of said cylindrical members from retracted to enlarged diameter.

Claim 12

A trocar assembly for use in inserting an endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity, comprising: a housing; first and second elongate cylindrical members having first ends mounted through said housing, said cylindrical members being concentrically disposed relative to one another; one of said members defining a passageway therethrough for insertion of said endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity; one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a first normally retracted external diameter selectively expandable to a second enlarged external diameter to resist withdrawal of said assembly from within an abdominal cavity when the external diameter of said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter is selectively expanded; a first gear member including first inter-engageable means in communication with said one of said members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter; and a second gear member having second inter-engageable means for companion interfacing with said first inter-engageable means, said gear members being manually non-rotatably manipulatable to move said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter, between retracted and enlarged diameters, without moving the external diameter of the other of said cylindrical members from retracted to enlarged diameter.

Claim 13

A trocar assembly for use in inserting an endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity, comprising: a housing; first and second elongate cylindrical members having first ends mounted through said housing, said cylindrical members being concentrically disposed relative to one another; one of said members defining a passageway therethrough for insertion of said endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity; one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a first normally retracted external diameter selectively expandable to a second enlarged external diameter to resist withdrawal of said assembly from within an abdominal cavity when the external diameter of said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter is selectively expanded; a first gear member including first inter-engageable means in communication with said one of said members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter; and a second gear member having second inter-engageable means for companion interfacing with said first inter-engageable means, said gear members being manually non-rotatably manipulatable to move said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter, between retracted and enlarged diameters, without moving the external diameter of the other of said cylindrical members from retracted to enlarged diameter.

Claim 14

A trocar assembly for use in inserting an endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity, comprising: a housing; first and second elongate cylindrical members having first ends mounted through said housing, said cylindrical members being concentrically disposed relative to one another; one of said members defining a passageway therethrough for insertion of said endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity; one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a first normally retracted external diameter selectively expandable to a second enlarged external diameter to resist withdrawal of said assembly from within an abdominal cavity when the external diameter of said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having an normally retracted external diameter is selectively expanded; said one of said members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter further having a first gear member including first inter-engageable means; and a second gear member carried on said housing and having second inter-engageable means for companion interfacing with said first inter-engageable means, said gear members being manually manipulable to move said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter between retracted and enlarged diameters, said first inter-engageable means comprising a series of inter-engaging teeth circumscribed circumferentially around the exterior of said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter, and said second inter-engageable means including a series of companion inter-engaging teeth for lateral inter-engagement with said first inter-engageable means.

Claim 15

A trocar assembly for use in inserting an endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity, comprising: a housing; first and second elongate cylindrical members having first ends mounted through said housing, said cylindrical members being concentrically disposed relative to one another; one of said members defining a passageway therethrough for insertion of said endoscopic instrument into the abdominal cavity; one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a first normally retracted external diameter selectively expandable to a second enlarged external diameter to resist withdrawal of said assembly from within an abdominal cavity when the external diameter of said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having an normally retracted external diameter is selectively expanded; said one of said members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter further having a first gear member including first inter-engageable means; and a second gear member carried on said housing and having second inter-engageable means for companion interfacing with said first inter-engageable means, said gear members being manually manipulable to move said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter between retracted and enlarged diameters, said first inter-engageable means comprising a series of inter-engaging teeth circumscribed circumferentially around the exterior of said one of said cylindrical members having a second end having a normally retracted external diameter, and said second inter-engageable means including a series of companion inter-engaging teeth for lateral inter-engagement with said first inter-engageable means.