Trocar flapper valve

Claim 2

A cannula comprising: (a) a cannula tube with an outer surface and an interior lumen, and having a forward distal end and a rearward proximate end, wherein said lumen has an enlarged cavity portion intermediate said distal end and said proximate end; (b) a shelf extending inwardly from the cannula tube in the enlarged cavity portion defining a flapper valve aperture; (c) a flapper valve, mounted adjacent to and forward of said shelf, having an integral hinge and a flapper formed of elastomeric material, and wherein the size of said flapper is larger than the flapper valve aperture; and (d) a hard button located on the flapper wherein the size of the hard button is smaller than the flapper valve aperture.

Claim 3

The cannula of claim 1 wherein the hinge permits the flapper to fold forward into the enlarged cavity portion toward the distal end of the cannula and wherein the inwardly extending shelf restricts the flapper from folding rearward toward the proximate end of the cannula.

Claim 4

The cannula of claim 2 wherein air pressure from the distal end of the cannula tube forces the flapper rearward against the inward extending shelf thereby substantially sealing the distal end of the cannula tube.

Claim 5

The cannula of claim 1 wherein the flapper has a width relatively greater than the width of the hinge.

Claim 6

The cannula of claim 1 wherein the button is mounted on the flapper, said button being relatively harder than the flapper portion.

Claim 7

A cannula comprising: (a) a cannula tube with an outer surface and an interior lumen, and having a forward distal end and a rearward proximate end, wherein said lumen has an enlarged cavity portion intermediate said distal end and said proximate end; (b) a shelf extending inwardly from the cannula tube in the enlarged cavity portion defining a flapper valve aperture, said inwardly extending shelf is defined by a gland retainer; and (c) a flapper valve, mounted adjacent to and forward of said shelf, having an integral hinge and a flapper formed of elastomeric material and wherein the size of said flapper is larger than the flapper valve aperture, said hinge permits the flapper to fold forward into the enlarged cavity portion toward the distal end of the cannula and wherein the inwardly extending shelf restricts the flapper from folding rearwardly toward the proximate end of the cannula.

Claim 8

A cannula comprising: (a) a cannula tube with an outer surface and an interior lumen, and having a forward distal end and a rearward proximate end, wherein said lumen has an enlarged cavity portion intermediate said distal end and said proximate end; (b) a shelf extending inwardly from the cannula tube in the enlarged cavity portion defining a flapper valve aperture, said inwardly extending shelf is defined by a gland retainer; and (c) a flapper valve, mounted adjacent to and forward of said shelf, having an integral hinge and a flapper formed of elastomeric material and wherein the size of said flapper is larger than the flapper valve aperture, said hinge permits the flapper to fold forward into the enlarged cavity portion toward the distal end of the cannula and wherein the inwardly extending shelf restricts the flapper from folding rearwardly toward the proximate end of the cannula.

Claim 9

A cannula comprising: (a) a cannula tube with an outer surface and an interior lumen, and having a forward distal end and a rearward proximate end, wherein said lumen has an enlarged cavity portion intermediate said distal end and said proximate end; (b) a shelf extending inwardly from the cannula tube in the enlarged cavity portion defining a flapper valve aperture; (c) a flapper valve, mounted forward of said shelf, having an integral hinge and a flapper formed of elastomeric material, and wherein the size of said flapper is larger than the flapper valve aperture and the flapper valve has a fastening section which is formed of a unitary piece of elastomeric material with the hinge and flapper; and (d) a hard button located on the flapper, wherein the size of the hard button is smaller than the flapper valve aperture.

Claim 10

A cannula comprising: (a) a cannula tube with an outer surface and an interior lumen, and having a forward distal end and a rearward proximate end, wherein said lumen has an enlarged cavity portion intermediate said distal end and said proximate end; (b) a shelf extending inwardly from the cannula tube in the enlarged cavity portion defining a flapper valve aperture; (c) a flapper valve, mounted forward of said shelf, having an integral hinge and a flapper formed of elastomeric material, and wherein the size of said flapper is larger than the flapper valve aperture and the flapper valve has a fastening section which is formed of a unitary piece of elastomeric material with the hinge and flapper; and (d) a hard button located on the flapper, wherein the size of the hard button is smaller than the flapper valve aperture.

Claim 11

A cannula comprising: (a) a cannula tube with an outer surface and an interior lumen, and having a forward distal end and a rearward proximate end, wherein said lumen has an enlarged cavity portion intermediate said distal end and said proximate end; (b) a shelf extending inwardly from the cannula tube in the enlarged cavity portion defining a flapper valve aperture; and (c) a flapper valve, mounted forward of said shelf, having an integral hinge and a flapper formed of elastomeric material, and wherein the size of said flapper is larger than the flapper valve aperture and the flapper valve has a fastening section which is formed of a unitary piece of elastomeric material with the hinge and flapper, and said fastening section having an outer section with a forward lip and a rearward lip defining a channel.

Claim 12

A cannula comprising: (a) a cannula tube with an outer surface and an interior lumen, and having a forward distal end and a rearward proximate end, wherein said lumen has an enlarged cavity portion intermediate said distal end and said proximate end; (b) a shelf extending inwardly from the cannula tube in the enlarged cavity portion defining a flapper valve aperture; and (c) a flapper valve, mounted forward of said shelf, having an integral hinge and a flapper formed of elastomeric material, and wherein the size of said flapper is larger than the flapper valve aperture and the flapper valve has a fastening section which is formed of a unitary piece of elastomeric material with the hinge and flapper, and said fastening section having an outer section with a forward lip and a rearward lip defining a channel.

Claim 13

A cannula comprising: (a) a cannula tube with an outer surface and an interior lumen, and having a forward distal end and a rearward proximate end, wherein said lumen has an enlarged cavity portion intermediate said distal end and said proximate end; (b) a gland retainer defining a shelf, said shelf extending inwardly from the cannula tube in the enlarged cavity portion defining, a flapper valve aperture; and (c) a flapper valve, mounted forward of said shelf, having an integral hinge and a flapper formed of elastomeric material, and wherein the size of said flapper is larger than the flapper valve aperture and the flapper valve has a fastening section comprising an outer section with a channel, said fastening section formed of a unitary piece of elastomeric material with the hinge and flapper.

Claim 14

A cannula comprising: (a) a cannula tube with an outer surface and an interior lumen, and having a forward distal end and a rearward proximate end, wherein said lumen has an enlarged cavity portion intermediate said distal end and said proximate end; (b) a gland retainer defining a shelf, said shelf extending inwardly from the cannula tube in the enlarged cavity portion defining, a flapper valve aperture; and (c) a flapper valve, mounted forward of said shelf, having an integral hinge and a flapper formed of elastomeric material, and wherein the size of said flapper is larger than the flapper valve aperture and the flapper valve has a fastening section comprising an outer section with a channel, said fastening section formed of a unitary piece of elastomeric material with the hinge and flapper.

Claim 15

The cannula of claim 9 wherein the gland retainer further comprises a raised edge which is received within the channel of the outer section of the fastening section of the flapper valve.

Claim 16

A cannula comprising: (a) a cannula tube with an outer surface and an interior lumen, and having a forward distal end and a rearward proximate end, wherein said lumen has an enlarged cavity portion intermediate said distal end and said proximate end; (b) a gland retainer received within the interior lumen of said cannula tube rearward of the enlarged cavity portion and having a distal end surface defining a shelf, said distal end surface also having an opening defining a flapper valve aperture, and said gland retainer also having a raised edge; (c) a flapper valve having an outer fastening section which defines a channel, said channel being received on the raised edge of the gland retainer, and also having a hinge section connecting said fastening section to a flapper with a relatively hard button being mounted on said flapper and said fastening section, hinge, and flapper all being fabricated from a unitary piece of elastomeric material.

Claim 17

A cannula comprising: (a) a cannula tube with an outer surface and an interior lumen, and having a forward distal end and a rearward proximate end, wherein said lumen has an enlarged cavity portion intermediate said distal end and said proximate end; (b) a gland retainer received within the interior lumen of said cannula tube rearward of the enlarged cavity portion and having a distal end surface defining a shelf, said distal end surface also having an opening defining a flapper valve aperture, and said gland retainer also having a raised edge; (c) a flapper valve having an outer fastening section which defines a channel, said channel being received on the raised edge of the gland retainer, and also having a hinge section connecting said fastening section to a flapper with a relatively hard button being mounted on said flapper and said fastening section, hinge, and flapper all being fabricated from a unitary piece of elastomeric material.

Claim 18

A flapper valve comprising a fastening section connected by a hinge to a flapper portion wherein the hinge and flapper portion are formed from a unitary piece of elastomeric material and the flapper is of greater width than the hinge, said fastening section comprising an outer casing having a forward lip and a rearward lip defining a channel.

Claim 19

A flapper valve comprising a fastening section connected by a hinge to a flapper portion wherein the hinge and flapper portion are formed from a unitary piece of elastomeric material and the flapper is of greater width than the hinge, said fastening section comprising an outer casing having a forward lip and a rearward lip defining a channel.

Claim 20

The flapper valve according to claim 12 wherein the fastening section is formed of the same unitary piece of elastomeric material comprising the hinge and flapper portion.