US6258065B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Surgical instrument seal assembly
Assignee: Conmed Corp
•
Filing: 1999-11-05
•
Granted: 2001-07-10
•
Expires: 2019-11-05
Abstract
Abstract A surgical instrument valve assembly is provided with a valve seal where the upper portion of the valve seal is rigidly mounted to the body of the valve assembly. The lower portion of the valve seal is configured to allow some radial movement while the upper portion of the valve seal remains rigidly mounted within the valve assembly. The valve seal may be provided with stay that prevents the valve seal from inverting when an instrument in withdrawn from the valve assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 William G. Dennis
- 👤 Michael E. Prosek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:27
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/34; A61B17/3462; A61B2017/3464
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
211 words
A surgical instrument seal assembly for mounting to a cannula for the insertion of a surgical instrument, the seal assembly comprising: an upper body portion having an upper surface that defines a throughbore extending completely through the seal assembly; a lower body portion projecting below the upper body portion wherein the lower body portion defines a cannula receiving opening adapted to mount the seal assembly on the cannula; and a unitary valve seal comprising: an upper seal portion having a mounting portion and a generally frustoconical upper sealing member having a first taper extending from the mounting portion, wherein the mounting portion is rigidly mounted in the upper body portion adjacent an interior portion of the upper body portion, said interior portion opposing the upper surface, the upper seal portion being mounted about the throughbore; and a lower seal portion extending from the upper seal portion, the lower seal portion being adapted to seal around the surgical instrument and having a generally frusto-conical lower sealing member having a second taper that is different from the first taper, the lower sealing member including a lower seal wall having an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion, a reinforcing layer being disposed intermediate the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
211 words
A surgical instrument seal assembly for mounting to a cannula for the insertion of a surgical instrument, the seal assembly comprising: an upper body portion having an upper surface that defines a throughbore extending completely through the seal assembly; a lower body portion projecting below the upper body portion wherein the lower body portion defines a cannula receiving opening adapted to mount the seal assembly on the cannula; and a unitary valve seal comprising: an upper seal portion having a mounting portion and a generally frustoconical upper sealing member having a first taper extending from the mounting portion, wherein the mounting portion is rigidly mounted in the upper body portion adjacent an interior portion of the upper body portion, said interior portion opposing the upper surface, the upper seal portion being mounted about the throughbore; and a lower seal portion extending from the upper seal portion, the lower seal portion being adapted to seal around the surgical instrument and having a generally frusto-conical lower sealing member having a second taper that is different from the first taper, the lower sealing member including a lower seal wall having an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion, a reinforcing layer being disposed intermediate the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve seal further comprises a stay wherein at least a portion of the stay is incapsulated in the valve seal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 2 , wherein the stay is unitarily formed with the lower seal portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 2 , wherein the stay is adapted to resist inversion of the valve seal when an instrument is withdrawn from the valve seal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 4 , wherein the stay is made from a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, and plastic elastomers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 4 wherein the stay has a lower portion incapsulated by the valve seal material and forms a unitary structure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 2 , wherein the stay is shaped to substantially match the lower seal portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the stay is encapsulated in at least a portion of the lower seal portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 8 , wherein the stay further comprises a circumferential flange above the at least a portion of the stay encapsulated in at least a portion of the lower seal portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 9 , wherein the stay further includes a circumferential upper wall disposed above the circumferential flange.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the stay is approximately frusto-conical in shape.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 2 , wherein the stay further comprises a plurality of flexible members.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The surgical instrument valve seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper seal portion and the lower seal portion are integrally formed from the same material and wherein the valve seal further comprises a stay that is partially incapsulated in the lower seal portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve seal is formed from an elastomeric material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 14 , wherein the elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of silicone, plastic elastomers, polyisoprene, butyl rubber, neoprene and natural rubber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a duckbill valve in the lower body portion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 1 wherein the reinforcing layer is integral with at least a portion of the inner wall portion.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
51 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 1 wherein the generally frusto-conical lower sealing member has a lower seal wall extending from the upper sealing member and terminating in an instrument seal opening, the lower seal wall being curved inward and defining a concave outer surface of the lower sealing member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
97 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 1 wherein the throughbore is symmetrically formed around a bore axis, the upper sealing member defines an access opening adjacent the mounting portion and having a diameter larger than the throughbore, and the lower sealing member defines an instrument seal opening, and wherein the valve seal is configured so that upon insertion of an instrument in an orientation not aligned with the bore axis, the instrument seal opening will move radially relative to the bore axis and an instrument axis opening will remain substantially unmoved relative to the bore axis.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
128 words
A valve seal assembly for use in a surgical instrument seal assembly, the valve seal comprising: an upper seal portion having a generally frusto-conical upper sealing member having a first taper; a lower seal portion extending from the upper seal portion wherein the lower seal portion is adapted to seal around the surgical instrument and has a generally frusto-conical lower sealing member having a second taper that is different from the first taper, the lower sealing member including a lower seal wall having an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion, a reinforcing layer being disposed intermediate the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion; and a stay wherein at least a portion of the stay is incapsulated in the lower portion of the valve seal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
128 words
A valve seal assembly for use in a surgical instrument seal assembly, the valve seal comprising: an upper seal portion having a generally frusto-conical upper sealing member having a first taper; a lower seal portion extending from the upper seal portion wherein the lower seal portion is adapted to seal around the surgical instrument and has a generally frusto-conical lower sealing member having a second taper that is different from the first taper, the lower sealing member including a lower seal wall having an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion, a reinforcing layer being disposed intermediate the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion; and a stay wherein at least a portion of the stay is incapsulated in the lower portion of the valve seal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The valve seal of claim 20 , wherein the stay is unitarily formed with the lower seal portion.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The valve seal of claim 20 , wherein the upper seal portion and the lower seal portion are integrally formed from the same material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The valve seal of claim 20 , wherein the valve seal is formed from an elastomeric material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
The value seal of claim 23 , wherein the elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of silicone, plastic elastomers, polyisoprene, butyl rubber, neoprene and natural rubber.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
The valve seal of claim 20 , wherein the stay is adapted to resist inversion of the valve seal when an instrument is withdrawn from the valve seal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
The valve seal of claim 20 , wherein the stay is made from a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, and plastic elastomers.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The valve seal of claim 20 , wherein the stay is shaped to substantially match the lower seal portion.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The valve seal of claim 20 , wherein the stay further comprises a circumferential flange above the at least a portion of the stay encapsulated in the lower seal portion.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The valve seal of claim 28 , wherein the stay further includes a circumferential upper wall disposed above the circumferential flange.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
17 words
The valve seal of claim 29 , wherein the stay further comprises a plurality of flexible members.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
The valve seal of claim 20 , wherein the stay further comprises a plurality of flexible members.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
The valve seal of claim 20 , wherein at least a portion of the stay is approximately frusto-conical in shape.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
25 words
The valve seal of claim 20 , wherein the stay has a lower portion encapsulated by the valve seal material and forms a unitary structure.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
51 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 20 wherein the generally frusto-conical lower sealing member has a lower seal wall extending from the upper sealing member and terminating in an instrument seal opening, the lower seal wall being curved inward and defining, a concave outer surface of the lower sealing member.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
97 words
The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 20 wherein the throughbore is symmetrically formed around a bore axis, the upper sealing member defines an access opening adjacent the mounting portion and having a diameter larger than the throughbore, and the lower sealing member defines an instrument seal opening, and wherein the valve seal is configured so that upon insertion of an instrument in an orientation not aligned with the bore axis, the instrument seal opening will move radially relative to the bore axis and an instrument axis opening will remain substantially unmoved relative to the bore axis.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-07-09 | 2005-01-08 | 2005-07-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-07-09 | 2009-01-08 | 2009-07-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-07-09 | 2013-01-08 | 2013-07-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |