Sealing structure for medical instrument

• US 5,743,884 A
• Filed: 06/22/1995
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harrith M. Hasson, Nick Lakatos
• Original Assignee: Harrith M. Hasson, Nick Lakatos
• Inventors: Lakatos, Nick, Hasson, Harrith M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Chalin
• Application Number:
  US08/493,492
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 604/173, 604/158, 604/164, 604/167, 604/169, 604/246, 604/249, 604/264, 604/247, 137/247, 137/247.11, 137/247.13, 137/247.17
• US Class Current: 604/167.02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3462 with means for changing the diameter or the orientation of the entrance port of the cannula, e.g. for use with different-sized instruments, reduction ports, adapter seals expandable cannulas A61B17/3417
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3498 Valves therefor, e.g. flapper valves, slide valves haemostasis valves A61M39/06; check valves A61M39/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3437 with means for removing or absorbing fluid, e.g. wicks or absorbent pads
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0633 the seal being a passive seal made of a resilient material with or without an opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/064 Slit-valve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0653 Perforated disc
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/06 Haemostasis valves, i.e. gaskets sealing around a needle, catheter or the like, closing on removal thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4486 Plural valves or valve seats

Abstract

A sealing structure for an elongate medical instrument. The sealing structure includes a first sealing member having a first body with oppositely facing first and second surfaces and a peripheral edge and a second sealing member having a second body with oppositely facing third and fourth surfaces and a peripheral edge. A housing has a peripheral wall to surroundingly engage the peripheral edges of the first and second bodies with the first and second sealing members in operative relationship, wherein the second surface on the first body facially abuts to the third surface on the second body. The first body has at least a first portion that is compressible and deformable, with the second body having at least a second portion that is likewise compressible and deformable. There is an opening in the first portion of the first body that extends through the first body from the first surface to the second surface. There is an opening in the second portion of the second body that extends through the second body from the third surface to the fourth surface. The openings in the first and second bodies are expandable to allow the first and second bodies to grippingly engage an elongate medical instrument extended through the openings in the first and second bodies with the first and second sealing members in operative relationship.

Claims

1. A sealing structure for an elongate medical instrument, said sealing structure comprising:

a first sealing member having a first body with oppositely facing first and second surfaces and a peripheral edge;

a second sealing member having a second body with oppositely facing third and fourth surfaces and a peripheral edge; and

a housing having a peripheral wall to surroundingly engage the peripheral edges of the first and second bodies with the first and second sealing members in operative relationship,

said first body having at least a first portion that is compressible and deformable,

said second body having at least a second portion that is compressible and deformable,

there being an opening in the first portion of the first body that has a central axis extends through the first body from the first surface to the second surface,

there being an opening in the second portion of the second body that has a central axis extends through the second body from the third surface to the fourth surface,

the openings in the first and second bodies being expandable to allow the first and second bodies to grippingly engage an elongate medical instrument extended through the openings in the first and second bodies with the first and second sealing members in operative relationship the second surface on the first body facially abutting to the third surface on the second body with the first and second sealing members in operative relationship with the first and second sealing members substantially undeformed along the central axis of the openings in the first and second bodies.

2. The sealing structure according to claim 1 wherein the housing wall is rigid so that an elongate medical instrument extended through the openings in the first and second bodies with the first and second sealing members in operative relationship compresses the first and second portions of the bodies against the peripheral wall of the housing.

3. The sealing structure according to claim 1 wherein the first and second portions on the first and second bodies comprise silicone rubber.

4. The sealing structure according to claim 1 wherein the openings in the first and second portions of the first and second bodies have a different configuration.

5. The sealing structure according to claim 1 in combination with an elongate medical instrument having a substantially cylindrical body extending through the openings in the first and second portions of the first and second bodies.

6. The sealing structure according to claim 1 wherein the second and third surfaces are substantially flat.

7. The sealing structure according to claim 1 wherein the second and third surfaces are substantially flat over the entire extent of the second and third surfaces within the peripheral wall of the housing.

8. The sealing structure according to claim 1 wherein the first body has a thickness between the first and second surfaces that is no more than 1/4 inch and the second body has a thickness between the third and fourth surfaces that is no more than 1/4 inch.

9. The sealing structure according to claim 8 wherein the thicknesses between the first and second surfaces on the first body and third and fourth surfaces on the second body are each approximately 1/16 inch.

10. The sealing structure according to claim 1 wherein the housing has a center axis around which the peripheral wall extends and the housing has a first rim projecting radially inwardly from the peripheral wall and a second rim spaced axially from the first rim and projecting radially inwardly from the peripheral wall, the first and second sealing members residing closely captively between the first and second rims with substantially the entirety of the second and third surfaces facially abutting to each other with the first and second sealing members in operative relationship and in assembled relationship with the housing.

11. The sealing structure according to claim 10 wherein the peripheral edge of the first body has a first effective diameter, the first rim has a radially inwardly facing edge defining a second effective diameter and the first effective diameter is greater than the second effective diameter so that the first body must be radially compressed to be placed between the first and second rims on the housing.

12. The sealing structure according to claim 11 wherein the peripheral edge of the second body has a third effective diameter, the second rim has a radially inwardly facing edge defining a fourth effective diameter and the third effective diameter is greater than the fourth effective diameter so that the second body must be radially compressed to be placed between the first and second rims on the housing.

13. The sealing structure according to claim 1 including a third sealing member having a third body with oppositely facing fifth and sixth surfaces and a peripheral edge, with the first, second and third sealing members in operative relationship, the fifth surface on the third body facially engages the fourth surface on the second body, the third body having at least a third portion that is compressible and deformable, there being an opening in the third portion of the third body that extends through the third body from the fifth surface to the sixth surface, the opening in the third body being expandable to allow the third body to grippingly engage an elongate medical instrument extended through the opening in the third body, the peripheral wall of the housing surroundingly engaging the peripheral edge of the third body with the first, second and third sealing members in operative relationship with each other and in assembled relationship with the housing, the openings in the first, second and third portions of the first, second and third bodies being aligned with the first, second and third sealing members in operative relationship with each other and in assembled relationship with the housing to allow an elongate medical instrument to be directed guidingly through the first, second and third openings, to thereby be grippingly engaged by the first, second and third bodies.

14. The sealing structure according to claim 13 wherein the opening in the second portion of the second body comprises a substantial cylindrical cutout.

15. The sealing structure according to claim 14 wherein the opening in at least one of the first and third portions of the first and third bodies comprises at least one slit.

16. The sealing structure according to claim 15 wherein the opening in the at least one of the first and third portions of the first and third bodies comprises crossing slits which define independently movable and deformable flaps.

17. The sealing structure according to claim 16 wherein the crossing slits define at least six independently movable and deformable flaps in the at least one of the first and third portions of the first and third bodies.

18. A sealing structure for an elongate medical instrument, said sealing structure comprising:

a first disc-shaped sealing member having a first body with oppositely facing first and second flat surfaces and a peripheral edge;

a second disc-shaped sealing member having a second body with oppositely facing third and fourth flat surfaces and a peripheral edge; and

a third disc-shaped sealing member having a third body with oppositely facing fifth and sixth flat surfaces and a peripheral edge,

said first, second and third sealing members in an operative relationship engaging each other,

said first body having at least a first portion that is compressible and deformable with there being an opening through the first portion extending from the first flat surface to the second flat surface,

said second body having at least a second portion that is compressible and deformable with there being an opening through the second portion extending from the third flat surface to the fourth flat surface,

said third body having at least a third portion that is compressible and deformable with there being an opening through the third portion extending from the fifth flat surface to the sixth flat surface,

the openings in the first, second and third portions of the first, second and third bodies being aligned with the first, second and third sealing members in operative relationship so that an elongate medical instrument can be directed through the openings in the first, second and third portions of the first, second, and third bodies to be gippingly engaged by the first, second and third portions of the first, second and third bodies, the second flat surface on the first body facially abutting the third flat surface on the second body and the fourth flat surface on the second body facially abutting the fifth flat surface on the third body with the first, second, and third sealing members in the operative relationship, with the first, second and third sealing members substantially undeformed along the central axes of the openings in the first, second and third sealing members.

19. The sealing structure according to claim 18 in combination with an elongate medical instrument extended through each of the openings in the first, second and third portions of the first, second and third bodies.

20. The sealing structure according to claim 18 wherein the opening in each of the first and third portions of the first and third bodies being defined by at least one slit, the opening in the second portion of the second body being defined by a cutout.

21. The sealing structure according to claim 20 wherein the opening in each of the first and third portions of the first and third bodies is defined by a plurality of slits defining at least four independently movable and deformable flaps and the cutout in the second portion of the second body is substantially cylindrical.

22. The sealing structure according to claim 18 including a housing having a central axis and a peripheral wall extending around the central axis, a first rim extending radially inwardly from the peripheral wall and a second rim extending radially inwardly from the peripheral wall and spaced axially from the first rim relative to the central axis of the housing, the first, second and third sealing members in the operative relationship residing closely captively between the first and second rims and confined against movement axially relative to the housing by the first and second rims with substantially the entirety of the second and third flat surfaces facially abutting to each other and substantially the entirety of the fourth and fifth surfaces facially abutting to each other with the first, second and third sealing members in assembled relationship with the housing.

23. The sealing structure according to claim 22 wherein the opening in at least one of the first, second and third bodies is defined by at least one slit such that the opening in the at least one of the first, second and third body is substantially sealed in the absence of an elongate medical instrument being extended therethrough.

24. The sealing structure according to claim 23 wherein the opening in another of the first, second and third bodies is defined by a substantially cylindrical cutout in the another of the first, second and third bodies.

25. The sealing structure according to claim 24 wherein the first, second and third bodies comprise silicone rubber.

26. The sealing structure according to claim 25 wherein the first, second and third bodies each have a thickness between the oppositely facing flat surfaces thereon and the thicknesses of each of the first, second and third bodies is less than 1/4 inch.

27. The sealing structure according to claim 26 wherein the first, second and third bodies each have a thickness between the oppositely facing flat surfaces, thereon and the thicknesses of each of the first, second and third bodies is approximately 1/16 inch.