Trocar flapper valve

• US 5,989,228 A
• Filed: 08/13/1996
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sherwood Services AG
• Original Assignee: Endoscopic Concepts, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Thomas R., Danks, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCDERMOTT, CORRINE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US08/695,476
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 604/164, 604/167, 604/169, 604/246, 604/256, 604/264, 251/149.1, 251/149.2
• US Class Current: 604/256
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3474 Insufflating needles, e.g. Veress needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3496 Protecting sleeves or inner probes; Retractable tips for protecting body piercing guide needles A61M25/0612
• 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 2017/0023 disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0084 low friction A61B2017/00853 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/346 with wings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/349 Trocar with thread on outside

Abstract

A trocar is formed from a cannula and an interfitting obturator for penetrating body cavity walls in laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery. The cannula has an improved inexpensive flexible flapper valve and can be manufactured with a reusable cannula tube but disposable flapper valve assembly to minimize cost.

Claims

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

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

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

6. 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.

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;

(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.

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; 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.

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 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.

10. 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.

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 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.