Pleated trocar seal
First Claim
1. A seal for endoscopic instruments, comprising an elastomeric membrane having an opening adapted to receive a surgical instrument, said membrane being configured with a plurality of pleats circumscribing the opening and extending laterally away from the opening, each of said plurality of pleats comprising a plurality of pleat walls defining a height between a peak and an adjacent valley, wherein each of the plurality of pleat walls increase in height as the plurality of pleats extend laterally away from the opening.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A trocar seal comprising an elastomeric membrane having an opening adapted to receive a surgical instrument. The membrane is configured with a plurality of pleats circumscribing the opening and extending laterally from opening. The pleats comprise a plurality of pleat walls increasing in height as the pleats extend laterally from the opening. In one embodiment, the pleats are conically arranged.
67 Citations
16 Claims
- 1. A seal for endoscopic instruments, comprising an elastomeric membrane having an opening adapted to receive a surgical instrument, said membrane being configured with a plurality of pleats circumscribing the opening and extending laterally away from the opening, each of said plurality of pleats comprising a plurality of pleat walls defining a height between a peak and an adjacent valley, wherein each of the plurality of pleat walls increase in height as the plurality of pleats extend laterally away from the opening.
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11. A trocar seal comprising:
- a) a lip defining and an opening, said lip being adapted to sealingly engage an endoscopic surgical instrument; and
b) a plurality of conically arranged linear pleats circumscribing the lip and extending radially away from lip, said plurality of conically arranged linear pleats comprising a plurality of medical tapering walls defining a height between a peak and a valley, wherein each of the plurality of medical tapering walls increase in height as the plurality of conically arranged linear pleats extend radially away from the lip. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- a) a lip defining and an opening, said lip being adapted to sealingly engage an endoscopic surgical instrument; and
Specification