Surgical instrument seal assembly

Claim 2

1 - 32 . (canceled)

Claim 3

33 . A surgical instrument seal assembly which is connected during use to a cannula and forms a seal about a surgical instrument that is passing through the cannula, the seal assembly comprising: a housing comprising a plurality of walls including at least a top wall and a bottom wall, wherein the walls are configured to enclose an interior space, wherein the top wall has a hole therethrough configured to receive the surgical instrument into the interior space, wherein the bottom wall has a cannula receiving opening therethrough aligned with respect to the hole so that the hole and the cannula receiving opening define a throughbore through the housing which is axially aligned with the cannula and configured to accept the surgical instrument; a generally cylindrical wall protector integrally formed with the top wall of the housing at the throughbore and positioned so as to project distally with respect to the top wall into the interior space of the housing; and a first valve seal mounted with respect to the housing so that the first valve seal surrounds the cylindrical wall protector and extends distally past a distal end of the cylindrical wall protector, wherein a distal portion of the first valve seal is arranged to form a seal around the surgical instrument when the surgical instrument is passed through the throughbore.

Claim 4

33 . A surgical instrument seal assembly which is connected during use to a cannula and forms a seal about a surgical instrument that is passing through the cannula, the seal assembly comprising: a housing comprising a plurality of walls including at least a top wall and a bottom wall, wherein the walls are configured to enclose an interior space, wherein the top wall has a hole therethrough configured to receive the surgical instrument into the interior space, wherein the bottom wall has a cannula receiving opening therethrough aligned with respect to the hole so that the hole and the cannula receiving opening define a throughbore through the housing which is axially aligned with the cannula and configured to accept the surgical instrument; a generally cylindrical wall protector integrally formed with the top wall of the housing at the throughbore and positioned so as to project distally with respect to the top wall into the interior space of the housing; and a first valve seal mounted with respect to the housing so that the first valve seal surrounds the cylindrical wall protector and extends distally past a distal end of the cylindrical wall protector, wherein a distal portion of the first valve seal is arranged to form a seal around the surgical instrument when the surgical instrument is passed through the throughbore.

Claim 5

34 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 33 , further comprising a second valve seal, wherein the second valve seal is mounted with respect to the housing so that the second valve seal is positioned distally with respect to the first valve seal and aligned with the throughbore.

Claim 6

35 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 34 wherein the second valve seal comprises a duckbill valve seal.

Claim 7

36 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 33 wherein the housing further comprises side walls that connect to the top wall to form a cap that further encloses the interior space.

Claim 8

37 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 36 wherein the cap is integrally formed with the cylindrical wall protector.

Claim 9

38 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 33 wherein the first valve seal has a first larger diameter at a first end adjacent the top wall and the first valve seal has a second smaller diameter at a second end.

Claim 10

39 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 33 wherein the first valve seal is spaced from the cylindrical wall protector and surrounds the cylindrical wall protector.

Claim 11

40 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 33 further comprising an inner support member, wherein the first valve seal is mounted with respect to the housing so that a proximal portion of the first valve seal is sandwiched between the top wall and the inner support member.

Claim 12

41 . A surgical instrument seal assembly connected to a cannula for the insertion of a surgical instrument, the seal assembly comprising: an upper body portion having an upper surface with an aperture that defines a throughbore extending through the seal assembly; a cylindrical wall protector integrally formed with the upper surface at the throughbore that projects inwardly into an interior portion of the upper body portion at the throughbore; a lower body portion projecting below the upper body portion wherein the lower body portion defines a cannula receiving opening through which the surgical instrument enters the cannula during use; and a unitary valve seal comprising: an upper seal portion having a mounting portion mounted in the upper body portion, the upper seal portion being mounted about the throughbore, the cylindrical wall protector located between the throughbore and the upper seal portion; and a lower seal portion extending below the upper seal portion, the lower seal portion structured and arranged to seal around a surgical instrument.

Claim 13

41 . A surgical instrument seal assembly connected to a cannula for the insertion of a surgical instrument, the seal assembly comprising: an upper body portion having an upper surface with an aperture that defines a throughbore extending through the seal assembly; a cylindrical wall protector integrally formed with the upper surface at the throughbore that projects inwardly into an interior portion of the upper body portion at the throughbore; a lower body portion projecting below the upper body portion wherein the lower body portion defines a cannula receiving opening through which the surgical instrument enters the cannula during use; and a unitary valve seal comprising: an upper seal portion having a mounting portion mounted in the upper body portion, the upper seal portion being mounted about the throughbore, the cylindrical wall protector located between the throughbore and the upper seal portion; and a lower seal portion extending below the upper seal portion, the lower seal portion structured and arranged to seal around a surgical instrument.

Claim 14

42 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 41 , further comprising a second valve seal, wherein the second valve seal is mounted with respect to the upper body portion so that the second valve seal is positioned distally with respect to the unitary valve seal and aligned with the throughbore.

Claim 15

43 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 42 wherein the second valve seal comprises a duckbill valve seal.

Claim 16

44 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 41 wherein the upper body portion further comprises side walls that connect to the upper surface to form a cap that further encloses the interior space.

Claim 17

45 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 42 wherein the cap is integrally formed with the cylindrical wall protector.

Claim 18

46 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 41 wherein the upper seal portion has a first larger diameter and the lower seal portion has a second smaller diameter.

Claim 19

47 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 41 wherein the unitary valve seal is spaced from the cylindrical wall protector and surrounds the cylindrical wall protector.

Claim 20

48 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 41 further comprising an inner support member, wherein the mounting portion is sandwiched between the upper body portion and the inner support member.

Claim 21

49 . A surgical instrument seal assembly which is connectable to a cannula to form a seal about a surgical instrument that is passing through the cannula, the seal assembly comprising: a housing comprising a plurality of walls including at least a top wall and a bottom wall, wherein the walls are configured to enclose an interior space, wherein the top wall has a hole therethrough configured to receive the surgical instrument into the interior space, wherein the bottom wall has a cannula receiving opening therethrough aligned with respect to the hole so that the hole and the cannula receiving opening define a throughbore through the housing which is axially aligned with the cannula and configured to accept the surgical instrument; a generally cylindrical wall protector integrally formed with the top wall of the housing at the throughbore and positioned so as to project distally with respect to the top wall into the interior space of the housing; and a first valve seal mounted with respect to the housing so that the first valve seal surrounds the cylindrical wall protector and extends distally past a distal end of the cylindrical wall protector, wherein a distal portion of the first valve seal is arranged to form a seal around the surgical instrument when the surgical instrument is passed through the throughbore.

Claim 22

49 . A surgical instrument seal assembly which is connectable to a cannula to form a seal about a surgical instrument that is passing through the cannula, the seal assembly comprising: a housing comprising a plurality of walls including at least a top wall and a bottom wall, wherein the walls are configured to enclose an interior space, wherein the top wall has a hole therethrough configured to receive the surgical instrument into the interior space, wherein the bottom wall has a cannula receiving opening therethrough aligned with respect to the hole so that the hole and the cannula receiving opening define a throughbore through the housing which is axially aligned with the cannula and configured to accept the surgical instrument; a generally cylindrical wall protector integrally formed with the top wall of the housing at the throughbore and positioned so as to project distally with respect to the top wall into the interior space of the housing; and a first valve seal mounted with respect to the housing so that the first valve seal surrounds the cylindrical wall protector and extends distally past a distal end of the cylindrical wall protector, wherein a distal portion of the first valve seal is arranged to form a seal around the surgical instrument when the surgical instrument is passed through the throughbore.

Claim 23

50 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 49 , further comprising a second valve seal, wherein the second valve seal is mounted with respect to the housing so that the second valve seal is positioned distally with respect to the first valve seal and aligned with the throughbore.

Claim 24

51 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 50 wherein the second valve seal comprises a duckbill valve seal.

Claim 25

52 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 50 wherein the housing further comprises side walls that connect to the top wall to form a cap that further encloses the interior space.

Claim 26

53 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 52 wherein the cap is integrally formed with the cylindrical wall protector.

Claim 27

54 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 49 wherein the first valve seal has a first larger diameter at a first end adjacent the top wall and the first valve seal has a second smaller diameter at a second end.

Claim 28

55 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 49 wherein the first valve seal is spaced from the cylindrical wall protector and surrounds the cylindrical wall protector.

Claim 29

56 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 49 further comprising an inner support member, wherein the first valve seal is mounted with respect to the housing so that a proximal portion of the first valve seal is sandwiched between the top wall and the inner support member.

Claim 30

57 . A surgical instrument seal assembly connectable to a cannula for the insertion of a surgical instrument, the seal assembly comprising: an upper body portion having an upper surface with an aperture that defines a throughbore extending through the seal assembly; a cylindrical wall protector integrally formed with the upper surface at the throughbore that projects inwardly into an interior portion of the upper body portion at the throughbore; a lower body portion projecting below the upper body portion wherein the lower body portion defines a cannula receiving opening through which the surgical instrument enters the cannula during use; and a unitary valve seal comprising: an upper seal portion having a mounting portion mounted in the upper body portion, the upper seal portion being mounted about the throughbore, the cylindrical wall protector located between the throughbore and the upper seal portion; and a lower seal portion extending below the upper seal portion, the lower seal portion structured and arranged to seal around a surgical instrument.

Claim 31

57 . A surgical instrument seal assembly connectable to a cannula for the insertion of a surgical instrument, the seal assembly comprising: an upper body portion having an upper surface with an aperture that defines a throughbore extending through the seal assembly; a cylindrical wall protector integrally formed with the upper surface at the throughbore that projects inwardly into an interior portion of the upper body portion at the throughbore; a lower body portion projecting below the upper body portion wherein the lower body portion defines a cannula receiving opening through which the surgical instrument enters the cannula during use; and a unitary valve seal comprising: an upper seal portion having a mounting portion mounted in the upper body portion, the upper seal portion being mounted about the throughbore, the cylindrical wall protector located between the throughbore and the upper seal portion; and a lower seal portion extending below the upper seal portion, the lower seal portion structured and arranged to seal around a surgical instrument.

Claim 32

58 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 57 , further comprising a second valve seal, wherein the second valve seal is mounted with respect to the upper body portion so that the second valve seal is positioned distally with respect to the unitary valve seal and aligned with the throughbore.

Claim 33

59 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 58 wherein the second valve seal comprises a duckbill valve seal.

Claim 34

60 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 57 wherein the upper body portion further comprises side walls that connect to the upper surface to form a cap that further encloses the interior space.

Claim 35

61 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 60 wherein the cap is integrally formed with the cylindrical wall protector.

Claim 36

62 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 57 wherein the upper seal portion has a first larger diameter and the lower seal portion has a second smaller diameter.

Claim 37

63 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 57 wherein the unitary valve seal is spaced from the cylindrical wall protector and surrounds the cylindrical wall protector.

Claim 38

64 . The surgical instrument seal assembly of claim 57 further comprising an inner support member, wherein the mounting portion is sandwiched between the upper body portion and the inner support member.