US 11,717,323 B2
Seals for surgical access devices
Lorenzo Vaccarella, Bellingham, MA (US); Garrett Ebersole, Hamden, CT (US); and Robert Pedros, Oxford, CT (US)
Assigned to Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed by Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed on May 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/317,014.
Application 17/317,014 is a continuation of application No. 16/394,043, filed on Apr. 25, 2019, granted, now 11,000,313.
Prior Publication US 2021/0259734 A1, Aug. 26, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 17/34 (2006.01); A61M 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/3439 (2013.01) [A61B 17/3423 (2013.01); A61B 17/3498 (2013.01); A61B 2017/3419 (2013.01); A61B 2017/3464 (2013.01); A61M 13/00 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A valve assembly for a surgical access device, the valve assembly comprising:
a seal assembly including an outer flange and a septum seal extending across the outer flange;
a guard assembly disposed within the outer flange of the seal assembly, the guard assembly including a plurality of guard members, each guard member of the plurality of guard members consisting of a ring portion and a single flap portion extending from the ring portion; and
a centering mechanism including an annular ring and a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the annular ring, the outer flange of the seal assembly being supported within the annular ring, wherein the flap portions of the guard members of the guard assembly are configured to engage and stretch the septum seal during reception of a surgical instrument through the valve assembly.