Patent ID: 8025641

Claim:
A surgical access apparatus, which comprises: an access member dimensioned for positioning within body tissue and defining a longitudinal axis, the access member having a longitudinal passageway therethrough providing access to a tissue site; an elongated seal member mounted to the access member, the elongated seal member having an orifice therethrough, the orifice having a variable inner dimension adapted to establish a sealing relation about an instrument inserted into the access member; and a powered adjustment mechanism associated with the elongated seal for adjusting the variable inner dimension of the orifice, the powered adjustment mechanism comprising: a trailing hub and a leading hub mounted to the access member, the trailing hub longitudinally spaced from the leading hub, the trailing hub and the leading hub adapted for relative rotational movement therebetween about the longitudinal axis; a plurality of spokes extending between and connected to the trailing hub and the leading hub, the spokes defining a first minimum internal dimension in a first condition thereof and defining a second minimum internal dimension in a second condition thereof upon relative rotation of the trailing hub and the leading hub, the first minimum internal dimension being greater than the second minimum internal dimension, the spokes further arranged about the elongated seal member such that relative rotation of the trailing hub and the leading hub adjusts the variable inner dimension of the orifice; and a powered motion generator operatively associated with at least one of the trailing hub and the leading hub for effecting relative rotation therebetween.