Patent ID: 8002788

Claim:
An obturator assembly for penetrating tissue and being at least partially positionable within a cannula assembly, which comprises: an obturator housing; an obturator shaft connected to the obturator housing and defining a longitudinal axis, and proximal and distal ends; a bladeless penetrating member mounted to the distal end of the obturator shaft; an obturator shield mounted about the obturator shaft and having a distal shield nose, the obturator shield being adapted for longitudinal movement relative to the obturator housing between an extended position where the bladeless penetrating member is substantially enclosed within the shield nose and a retracted position where the bladeless penetrating member is at least partially exposed from the shield nose; an indicator member operatively connected to the obturator shield, the indicator member being adapted for longitudinal movement with the obturator shield and for providing visual confirmation to the operator of the positioning of the obturator shield; and a manually manipulative member mounted to the obturator housing and adapted for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis and relative to the obturator housing between an initial position corresponding to a first mode of operation where the obturator shield is secured in the extended position and the shield nose is usable to penetrate tissue, and a release position corresponding to a second mode of operation operatively releasing the obturator shield to permit the obturator shield to move to the retracted position thereof to expose the bladeless penetrating member for dissecting the tissue, the manually manipulative member being in operative engagement with the indicator member when in the initial position of the manually manipulative member to secure the obturator shield in the extended position and being operatively disengaged from the indicator member when in the release position of the manually manipulative member to permit movement of the obturator shield to the retracted position.