Patent ID: 7883493

Claim:
A surgical access device comprising: a proximal end, a distal end, and an instrument access channel extending from the proximal end to the distal end; a substantially cylindrical valve housing comprising an inside wall; a valve assembly comprising a block of gel material disposed in the valve housing, wherein the block of gel defines a housing seal with the inside wall, wherein the housing seal substantially prevents insufflation gas flow therethrough; and an opening extending through the block of gel material along the axis, wherein the valve assembly has a first state in the absence of an instrument extending through the opening and a second state in the presence of an instrument extending through the opening, in the first state, the gel material closes the opening, defining a zero seal, in the second state, the gel material seals with the instrument, defining an instrument seal, and in the second state, the opening extending through the block of gel floats, thereby accommodating instruments inserted off-axis or instruments moved off-axis.