Patent ID: 7367960

Claim:
A trocar system which comprises: a cannula forming an opening therethrough and having proximal and distal ends, the cannula defining a proximally facing surface; and an obturator assembly being at least partially insertable within the cannula, the obturator assembly including: an obturator housing including a base portion having a distally facing end surface configured and dimensioned to facilitate close proximate positioning thereof with the proximally facing surface of the cannula; a penetrating tip; an elongated shield including a guard, the penetrating tip and the guard being movable relative to one another, the elongated shield including an extended surface; and a latch mechanism disposed generally within the obturator housing, which facilitates changing the configuration of the obturator assembly between a fixed-shield orientation, wherein at least a portion of the guard is maintained to extend at least partially distal of the penetrating tip to prevent puncturing of tissue by the penetrating tip, and a non-fixed shield orientation whereby the guard and the penetrating tip are permitted to move relative to one another to facilitate puncturing of tissue by the penetrating tip, the latch mechanism including: a release member having a button portion and a camming surface; wherein the button portion protrudes at least partially through an opening formed in the distally facing end surface of the obturator housing, the button portion being moveable from a first position extending outwardly from the distally facing end surface of the obturator housing to a second position positioned further within the obturator housing upon engagement with the proximally facing surface of the cannula; and a latch operatively associated with the release member, the latch having a blocking surface operatively engageable with the elongated shield and a mating surface, the mating surface cooperating with the camming surface of the release member such that application of a proximally directed force to the distal end of the button portion of the release member during engagement with the proximally facing surface of the cannula causes the button portion to move to the second position thereof and causes corresponding movement of the release member whereby the camming surface moves substantially laterally and biases the mating surface to move the latch such that the blocking surface permits relative axial movement of the shield and the penetrating tip, and further wherein upon axial movement of the shield, the extended surface of the shield biases the release member away from the latch to permit the latch to return to an original orientation.