Opinion ID: 209227
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Asserted Patent

Text: In 2003, Applied brought suit against United States Surgical Corporation and Tyco Healthcare Group (collectively, “U.S. Surgical”) alleging infringement of claim 18 of United States Patent No. 5,385,553 (“the ’553 patent”). The invention disclosed in the ’553 patent was described in a prior appeal in this case: The ’553 patent is entitled “Trocar With Floating Septum Seal.” As the patent explains, a trocar provides a channel through the abdominal cavity through which instruments can be inserted during laparoscopic surgery. During these procedures, the surgeon inflates the abdomen with an insufflation gas in order to maintain the abdomen in a distended state. To prevent the gas from leaking out when an instrument is inserted, trocars are equipped with a valve which forms a seal around the inserted instrument. The valves include an orifice through which the instrument is inserted that allows for a variable diameter seal to be made with the instrument. Two problems can arise with the valves which result in undesirable leaking of the insufflation gas. First, during insertion, the sharp point of the instrument may cause cupping or tearing of the seal. Second, after insertion, if the instrument is operated off-axis, it may pull the orifice into a “cat-eye” shape, such that the degraded seal around the instrument permits gas to escape. ’553 patent, col. 1, ll. 15-52. The ’553 patent discloses a floating seal to provide for the orifice to move to an off-axis position without deforming. Id. at col. 2, ll. 6-13. The inner portions of the floating seal, which define the orifice, move substantially intact so that the orifice can maintain a circular configuration around the instrument. Id. Applied Med. Res. Corp. v. U.S. Surgical Corp., 448 F.3d 1324, 1327 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (“Applied II”). Claim 18 of the ’553 patent, the only claim at issue in this appeal, recites: [a] An access device adapted to form an access channel across a body wall, and configured to receive a surgical instrument in the access channel, the access device comprising: [b] a cannula having an axis extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the device; [c] a seal housing disposed at the proximal end of the cannula and forming with the cannula the access channel of the device; [d] a flexible valve disposed relative to the housing and across the access channel, the valve having elastomeric properties for forming a seal with the instrument when the instrument is disposed in the access channel; 2008-1416 2 [e] portions of the valve defining the orifice which is sized and configured to receive the instrument and to form the seal with an outer surface of the instrument; and [f] means disposed circumferentially outwardly of the valve portions for supporting the valve portions within the seal housing, the supporting means being movable relative to the housing to permit the valve portions to float relative to the axis of the cannula. The parties agree that element [f] is a means-plus-function limitation that is governed by 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 6. The parties also agree that, with respect to this appeal, the only relevant structure corresponding to element [f] is disclosed in Figures 6 and 7 of the ’553 patent. These figures disclose an embodiment of the claimed trocar both with (Figure 7) and without (Figure 6) an instrument 26 inserted through orifice 38. The parties refer to this structure as the “ring-levers-teeth” embodiment. In this embodiment, the septum 2008-1416 3 valve 36 is connected to the levers 54 via the tooth members 62. ’553 patent, col.10 ll.41-63. At the end opposite the tooth members 62, the levers 54 are connected to a floating ring (pictured but not numbered) that has a diameter less than that of the annular recess in which it sits (pictured but not numbered). Id. at col.10 ll.36-40. When an off-axis force is applied to the instrument, the ring can move freely within the annular recess, carrying with it the levers 54 and tooth members 62. Id. at col.10 ll.41-46. In this embodiment, the inner portions 37 of the septum valve 36, which are supported by the tooth members 62, are isolated from the off-axis forces and will not deform. Id. at col.10 ll.49-52. Because the inner portions 37 of the valve do not deform, the seal with the instrument 26 will be maintained and insufflation gas will not be able to escape. The outer portions 39 of the septum valve 36, however, will stretch and compress to accommodate the movement of the ring, levers, and teeth. Id. at col.10 ll.46-49.