1. A vehicle fuel system refueling assembly, comprising:
a housing having an interior;
an inlet pipe having an end accessible through said housing;
a door assembly pivotally connected to said housing, said door assembly including a hinge and an outer panel connected to said hinge; and
a seal between said hinge and said housing.
2. The refueling assembly of claim 1, said seal being connected to said hinge.
3. A vehicle fuel system refueling assembly, comprising:
a housing having an interior;
an inlet pipe having an end accessible through said housing;
a door assembly pivotally connected to said housing, said door assembly including a hinge and an outer panel connected to said hinge;
a seal between said hinge and said housing, said seal being connected to said hinge; and
said hinge having a flange and said seal having surface layers on opposite sides of said flange.
4. The refueling assembly of claim 3, said flange having holes therethrough, and said seal having pillars extending between said surface layers through said holes.
5. The refueling assembly of claim 4, said seal having a lip projecting outwardly from said flange.
6. The refueling assembly of claim 5, said lip having an outer tip curved inwardly toward said housing interior.
7. A vehicle fuel system refueling assembly, comprising:
a housing having an interior;
an inlet pipe having an end accessible through said housing;
a door assembly pivotally connected to said housing, said door assembly including a hinge and an outer panel connected to said hinge;
a seal between said hinge and said housing; and
said housing having a ledge engaging said seal, and said seal being connected to said hinge.
8. The refueling assembly of claim 7, said housing having a sloped surface adjacent said ledge.
9. The refueling assembly of claim 7, said ledge having a side and a bottom, and said seal having a flexible lip engaging said bottom and said side.
10. The refueling assembly of claim 9, said hinge having a flange and said seal having surface layers on opposite sides of said flange.
11. The refueling assembly of claim 10, said flange having holes therethrough, and said seal having pillars extending between said surface layers through said holes.
12. The refueling assembly of claim 11, said seal having a lip projecting outwardly from said flange.
13. The refueling assembly of claim 12, said lip having an outer tip curved inwardly with said door assembly in an opened position relative to said housing.
14. A door assembly for a vehicle refueling system housing, said door assembly comprising:
a hinge having an arm with a pivotal connection, and a panel support structure;
an outer panel connected to said panel support structure;
a flange around said support structure;
a seal attached to said flange for engaging the housing.
15. The door assembly of claim 14, said flange having holes therethrough, and said seal being a monolithic body having portions on opposite sides of said flange and extending through said holes.
16. The door assembly of claim 14, said seal having a flexible, outwardly extending lip.
17. The door assembly of claim 16, said lip having a curved outer tip.
18. The door assembly of claim 17, said flange having holes therethrough, and said seal being a monolithic body having portions on opposite sides of said flange and extending through said holes.
19. A refueling assembly in a vehicle body member, said refueling assembly comprising:
a housing having a ledge;
a door assembly pivotally connected to said housing;
said door assembly having an arm and a support structure;
a seal on said support structure sealingly engaging said ledge when said door assembly is in a closed position; and
a decorative body panel connected to said support structure, said body panel being spaced from said housing with said door assembly in said closed position.
20. The refueling assembly of claim 19, said seal including a flexible lip having a curved outer tip.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-57. (canceled)
58. A surgical access device, comprising:
a sealing valve for sealing across an incision in a patient, the sealing valve including at least a first sheet and a second sheet;
wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are movable relative to one another between a first state forming a zero seal in the absence of an instrument and a second state forming an instrument seal in the presence of an instrument; and
wherein in the first state, the first sheet and the second sheet overlap each other.
59. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein at least one of the first sheet and the second sheet includes a gel material.
60. The surgical access device of claim 59, wherein:
the first sheet includes a gel material; and
the second sheet includes a gel material.
61. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are biased toward the first state.
62. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the overlapping portions between the first sheet and the second sheet are substantially planar.
63. The surgical access device of claim 62, wherein the planes of the overlapping portions are rotatably offset.
64. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the first sheet is substantially planar.
65. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the second sheet is substantially planar.
66. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the overlapping portions of the first sheet and the second sheet part during the introduction of an instrument within the overlapping portions.
67. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the sealing valve is configured to be located proximal to the incision in the patient.
68. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the surgical access device is configured to be coupled to a sheath retractor.
69. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the first sheet is at least partially curved.
70. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein the second sheet is at least partially curved.
71. The surgical access device of claim 58, wherein:
the first sheet includes a septum layer having a hole therethrough; and
the second sheet includes a septum layer having a hole therethrough.
72. The surgical access device of claim 71, the hole in the first sheet having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the hole in the second sheet.
73. The surgical access device of claim 71, further comprising:
a ball positioned between the first sheet and the second sheet, the ball having a diameter greater than a diameter of the hole in the first sheet and greater than a diameter of the hole in the second sheet.
74. A method of accessing an abdominal cavity through an incision in the abdominal wall, comprising:
providing a sealing valve having at least a first sheet and a second sheet, the first sheet and the second sheet overlapping each other and being movable relative to one another between a first state forming a zero seal in the absence of an instrument and a second state forming an instrument seal in the presence of an instrument;
arranging the sealing valve across the incision;
passing an instrument through the sealing valve, thereby causing the first sheet and second sheet to part; and
advancing the instrument distally into the abdominal cavity.
75. The method of claim 74, further comprising positioning the sealing valve proximal to the incision.
76. The method of claim 74, further comprising:
providing a sheath retractor;
retracting the incision within the abdominal wall with the sheath retractor.
77. The method of claim 76, further comprising:
coupling the sealing valve to the sheath retractor.
78. The method of claim 74, wherein the instrument is a surgeon’s hand.
79. The method of claim 74, wherein the instrument is a surgical instrument.