JP2016047116A - Connection adapter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attach/detach two terminals and connect them at strong adhesion, while improving operability by constituting them into simple structures.SOLUTION: A connection adapter 10 connects between an outflow terminal 20 capable of delivering liquid diet and an inflow terminal 42. The connection adapter 10 comprises a cylindrical body 60, and a through-hole 62 formed to penetrate inside the cylindrical body 60 along the axial direction of the cylindrical body 60. The cylindrical body 60 includes: an upstream-side installation part 70 retained closely to the outflow terminal 20; and a downstream-side installation part 72 retained closely to the inflow terminal 42. Durometer hardnesses of the respective installation parts 70 and 72 are set within a range of 60-90.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a connection adapter that connects two terminals and allows a fluid to flow.

  For patients who have difficulty in swallowing solids, in addition to nutritional supplementation by drip injection, a fluid pathway (fluid), which is a nutritional functional diet, is built directly into the stomach by establishing a fluid pathway that leads to the patient's stomach from the outside. Supply measures are taken. This flow path is constructed by connecting a liquid food bag serving as a liquid food supply source and a tube inserted into the stomach. Such a flow path is required to be able to easily connect each other to the connection portion between the liquid food bag and the tube, and to adhere well so as not to leak the liquid food.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a connection adapter for connecting between an outflow terminal of a liquid food bag (a connection port of a nutrient bag) and an inflow terminal of a tube (a nutrient injection part of a gastric fistula adapter). Gastric fistula connectors) have been proposed. This connection adapter has a connection part that has a thread on the inner peripheral surface that is screwed into the outflow terminal, and is fitted in the back part of the connection part so as to have a fitting groove with the inner wall of the connection part. A wall is formed. Thereby, a connection part inserts the front-end | tip part of the terminal for outflow into a fitting groove in the connection state with the terminal for outflow, and suppresses the leakage of a liquid food.

JP 2006-42856 A

  However, the connection adapter disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a configuration such as a screw thread, a fitting wall, a fitting groove, and the like, so that the operation (connection with a terminal and the like) takes time. In addition, the structure becomes complicated, resulting in inconvenience that manufacturing effort and manufacturing cost increase. In particular, since the connection adapter as described above is often used as an accessory for a liquid food bag or a tube, there is a demand that it does not take time when a medical worker, a patient, or the like operates. Furthermore, it is desired that manufacturing effort and manufacturing cost be reduced as much as possible.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and by configuring it in a simple structure, it is possible to connect two terminals detachably and with strong adhesion while improving operability. It is another object of the present invention to provide a connection adapter that can greatly reduce the labor and cost of manufacturing.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide a connection adapter that is effective for a low-viscosity fluid, specifically, a liquid food that is administered by spontaneous fall.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention communicates with a container for storing a fluid, an outflow terminal capable of flowing out the fluid, and receives the fluid from the outflow terminal to flow downstream. A connection adapter for connecting between an inflow terminal provided in a tube to be provided, and a cylindrical body part, and a through hole formed through the cylindrical body part along the axial direction of the cylindrical body part And the cylindrical body portion includes a first mounting portion that is held in close contact with the outflow terminal, and a second mounting portion that is held in close contact with the inflow terminal, and the first and first 2 The durometer hardness of the mounting portion is set within a range of 60 to 90. In addition, as a container which stores a fluid, a liquid food bag etc. are mention | raise | lifted.

  According to the above, in the connection adapter, the fluid is transferred from the outflow terminal to the inflow terminal through the through hole in a state where the first mounting portion is held by the outflow terminal and the second mounting portion is held by the inflow terminal. Can be made to flow well. In addition, since the durometer hardness of the first and second mounting portions is set within a range of 60 to 90, the first mounting portion and the outflow terminal are relatively pushed in, and the second mounting portion and the inflowing portion are pressed. Each terminal can be connected by a simple operation of pushing the terminals relatively. Accordingly, the first mounting portion can be detachably connected to the outflow terminal with a strong adhesive force, and the second mounting portion can be detachably connected to the inflow terminal with a strong adhesive force. Furthermore, since the connection adapter has only a cylindrical body having a through-hole inside, it can be easily configured. This simplifies the manufacturing apparatus (molding die, etc.) and the manufacturing process, and enables the manufacture of the connection adapter. Labor and manufacturing costs can be greatly reduced.

  In this case, an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body portion is formed in a tapered shape that is linearly inclined from the first mounting portion toward the second mounting portion in a side sectional view, and the first mounting portion has the taper shape. The inner peripheral surface constituting the through hole is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the outflow terminal, and the outer peripheral surface of the second mounting portion is in contact with the inner peripheral surface constituting the inner space of the inflow terminal. It is preferable to do.

  As described above, the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body portion is formed in a tapered shape, so that the fluid can be smoothly guided to a tube that is narrowly formed on the downstream side of the inflow terminal. Further, the inner peripheral surface of the first mounting portion formed in a tapered shape has a portion that reliably contacts the outflow terminal, and can easily form a close contact state with the outflow terminal.

  In addition to the above configuration, the cylindrical body portion may have a uniform thickness from the first mounting portion toward the second mounting portion.

  As described above, since the cylindrical body portion has a uniform thickness, it is possible to suppress a sudden change in the physical properties in the axial direction, and it is possible to maintain the communication of the through-holes well even when the patient moves or the like. . In addition, the structure of the cylindrical portion is further simplified, and the labor and manufacturing cost of manufacturing the connection adapter can be further reduced.

  Further, the cylindrical body portion has an extending portion extending between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion, and the durometer hardness of the extending portion is that of the first and second mounting portions. It is preferably set to be the same as the durometer hardness.

  Thus, since the durometer hardness of the extending portion is set to be the same as the durometer hardness of the first and second mounting portions, the connection adapter can be easily formed from the same material.

  Still further, it is preferable that the cylindrical portion is made of a styrene thermoplastic resin.

  As described above, the cylindrical body portion is made of a styrene-based thermoplastic resin, so that the connection adapter can easily obtain the above-mentioned durometer hardness as a physical property and has a hygienic and appropriate elastic force. Can do. Therefore, the connection adapter is suitable for medical use, and can properly connect the outflow terminal and the inflow terminal and maintain the connected state.

  According to the present invention, two terminals can be attached and detached with a simple operability and can be connected with a strong adhesive force. Furthermore, the simple structure greatly reduces the labor and cost of manufacturing. It becomes possible to do.

It is explanatory drawing which shows roughly the usage example of the adapter for connection which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which expands and shows the structure of the application part of the adapter for connection of FIG. 3A is a side sectional view showing the connection adapter of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B is a side sectional view showing a connection state between the outflow terminal and the inflow terminal by the connection adapter of FIG. 3A. FIG. 4A is a side sectional view showing a connection adapter according to a first modification, and FIG. 4B is a side sectional view showing a connection adapter according to a second modification.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the connection adapter according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the connection adapter 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is used as a constituent part of a flow path 12 for flowing a liquid food (fluid) that is a nutritional functional food. That is, for the patient C who is difficult to swallow the solid material, the flow path 12 leading from the outside of the patient C to the body is constructed, and the liquid food is directly supplied to the body. For example, the flow path 12 includes a liquid food bag 14 that is a source of liquid food, and a tube assembly 16 that has one end connected to the liquid food bag 14 and a portion on the opposite side inserted into the body of the patient C. Consists of. The connection adapter 10 is applied to connect between the liquid food bag 14 and the tube assembly 16.

  As liquid food, specifically, low-viscosity liquid food, more specifically, a state where the liquid food bag is located at a position higher than the connection part (nose, mouth, gastric fistula formation part, etc.) of the patient and the tube. In addition, there is a liquid food that can be administered by natural fall. The viscosity of the liquid food is 4000 mPa · s or less, preferably 1000 mPa · s or less, more preferably 500 mPa · s or less, and further preferably 250 mPa · s in the flow path 12.

  As described above, the connection adapter 10 not only connects the liquid food bag 14 and the tube assembly 16, but also has a configuration of connecting two tubes (upstream side tube and downstream side tube). Good. Further, the connection adapter 10 may be applied not only to the flow path 12 of the liquid food but also to the flow paths 12 of various fluids. For example, as a fluid, besides a liquid food, a nutrient, a drug, blood, various chemical substances, and the like can be given. The connection adapter 10 can be applied to a portion that connects two components in a flow path 12 that is appropriately formed according to the type of fluid.

  In the following description, in order to facilitate the understanding of the connection adapter 10 of the present invention, first, the configuration of the liquid food bag 14 and the tube assembly 16 constituting the flow path 12 will be described, and then the connection adapter 10 will be described. Detailed description.

  The liquid food bag 14 is configured as a container capable of storing and discharging liquid food. The liquid food bag 14 includes a storage main body 18 and an outflow terminal 20 provided on one side of the storage main body 18.

  The storage main body 18 is formed by, for example, overlapping a flexible resin sheet and sealing a predetermined portion (up, down, left, and right). A portion surrounded by the seal inside the storage main body 18 becomes a storage chamber 18a having a volume capable of storing a predetermined amount (eg, 100 g to 600 g) of liquid food.

  It is preferable that the resin sheet which comprises the storage main-body part 18 is a resin material which can vacuum-pack a liquid food favorably. The resin material is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include thermoplastic resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, AS resin, ABS resin, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, polycarbonate, and polyacetal. Alternatively, the storage main body portion 18 may be formed by combining a plurality of resin materials into a sheet shape or by laminating a plurality of resin material sheets. The storage main body portion 18 may be configured in a bag shape, a cylindrical shape, or the like with a resin that is hard to some extent instead of a resin sheet having flexibility.

  The liquid food stored in the storage main body 18 preferably has appropriate calories, and nutrients such as proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates are appropriately distributed. In addition, the liquid food according to the present embodiment is configured to be in a liquid state having a relatively low viscosity when present outside the body, and to be in a gel state whose viscosity is increased by gastric acid when supplied to the stomach. By configuring the liquid food in this way, the liquid food can be made to flow well until the liquid food is supplied to the stomach, and the liquid food flows backward from the stomach by changing into a gel state in the stomach. Etc. can be suppressed.

  The state of the fluid (the state of the substance) is not particularly limited as long as it is a substance that can flow through the tube assembly 16, and may be either a liquid or a low-viscosity semi-solid, or the patient C Depending on the disease, gas may be used.

  On the other hand, the outflow terminal 20 of the liquid food bag 14 has a function of causing the liquid food stored in the storage chamber 18 a to flow out of the liquid food bag 14. This outflow terminal 20 is made of a resin material harder than the storage main body 18, thereby securing an outflow portion for liquid food.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal 20 for outflow has the cylindrical base part 22 which has the outflow path 22a of a liquid food in an axial center part. The cylindrical base portion 22 has a proximal end located within the seal portion of the storage main body portion 18 (that is, the storage chamber 18a) and protrudes outward from the storage main body portion 18 by a predetermined length. A communication port (not shown) that connects the outflow path 22a and the storage chamber 18a is formed at the base end of the cylindrical base portion 22, and the liquid food flows from the storage chamber 18a through this communication port to the outflow path 22a. Led to. At the tip of the cylindrical base portion 22, a discharge port 22 b is formed which communicates with the outflow path 22 a and can discharge the liquid food.

  The outflow terminal 20 has a mounted portion 24, an intermediate convex portion 26, and a sealed portion 28 along the base end side from the distal end side of the cylindrical base portion 22. The mounted portion 24 is a portion where there is nothing that protrudes greatly outward in the radial direction from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical base portion 22, and the connection adapter 10 is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the mounted portion 24.

  The mounted portion 24 includes a distal end nozzle portion 30 formed in a small diameter, a cylindrical body portion 32 continuous to the distal end nozzle portion 30, and a proximal end portion 34 formed in an outer diameter slightly smaller than the body portion 32. And have. The tip nozzle portion 30 is formed in a substantially hemispherical shape (or substantially cone shape) on the tip side, and has a discharge port 22b at the top. The tip nozzle portion 30 is formed sufficiently thin to facilitate insertion of the outflow terminal 20 into the connection adapter 10. In addition, the body portion 32 is connected to the tip nozzle portion 30 in a smooth curved shape so that the connection adapter 10 can easily enter the inner portion of the mounted portion 24. A step 36 is formed between the body portion 32 and the base end portion 34 to form a mark when the connection adapter 10 is inserted. In addition, it is preferable that the to-be-attached part 24 is obstruct | occluded with the cap etc. which are not shown in figure in the unconnected state of the connection adapter 10. FIG.

  Although the dimension of the to-be-mounted part 24 is not specifically limited, For example, the length from the intermediate | middle convex part 26 to the top part of the front-end | tip nozzle part 30 is in the range of 5-60 mm, Preferably it is 10-40 mm. It should be within the range. Moreover, the outer diameter of the trunk | drum 32 (thickest part) of the to-be-attached part 24 exists in the range of 7-12 mm, Preferably it is good in the range of 8-10 mm. By setting the dimensions of the mounted portion 24 in this manner, the connection adapter 10 can be easily and firmly mounted on the mounted portion 24.

  Further, the intermediate convex portion 26 of the outflow terminal 20 is constituted by a pair of projecting pieces 38 projecting radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical base portion 22. The pair of projecting pieces 38 are formed, for example, in a substantially rhombus shape having a long axis parallel to the seal side of the storage main body portion 18 and are provided at positions spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. In addition, a reinforcing piece 38 a is provided between the pair of protruding pieces 38, and the protrusions are reinforced by being connected to the opposing surfaces of the protruding pieces 38.

  Further, the sealed portion 28 of the outflow terminal 20 is configured by a plurality of attachment pieces (not shown) that protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical base portion 22 to the outside in the radial direction, smaller than the protruding piece 38. The plurality of attachment pieces are formed in a rhombus shape substantially similar to the protruding piece 38 and are provided at equal intervals along the axial direction of the cylindrical base portion 22. The sealed portion 28 also includes a reinforcing piece (not shown) that reinforces the protrusions of the mounting pieces in a gap between one mounting piece and another mounting piece adjacent thereto. The storage main body 18 is fixed to the outflow terminal 20 by being thermally sealed to the outer peripheral edge of each mounting piece when the resin sheet is sealed. At the time of this sealing, heat can be released from the gap and the storage main body 18 can be prevented from being broken.

  The resin material that constitutes the outflow terminal 20 is not particularly limited, and the material mentioned in the storage main body portion 18 may be selected as appropriate to obtain desired rigidity.

  On the other hand, the tube assembly 16 includes a tube main body 40 and an inflow terminal 42 provided at one end of the tube main body 40. The tube body 40 is made of a flexible resin material, and has a full length that can connect the outside of the body to the inside of the body. The tube body 40 may be composed of a plurality of divided tubes. Inside the tube main body 40, a flow passage 40 a is formed so as to penetrate the liquid food along the axial direction of the tube main body 40.

  For example, the tube body 40 is inserted through the nose of the patient C in use and introduced into the stomach. For this reason, the tube main body 40 is set to an outer diameter (for example, 3Fr to 18Fr: 1Fr = 1/3 mm) that can be inserted into the nose and an inner diameter (for example, 2Fr to 17Fr) that can flow the liquid food. . Although it does not specifically limit as a material which comprises the tube main body 40, For example, a polyvinyl chloride, a silicone rubber, a polyurethane etc. are mentioned. The flow path 12 having such a tube body 40 can basically flow the liquid food to the stomach of the patient C by natural fall. Of course, as shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 1, a pump 56 for supplying or stopping the supply of liquid food to the stomach may be provided in the middle of the tube body 40.

  The inflow terminal 42 provided at one end (upstream end) of the tube main body 40 is formed to be harder than the tube main body 40 and constitutes a joint portion of the tube main body 40. The inflow terminal 42 is generally formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and has a predetermined axial length (for example, a length shorter than the total length of the connection adapter 10). Inside the inflow terminal 42, an internal space 44 is formed to firmly hold the tube main body 40 and guide the liquid food flowing in from the connection adapter 10 to the tube main body 40.

  Specifically, the inflow terminal 42 includes a tube holding portion 46, a taper portion 48, and an insertion holding portion 50 from the distal end side toward the proximal end side. A lid 52 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion between the tapered portion 48 and the insertion holding portion 50. The tube holding portion 46 is formed to have an outer diameter that is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the tube main body 40. The tube main body 40 is inserted into the tube holding section 46, and the tube main body 40 is firmly secured by appropriate fixing means (adhesive, welding, etc.). Hold on.

  The taper portion 48 extends so as to gradually decrease in diameter from the insertion holding portion 50 toward the tube holding portion 46. The internal space 44 in the tapered portion 48 is also formed in a tapered shape according to the outer shape, so that the liquid food flowing from the base end side (insertion holding portion 50) is smoothly guided to the flow passage 40a.

  The insertion holding portion 50 is formed to have an axial length shorter than the taper portion 48, and a pair of annular ribs 50a are provided on the outer peripheral surface thereof. The pair of ribs 50 a reinforce the insertion holding portion 50 and increase the mounting force of the lid portion 52. An attachment port 44 a communicating with the internal space 44 is formed at the upper end portion of the insertion holding portion 50. The inner peripheral surface 54 constituting the internal space 44 and the attachment port 44a is formed wide so that the downstream end of the connection adapter 10 can be inserted. The inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface 54 is, for example, in the range of 6 to 10 mm, and preferably in the range of 7 to 9 mm.

  Further, the lid portion 52 is configured to be switchable between covering the insertion holding portion 50 and removing it from the insertion holding portion 50, whereby the inflow terminal 42 (tube assembly 16) is closed and opened. Has a function of switching between. The lid portion 52 is integrally formed as the inflow terminal 42, thereby preventing the lid portion 52 from being lost in the removed state. The lid portion 52 is configured by an outer wall portion 52 a having an inner diameter substantially matching the rib 50 a of the insertion holding portion 50 and a tapered inner wall portion 52 b including the inner diameter of the inner space 44. In the closed state, the insertion holding part 50 and the rib 50a are inserted between the outer wall part 52a and the inner wall part 52b, whereby the insertion holding part 50 and the lid part 52 are brought into close contact with each other with a strong frictional force.

  The material constituting the inflow terminal 42 is not particularly limited, and for example, the material listed in the constituent material of the storage main body 18 may be appropriately selected so as to obtain desired rigidity. Further, the outflow terminal 20 and the inflow terminal 42 may be made of the same material or different materials. For example, the inflow terminal 42 may be configured to have more flexibility and elasticity than the outflow terminal 20.

  The liquid food bag 14 and the tube assembly 16 constituting the flow path 12 are configured as described above. Hereinafter, the connection adapter 10 that connects the liquid food bag 14 and the tube assembly 16 will be described.

  The connection adapter 10 according to the present embodiment connects two terminals (the outflow terminal 20 of the liquid food bag 14 and the inflow terminal 42 of the tube assembly 16) to each other and connects the outflow terminal 20 to the inflow terminal 42. Has the function of flowing liquid food. For example, the connection adapter 10 is prepared as an accessory part of the liquid food bag 14. A user such as a medical worker or a patient C appropriately selects use or non-use of the connection adapter 10 by confirming the shape (standard) of the inflow terminal 42 of the tube assembly 16.

  Here, in the construction of the flow path 12, a connection structure in which the outflow terminal 20 and the inflow terminal 42 are directly connected can be considered. However, the outflow terminal 20 and the inflow terminal 42 are each formed rigid as described above. For this reason, in order to attach and detach the terminals to each other without any gaps, the outer diameter of the mounted portion 24 and the inner diameter of the inner space 44 of the inflow terminal 42 are designed to coincide with each other, and the molding is accurately performed during manufacturing. It is required to do. If the mutual dimensions are slightly shifted, the outflow terminal 20 and the inflow terminal 42 are connected with a gap to leak the liquid food, or the outflow terminal 20 and the inflow terminal 42 cannot be connected. Occurs. Therefore, the connection structure for directly attaching the outflow terminal 20 and the inflow terminal 42 has low versatility, and is applied to various liquid food bags 14 (nutrient bags) and tube assemblies 16 that are sold. Becomes difficult.

  The connection adapter 10 enables the terminals 20 and 42 whose dimensions are shifted as described above to be detachably and firmly connected, and enhances the versatility of the liquid food bag 14 and the tube assembly 16 which are the main products. . Specifically, the connection adapter 10 includes a cylindrical body 60 (cylindrical portion) that is formed into a hollow cylindrical shape as a whole, and a through-hole that is formed through the cylindrical body 60 along the axial direction of the cylindrical body 60. And a hole 62. In other words, it can be said that the cylindrical body 60 is a wall portion surrounding the through hole 62, and the connection adapter 10 is configured only by the cylindrical body 60 having the through hole 62.

  The through hole 62 of the cylindrical body 60 can be held in contact with the outflow terminal 20 and has a role of a flow path for flowing the liquid food from upstream to downstream. The through-hole 62 has an upstream opening 62 a and a downstream opening 62 b that open at both ends (upstream end 60 a and downstream end 60 b) of the cylindrical body 60, and each of the openings 62 a and 62 b is formed in the cylindrical body 60. Communicate with the outside and inside.

  The upstream end 60a of the cylinder 60 in which the upstream opening 62a is formed is formed in a circular shape having the largest outer diameter, and the downstream end 60b of the cylinder 60 in which the downstream opening 62b is formed has the outermost diameter. Is formed in a small circular shape. The cylindrical body 60 has a tapered shape (conical shape) that gradually tapers from the upstream end 60a toward the downstream end 60b. In this case, the inner peripheral surface 64 and the outer peripheral surface 66 of the cylindrical body 60 extend linearly while inclining from the upstream end toward the downstream end in a side sectional view (see FIG. 3A).

  The cylindrical body 60 will be described in more detail. The upstream side is an upstream side mounting portion 70 (first mounting portion) that is mounted on the outflow terminal 20, and the downstream side is mounted on the inflow terminal 42. The downstream mounting portion 72 (second mounting portion). Between the upstream mounting portion 70 and the downstream mounting portion 72, an intermediate extending portion 74 that connects the mutual mounting portions 70 and 72 is provided.

  That is, the upstream side mounting portion 70 corresponds to a portion that generally forms a large-diameter portion in the cylindrical body 60 whose diameter changes along the axial direction. The upstream mounting portion 70 inserts the outflow terminal 20 into the through-hole 62, thereby bringing the inner peripheral surface 64 and the outer peripheral surface 20a of the outflow terminal 20 into close contact with each other. As described above, the inner peripheral surface 64 has a diameter that matches the outer diameter of the outflow terminal 20 because the inner diameter continuously decreases in the downstream direction. Therefore, the connection adapter 10 can reliably contact the inner peripheral surface 64 of the upstream mounting portion 70 and the outer peripheral surface 20a of the outflow terminal 20.

  On the other hand, the downstream mounting portion 72 corresponds to a portion of the cylindrical body 60 whose diameter changes along the axial direction, generally constituting a small diameter portion. The downstream mounting portion 72 is inserted into the internal space 44 of the inflow terminal 42, thereby bringing the outer peripheral surface 66 and the inner peripheral surface 54 of the inflow terminal 42 into close contact with each other. As described above, the outer peripheral surface 66 has a diameter that matches the inner diameter of the inner space 44 of the inflow terminal 42 because it continuously decreases in diameter toward the downstream side. Therefore, the connection adapter 10 can reliably contact the outer peripheral surface 66 of the downstream mounting portion 72 and the inner peripheral surface 54 of the inflow terminal 42.

  It is preferable that the dimensions and physical properties of the connection adapter 10 are set so that the tensile strength is within the range of 7 to 50 N in the connected state with each terminal (the outflow terminal 20 and the inflow terminal 42). . Thus, when the tensile strength is within the range of 7 to 50 N, the connection adapter 10 and each of the terminals 20 and 42 are detachably connected with a strong adhesion in the mounted state. On the other hand, for example, if the tensile strength is less than 7N, the adhesive force is reduced, and if the tensile strength is greater than 50N, it is difficult to attach and detach the connecting adapter 10 and the terminals 20 and 42 with each other. Inconvenience occurs. Therefore, it is desirable that the dimensions and physical properties of the connection adapter 10 are designed so that the above-described tensile strength can be obtained according to the size of the terminals 20 and 42. In the following, with reference to FIG. 3A, the dimensions and physical property ranges of the connection adapter 10 that provide good connectivity to the terminals 20 and 42 described above will be described.

  The axial length L of the connecting adapter 10 is preferably in the range of 25 to 65 mm, for example, and more preferably in the range of 35 to 55 mm. If the axial length L of the connection adapter 10 is shorter than 25 mm, the outflow terminal 20 and the inflow terminal 42 may interfere with each other, which may cause inconvenience in the connection between the terminals 20 and 42. On the other hand, when the axial length L is longer than 65 mm, the terminals 20 and 42 are too far apart from each other, increasing the load that the liquid food gives to the cylindrical body 60 and increasing the possibility of dropping off. Furthermore, the constituent material of the cylindrical body 60 increases and the manufacturing cost increases.

  The outer diameter Uo of the upstream end 60a of the connection adapter 10 is preferably in the range of 8.5 to 12.5 mm, and more preferably in the range of 9.5 to 11.5 mm, for example. Good. Accordingly, the inner diameter Ui of the upstream opening 62a is preferably in the range of 6.5 to 10.5 mm, and more preferably in the range of 7.5 to 9.5 mm, for example. Good. If the inner diameter Ui of the upstream opening 62a is smaller than 6.5 mm, it is difficult to insert the upstream mounting portion 70 up to the outflow terminal 20 (the body portion 32 of the mounted portion 24). On the other hand, if the inner diameter Ui of the upstream opening 62a is larger than 10.5 mm, it is necessary to insert the outflow terminal 20 as far as the inner portion of the cylindrical body 60, and the close contact between the cylindrical body 60 and the outflow terminal 20 is weakened. It becomes easy.

  Furthermore, the outer diameter Do of the downstream end 60b of the connection adapter 10 is preferably in the range of 4.5 to 8.5 mm, for example, and more preferably in the range of 5.5 to 7.5 mm. Good. Accordingly, the inner diameter Di of the downstream opening 62b is preferably in the range of 2.5 to 6.5 mm, and more preferably in the range of 3.5 to 5.5 mm, for example. Good. If the outer diameter Do of the downstream end 60b is smaller than 4.5 mm, it is necessary to insert the downstream mounting portion 72 into the inflow terminal 42 as far as it will go, and the cylinder 60 and the inflow terminal 42 are in close contact with each other. Tends to weaken. On the contrary, if the outer diameter Do of the downstream end 60b is larger than 8.5 mm, it is difficult to insert the downstream mounting portion 72 into the internal space 44 of the inflow terminal 42.

  Furthermore, although the thickness of the cylindrical body 60 surrounding the through hole 62 depends on the physical properties of the cylindrical body 60, for example, it is preferably within a range of 0.5 to 2 mm, and more preferably around 1 mm. Good. When the thickness of the cylindrical body 60 is less than 0.5 mm, the cylindrical body 60 itself is easily damaged when connected to the terminals 20 and 42. On the contrary, when the thickness of the cylindrical body 60 is thicker than 2 mm, it is difficult to deform in connection with the terminals 20 and 42. In addition, the amount of the constituent material of the cylindrical body 60 increases and costs increase.

  The connection adapter 10 according to the present embodiment has an appropriate durometer hardness so that the upstream side mounting part 70 and the downstream side mounting part 72 can be attached to and detached from the terminals 20 and 42 and are firmly attached in the mounted state. It is set to a correct value. This durometer hardness is measured by a type A according to the JIS K 6253 standard. In this case, the durometer hardness A of the cylindrical body 60 is preferably set in the range of 60 to 90, more preferably in the range of 70 to 85, and even more preferably around 80 (range of ± 3). Inside).

  Thus, the connection adapter 10 (tubular body 60) is appropriately urged to be deformed when the durometer hardness A is set to 60 to 90 and stress from the terminals 20 and 42 is received. For example, when the outflow terminal 20 is inserted into the through-hole 62, the upstream mounting portion 70 is elastically deformed by the inner peripheral surface 64 being pushed by the outer peripheral surface 20 a of the body portion 32 of the mounted portion 24. That is, with the insertion of the mounted portion 24, the cylindrical body 60 spreads outward along the shape of the body portion 32 and is tightly fixed to the outflow terminal 20.

  On the other hand, with the insertion of the inflow terminal 42 into the internal space 44, the outer peripheral surface 66 of the downstream side mounting portion 72 is pushed by the inner peripheral surface 54 of the inflow terminal 42 and is elastically deformed. In particular, the downstream end 60 b of the downstream side mounting portion 72 is narrowed toward the radially inner side by being inserted up to the tapered portion 48 of the inflow terminal 42. As a result, the cylindrical body 60 is squeezed inward so as to follow the shape of the inflow terminal 42, and is firmly fixed to the inflow terminal 42.

  On the contrary, if the durometer hardness A of each mounting part 70 and 72 is smaller than 60, the cylindrical body 60 will be too soft, the contact | adhesion power with each terminal 20 and 42 will fall, and it will become easy to drop off. Moreover, when the durometer hardness A of each mounting part 70 and 72 is larger than 90, the cylinder 60 will become hard too much, and a deformation | transformation degree will become inadequate, and the sealing between each terminal 20 and 42 and the cylinder 60 is sufficient. The possibility of leakage of liquid foods increases.

  In the cylindrical body 60, the durometer hardness A on the axial direction (upstream side mounting part 70, downstream side mounting part 72, and intermediate extension part 74) is set to the same value. When the durometer hardness A is the same, kinks and the like of the entire cylindrical body 60 are suppressed, and the communication state of the through hole 62 can be ensured satisfactorily. Moreover, since the cylindrical body 60 can be comprised with the same structural material, manufacturing cost can further be reduced.

  The material constituting the connection adapter 10 is not particularly limited as long as it has the above-described physical properties (durometer hardness A is 60 to 90), and an appropriate material may be selected. For example, examples of the constituent material include styrene-based, olefin-based, and vinyl chloride-based thermoplastic resins (particularly, those configured as elastomers). Among these, the styrene-based thermoplastic resin has a high friction coefficient, is excellent in impact resistance and medical hygiene, can be easily and inexpensively injection-molded into the cylindrical body 60, and is suitable for recycling. It is.

  The connection adapter 10 according to the present embodiment is basically configured as described above, and the operation and effect thereof will be described below. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3B, the connection adapter 10 is inserted into the liquid food bag 14 as a liquid food supply source and the stomach of the patient C to be supplied in the construction of the flow path 12 of the liquid food. The tube assembly 16 is connected.

  Specifically, a user such as a medical worker or a patient C inserts the outlet terminal 20 of the liquid food bag 14 into the through hole 62 on the upstream mounting portion 70 side of the cylindrical body 60, and flows out of the cylindrical body 60. Push into the back side of the terminal 20 for connection. At this time, the tip nozzle portion 30 of the outflow terminal 20 is first passed through the large-diameter upstream opening 62a, thereby facilitating connection. After inserting the tip nozzle portion 30, the inner peripheral surface 64 of the through hole 62 near the upstream opening 62 a immediately contacts the outer peripheral surface 20 a of the body portion 32 of the outflow terminal 20. When the outflow terminal 20 is further pushed into the cylindrical body 60, the upstream side mounting portion 70 is pushed outward in the radial direction by the outer peripheral surface 20 a of the body portion 32 while allowing the body portion 32 to enter. For this reason, the upstream side mounting part 70 contacts the outflow terminal 20 with a strong tightening force. When the upstream end 60 a is inserted up to the level difference 36 between the body portion 32 and the base end portion 34, the connection adapter 10 is firmly attached to the outflow terminal 20.

  Further, the user inserts the downstream side mounting portion 72 of the cylindrical body 60 into the internal space 44 of the inflow terminal 42 of the tube assembly 16 and pushes the cylindrical body 60 into the back side of the outflow terminal 20 for connection. Since the outer diameter of the downstream end 60b of the cylindrical body 60 is formed to be smaller than the inner diameter of the mounting port 44a of the inflow terminal 42, mutual connection is facilitated. When the downstream end 60 b of the cylindrical body 60 is inserted into the internal space 44, the outer peripheral surface 66 of the downstream side mounting portion 72 comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface 54 of the internal space 44 of the inflow terminal 42. When the cylindrical body 60 is further pushed in, the insertion holding part 50 is tightly tightened against the downstream side mounting part 72 by allowing the downstream side mounting part 72 to enter the radial direction inner side surface 54 while allowing the downstream side mounting part 72 to enter. Contact with force. The downstream end 60 b enters the tapered portion 48 and is further pressed by the tapered portion 48, so that the connection adapter 10 is firmly attached to the inflow terminal 42.

  The connection adapter 10 mounted as described above is in close contact with an adhesive force that does not drop off from the terminals 20 and 42 even when the liquid food flows. In particular, on the upstream side of the connection adapter 10, the tip nozzle portion 30 reaches the midway position of the cylindrical body 60, so that the fluid force of the liquid food can be received at the midway position of the through hole 62. In addition, the through hole 62 formed in a tapered shape smoothly guides the liquid food to the tube assembly 16, so that clogging of the liquid food can be suppressed. Further, even when the patient C moves, the cylindrical body 60 follows the intermediate extending portion 74 by curving it, so that it can be prevented from dropping off from the terminals 20 and 42 and the liquid food can flow stably.

  On the other hand, when the connection adapter 10 and each of the terminals 20 and 42 are detached, the user can easily remove each other by applying a force exceeding 50 N in the axial direction. The connection adapter 10 can be removed smoothly due to its taper shape once the contact with the terminals 20 and 42 is loosened.

  As described above, according to the connection adapter 10 according to this embodiment, the upstream side mounting portion 70 is held by the outflow terminal 20 and the downstream side mounting portion 72 is held by the inflow terminal 42. The liquid food is caused to flow well from the outflow terminal 20 to the inflow terminal 42 through the hole 62. Further, by setting the durometer hardness A of each of the mounting portions 70 and 72 within a range of 60 to 90, the upstream mounting portion 70 and the outflow terminal 20 are relatively pushed in, and the downstream mounting portion 72 and Each terminal can be connected by a simple operation of pushing the inflow terminal 42 relatively. That is, the connection adapter 10 can greatly improve user operability. Then, the connection adapter 10 can be connected to the outflow terminal 20 and the inflow terminal 42 with a strong adhesion, and the connection state can be maintained firmly. In particular, if it is a low-viscosity liquid food, the connected state can be continued well.

  Further, the connection adapter 10 can be easily configured because it has only the cylindrical body 60 having the through hole 62 therein. In particular, the inner peripheral surface 64 of the through hole 62 is not provided with a configuration that makes it difficult to form a thread or the like. Therefore, a manufacturing apparatus (molding die etc.) and a manufacturing process are simplified, and the labor and manufacturing cost of manufacturing the connection adapter 10 can be significantly reduced.

  In this case, since the inner peripheral surface 64 of the through hole 62 of the cylindrical body 60 is formed in a tapered shape, the fluid can be smoothly guided to the tube body 40 that is configured to be narrow on the downstream side of the inflow terminal 42. . Further, the inner peripheral surface 64 of the upstream mounting portion 70 formed in a tapered shape has a portion that reliably contacts the outflow terminal 20, and can easily form a close contact state with the outflow terminal 20. it can.

  Further, since the cylindrical body 60 has a uniform wall thickness, it is possible to suppress a sudden change in physical properties in the axial direction, and the through-hole 62 can be favorably maintained even when the patient C is moved. And since the structure of the cylinder 60 is simplified more, the effort and manufacturing cost of manufacturing the connection adapter 10 can be further reduced. Since the cylindrical body 60 is made of a styrene-based thermoplastic resin, the connection adapter 10 can easily obtain the above-mentioned durometer hardness as a physical property and can have a hygienic and appropriate elastic force. Therefore, it becomes suitable for medical use.

  Note that the connection adapter 10 according to the present embodiment is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and can take various modifications or application examples. Hereinafter, modifications of the connection adapter 10 according to the present invention will be described with some examples.

  The connection adapter 10A according to the first modification shown in FIG. 4A is formed in a cylindrical body 88 in which the upstream mounting portion 80, the intermediate extending portion 82, and the downstream mounting portion 84 are connected by loose steps 86a and 86b. This is different from the cylindrical body 60 according to the present embodiment. By having the step 86a as described above, when the outflow terminal 20 is inserted into the upstream mounting portion 80, the outflow terminal 20 can be tightened at the step 86a and can be mounted with a strong adhesion. Further, when the downstream side mounting portion 84 is inserted into the inflow terminal 42, the step 86 b presses against the inner peripheral surface 54 of the inflow terminal 42, so that the close contact can be made with a strong adhesion force.

  4B is formed in a cylindrical body 98 in which the upstream mounting portion 90 and the downstream mounting portion 94 are thicker than the intermediate extension portion 92. This is different from the cylindrical bodies 60 and 88 in that respect. The cylindrical body 98 can appropriately set the physical properties in the axial direction by changing the thickness in this way. That is, the upstream side mounting portion 90 and the downstream side mounting portion 94 can increase the adhesion to the terminals 20 and 42 by being thick, while the intermediate extension portion 92 is thin by being thin. The deformation of 98 can be facilitated, and the body movement of the patient C can be satisfactorily followed. The inner peripheral surface 96 constituting the through hole 62 may be formed linearly as shown in FIG. 4B or may be formed to have a step.

  As another modification of the connection adapter 10 according to the present invention, the connection adapter 10 may change its physical properties by changing the constituent material along the axial direction of the cylindrical body 60. For example, by making the durometer hardness of the intermediate extension part 74 smaller than the durometer hardness of the upstream side mounting part 70 and the downstream side mounting part 72, it is possible to improve followability of the patient C with respect to body movement and the like.

  Further, for example, a reinforcing portion (not shown) that reinforces the connection state with each of the terminals 20 and 42 may be formed on the outer peripheral surface 66 of the cylindrical body 60. The reinforcing portion may be configured as an annular rib that circulates along the circumferential direction of the upstream mounting portion 70 and the downstream mounting portion 72. In this case, the number of ribs formed is not particularly limited. Further, the reinforcing portion may be configured as a linear rib extending along the axial direction of the cylindrical body 60. In short, the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 60 can adopt various shapes, and for example, irregularities or the like may be formed.

  Furthermore, the inner peripheral surface 64 of the cylindrical body 60 can also employ various shapes that can make the liquid food flow smoothly. For example, the inner peripheral surface 64 is formed in a curved surface that draws a cycloid curve in a cross-sectional view, so that the liquid food can flow more smoothly. Furthermore, the intermediate extension portion 74 and the inner peripheral surface 64 of the downstream side mounting portion 72 may be coated with a lubricant that can smoothly flow the liquid food.

  In the above description, the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Yes.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 10A, 10B ... Connection adapter 20 ... Outflow terminal 40 ... Tube body 42 ... Inflow terminal 60, 88, 98 ... Cylindrical body 62 ... Through-hole 64 ... Inner peripheral surface 66 ... Outer peripheral surface 70, 80, 90 ... Upstream side mounting portion 72, 84, 94 ... Downstream side mounting portion 74, 82, 92 ... Intermediate extension portion

Claims (5)

Between an outflow terminal that communicates with a container for storing a fluid and can flow out the fluid, and an inflow terminal provided in a tube that receives the fluid from the outflow terminal and flows downstream. A connection adapter to be connected,
A cylindrical body part, and a through hole formed through the cylindrical body part along the axial direction of the cylindrical body part,
The cylindrical body portion has a first mounting portion held in close contact with the outflow terminal, and a second mounting portion held in close contact with the inflow terminal, and the first and second mounting portions. The durometer hardness of the part is set within a range of 60 to 90. A connection adapter, wherein: The connection adapter according to claim 1,
An inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body portion is formed in a tapered shape that is linearly inclined from the first mounting portion toward the second mounting portion in a side sectional view,
An inner peripheral surface constituting the through hole of the first mounting portion contacts and closely contacts an outer peripheral surface of the outflow terminal, and an outer peripheral surface of the second mounting portion forms an internal space of the inflow terminal. A connection adapter characterized by contacting and closely contacting the peripheral surface. In the connection adapter according to claim 1 or 2,
The cylindrical adapter has a uniform thickness from the first mounting portion toward the second mounting portion. The connection adapter according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The cylindrical portion has an extending portion extending between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion, and the durometer hardness of the extending portion is the durometer hardness of the first and second mounting portions. A connection adapter characterized by the same setting as In the connection adapter according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The said cylindrical part is comprised with a styrene-type thermoplastic resin. The connection adapter characterized by the above-mentioned.

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