JP6250982B2 - Locking member for connector connection - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector connecting lock member for detachably connecting a male connector and a female connector.

  Conventionally, for example, in tube feeding therapy, a female connector provided at the end of a tube is connected to a male connector provided in a tube feeding agent container (pouch), and nutrition is provided from the container through the tube. It is common practice to inject an agent into a patient's body.

  By the way, in tube feeding therapy, the male connector and the female connector usually do not act so as to release the connection, and are generally fitted in an extrapolated state and simply connected without bonding. It is possible. Specifically, for example, the female connector is formed of an elastic body such as medical silicone rubber, and sufficient connection strength is obtained based on the elasticity of the female connector simply by pushing the male connector into the female connector. be able to.

  However, for example, when an unexpected large force is exerted on the connection portion of the male connector and the female connector by, for example, a patient pulling the tube, the connection between the male connector and the female connector is inadvertently released, and the nutrient is There was a risk of problems such as spills.

  Therefore, Japanese Patent No. 5120673 (Patent Document 1) proposes a female connector provided with a locking means for a male connector. As shown in [FIG. 29] to [FIG. 30] of Patent Document 1, this female connector is formed by inserting a male connector (270) into an adapter (110) as a female connector, and then inserting the adapter (110). By rotating the handle (220) extrapolated to the male connector (270) relative to the male connector (270), the male connector (270) and the handle (220) are locked in the axial direction to prevent the axial disconnection. It is like that.

  However, in the structure of Patent Document 1, since it is difficult to visually confirm the lock portion from the outside, whether or not it is correctly connected can only be determined by a response at the time of the lock operation. It was difficult to confirm.

  In addition, since the handle is extrapolated to the male connector and then the handle is twisted with respect to the male connector to rotate it relatively, the connection operation is more complicated than before, There was also a risk that the burden would increase.

  Note that [FIG. 33] to [FIG. 36] of Patent Document 1 also disclose a handle having a structure that does not require a twisting operation as a reference example. That is, the handle includes a pair of engaging claws (340, 340) that are locked to the flange portion (384) of the male connector (370), and a pair of operating portions (331) for operating the engaging claws. , 331). Then, the pair of operating portions (331, 331) are picked from the outside in the radial direction to apply a force to open the pair of engaging claws (340, 340), and against the collar portion (384) of the male connector (370). Thus, the pair of engaging claws (340, 340) can be locked or unlocked.

  However, in the structure shown in [FIG. 33] to [FIG. 36] of Patent Document 1, the entire structure including the operation portion (331) and the engaging claw (340) is thick, and the adapter (110) is attached to the adapter (110). It is integrally formed with a ring-shaped frame (330) to be extrapolated. When a force is applied to the operation part (331), the frame (330) itself is bent and deformed, and the operation part (331) is inclined. Therefore, as clearly shown in FIG. 36, it is necessary to provide a large gap between the adapter (110) and the frame (330) to allow the frame (330) to be bent and deformed. Therefore, when a force is applied to the operation unit (331), the frame (330) itself is deformed and positioning with respect to the adapter (110) becomes insufficient. In addition, the adapter (110) and the frame ( 330) has a problem that it is very difficult to operate because the entire handle is rattled or tilted. In addition, when the operating portion (331) is operated to open the engaging claw (340), the ring-shaped frame (330) itself needs to be bent as a whole, which requires a large operating force. There was also a risk that the attachment / detachment work of the connector (270) and the adapter (110) may be hindered.

Japanese Patent No. 5120673

  The present invention has been made in the background of the above-described circumstances, and the problem to be solved is that the connection state between the male connector and the female connector can be maintained with high reliability, and the male connector and the female connector can be easily operated. It is an object of the present invention to provide a lock member having a novel structure that can be connected and disconnected.

  Hereinafter, the aspect of this invention made | formed in order to solve such a subject is described. In addition, the component employ | adopted in each aspect as described below is employable by arbitrary combinations as much as possible.

That is, the first aspect of the present invention is a connector connecting lock member that removably connects a female connector to a male connector, and is positioned on the outer peripheral side of a sleeve that is externally attached to the female connector, A pair of locking operation pieces extending in the length direction of the sleeve are arranged, and an intermediate portion in the length direction of each locking operation piece is connected to the sleeve by a connecting portion, and each locking operation piece is A locking claw that is locked to the outer peripheral portion of the male connector is provided on one end side in the length direction of the operation piece, while the other end side in the length direction of each operation piece for locking is operated. Each of the operation portions of the pair of locking operation pieces is grasped with fingers, so that the locking claws of the pair of locking operation pieces open to each other to lock the male connector. Can be unlocked Together we are, that contact surface of the circumferential positioning which is in contact with the male connector in the circumferential direction of the sleeve are provided, characterized.

  According to the connector connecting lock member having the structure according to the first aspect as described above, the locking claw is locked to the outer peripheral portion of the male connector in a state where the sleeve is externally attached to the female connector. As a result, the relative displacement between the male connector and the female connector is limited, and the disconnection is prevented. Therefore, the connection between the male connector and the female connector will be inadvertently released even if pressure such as nutrients or chemicals flowing through the connector or external tensile force acts on the connection between the male connector and female connector. This prevents leakage of nutrients and chemicals at the connecting portion.

  Further, by grasping each operation portion of the pair of locking operation pieces with fingers, and opening each locking claw of the pair of locking operation pieces to each other, the engagement between each locking claw and the outer peripheral portion of the male connector is established. The stop is released. Therefore, when a medical worker intentionally releases the connection between the male connector and the female connector, the connection can be released by a simple operation.

In addition, since a sleeve that is attached by being fitted to the female connector is provided, the connector for connecting the male connector and the female connector when applying external force by gripping each operation portion of the pair of locking operation pieces with fingers. The relative tilting of the lock member is suppressed, and a stable unlocking operation is possible.
Furthermore, according to this aspect, since the contact surface for circumferential positioning comes into contact with the male connector, the connector connecting lock member is positioned in the circumferential direction with respect to the male connector. Is locked at a predetermined circumferential position with respect to the outer peripheral portion of the male connector. Therefore, the locking claw can be reliably locked to the outer peripheral portion of the male connector, and the locking claw and the outer peripheral portion of the male connector are expected to be locked by the relative rotation of the connector connecting lock member and the male connector. It is possible to prevent it from being released without it.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the connector connecting lock member according to the first aspect, the connecting portion has a plate shape protruding on the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve with a predetermined width in the circumferential direction of the sleeve. It is what has been.

  According to the 2nd aspect, since a connection part is made into plate shape, sufficient intensity | strength can be set in the circumferential direction and radial direction of a sleeve, setting the flexibility of a thickness direction. Therefore, when the operation parts of the pair of locking operation pieces are picked and operated with fingers, the connecting part is deformed in the thickness direction while being prevented from being deformed in the other direction. The nails can be opened smoothly.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the connector connecting lock member according to the first or second aspect, wherein the locking claw is provided on one end side in the length direction of the locking operation piece. A plurality of sleeves are formed apart from each other in the circumferential direction, and the circumferentially opposed surfaces of the locking claws are used as the contact surfaces, and the outer circumferential surface of the male connector is between the circumferential directions of the locking claws. The abutting protrusions that are provided in the protrusions are positioned in the circumferential direction by entering.

According to the third aspect, each locking operation piece is formed with a plurality of locking claws spaced apart in the circumferential direction, so that one end in the length direction of each locking operation piece is in the circumferential direction. Locked to the male connector over a wide area. Further, the contact protrusion of the male connector enters between the circumferential directions of the plurality of locking claws, and the connector connecting lock member is positioned in the circumferential direction with respect to the male connector. Locking with the outer peripheral portion is realized stably.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is the connector connecting lock member described in any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the locking operation piece provided with the locking claw is in the length direction. A guide surface that is inclined inward in the axial direction toward the inner peripheral side of the sleeve is formed on the distal end surface on one end side.

According to the fourth aspect, when the locking claws are locked to the outer peripheral portion of the male connector, an operation of opening the locking claws with each other by grasping the operation portions of the pair of locking operation pieces is not necessarily required. Without pushing, the connector connecting lock member can be more easily locked by pushing the lock member toward the one side in the length direction of the locking operation piece with respect to the male connector. The outer peripheral part of the male connector that is covered and locked with the locking claw is pressed against the guide surface, so that each locking claw is pushed open by the male connector and gets over the outer peripheral part of the male connector and locked. Because you get.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the connector connecting lock member described in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the sleeve and the female connector are relatively positioned.

According to the 5th aspect, it can prevent that a sleeve moves and positions on the tube etc. which are connected to the female connector, and a user can perform locking operation easily.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector connecting lock member for detachably connecting a female connector to a male connector, a sleeve that is externally attached to the female connector, and an outer peripheral side of the sleeve. A pair of locking operation pieces extending in the length direction of the sleeve, a connecting portion for connecting the locking operation pieces and the sleeve, and a pair of locking claws for locking the male connector. The pair of locking operation pieces can be grasped with fingers, so that the pair of locking claws can open to each other to release the locking to the male connector , and the circumferential direction of the sleeve It has the contact surface for the circumferential direction contact | abutted by this male connector, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

According to the sixth aspect, by holding the pair of locking operation pieces with fingers and opening the pair of locking claws to each other, the locking between the locking claws and the outer peripheral portion of the male connector is released. It has become. Therefore, when a medical worker intentionally releases the connection between the male connector and the female connector, the connection can be released by a simple operation. In addition, since a locking operation piece is provided separately from the sleeve that is attached by being externally attached to the female connector, when a pair of locking operation pieces are picked with fingers and an external force is applied, the male and female connectors are The relative tilting of the sleeve is suppressed, and a stable unlocking operation is possible.
Furthermore, according to this aspect, since the contact surface for circumferential positioning comes into contact with the male connector, the connector connecting lock member is positioned in the circumferential direction with respect to the male connector. Is locked at a predetermined circumferential position with respect to the outer peripheral portion of the male connector. Therefore, the locking claw can be reliably locked to the outer peripheral portion of the male connector, and the locking claw and the outer peripheral portion of the male connector are expected to be locked by the relative rotation of the connector connecting lock member and the male connector. It is possible to prevent it from being released without it.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector connecting lock member for detachably connecting a female connector to a male connector, a sleeve that is attached by being externally attached to the female connector, and is positioned on an outer peripheral side of the sleeve. The locking operation piece extending in the length direction of the sleeve, a connecting portion for connecting the locking operation piece and the sleeve, and a locking claw for locking the male connector. The locking claw opens from the sleeve to the outer peripheral side by pressing a piece with a finger so that the locking to the male connector can be released , and the male connector in the circumferential direction of the sleeve It has the contact surface for the circumferential direction contact | abutted by this , It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

According to the seventh aspect, by pressing the operation portion of the locking operation piece with a finger and moving the locking claw of the locking operation piece to the outer peripheral side, the locking claw and the outer peripheral portion of the male connector are moved. The lock is released. Therefore, when a medical worker intentionally releases the connection between the male connector and the female connector, the connection can be released by a simple operation. In addition, since the operating portion is provided separately from the sleeve that is attached by being externally attached to the female connector, when applying external force by pressing the operating portion of the locking operating piece with a finger, the male connector and the female connector are The relative tilting of the sleeve is suppressed, and a stable unlocking operation is possible.
Furthermore, according to this aspect, since the contact surface for circumferential positioning comes into contact with the male connector, the connector connecting lock member is positioned in the circumferential direction with respect to the male connector. Is locked at a predetermined circumferential position with respect to the outer peripheral portion of the male connector. Therefore, the locking claw can be reliably locked to the outer peripheral portion of the male connector, and the locking claw and the outer peripheral portion of the male connector are expected to be locked by the relative rotation of the connector connecting lock member and the male connector. It is possible to prevent it from being released without it.

  According to the present invention, the sleeve is externally attached to the female connector, and the locking claw is locked to the outer peripheral portion of the male connector, so that the male connector and the female connector can be easily locked, and the male connector And the female connector can be prevented from being unintentionally released. Furthermore, by grasping the operating part with fingers and opening the locking claw, the locking claw and the outer peripheral portion of the male connector can be easily released, and the connection between the male connector and the female connector can be released. . In addition, since the sleeve is externally inserted into the female connector and the operation portion is provided on the outer peripheral side of the sleeve, the connector connecting lock member is applied to the male connector and the female connector when an external force is applied to the operation portion with fingers. Therefore, it is possible to stably release the lock between each locking claw and the outer peripheral portion of the male connector.

The figure which shows the use condition of the locking member for connector connection as the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the locking member for a connector connection shown by FIG. 1 alone. FIG. 3 is a front view of the connector connecting lock member shown in FIG. 2. The right view of the locking member for connector connection shown by FIG. The top view of the locking member for connector connection shown by FIG. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the connector connecting lock member shown in FIG. 2. VII-VII sectional drawing of FIG. VIII-VIII sectional drawing of FIG. The perspective view which shows the locking member for connector connection shown by FIG. 2 in the mounting state to a male connector and a female connector. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the mounting state to the male connector and the female connector of the locking member for connector connection shown by FIG. 9, Comprising: It is XX sectional drawing of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the mounting state to the male connector and female connector of the locking member for connector connection shown by FIG. 9, Comprising: XI-XI sectional drawing of FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a process of mounting the connector connecting lock member shown in FIG. 2, in which (a) shows a state in which the guide surface of the locking claw is in contact with the engaging protrusion; A state in which the pawls go over the engaging protrusions, (c) a state in which the locking claws are locked in the engaging protrusions, and (d) in which the locking claws are opened by grasping the operation part with fingers. Each stop release state is shown. XIII-XIII sectional drawing of FIG. The perspective view which shows the locking member for connector connection as the 2nd Embodiment of this invention independently. FIG. 15 is a front view of the connector connecting lock member shown in FIG. 14. The right view of the locking member for a connector connection shown by FIG. The top view of the locking member for connector connection shown by FIG. FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the connector connecting lock member shown in FIG. 14. XIX-XIX sectional drawing of FIG. XX-XX sectional drawing of FIG. The perspective view which shows the locking member for connector connection shown by FIG. 14 in the mounting state to a male connector and a female connector. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the mounting state to the male connector and the female connector of the connector connection locking member shown by FIG. 21, Comprising: XXII-XXII sectional drawing of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the mounting state to the male connector and the female connector of the locking member for connector connection shown by FIG. 21, Comprising: XXIII-XXIII sectional drawing of FIG. XXIV-XXIV sectional drawing of FIG. XXV-XXV sectional drawing of FIG.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a connector connecting lock member 10 (hereinafter referred to as a lock member 10) according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a use state in which a male connector 12 and a female connector 14 are detachably connected. ing. 2 to 8 show the locking member 10 in a single state before being attached to the male connector 12 and the female connector 14.

  More specifically, the lock member 10 is formed of a hard synthetic resin as a whole, and includes a cylindrical sleeve 16 as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the sleeve 16 linearly extends with a substantially constant circular cross section. In the present embodiment, the upper inner peripheral surface gradually increases in diameter toward the opening side. It is said that.

  A pair of locking operation pieces 18, 18 are disposed on the outer peripheral side of the sleeve 16. The locking operation piece 18 has a substantially longitudinal plate shape extending in the length direction of the sleeve 16 with a predetermined width in the circumferential direction, and an intermediate portion in the length direction (vertical direction in FIG. 3) is a flexible connection. The portion 20 is connected to the sleeve 16. The connecting portion 20 has a plate shape protruding on the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve 16 with a predetermined width in the circumferential direction, and is allowed to be flexibly deformed in the thickness direction. Note that the pair of locking operation pieces 18 and 18 are disposed to face each other in one radial direction of the sleeve 16.

  Furthermore, a locking claw 22 is formed at one end (upper end in FIG. 3) in the length direction of each locking operation piece 18 so as to protrude toward the inner peripheral side of the sleeve 16. Further, the locking claw 22 has an end surface located on one side in the length direction of the locking operation piece 18 as a guide surface 24 inclined inward in the axial direction toward the inner peripheral side of the sleeve 16. The end face located on the other side extends in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve 16.

  Further, the other end portion side (the lower side in FIG. 3) in the lengthwise direction than the connecting portion 20 in each locking operation piece 18 is an operation portion 26. The operation portion 26 has a plate shape extending in the length direction of the sleeve 16 and gradually spreads from the connecting portion 20 toward the distal end side in the length direction (the other side in the length direction) toward the outer peripheral side of the sleeve 16. . In the present embodiment, three projections each having a reverse triangular shape are formed on the outer surface of the operation unit 26, and the surface of the operation unit 26 can be confirmed by tactile sensation.

  A pair of positioning contact pieces 28, 28 are formed between the circumferential direction of the pair of locking operation pieces 18, 18. The positioning contact piece 28 has a substantially longitudinal plate shape extending vertically with a predetermined width in the circumferential direction, and is fixed to the sleeve 16. Furthermore, the positioning contact piece 28 of the present embodiment has an outer peripheral surface at the lower end, so that the pair of positioning contact pieces 28 and 28 can be easily picked with fingers. As with the operation portion 26 of the locking operation piece 18, a substantially triangular protrusion is formed on the outer surface of the positioning contact piece 28, so that the lower part of the positioning contact piece 28 is grasped by the tactile sensation of the fingertip. It can be done.

  In the lock member 10 of the present embodiment, the sleeve 16, the pair of locking operation pieces 18, 18 and the pair of positioning contact pieces 28, 28 are integrally formed. The forming materials of the sleeve 16, the pair of locking operation pieces 18, 18 and the pair of positioning contact pieces 28, 28 are not particularly limited. For example, polycarbonate, polyacetal, polypropylene resin, A polyvinyl chloride resin or the like is preferably employed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the lock member 10 having such a structure is attached to a connection portion between the male connector 12 and the female connector 14. That is, the male connector 12 has a structure in which the fitting cylinder portion 32 protrudes from the fixing portion 30 as shown in FIGS. The fixing portion 30 has a substantially flat rhombus cross section and includes a through hole penetrating in the axial direction. The fixing portion 30 is fixed to a pouch 34 containing a nutrient by means such as heat welding, and a through hole of the fixing portion 30 is communicated with the inside of the pouch 34. As is generally known, the pouch 34 has a bag shape in which two sheets are overlapped and the outer peripheral portions are fixed to each other by a method such as heat sealing. For this purpose, a resin sheet on which aluminum oxide or the like is vapor-deposited and a resin sheet that is at least partially transparent to ensure the visibility of the contents are overlapped with each other, and the outer peripheral portion is welded. The At the time of manufacturing such a pouch 34, the fixing part 30 is attached to the pouch 34 by welding the two sheets while the fixing part 30 of the male connector 12 is sandwiched between the two sheets. A through hole of the fixing portion 30 is communicated with the inside of the pouch 34.

  The fitting cylinder part 32 protruding from the fixing part 30 has a cylindrical shape with a male luer taper that gradually becomes smaller in diameter toward the tip, and its inner cavity communicates with a through hole formed through the fixing part 30. In addition, unevenness is formed on the outer peripheral surface for increasing resistance to disconnection in a fitted state with a female connector 14 described later. Furthermore, a substantially annular plate-shaped positioning protrusion 36 that protrudes in a flange shape toward the outer peripheral side is integrally formed at the base end portion of the fitting tube portion 32 on the fixing portion 30 side. Furthermore, on the circumference of the positioning projection 36, a pair of engaging projections 38, 38 that project further outward from the projecting tip of the positioning projection 36 are formed at portions that oppose each other in the radial direction. .

  The male connector 12 having the fixing portion 30 and the fitting cylinder portion 32 has the fixing portion 30 attached to the pouch 34 as described above, and functions as a port for taking out the contents of the pouch 34 to the outside. It has become. The material for forming the male connector 12 is not particularly limited, but is preferably hard like the lock member 10, and for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacetal, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, etc. are employed. obtain.

  The female connector 14 is formed of a rubber elastic body, a polymer elastomer exhibiting rubber-like elasticity, or the like, and includes a cylindrical main body 40 having a female luer taper that gradually decreases in diameter toward the tip. Further, a flange portion 42 that extends to the outer peripheral side is integrally formed at the proximal end portion of the cylindrical main body portion 40. The material for forming the female connector 14 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a soft elastic material as compared with the lock member 10 and the male connector 12. For example, in addition to natural rubber and synthetic rubber, polyamide resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, ABS resin, polyurethane resin, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and the like can be employed.

  In the male connector 12 and the female connector 14 having such a structure, the fitting cylinder portion 32 of the male connector 12 is inserted from the proximal end side opening of the female connector 14, and the outer peripheral surface of the fitting cylinder portion 32 and the female connector are inserted. 14 are brought into close contact with each other based on the elasticity of the female connector 14, thereby being connected to each other. In the present embodiment, the ring-shaped irregularities formed on the outer peripheral surface of the fitting cylindrical portion 32 of the male connector 12 are brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the female connector 14, so that the fitting cylindrical portion 32 is detached from the female connector 14. It has become difficult. Although not clearly shown in the drawing, a tube is connected to the distal end side of the cylindrical main body 40 of the female connector 14, and the contents of the pouch 34 (tube feeding) taken out through the male connector 12. Agent) is injected into the patient's body through the female connector 14 and the tube.

  Here, the connector connecting lock member 10 is disposed at the connecting portion between the male connector 12 and the female connector 14 so that the male connector 12 and the female connector 14 can be detached and prevented from being unintentionally disconnected. Connected in a state.

  That is, first, as shown in FIG. 12A, in a state where the male connector 12 and the female connector 14 are fitted to each other in the internal / external insertion state, the sleeve 16 is externally attached to the female connector 14 and the lock member 10 is attached. It is displaced to the base end side (male connector 12 side) of the female connector 14. In the present embodiment, since the upper inner diameter of the sleeve 16 gradually increases toward the opening, the female connector 14 can be easily inserted into the sleeve 16. In addition, a plurality of ribs projecting to the outer peripheral side are provided at the proximal end portion of the cylindrical main body portion 40 of the female connector 14, and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical main body portion 40 is the inner side of the sleeve 16 at the rib forming portion. It comes in contact with the peripheral surface.

  Then, from the state of FIG. 12A in which the guide surfaces 24 of the locking claws 22 of the pair of locking operation pieces 18 and 18 are in contact with the pair of engaging protrusions 38 and 38 of the male connector 12, By pushing the member 10 further to the proximal end side, an outward force is applied to each locking claw 22 in the opposing direction of the pair of locking operation pieces 18 and 18. When this outward force is exerted on the pair of locking operation pieces 18, 18, the connecting portions 20 that connect the pair of locking operation pieces 18, 18 to the sleeve 16 are bent in the thickness direction. As shown in FIG. 12 (b), the locking claws 22, 22 are opened apart from each other.

  As a result, the locking claws 22 and 22 can move over the pair of engaging projections 38 and 38 to the proximal end side, and the locking claws 22 and 22 can move to the pair of engaging projections 38 and 38. Then, the locking claws 22, 22 are inserted above the pair of engaging projections 38, 38 by the elasticity of the connecting portions 20, 20 (FIG. 12C). As a result, the locking claws 22, 22 are locked in the axial direction with respect to the pair of engaging protrusions 38, 38 provided on the outer peripheral portion of the male connector 12, so that the male connector 12 is proximal to the locking member 10. The relative displacement to the side is limited. On the other hand, when the sleeve 16 is locked in the axial direction with respect to the flange portion 42 of the female connector 14, the relative displacement of the female connector 14 toward the distal end side with respect to the lock member 10 is limited. Accordingly, the locking member 10 prevents the male connector 12 and the female connector 14 from being pulled out with respect to the tensile force in the axial direction, and the connection state between the male connector 12 and the female connector 14 is also against the unexpected pulling force. Is to be maintained stably.

  It is possible to open the locking claws 22 and 22 to each other by applying an external force by gripping each operation portion 26 of the pair of locking operation pieces 18 and 18 with a finger. By simply pushing 10 forward in the axial direction, the locking claws 22 and 22 are opened to each other by the guide action of the guide surface 24. Therefore, at the time of the locking operation, the operator does not need to grasp each operation portion 26 of the pair of locking operation pieces 18, 18 with fingers, and a pair of positioning contact pieces fixed on the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve 16. By picking and operating the 28 and 28, it is possible to efficiently exert an axial force.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 13, the stepped portion 44 formed on the lower surface of each locking claw 22 is locked in the circumferential direction with respect to the stepped portion 46 formed on the upper surface of each engaging projection 38. The locking member 10 and the male connector 12 are relatively positioned in the circumferential direction. Further, the engaging protrusion 38 of the male connector 12 is inserted between the pair of positioning contact pieces 28, 28 of the lock member 10, and the engagement protrusion 38 and the positioning contact piece 28 are connected to each other. The lock member 10 and the male connector 12 are relatively positioned in the circumferential direction also by contact with the circumferential end surface. In addition, the contact surface for circumferential positioning in the present embodiment is configured by the circumferential end surfaces of the pair of positioning contact pieces 28 and 28.

  Further, as is apparent from FIG. 13, the positioning protrusion 36 of the male connector 12 is inserted between the opposing surfaces of the pair of positioning contact pieces 28, 28 of the locking member 10. The relative position in the radial direction of 12 is also easily determined. In particular, the positioning protrusion 36 abuts in the vicinity of the circumferential end of the positioning contact piece 28 that is curved in the circumferential direction, so that not only the opposing direction of the pair of positioning contact pieces 28, 28 but also other diameters. Also in the direction, the relative position of the lock member 10 and the male connector 12 is determined.

  On the other hand, in the lock member 10, the connection between the male connector 12 and the female connector 14 can be released by gripping and operating the pair of locking operation pieces 18, 18 with the fingers 48. That is, in the lock member 10, as shown in FIG. 12D, the operation portions 26 of the pair of lock operation pieces 18, 18 are grasped with fingers 48 so that the locking claws 22, 22 are separated from each other. By opening the hook, the locking claw 22 and the engagement protrusion 38 of the male connector 12 can be unlocked. Then, by pulling the lock member 10 from the male connector 12 while grasping the operation portions 26 and 26 with the fingers 48, the positioning of the male connector 12 and the female connector 14 by the lock member 10 is released, and the male connector 12. Can be pulled out from the cylindrical main body 40 of the female connector 14. As described above, the connection between the male connector 12 and the female connector 14 is released.

  Here, in the lock member 10, a force is applied to each operation portion 26 of the pair of lock operation pieces 18, 18 with the fingers 48 in a state where the cylindrical sleeve 16 is extrapolated to the female connector 14. Even when the forces acting on the portions 26 and 26 are not equal, the relative tilting of the lock member 10 with respect to the male connector 12 and the female connector 14 is prevented. Therefore, the force by the finger 48 acts efficiently to open the locking claws 22 and 22 to each other, and the locking of the locking claws 22 with respect to the engaging protrusion 38 is stably and easily released.

  Further, by pinching the operating portions 26 and 26 with the fingers 48, the connecting portions 20 that connect the pair of locking operating pieces 18 and 18 to the sleeve 16 are bent and deformed. The latching claws 22 and 22 are efficiently opened by the lever principle with each connecting portion 20 as a fulcrum with respect to the input. In particular, the connecting portion 20 of the present embodiment has a plate shape extending from the sleeve 16 to the outer peripheral side with a predetermined width in the circumferential direction. When force is applied to the operation portions 26, 26, the connecting portion 20 has a thickness. Since the bending deformation in the vertical direction occurs predominantly, the locking claws 22 and 22 are stably opened to each other, and the locking claws 22 and 22 and the engaging protrusions 38 and 38 are more easily locked. It is released with high reliability.

  Furthermore, since the operation portions 26 and 26 are located on the outer peripheral side of the sleeve 16, the sleeve 16 is less likely to be distorted during operation than when the operation portion is formed to protrude in the length direction of the sleeve. . For this reason, when the pair of locking operation pieces 18, 18 are picked with fingers, it is easy to tilt the pair of locking operation pieces 18, 18 substantially equally with respect to the sleeve 16 by exerting a force evenly on each operation portion 26. It has become.

  14 to 20 show a connector connecting lock member 50 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, members and portions that are substantially the same as those of the connector connecting lock member 10 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and description thereof is omitted.

  The connector connecting lock member 50 (hereinafter referred to as the lock member 50) of the present embodiment has a pair of locking operation pieces 52 and 52 and a pair of positioning contact pieces 28 on the outer peripheral side of the sleeve 16 having a substantially cylindrical shape. , 28. Each locking operation piece 52 includes two locking claws 54 and 56 that are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction at the upper end thereof, and the locking claws 54 and 56 project to the inner peripheral side, respectively. A recess 58 that opens to the inner peripheral side is formed between the circumferential directions of the locking claws 54 and 56. A guide surface 60 that is inclined inward in the axial direction toward the inner peripheral side of the sleeve 16 is formed on the upper end surfaces of the respective locking claws 54 and 56.

  The pair of locking operation pieces 52, 52 are connected to the sleeves 16 by means of plate-like connecting parts 20, respectively, and the connecting parts 20 are deformed relative to the sleeves 16 by bending deformation in the thickness direction. Tilt is allowed. Thus, by grasping each operation portion 26 of the pair of locking operation pieces 52, 52 with the fingers 48, one end portion in the length direction of the pair of locking operation pieces 52, 52 is separated from each other. The locking claws 54, 56 and the locking claws 54, 56 formed on the locking operation pieces 52, 52 and arranged to face each other can be opened with each other. The intermediate portion of the locking operation piece 52 refers to an area between the operation portion 26 and the locking claws 54 and 56, and the operation portion 26 extends from the connecting portion 20 to the other side of the locking claws 54 and 56. It only has to extend a little.

  As shown in FIGS. 21 to 25, the lock member 50 having such a structure is disposed at a connection portion between the male connector 12 and the female connector 14. That is, the sleeve 16 is attached to the tubular main body portion 40 of the female connector 14 by being externally attached thereto, and is connected to the flange-like engagement protrusion 62 provided at the proximal end portion of the fitting tubular portion 32 of the male connector 12. Thus, the locking claws 54 and 56 of the pair of locking operation pieces 52 and 52 are locked. Thus, the locking member 50 is positioned relatively in the axial direction with respect to the male connector 12 and the female connector 14, and is disposed at a connection portion between the male connector 12 and the female connector 14. The locking member 50 prevents the female connector 14 from coming off in the axial direction.

  Further, a recess 58 is formed between the two locking claws 54, 56 formed in each locking operation piece 52, and protrudes further from the engagement protrusion 62 of the male connector 12 to the outer peripheral side. A contact protrusion 64 is disposed in the recess 58 (see FIG. 25). As a result, the circumferential relative rotation amount of the lock member 50 with respect to the male connector 12 is limited by the contact between the contact protrusion 64 and the circumferential end surfaces of the locking claws 54, 56. The connector 12 is relatively positioned in the circumferential direction.

  In the locking member 50 of the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the male connector 12 can be applied by gripping the operation portions 26 of the pair of locking operation pieces 52 and 52 with fingers 48 and applying force. The locking claws 54 and 56 can be unlocked. Then, the locking member 50 is moved to the distal end side in the axial direction with respect to the male connector 12 while releasing the engagement between the locking claws 54 and 56 provided on the pair of locking operation pieces 52 and 52 and the male connector 12. By displacing, the connection of the male connector 12 and the female connector 14 by the lock member 50 can be released, and the male connector 12 can be detached from the female connector 14. Here, the lock member 50 of the present embodiment includes a cylindrical sleeve 16 as in the lock member 10 of the first embodiment, and the operation portions 26 of the pair of lock operation pieces 52 and 52 are moved by fingers. Since the sleeve 16 is externally inserted into the female connector 14 when operated at 48, the force is efficiently applied to the pair of locking operation pieces 52, 52, and the respective locking claws 54, 56 and the male connector The engagement with the twelve engagement protrusions 62 can be effectively released.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited by the specific description. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a plate-shaped member is illustrated as the connecting portion 20, but the connecting portion is not limited to a plate shape, and may be, for example, a rod shape that extends from the sleeve 16 to the outer peripheral side. . Further, in the above-described embodiment, each connecting portion 20 has flexibility so that when the pair of locking operation pieces 18 and 18 are operated, each locking claw 24 is easily opened by deformation of each connecting portion 20. It has become. However, an inflexible material can be used as the material of the connecting portion. For example, if the operation unit and the connection unit are separated, and the operation unit rotates independently of the connection unit, such as Japanese Patent No. 5096446 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-140109, the connection unit is connected. Even if a part is a non-flexible material, it is employ | adopted suitably. In such a case, compared with the case where a flexible connecting portion is employed, the connecting portion does not need to extend greatly in the radial direction and can be reduced in size. Further, by providing a spring means for urging the locking claw 24 of the locking operation piece 18 inward, the locking claw 24 can always be biased inward.

  In the above embodiment, the sleeve 16 and the connecting portion 20 are formed as one member, but the sleeve 16 and the connecting portion 20 can also be configured as separate members. For example, the connecting portion 20 may be formed in a ring shape, externally attached to the sleeve 16, and fixed by bonding by welding or the like, adhesion by an adhesive, engagement by friction or unevenness, and the like.

  In addition, when the male connector and the female connector are connected, the respective operation portions of the pair of locking operation pieces are grasped with fingers, and the respective locking claws of the pair of locking operation pieces are opened to each other. The guide surface may not be provided on the tip surface of the nail. In addition, since there is a guide surface, the male connector and the female connector can be securely locked by simply pressing the connector connecting lock member against the male connector without picking with a finger, so there is a guide surface. Is preferred.

  In the above-described embodiment, the connecting portion of the locking operation piece is provided at the intermediate portion in the length direction of the sleeve, but may be provided at the end portion in the length direction of the sleeve.

  In the above embodiment, the connector connecting lock member 10 according to the present invention is connected to the connecting portion between the male connector 12 provided on the pouch 34 of tube feeding nutrient and the female connector 14 provided on the end of the tube. Although the example to which 50 is applied is shown, the structure to which the present invention is applicable should not be construed as being limited by the description of the embodiment. Specifically, for example, the male connector 12 and the female connector 14 are both provided at the end of the tube, and the connector connecting lock member according to the present invention is connected to the connecting portion of the male connector 12 and the female connector 14. 10,50 can also be applied.

  In the embodiment, the connector connecting lock member is movable on the tube connected to the female connector. However, the sleeve of the connector connecting lock member is externally inserted into the female connector, It may be positioned with respect to. Specifically, for example, in the manufacturing stage of the connector connecting lock member, after the sleeve of the connector connecting lock member is externally inserted into the female connector, the end of the female connector (the lower end in FIG. 10) ) Is fixed by fixing an annular member having an outer diameter through which the connector connecting lock member cannot pass. If it is the said aspect, since the situation where the sleeve of the locking member for connector connection will be located on the tube etc. which are connected to the front end side of a female connector is eliminated, the user can perform locking operation easily.

  Furthermore, an annular member having an outer diameter through which the connector connecting lock member cannot pass is provided near the flange 42 on the proximal end side of the female connector 14, so that the connector connecting lock member is pivoted with respect to the female connector 14. It can also be positioned so that it cannot move in the direction.

  Furthermore, the rotation of the connector connecting lock member relative to the female connector may be restricted. In this aspect, for example, a protrusion that protrudes on the outer peripheral surface of the female connector and extends in the axial direction is formed, and a recess that is inserted into the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve and locked in the circumferential direction is formed. By forming, it is realizable by positioning the locking member for connector connection with respect to the female connector in the circumferential direction.

  The connector connecting lock member may be positioned in both the axial direction and the circumferential direction with respect to the female connector. This aspect can also be realized by mechanically engaging the connector connecting lock member and the female connector by adopting a combination of the axial positioning structure and the circumferential positioning structure as described above. It can also be realized by fixing the connector connecting lock member and the female connector with an adhesive or the like.

  As an embodiment different from the above-described embodiment, it is also conceivable to provide a locking claw in another configuration of the connector connecting lock member without providing a locking claw at the longitudinal end of the operation portion. For example, it may be provided at the end of the sleeve. Specifically, the sleeve that is externally inserted into the female connector is formed with two pairs of cuts extending in the axial direction at a predetermined depth from one end face in the axial direction, and the circumferential direction of each pair of cuts in the sleeve Between them, a locking claw is provided on one end side in the axial direction, and a connecting part is connected to the intermediate part in the axial direction, and a locking operation piece arranged on the outer peripheral side of the sleeve is connected. The above aspect can be realized by the structure connected to the sleeve by the portion. Also in this embodiment, the other end portion in the axial direction of the sleeve can be kept in a state of being stably extrapolated to the female connector even when the locking operation piece is operated. It is also conceivable to provide an arm having a locking claw at the end while extending to the base end side of the female connector at the connecting portion. It should be noted that the displacement of the locking claws can be allowed even if a deformable thin portion or bellows portion is provided instead of the cut.

  As an embodiment different from the above-described embodiment, it is also possible to adopt a mode in which the lock operation piece is only on one side (only one lock operation piece is provided instead of a pair). Specifically, for example, one locking claw is provided on the sleeve (see [0072]), while one locking operation piece is provided at a position facing the locking claw in the radial direction, The locking operation piece disposed on the outer peripheral side of the sleeve is connected to the sleeve by a connecting portion, and a locking claw is provided at one end in the axial direction of the locking operation piece. In this case, by pressing the operating portion of one locking operation piece with a finger, the locking claw of the locking operation piece opens away from the locking claw of the sleeve, and the connector connecting lock member and the male connector are opened. The lock is released. According to this aspect, the other end in the axial direction of the sleeve can be stably externally inserted into the female connector even when the locking operation piece is operated. In addition, since the locking operation piece operated at the time of unlocking is only on one side, it is possible to reliably prevent a problem that the locking claws are not evenly opened and the lock is not released at the time of unlocking operation.

10, 50: Connector connecting lock member, 12: Male connector, 14: Female connector, 16: Sleeve, 18: Operation piece for locking, 20: Connecting portion, 22, 54, 56: Locking claw, 24, 60: Guide surface, 26: operation part, 64: contact protrusion

Claims (7)

A connector connecting lock member for detachably connecting a female connector to a male connector,
A pair of locking operation pieces extending in the length direction of the sleeve are disposed on the outer peripheral side of the sleeve to be attached by being externally attached to the female connector, and each of the locking operation pieces is arranged in the length direction. An intermediate portion is connected to the sleeve by a connecting portion, and a locking claw that is locked to the outer peripheral portion of the male connector is provided on one end side in the length direction of each locking operation piece. On the other hand, the other end side in the length direction of each locking operation piece is an operation portion, and the pair of locking operation pieces can be obtained by grasping each operation portion of the pair of locking operation pieces with fingers. Each of the locking claws can be opened to release the locking to the male connector ,
A connector-connecting locking member, wherein a contact surface for positioning in the circumferential direction is provided in contact with the male connector in the circumferential direction of the sleeve .   The connector connecting lock member according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion has a plate shape protruding on an outer peripheral surface of the sleeve with a predetermined width in the circumferential direction of the sleeve. A plurality of the locking claws are formed apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the sleeve on one end side in the length direction of the locking operation piece, and the circumferentially opposed surfaces of the locking claws are the contact surface. 3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein a contact protrusion that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the male connector enters between the circumferential directions of the locking claws and is positioned in the circumferential direction. Lock member for connection. A guide surface that is inclined inward in the axial direction toward the inner peripheral side of the sleeve is formed on the distal end surface on one end side in the length direction of the locking operation piece provided with the locking claw. The connector connecting lock member according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The connector connecting lock member according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the sleeve and the female connector are relatively positioned. A connector connecting lock member for detachably connecting a female connector to a male connector,
A sleeve that is attached by being externally attached to the female connector, a pair of locking operation pieces that are located on the outer peripheral side of the sleeve and that extend in the length direction of the sleeve, and each of the locking operation pieces and the sleeve are coupled to each other And a pair of locking claws for locking the male connector, and the pair of locking claws open to each other by grasping the pair of locking operation pieces with fingers. Can be unlocked , and
A connector connecting lock member having a circumferential positioning abutment surface abutted against the male connector in a circumferential direction of the sleeve . A connector connecting lock member for detachably connecting a female connector to a male connector,
A sleeve that is externally attached to the female connector, a locking operation piece that is positioned on the outer peripheral side of the sleeve and extends in a length direction of the sleeve, and a connecting portion that connects the locking operation piece and the sleeve And a locking claw for locking the male connector, the locking claw opens from the sleeve to the outer peripheral side by pressing the operating piece for locking with a finger, and the locking to the male connector is performed. Can be released ,
A connector connecting lock member having a circumferential positioning abutment surface abutted against the male connector in a circumferential direction of the sleeve .

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