JP6651417B2 - socket - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a socket connected to a plug having an annular engagement groove on an outer peripheral surface.

  In a pipe joint through which a fluid passes, it may be necessary to clean a portion where the fluid comes into contact after use. For example, a socket connected to a dialyzer plug for supplying or draining dialysate to or from a dialyzer (artificial kidney) of an artificial dialysis machine is disconnected from the dialyzer every time artificial dialysis is completed in order to maintain a clean state. Then, the inside is washed with a washing liquid.

  Since such a dialysis socket is required to have high sterility, the dialysis solution has a structure in which a passage portion to which the dialysate may come into contact is made as small as possible with as few narrow gaps and irregularities as possible, so that it is easy to clean. It is desirable. For example, a dialysis socket (coupler (registered trademark)) disclosed in Patent Literature 1 has an elastic member that receives a plug of a dialyzer, a pressing body having a protrusion that presses the elastic member from the outside, and a pressing body having the pressing body inside. And a slider for displacing the plug. The plug is inserted into the elastic member, and the slider is moved forward to displace the projection of the pressing body inward, thereby engaging the plug at a position corresponding to the projection. The socket is engaged with the plug by fitting an elastic member into the stop groove. With such a configuration, the plug of the dialyzer and the inner peripheral surface of the socket that the dialysate touches are constituted by an integral elastic member, so that there is no narrow gap or unevenness in a portion requiring cleaning, and the cleaning is more reliably performed. I can do it.

JP 2007-151628 A

  In the above-described conventional socket, the connection is completed by displacing the slider forward until it hits the stopper with the dializer plug inserted into the elastic member. It is difficult to judge whether or not it has been done. For example, the slider receives a force from the elastic member via the pressing body and receives a certain resistance when displaced forward, so the operator mistakenly thinks that the slider was completely displaced to the front when the resistance increased. Then, there is a possibility that the displacement of the slider is stopped halfway. Also, if the plug of the dialyzer is inserted only partway into the elastic member, and the position of the engagement groove of the plug and the projection of the pressing body are not aligned, the pressing body will be sufficiently Therefore, the slider cannot be further displaced forward before coming into contact with the stopper, and the operator may mistakenly think that the stopper has been displaced completely forward in this state. In such an imperfectly connected state, the socket may accidentally come off the plug when pressure is applied inside or the tube connected to the socket is pulled.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a socket that allows a worker to easily recognize that connection to a plug has been properly performed while having a structure that is easy to clean.

That is, the present invention
A socket connected to a plug having an annular engagement groove on an outer peripheral surface,
A tubular socket body formed of an elastic material having a fluid passage extending rearward from the front end and adapted to receive the plug;
A chuck member disposed outside the socket main body, the locking member having a locking projection protruding inward toward an outer peripheral surface of the socket main body, wherein the locking projection presses the outer peripheral surface of the socket main body. The inner peripheral surface of the socket body at a position corresponding to the locking projection is deformed inward in the radial direction of the socket body so as to be fitted in the engagement groove of the plug received in the fluid passage. A locking position for locking the socket to the plug, and allowing the locking projection to be displaced outward in the radial direction from the locking position to restore the inner peripheral surface to the shape before deformation. A chuck member made flexible between a release position for releasing the engagement with the plug and
A sleeve slidable on the outer surface of the chuck member in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the socket body, the sleeve being pressed inward in the radial direction to the locking position. A connection holding position and a sleeve displaceable between a connection release position that allows the chuck member to be displaced to the release position,
With
The chuck member has a first engagement portion on the outer surface, the sleeve has a second engagement portion on the inner peripheral surface,
A socket, wherein the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are adapted to be snap-engaged when the sleeve is in the connection holding position.

  In the socket, when the sleeve is in the connection holding position and the connection with the plug is completed, the chuck member and the sleeve are snap-engaged. It is possible to recognize that the sleeve has been displaced to the connection holding position by feeling the click feeling accompanying the vibration and sound generated by the snap engagement. Therefore, it can be easily determined whether or not the connection has been properly completed, and it is possible to prevent the incomplete connection state from being left.

Preferably,
The chuck member extends from the base fixed to the socket body so as to incline outward in the radial direction as going forward from the base. And an arm portion formed with an engaging portion,
An inner peripheral surface of the sleeve, a rear inner peripheral surface, and a front inner peripheral surface having a diameter larger than the rear inner peripheral surface on a front side of the rear inner peripheral surface and having the second engagement portion formed therein. Has,
The rear inner peripheral surface is located on the base of the chuck member when the sleeve is at the uncoupling position, and moves forward on the arm when the sleeve is displaced from the uncoupling position to the coupling holding position. Is slid toward to press the arm portion inward in the radial direction to displace the chuck member toward the connection position,
The front inner peripheral surface is configured to press the front end of the chuck member inward in the radial direction to hold the chuck member in the locking position when the sleeve is in the coupling holding position. can do.

  With such a configuration, the arm portion of the chuck member is mainly pressed inward by the rear inner peripheral surface of the sleeve, and the front end portion provided with the locking projection is supported by the front inner peripheral surface, so that it is added to the arm portion. The forces are distributed. In particular, since the force in the radial direction at the first engaging portion of the front end portion for snap engagement can be reduced, the force required for snap engagement is reduced, and wear of the first and second engaging portions is reduced. It becomes possible to reduce.

  Preferably, the base of the chuck member is an annular member arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the socket body, and a plurality of the arm portions can be provided along the front edge of the base. .

  Preferably, the first engagement portion may be a projection that protrudes outward in the radial direction, and the second engagement portion may be a recess that receives the projection.

  More preferably, when the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are snap-engaged, the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion abut in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The sleeve can be prevented from further displacing beyond the connection holding position.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a socket according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It is sectional drawing of the socket which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the socket when a plug is inserted into the socket of FIG. 1 and a sleeve is at a disengaged position. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the socket of FIG. 2 when the sleeve is in a coupling holding position. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a state where the sockets of FIG. 1 are butted against each other. It is a perspective view of a connection member. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a socket assembly in which a connecting member is attached to the two sockets of FIG. 4 and the two sockets are connected. FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a socket 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cylindrical socket body 12, a chuck member 14 fixed on an outer peripheral surface 12 a of the socket body 12, and a sliding member on the chuck member 14. A cylindrical sleeve 16 arranged to move. The socket 10 is a dialysis socket 10 which is connected to the dial plug 1 (FIG. 2) or the dial plug 1 for dialysate having the same shape in the dialyzer of the artificial dialysis machine.

  The socket body 12 has a tube connecting portion 20 to which a tube extending from the dialysate supply device of the artificial dialysis device is connected. The socket body 12 also has a fluid passage 26 that extends rearward from the front end 22 and turns midway as viewed in the figure to an opening 24 of the tube connection 20. The fluid passage 26 has a plug insertion portion 26 a having an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the corresponding plug 1. The front end 22 of the socket body 12 is a sealing flange portion 28 that protrudes outward in the radial direction. The sealing flange portion 28 has a front end contact surface 30 and extends radially inward from the outer peripheral surface thereof. An annular cut 32 is provided. The socket body 12 is a member integrally formed of an elastic material such as silicon rubber.

  The chuck member 14 has an annular base 34 fixed on the outer peripheral surface 12 a of the socket body 12, and moves outward (to the right in the drawing) from the front edge of the base 34 in the radial direction of the socket body 12. Arm portion 36 extending so as to be inclined toward the front side, and a front end portion 38 of the arm portion 36 has a locking projection 40 projecting inward in the radial direction, and a snap engagement member projecting outward in the radial direction. A mating projection (first engagement portion) 42 is formed. The plurality of arm portions 36 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction along the front edge of the base portion 34. As described later, the arm portion 36 has flexibility so as to be displaced in a radial direction between a locking position (FIG. 2) and a releasing position (FIG. 3).

  The inner peripheral surface 44 of the sleeve 16 is larger than the rear inner peripheral surface 44a on the front side of the rear inner peripheral surface 44a on the rear inner peripheral surface 44a located on the base portion 34 of the chuck member 14 at the connection release position in FIG. It has a front inner peripheral surface 44b having a diameter, and an inclined inner peripheral surface 44c between the rear inner peripheral surface 44a and the front inner peripheral surface 44b. The front inner peripheral surface 44b is formed with a snap engagement concave portion (second engagement portion) 46 configured to receive the snap engagement protrusion 42 of the chuck member 14. The inclined inner peripheral surface 44c is a curved surface having a convex shape inward. At the front end of the sleeve 16, there is provided an annular locking flange portion 48 used for connecting the two sockets 10 as described later.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when the plug 1 is inserted into the plug insertion portion 26a such that the front end portion 2 of the plug 1 comes into contact with the end surface 26b of the plug insertion portion 26a, an annular shape formed on the outer peripheral surface 3 of the plug 1 is formed. The engagement groove 4 is located at a position aligned with the locking projection 40 of the chuck member 14 in the direction of the longitudinal axis L. When the sleeve 16 is displaced forward in this state, the rear inner peripheral surface 44a of the sleeve 16 slides on the outer surface 36a of the arm portion 36 of the chuck member 14, and the arm portion 36 is moved inward in the radial direction. Press and gradually displace inward. When the inner peripheral surface 44 of the sleeve 16 reaches a position covering the snap engagement protrusion 42 of the chuck member 14, the snap engagement protrusion 42 starts slidingly engaging with the front inner peripheral surface 44b and being pressed inward. When the sleeve 16 is further displaced forward to reach the connection holding position in FIG. 3, the locking projection 40 of the chuck member 14 presses the outer peripheral surface 12a of the socket body 12 to move the corresponding portion of the socket body 12 in the radial direction. Then, the inner peripheral surface 12b of the deformed socket body 12 is fitted in the engagement groove 4 of the plug 1. When the chuck member 14 is in such a locked position, the socket 10 is locked and connected to the plug 1. When the sleeve 16 is at the connection holding position, the snap engagement projection 42 of the chuck member 14 and the snap engagement recess 46 of the sleeve 16 are snap-engaged. During the snap engagement, the front end 38 of the chuck member 14 jumps outward and collides with the front inner peripheral surface 44b of the sleeve 16, so that vibration and noise are generated. The operator who operates the sleeve 16 feels a click feeling by the vibration and the sound, and can recognize that the sleeve 16 is displaced to the connection holding position and the connection is completed. In this connection state, the abutment surface 42a facing the rear of the snap engagement protrusion 42 and the abutment surface 46a facing the front of the snap engagement recess 46 abut, and the sleeve 16 shifts the connection holding position. Beyond that, it is prevented from being displaced further forward.

  To release the connection with the plug 1, the sleeve 16 is pulled rearward to release the snap engagement between the snap engagement projection 42 and the snap engagement recess 46, and the sleeve 16 is moved to the connection holding position in FIG. To the disengaged position in FIG. Since the contact surface 42b facing the front of the snap engagement protrusion 42 and the contact surface 46b facing the rear of the snap engagement recess 46 are both inclined surfaces, the sleeve 16 is moved rearward by a certain force. When displaced, the snap engagement is easily released. When the sleeve 16 returns to the connection release position in FIG. 2, the chuck member 14 is displaced radially outward by its own elastic force and returns to the release position, and is deformed by the locking projection 40 of the chuck member 14. The socket body 12 is also restored to its original shape before deformation. As a result, the locking of the socket 10 with respect to the plug 1 is released, and the socket 10 can be detached from the plug 1.

  Normally, the dialysis socket is unplugged from the dialyzer every time the artificial dialysis is completed, and the inside thereof is cleaned. Since a dialyzer has a plug for dialysate supply and a plug for dialysate discharge, one artificial dialyzer usually has a supply tube and a discharge tube from the dialysate supply device connected to corresponding plugs. Two sockets are provided for connection, and when cleaning these sockets, the two sockets are connected to form a socket assembly, and the two sockets are simultaneously cleaned by flowing a cleaning liquid through the socket assembly. Like that.

  When connecting the two sockets 10 according to the present invention, first, the sleeve 16 is set to the connection holding position with each socket 10 being detached from the plug 1. At this time, the front end contact surface 30 of the socket body 12 is located forward of the front end surface 16a of the sleeve 16. Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the two sockets 10 are aligned facing each other in the direction of the longitudinal axis L so that the front end contact surfaces 30 abut each other. At this time, a gap D is formed between the front end surfaces 16a of the sleeve 16. Then, by attaching the clip-shaped connecting member 50 shown in FIG. 5 to the adjacent sleeve 16, the two sockets 10 are connected as described later. The two sockets 10 have the same shape.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting member 50 has a central portion 52 and a pair of connecting portions 54 extending from both ends of the central portion 52, and receives the sleeve 16 of the socket 10 between the connecting portions 54. The overall shape is substantially C-shaped. The distal end portions 56 of the connecting portions 54 are bent outward and are arranged so as to face each other with a smaller interval than the diameter of the outer peripheral surface 58 of the sleeve 16. Each connecting portion 54 includes a first connecting portion 54a extending linearly from the central portion 52, and a second connecting portion 54b bent from the first connecting portion 54a and linearly extended to the distal end portion 56. An opening 60 sized to receive the locking flange 48 of the sleeve 16 is provided in each of the first connecting portion 54a and the second connecting portion 54b. At the edge of the opening 60, a first locking surface 62 and a second locking surface 64 are formed. The connecting member 50 is formed of an elastic material such as resin or metal, and the interval between the distal ends 56 is at least as large as the diameter of the outer peripheral surface 58 of the sleeve 16. Can pass through.

  The locking flange portion 48 of the sleeve 16 has a connecting locking surface 66 which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L and faces rearward, and a radially outwardly inclined frontward from the connecting locking surface 66. A connecting member guide surface 68 is formed. In the state of FIG. 4 in which the two sockets 10 are simply butted, the distance between the connecting locking surface 66 and the first locking surface 62 and the second locking surface 64 of the opening 60 of the connecting member 50 is different. Is wider than the distance between.

  The connecting member 50 is attached between the two sockets 10 in the state shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 by pushing the connecting member 50 into the adjacent sleeve 16 from between the distal end portions 56 in a state where the two sockets 10 are abutted. . When the connecting member 50 is attached, first, the first locking surface 62 and the second locking surface 64 of the connecting member 50 are adjacent to each other. As the locking flanges 48 are inserted into the openings 60, the locking flanges 48 are displaced along the connecting member guide surface 68 such that the distances from each other become shorter. When the opening 60 of the connecting member 50 reaches the connecting locking surface 66 after passing through the connecting member guide surface 68 of the locking flange portion 48, the distance between the locking flange portions 48 is reduced and the gap D is reduced. The sleeves 16 are fixed with each other. By reducing the distance between the sleeves 16 in this manner, the front end abutting surfaces 30 of the sockets 10 are compressed with each other and more securely sealed. At this time, since the cut 32 is formed in the sealing flange portion 28 of the socket body 12, the sealing flange portion 28 can be deformed flexibly without receiving an excessive force.

  With the two sockets 10 connected in this manner to form the socket assembly 100, the cleaning fluid is caused to flow through the inside to wash the fluid passage 26 of the socket 10.

  The connecting member 50 may be fixed to the artificial dialysis device. By fixing the connecting member 50 to the artificial dialysis device, attaching the two sockets 10 to the connecting member 50 in a state where the two sockets 10 are abutted with each other, and keeping the two sockets 10 connected to each other in the artificial dialysis device. Can be.

  In the specification of the present application, the dialysis socket 10 connected to the dialyzer of the artificial dialysis apparatus has been described as an embodiment of the socket of the present invention. However, the socket according to the present invention is not limited to the dialysis socket. It can also be used for applications. The form of the first and second engagement portions adapted to be snap-engaged is not limited to the above-described snap engagement projections 42 and snap engagement recesses 46. For example, a recess is provided in the chuck member 14 and the sleeve 16 is provided. Other configurations, such as providing a projection, can also be used.

Plug 1; front end 2; outer peripheral surface 3; engagement groove 4;
Socket 10; socket body 12; outer peripheral surface 12a; inner peripheral surface 12b; chuck member 14; sleeve 16; front end surface 16a; tube connecting portion 20; Sealing flange portion 28; front end contact surface 30; notch 32; base portion 34; arm portion 36; outer surface 36a; front end portion 38; locking projection 40; snap engagement projection (first engagement portion) 42; 42a; abutting surface 42b; inner circumferential surface 44 (of the sleeve); rear inner circumferential surface 44a; front inner circumferential surface 44b; inclined inner circumferential surface 44c; snap engaging concave portion (second engaging portion) 46; 46a; abutting surface 46b; locking flange portion 48; connecting member 50; central portion 52; connecting portion 54; first connecting portion 54a; second connecting portion 54b; tip end portion 56; outer peripheral surface 58 (of sleeve); 60; first locking 62; second locking surface 64; coupling latching surfaces 66; coupling member guide surface 68;
Socket assembly 100;
Longitudinal axis L; gap D

Claims (4)

A socket connected to a plug having an annular engagement groove on an outer peripheral surface,
A tubular socket body formed of an elastic material having a fluid passage extending rearward from the front end and adapted to receive the plug;
A chuck member disposed outside the socket main body, the chuck member including a base fixed to the socket main body, and an arm extending forward from the base, and the arm is provided on an outer periphery of the socket main body. A locking projection protruding inward toward the surface, wherein the locking projection presses an outer peripheral surface of the socket main body and the inner peripheral surface of the socket main body at a position corresponding to the locking projection is formed in the socket main body. A locking position for locking the socket to the plug by deforming inward in the radial direction of the plug and fitting it into the engagement groove of the plug received in the fluid passage; and The inner peripheral surface is displaced outward in the radial direction from the locked position to allow the inner peripheral surface to return to the shape before deformation, and is displaced between a released position for releasing the locked state with respect to the plug. A chuck member having a flexible arm portion,
A sleeve slidable on the outer surface of the chuck member in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the socket body, the sleeve being pressed inward in the radial direction to the locking position. A connection holding position and a sleeve displaceable between a connection release position that allows the chuck member to be displaced to the release position,
With
The arm portion of the chuck member has a first engagement portion on an outer surface thereof, and the sleeve has a second engagement portion on an inner peripheral surface;
The first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are adapted to be snap-engaged when the sleeve is at the connection holding position ,
The arm portion of the chuck member extends so as to incline outward in the radial direction as going forward from the base portion, and the locking projection and the first engagement portion are provided at a front end of the arm portion. Is formed,
An inner peripheral surface of the sleeve, a rear inner peripheral surface, and a front inner peripheral surface having a diameter larger than the rear inner peripheral surface on a front side of the rear inner peripheral surface and having the second engagement portion formed therein. Has,
When the sleeve is displaced from the disengaged position to the connected holding position, the rear inner peripheral surface slides forward on the arm portion to press the arm portion inward in the radial direction. The chuck member is displaced toward the locking position, and then the front inner peripheral surface is slidably engaged with the front end of the arm portion being pressed inward in the radial direction by the rear inner peripheral surface. A socket adapted to press the front end radially inward to displace the chuck member to the locking position . The socket according to claim 1 , wherein the base of the chuck member is an annular member disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the socket body, and a plurality of the arms are provided along a front edge of the base. First engagement portion is a projection projecting outwardly in the radial direction, the second engaging portion is a recess for receiving the projection, the socket according to claim 1 or 2. When the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are snap-engaged, the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion abut in the direction of the longitudinal axis, and the sleeve is The socket according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein further displacement beyond the connection holding position is prevented.

Images