JP7058824B2 - Medical connector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a medical connector that can be retrofitted to the end of a catheter.

Conventionally, a catheter has been known as a kind of medical device used for examination and treatment of a patient. Further, since a catheter is often used by connecting another catheter, a syringe, or the like, a medical connector that enables the connection is often attached to the end of the catheter.

By the way, it is desirable that the length of the catheter is appropriately set so as to be suitable for treatment such as examination and treatment. Therefore, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-21087 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-334302 (Patent Document 2) can be retrofitted to the end of a catheter cut to an appropriate length, for example. A connector has been proposed.

However, since all of the medical connectors described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are attached to the catheter by rotating the tightening cap on the connector body and screwing it, many laps are required. An operation to rotate the screw was required. Therefore, not only the mounting operation is troublesome and time-consuming, but also the screw rotational force is applied to the end of the catheter, so that the end of the catheter is twisted, and the catheter may be deformed or damaged. ..

In addition, by tightening the hollow catheter from the outer peripheral surface by the screw tightening force between the connector body and the tightening cap, it is attached to the end of the catheter, so that the end of the catheter is likely to be stenotic or crushed. rice field. Therefore, it is difficult to stably obtain a strong tightening and fixing force with respect to the catheter, and there is a possibility that the fluid flow path in the catheter may be narrowed and the fluid flow characteristics may be adversely affected.

In particular, the medical catheter is thin and can be inserted into the lumen of the human body. For example, in the case of a catheter having an outer diameter of 3 mm or less, the catheter may be twisted or stenotic when the conventional medical connector as described above is attached. The problem and the problem of the stability of the tightening fixing force tended to become a bigger problem.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 54-21087 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-334302

The present invention has been made in the background of the above-mentioned circumstances, and the problem to be solved thereof is a novel structure capable of being easily and stably rear-mounted on the end of the catheter. To provide medical connectors.

A first aspect of the present invention is a medical connector that can be retrofitted to a catheter, in which the end of the connector is sandwiched and fixed between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces between the connector body and the tightening cap that are assembled to each other. The connector body is provided with a port portion to which a catheter having an outer diameter of 3 mm or less can be externally attached, while a relative rotational operation is performed axially between the connector body and the tightening cap. A tightening mechanism that moves the tightening cap axially closer to the connector body by a relative rotation of 180 degrees or less, and guides it to a fixed position that sandwiches the catheter externally attached to the port portion. And a locking mechanism that prevents the tightening cap from rotating relative to the connector body in the return direction at such a fixed position, and the connector body and the tightening cap are both orthogonal to each other. A flat portion having different outer dimensions in the two directions is provided, and the major axis directions of the flat portions are matched with each other by relative rotation of half a circumference or less from the relative positions where the major axis directions of the flat portions are different from each other. The connector body and the tightening cap are in the fixed position .

In a medical connector having a structure according to this aspect, the end of the catheter is sandwiched and fixed between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the tightening cap and the connector body, so that the catheter can be prevented from being narrowed or crushed. It becomes possible to stably exert a tightening fixing force. In addition, since the catheter body can be attached to the catheter by rotating the connector body and the tightening cap by 180 degrees or less, the twisting of the catheter during attachment to the catheter is reduced compared to the conventional screw structure. At the same time, it is possible to quickly operate the attachment / detachment to / from the catheter.

Further , according to the medical connector having a structure according to this aspect, the appearance before tightening to the catheter and the tightening state are determined by matching and disagreement in the circumferential direction of each flat portion of the connector body and the tightening cap. Can be easily grasped from. Further, by inputting to the flat portion provided on the connector main body and the tightening cap, the workability of the rotation operation can be improved.
A second aspect of the present invention is a medical connector that can be retrofitted to the catheter, in which the end portion of the catheter is sandwiched and fixed between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces between the connector main body and the tightening cap that are assembled to each other. The connector body is provided with a port portion to which a catheter having an outer diameter of 3 mm or less can be externally attached, while a relative rotational operation is performed axially between the connector body and the tightening cap. A tightening mechanism that moves the tightening cap axially closer to the connector body by a relative rotation of 180 degrees or less, and guides it to a fixed position that sandwiches the catheter externally attached to the port portion. And a locking mechanism that prevents the tightening cap from rotating relative to the connector body in the return direction at such a fixed position, and the locking mechanism overcomes the outer peripheral surface of the connector body. It is composed of a protrusion and an elastic piece provided on the tightening cap, and the elastic piece is elastically deformed before reaching the fixed position due to the relative rotation between the connector main body and the tightening cap. It is designed to get over the overcoming protrusion.
According to the medical connector having a structure according to this aspect, in addition to the effect described in the above [0010], the elastic piece gets over the protrusion and gets over the elastic piece as the tightening cap rotates with respect to the connector body. By engaging with each other, the locking mechanism can prevent the tightening cap from rotating in the tightening direction while allowing the tightening cap to rotate in the tightening direction with respect to the connector body.
A third aspect of the present invention is a medical connector that can be retrofitted to a catheter, in which the end of the catheter is sandwiched and fixed between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces between the connector body and the tightening cap that are assembled to each other. The connector body is provided with a port portion to which a catheter having an outer diameter of 3 mm or less can be externally attached, while a relative rotational operation is performed axially between the connector body and the tightening cap. A tightening mechanism that moves the tightening cap axially closer to the connector body by a relative rotation of 180 degrees or less, and guides it to a fixed position that sandwiches the catheter externally attached to the port portion. And a locking mechanism that prevents the tightening cap from rotating relative to the connector body in the return direction at such a fixing position, and the end of the catheter is sandwiched and fixed between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces. The portion of the connector body sandwiched between the outer peripheral surface of the port portion and the inner peripheral surface of the tightening cap is an inclined surface in the axial direction at least on one side.
According to the medical connector having a structure according to this aspect, in addition to the effect described in the above [0010], the port portion and the tightening cap are sandwiched in and out of the peripheral wall of the catheter by the axially inclined surface in the axial direction. Is opposed to each other. Therefore, the axial force generated by the tightening mechanism due to the relative rotation between the connector body and the tightening cap acts more efficiently on the peripheral wall at the end of the catheter as a pinching force between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces. Can be.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is the medical connector according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the tightening mechanism and the locking mechanism are separately provided.

According to the medical connector having a structure according to this aspect, the shape and deformation rigidity of the part constituting the tightening mechanism and the part constituting the locking mechanism in the connector body and the tightening cap can be set separately. , The degree of freedom in design can be improved.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is the medical connector according to the fourth aspect, wherein the tightening mechanism and the locking mechanism are provided at positions separated from each other in the axial direction of the connector body. ..

According to the medical connector having a structure according to this aspect, the parts constituting the tightening mechanism and the parts constituting the locking mechanism in the connector body and the tightening cap are reduced, for example, the transmission of stress and deformation between each other. It can be formed with a higher degree of design freedom by avoiding or avoiding it.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is the medical connector according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the tightening mechanism includes a concave groove portion extending in a circumferential spiral. The lead angle of the spiral in the concave groove portion is set to 15 to 45 degrees.

According to the medical connector having a structure according to this aspect, the lead angle of the spiral of the concave groove portion constituting the tightening mechanism is set within an appropriate range, so that the rotational operation force of the tightening cap with respect to the connector body is exerted. It is possible to achieve a better balance between reduction and securing of the amount of movement in the axial direction.

A seventh aspect of the present invention is that in the medical connector according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the tightening mechanism comprises an outer peripheral surface of the connector body and an inner peripheral surface of the tightening cap. It is configured to include a concave groove portion provided on one side and extending spirally in the circumferential direction and a convex portion provided on the other side and engaging with the concave groove portion, and the concave groove portion and the convex portion are respectively the connector. A pair of the main body and the tightening cap are provided at positions facing each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis.

According to the medical connector having a structure according to this aspect, a pair of concave groove portions and convex portions constituting the tightening mechanism are provided at positions facing each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis between the connector main body and the tightening cap. Therefore, when the tightening cap rotates with respect to the connector body and moves in the axial direction, the relative tilting of both members is suppressed, and a mechanically stable tightening action can be exhibited.

An eighth aspect of the present invention is in the medical connector according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, at a guidance start position where the rotation of the tightening cap with respect to the connector body begins to be guided by the tightening mechanism. The tightening cap is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the catheter extrapolated and attached to the port portion.

According to the medical connector having a structure according to this aspect, the tightening cap is already pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the catheter at the stage when the tightening cap starts to rotate with respect to the connector body according to the tightening mechanism. By rotating the tightening cap from this stage, the catheter can be more reliably sandwiched and held between the tightening cap and the connector body even with a small rotation of 180 degrees or less.

In the medical connector having a structure according to the present invention, by sandwiching the end portion of the catheter between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces, the catheter can be stably attached to the catheter while avoiding stenosis or crushing. In addition, it can be easily attached to the catheter with a small number of rotation operations between the connector body and the tightening cap.

It is a perspective view which shows the medical connector as the 1st Embodiment of this invention, and is the figure which shows the state which the tightening cap is fixed to the connector body. The front view of the medical connector shown in FIG. The plan view of the medical connector shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. It is a perspective view of the tightening cap constituting the medical connector shown in FIG. 1, and is the figure which shows the state of a single item before being externally inserted into the end of a catheter. The front view which shows the state which the tightening cap is in the guide start position with respect to a connector body in the medical connector shown in FIG. It is a vertical sectional view of the medical connector shown in FIG. 7, and is the figure corresponding to FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX in FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the medical connector as the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and is the figure which shows the state which the tightening cap is fixed to the connector body. FIG. 11 is a front view of the medical connector shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is a plan view of the medical connector shown in FIG. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIV-XIV in FIG. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XV-XV in FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which the tightening cap is in the guide start position with respect to the connector main body in the medical connector shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, in order to clarify the present invention in more detail, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, FIGS. 1 to 5 show a state in which the medical connector 10 as the first embodiment of the present invention is fixed to the end portion of the catheter 12. One end (tip side end) of the catheter 12 in the length direction is inserted into the patient's body, and the length of the catheter 12 is adjusted by cutting, for example, the other end in the length direction of the catheter 12. The medical connector 10 is retrofitted and fixed to the portion (base end side end portion). The medical connector 10 is provided with a connection port 14 at the proximal end, and by connecting an external flow path such as a syringe (not shown) to the connection port 14, the inside of the patient's body through the medical connector 10 and the catheter 12. A drug solution or the like is injected into the patient, or blood or the like is sucked from the patient's body. In the following description, the axial direction refers to the left-right direction in FIG. 2, which is the central axial direction of the tightening cap 16 constituting the medical connector 10 and the connector main body 18. Further, the distal end side refers to the left side in FIG. 2 in which the catheter 12 is connected to the medical connector 10, while the proximal end side is a diagram in which an external flow path is connected to the medical connector 10. Refers to the right side of 2.

More specifically, the catheter 12 is composed of a tube formed of a soft synthetic resin, i.e., comprising a tubular peripheral wall 13 having an inner peripheral surface 13a and an outer peripheral surface 13b, wherein the peripheral wall 13 is predetermined. It has a length dimension. The catheter 12 is, for example, a catheter that is inserted into a patient's body, a blood vessel of the brain, a spinal cord, or the like during treatment or examination, and has a small diameter of 3 mm or less. The distal end of the catheter 12 is inserted into the patient's body by a conventionally known technique, and the medical connector 10 is fixed to the proximal end.

The medical connector 10 has a substantially cylindrical shape as a whole, and the substantially tubular tightening cap 16 located on the tip end side and the substantially tubular connector body 18 located on the proximal end side are mutually axial. It is configured by connecting in series with.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the tightening cap 16 is provided with a substantially cylindrical peripheral wall portion 22 having an inner hole 20 penetrating in the axial direction in the center, and the catheter 12 is provided with respect to the inner hole 20. The end portion on the base end side of the is inserted. That is, the inner diameter of the inner hole 20 is substantially constant in the axial direction, and is substantially equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the catheter 12. In the present embodiment, the tip portion of the inner hole 20 extends substantially straight in the axial direction, and the inner diameter of the proximal end portion of the inner hole 20 gradually increases toward the proximal end side, that is, with respect to the axial direction. An inclined surface 23 is provided. However, in each single item state before extrapolating the tightening cap 16 to the proximal end portion of the catheter 12, the inner diameter dimension of the inner hole 20 may be slightly smaller than the outer diameter dimension of the catheter 12, and the catheter 12 may be slightly smaller. The base end portion may be inserted into the inner hole 20 of the tightening cap 16 while being compressed in the radial direction.

On the other hand, the outer dimensions of the peripheral wall portion 22 change in the axial direction, and in the present embodiment, the tip end side of the peripheral wall portion 22 has a substantially perfect circular outer shape in the axial direction, and the proximal end side is the axial direction view. It has a substantially flat outer shape. The outer dimension of the portion having a substantially flat outer shape (flat portion 26) is larger than that of the portion having a substantially perfect circular outer shape (perfect circular portion 24) in the axial direction. Both portions 24 and 26 are continuous with a smooth curved surface whose outer dimensions gradually increase toward the proximal end side. Specifically, in the flat portion 26, the vertical outer dimension D2 (see FIG. 3) in FIG. 3 is larger than the vertical outer dimension D1 (see FIG. 2) in FIG. That is, the outer shape of the flat portion 26 is an elliptical shape, an elliptical shape, a substantially rectangular shape, or the like having different outer dimensions in two directions orthogonal to each other. In short, in the flat portion 26, the vertical direction in FIG. 2 is the minor axis direction, and the vertical direction in FIG. 3 is the major axis direction.

A pair of outer wall portions 28, 28 protruding toward the proximal end side are provided on both sides of the flat portion 26 in the major axis direction. The inner surface of these outer wall portions 28, 28 is a flat surface, while the outer surface has a curved surface shape corresponding to the flat portion 26, and the flat portion 26 and the pair of outer wall portions 28, 28 form a base end side. Assembling recesses 30 are formed so as to be open to the surface and penetrate the flat portion 26 in the minor axis direction. Therefore, the inner peripheral surface 31 of the tightening cap 16 includes the inner peripheral surface 31a of the inner hole 20 and the inner surface of the assembly recess 30, that is, the base end side end surface of the flat portion 26 and the inner surfaces of the outer wall portions 28 and 28. It is composed of. Since the outer surface of the outer wall portions 28, 28 has a shape corresponding to the flat portion 26, it can be considered that the flat portion 26 having a flat outer shape includes these outer wall portions 28, 28. It is also possible to grasp that the assembly recess 30 is formed in the flat portion 26.

Further, the inner surface of each outer wall portion 28 at the protruding tip (axial base end) is provided with a convex portion 32 protruding inward in the facing direction, that is, inward in the major axis direction of the flat portion 26. .. That is, these pair of convex portions 32 are provided on the inner peripheral surface 31 of the tightening cap 16 so as to face each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis, that is, at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Further, these convex portions 32 are provided on each side of the flat portion 26 in the minor axis direction in each outer wall portion 28. Specifically, in the outer wall portion 28 in the upper part of FIG. 3, the convex portion 32 protrudes toward the lower part in FIG. 3 from the upper part in FIG. 2, while in the outer wall portion 28 in the lower part in FIG. The convex portion 32 protrudes upward in FIG. 3 from the lower portion in FIG. 2. That is, these convex portions 32 project inward from the base end side opening in the assembly recess 30. In the present embodiment, a curved surface 33 is formed on the protruding tip surface of the convex portion 32, and the curved surface 33 has a shape substantially corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 46 in the connector main body 18 described later. ing.

Further, an elastic piece 34 that further protrudes toward the proximal end side is provided at the protruding tip (axially oriented proximal end) of each outer wall portion 28. These elastic pieces 34 are formed in the central portion of the outer wall portion 28 in the circumferential direction with a circumferential dimension and a thickness dimension smaller than those of the outer wall portion 28, and are easily elastically deformable in the thickness direction. A locking claw 36 that protrudes inward in the facing direction is provided at the protruding tip of the elastic piece 34. In the present embodiment, one surface of the locking claw 36 in the circumferential direction (the surface in front of the tightening cap 16 in the rotation direction with respect to the connector body 18 described later) is a curved surface 38, while the circumference of the locking claw 36. Direction The other surface is a vertical surface 40 perpendicular to the axial direction. The outer surface of the elastic piece 34 also has a curved surface shape corresponding to the flat portion 26 and the outer wall portion 28, and it is possible to grasp that the flat portion 26 includes these elastic pieces 34 and 34. Is.

On the other hand, the connector main body 18 has a substantially cylindrical shape as a whole, and a substantially tubular port portion 42 to be inserted into the base end of the catheter 12 is provided at the tip end portion. The inner diameter of the port portion 42 is substantially constant in the axial direction. Further, the outer diameter dimension is also substantially constant in the axial direction, but in the present embodiment, the tip portion of the port portion 42 is provided with an inclined surface 44 whose outer diameter dimension gradually increases toward the proximal end side. At the same time, the base end portion of the port portion 42 extends substantially straight with a substantially constant outer diameter dimension. Further, in the present embodiment, the minimum outer diameter dimension of the port portion 42, that is, the outer diameter dimension at the tip of the inclined surface 44 is substantially equal to or slightly larger than the inner diameter dimension of the catheter 12, and the port portion 42 has such a port portion 42. , The peripheral wall 13 is inserted so as to spread out with respect to the proximal end portion of the catheter 12. The relationship between the outer diameter of the port portion 42 and the inner diameter of the catheter 12 is not limited in any way.

Furthermore, the outer diameter dimension (maximum outer diameter dimension of the inclined surface 44) of the portion extending substantially straight on the base end side of the port portion 42 extends substantially straight on the tip end side of the inner hole 20 of the tightening cap 16. The inclined surface 44 on the tip end side of the port portion 42 is larger than the inner diameter of the portion (minimum inner diameter of the inclined surface 23), and when the tightening cap 16 and the connector main body 18, which will be described later, are fixed, the inclined surface 44 is formed. The catheter 12 is placed close to the inclined surface 23 on the proximal end side of the inner hole 20 so that a tightening force can be applied while sandwiching the proximal end portion of the catheter 12 extrapolated to the port portion 42. ..

Further, an annular wall portion 45 extending toward the outer peripheral side is integrally formed at the base end of the port portion 42, in other words, the port portion 42 is the tip end from the inner peripheral edge portion of the annular wall portion 45 extending in the direction perpendicular to the axis. It protrudes to the side. Then, from the outer peripheral edge portion of the annular wall portion 45, a substantially cylindrical small diameter portion 46 having a smaller outer diameter than the large diameter portion 54 described later projects toward the proximal end side. The inner diameter of the small diameter portion 46 is larger than the inner diameter of the port portion 42, and the outer diameter is substantially constant in the axial direction. The small diameter portion 46 has a substantially perfect circular outer shape in the axial direction. have. The outer diameter dimension of the small diameter portion 46 is larger than the width dimension of the assembled recess 30 in the tightening cap 16 (that is, the dimension in the major axis direction of the flat portion 26 and the distance between the facing surfaces of the outer wall portions 28, 28). It is made smaller, and the maximum separation distance between the outer surfaces of the groove wall portions 48, 48 described later is substantially equal to or slightly smaller than the width dimension in the assembled recess 30. Further, the outer diameter dimension of the portion of the small diameter portion 46 excluding the groove wall portions 48, 48 is substantially equal to the axially perpendicular facing distance of the convex portions 32, 32 (curved surfaces 33, 33) of the tightening cap 16. Or it has been made slightly smaller.

A groove wall portion 48 projecting to the outer peripheral side is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion of the small diameter portion 46 with predetermined circumferential dimensions and axial dimensions. In the present embodiment, the groove wall portion 48 is formed with a circumferential dimension of about 1/4 circumference, and the axial dimension of the groove wall portion 48 is substantially half of the axial dimension of the small diameter portion 46. The groove wall portion 48 is provided from the substantially tip end to the substantially central portion in the axial direction of the small diameter portion 46. Further, in the present embodiment, a pair of groove wall portions 48, 48 are provided at positions facing each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis on the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 46, and the state of FIGS. 7 to 10 described later, that is, the tightening cap. In the state where the 16 and the connector main body 18 are assembled and before the tightening cap 16 is rotated with respect to the connector main body 18, the tightening cap 16 is provided between the pair of groove wall portions 48, 48 in the circumferential direction. The convex portion 32 can be inserted. In particular, one surface of these groove wall portions 48 in the circumferential direction, that is, the surface on the side that comes into contact with the convex portion 32 when the tightening cap 16 is rotated with respect to the connector main body 18, is inclined in a circumferential direction. The inclined guide surface 50 is provided, and the space between the groove wall portions 48 and 48 in the circumferential direction is a concave groove portion 52 extending spirally in the circumferential direction with the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 46 as the groove bottom surface. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a pair of the concave groove portions 52 are provided at positions facing each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis, that is, at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

In particular, the lead angle of the spiral of the concave groove portion 52, that is, the inclination angle θ (see FIG. 7) of the inclined guide surface 50 with respect to the axis perpendicular direction is preferably 15 degrees or more. Further, the inclination angle θ is preferably 45 degrees or less. In the present embodiment, the lead angle θ of the spiral of the concave groove portion 52 is set to 30 degrees. By setting such an inclination angle θ within the above range, when the tightening cap 16 is rotated with respect to the connector main body 18, the convex portion 32 and the groove wall portion 48 (inclination guide surface 50) are set. ) Sufficiently secure the amount of movement of the tightening cap 16 in the axial direction with respect to the connector main body 18 while suppressing the contact force (operation force of the rotation operation) due to the contact with the connector body 18 to be small.

On the base end side of the small diameter portion 46 having such a shape, a substantially cylindrical large diameter portion 54 having an outer dimension larger than that of the small diameter portion 46 is integrally formed. In the present embodiment, substantially the entire large diameter portion 54 has a flat outer shape substantially corresponding to the flat portion 26 in the peripheral wall portion 22 of the tightening cap 16, and the large diameter portion 54 causes the flatness in the connector main body 18. The part is composed. That is, the large-diameter portion 54 has different outer dimensions in two orthogonal directions, and the dimension in the minor axis direction (vertical direction in FIG. 2) is the minor axis direction in the flat portion 26 of the tightening cap 16. It is made substantially equal to the dimension D1, and the dimension in the major axis direction (vertical direction in FIG. 3) is approximately equal to or slightly larger than the dimension D2 in the major axis direction in the flat portion 26 of the tightening cap 16. There is. Therefore, the outer shape of the large-diameter portion 54 has an elliptical shape, an elliptical shape, or a substantially rectangular shape similar to the flat portion 26 of the tightening cap 16.

On the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion of the large diameter portion 54, accommodating recesses 56, 56 are formed on both sides in the major axis direction with predetermined circumferential dimensions. As a result, the outer dimension D ₃ in the major axis direction at the tip portion of the large diameter portion 54 (see FIG. 3) is made smaller than the outer dimension in the major axis direction at the base end portion of the large diameter portion 54. In short, the tip portion of the large diameter portion 54 has a smaller outer dimension in the major axis direction than the proximal end portion, and the portions recessed from the proximal end portion on both sides in the major axis direction are the accommodating recesses 56 and 56. ing. The outer dimension D ₃ in the major axis direction at the tip of the large diameter portion 54 is slightly smaller than the distance between the facing surfaces of the elastic pieces 34, 34 in the tightening cap 16, and the elastic pieces 34, 34 are formed. It is made larger than the distance between the facing surfaces of the locking claws 36, 36 provided at the protruding tip of the.

Further, on the outer peripheral surface of the tip portion of the large diameter portion 54, locking recesses 58 and 58 opening on the outer peripheral side are formed on both sides in the long axis direction. That is, the outer dimensions of the large diameter portion 54 in the major axis direction are further reduced at the positions where the locking recesses 58, 58 are formed, and the outer dimensions of the large diameter portion 54 at the positions where the locking recesses 58, 58 are formed (that is,). , The separation distance between the bottom surfaces of the locking recesses 58, 58) is substantially equal to or slightly smaller than the distance between the facing surfaces of the locking claws 36, 36. Further, the wall surfaces on both sides constituting the inner surface of the locking recess 58 are vertical surfaces 60, 60 extending in the direction perpendicular to the axis. In the present embodiment, the locking recess 58 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and is the circumferential dimension of the locking recess 58 (horizontal dimension in FIG. 5) substantially equal to the circumferential dimension of the locking claw 36? The size is slightly larger, and the axial dimension of the locking recess 58 is larger than the axial dimension of the locking claw 36.

Then, as will be described later, by rotating the tightening cap 16 with respect to the connector body 18, the locking claws 36, 36 of the tightening cap 16 are fitted into the locking recesses 58, 58 of the connector body 18. In such a fitted state, the rotation of the tightening cap 16 with respect to the connector main body 18 is prevented. That is, of the wall portions on both sides of the locking recess 58, the wall portion in front of the tightening cap 16 in the rotation direction with respect to the connector main body 18 is a rotation blocking portion 62 that prevents the tightening cap 16 from rotating in the positive direction. There is. At the same time, since the locking claw 36 gets over the wall portion on both sides of the locking recess 58 and is rearward in the rotation direction of the tightening cap 16 with respect to the connector main body 18, it fits into the locking recess 58. The wall portion is a riding protrusion 64 that protrudes relatively toward the outer peripheral side from the locking recess 58.

Here, the maximum protrusion height from the bottom surface of the locking recess 58 in the rotation blocking portion 62 is slightly larger than the maximum protruding height from the bottom surface of the locking recess 58 in the overcoming protrusion 64, and the rotation blocking portion The 62 makes it possible to more reliably prevent the tightening cap 16 from rotating in the positive direction with respect to the connector main body 18, and also makes it easier for the locking claw 36 to get over the overhanging protrusion 64. Further, the outer peripheral surface of the overcoming protrusion 64 is a steeply inclined surface 66 having a steeper inclination angle in the direction perpendicular to the axis than the outer peripheral surface of the rotation blocking portion 62. By providing such a steeply inclined surface 66, it is possible to hinder the rotation of the tightening cap 16 due to the contact between the locking claw 36 and the outer peripheral surface of the overhanging protrusion 64 when the tightening cap 16 rotates with respect to the connector main body 18. In addition to being largely avoided, elastic deformation of the locking claw 36 (elastic piece 34) toward the outer peripheral side is more easily induced, and the rotational operation force is reduced.

Further, the inner surface of the wall portion on the distal end side in the axial direction of the overcoming protrusion 64 is an inclined surface 68 that inclines in a direction in which the thickness dimension of the wall portion gradually decreases toward the distal end side. The inclined surface 68 is an inclined curved surface that curves in a circumferential spiral. That is, the inner surface of the portion adjacent to the tip side with respect to the steeply inclined surface 66 is an inclined surface 68 in which the thickness dimension of the wall portion gradually decreases toward the tip side, so that the tightening cap 16 becomes the connector main body. It is avoided that the locking claw 36 and the wall portion on the axial tip side of the overhanging protrusion 64 come into contact with each other when rotating with respect to 18, and the rotation of the tightening cap 16 is hindered. When the tightening cap 16 rotates with respect to the connector main body 18, the inclined surface 68 and the locking claw 36 may come into contact with each other, but by adopting an embodiment in which these do not abut against each other, the locking claw 36 may come into contact with each other. Can prevent the generation of sliding resistance due to sliding with respect to the inclined surface 68.

The connection port 14 projects toward the proximal end side from the center of the proximal end surface of the large diameter portion 54 having such a shape. The connection port 14 is configured to include a substantially cylindrical projecting cylinder portion 70 projecting toward the proximal end side. Further, a male screw portion 72 projecting to the outer peripheral side is provided at the base end of the protruding cylinder portion 70 so that a luer lock type syringe or the like can be connected to the connection port 14. However, the male screw portion 72 is not indispensable, and the external flow path connected to the connection port 14 does not have to be a luer lock type.

As described above, in the connector main body 18, the port portion 42, the small diameter portion 46, the large diameter portion 54, and the protruding tubular portion 70, each of which has a substantially cylindrical shape, have their respective central axes substantially equal to each other. It is connected in the axial direction. That is, the connector main body 18 is formed with an inner hole 74 penetrating in the axial direction, and the inner hole 74 includes each inner hole of the port portion 42, the small diameter portion 46, the large diameter portion 54, and the protruding cylinder portion 70. It is composed of. In the present embodiment, the inner peripheral surfaces of the small diameter portion 46, the large diameter portion 54, and the protruding cylinder portion 70 are smoothly continuous in the inner hole 74, and particularly in the present embodiment, these small diameter portions 46 and the large diameter portion The inner peripheral surface of the projecting cylinder portion 70 and 54 constitutes a tapered surface 76 whose inner diameter gradually increases toward the proximal end side.

Further, the outer peripheral surface 78 of the connector main body 18 is configured to include each outer peripheral surface of the port portion 42, the annular wall portion 45, the small diameter portion 46, the large diameter portion 54, and the protruding cylinder portion 70. That is, the groove wall portion 48, the concave groove portion 52, the locking recess 58, the overcoming protrusion 64, etc. provided on the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 46 and the large diameter portion 54 are all provided on the outer peripheral surface 78 of the connector main body 18. There is.

The medical connector 10 of the present embodiment is configured by including the tightening cap 16 having the above-mentioned structure and the connector main body 18, and the medical connector 10 is rearward to the proximal end side end portion of the catheter 12. It is designed to be fixed. A method of attaching the medical connector 10 to the catheter 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10.

First, the distal end of the catheter 12 to which the medical connector 10 is attached is inserted into a lumen such as a patient's blood vessel. Although another component such as another connector may be attached to the catheter 12 at the time of insertion into the body at the intermediate portion in the length direction or the proximal end side end portion, the medical connector 10 according to the present invention is attached. At that time, for example, the proximal end side of the catheter 12 is cut off so that another component is not attached to the proximal end side end portion of the catheter 12. In such a catheter 12, the proximal end side end portion protruding from the patient may be cut as necessary to adjust the length dimension.

Then, the tightening cap 16 is externally inserted into the proximal end side end portion of the catheter 12 whose distal end side is inserted into a lumen such as a blood vessel of a patient. After that, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 10, the proximal end side end portion of the catheter 12 is extrapolated to the port portion 42 of the connector main body 18, and the tightening cap 16 and the connector main body 18 are assembled to each other. That is, the small diameter portion 46 of the connector main body 18 is inserted into the assembly recess 30 of the tightening cap 16, and the convex portion 32 protruding from the tightening cap 16 is formed between the groove wall portions 48 and 48 in the circumferential direction. It is inserted into the concave groove portion 52. In such a case, the curved surface 33 provided on the protruding tip surface of the convex portion 32 is a portion (that is, a groove of the concave groove portion 52) which is deviated from the groove wall portions 48, 48 on the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 46 in the circumferential direction. It is in contact with (bottom surface) or slightly separated. Further, the long axis direction of the flat portion 26 of the tightening cap 16 and the long axis direction of the flat portion (large diameter portion 54) of the connector main body 18 are different from each other, and the tightening cap 16 projects toward the proximal end side. The elastic pieces 34, 34 are located on the outer peripheral side of the tip end portion of the large diameter portion 54 of the connector main body 18 at a portion separated from the accommodating recesses 56, 56 in the circumferential direction. In the present embodiment, the long axis direction of the flat portion 26 in the tightening cap 16 and the long axis direction of the flat portion (large diameter portion 54) in the connector main body 18 are different from each other, and are approximately 90 degrees around the central axis. It has an angle difference.

From such a state, by rotating the tightening cap 16 with respect to the connector main body 18 as described later, the convex portion 32 moves in the concave groove portion 52, and the proximal end side end portion of the catheter 12 becomes the tightening cap 16. It is fastened to and from the connector main body 18, and the position of the tightening cap 16 shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 is set as a guidance start position at which rotation with respect to the connector main body 18 begins to be guided.

Here, when the tightening cap 16 is in the guidance start position shown in FIGS. 7 to 10, the inner outer peripheral surfaces 13a and 13b of the proximal end side end portion of the catheter 12 are tightened with the outer peripheral surface 78 of the connector main body 18. It is sandwiched between the inner peripheral surface 31 of the cap 16, specifically, the outer peripheral surface 78a of the port portion 42 of the connector main body 18 and the inner peripheral surface 31a of the inner hole 20 of the tightening cap 16. In the present embodiment, the inclined surface 44 is provided on the outer peripheral surface 78a of the port portion 42, and the inclined surface 23 is provided on the inner peripheral surface 31a of the inner hole 20, so that the inner outer peripheral surfaces 13a and 13b of the catheter 12 are provided. Is in contact with and sandwiched between the inclined surfaces 44 and 23. That is, the outer peripheral surface 78a of the port portion 42 including both the inclined surfaces 44 and 23 and the inner peripheral surface 31a of the inner hole 20 are sandwiched portions for sandwiching the proximal end side end portion of the catheter 12. In particular, in the present embodiment, when the tightening cap 16 is in the guidance start position, the outer peripheral surface 13b of the proximal end portion of the catheter 12 extrapolated and mounted on the port portion 42 is the inner peripheral surface 31 of the tightening cap 16. It is said that there is no touch to the inner peripheral surface 31a of the inner hole 20 or that the inner hole 20 is slightly pressed against the inner peripheral surface 31a.

By rotating the tightening cap 16 with respect to the connector main body 18 from the guidance start position, the tightening cap 16 is displaced to a fixed position with respect to the connector main body 18 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. There is. That is, the convex portions 32, 32 of the tightening cap 16 are guided in contact with the inclined guide surfaces 50, 50 of the concave groove portions 52, 52 extending spirally in the circumferential direction, so that the rotational operation force is axial. It is converted into a moving force so that the tightening cap 16 moves in a direction approaching the connector main body 18, that is, toward the proximal end side with respect to the connector main body 18. By moving the tightening cap 16 toward the base end side while rotating with respect to the connector main body 18 in this way, the inner peripheral surface 31 of the tightening cap 16 (inner peripheral surface of the inner hole 20) is already in the state of the guidance start position. The proximal end portion of the catheter 12 sandwiched between 31a) and the outer peripheral surface 78 of the connector body 18 (the outer peripheral surface 78a of the port portion 42) is more firmly tightened between the tightening cap 16 and the connector body 18. It has become like. In the state where the tightening cap 16 is rotated with respect to the connector main body 18, the convex portion 32 is located between the groove wall portion 48 and the large diameter portion 54 in the axial direction, and the convex portion 32 is curved. The surface 33 is in contact with or slightly separated from the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 46.

Further, as the tightening cap 16 rotates with respect to the connector main body 18, the elastic pieces 34, 34 and the locking claws 36, 36 of the tightening cap 16 located at positions separated from the accommodating recesses 56, 56 in the circumferential direction. Is accommodated in the accommodating recesses 56 and 56. In the present embodiment, in the tightening cap 16 and the connector main body 18, which are both substantially flattened, the major axis direction dimension and the minor axis direction dimension are substantially equal to each other, so that the tightening cap 16 and the connector are respectively. By matching the long axis direction with the main body 18, the medical connector 10 is configured to have a substantially flat shape as a whole. In the present embodiment, the rotation of 180 degrees (half circumference) or less, specifically, about 90 degrees, the long axis direction of the tightening cap 16 and the long axis direction of the connector body 18 coincide with each other. The tightening cap 16 is positioned at a fixed position with respect to the connector body 18. However, the rotation of the tightening cap 16 in the connector body 18 in the opposite direction is blocked by the contact between the vertical surface 40 on the rear side in the rotation direction of the locking claw 36 and the outer peripheral surface of the rotation blocking portion 62. In the first place, rotation of the tightening cap 16 with respect to the connector body 18 of 180 degrees or more is not allowed.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, a state in which the long axis direction of the flat portion 26 of the tightening cap 16 and the long axis direction of the flat portion (large diameter portion 54) of the connector main body 18 match (tightening cap 16). Is in a fixed position with respect to the connector body 18), the locking recesses 58 and 58 provided on the outer peripheral surface 78 of the connector body 18 are locked on the inner peripheral surface 31 of the tightening cap 16. The claws 36 and 36 are designed to enter. That is, by rotating the tightening cap 16 with respect to the connector main body 18, the locking claws 36, 36 come into contact with the steeply inclined surfaces 66, 66, which are the outer peripheral surfaces of the overcoming protrusions 64, 64, and the elastic piece 34 , 34 are elastically deformed to the outer peripheral side. As a result, the locking claws 36, 36 can get over the overhanging protrusions 64, 64 and enter the locking recesses 58, 58 to reach the fixed position. In short, by rotating the tightening cap 16 with respect to the connector main body 18, the elastic piece 34 is elastically deformed to the outer peripheral side before reaching the fixed position so as to get over the overhanging protrusion 64. In particular, in the present embodiment, since the surface of the locking claws 36, 36 on the front side in the rotation direction is the curved surface 38, 38, the locking claws 36, 36 can get over the overhanging protrusions 64, 64. It is easy to realize.

Then, the locking claw 36 enters the locking recess 58 and comes into contact with the vertical surface 60 of the rotation blocking portion 62, whereby the rotation of the tightening cap 16 with respect to the connector body 18 in the positive direction is prevented. There is. At the same time, the locking claw 36 comes into contact with the vertical surface 60 at the overhanging protrusion 64 to prevent the tightening cap 16 from rotating in the reverse direction (return direction) with respect to the connector main body 18. In particular, in the present embodiment, since the surfaces of the locking claws 36, 36 on the rear side in the rotation direction are the vertical surfaces 40, 40, the locking effect of the locking claws 36 on the overcoming protrusion 64 is sufficiently exhibited. Therefore, the possibility that the tightening cap 16 and the connector main body 18 are loosened is reduced.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the locking mechanism 80 that fixes the tightening cap 16 to the connector main body 18 at a fixed position and prevents rotation in at least the return direction from the fixed position is elastic including the locking claw 36. It is configured to include a piece 34 and a climbing protrusion 64. Further, the tightening mechanism 82 for tightening the catheter 12 by rotating the tightening cap 16 with respect to the connector main body 18 and guiding the catheter 12 to the fixed position is provided with a convex portion 32 of the tightening cap 16 and a concave groove portion 52 of the connector main body 18. It is composed including and.

That is, in the present embodiment, the locking mechanism 80 and the tightening mechanism 82 are separately provided. In particular, in the present embodiment, the locking mechanism 80 and the tightening mechanism 82 are provided apart from each other in the axial direction.

A syringe or the like as an external flow path (not shown) is inserted and connected to the proximal end side opening 84 of the connection port 14 of the medical connector 10 retrofitted and fixed to the proximal end side end of the catheter 12 in this way. As a result, the procedure of injecting a drug solution or sucking blood or the like can be performed via the catheter 12 and the medical connector 10.

In the medical connector 10 of the present embodiment having the above-mentioned structure, the base end side end portion of the catheter 12 is sandwiched and fixed between the tightening cap 16 and the connector main body 18, so that the base of the catheter 12 is fixed. Narrowing and crushing deformation at the end side can be avoided. As a result, the catheter 12 is stably supported, and adverse effects on the fluid flow through the catheter 12 can be effectively prevented. Further, since the tightening cap 16 and the connector main body 18 are mutually fixed by rotating the tightening cap 16 approximately 90 degrees with respect to the connector main body 18, when the tightening cap 16 is rotated one or more turns. The fixing operation may be easier than that.

Further, when the tightening cap 16 and the connector body 18 rotate relative to each other, the catheter 12 may be twisted by rotating the connector body 18 side, but the relative rotation amount between the tightening cap 16 and the connector body 18 is reduced. By doing so, the twisting of the catheter 12 can be avoided or the twisting amount can be suppressed to a small size. In particular, by adopting a catheter 12 having a small diameter of 3 mm or less, which is easily twisted, the above effect can be effectively enjoyed.

Further, in the present embodiment, since the lock mechanism 80 and the tightening mechanism 82 are separately provided, by appropriately designing the shapes of both mechanisms 80 and 82, the guidance effect of the tightening mechanism 82 can be obtained. It is possible to exert a high degree of compatibility with the rotation blocking effect of the lock mechanism 80. In particular, by providing the lock mechanism 80 and the tightening mechanism 82 at positions separated in the axial direction as in the present embodiment, the lock mechanism 80 can be provided on the outer peripheral side as compared with the tightening mechanism 82. .. As a result, when the tightening cap 16 is rotated with respect to the connector main body 18, the couple exerted on the lock mechanism 80 with respect to the tightening mechanism 82 can be increased. As a result, the rotational operation force of the tightening cap 16 realized according to the tightening mechanism 82 can be made smaller, and the elastic pieces 34, 34 for operating the lock mechanism 80 are more elastically deformed to the outer peripheral side. It is easy to occur.

Further, in the present embodiment, since the elastic pieces 34 constituting the lock mechanism 80 and the overcoming protrusion 64 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, that is, facing each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis, the lock mechanism 80 is provided. Is activated, for example, when the elastic piece 34 gets over the protrusion 64, the possibility that the tightening cap 16 and the connector body 18 tilt each other is effectively reduced, and stable locking operation is achieved. It can be realized. Similarly, since the convex portions 32 and the concave groove portions 52 constituting the tightening mechanism 82 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, that is, facing each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis, the tightening cap 16 is a connector. When rotating with respect to the main body 18, the possibility that the tightening cap 16 and the connector main body 18 tilt each other is effectively reduced, and a stable guidance effect and a tightening effect of the catheter 12 can be exhibited.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the inner peripheral surface 31 of the tightening cap 16 and the outer peripheral surface 78 of the connector body 18 are arranged at the guidance start position where the rotation of the tightening cap 16 with respect to the connector body 18 begins to be guided by the tightening mechanism 82. Since the inner peripheral surfaces 13a and 13b of the catheter 12 are sandwiched and the inner peripheral surface 31 of the tightening cap 16 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface 13b of the catheter 12, the tightening cap 16 is further pressed from the position. By rotating the catheter 12, the catheter 12 can be more firmly tightened between the tightening cap 16 and the connector body 18.

Further, the inner peripheral surface 31 of the tightening cap 16 and the outer peripheral surface 78 of the connector main body 18 are provided with inclined surfaces 23 and 44 that are inclined with respect to the axial direction, respectively, and the inner and outer peripheral surfaces 13a of the catheter 12 are provided. Since 13b is sandwiched by these inclined surfaces 23 and 44, the catheter 12 is more reliably prevented from coming off from the medical connector 10 as compared with the case where the surface sandwiching the catheter 12 is a surface parallel to the axial direction. Not only that, the insertion of the port portion 42 into the inner hole 20 with the catheter 12 sandwiched between them can be more easily realized.

Further, in the present embodiment, the tightening cap 16 is provided with a flat portion 26, and the connector main body 18 is also provided with a flat portion (large diameter portion 54), and the long shafts of these flat portions 26 and 54 are provided. The lock operation by the lock mechanism 80 is realized in a state where the directions match. As a result, the user can easily visually and feel whether or not the tightening cap 16 and the connector main body 18 are in the locked state. Further, by providing the flat portions 26 and 54 on the tightening cap 16 and the connector main body 18, respectively, it is possible that the user can easily grip the both members 16 and 18 and tighten the tightening cap 16. ..

Next, FIGS. 11 to 15 show a medical connector 90 as a second embodiment of the present invention. The medical connector 90 of the present embodiment also has the same basic configuration as that of the first embodiment, but has a lock mechanism 96 and a tightening mechanism configured between the tightening cap 92 and the connector main body 94. The shape of 98 is different from that of the first embodiment. The members and parts substantially the same as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment in the drawings, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

That is, the tightening cap 92 of the present embodiment has a substantially cylindrical shape as a whole, and a tapered cylindrical portion 100 whose diameter gradually increases toward the proximal end side is provided on the distal end side, and the proximal end side is provided. Is provided with a flat portion 102 having a flat substantially cylindrical shape. The flat portion 102 of the present embodiment has a substantially oval shape or a substantially rounded rectangular shape in which the outer dimensions in the left-right direction are larger than the outer dimensions in the vertical direction in FIG. 15, and the flat portion 102 in the left-right direction in FIG. Is the major axis direction, and the vertical direction in FIG. 15 is the minor axis direction.

An inner hole 104 penetrating in the axial direction is formed in the tapered cylinder portion 100 and the flat portion 102. The inner hole 104 has a larger inner diameter of the flat portion 102 on the proximal end side than the inner diameter of the tapered cylinder portion 100 on the distal end side. In particular, in the present embodiment, in the inner hole 104, the tip portion of the tapered cylinder portion 100 has a straight shape in which the inner diameter dimension is substantially constant, and the inner peripheral surface of the base end portion of the tapered cylinder portion 100 is formed. The inclined surface 106 gradually expands in diameter toward the base end side. On the other hand, the inner hole 104 in the flat portion 102 has a straight shape having a substantially constant inner diameter.

Then, in the peripheral wall portion 108 of the flat portion 102, the outer wall portions 110 and 110 project from both sides in the long axis direction (left-right direction in FIG. 15) to the proximal end side, respectively. These outer wall portions 110 have predetermined circumferential dimensions and thickness dimensions. In the present embodiment, each one of the outer wall portions 110 protrudes from each one in the short axis direction (vertical direction in FIG. 15), that is, the outer wall portions 110 and 110 are provided in the upper right and lower left in FIG. These outer wall portions 110, 110 are positioned so as to face each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis. Further, these outer wall portions 110 and 110 have a certain thickness dimension, and elastic deformation in the thickness direction is less likely to occur. The inner peripheral surface of the outer wall portion 110 is a curved surface 111 that substantially corresponds to the outer peripheral surface of the groove wall portion 132 described later.

Further, each protruding tip of the outer wall portion 110 is provided with a convex portion 112 projecting in a direction substantially parallel to the minor axis direction. That is, in the present embodiment, the inner peripheral surface 113 of the tightening cap 92 is configured to include the inner peripheral surface 104a of the inner hole 104 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer wall portion 110, and is inside the tightening cap 92. On the peripheral surface 113, a pair of convex portions 112, 112 are provided so as to face each other in a direction perpendicular to the axis. Specifically, the convex portion 112 protrudes downward in FIG. 15 from the outer wall portion 110 located in the upper right of FIG. 15, and the convex portion 112 is shown from the outer wall portion 110 located in the lower left of FIG. It protrudes upward in the middle of 15. The outer peripheral surface of the convex portion 112 is a curved surface 114 having a substantially semicircular cross section, and the tightening cap 92 rotates smoothly with respect to the connector main body 94 in contact with the inclined guide surface 134 described later. It is designed to do.

Furthermore, at the substantially central portion in the axial direction of the outer wall portion 110, the elastic piece 116 extending in the circumferential direction protrudes from one of the circumferential directions. Each of these elastic pieces 116 and 116 extends substantially parallel to the minor axis direction, that is, the elastic pieces 116 project downward in FIG. 15 from the outer wall portion 110 located at the upper right in FIG. 15, and in FIG. An elastic piece 116 projects upward in FIG. 15 from the outer wall portion 110 located at the lower left. Further, these elastic pieces 116 have predetermined thickness dimensions and axial dimensions, and the thickness dimensions are sufficiently reduced so that the elastic pieces 116 can be easily elastically deformed in the thickness direction. There is. Further, the elastic piece 116 has an axial dimension smaller than that of the outer wall portion 110, protrudes from a substantially central portion in the axial direction of the outer wall portion 110, and has a predetermined size between the peripheral wall portion 108 and the peripheral wall portion 108 in the axial direction. A gap 118 is formed. As a result, elastic deformation of the elastic piece 116 can easily occur.

Further, at the protruding tip of these elastic pieces 116, a locking claw 120 that protrudes inward in the facing direction, that is, inward in the long axis direction is provided. The outer surface of the locking claw 120, that is, the front surface of the tightening cap 92 with respect to the connector body 94 described later in the rotation direction is a substantially semicircular curved surface 122, while the inner surface of the locking claw 120, that is, the connector. The surface of the tightening cap 92 rearward in the rotation direction with respect to the main body 94 is a vertical surface 124 extending in the direction perpendicular to the axis.

On the other hand, the connector main body 94 has a port portion 42 provided with an inclined surface 44, a substantially tubular small diameter portion 126, and a substantially tubular large diameter portion 128 as a flat portion, as in the first embodiment. It is provided with a connection port 14 including a protruding cylinder portion 70. In the present embodiment, the small diameter portion 126 provided between the port portion 42 and the large diameter portion 128 in the axial direction is a substantially straight tubular body having substantially constant inner diameter and outer diameter dimensions. Further, the inner diameter of the inner hole 74 of the connector main body 94 is gradually increased toward the proximal end side, and the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 126 is larger than the inner diameter of the port portion 42. Furthermore, the inner diameter of the large diameter portion 128 on the base end side is larger than the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 126, and the inner surface of the portion is a tapered surface 76 that gradually expands toward the base end side. ing.

Further, also in the present embodiment, the large diameter portion 128 has a flat shape substantially similar to that of the flat portion 102 in the tightening cap 92, and the left-right direction in FIG. 15 is the major axis direction. The vertical direction in 15 is the minor axis direction. On the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 128, accommodating recesses 130 and 130 are formed on both sides in the major axis direction, and the outer dimensions at the forming positions of the accommodating recesses 130 and 130 are reduced. These accommodating recesses 130 and 130 have predetermined circumferential dimensions, and in the present embodiment, they correspond to the positions of the outer wall portions 110 and 110 in the tightening cap 92 at the upper right and lower left in FIG. It is formed.

Then, on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 128 in which the accommodating recess 130 is formed and the outer dimension is reduced, a groove wall portion 132 protruding outward in the major axis direction is formed at the tip portion thereof. The groove wall portion 132 has predetermined circumferential dimensions and axial dimensions and protrudes in the accommodating recess 130. In the present embodiment, it is formed with a circumferential dimension extending from a substantially upper end portion and a lower end portion in FIG. 15 to a substantially central portion in the vertical direction, and is formed with an axial dimension smaller than that of the accommodating recess 130. The inner surface of the groove wall portion 132 on the base end side is provided with an inclined surface that inclines in a direction in which the thickness dimension of the groove wall portion 132 increases toward the front in the rotation direction of the tightening cap 92 with respect to the connector main body 94. In particular, in the present embodiment, the inclined surface is an inclined guide surface 134 in which the inclined surface is inclined in a circumferential spiral. As a result, a concave groove portion 136 extending spirally in the circumferential direction is formed between the groove wall portion 132 and the wall portion on the proximal end side constituting the accommodating recess 130 in the axial direction. In short, a pair of concave groove portions 136 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 128, that is, on the outer peripheral surface 78 of the connector main body 94 so as to face each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis. Further, also in the present embodiment, the lead angle θ of the spiral of the concave groove portion 136, that is, the inclination angle θ with respect to the direction perpendicular to the axis of the inclined guide surface 134 is set to 30 degrees.

Further, on the outer peripheral surface of the groove wall portion 132, one end in the circumferential direction, that is, the end in front of the rotation direction of the tightening cap 92 with respect to the connector main body 94, is a riding protrusion 138 protruding outward in the long axis direction. Is formed. The outer surface at the protruding tip of the overhanging protrusion 138, that is, the end surface on the rear side in the rotation direction of the tightening cap 92 is a curved surface 140, so that the locking claw 120 can easily get over the overcoming protrusion 138. On the other hand, the inner surface of the overcoming protrusion 138 is a vertical surface 142 extending in the direction perpendicular to the axis.

A locking recess 144 that opens outward in the long axis direction is formed between the overhanging protrusion 138 and one wall portion in the circumferential direction constituting the accommodating recess 130 in the circumferential direction. By forming such a locking recess 144, the locking claw 120 of the tightening cap 92 enters the locking recess 144 when the tightening cap 92 rotates with respect to the connector main body 94, as will be described later. It has become. Further, among the wall portions constituting the locking recess 144, the wall portion on the opposite side of the overhanging protrusion 138 (one wall portion in the circumferential direction constituting the accommodating recess 130) and the locking claw 120 come into contact with each other. Further rotation of the tightening cap 92 in the positive direction is prevented, and such a wall portion is referred to as a rotation blocking portion 146. Further, also in the present embodiment, the rotation blocking portion 146 protrudes outward in the long axis direction from the overhanging protrusion 138, and the inner surface of the rotation blocking portion 146 is a vertical surface 148 extending in the direction perpendicular to the axis. Therefore, the locking claw 120 is made easy to get over the overhanging protrusion 138, and the rotation of the tightening cap 92 in the positive direction is more reliably prevented.

The medical connector 90 including the tightening cap 92 having such a structure and the connector main body 94 is retrofitted to the proximal end side end portion of the catheter 12. That is, as in the above embodiment, the tightening cap 92 is externally inserted into the proximal end side end portion of the catheter 12, the connector main body 94 is inserted, and the tightening cap 92 is rotated with respect to the connector main body 94. By doing so, the tightening cap 92 and the connector main body 94 are fixed to each other.

Here, the state before the tightening cap 92 and the connector main body 94 are mutually assembled and the tightening cap 92 is rotated is shown in FIG. 16, that is, the state where the tightening cap 92 is in the guide start position. Is shown in FIG. In short, in the state shown in FIG. 16, the convex portion 112 of the tightening cap 92 is located at the circumferential end of the concave groove portion 136 of the connector main body 94, and from this state, the tightening cap with respect to the connector main body 94. By rotating the 92, the convex portion 112 moves in the concave groove portion 136 while abutting on the inclined guide surface 134 in the concave groove portion 136. As a result, the tightening cap 92 moves closer to the connector body 94 in the axial direction as the tightening cap 92 rotates with respect to the connector body 94. In this embodiment, the tightening mechanism 98 is used. , These convex portions 112 and concave groove portions 136 are included.

In the state where the tightening cap 92 is in the guidance start position, the peripheral wall 13 at the proximal end portion of the catheter 12 may be sandwiched between the tightening cap 92 and the connector main body 94, as in the first embodiment. It is preferable that the outer peripheral surface 13b of the peripheral wall 13 of the catheter 12 abuts or is slightly pressed against the inner peripheral surface 104a of the tightening cap 92 (inner hole 104) with zero touch.

Further, with the rotational operation, the locking claw 120 of the tightening cap 92 and the overhanging protrusion 138 of the connector main body 94 come into contact with each other, whereby the elastic piece 116 including the locking claw 120 is brought into contact with each other. It is elastically deformed to the outer peripheral side so that the locking claw 120 gets over the overhanging protrusion 138 and enters the locking recess 144. As a result, the locking claw 120 and the rotation blocking portion 146 are in contact with each other to prevent the tightening cap 92 from rotating in the positive direction, and the locking claw 120 and the overcoming protrusion 138 are prevented from rotating. Are in contact with each other to prevent the tightening cap 92 from rotating in the opposite direction. That is, as shown in FIGS. 11 to 15, the locking claw 120 is locked in the locking recess 144 to prevent the rotation of the tightening cap 92 with respect to the connector main body 94, and FIG. 11 The position of the tightening cap 92 shown in the to 15 is a fixed position. In the present embodiment, the locking mechanism 96 that prevents the tightening cap 92 from rotating at least in the return direction is composed of an elastic piece 116 having a locking claw 120 and an overhanging protrusion 138. Therefore, also in this embodiment, the lock mechanism 96 and the tightening mechanism 98 are separately provided, but in the present embodiment, the lock mechanism 96 and the tightening mechanism 98 are substantially the same in the axial direction. It is provided at the position.

In particular, in the present embodiment, the tightening cap 92 at the guide start position is rotated 180 degrees or less, specifically, about 60 degrees with respect to the connector main body 94 to reach the fixed position. That is, also in the medical connector 90 in the present embodiment, since the tightening cap 92 can be positioned at the fixed position by rotating the tightening cap 92 by 180 degrees or less with respect to the connector main body 94, it is the same as the first embodiment. The effect can be exhibited.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limitedly interpreted by the specific description in the embodiments, and various changes, modifications, improvements, etc. are made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. It can be carried out in the form of adding.

For example, in the above embodiment, the tightening caps 16, 92 and the connector bodies 18, 94 have flat portions 26, 54, 102, 128, respectively, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. That is, the tightening cap and the connector main body may have a tubular shape having a perfect circle or a regular polygon in cross section over substantially the entire area without having a flat portion.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the lock mechanisms 80 and 96 and the tightening mechanisms 82 and 98 are separately provided, but the lock mechanism and the tightening mechanism may be integrally formed. That is, for example, when the convex portion constituting the tightening mechanism moves in the concave groove portion, the lock mechanism is configured by overcoming the overhanging protrusion provided in the concave groove portion, and the tightening cap for the connector body is provided. Rotation may be prevented.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the tightening caps 16 and 92 are provided with the convex portions 32 and 112, and the connector main bodies 18 and 94 are provided with the concave groove portions 52 and 136. They may be provided in opposite directions. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a pair of the convex portions 32, 112 and the concave groove portions 52, 136 are provided at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction (opposing each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis). The number of concave grooves is not limited in any way, and one or three or more may be provided in the circumferential direction.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the tightening caps 16 and 92 are provided with elastic pieces 34 and 116 protruding toward the base end side, and the connector main bodies 18 and 94 are provided with protrusions 64 and 138. The connector main body may be provided with an elastic piece projecting toward the tip end, and may be provided with a protrusion over the tightening cap. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the elastic pieces 34, 116 and the overhanging protrusions 64, 138 are provided in pairs at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction (opposing each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis), but the elastic pieces and the overcoming protrusions are provided. The number of portions is not limited in any way, and one or three or more portions may be provided in the circumferential direction.

Further, the rotation angle of the tightening cap with respect to the connector body is not limited to 90 degrees or 60 degrees as in the above embodiment, and may be 90 degrees or more as long as it is 180 degrees or less.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the groove wall portion 48 projecting to the outer peripheral side with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 46 is provided to form the concave groove portion 52 which is relatively concave, but the small diameter portion 52 is formed. A concave groove portion that is concave with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the portion 46 may be directly formed. Similarly, in the second embodiment, the groove wall portion 132 projecting toward the outer peripheral side with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 128 (the bottom surface extending in the circumferential direction of the accommodating recess 130) is provided so as to be relatively concave. Although the concave groove portion 136 is formed, the concave groove portion which is concave may be directly formed on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 128.

In the above embodiment, the inclined surfaces 23, 44, 106 are provided on the surface sandwiching the catheter 12, but the surface sandwiching the catheter may be a surface parallel to the axial direction over substantially the entire surface. The inclined surface may be provided by fixing another member having the inclined surface to the surface parallel to the axial direction.
In addition, the present invention originally includes the inventions described below, and the configuration and action / effect thereof will be described in the appendix.
(I) A medical connector that can be retrofitted to a catheter and is fixed by sandwiching the end of the catheter between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces between the connector body and the tightening cap that are assembled to each other, and is 3 mm or less on the connector body. While a port portion is provided so that a catheter having an outer diameter can be externally attached, the relative rotational operation between the connector body and the tightening cap is converted into axial movement. In a tightening mechanism that moves the tightening cap axially closer to the connector body by relative rotation of 180 degrees or less and guides it to a fixed position that sandwiches the catheter externally attached to the port portion, and in such a fixed position. A medical connector comprising a locking mechanism that prevents the tightening cap from rotating relative to the connector body in the return direction.
(Ii) Both the connector main body and the tightening cap are provided with flat portions having different outer dimensions in two directions perpendicular to each other, and if the long axis directions of the flat portions are different from each other. The medical connector according to (i), wherein the connector main body and the tightening cap are in the fixed position in a state where the major axis directions of the connectors are aligned with each other by a relative rotation of half a circumference or less from the relative position.
(Iii) The medical connector according to (i) or (ii), wherein the tightening mechanism and the locking mechanism are separately provided.
(Iv) The medical connector according to (iii), wherein the tightening mechanism and the locking mechanism are provided at positions separated from each other in the axial direction of the connector body.
(V) The tightening mechanism is configured to include a concave groove portion extending in a circumferential spiral, and the lead angle of the spiral in the concave groove portion is 15 degrees to 45 degrees (i) to (iv). The medical connector according to any one of the above,
(Vi) The tightening mechanism is provided on one of the outer peripheral surface of the connector main body and the inner peripheral surface of the tightening cap and extends in a circumferential direction, and is provided on the other and engages with the concave groove portion. It is configured to include a matching convex portion, and a pair of the concave groove portion and the convex portion are provided at positions facing each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis in the connector main body and the tightening cap, respectively (i). The medical connector according to any one of (v).
(Vii) The locking mechanism is configured to include an overhanging protrusion formed on the outer peripheral surface of the connector main body and an elastic piece provided on the tightening cap, and the connector main body and the tightening cap. The medical connector according to any one of (i) to (vi), wherein the elastic piece is elastically deformed to get over the overcoming protrusion before reaching the fixed position due to the relative rotation of the above.
(Viii) The tightening cap is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the catheter extrapolated and mounted on the port portion at the guidance start position where the rotation of the tightening cap with respect to the connector body begins to be guided by the tightening mechanism. The medical connector according to any one of (i) to (vii).
(Ix) The sandwiched portion between the outer peripheral surface of the port portion and the inner peripheral surface of the tightening cap in the connector body, which sandwiches and fixes the end portion of the catheter between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces, is inclined in the axial direction at least in one of them. The medical connector according to any one of (i) to (viii), which is a surface.
Including inventions related to.
According to the medical connector having a structure according to the aspect described in (i) above, the end of the catheter is sandwiched and fixed between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the tightening cap and the connector body, so that the catheter is narrowed or crushed. It becomes possible to stably apply a tightening and fixing force to the catheter while avoiding the above. In addition, since the catheter body can be attached to the catheter by rotating the connector body and the tightening cap by 180 degrees or less, the twisting of the catheter during attachment to the catheter is reduced compared to the conventional screw structure. At the same time, it is possible to quickly operate the attachment / detachment to / from the catheter.
According to the medical connector having a structure according to the aspect described in (ii) above, the state before tightening to the catheter and the state of tightening are matched with the coincidence in the circumferential direction of each flat portion of the connector body and the tightening cap. Due to the discrepancy, it can be easily grasped from the appearance. Further, by inputting to the flat portion provided on the connector main body and the tightening cap, the workability of the rotation operation can be improved.
According to the medical connector having a structure according to the aspect described in (iii) above, the shape and deformation rigidity of the part constituting the tightening mechanism and the part constituting the locking mechanism in the connector main body and the tightening cap are separately set. Since it can be set, the degree of freedom in design can be improved.
According to the medical connector having a structure according to the embodiment described in (iv) above, the connector main body and the tightening cap have a portion constituting the tightening mechanism and a portion constituting the locking mechanism, for example, stress between each other. It is possible to form with a higher degree of freedom in design by reducing or avoiding the transmission of deformation.
According to the medical connector having a structure according to the aspect described in (v) above, the lead angle of the spiral of the concave groove portion constituting the tightening mechanism is set within an appropriate range to tighten the connector body. It is possible to better achieve both reduction of the rotational operation force of the cap and securing of the amount of movement in the axial direction.
According to the medical connector having a structure according to the aspect described in (vi) above, the positions where the concave groove portion and the convex portion constituting the tightening mechanism face each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis between the connector main body and the tightening cap. Since a pair of members are provided in the connector body, when the tightening cap rotates with respect to the connector body and moves in the axial direction, the relative tilting of both members is suppressed, and the tightening is mechanically stable. The action can be exerted.
According to the medical connector having a structure according to the embodiment described in (vii) above, the elastic piece gets over the overhanging protrusion as the tightening cap rotates with respect to the connector body, and the elastic piece and the overhanging protrusion get over each other. By engaging with, the locking mechanism may prevent rotation of the tightening cap in the return direction while allowing rotation in the tightening direction with respect to the connector body.
According to the medical connector having a structure according to the embodiment described in the above (viii), the tightening cap is already pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the catheter at the stage where the tightening cap starts to rotate with respect to the connector body according to the tightening mechanism. Therefore, by rotating the tightening cap from such a stage, the catheter can be more reliably sandwiched and held between the tightening cap and the connector body even with a small rotation of 180 degrees or less.
According to the medical connector having a structure according to the aspect described in (ix) above, the port portion and the tightening cap are axially opposed to each other with the peripheral wall of the catheter sandwiched inside and outside by the axially inclined surface. .. Therefore, the axial force generated by the tightening mechanism due to the relative rotation between the connector body and the tightening cap acts more efficiently on the peripheral wall at the end of the catheter as a pinching force between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces. Can be.

10,90: Medical connector, 12: Catheter, 13a: Inner peripheral surface of catheter, 13b: Outer surface of catheter, 16,92: Tightening cap, 18,94: Connector body, 23,44,106: Inclined surface , 26, 102: Flat portion, 31, 104a: Inner peripheral surface of tightening cap, 32, 112: Convex portion, 34, 116: Elastic piece, 42: Port portion, 52, 136: Concave groove portion, 54, 128 : Large diameter part (flat part), 64,138: Overcoming protrusion, 78: Outer peripheral surface of connector body, 78a: Outer outer surface of port part, 80,96: Lock mechanism, 82,98: Tightening mechanism

Claims (8)

A medical connector that can be retrofitted to a catheter that secures the end of the catheter between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces between the connector body and the tightening cap that are assembled to each other.
The connector body is provided with a port portion to which a catheter having an outer diameter of 3 mm or less can be extrapolated and attached.
The relative rotation between the connector body and the tightening cap is converted into axial movement, and the tightening cap approaches the connector body axially by a relative rotation of 180 degrees or less. A tightening mechanism that moves and guides the catheter extrapolated to the port to a fixed position that sandwiches it.
It has a locking mechanism that prevents the tightening cap from rotating relative to the connector body in the return direction at such a fixed position.
Both the connector body and the tightening cap are provided with flat portions having different outer dimensions in two directions orthogonal to each other, and from relative positions where the major axis directions of the flat portions are different from each other. A medical connector characterized in that the connector main body and the tightening cap are set to the fixed positions in a state where the major axis directions are aligned with each other by relative rotation of half a circumference or less . A medical connector that can be retrofitted to a catheter that secures the end of the catheter between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces between the connector body and the tightening cap that are assembled to each other.
The connector body is provided with a port portion to which a catheter having an outer diameter of 3 mm or less can be extrapolated and attached.
The relative rotation between the connector body and the tightening cap is converted into axial movement, and the tightening cap approaches the connector body axially by a relative rotation of 180 degrees or less. A tightening mechanism that moves and guides the catheter extrapolated to the port to a fixed position that sandwiches it.
It has a locking mechanism that prevents the tightening cap from rotating relative to the connector body in the return direction at such a fixed position.
The locking mechanism is configured to include an overhanging protrusion formed on the outer peripheral surface of the connector main body and an elastic piece provided on the tightening cap, and the relative rotation between the connector main body and the tightening cap. A medical connector characterized in that the elastic piece is elastically deformed before reaching the fixed position so as to get over the overhanging protrusion . A medical connector that can be retrofitted to a catheter that secures the end of the catheter between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces between the connector body and the tightening cap that are assembled to each other.
The connector body is provided with a port portion to which a catheter having an outer diameter of 3 mm or less can be extrapolated and attached.
The relative rotation between the connector body and the tightening cap is converted into axial movement, and the tightening cap approaches the connector body axially by a relative rotation of 180 degrees or less. A tightening mechanism that moves and guides the catheter extrapolated to the port to a fixed position that sandwiches it.
It has a locking mechanism that prevents the tightening cap from rotating relative to the connector body in the return direction at such a fixed position.
The sandwiched portion between the outer peripheral surface of the port portion and the inner peripheral surface of the tightening cap in the connector body, which sandwiches and fixes the end portion of the catheter between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces, is defined as an axially inclined surface in at least one of them. A medical connector characterized by being . The medical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tightening mechanism and the locking mechanism are separately provided. The medical connector according to claim 4 , wherein the tightening mechanism and the locking mechanism are provided at positions separated from each other in the axial direction of the connector body. The tightening mechanism is configured to include a concave groove portion extending spirally in the circumferential direction, and any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the lead angle of the spiral in the concave groove portion is 15 degrees to 45 degrees. The medical connector described in. The tightening mechanism is provided on one of the outer peripheral surface of the connector main body and the inner peripheral surface of the tightening cap and extends in a circumferential direction, and the convex portion provided on the other side and engages with the concave groove portion. Any of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the concave groove portion and the convex portion are provided in pairs at positions facing each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis in the connector main body and the tightening cap, respectively. Or the medical connector described in item 1. The tightening cap is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the catheter extrapolated and mounted on the port portion at the guidance start position where the rotation of the tightening cap with respect to the connector body begins to be guided by the tightening mechanism. The medical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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