JP7421722B2 - Gas flow path connector and extrusion device equipped with the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a connector provided on a gas flow path. The present invention also relates to an extrusion device capable of compressing a bag-like container filled with a liquid material and extruding the liquid material from the bag-like container.

For patients who have difficulty passing food from the oral cavity to the stomach due to trauma, disease, or surgery to the esophagus or oral cavity, provide nutritional supplements, liquid foods, or liquid products containing drugs (sometimes called enteral nutrition). ) Enteral nutrition is known as a method of administering. In enteral nutrition, a liquid substance (enteral nutrition) is filled into a bag-like container (sometimes called a "pouch" or "laminate pack") made of flexible sheets pasted together. , into the patient's gastrointestinal tract via a flexible catheter (commonly referred to as an "enteral feeding catheter"). Catheters used for enteral nutrition include nasal catheters, which are inserted into the stomach or duodenum from the patient's nasal cavity, and gastrostomy catheters, which are inserted into the stomach through a hole (gastrostomy) formed in the patient's abdomen. It has been known.

If the viscosity of the liquid administered to a patient is low, there may be problems such as the liquid in the stomach flowing back into the esophagus and causing pneumonia, or the water in the liquid being unable to be fully absorbed by the body and causing diarrhea. . To prevent this problem, liquid materials are often made semi-solid (highly viscous).

However, when a liquid material is made semi-solid, its fluidity decreases. In order to deliver a semi-solid liquid substance into a patient's body, it is necessary to compress a bag-like container filled with the liquid substance. If this work is attempted to be done with bare hands, an extremely large amount of force is required, which places a heavy burden on the worker (for example, a nurse or caregiver).

Therefore, an extrusion device has been proposed that is configured to compress a bag-like container and extrude a liquid from the bag-like container (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). The extrusion device includes a pressurized bag that can be expanded and deflated, a manual air pump that injects air into the pressurized bag, and a three-way stopcock installed on the air flow path that connects the pressurized bag and the air pump. We are prepared. The bag-like container is placed adjacent to the pressurized bag. An air pump pumps air into the pressurized bag to inflate it. The pressurized bag compresses the bag-like container, and the liquid is forced out of the bag-like container.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-029562 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-019709 WO2018/181502A1

In the extrusion device described above, the three-way stopcock is provided to switch the communication destination of the pressurized bag. That is, when inflating the pressurized bag with the air pump, the handle provided on the three-way stopcock is set to the first position so that the pressurized bag is communicated with the air pump. When the pressurized bag reaches a predetermined pressure and is inflated, the handle is rotated to the second position to cut off communication between the pressurized bag and the air pump and prevent air from leaking from the pressurized bag. After the liquid is forced out of the bag-like container, the handle is rotated to the third position so that the air inside the pressurized bag is released to the outside world through the three-way stopcock. In this way, it is necessary to sequentially rotate the handle of the three-way stopcock from the first position to the third position in accordance with the progress of enteral nutrition.

Enteral nutrition is often performed at home by a caregiver such as a patient's family. Such caregivers are not familiar with three-way stopcocks and have difficulty in intuitively understanding the communication destination of the pressurizing bag based on the rotational position of the handle. For this reason, problems such as difficulty in using an extrusion device equipped with a three-way stopcock and erroneous operation may occur.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a connector that makes it easy to intuitively understand whether an air flow path is switched to communication, blockage, or openness to the outside world. A second object of the present invention is to provide an extrusion device that does not have three-way activation and is easy to operate.

The gas flow path connector of the present invention includes a first connector having a connection port and a flow path connected to the connection port, and a first connector that can be inserted into and removed from the connection port and connected to and separated from the first connector. Equipped with 2 connectors and a release cap. The first connector includes a valve assembly that can open and close the flow path of the first connector. When the second connector is connected to the first connector, the second connector acts on the valve assembly so that the flow path is opened, and the first connector and the second connector communicate with each other. When the release cap is connected to the first connector, the release cap acts on the valve assembly to open the flow path, allowing gas to escape from the first connector to the outside world. When neither the second connector nor the release cap is connected to the first connector, the valve assembly prevents gas from flowing through the flow path toward the connection port.

The extrusion device of the present invention includes a pressurized bag that can be expanded and deflated, an air pump for injecting air into the pressurized bag, and an air flow path that connects the pressurized bag and the air pump. and a connecting tool. The extrusion device is configured such that the inflated pressurized bag compresses a bag-like container filled with a liquid material and pushes out the liquid material from the bag-like container. The connector is the gas flow path connector of the present invention described above. The first connector communicates with the pressurized bag. The second connector is in communication with the air pump.

According to the connector of the present invention, when the connector is installed in an air flow path, it is easy to intuitively understand whether the air flow path is switched to communication, blockage, or open to the outside world. .

The extrusion device of the present invention is easy to operate because the connector of the present invention is provided in place of the three-way stopcock on the air flow path connecting the pressurized bag and the air pump.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an extrusion device equipped with a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a connector according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector along a plane including line 3--3 in FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the first connector along a plane including line 4--4 in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a first connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the connector base constituting the first connector. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the housing that constitutes the first connector. FIG. 8 is a perspective view from below of the lock piece that constitutes the first connector. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a molded cap that constitutes the first connector. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a second connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a pressurized bag that constitutes an extrusion device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a second connector is connected to a first connector. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the connector along a plane including line 13--13 in FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a connector according to an embodiment of the invention, with a release cap connected to a first connector. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the connector along a plane including line 15-15 in FIG. 14.

In the above-mentioned connector of the present invention, the valve assembly may include a seal ring provided with an opening, and a valve body capable of airtightly sealing the opening of the seal ring. The seal ring may be arranged on the connection port side with respect to the valve body so that the flow path passes through the opening of the seal ring. The valve body may be movable along the flow path. According to this aspect, a valve assembly that opens the flow path in conjunction with the connection of the second connector and the release cap to the first connector can be realized with a simple configuration.

The valve assembly may further include a first elastic member that urges the valve body toward the seal ring. According to this aspect, it is possible to realize a valve assembly that always closes the flow path of the first connector when neither the second connector nor the release cap is connected to the first connector.

At least one of the seal ring and the valve body may be made of a soft material. According to this aspect, the airtightness of the seal formed between the seal ring and the valve body is improved. This is advantageous in reliably preventing gas from leaking into the outside world from the connection port when neither the second connector nor the release cap is connected to the first connector.

The seal ring and the release cap may be integrally formed as one piece via a flexible band. According to this aspect, the number of members constituting the connector is reduced, and the connector can be provided at low cost.

The release cap may be connected to the first connector via a flexible band. According to this aspect, the release cap can be connected to the first connector immediately when necessary, and the possibility of losing the release cap after separating it from the first connector can be reduced.

The connector of the present invention described above may further include a locking mechanism that maintains the state in which the second connector is connected to the first connector. Such an aspect is advantageous in preventing unintentional separation of the second connector from the first connector.

The locking mechanism may operate to maintain the state in which the second connector is connected to the first connector when the second connector is connected to the first connector. According to this aspect, when the second connector is connected to the first connector, the locking mechanism is automatically switched to the locked state in which the locking mechanism is activated. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a problem in which the second connector is unintentionally separated from the first connector due to forgetting to switch the locking mechanism to the locked state.

The locking mechanism may operate to maintain the release cap connected to the first connector when the release cap is connected to the first connector. According to this aspect, when the release cap is connected to the first connector, the locking mechanism is automatically switched to the locked state in which the locking mechanism is activated. Therefore, after that, the gas can continue to flow through the flow path to the connection port without touching the release cap.

The locking mechanism may be provided on the first connector. According to this aspect, a locking mechanism that acts on both the first connector and the release cap can be realized with a simple configuration.

The locking mechanism may include a lock piece provided on the first connector so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the second connector is inserted into and removed from the connection port. The lock piece may be engageable with the second connector. According to this aspect, even if a tensile force is applied to the second connector while the lock piece is engaged with the second connector, the engagement of the lock piece with the second connector is not released. Therefore, the possibility that the second connector is unintentionally separated from the first connector is reduced, and the reliability of the locking mechanism is improved.

The locking mechanism may further include a second elastic member provided on the first connector. The second elastic member may elastically bias the lock piece so that the lock piece remains engaged with the second connector. According to this aspect, the possibility that the locked state of the locking mechanism will be released unintentionally is reduced, and the locked state can be easily released if necessary.

a seal that prevents gas flowing through the flow path of the first connector from leaking to the outside world through between the first connector and the second connector when the second connector is connected to the first connector; A member may be provided on the first connector or the second connector. According to this aspect, it is possible to realize a highly reliable connector in which gas does not leak to the outside world even if the gas in the flow path is at high pressure.

In the extrusion device of the present invention described above, the liquid substance may be an enteral nutritional supplement. According to this embodiment, the extrusion device of the present invention can be used to administer semi-solid enteral nutrition to a patient via a catheter.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail while showing preferred embodiments. However, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. For convenience of explanation, each figure referred to in the following description shows the main members constituting the embodiment of the present invention in a simplified manner. Therefore, the present invention may include any members not shown in the following figures. Moreover, each member shown in each of the following figures may be changed or omitted within the scope of the present invention. Identical parts are given the same reference numerals in different drawings. For such members, redundant explanations are omitted, and the explanations in the preceding drawings should be referred to as appropriate.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an extrusion device 100 used for enteral nutrition, including a connector 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The extrusion device 100 includes a pressurized bag 110 and an air pump 130. A flexible first tube 101 is connected to a connecting pipe 119 provided in the pressurized bag 110 . A second flexible tube 102 is connected to the air pump 130. A first tube 101 and a second tube 102 are connected via a connector 1. The bag-like container 150 is filled with a liquid substance (enteral nutritional supplement) to be administered to a patient during enteral nutrition. The bag-like container 150 is accommodated in the pressurized bag 110 through the opening 112. The air pump 130 sends air into the pressurized bag 110 to inflate the pressurized bag 110. The pressurized bag 110 compresses the bag-like container 150 and liquid is forced out of the port 152 of the bag-like container 150.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the connector 1. The connector 1 includes a first connector 10 provided on a first tube 101, a second connector 80 provided on a second tube 102, and a release cap 70. The first connector 10 has a proximal end 29 connected to the first tube 101 at one end, and a connection port 11 having a circular opening at the other end. Release cap 70 is connected to first connector 10 via flexible band 69. Unlike FIG. 1, the second connector 80 is separated from the first connector 10 in FIG. The first connector 10 is a female connector, and the second connector 80 and release cap 70 are male connectors that can be inserted into and removed from the connection port 11 of the first connector 10.

For convenience of the following explanation, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system is set in which the X axis is parallel to the axis (not shown) of the first connector 10. The axis of the first connector 10 passes through the center of the circle that defines the opening of the connection port 11 along the direction connecting the base end portion 29 and the opening 11 . The Z-axis direction is referred to as the "vertical direction", the side of the operating section 41 is referred to as the "upper" side, and the opposite side is referred to as the "lower" side. A direction parallel to a plane (XY plane) perpendicular to the vertical direction is called a "horizontal direction." Note that "vertical direction", "upper", "lower", and "horizontal direction" do not mean the orientation of the connector 1 in actual use. The direction along the straight line perpendicular to the axis of the first connector 10 is called the "radial direction", and the side closer to the axis in the radial direction is called the "inner" side, and the side farther from the axis is called the "outer" side. The direction of rotation around the axis is called the "circumferential direction." For each of the second connector 80 and the release cap 70, "radial direction" and "circumferential direction" are similarly defined with respect to their respective axes (not shown).

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector 1 along a plane including line 3-3 in FIG. 2 (this plane includes the axis of the first connector 10 and is parallel to the XZ plane). The first tube 101 and the connection port 11 communicate with each other via a flow path 12. A flow path 12 extends axially through the first connector 10 . In FIGS. 2 and 3, the second connector 80 is shown coaxially spaced apart from the first connector 10. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the first connector 10 along a plane including line 4--4 in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the first connector 10. The first connector 10 includes a connector base (first connector base) 20 provided on the first tube 101, a housing 30, a lock piece 40, a first spring 51, a second spring 52, a ball 55, and a molded cap 60. .

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the connector base 20. The connector base 20 includes a housing 21 in which the first spring 51 and the ball 55 are housed, a base end 29 to which the first tube 101 is connected, and a partition wall 27 between the housing 21 and the base end 29. Equipped with. The base end portion 29 constitutes the base end portion of the first connector 10 (see FIG. 2). Both the housing 21 and the base end 29 have a hollow, substantially cylindrical shape, and are coaxially arranged. The partition wall 27 extends along the radial direction. The housing 21 and the base end 29 communicate with each other via a through hole 28 provided at the center of the partition wall 27. The inner cavity of the housing 21 constitutes the flow path 12 (see FIG. 3) of the first connector 10.

Three ribs 23 protrude radially inward from the inner peripheral surface of the housing 21 (only two ribs 23 are visible in FIG. 6). The three ribs 23 are evenly arranged in the circumferential direction at equal angular intervals (120 degree intervals) with respect to an axis (not shown) of the connector base 20 (which coincides with the axis of the first connector 10). The rib 23 extends parallel to the axis (X-axis) of the connector base 20. Each rib 23 includes a first flat part 23a, an inclined part 23c, and a second flat part 23b in this order from the tip of the housing 21 toward the base end 29 along the longitudinal direction (X axis) of the rib 23. . The height of the rib 23 from the inner peripheral surface of the housing 21 (or the distance from the axis of the connector base 20) at the first flat portion 23a and the second flat portion 23b is constant in the longitudinal direction of the rib 23. However, the height of the rib 23 at the first flat portion 23a is lower than the height of the rib 23 at the second flat portion 23b. The height of the rib 23 at the inclined portion 23c continuously changes from the first flat portion 23a toward the second flat portion 23b. As a result, the diameter of the inscribed circle inscribed in the three ribs 23 is maximum at the first flat portion 23a and minimum at the second flat portion 23b. The diameter of the inscribed circle at the first flat portion 23a is slightly larger than the diameter of the sphere 55 (see FIG. 5). The diameter of the inscribed circle at the second flat portion 23b is smaller than the diameter of the sphere 55 and slightly larger than the outer diameter of the first spring 51 (see FIG. 5).

A pair of first protrusions 25 and a pair of second protrusions 26 protrude radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the housing 21 (see FIG. 5). The first protrusion 25 is a rib-shaped protrusion extending parallel to the X-axis and protrudes in the Y-axis direction. The second protrusion 26 protrudes in the Z-axis direction.

The connector base 20 is made of a hard material (rigid material) and has mechanical strength (rigidity) that does not substantially deform due to external force. The material of the connector base 20 is not limited, but resin materials such as polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyacetal, polystyrene, polyamide, polyethylene, hard polyvinyl chloride, and acrylic-butadiene-styrene copolymer can be used, among others. Polycarbonate is preferred. The connector base 20 can be integrally manufactured as a single component using the above resin material by injection molding or the like.

The first tube 101 is inserted into the proximal end portion 29, and its distal end is in contact with the partition wall 27. The first tube 101 is airtightly connected and fixed to the base end portion 29 by adhesive or the like. The first tube 101 and the inner cavity of the housing 21 communicate with each other via the through hole 28 of the partition wall 27 .

It is preferable that the first tube 101 has pressure resistance against the pressure exerted by the air pump 130 and has flexibility. The material of the first tube 101 is not limited, but for example, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, etc. can be used.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the housing 30. The housing 30 has a generally hollow cylindrical shape with both ends opened in the X-axis direction. A partition wall 31 extending in the radial direction divides the inner cavity of the housing 30 into two in the X-axis direction. The partition wall 31 is provided with a circular through hole 32 coaxial with the housing 30, and the inner cavities on both sides of the partition wall 31 communicate with each other via the through hole 32.

The forward opening of the housing 30 constitutes the connection port 11 (see FIG. 2) of the first connector 10. The edge defining the connection port 11 is circular. A pair of slots 33a and 33b passing through the housing 30 in the Z-axis direction are provided at positions between the connection port 11 and the partition wall 31. The pair of slots 33a and 33b face each other in the Z-axis direction and extend along the YZ plane. A pair of first flat surfaces 34a and a pair of second flat surfaces 34b are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the housing 30 at positions having the same positions in the X-axis direction as the slots 33a and 33b, respectively, facing each other in the Y-axis direction. ing. The first and second flat surfaces 34a and 34b are both planes parallel to the XZ plane. The second flat surface 34b is adjacent to the first flat surface 34a on the lower side, and is retreated radially outward from the first flat surface 34a. For this reason, a step surface 34c parallel to the XY plane is provided between the first flat surface 34a and the second flat surface 34b (see FIG. 4).

The housing 30 is provided with a pair of notches 35 and a pair of holes 36 that penetrate the housing 30 in the radial direction. The pair of notches 35 are opposed to each other in the Y-axis direction, and extend parallel to the X-axis from the edge of the rearward opening of the housing 30 to the partition wall 31, respectively. The pair of holes 36 are arranged behind the partition wall 31 and face each other in the Z-axis direction.

A wall 37 having a substantially trapezoidal shape in plan view projects upward from the upper surface of the housing 30 . In the area surrounded by the wall 37, a slot 33a, a recess 38, and a hole 36 are provided. The recess 38 is a recess having a circular shape in plan view, and is arranged between the slot 33a and the hole 36. A substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped projection 39 projects upward from the bottom surface of the recess 38 . The circular inner wall of the recess 38 and the protrusion 39 are spaced apart from each other. The inner diameter of the recess 38 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the second spring 52 (see FIG. 5).

The housing 30 is made of a hard material and has mechanical strength (rigidity) that does not substantially deform due to external force. The material of the housing 30 is not limited, but for example, resin materials such as polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyacetal, polystyrene, polyamide, polyethylene, hard polyvinyl chloride, and acrylic-butadiene-styrene copolymer can be used. It is preferable that the housing 30 has better toughness than the connector base 20, and from this point of view, the material of the housing 30 is preferably polypropylene. The housing 30 can be integrally manufactured as a single component by injection molding or the like using the above-mentioned resin material.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lock piece 40 seen from below. The lock piece 40 includes a plate-shaped operating section 41 parallel to the XY plane, and a lock frame 42 protruding downward from a position near the front end of the operating section 41. The operating portion 41 has a shape in plan view that fits into a region surrounded by the wall 37 of the housing 30 (see FIGS. 5 and 7).

The lock frame 42 has an approximately "U" shape as a whole. The lock frame 42 includes an arcuate lock portion 45 at its lower portion. The radius of the arc of the inner surface of the lock portion 45 (the surface facing the operating portion 41) is approximately the same as the radius of the circular inner peripheral surface (see FIG. 7) that defines the connection port 11 of the housing 30. A flat surface 44a parallel to the XZ plane is provided on the outer surface of the portion of the lock frame 42 that connects the lock portion 45 and the operating portion 41. The flat surface 44a is located radially inward from the portion of the lock frame 42 that is adjacent to the flat surface 44a on the lower side. For this reason, a step surface 44c parallel to the XY plane is provided at the lower end of the flat surface 44a (see FIG. 4).

The material of the lock piece 40 is not limited, but may be selected from among the resin materials listed as the material of the housing 30 described above. Like the housing 30, the lock piece 40 also preferably has excellent toughness, and from this point of view, the material for the housing 30 is preferably polypropylene. The lock piece 40 can be integrally manufactured as a single piece using the above-mentioned resin material by injection molding or the like.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the cap molded product 60. The cap molded product 60 includes a seal ring 61, a release cap 70, and a bunt 69 connecting these. The seal ring 61 has a circular thin plate shape with a circular opening (through hole) 62 formed in the center. The outer diameter of the seal ring 61 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the portion of the housing 30 on the rear side of the partition wall 31 (on the notch 35 and hole 36 side, see FIG. 7). The inner diameter of the opening 62 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the communicating tubes 72, 82 (see FIG. 2) and smaller than the outer diameter of the ball 55 (see FIG. 5).

The release cap 70 includes a communicating tube 72 and a substantially cylindrical outer tube 74 that is disposed coaxially with the communicating tube 72 and surrounds the communicating tube 72. The communication pipe 72 has a hollow, substantially cylindrical shape with a through hole 73 provided therein. The through hole 73 passes through the release cap 70 along an axis (not shown) of the release cap 70. A tip 72a of the communication tube 72 protrudes beyond the outer cylinder 74. The communication tube 72 is provided with a pair of notches 72b extending from the distal end 72a toward the base end of the communication tube 72. An annular groove 75 and a tapered surface 76 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 74. The annular groove 75 is a continuous groove extending in the circumferential direction. The tapered surface 76 is arranged on the distal end side of the outer cylinder 74 with respect to the annular groove 75, and is a substantially conical surface whose outer diameter decreases toward the distal end. The release cap 70 further includes an operating piece 77 that protrudes along the axis of the release cap 70 toward the side opposite to the communication pipe 72 and the outer cylinder 74. The operating piece 77 is useful when connecting and separating the release cap 70 from the first connector 10.

Band 69 is a thin string that connects seal ring 61 and release cap 70. The band 69 is easily bendable (see FIG. 14, which will be described later).

The cap molded product 60 is made of a soft material (or flexible material) having elasticity (or flexibility) so that it can be deformed relatively easily by external force and immediately recovers to its pre-deformation state (natural state) when the external force is removed. It is preferably made of a so-called elastomer. The material of the cap molded product 60 is not limited, but includes soft polyvinyl chloride, thermoplastic elastomer (e.g., styrene elastomer, olefin elastomer, polyurethane elastomer), rubber (e.g., isoprene rubber, silicone rubber, butyl rubber), etc. I can give an example. The cap molded product 60 can be manufactured integrally as a whole using the above-mentioned materials.

Returning to FIG. 5, the first spring 51 and the second spring 52 are compression coil springs. In this embodiment, the springs 51 and 52 are cylindrical coil springs, but they may also be conical coil springs, barrel-shaped coil springs, hourglass-shaped coil springs, or the like. The material of the springs 51 and 52 is not limited, but steel is preferred, particularly stainless steel.

The sphere 55 is a member having a spherical shape, and is preferably solid. The diameter of the ball 55 is larger than the inner diameter of the first spring 51 at its tip. The material of the ball 55 is not limited, but metal, resin, and rubber can be used. As an example, the ball 55 may be made of a hard material. In this case, the hard material is preferably metal from the viewpoint of durability and reliability, and for example, stainless steel can be used.

The first connector 10 is assembled as follows.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first spring 51 and the ball 55 are sequentially inserted into the housing 21 of the connector base 20. The seal ring 61 of the cap molded product 60 is inserted into the housing 30 through its rearward opening. Band 69 is led out from cutout 35 of housing 30 parallel to the Y axis. Next, the casing 21 containing the first spring 51 and the ball 55 is inserted into the housing 30 through the rearward opening thereof. The first protrusion 25 of the connector base 20 is fitted into the notch 35 of the housing 30. The second protrusion 26 of the connector base 20 is fitted into the hole 36 of the housing 30. The housing 30 is coaxially mounted to the connector base 20.

Subsequently, the lower end of the second spring 52 is fitted into the recess 38 of the housing 30. The circular inner wall of the recess 38 and the protrusion 39 hold the lower end of the second spring 52. Furthermore, the lock frame 42 of the lock piece 40 is inserted into the slot 33a (see FIG. 7) of the housing 30, and the operating portion 41 is fitted into the inner region of the partition wall 37 of the housing 30.

As shown in FIG. 3, the second protrusion 26 of the connector base 20 is engaged with the edge of the hole 36 of the housing 30. As shown in FIG. The seal ring 61 is compressed in the X-axis direction by the tip of the connector base 20 (casing 21) and the partition wall 31 of the housing 30, and is in airtight contact with these. Therefore, the housing 30 is positioned in the X-axis direction with respect to the connector base 20. Moreover, the air in the flow path 12 does not pass between the connector base 20 and the housing 30 and leak to the outside world.

The first protrusion 25 and the second protrusion 26 of the connector base 20 engage with the notch 35 and hole 36 of the housing 30, respectively (see FIG. 5). Therefore, the housing 30 is positioned relative to the connector base 20 in the circumferential direction.

In order for the first spring 51 to be coaxial with the connector base 20, the base end of the first spring 51 (the end on the first tube 101 side) is connected to the partition wall 27 and the second flat part 23b of the three ribs 23 (see FIG. 6). and is held by. A ball 55 is in contact with the first spring 51 in the X-axis direction. The sphere 55 radially faces the first flat portions 23a (see FIG. 6) of the three ribs 23 and is movable in the X-axis direction. The first spring 51 is slightly compressed in the X-axis direction by the partition wall 27 and the ball 55. The elastic restoring force of the first spring 51 presses the ball 55 toward the seal ring 61. The ball 55 is in close contact with the edge defining the opening 62 of the seal ring 61, and airtightly closes the opening 62. Since the seal ring 61 is made of a soft material, an airtight seal can be easily formed between the seal ring 61 and the hard ball 55.

The sealing ring 61 provided with the opening 62, the ball 55, and the first spring 51 pressing the ball 55 toward the sealing ring 61 constitute a valve assembly. The valve assembly is provided on the flow path 12 that connects the base end 29 (or the first tube 101) and the connection port 11. When nothing is connected to the connection port 11 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), the valve assembly hermetically closes the flow path 12. The valve assembly has a similar configuration to a one-way valve. That is, when the pressure on the proximal end 29 side with respect to the opening 62 is the same as or higher than the connection port 11 side, the ball 55 hermetically seals the opening 62 and the proximal end 29 (or This prevents the flow of gas from the flow path 12) toward the connection port 11. The first spring 51 can be compressed to separate the ball 55 from the seal ring 61. At this time, the opening 62 is opened, and the base end portion 29 and the connection port 11 can communicate with each other via the opening 62. That is, in this way, the valve assembly can open and close the flow path 12 leading to the opening 11.

The second spring 52 is slightly compressed in the Z-axis direction by the housing 30 and the operating portion 41 of the lock piece 40 . The elastic restoring force of the second spring 52 pushes the operating section 41 upward. The lock portion 45 of the lock piece 40 is fitted into the slot 33b on the lower side of the housing 30.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the first connector 10 along a plane passing through the lock frame 42 of the lock piece 40. A flat surface 44a of the lock piece 40 faces the first flat surface 34a of the housing 30 in the Y-axis direction. The lock piece 40 is movable in the Z-axis direction relative to the housing 30. However, as described above, the second spring 52 urges the lock piece 40 upward. The elastic restoring force of the second spring 52 brings the stepped surface 44c of the lock piece 40 into contact with the stepped surface 34c of the housing 30 in the Z-axis direction. When the step surface 44c is in contact with the step surface 34c, the lock portion 45 projects slightly upward from the slot 33b (see FIG. 3). The operating section 41 can be pressed down. At this time, the second spring 52 is compressed and the lock portion 45 is housed in the slot 33b.

A state in which neither the second connector 80 nor the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10 (see FIGS. 2 to 4) is referred to as the "initial state" of the first connector 10.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the second connector 80. The second connector 80 includes a connector base (second connector base) 81 provided on the second tube 102 and an O-ring 89. The connector base 81 includes a communication tube 82, a substantially cylindrical outer tube 84 that is arranged coaxially with the communication tube 82 and surrounds the communication tube 82, and a base end portion 88 to which the second tube 102 is connected. The communication pipe 82 has a hollow, substantially cylindrical shape with a through hole 83 provided therein. The through hole 83 passes through the second connector 80 along the axis (not shown) of the second connector 80 . The proximal end portion 88 constitutes the proximal end portion of the second connector 80 . The base end portion 88 has a hollow, substantially cylindrical shape, is arranged coaxially with the communication tube 82 , and communicates with the communication tube 82 . A distal end 82a of the communication tube 82 protrudes beyond the outer cylinder 84. The communication tube 82 is provided with a pair of notches 82b extending from the distal end 82a toward the base end of the communication tube 82. An annular groove 85 and a tapered surface 86 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 84 . The annular groove 85 is a continuous groove extending in the circumferential direction. The tapered surface 86 is arranged on the distal end side of the outer tube 84 with respect to the annular groove 85, and is a substantially conical surface whose outer diameter decreases toward the distal end. A concave groove 87 continuous in the circumferential direction is formed at the tip of the outer cylinder 84. The O-ring 89 is fitted into the groove 87 and held by the connector base 81. The communication pipe 82 and the outer cylinder 84 are compatible with the communication pipe 72 and the outer cylinder 74 (see FIG. 9) of the release cap 70, except for the groove 87 and the O-ring 89 held therein.

The material of the connector base 81 is not limited, but may be selected from among the resin materials listed as the material of the connector base 20 described above. The connector base 81 can be integrally manufactured as a single component using the above-mentioned resin material by injection molding or the like.

The second tube 102 is inserted into the proximal end portion 88, and is airtightly connected and fixed to the proximal end portion 88 by adhesive or the like. The second tube 102 and the through hole 83 of the communication tube 82 communicate with each other.

It is preferable that the second tube 102 has pressure resistance against the pressure exerted by the air pump 130 and has flexibility. The material of the second tube 102 is not limited, but may be selected from among the materials listed as the material of the first tube 101 described above.

O-ring 89 is used to form an airtight seal between first connector 10 and second connector 80. The material for the O-ring 89 is not limited, but rubbers such as silicone rubber, urethane rubber, fluororubber, and nitrile rubber are preferable.

The connector 1 of this embodiment can be provided on the air flow path connecting the pressurized bag 110 and the air pump 130 in the extrusion device 100, as shown in FIG. The first connector 10 is provided on a first tube 101 that communicates with a pressurized bag 110. The second connector 80 is provided on the second tube 102 that communicates with the air pump 130 (see FIG. 2).

The air pump 130 is a manual piston pump that can deliver air to the second tube 102 by reciprocating the handle 132 with respect to the pump base 131. Air sent from the air pump 130 is sent to the pressurized bag 110 via the second tube 102, the connector 1, the first tube 101, and the connecting pipe 119.

The pressurized bag 110 has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, is open at an opening 112 on one side (first short side), and has a bottom 113 on the side opposite to the opening 112 (second short side). It is a bag-like object (see Patent Document 3). FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the pressurized bag 110. A storage chamber 111 connected to an opening 112 is provided within the pressurized bag 110 . The storage chamber 111 communicates with the outside world only through the opening 112. The pressurized bag 110 has a double structure in which an inner sheet 115 and an outer sheet 116 are overlapped such that the outer sheet 116 is located on the opposite side of the storage chamber 111 with respect to the inner sheet 115. Inner sheet 115 and outer sheet 116 are sealed to each other along their outer peripheral edges so that a sealed pressurized chamber 117 is formed between inner sheet 115 and outer sheet 116. The pressurizing chamber 117 extends from one side to the other side with respect to the storage chamber 111 via the bottom portion 113. A connecting pipe 119 is provided on the outer sheet 116 so as to communicate with the pressurizing chamber 117. A bag-like container 150 (see FIG. 1) filled with a liquid substance to be administered to a patient during enteral nutrition is stored in the storage chamber 111 through the opening 112. In this state, air is sent into the pressurizing chamber 117 via the connecting pipe 119. The pressurized bag 110 expands and compresses the bag-like container 150 within the storage chamber 111.

The inner sheet 115 and the outer sheet 116 have flexibility (or softness) that allows them to be easily deformed. The sheets 115 and 116 also have sealing properties that prevent air from leaking to the outside world even if air is injected into the pressurizing chamber 117 to a predetermined pressure (generally 40 to 60 kPa), and the pressurizing bag 110 does not burst. It is preferable to have mechanical strength. The material for the sheets 115 and 116 is not limited as long as it satisfies the above characteristics, and for example, resin materials such as polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, and soft polyvinyl chloride can be used. In order to effectively pressurize the bag-like container 150 in the storage chamber 111 when the pressurizing chamber 117 is expanded, the outer sheet 116 preferably has substantially no elasticity. Each of the sheets 115 and 116 may be a laminated sheet in which a plurality of layers made of different materials are laminated. The materials of the inner sheet 115 and the outer sheet 116 may be the same or different.

The communication pipe 119 may be made of any material as long as it can communicate the pressurized chamber 117 with the outside world. It may be either a hard material that does not substantially deform or a soft material that is easily deformable. Examples of hard materials include resin materials and metal materials. Examples of the soft material include rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, and soft polyvinyl chloride.

Returning to FIG. 1, the connecting pipe 119 is connected to the first tube 101. A pressure gauge 120 is provided at the connector that connects the connecting pipe 119 to the first tube 101. The pressure gauge 120 displays the pressure of the air within the pressurizing chamber 117 (see FIG. 11). The pressure gauge 120 has a limiter function that releases air to the outside world when the pressure in the pressurization chamber 117 exceeds a predetermined value, thereby reducing the pressure in the pressurization chamber 117 below the predetermined value.

A procedure for performing enteral nutrition using the extrusion device 100 will be explained.

First, an extrusion device 100 shown in FIG. 1 is prepared. The pressurizing chamber 117 (see FIG. 11) of the pressurizing bag 110 has not yet been inflated.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the connector 1 in which the first connector 10 and the second connector 80 are connected. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the connector 1 along a plane including line 13-13 in FIG. 12. The second connector 80 is inserted into the connection port 11 of the first connector 10 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). More specifically, the communication tube 82 of the second connector 80 passes through the through hole 32 provided in the partition wall 31 of the housing 30 and the opening 62 provided in the seal ring 61 in order, and passes from the seal ring 61 to the base end 29. protrudes to the side. The distal end 82a of the communication tube 82 contacts the ball 55, and moves the ball 55 toward the base end 29 side. The ball 55 is spaced apart from the seal ring 61 in the X-axis direction. The first spring 51 is compressed and deformed. The flow path 12 of the first connector 10 communicates with the through hole 83 of the communication tube 82 via a notch 82b provided in the communication tube 82. Therefore, the first tube 101, the flow path 12, the notch 82b, the through hole 83, and the second tube 102 communicate in this order.

The lock portion 45 of the lock piece 40 of the first connector 10 is fitted into an annular groove 85 provided in the outer cylinder 84 of the second connector 80. That is, the lock piece 40 (particularly its lock portion 45) is engaged with the second connector 80 (particularly its outer cylinder 84). The second connector 80 cannot be separated from the first connector 10 unless the engagement of the lock portion 45 with the second connector 80 is released. The lock piece 40 (particularly the lock portion 45 thereof) functions as a "lock mechanism" for maintaining the state in which the second connector 80 is connected to the first connector 10. The state in which the lock mechanism is activated (that is, the state in which the lock portion 45 is engaged with the second connector 80) is referred to as a "locked state."

To connect the second connector 80 to the first connector 10 in the initial state (see FIGS. 2 and 3), it is only necessary to insert the second connector 80 into the connection port 11 of the first connector 10. When the second connector 80 is inserted into the connection port 11 of the first connector 10 in the state shown in FIG. come into contact with When the second connector 80 is further pushed into the first connector 10, the tapered surface 86 moves the lock part 45 downward while sliding on the lock part 45. Then, when the annular groove 85 moves above the lock part 45, the elastic restoring force of the second spring 52 pushes the lock piece 40 upward, and the lock part 45 fits into the annular groove 85 (see FIG. 13). Thus, in this embodiment, simply inserting the second connector 80 into the connection port 11 of the first connector 10 automatically activates the locking mechanism (that is, shifts to the locked state). Since the tapered surface 86 and the annular groove 85 are continuously provided over the entire circumference of the second connector 80, alignment of the second connector 80 in the rotational direction around the axis with respect to the first connector 10 is not necessary.

When the lock portion 45 fits into the annular groove 85, a click sound is generated. The operator can confirm by this click sound that the second connector 80 is correctly connected to the first connector 10 and that the locking mechanism has shifted to the locked state.

An O-ring 89 provided at the tip of the outer cylinder 84 of the second connector 80 is in contact with the partition wall 31 of the first connector 10 in the X-axis direction. The O-ring 89 is compressed in the X-axis direction by the outer cylinder 84 and the partition wall 31 to form an airtight seal therebetween. This reliably prevents the air in the flow path 12 from leaking to the outside world through the space between the first connector 10 (partition wall 31) and the second connector 80 (outer tube 84).

Returning to FIG. 1, a bag-like container 150 filled with a liquid substance (enteral nutrition) to be administered to a patient is inserted into the storage chamber 111 (see FIG. 11) through the opening 112 of the pressurized bag 110. The bag-like container 150 is constructed by pasting together flexible sheets, and is also called a "pouch" or a "laminate pack." The upstream end of a flexible tube (eg, an enteral feeding set, not shown) is connected to port 152 of bag-like container 150 . The downstream end of the tube is connected to a catheter placed in the patient. The catheter may be, for example, a gastrostomy catheter inserted into a gastrostomy formed in the patient's abdomen. The tube is provided with a clamp for opening and closing the flow path. At this stage, the tube flow path is closed by a clamp.

The air pump 130 is operated to send air into the pressurizing chamber 117 (see FIG. 11) of the pressurizing bag 110. The pressurizing bag 110 expands and pressurizes the bag-like container 150 housed in the storage chamber 111. However, since the flow path of the tube is closed, the liquid cannot flow out from the bag-like container 150.

The pressure inside the pressurizing chamber 117 can be confirmed with a pressure gauge 120. After confirming that the pressure within the pressurizing chamber 117 has reached a predetermined value (for example, 40 kPa), the second connector 80 is separated from the first connector 10. Separation is possible by pressing down the operating portion 41 of the lock piece 40 in FIG. When the operating part 41 is pressed down, the locking part 45 descends and escapes from the annular groove 85 of the second connector 80. The engagement of the lock portion 45 with the second connector 80 is released. That is, the locking mechanism is in a non-operating state (unlocked state). The pressurized chamber 117 and the first tube 101 and channel 12 communicating therewith are under high pressure. This high pressure causes the ball 55 to move toward the seal ring 61 as soon as the locking mechanism transitions to the unlocked state. The ball 55 is in close contact with the edge defining the opening 62 of the seal ring 61 and seals the opening 62 airtightly. The moving ball 55 pushes out the communication tube 82 of the second connector 80. The second connector 80 is pushed out from the first connector 10. The elastic restoring force of the first spring 51 helps move the ball 55 and push out the second connector 80 from the first connector 10 . When the finger is released from the operating portion 41, the second spring 52 raises the lock piece 40.

Thus, the second connector 80 is separated from the first connector 10, and the first connector 10 returns to its initial state (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Next, a clamp provided on the tube connecting the bag-like container 150 and the catheter is operated to open the flow path of the tube. The inflated pressurized bag 110 compresses the pouch 150 and the liquid within the pouch 150 is forced out of the port 152 and toward the patient. Since the sphere 55 closes the opening 62 of the seal ring 61 (see FIG. 3), the air within the pressurizing chamber 117 does not leak to the outside world. The volume reduction of the bag-like container 150 due to the liquid flowing out from the bag-like container 150 is slight. The pressurizing bag 110 continues to compress the bag-like container 150 while the pressurizing chamber 117 maintains a substantially constant pressure.

After the liquid is pushed out from the bag-like container 150, the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10, as shown in FIG. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the connector 1 along a plane including line 15-15 in FIG. 14. In FIGS. 14 and 15, illustration of the second connector 80 and the second tube 102 is omitted. As described above, the communication tube 72 and outer tube 74 of the release cap 70 are compatible with the communication tube 82 and outer tube 84 of the second connector 80. Therefore, the release cap 70 can be connected to the first connector 10 in substantially the same manner as the second connector 80. By grasping the operating piece 77, the release cap 70 can be easily connected to the first connector 10.

The communication tube 72 of the release cap 70 passes through the through hole 32 of the housing 30 and the opening 62 of the seal ring 61 in this order, and projects from the seal ring 61 toward the base end 29 side. The distal end 72a of the communication tube 72 contacts the ball 55, and moves the ball 55 toward the base end 29 side. The ball 55 is spaced apart from the seal ring 61 in the X-axis direction. The first spring 51 is compressed and deformed. The flow path 12 of the first connector 10 communicates with the through hole 73 of the communication tube 72 via a notch 72b provided in the communication tube 72. Therefore, the air in the pressurizing chamber 117 (see FIG. 11) passes through the first tube 101, the flow path 12, the notch 72b, and the through hole 73 in this order and is released to the outside world. The pressure within the pressurized chamber 117 is released. The flattened bag-shaped container 150 is taken out from the pressurizing chamber 117 of the pressurizing bag 110. The pressurized bag is crushed to completely release the air inside the pressurized chamber 117 to the outside world.

The lock portion 45 of the lock piece 40 of the first connector 10 is fitted into an annular groove 75 provided in the outer cylinder 74 of the release cap 70. That is, the lock piece 40 (particularly its lock portion 45) is engaged with the release cap 70 (particularly its outer cylinder 74). The locking mechanism is in the locked state. Therefore, once the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10, the air in the pressurizing chamber 117 can be released without touching the release cap 70.

Thereafter, the user presses down the operating portion 41 to release the lock portion 45 from the release cap 70 (unlocked state). The elastic restoring force of the first spring 51 pushes the ball 55 toward the seal ring 61. The ball 55 is in close contact with the edge defining the opening 62 of the seal ring 61 and seals the opening 62 airtightly. The moving ball 55 pushes out the communication tube 72 of the release cap 70. If necessary, grasp the operation piece 77 and pull out the release cap 70 from the first connector 10. The release cap 70 is separated from the first connector 10. The first connector 10 returns to its initial state (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

As described above, the extrusion device 100 includes the connector 1 on the air flow path that connects the pressurized bag 110 and the air pump 130 (see FIG. 1). The first connector 10 is communicated with the pressurized bag 110 via the first tube 101, and the second connector 80 is communicated with the air pump 130 via the second tube 102. When inflating the pressurized bag 110 with the air pump 130, the second connector 80 is connected to the first connector 10 so that the pressurized bag 110 is communicated with the air pump 130 (see FIGS. 1, 12, and 13). ). When the pressurized bag 110 reaches a predetermined pressure and inflates, the first connector 10 is connected to the second connector 80 in order to cut off the communication between the pressurized bag 110 and the air pump 130 and prevent air from leaking from the pressurized bag 110. Separate (see Figures 2 and 3). After the liquid is pushed out from the bag-like container 150, the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10 so that the air inside the pressurized bag 110 is released to the outside world (see FIGS. 14 and 15). The items connected to the first connector 10 are sequentially changed according to the progress of enteral nutrition. By simply looking at the connector 1 and confirming what is or is not connected to the first connector 10, it is possible to intuitively understand where the pressurizing bag 110 is connected.

As described above, in the conventional extrusion apparatus, a three-way stopcock is provided on the air flow path connecting the pressurized bag and the air pump. The three-way stopcock can switch the communication state of the air flow path by rotating the handle every 90 degrees. However, in a typical three-way stopcock, the air flow path inside the stopcock cannot be directly observed, and it is necessary to estimate the communication state of the air flow path from the rotational position of the handle. For this reason, caregivers who are unfamiliar with three-way stopcocks are unable to understand what is connected to the pressurized bag, making it difficult to use extrusion devices equipped with three-way stopcocks.

In the connector 1 of this embodiment, the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 can be selectively connected to the first connector 10. Therefore, unlike a three-way stopcock, it is easy to understand what is connected to the pressurizing bag 110 from the state of the connector 1. In this way, according to the connecting device 1, when the connecting device 1 is installed in an air flow path, it is possible to intuitively understand whether the air flow path is switched to communication, blocking, or opening to the outside world. It's easy. Therefore, unlike conventional extrusion devices, the extrusion device 100 equipped with the connector 1 does not include a three-way stopcock, and therefore can be easily operated even by a caregiver who is unfamiliar with three-way stopcocks.

The first connector 10 includes a valve assembly that opens and closes a flow path 12 passing through the first connector 10 . The valve assembly is configured to prevent the flow of gas toward the connection port 11 through the flow path 12 when neither the second connector 80 nor the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10. (See Figure 3). When the second connector 80 is connected to the first connector 10, the second connector 80 acts on the valve assembly and the valve assembly opens the flow path 12 (see FIG. 13). When the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10, the release cap 70 acts on the valve assembly and the valve assembly opens the flow path 12 (see FIG. 15). In this way, the valve assembly opens the flow path 12 in conjunction with the connection of the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 to the first connector 10. Opening of the flow path 12 by the valve assembly is achieved by the second connector 80 and release cap 70 acting directly on the valve assembly. In order to open the valve assembly, no special members other than the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 are required, and no special operation is required other than connecting the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 to the first connector 10. Not necessary. This is advantageous in simplifying the configuration of the first connector 10 (and furthermore, the connecting tool 1), simplifying the opening operation of the valve assembly, and eliminating the possibility of forgetting to open the valve assembly.

The second connector 80 and the release cap 70 are inserted into and removed from the connection port 11 of the first connector 10 . The valve assembly is provided in a flow path 12 that connects to the connection port 11 of the first connector 10 . Therefore, a configuration in which the second connector 80 connected to (or inserted into) the first connector 10 and the release cap 70 act on the valve assembly can be easily realized.

The valve assembly includes a seal ring 61 provided with an opening 62 and a ball (valve body) 55 that can airtightly seal the opening 62 of the seal ring 61. The seal ring 61 is provided on the flow path 12 so that the flow path 12 passes through the opening 62. The seal ring 61 is arranged on the connection port 11 side with respect to the ball 55. The sphere 55 is provided in the flow path 12 and is movable along the flow path 12 (that is, along the moving direction (X-axis) of the air flowing through the flow path 12). As a result, when the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 are inserted into the connection port 11, the tip 82a of the second connector 80 and the tip 72a of the release cap 70 separate the ball 55 from the seal ring 61, ensuring that the flow path 12 is closed. can be opened to Moreover, when the second connector 80 is pulled out from the connection port 11, the high pressure inside the pressurized bag 110 moves the ball 55 toward the seal ring 61, thereby making it possible to reliably close the flow path 12. Therefore, the flow path 12 is opened in conjunction with the connection of the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 to the first connector 10, and the flow path 12 is closed in conjunction with the separation of the second connector 80 from the first connector 10. It is possible to realize a valve assembly with a simple configuration.

The valve assembly further includes a first elastic member (first spring 51) that urges the ball 55 toward the seal ring 61. Thereby, even if the pressurized bag 110 is not inflated, upon separating the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 from the first connector 10, the valve assembly immediately closes the flow path 12. Thereafter, the valve assembly continues to securely close the flow path 12 until the first connector 10 is connected to the second connector 80 or the release cap 70. For example, if the extrusion device 100 is left unconnected to the first connector 10 when it is not in use, dirt that has entered from the connection port 11 may get stuck on the edge of the opening 62 of the seal ring 61 or on the ball 55. This is advantageous in preventing the problem of the seal ring 61 adhering to the ball 55 and reducing the airtightness of the seal formed between the seal ring 61 and the ball 55.

Seal ring 61 is made of a soft material. This improves the airtightness of the seal formed between the seal ring 61 and the ball 55. Further, as the ball 55, it becomes possible to use a commonly used and inexpensive metal ball.

The connector 1 includes a locking mechanism that maintains the state in which the second connector 80 is connected to the first connector 10. The locking mechanism prevents the second connector 80 from unintentionally separating from the first connector 10. Therefore, it is easy to inflate the pressurizing bag 110 until the pressurizing chamber 117 reaches a desired pressure.

When the second connector 80 is connected to the first connector 10, the locking mechanism is immediately activated to maintain the connected state and enters the locked state. No special operation is required to lock the locking mechanism. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a problem in which the second connector 80 is unintentionally separated from the first connector 10 by forgetting to switch the locking mechanism to the locked state.

The locking mechanism operates in the same manner for the release cap 70 as it does for the first connector 10. That is, when the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10, the locking mechanism is immediately activated to maintain the connected state and enters the locked state. No special operation is required to lock the locking mechanism. Therefore, when releasing the air in the pressurizing chamber 117 to the outside world, it is not necessary to continue holding the release cap 70 by hand so that the release cap 70 does not separate from the first connector 10.

A locking mechanism is provided in the first connector 10. Therefore, a locking mechanism that acts on both the first connector 10 and the release cap 70 can be realized with a simple configuration.

The locking mechanism includes a lock piece 40 provided on the first connector 10. The lock piece 40 is movable along a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 are inserted into and removed from the connection port 11 (X-axis direction). The lock piece 40 (particularly the lock portion 45 thereof) can be engaged with the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 when the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 are connected to the first connector 10. Since the moving direction (Z-axis direction) of the lock piece 40 is perpendicular to the insertion/extraction direction (X-axis direction) of the second connector 80 and the release cap 70, the lock piece 40 is once attached to the second connector 80 and the release cap 70. Once engaged, there is a low possibility that the engagement will be unintentionally released even if a tensile force is applied to the second connector 80 and the release cap 70. This improves the reliability of the locking mechanism that maintains the state in which the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 are connected to the first connector 10.

The locking mechanism further includes a second elastic member (second spring 52) provided on the first connector 10. The second elastic member elastically biases the lock piece 40 so that the lock piece 40 remains engaged with the second connector 80 and the release cap 70. This reduces the possibility that the lock piece 40 will be unintentionally disengaged from the second connector 80 and the release cap 70, and also facilitates disengagement when necessary. It's advantageous.

Release cap 70 is connected to first connector 10 via flexible band 69 (see FIG. 2). Therefore, the release cap 70 can be connected to the first connector 10 immediately when necessary. Furthermore, the possibility of losing the small release cap 70 when the release cap 70 is not connected to the first connector 10 is low.

The seal ring 61 and the release cap 70 are integrally molded as one part (cap molded product 60) via a flexible band 69 (see FIGS. 5 and 9). Since the members made of soft materials among the members constituting the connector 1 are integrated as one component, the number of members constituting the connector 1 is reduced, and the connector 1 can be provided at low cost.

The embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate.

The configuration of the valve assembly is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be arbitrarily changed.

The valve assembly may not include the first spring 51. In this case, if a gas flow toward the connection port 11 through the flow path 12 occurs when neither the second connector 80 nor the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10, Similar to a valve, the bulb 55 is moved by the flow of gas to hermetically seal the opening 62. That is, the valve assembly of the present invention, regardless of whether or not the first spring 51 is provided, opens the flow path 12 when neither the second connector 80 nor the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10. This prevents the flow of gas towards the connection port 11.

By allowing the partition wall 31 of the housing 30 to function as a seal ring constituting the valve assembly, the seal ring 61 can be omitted. In this case, the ball 55 hermetically seals the opening (through hole) 32 of the partition wall 31 as a seal ring. In order to improve airtightness, at least one of the partition wall 31 and the bulb 55 may be made of a soft material. As the soft material, the above-mentioned materials can be used for the seal ring 61 or the O-ring 89.

In the above embodiment, the valve assembly includes a ball 55 as a valve body that opens and closes the opening 62 of the seal ring 61. Since the sphere 55 has no anisotropy, it performs stable opening and closing operations regardless of its orientation. However, the valve body constituting the valve assembly of the present invention is not limited to the ball 55, and may be any arbitrary material, such as a conical body that can fit into the opening 62 or a flat plate that can fit tightly against the seal ring 61 so as to close the opening 62. It may have a shape. Many of the configurations known as one-way valves are applicable to the valve assembly of the present invention.

The configuration of the locking mechanism is also not limited to the above embodiment, and can be changed arbitrarily. The structure of the locking mechanism is arbitrary as long as it can maintain the connection state between the first connector 10 and the second connector 80 (and the release cap 70).

For example, the locking mechanism may include a swingable lever provided on the first connector 10 and a pawl provided at the tip of the lever that can engage with the second connector 80 (and release cap 70). Good too.

The locking mechanism may be provided not in the first connector 10 but in the second connector 80 (and the release cap 70).

In the above embodiment, the locking mechanism is configured to automatically switch to the locked state when the second connector 80 and release cap 70 are connected to the first connector 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, after connecting the second connector 80 or the release cap 70 to the first connector 10, a special operation may be required to switch the locking mechanism to the locked state.

The locking mechanism may be configured to switch between a locked state and an unlocked state by rotating the second connector 80 (and release cap 70) relative to the first connector 10 around an axis. For example, the first connector 10 and the engagement structure (for example, a claw, a screw, etc.) are arranged such that engagement and disengagement are switched when the second connector 80 (and release cap 70) is rotated relative to the first connector 10. It may be provided for each of the second connectors 80 (and release caps 70).

In the above embodiment, the locking mechanism also maintains the state in which the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10, but the locking mechanism does not have to maintain the state in which the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10. Good too.

The connector of the present invention does not need to include a locking mechanism. For example, the connecting tool of the present invention is configured such that the state in which the second connector 80 is connected to the first connector 10 is maintained by the frictional force between the first connector 10 and the second connector 80. Good too. Similarly, the connector of the present invention may be configured such that the release cap 70 is maintained connected to the first connector 10 by the frictional force between the first connector 10 and the release cap 70. good. The above-mentioned frictional force can be generated, for example, by fitting a male tapered surface and a female tapered surface (so-called taper fitting).

The configuration of the first connector 10 is also not limited to the above embodiment. It is not essential that the first connector 10 include the housing 30 and the connector base 20. In the above embodiment, the connection port 11 and the base end portion 29 are provided in separate parts (the housing 30 and the connector base 20), but they may be provided in a common part.

Although the seal ring 61, release cap 70, and bunt 69 are integrated as the cap molded product 60, one of these may be a separate part independent from the other two, or All may be separate parts independent of each other.

In the above embodiment, the springs 51 and 52 are used as the first and second elastic members, but the first and second elastic members are not limited to this. The first and second elastic members can be made of any material (for example, rubber) that has an elastic restoring force that deforms when an external force is applied and immediately returns to the initial state when the external force is removed, and their shape There are no limits.

The configuration of the second connector 80 is also not limited to the above embodiment.

In the above embodiment, the O-ring 89 was provided as a sealing member that airtightly seals between the first connector 10 and the second connector 80 when the second connector 80 is connected to the first connector 10. , the configuration of the sealing member is not limited to the O-ring 89. For example, the seal member may be an annular thin plate similar to the seal ring 61. The sealing member may be provided on the first connector 10 instead of the second connector 80. The sealing member does not need to be placed between the first connector 10 and the second connector 80 in the axial direction (X-axis direction); for example, the sealing member may be placed between the first connector 10 and the second connector 80 in the radial direction. It may be arranged so that the

If the space between the first connector 10 and the second connector 80 is airtightly sealed, there is no need to provide a special sealing member such as the O-ring 89. For example, the second connector 80 (connector base 81) may be made of a soft material. As the soft material, the above-mentioned materials can be used for the seal ring 61 or the O-ring 89. Alternatively, the connection port 11 of the first connector 10 may be provided with a female taper surface, the second connector 80 may be provided with a male taper surface, and the female taper surface and the male taper surface may be airtightly fitted in a tapered manner.

In the embodiments described above, the release cap 70 was connected to the first connector 10 via a flexible band 69 (see FIG. 2). This is advantageous in preventing the release cap 70 from being lost. However, the band 69 may be omitted and the release cap 70 may be independent from the first connector 10.

Although the release cap 70 is made of a soft material in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be made of the same hard material as the second connector 80, for example.

The configuration of the extrusion device can also be changed arbitrarily.

The pressurized bag can be inflated and deflated, and its configuration is arbitrary as long as it can compress the bag-like container 150. It is not necessary that the pressurized bag be configured to compress the bag-like container 150 within the pressurized bag. As in Patent Document 1, a pressurized bag may be placed on only one side of the bag-like container 150, or as in Patent Document 2, two pressurized bags may be placed on both sides of the bag-like container 150. may be done.

The configuration of the air pump is also arbitrary. The air pump may be electrically powered.

The configuration of the pressure gauge is also arbitrary. The extrusion device does not need to be equipped with a pressure gauge.

In the above embodiment, after the pressure chamber 117 reaches a predetermined pressure, the liquid material is pushed out from the bag-like container 150 with the second connector 80 separated from the first connector 10. Not limited. For example, the liquid may be pushed out from the bag-like container 150 while the second connector 80 is connected to the first connector 10. In this case, after the liquid is pushed out from the bag-like container 150, the second connector 80 is separated from the first connector 10, and the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10 instead.

The extrusion device of the present invention compresses a bag-like container filled with a liquid substance. The liquid material is not limited to enteral nutrition, but may include any liquid material used in the medical field or any liquid material used outside the medical field, such as contrast media, hyaluronic acid, physiological saline, and blood. You can.

The connector of the present invention can be used in any air flow path other than extrusion devices used for enteral nutrition. The connector of the present invention can be used in an air flow path provided with a three-way stopcock in place of the three-way stopcock. Furthermore, the connector of the present invention can also be used in any air flow path that is not provided with a three-way stopcock.

The present invention can be preferably utilized in the medical field, particularly in enteral nutrition, although there is no limitation thereto.

1 Connector 10 First connector 11 Connection port 12 Channel 40 Lock piece 45 Lock portion 51 First spring (first elastic member)
52 Second spring (second elastic member)
55 Ball (valve body)
61 Seal ring 62 Seal ring opening 69 Band 70 Release cap 80 Second connector 89 O-ring (sealing member)
100 Extrusion device 110 Pressure bag 130 Air pump 150 Bag-shaped container

Claims (15)

a first connector having a connection port and a flow path connected to the connection port, and
A gas flow path connector comprising a second connector and a release cap that can be inserted into and removed from the connection port and connected to and separated from the first connector,
The first connector includes a valve assembly capable of opening and closing the flow path of the first connector,
When the second connector is connected to the first connector, the second connector acts on the valve assembly so that the flow path is opened, so that the first connector and the second connector communicate with each other,
when the release cap is connected to the first connector, the release cap acts on the valve assembly to open the flow path, allowing gas to escape from the first connector to the outside world;
When neither the second connector nor the release cap is connected to the first connector, the valve assembly blocks the flow of gas toward the connection port through the flow path. Connector for flow path. The valve assembly includes a seal ring provided with an opening, and a valve body capable of airtightly sealing the opening of the seal ring,
The seal ring is arranged on the connection port side with respect to the valve body so that the flow path passes through the opening of the seal ring,
The gas flow path connector according to claim 1, wherein the valve body is movable along the flow path. The gas flow path connector according to claim 2, wherein the valve assembly further includes a first elastic member that urges the valve body toward the seal ring. The gas flow path connector according to claim 2 or 3, wherein at least one of the seal ring and the valve body is made of a soft material. The gas flow path connector according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the seal ring and the release cap are integrally formed as one piece via a flexible band. The gas flow path connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the release cap is connected to the first connector via a flexible band. The gas flow path connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a locking mechanism that maintains a state in which the second connector is connected to the first connector. The gas flow path connection according to claim 7, wherein the locking mechanism operates to maintain the state in which the second connector is connected to the first connector when the second connector is connected to the first connector. Ingredients. The gas flow path connection according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the locking mechanism operates to maintain the state in which the release cap is connected to the first connector when the release cap is connected to the first connector. Ingredients. The gas flow path connector according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the locking mechanism is provided on the first connector. The locking mechanism includes a lock piece provided on the first connector so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the second connector is inserted into and removed from the connection port,
The gas flow path connector according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the lock piece is engageable with the second connector. The locking mechanism further includes a second elastic member provided on the first connector,
The gas flow path connector according to claim 11, wherein the second elastic member elastically biases the lock piece so that the lock piece remains engaged with the second connector. a seal that prevents gas flowing through the flow path of the first connector from leaking to the outside world through between the first connector and the second connector when the second connector is connected to the first connector; The gas flow path connector according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the member is provided on the first connector or the second connector. A pressurized bag that can be inflated and deflated, an air pump for injecting air into the pressurized bag, and a connector provided on an air flow path connecting the pressurized bag and the air pump, An extrusion device configured such that the expanded pressurized bag compresses a bag-like container filled with a liquid substance and extrudes the liquid substance from the bag-like container,
The connector is the gas flow path connector according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
An extrusion device, wherein the first connector is in communication with the pressurized bag and the second connector is in communication with the air pump. The extrusion device according to claim 14, wherein the liquid is an enteral nutritional supplement.