JPH09308694A - Liquid duct connecting instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent erroneous connection, to improve safety and to prevent the leakage of liquid or the entering of foreign matters or bacteria at a connector connecting part. SOLUTION: A liquid duct connecting instrument 1 is composed of a 1st connector 2 connected through a tube 11 to a container 10 with nutritive agent and a 2nd connector 5 connectable to the 1st connector 2. The 1st connector 2 is composed of a cylindrical body 3 and a sealing member 4 installed inside so as to seal the internal duct of the 1st connector 2. The sealing member 4 is composed of a substrate hardened to the extent of disabling the insertion of a needle pipe, engage part 42 and thin thickness part to be broken installed between them. The 2nd connector 5 is composed of a connector main body 6, outer cylinder 7 and seal ring. The respective blades of the engage part and plural ribs 62 to be respectively engaged with them are formed at a rotational operating part 61 inside the main body 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid flow path connecting device that can be installed and used, for example, at a discharge port of a nutrient solution container.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An infusion container such as an infusion bag or an infusion bottle is provided with a rubber stopper for sealing the outlet, and when the infusion solution in the infusion container is administered to a patient, the rubber is used. A bottle needle is pierced through the stopper, and the infusion solution is taken out through the bottle needle and a tube connected to the bottle needle.

On the other hand, brick containers, bottles, cans and the like have been mainly used as containers for storing liquid nutrients used for oral administration, nasal administration, stomach administration, enteral administration, etc. There has been a trend toward using nutritional supplement containers that have or can be connected to an outlet similar to that of the container.

A nutritional supplement container having such an outlet is
In general use, it is considered that the connecting needle for infusion is not connected. However, since the appearance of the nutrient solution container and the infusion solution container may be similar, if the user misidentifies the nutritional solution container as an infusion solution container, insert a needle tube such as a bottle needle into the discharge port of the nutritional solution container. Therefore, it cannot be said that there is a possibility of intravenous administration.

Liquid nutritional supplements are permitted only for so-called tube administrations such as oral administration, nasal administration, gastric administration and enteral administration. Therefore, due to such misconception, intravenous administration of liquid nutritional supplements should be avoided. If done, a serious accident may be caused.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid flow path connecting device which can prevent erroneous connection and cannot easily open a flow path without a dedicated device.

[0007]

These objects are achieved by the inventions (1) to (12) below.

(1) Connected to a container for containing a liquid,
A liquid flow path connecting device having a first connector including a sealing member made of a hard material that seals an internal flow path so that the internal flow path can be opened, and a second connector connectable to the first connector, When the first connector and the second connector are connected to each other, a sealing means for holding the flow paths near the connecting portions in a liquid-tight manner and an opening means for releasing the sealing by the sealing member are provided. Characteristic liquid channel connector.

(2) The sealing member includes a hard substrate,
The liquid flow path connecting device according to (1) above, which includes an engagement portion and a break portion provided between the engagement portions.

(3) The liquid according to (2), wherein the substrate is installed in a central portion of the first connector and has an outer diameter that is equal to or larger than a minimum diameter of an internal flow path of the first connector. Flow path connection device.

(4) The liquid channel connector according to (2) or (3), wherein at least the substrate of the sealing member has a hardness and rigidity such that it cannot be pierced by a needle tube.

(5) The unsealing means is installed in the second connector, and is constituted by a rotary operation part that engages with the engaging part and rotates it to break and open the breaking part. The liquid flow path connector according to any one of (2) to (4) above.

(6) The first connector has a tubular body, and the sealing member is installed in the tubular body without protruding from a front end opening of the tubular body.
The liquid flow path connecting device according to any one of 1.

(7) When the first connector and the second connector are connected, after the sealing function of the sealing means is exerted, it can be opened by the opening means. The liquid channel connector according to any one of (6).

(8) The sealing means is made of an elastic material, and comprises a seal ring interposed between the first connector and the second connector when connecting the first connector and the second connector. ) The liquid flow path connecting device according to any one of 1).

(9) The liquid flow path connector according to any one of the above (1) to (8), which has locking means for maintaining the connection state of the first connector and the second connector.

(10) The locking means has a claw portion formed on one of the first connector and the second connector and a concave portion formed on the other and through which the claw portion can pass. The liquid flow path connecting device according to (9) above, which is configured by a contact member of the claw portion.

(11) The above-mentioned (9) or (1), wherein the unsealing means is actuated in association with the operation of actuating the locking means to release the sealing by the sealing member.
The liquid flow path connector according to 0).

(12) The above (1) to (11) having a shielding means for shielding the internal space of the first connector and / or the second connector in a state before the connection between the first connector and the second connector. ) The liquid flow path connecting device according to any one of 1).

[0020]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The liquid flow path connecting device of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the liquid flow path connecting device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the constitution of the sealing member of the liquid flow path connecting device shown in FIG. 1 in a sealed state. , Fig. 3
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the sealing member in the unsealed state (broken state), and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the connector body and the seal ring of the second connector in the liquid channel connector shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the liquid channel connector of FIG. 1 in a connector-connected state. In addition, in the following description, the left side of FIGS. 1 and 5 is referred to as a “proximal end”, and the right side thereof is referred to as a “distal end”.

As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid channel connector 1 of the present invention comprises a first connector 2 connected to the container 10 side.
And a second connector 5 connectable to the first connector 2.

A proximal end of a tube 11 made of polyvinyl chloride, for example, is connected to the container 10 by, for example, fusion bonding or adhesion, and a connecting pipe 34 of the first connector 2 is liquid-tightly connected to the distal end of the tube 11. It is inserted and connected. The container 10 in the present embodiment is a nutrient container for containing a liquid nutrient, and is composed of a flexible bag-shaped bag. However, in the present invention, the use of the container 10, the type of liquid contained therein, etc. are not particularly limited, and the form of the container 10 is not limited to a bag, but is a hard one such as a bottle. It may be a (rigid body).

The first connector 2 is composed of a cylindrical tubular body 3 and a sealing member 4 installed in the tubular body 3. The cylindrical body 3 is provided with flanges 31 and 33 on the outer peripheral portion on the base end side and the outer peripheral portion on the tip end side, respectively.

Of these, the flange 31 is a claw portion 7 described later.
3 corresponds to the contact member with which the claw portion 73 abuts.
At the same time, it constitutes a locking means for maintaining the connection state between the first connector 2 and the second connector 5. The flange 31 has
A concave portion 32 (notch) 32 through which the claw portion 73 can pass is formed. In this embodiment, two concave portions 32 are formed at equal intervals in the outer peripheral direction of the flange 31.

Needless to say, the shapes and the numbers of the claws 73 and the recesses 32 are not limited to those shown in the drawings. Further, the number of the recesses 32 installed may be an integral multiple of the number of the claws 73.

The flange 33 is a portion that comes into contact with a taper portion 72 formed on the inner surface of the outer connector 7 in the vicinity of the bottom portion 71 of the second connector 5, which will be described later.
The insertion depth into the connector 5 is regulated.

As shown in FIG. 5, a short tubular connecting pipe 34 is integrally formed at the base end of the cylindrical body 3. The connecting pipe 34 is liquid-tightly fitted into the tube 11 to be connected.

The sealing member 4 is a hard member that seals the internal flow path 20 of the first connector 2 so that it can be opened, and is installed in the cylindrical body 3 concentrically with the cylindrical body 3. This sealing member 4
Is composed of a hard substrate 41, an engaging portion 42, and a breaking portion 43 provided between the substrate 41 and the engaging portion 42, and these are preferably integrally formed of the same material. .

The substrate 41 is a disk-shaped member and is installed at the center of the first connector 2. In this case, the substrate 4
The outer peripheral portion 1 is fixed to the step portion (sealing member fixing portion) 35 of the cylindrical body 3 by liquid-tight adhesion or fusion.

A small hole 44 is formed in the center of the substrate 41. The substrate 41 has such hardness and rigidity that it cannot be pierced by a needle tube such as a bottle needle. The outer diameter of the substrate 41 is equal to or larger than the minimum diameter D of the internal flow path 20 of the first connector 2. As a result, even if the user mistakenly tries to puncture the needle tube with an infusion solution,
The needle tube cannot be punctured and misuse is prevented.

The engaging portion 42 is composed of a member (blade member) having a cross-shaped cross section, and the substrate 41 is provided with a breaking portion 43.
Is erected at the center of the tip side. The tip of the engaging portion 42 does not protrude from the tip opening of the tubular body 3, that is, is located on the proximal side (inner side) from the tip surface of the tubular body 3. As a result, a film 91 described later can be attached in a flat shape to the tip of the first connector 2, high airtightness can be obtained, and the film 91 can be peeled off.
After the removal, it becomes difficult to rotate the sealing engagement portion 42 by hand or the like to open it.

The breakage portion 43 is composed of an annular thin portion formed by the existence of the small hole 44 on the outer circumference of the small hole 44 on the tip side. When the engaging portion 42 is rotated, the rotational force concentrates on the breaking portion 43, and the breaking portion 43 is broken so as to be twisted. As a result, the small hole 44 communicates with the space on the tip side of the substrate 41, and the sealing of the internal flow path 20 of the first connector 2 is released (opened).

As the constituent material of such a sealing member 4 (particularly the substrate 41), for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyamide,
Rigid polyvinyl chloride, poly- (4-methylpentene-
1), polyester such as polyacetal, polymethylmethacrylate, acrylic resin, ABS resin, polyethylene terephthalate, fluororesin, butadiene-styrene copolymer, cyclic polyolefin resin, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), liquid crystal polymer and other various resins, stainless steel , Various metal materials such as aluminum and titanium,
Examples include various ceramics such as alumina and various glasses. Then, it is preferable to select a material that does not generate fragments when fractured. Further, the constituent material of the cylindrical body 3 can also be composed of these materials.

The thickness of the substrate 41 is not particularly limited,
When it is composed of the above-mentioned materials, 0.1 to
The thickness is preferably about 5.0 mm, more preferably about 0.1 to 2.5 mm. As a result, necessary and sufficient rigidity (strength) can be secured.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the second
The connector 5 includes a connector body 6, an outer cylinder 7, and a seal ring (O ring) 8. The connector body 6 is composed of a cylindrical rotary operation portion 61, a flange 64 formed on the outer peripheral portion of the tip thereof, and a connection pipe 65 formed on the tip side thereof so as to project. Preferably, these are integrally formed of the same material. Has been formed. The inner space of the rotation operation part 61 and the inner cavity of the connection pipe 65 communicate with each other, and these form the internal flow path 50 of the second connector 5.

The rotating operation part 61 constitutes an opening means for rotating the engaging part 42 to break the breaking part 43 and opening the opening, and the inner peripheral surface of each of the engaging parts 42. Four ribs 62 that can engage with the blades are formed at 90 ° intervals. When the rotation operation part 61 is rotated while the ribs 62 and the blades of the engagement part 42 are engaged with each other, the rotational force is transmitted to the engagement part 42, and the engagement part 42 rotates to break the breakage part 43. Breaks.

A groove 63 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotary operation portion 61 over the entire circumference thereof, and the seal ring 8 is fitted into the groove 63. The seal ring 8 constitutes a sealing means for holding the flow paths near the connecting portions in a liquid-tight manner when the first connector 2 and the second connector 5 are connected. That is, the seal ring 8 is pressure-bonded to the inner peripheral surface of the tubular body 3 when connecting the first connector 2 and the second connector 5 to ensure liquid tightness. In this case, the liquid tightness is maintained even when the first connector 2 and the second connector 5 are relatively rotated at the time of opening.

The seal ring 8 is made of various rubber materials such as natural rubber, isoprene rubber, butyl rubber, butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, nitrile rubber, acrylic rubber, fluororubber and silicone rubber (particularly vulcanized). ), Various elastomers such as polyurethane, polyester, polyamide, olefin, and styrene, or a mixture thereof.

The seal ring 8 may be integrally formed by two-color molding, injection molding or the like, in addition to the case where it is provided as a separate body as described above. If necessary, the surface of the seal ring 8 can be coated with a lubricant such as silicone oil. In addition,
Such a seal ring 8 may be installed on the first connector 2 side or on both the first connector 2 and the second connector 5.

The connecting pipe 65 penetrates through the bottom portion 71 of the outer cylinder 7 and projects toward the tip side. The connecting pipe 65 is liquid-tightly fitted with the tube 12 made of polyvinyl chloride, for example. .

The outer cylinder 7 is composed of a cylindrical member having an inner diameter into which the first connector 2 can be inserted.
The outer cylinder 7 has a connector body 6 at the bottom 71.
It is fixed to the tip end surface of the rotary operation part 61 and the flange 64 by adhesion or fusion. Further, the outer cylinder 7 and the connector body 6 may be integrally formed. The bottom portion 71 does not have to be fixed to the connector body 6.

A taper portion 72 is formed on the inner surface of the outer cylinder 7 near the bottom portion 71, and the inner diameter of the taper portion 72 gradually decreases toward the front end. When the first connector 2 and the second connector 5 are connected, the flange 33 of the tubular body 3 abuts on the tapered portion 72 to regulate the insertion depth into the outer barrel 7.

The concave portion 32 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the base end of the outer cylinder 7.
Two claw portions 73 are formed to project toward the center at positions corresponding to. As shown in FIG. 5, the claw portion 73 contacts the base end surface of the flange 31 after passing through the recess 32, and
The liquid-tight connection between the connector 2 and the second connector 5 is maintained.

The locking means composed of the claw portion 73 and the flange (contact member) 31 with the concave portion 32 as described above is operated to bring it into a locked state, that is, the first operation.
Since the breaking portion 43 of the sealing member 4 is broken and unsealed in accordance with the operation of rotating the second connector 5 with respect to the connector 2, the operation is extremely simple.

In this embodiment, a flange (contact member) 31 having a recess 32 formed on the first connector 2 side,
The locking means is constituted by the claw portion 73 formed on the second connector 5 side, and the claw portion is formed on the first connector 2 side and the abutting member with which the claw portion abuts is formed on the second connector 5 side. The configuration may be different. Further, as the locking means, it is possible to employ a mechanism in which a screw is screwed.

As the constituent materials of the connector body 6 and the outer cylinder 7, the same materials as those mentioned above for the sealing member 4 can be used.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state before connection (unused state) of the first connector in the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a state before connection (unused state) of the second connector in the present invention.
It is a side view which shows.

As shown in FIG. 6, a film (shielding means) 91 is attached to the tip of the first connector 2 to hermetically seal the opening of the tip. As a result, when not in use, the internal space of the first connector 2 is shielded by the film 91, and foreign substances such as dust and dust and invasion of bacteria are prevented.

As shown in FIG. 7, a film (shielding means) 92 for airtightly sealing the base end opening is attached to the base end of the second connector 5. As a result, when not in use, the internal space of the second connector 5 is shielded by the film 92, and foreign matter, bacteria, etc. are prevented from entering.

When connecting the first connector 2 and the second connector 5, the films 91 and 92 are peeled and removed, respectively. In this case, the tabs 93 and 94 protruding outward are formed on a part of the films 91 and 92, respectively. 92 can be easily peeled off.

The constituent materials of the films 91 and 92 are:
For example, polyethylene, polypropylene, ionomer,
A single layer made of polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, poly- (4-methylpentene-1), various resins such as polyamide, or a metal foil such as an aluminum foil, or two or more layers of these. A laminated body is preferably used. Since the laminate of the metal foil and the resin layer has low gas permeability, it is preferable to use such a film as the films 91 and 92 because the hermeticity is improved and the invasion of bacteria and the like can be effectively prevented. . Next, a method of use (action) of the liquid channel connector 1 will be described.

[1] The films 91 and 92 attached to the ends of the first connector 2 and the second connector 5 are peeled off, and the tip opening of the first connector 2 and the base end opening of the second connector 5 are removed. Each is exposed.

Even if a needle tube (not shown) such as a bottle needle is accidentally punctured into the first connector 2 in this state, it cannot be punctured due to the characteristics of the substrate 41 described above.

[2] Next, the first connector 2 is inserted into the outer cylinder 7 of the second connector 5 from the tip side thereof. At this time, the engaging portion 42 has the rib 62 adjacent to the rotation operating portion 61.
Inserted between. With this insertion, the seal ring 8
Slides along the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 3.

[3] While aligning both claws 73 of the second connector 5 so as to pass through the corresponding recesses 32,
These are brought close to each other, and the claw portion 73 is passed through the concave portion 32.
At this time, the seal ring 8 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 3 and exhibits a sealing function.

[4] When the claw portion 73 has passed through the concave portion 32, the second connector 5 is rotated counterclockwise or clockwise with respect to the first connector 2. When this rotation is made, both claws 7
3 abuts and engages with the base end surface of the flange 31, and the detachment of the second connector 5 from the first connector 2 is prevented. Also,
At this time, the flange 33 contacts the tapered portion 72 of the outer cylinder 7, and the insertion depth of the first connector 2 into the second connector 5 is restricted. As a result, the first connector 2 and the second connector 5 are liquid-tightly connected and the connected state is maintained.

[5] When the second connector 5 is further rotated with respect to the first connector 2 (for example, a rotation angle of about 90 to 150 °), the ribs 62 of the rotation operation portion 61 engage with the blades of the engagement portion 42. Then, the engaging portion 42 is rotated. Sealing member 4
Because the substrate 41 is fixed to the cylindrical body 3 and cannot rotate,
The rotation of the engaging portion 42 causes the breaking portion 43 to be twisted and broken. As a result, the sealing member 4 is unsealed, and the internal flow path 20 of the first connector 2 and the second
The internal flow path 50 of the connector 5 communicates with each other, allowing liquid to flow.

In this rotation, the seal ring 8
Also rotates with the rotary operation part 61, but slides and rotates while being in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 3, so that the sealing function of the seal ring 8 is continuously exerted and liquid tightness is maintained.

As described above, the unsealing of the sealing member 4 can be performed without touching the sealing member 4 by hand, which is sanitary. Further, after the sealing function of the seal ring 8 is exerted, the sealing member 4 is opened in the state where the function is continued, so liquid leakage, foreign matter such as dust and dust from the outside, and bacteria No invasion of

[6] A liquid such as a liquid nutrient contained in the container 10 is transferred through the tube 11, the first connector 2, the second connector 5 and the tube 12. This transfer can be performed, for example, by the action of gravity or by pressing the container 10.

As described above, by using the liquid flow path connecting device 1 of the present invention, it is possible to prevent erroneous connection due to piercing of a needle tube and the like, and to connect the first connector 2 and the second connector 5 together.
The connection with can be performed in a short time with an extremely simple operation. In addition, contamination such as invasion of bacteria and liquid leakage does not occur, which is hygienic, and the sterile state when not in use can be maintained.

Although the liquid flow path connecting device of the present invention has been described above with reference to the illustrated embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and each constituent element, each means, etc. constituting the present invention are as follows. It can be replaced with an arbitrary one having the same function.

Further, the liquid flow path connecting device of the present invention is not limited to the device installed near the outlet of the liquid nutrient solution container described above, but liquids other than the nutrient solution (for example, distilled water, chemical solution, cleaning solution, blood, etc.). Needless to say, it can also be applied to a transfer system for urine).

[0065]

As described above, according to the liquid channel connector of the present invention, a needle tube or the like cannot be pierced and can be easily opened without using the second connector corresponding to the first connector. Since it is not possible to do so, incorrect connection can be prevented and safety is extremely high.

Further, it is possible to prevent liquid leakage at the connecting portion between the first connector and the second connector and to prevent foreign matter and bacteria from being mixed in at the time of connection, which is hygienic.

Further, in the present invention, the connecting operation between the first connector and the second connector can be performed easily and surely. In particular, when the locking means is provided, the connection state is maintained after connecting the first connector and the second connector, so that the connection of the connector and the subsequent operation can be performed easily and reliably.

Further, the operation of operating the locking means is extremely easy, and the operability of the connector connecting operation is not deteriorated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a liquid channel connector of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a sealing member in a sealed state in the liquid channel connecting device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a sealing member in a liquid channel connection device shown in FIG. 1 in an unsealed state (broken state).

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a main part of a second connector in the liquid flow path connector shown in FIG.

5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the liquid channel connector of FIG. 1 in a connector-connected state.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state (unused state) before connection of the first connector in the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state before connection (unused state) of the second connector according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Liquid Channel Connection Device 2 First Connector 20 Internal Channel 3 Cylindrical Body 31 Flange 32 Recessed portion 33 Flange 34 Connection Pipe 35 Stepped portion 4 Sealing Member 41 Substrate 42 Engagement Part 43 Broken Part 44 Small Hole 5 Second Connector 50 Inside Flow path 6 Internal flow path 61 Rotation operation part 62 Rib 63 Groove 64 Flange 65 Connection pipe 7 Outer cylinder 71 Bottom part 72 Tapered part 73 Claw part 8 Seal ring 91, 92 Film 93, 94 Picking piece 10 Container 11, 12 tube

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A first connector that is connected to a container that stores a liquid and that includes a sealing member made of a hard material that seals an internal flow passage so as to be openable, and a first connector that is connectable to the first connector. A liquid flow path connecting device having two connectors, wherein when the first connector and the second connector are connected, a sealing means for holding the flow paths in the vicinity of the connection parts in a liquid-tight manner, and the sealing member And a opening means for releasing the sealing by the liquid flow path connecting device. 2. The liquid flow path connecting device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member includes a hard substrate, an engaging portion, and a break portion provided therebetween. 3. The liquid channel according to claim 2, wherein the substrate is installed in a central portion of the first connector and has an outer diameter that is equal to or larger than a minimum diameter of an inner channel of the first connector. Connection equipment. 4. At least the substrate of the sealing member,
The liquid flow path connecting device according to claim 2, which has hardness and rigidity such that it cannot be pierced by a needle tube. 5. The unsealing means is installed in the second connector, and is constituted by a rotation operation unit that breaks the breaking portion to unseal by engaging the engaging portion and rotating the engaging portion. The liquid flow path connecting device according to any one of claims 2 to 4. 6. The first connector has a tubular body, and the sealing member is installed in the tubular body without protruding from a front end opening of the tubular body. The liquid flow path connecting device described. 7. The structure according to claim 1, wherein when the first connector and the second connector are connected, the seal means can perform the sealing function and then can be opened by the opening means. The liquid flow path connecting device according to any one of claims. 8. The seal means is made of an elastic material, and is a seal ring interposed between the first connector and the second connector when the first connector and the second connector are connected to each other. The liquid flow path connecting device according to. 9. The liquid flow path connecting device according to claim 1, further comprising a lock unit that maintains a connection state between the first connector and the second connector. 10. The locking means has a claw portion formed on one of the first connector and the second connector and a concave portion formed on the other side, through which the claw portion can pass. The liquid flow path connecting device according to claim 9, wherein the liquid flow path connecting device includes a contact member of the claw portion. 11. The liquid flow path connecting device according to claim 9, wherein the opening means is operated in response to the operation of the locking means to release the sealing by the sealing member. . 12. A shielding means for shielding the internal space of the first connector and / or the second connector in a state before the first connector and the second connector are connected to each other. The liquid flow path connecting device according to.