WO2021070626A1

WO2021070626A1 - Gas passage connection tool and extrusion device equipped therewith

Info

Publication number: WO2021070626A1
Application number: PCT/JP2020/036073
Authority: WO
Inventors: 河内恵太; 佐藤喜典
Original assignee: 株式会社ジェイ・エム・エス
Priority date: 2019-10-11
Filing date: 2020-09-24
Publication date: 2021-04-15
Also published as: CN114269316A; JP2021061988A; JP7421722B2

Abstract

A connection tool (1) includes a first connector (10), a second connector (80) which is capable of being connected to and separated from the first connector, and a release cap (70). The first connector has a valve assembly capable of opening and closing a passage of the first connector. When the second connector is connected to the first connector, the second connector acts upon the valve assembly so that the second connector communicates with the first connector. When the release cap is connected to the first connector, the release cap acts upon the valve assembly to enable gas to flow outside from the first connector. When nothing is connected to the first connector, the valve assembly prevents the flow of the gas through the passage toward a connection port.

Description

Gas flow path connector and extruder equipped with it

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

Liquids containing nutritional supplements, liquid foods, or drugs (sometimes called enteral nutritional supplements) for patients who have difficulty delivering food from the oral cavity to the stomach due to esophageal or oral trauma, disease, or surgery. ) Is known as a method of administering intestinal nutrition. In enteral nutrition, a liquid substance (enteric nutritional supplement) filled in a bag-shaped container (sometimes called a "pouch" or "laminate pack") formed by laminating flexible sheets is used. , Is delivered to the patient's gastrointestinal tract via a flexible catheter (commonly referred to as an "enteric feeding catheter"). Catheter used for enteral nutrition includes a nasal catheter that is inserted into the stomach or duodenum from the patient's nasal cavity, and a gastrostomy catheter that is inserted into the stomach through a hole (gastric fistula) formed in the patient's abdomen. It has been known.

If the viscosity of the liquid substance administered to the patient is low, there are problems such as the liquid substance in the stomach flowing back into the esophagus and causing pneumonia, or the liquid substance cannot be completely absorbed by the body and diarrhea occurs. .. In order to prevent this problem, the liquid material is often semi-solidified (high viscosity).

However, when the liquid material is semi-solidified, the fluidity decreases. In order to deliver the semi-solidified liquid into the patient's body, it is necessary to compress the bag-shaped container filled with the liquid. If you try to do this work with your bare hands, it requires a great deal of force, which puts a heavy burden on the workers (for example, nurses and caregivers).

Therefore, an extrusion device configured to compress the bag-shaped container and extrude the liquid material from the bag-shaped container has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). The extrusion device includes a pressure bag that can be expanded and contracted, a manual air pump that injects air into the pressure bag, and a three-way activation plug provided on an air flow path that connects the pressure bag and the air pump. I have. The bag-shaped container is arranged adjacent to the pressure bag. An air pump pumps air into the pressurized bag to inflate the pressurized bag. The pressure bag compresses the bag-shaped container, and the liquid material is extruded from the bag-shaped container.

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

In the above extrusion device, a three-way stopcock is provided to switch the communication destination of the pressure bag. That is, when the pressure bag is inflated by the air pump, the handle provided on the three-way stopcock is set to the first position so that the pressure bag is communicated with the air pump. When the pressure bag reaches a predetermined pressure and expands, the handle is rotated to the second position so that the communication between the pressure bag and the air pump is cut off and air does not leak from the pressure bag. After the liquid is pushed out of the bag-shaped container, the handle is rotated to the third position so that the air in 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 according to the progress of enteral nutrition.

Intestinal nutrition is often performed at home by a caregiver such as the patient's family. Such a caregiver is unfamiliar with the three-way stopcock, and it is difficult to intuitively understand the connection destination of the pressure bag from the rotation position of the handle. For this reason, problems such as difficulty in using an extruder 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 the air flow path is switched to communication, blocking, or opening to the outside world. A second object of the present invention is to provide an easy-to-operate extruder that does not have three-way activity.

The connector for a gas flow path of the present invention has a first connector having a connection port and a flow path connected to the connection port, and a first connector capable of being connected to and separated from the first connector by being inserted into and removed from the connection port. It has two connectors and a release cap. The first connector comprises 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, 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 so that the flow path is opened, and gas can flow out 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 through the flow path to the connection port.

The extrusion device of the present invention is provided on an air flow path connecting a pressure bag capable of expansion and contraction, an air pump for injecting air into the pressure bag, and the pressure bag and the air pump. It is equipped with a connection tool. The extruder is configured such that the expanded pressurized bag compresses a bag-shaped container filled with a liquid material and pushes the liquid material out of the bag-shaped container. The connector is the above-mentioned connector for a gas flow path of the present invention. The first connector communicates with the pressure bag. The second connector communicates with the air pump.

According to the connector of the present invention, when the connector is provided in the air flow path, it is easy to intuitively understand whether the air flow path is switched to communication, blocking, or opening to the outside world. ..

The extruder of the present invention is easy to operate because the connector of the present invention is provided on the air flow path connecting the pressure bag and the air pump instead of the three-way stopcock.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an extruder provided 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 present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector along the surface including the 3-3 line of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the first connector along a plane including lines 4-4 of FIG. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the first connector according to the 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 constituting the first connector. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lock piece constituting the first connector as viewed from below. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a cap molded product constituting the first connector. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the second connector according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a pressure bag constituting the extruder according to the 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 the surface including lines 13-13 of FIG. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention in which a release cap is connected to a first connector. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the fitting along the plane including lines 15-15 of FIG.

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 a 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 plug body toward the seal ring. According to such an embodiment, it is possible to realize a valve assembly that closes the flow path of the first connector whenever 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 such an aspect, the airtightness of the seal formed between the seal ring and the valve body is improved. This is advantageous for reliably preventing gas from leaking from the connection port to the outside world 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 molded as one part via a flexible band. According to such an aspect, the number of members constituting the connector can be 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 such an embodiment, the release cap can be immediately connected to the first connector when necessary, and the possibility of losing the release cap after separating the release cap from the first connector can be reduced.

The connector of the present invention may further include a lock mechanism for maintaining a state in which the second connector is connected to the first connector. Such an embodiment is advantageous in preventing the second connector from being unintentionally separated from the first connector.

When the second connector is connected to the first connector, the lock mechanism may operate so as to maintain the state in which the second connector is connected to the first connector. According to this aspect, when the second connector is connected to the first connector, the lock mechanism automatically switches to the locked state in which the lock mechanism is activated. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the problem that the second connector is unintentionally separated from the first connector by forgetting to switch the lock mechanism to the locked state.

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

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

The lock mechanism may include a lock piece provided on the first connector so that the lock mechanism can move along a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the second connector is inserted and removed with respect to 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 first connector and the second connector are unintentionally separated is reduced, and the reliability of the locking mechanism is improved.

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

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

In the above-mentioned extruder of the present invention, the liquid substance may be an enteric nutritional supplement. According to such an embodiment, the extruder of the present invention can be used to administer a semi-solidified enteric nutritional supplement to a patient via a catheter.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail while showing suitable 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 is a simplified representation of the main members constituting the embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention may include any member not shown in each of the following figures. Further, within the scope of the present invention, each member shown in each of the following figures may be changed or omitted. The same members are designated by the same reference numerals among different drawings. For such members, duplicate description is omitted and the preceding description of the drawings should be taken into account as appropriate.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an extruder 100 used for enteral nutrition, which includes a connector 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The extrusion device 100 includes a pressurizing bag 110 and an air pump 130. A flexible first tube 101 is connected to a connecting pipe 119 provided in the pressure bag 110. A flexible second tube 102 is connected to the air pump 130. The first tube 101 and the second tube 102 are connected via the connector 1. The bag-shaped container 150 is filled with a liquid substance (enteric nutritional supplement) to be administered to the patient in enteral nutrition. The bag-shaped container 150 is housed in the pressure bag 110 through the opening 112. Air is sent to the pressurizing bag 110 by the air pump 130 to inflate the pressurizing bag 110. The pressure bag 110 compresses the bag-shaped container 150, and the liquid material is pushed out from the port 152 of the bag-shaped container 150.

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

For the convenience of the following explanation, an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system is set with the direction parallel to the axis (not shown) of the first connector 10 as the X axis. The shaft of the first connector 10 passes through the center of a circle defining the opening of the connection port 11 along the direction connecting the base end portion 29 and the connection port 11. The Z-axis direction is referred to as the "vertical direction", the side of the operation unit 41 is referred to as the "upper" side, and the opposite side is referred to as the "lower" side. The direction parallel to the plane (XY plane) perpendicular to the vertical direction is called the "horizontal direction". The "vertical direction", "upper", "lower", and "horizontal direction" do not mean the orientation of the connector 1 when it is actually used. The direction along the straight line orthogonal to the axis of the first connector 10 is referred to as the "radial direction", the side closer to the axis in the radial direction is referred to as the "inner" side, and the side far from the axis is referred to as 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, the “radial direction” and the “circumferential direction” are similarly defined with respect to the respective axes (not shown).

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector 1 along a surface including the 3-3 line of FIG. 2 (this surface includes the axis of the first connector 10 and is parallel to the XZ surface). The first tube 101 and the connection port 11 communicate with each other via the flow path 12. The flow path 12 extends along the axis to 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 surface including lines 4-4 of 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, a housing 30, a lock piece 40, a first spring 51, a second spring 52, a ball 55, and a cap molded product 60 provided on the first tube 101. ..

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 portion 29 to which the first tube 101 is connected, and a partition wall 27 between the housing 21 and the base end portion 29. To be equipped. 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 portion 29 have a hollow substantially cylindrical shape, and both are arranged coaxially. The partition wall 27 extends along the radial direction. The housing 21 and the base end portion 29 communicate with each other through a through hole 28 provided in the center of the partition wall 27. The lumen of the housing 21 constitutes the flow path 12 (see FIG. 3) of the first connector 10.

Three ribs 23 project inward in the radial direction from the inner peripheral surface of the housing 21 (only two ribs 23 can be seen 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 (which coincides with the axis of the first connector 10) of the connector base 20 (not shown). The rib 23 extends parallel to the axis (X axis) of the connector base 20. Each rib 23 includes a first flat portion 23a, an inclined portion 23c, and a second flat portion 23b in this order from the tip end of the housing 21 toward the base end portion 29 along the longitudinal direction (X-axis) of the rib 23. .. The height (or distance from the axis of the connector base 20) of the rib 23 from the inner peripheral surface of the housing 21 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 the largest in the first flat portion 23a and the smallest in 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 project outward in the radial direction 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 projects in the Y-axis direction. The second protrusion 26 projects in the Z-axis direction.

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

The first tube 101 is inserted into the base end portion 29, and the tip thereof is in contact with the partition wall 27. The first tube 101 is airtightly connected and fixed to the base end portion 29 by adhesion or the like. The first tube 101 and the lumen of the housing 21 communicate with each other through a through hole 28 of the partition wall 27.

The first tube 101 preferably has pressure resistance to pressure from the air pump 130 and is flexible. The material of the first tube 101 is not limited, but may be, for example, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, or the like.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the housing 30. The housing 30 has a hollow substantially cylindrical shape with both ends open in the X-axis direction as a whole. A partition wall 31 extending along the radial direction divides the lumen 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 lumens on both sides of the partition wall 31 communicate with each other through the through hole 32.

The front-facing 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 that penetrate 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 at positions having the same X-axis direction positions as the

slots

33a and 33b on the inner peripheral surface of the housing 30, 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 lower side of the first flat surface 34a and recedes radially outward from the first flat surface 34a. Therefore, a stepped surface 34c parallel to the XY surface 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 face each other in the Y-axis direction and extend parallel to the X-axis from the edge of the opening facing the rear of the housing 30 to the partition wall 31. 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 plan view shape protrudes upward from the upper surface of the housing 30. Slots 33a, recesses 38, and holes 36 are provided in the area surrounded by the wall 37. The recess 38 is a recess having a circular plan view shape, and is arranged between the slot 33a and the hole 36. A substantially rectangular parallelepiped protrusion 39 projects upward from the bottom surface of the recess 38. The circular inner wall of the recess 38 and the protrusion 39 are separated 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 (hard material) and has mechanical strength (rigidity) that is not substantially deformed by an external force. The material of the housing 30 is not limited, and for example, resin materials such as polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyacetal, polystyrene, polyamide, polyethylene, hard polyvinyl chloride, and acrylic-butadiene-styrene copolymer can be used. The housing 30 is preferably more tough than the connector base 20, and from this viewpoint, polypropylene is preferable as the material of the housing 30. The housing 30 can be integrally manufactured as a single component by an injection molding method or the like using the above resin material.

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

The lock frame 42 has a substantially "U" shape as a whole. The lock frame 42 is provided with an arc-shaped lock portion 45 below the lock frame 42. The radius of the arc of the inner surface of the lock portion 45 (the surface facing the operation portion 41) is substantially 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 surface is provided on the outer surface of the portion of the lock frame 42 that connects the lock portion 45 and the operation portion 41. The flat surface 44a is located radially inward from the portion of the lock frame 42 adjacent to the flat surface 44a on the lower side. Therefore, a stepped surface 44c parallel to the XY surface 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 can be selected from the resin materials listed as the material of the housing 30 described above. Like the housing 30, the lock piece 40 is preferably excellent in toughness, and from this viewpoint, polypropylene is preferable as the material of the housing 30. The lock piece 40 can be integrally manufactured as a single part by an injection molding method or the like using the above resin material.

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 them. The seal ring 61 has an annular thin plate shape in which a circular opening (through hole) 62 is 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 behind the partition wall 31 (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 communication pipes 72 and 82 (see FIG. 2) and smaller than the outer diameter of the sphere 55 (see FIG. 5).

The release cap 70 includes a communication pipe 72 and a substantially cylindrical outer cylinder 74 that is arranged coaxially with the communication pipe 72 and surrounds the communication pipe 72. The communication pipe 72 has a hollow substantially cylindrical shape provided with a through hole 73. The through hole 73 penetrates the release cap 70 along the axis (not shown) of the release cap 70. The tip 72a of the communication pipe 72 protrudes from the outer cylinder 74. The communication pipe 72 is provided with a pair of notches 72b extending from the tip 72a toward the base end of the communication pipe 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 a substantially conical surface that is arranged on the tip end side of the outer cylinder 74 with respect to the annular groove 75 and whose outer diameter decreases toward the tip end. The release cap 70 further includes an operating piece 77 that projects along the axis of the release cap 70 toward the side opposite to the communication pipe 72 and the outer cylinder 74. The operation piece 77 is useful when connecting and disconnecting the release cap 70 from the first connector 10.

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

The cap molded product 60 is a soft material having elasticity (or flexibility) so that it can be deformed relatively easily by an external force and immediately recovers to the state before deformation (natural state) when the external force is removed. It is preferably composed of so-called elastomer). The material of the cap molded product 60 is not limited, but soft polyvinyl chloride, thermoplastic elastomer (for example, styrene elastomer, olefin elastomer, polyurethane elastomer), rubber (for example, isoprene rubber, silicone rubber, butyl rubber) and the like can be used. It can be exemplified. The cap molded product 60 can be integrally manufactured as a whole by using the above materials.

Returning to FIG. 5, the first spring 51 and the second spring 52 are compression coil springs. In the present embodiment, the

springs

51 and 52 are cylindrical coil springs, but may be conical coil springs, barrel-shaped coil springs, drum-shaped coil springs, or the like. The materials of the

springs

51 and 52 are not limited, but steel, especially stainless steel, is preferable.

The sphere 55 is a member having a spherical shape, and is preferably solid. The diameter of the sphere 55 is larger than the inner diameter at the tip of the first spring 51. The material of the sphere 55 is not limited, but metal, resin, and rubber can be used. As an example, the sphere 55 may be made of a hard material. In this case, as the hard material, a metal is preferable 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 an opening facing the rear thereof. The band 69 is led out from the notch 35 of the housing 30 in parallel with the Y axis. Next, the housing 21 containing the first spring 51 and the ball 55 is inserted into the housing 30 through an opening facing rearward 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 mounted coaxially with 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. Further, the lock frame 42 of the lock piece 40 is inserted into the slot 33a (see FIG. 7) of the housing 30, and the operation 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. The seal ring 61 is compressed in the X-axis direction by the tip of the connector base 20 (housing 21) and the partition wall 31 of the housing 30, and is in close contact with these. Therefore, the housing 30 is positioned in the X-axis direction with respect to the connector base 20. Further, the air in the flow path 12 does not leak to the outside through between the connector base 20 and the housing 30.

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

The base end of the first spring 51 (the end on the side of the first tube 101) is the second flat portion 23b of the partition wall 27 and the three ribs 23 so that the first spring 51 is coaxial with the connector base 20 (see FIG. 6). It is held by and. The sphere 55 is in contact with the first spring 51 in the X-axis direction. The sphere 55 faces the first flat portion 23a (see FIG. 6) of the three ribs 23 in the radial direction 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 sphere 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 of the seal ring 61 that defines the opening 62, 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 seal ring 61 provided with the opening 62, the ball 55, and the first spring 51 that presses the ball 55 toward the seal ring 61 constitute a valve assembly. The valve assembly is provided on the flow path 12 connecting the proximal 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 airtightly blocks the flow path 12. The valve assembly has a configuration similar to a one-way valve. That is, when the base end 29 side has the same pressure as the connection port 11 side or the pressure higher than the connection port 11 side with respect to the opening 62, the ball 55 airtightly seals the opening 62 and the base end 29 (or the base end 29 (or). The flow of gas from the flow path 12) to the connection port 11 is blocked. 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 through the opening 62. That is, in this way, the valve assembly can open and close the flow path 12 connected to the connection port 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 up the operation unit 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 cross-sectional view of the first connector 10 on the surface of the lock piece 40 passing through the lock frame 42. The 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 with respect 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 protrudes slightly upward from the slot 33b (see FIG. 3). The operation unit 41 can be pushed downward. At this time, the second spring 52 is compressed, and the lock portion 45 is housed in the slot 33b.

The 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 an "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 pipe 82, a substantially cylindrical outer cylinder 84 that is arranged coaxially with the communication pipe 82 and surrounds the communication pipe 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 provided with a through hole 83. The through hole 83 penetrates the second connector 80 along the axis (not shown) of the second connector 80. The base end portion 88 constitutes the base end portion of the second connector 80. The base end portion 88 has a hollow substantially cylindrical shape, is arranged coaxially with the communication pipe 82, and communicates with the communication pipe 82. The tip 82a of the communication pipe 82 protrudes from the outer cylinder 84. The communication pipe 82 is provided with a pair of notches 82b extending from the tip 82a toward the base end of the communication pipe 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 a substantially conical surface that is arranged on the tip end side of the outer cylinder 84 with respect to the annular groove 85 and whose outer diameter decreases toward the tip 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 concave groove 87 and is 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 concave groove 87 and the O-ring 89 held therein.

The material of the connector base 81 is not limited, but can be selected from 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 by an injection molding method or the like using the above resin material.

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

The second tube 102 preferably has pressure resistance to pressure from the air pump 130 and is flexible. The material of the second tube 102 is not limited, but can be selected from the materials listed as the material of the first tube 101 described above.

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

As shown in FIG. 1, the connector 1 of the present embodiment can be provided on the air flow path connecting the pressurizing bag 110 and the air pump 130 in the extruder 100. The first connector 10 is provided on the first tube 101 that communicates with the pressure bag 110. The second connector 80 is provided in the second tube 102 communicating with the air pump 130 (see FIG. 2).

The air pump 130 is a manual piston pump capable of delivering air to the second tube 102 by reciprocating the handle 132 with respect to the pump base 131. The air delivered from the air pump 130 is sent to the pressurizing bag 110 via the second tube 102, the connector 1, the first tube 101, and the connecting pipe 119.

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

The inner sheet 115 and the outer sheet 116 have flexibility (or flexibility) that can be easily deformed. The

sheets

115 and 116 have a sealing property that does not leak air to the outside even when 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 materials of the

sheets

115 and 116 are not limited as long as they satisfy such 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-shaped container 150 in the storage chamber 111 when the pressurizing chamber 117 is expanded, it is preferable that the outer sheet 116 does not have substantially 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 material of the communication pipe 119 is arbitrary as long as it can communicate the pressurizing chamber 117 with the outside world. It may be either a hard material that does not substantially deform or a soft material that can be easily deformed. Examples of the hard material include a resin material and a metal material. 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 a connector for connecting the connecting pipe 119 to the first tube 101. The pressure gauge 120 displays the pressure of air in the pressurizing chamber 117 (see FIG. 11). The pressure gauge 120 has a limiter function of releasing air to the outside when the pressure of the pressurizing chamber 117 exceeds a predetermined value to reduce the pressure of the pressurizing chamber 117 to the predetermined value or less.

The procedure for performing intestinal nutrition using the extruder 100 will be described.

First, the extruder 100 shown in FIG. 1 is prepared. The pressurizing chamber 117 (see FIG. 11) of the pressurizing bag 110 has not yet expanded.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the connector 1 in which the second connector 80 is connected to the first connector 10. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the connector 1 along the surface including lines 13-13 of FIG. The second connector 80 is inserted into the connection port 11 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) of the first connector 10. More specifically, the communication pipe 82 of the second connector 80 penetrates 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 the base end portion 29 is formed from the seal ring 61. It protrudes to the side. The tip 82a of the communication pipe 82 abuts on the ball 55 and moves the ball 55 toward the base end 29. The ball 55 is separated from the seal ring 61 in the X-axis direction. The first spring 51 is compressionally deformed. The flow path 12 of the first connector 10 communicates with the through hole 83 of the communication pipe 82 via the notch 82b provided in the communication pipe 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 the 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 lock portion 45 is disengaged from the second connector 80. The lock piece 40 (particularly, the lock portion 45) functions as a "lock mechanism" for maintaining a 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 "lock state".

To connect the second connector 80 to the first connector 10 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) in the initial state, 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 of FIG. 3, the lock portion 45 protruding from the inner peripheral surface of the connection port 11 becomes the tapered surface 86 of the outer cylinder 84 of the second connector 80. Contact. When the second connector 80 is further pushed into the first connector 10, the tapered surface 86 slides on the lock portion 45 and moves the lock portion 45 downward. Then, when the annular groove 85 moves above the lock portion 45, the elastic restoring force of the second spring 52 pushes up the lock piece 40 upward, and the lock portion 45 fits into the annular groove 85 (see FIG. 13). As described above, in the present embodiment, the lock mechanism automatically operates (that is, shifts to the locked state) by simply inserting the second connector 80 into the connection port 11 of the first connector 10. Since the tapered surface 86 and the annular groove 85 are continuously provided over the entire circumference of the second connector 80, it is not necessary to align the second connector 80 with respect to the first connector 10 in the rotational direction around the axis.

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

The 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, and forms an airtight seal between them. This ensures that the air in the flow path 12 passes between the first connector 10 (partition wall 31) and the second connector 80 (outer cylinder 84) and leaks to the outside world.

Returning to FIG. 1, the bag-shaped container 150 filled with the liquid substance (enteric nutritional supplement) to be administered to the patient is inserted into the storage chamber 111 (see FIG. 11) through the opening 112 of the pressure bag 110. The bag-shaped container 150 is formed by laminating flexible sheets, and is also called a "pouch" or a "laminate pack". The upstream end of a flexible tube (eg, enteric nutrition set, not shown) is connected to port 152 of the bag-shaped 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 flow path of the tube is closed by a clamp.

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

The pressure inside the pressurizing chamber 117 can be confirmed with the pressure gauge 120. After confirming that the pressure in 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 the operation unit 41 of the lock piece 40 in FIG. When the operation unit 41 is pressed, the lock unit 45 is lowered 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 lock mechanism is in the non-operating state (non-locking state). The pressurizing chamber 117 and the first tube 101 and the flow path 12 communicating with the pressurizing chamber 117 have a high pressure. This high pressure causes the ball 55 to move toward the seal ring 61 as soon as the locking mechanism shifts to the unlocked state. 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. The moving ball 55 pushes out the communication pipe 82 of the second connector 80. The second connector 80 is extruded from the first connector 10. The elastic restoring force of the first spring 51 contributes to the movement of the ball 55 and the pushing out of the second connector 80 from the first connector 10. When the finger is released from the operation unit 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 the initial state (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Next, the clamp provided on the tube connecting the bag-shaped container 150 and the catheter is operated to open the flow path of the tube. The inflated pressure bag 110 compresses the bag-shaped container 150, and the liquid material in the bag-shaped container 150 is pushed out from the port 152 toward the patient. Since the ball 55 closes the opening 62 of the seal ring 61 (see FIG. 3), the air in the pressurizing chamber 117 does not leak to the outside world. The volume reduction of the bag-shaped container 150 due to the outflow of the liquid material from the bag-shaped container 150 is slight. The pressurizing bag 110 continues to compress the bag-shaped container 150 while the pressurizing chamber 117 remains at a substantially constant pressure.

After the liquid material is extruded from the bag-shaped 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 the plane including lines 15-15 of FIG. In FIGS. 14 and 15, the second connector 80 and the second tube 102 are not shown. As described above, the communication pipe 72 and the outer cylinder 74 of the release cap 70 are compatible with the communication pipe 82 and the outer cylinder 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. When the operation piece 77 is grasped, the release cap 70 can be easily connected to the first connector 10.

The communication pipe 72 of the release cap 70 penetrates through the through hole 32 of the housing 30 and the opening 62 of the seal ring 61 in order, and protrudes from the seal ring 61 toward the base end portion 29. The tip 72a of the communication pipe 72 abuts on the ball 55 and moves the ball 55 toward the base end 29. The ball 55 is separated from the seal ring 61 in the X-axis direction. The first spring 51 is compressionally deformed. The flow path 12 of the first connector 10 communicates with the through hole 73 of the communication pipe 72 via the notch 72b provided in the communication pipe 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 discharged to the outside world. The pressure in the pressurizing chamber 117 is released. The flatly crushed bag-shaped container 150 is taken out from the pressurizing chamber 117 of the pressurizing bag 110. The pressure bag is crushed to expel the air in the pressure chamber 117 to the outside world.

The lock portion 45 of the lock piece 40 of the first connector 10 is fitted into the 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 lock mechanism is activated and 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 discharged without touching the release cap 70.

After that, the operation unit 41 is pressed to release the engagement of the lock unit 45 with the release cap 70 (unlocked state). The elastic restoring force of the first spring 51 pushes the sphere 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. The moving ball 55 pushes out the communication pipe 72 of the release cap 70. If necessary, the operation piece 77 is grasped and the release cap 70 is pulled out from the first connector 10. The release cap 70 is separated from the first connector 10. The first connector 10 returns to the initial state (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

As described above, the extruder 100 includes a connector 1 on the air flow path connecting the pressurizing bag 110 and the air pump 130 (see FIG. 1). The first connector 10 communicates with the pressurizing bag 110 via the first tube 101, and the second connector 80 communicates with the air pump 130 via the second tube 102. When the pressurizing bag 110 is inflated by the air pump 130, the second connector 80 is connected to the first connector 10 so that the pressurizing bag 110 communicates with the air pump 130 (see FIGS. 1, 12, and 13). ). When the pressure bag 110 reaches a predetermined pressure and expands, the first connector 10 to the second connector 80 are connected so that the communication between the pressure bag 110 and the air pump 130 is cut off and air does not leak from the pressure bag 110. Separate (see FIGS. 2 and 3). After the liquid material is extruded from the bag-shaped container 150, the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10 so that the air in the pressurized bag 110 is released to the outside world (see FIGS. 14 and 15). Depending on the progress of intestinal nutrition, the one connected to the first connector 10 is sequentially changed. The connection destination of the pressure bag 110 can be intuitively understood only by visually checking the connector 1 and confirming what is connected to the first connector 10 or nothing is connected.

As described above, in the conventional extruder, a three-way stopcock is provided on the air flow path connecting the pressure 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, with a general three-way stopcock, the air flow path inside the stopcock cannot be directly visually observed, and it is necessary to infer the communication state of the air flow path from the rotation position of the handle. For this reason, caregivers unfamiliar with the three-way stopcock could not understand what was connected to the pressure bag, which made it difficult to use an extruder equipped with a three-way stopcock.

In the connector 1 of the present embodiment, the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 can be selectively connected to the first connector 10. Therefore, unlike the three-way stopcock, it is possible to easily understand what is connected to the pressure bag 110 from the state of the connector 1. In this way, according to the connector 1, when the connector 1 is provided in the air flow path, it is intuitively understood whether the air flow path is switched to communication, blocking, or opening to the outside world. It's easy. Therefore, unlike the conventional extruder, the extruder 100 provided with the connector 1 does not have a three-way stopcock, so that even a caregiver who is unfamiliar with the three-way stopcock can easily operate the extruder.

The first connector 10 includes a valve assembly that opens and closes a flow path 12 that penetrates the first connector 10. The valve assembly is configured to block the flow of gas through the flow path 12 towards the connection port 11 when neither the second connector 80 nor the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10. (See FIG. 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. The opening of the flow path 12 by the valve assembly is performed by the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 acting directly on the valve assembly. No special members other than the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 are required to open the valve assembly, and special operations other than connecting the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 to the first connector 10 are also possible. Not needed. This is advantageous in simplifying the configuration of the first connector 10 (furthermore, the connector 1), simplifying the opening operation of the valve assembly, and eliminating forgetting to open the valve assembly.

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

The valve assembly includes a seal ring 61 provided with an opening 62 and a ball (valve body) 55 capable of airtightly sealing 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 can move 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 to secure the flow path 12. Can be opened to. Further, when the second connector 80 is pulled out from the connection port 11, the high voltage in the pressure bag 110 moves the ball 55 toward the seal ring 61, and the flow path 12 can be reliably closed. 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 with respect to the first connector 10. The valve assembly can be realized 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. Thus, even if the pressure bag 110 is not inflated, the valve assembly immediately closes the flow path 12 when the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 are separated from the first connector 10. The valve assembly then continues to securely close the flow path 12 until the second connector 80 or the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10. This is because, for example, when the extruder 100 is left unconnected to the first connector 10 when it is not in use, dust that has entered from the connection port 11 enters the edge of the opening 62 of the seal ring 61 or the ball 55. It is advantageous to prevent the occurrence of a problem that the airtightness of the seal formed between the seal ring 61 and the ball 55 is lowered by adhering to the seal ring 61.

The seal ring 61 is made of a soft material. As a result, the airtightness of the seal formed between the seal ring 61 and the ball 55 is improved. Further, as the sphere 55, a widely used inexpensive metal sphere can be used.

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

When the second connector 80 is connected to the first connector 10, the lock mechanism immediately operates so as to maintain this connected state and enters the locked state. No special operation is required to lock the locking mechanism. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the problem that the first connector 10 and the second connector 80 are unintentionally separated by forgetting the operation of switching the lock mechanism to the locked state.

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

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

The lock mechanism includes a lock piece 40 provided on the first connector 10. The lock piece 40 can move along a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 are inserted / removed (X-axis direction) with respect to the connection port 11. The lock piece 40 (particularly, the lock portion 45) can engage 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 / removal 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. After engaging, even if a tensile force is applied to the second connector 80 and the release cap 70, it is unlikely that the engagement will be unintentionally released. This improves the reliability of the locking mechanism that keeps the second connector 80 and the release cap 70 connected to the first connector 10.

The lock mechanism further includes a second elastic member (second spring 52) provided on the first connector 10. The second elastic member elastically urges 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 of the lock piece 40 being unintentionally disengaged from the second connector 80 and the release cap 70, and facilitates disengagement if necessary. It is advantageous.

The release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10 via a flexible band 69 (see FIG. 2). Therefore, the release cap 70 can be immediately connected to the first connector 10 when necessary. Further, when the release cap 70 is not connected to the first connector 10, it is unlikely that the small release cap 70 will be lost.

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 a soft material among the members constituting the connector 1 are integrated as one component, the number of members constituting the connector 1 can be reduced, and the connector 1 can be provided at low cost.

The above embodiment is merely an example. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be appropriately modified.

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

The valve assembly does not have to include the first spring 51. In this case, if a gas flow is generated through the flow path 12 toward the connection port 11 in a state where neither the second connector 80 nor the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10, it is a general one-way operation. Like the valve, the sphere 55 is moved by the flow of the gas to hermetically seal the opening 62. That is, the valve assembly of the present invention connects the flow path 12 when neither the second connector 80 nor the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10, regardless of whether or not the first spring 51 is provided. The flow of gas through the connection port 11 is blocked.

By making the partition wall 31 of the housing 30 function as a seal ring constituting the valve assembly, the seal ring 61 can be omitted. In this case, the ball 55 airtightly seals the opening (through hole) 32 of the partition wall 31 as a seal ring. In order to improve the airtightness, at least one of the partition wall 31 and the sphere 55 may be made of a soft material. As the soft material, the above-mentioned material can be used as the material of 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 a stable opening / closing operation 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 such as a cone that can be fitted into the opening 62 and a flat plate that can be closely attached to 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 lock mechanism is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be arbitrarily changed. The structure of the lock mechanism is arbitrary as long as the connection state between the first connector 10 and the second connector 80 (and the release cap 70) can be maintained.

For example, the locking mechanism is composed of a swingable lever provided on the first connector 10 and a claw provided at the tip of the lever that can be engaged with the second connector 80 (and the release cap 70). May be good.

The lock mechanism may be provided on the second connector 80 (and the release cap 70) instead of the first connector 10.

In the above embodiment, the locking mechanism is configured to automatically switch to the locked state when the second connector 80 and the 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 for switching the lock mechanism to the locked state may be required.

The locking mechanism may be configured to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state by rotating the second connector 80 (and the release cap 70) around the axis with respect to the first connector 10. For example, the first connector 10 and the first connector 10 have an engaging structure (for example, a claw, a screw, etc.) that switches between engaging and disengaging when the second connector 80 (and the release cap 70) is rotated with respect to the first connector 10. It may be provided in each of the second connectors 80 (and the release cap 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 maintain the state in which the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10. May be good.

The connector of the present invention does not have to have a locking mechanism. For example, the connector of the present invention is configured so 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. May be good. Similarly, even if the connector of the present invention is configured to maintain the state in which the release cap 70 is connected to the first connector 10 by the frictional force between the first connector 10 and the release cap 70. Good. The above frictional force can be generated, for example, by fitting a male taper surface and a female taper surface (so-called taper fitting).

The configuration of the first connector 10 is not limited to the above embodiment. It is not essential that the first connector 10 includes 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 (housing 30 and connector base 20), but they may be provided in a common part.

The seal ring 61, the release cap 70, and the bunt 69 were integrated as a cap molded product 60, but one of them may be a separate part independent of the other two, or these. All may be separate parts that are 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) having 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 its shape. There is no limit to.

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

In the above embodiment, the O-ring 89 is 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 seal 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 arranged so as to be sandwiched between the first connector 10 and the second connector 80 in the axial direction (X-axis direction), and is sandwiched between the first connector 10 and the second connector 80 in the radial direction, for example. It may be arranged so as to be.

If the space between the first connector 10 and the second connector 80 is airtightly sealed, it is not necessary 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 material can be used as the material of the seal ring 61 or the O-ring 89. Alternatively, a female tapered surface may be provided at the connection port 11 of the first connector 10, a male tapered surface may be provided at the second connector 80, and the female tapered surface and the male tapered surface may be airtightly tapered and fitted.

In the above embodiment, the release cap 70 is 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 of the first connector 10.

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

The configuration of the extruder can be changed as desired.

The pressure bag can be expanded and contracted, and its configuration is arbitrary as long as the bag-shaped container 150 can be compressed. The pressure bag need not be configured to house and compress the bag-shaped container 150 in the pressure bag. As in Patent Document 1, the pressure bag may be arranged on only one side with respect to the bag-shaped container 150, and as in Patent Document 2, two pressure bags are arranged on both sides of the bag-shaped container 150. May be done.

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

The configuration of the pressure gauge is also arbitrary. The extruder may not be equipped with a pressure gauge.

In the above embodiment, after the pressurizing chamber 117 reaches a predetermined pressure, the liquid material is extruded from the bag-shaped container 150 in a state where the second connector 80 is separated from the first connector 10. Not limited. For example, the liquid material may be extruded from the bag-shaped container 150 with the second connector 80 connected to the first connector 10. In this case, after the liquid material is extruded from the bag-shaped 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 extruder of the present invention compresses a bag-shaped container filled with a liquid material. The liquid substance is not limited to enteral nutritional supplements, but may be a liquid substance used in the medical field such as a contrast medium, hyaluronic acid, physiological saline, blood, or any liquid substance used in a non-medical field. You may.

The connector of the present invention can be used in any air flow path other than the extruder used for intestinal nutrition. The connector of the present invention can be replaced with a three-way stopcock in the air flow path provided with 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 is not limited, but can be preferably used in the medical field, especially in intestinal nutrition.

1 Connector 10 1st connector 11 Connection port 12 Flow path 40 Lock piece 45 Lock part 51 1st spring (1st elastic member)
52 Second spring (second elastic member)
55 sphere (valve body)
61 Seal ring 62 Seal ring opening 69 Band 70 Release cap 80 Second connector 89 O-ring (seal member)
100 Extruder 110 Pressurized bag 130 Air pump 150 Bag-shaped container

Claims

A first connector having a connection port and a flow path connected to the connection port, and
A gas flow path connector having a second connector and a release cap that can be inserted into and removed from the connection port and can be connected to and separated from the first connector.
The first connector comprises 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, 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 so that the flow path is opened, and gas can flow out 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 through the flow path to the connection port. Channel connector.
The valve assembly comprises a seal ring provided with an opening and a valve body capable of hermetically 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 plug 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 molded as one component 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 lock mechanism for maintaining a state in which the second connector is connected to the first connector.
The gas flow path connection according to claim 7, wherein the lock mechanism operates so as to maintain a 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 lock mechanism operates so as 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 lock mechanism is the connector for a gas flow path according to any one of claims 7 to 9, which is provided in the first connector.
The lock mechanism includes a lock piece provided on the first connector so as to be movable along a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the second connector is inserted and removed with respect to 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 lock 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 urges the lock piece so that the lock piece is maintained in a state of being engaged with the second connector.
A seal that prevents gas flowing through the flow path of the first connector from leaking to the outside 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 pressure bag capable of expansion and contraction, an air pump for injecting air into the pressure bag, and a connector provided on an air flow path connecting the pressure bag and the air pump are provided. An extrusion device configured such that the inflated pressure bag compresses a bag-shaped container filled with a liquid material and pushes out the liquid material from the bag-shaped container.
The connector is the connector for a gas flow path according to any one of claims 1 to 13.
An extrusion device in which the first connector is in communication with the pressure bag and the second connector is in communication with the air pump.
The extrusion device according to claim 14, wherein the liquid substance is an enteric nutritional supplement.