阅读说明：本技术 连接器 (Connector with a locking member ) 是由 竹内正彦 于 2019-09-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种连接器。第一部件(10)与第二部件(20)通过连结部(100)连结。第一部件在与连结部相反的一侧具备能够相对于对象方连接器进行连接的主部(51)。流路(102)使主部与第二部件连通。第一部件以及第二部件中的一方具备外筒部(30),另一方具备内筒部(40)。在连结部,内筒部嵌入于外筒部。外筒部具备第一卡合部(31)和抵接部(35)。内筒部具备与第一卡合部卡合的第二卡合部(41)、以及内筒部相对于外筒部的嵌入方向的前端即顶端(45)。第一卡合部与第二卡合部之间的卡合使内筒部的顶端沿着中心轴(101)与外筒部的抵接部抵接。(The present invention relates to a connector. The first member (10) and the second member (20) are connected by a connection section (100). The first member includes a main portion (51) that can be connected to the target connector on the side opposite to the connection portion. A flow path (102) connects the main section and the second member. One of the first member and the second member is provided with an outer tube section (30), and the other member is provided with an inner tube section (40). The inner cylinder is fitted into the outer cylinder at the connection portion. The outer cylinder portion is provided with a first engagement portion (31) and a contact portion (35). The inner cylinder portion is provided with a second engaging portion (41) that engages with the first engaging portion, and a tip (45) that is the tip of the inner cylinder portion in the direction of insertion into the outer cylinder portion. The engagement between the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion causes the distal end of the inner cylindrical portion to abut against the abutment portion of the outer cylindrical portion along the central axis (101).)

1. A connector comprising a first member and a second member, the first member and the second member being coupled to each other by a coupling portion,

the first member includes a main portion on a side opposite to the connection portion, the main portion being connectable to and disconnectable from a connector of a target side different from the connector,

a flow path that connects the main section and the second member extends along a central axis of the connector,

one of the first member and the second member includes an outer cylindrical portion having a hollow cylindrical shape coaxial with the central axis,

the other of the first member and the second member has an inner cylindrical portion having a hollow cylindrical shape coaxial with the central axis,

the inner tube portion is fitted into the outer tube portion at the coupling portion,

the outer tube section includes a first engaging section and a contact section,

the inner cylinder portion includes a second engaging portion that engages with the first engaging portion, and a tip that is a tip of the inner cylinder portion in a direction in which the inner cylinder portion is fitted into the outer cylinder portion,

the engagement between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is such that the distal end of the inner cylindrical portion abuts against the abutting portion of the outer cylindrical portion along the central axis.

2. The connector of claim 1,

at least one of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion has an inclined surface inclined with respect to the central axis,

the inclined surface is inclined such that a distal end of the inner cylindrical portion abuts against the abutment portion of the outer cylindrical portion along the central axis.

3. The connector of claim 1 or 2,

the distal end of the inner cylindrical portion annularly abuts against the abutting portion so as to surround the flow path.

4. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube portion has a first fitting surface,

the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical portion has a second fitting surface that fits the first fitting surface.

5. The connector of claim 4,

the fitting between the first fitting surface and the second fitting surface positions the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder coaxially.

6. The connector of claim 4 or 5,

a liquid-tight seal is formed between the first fitting surface and the second fitting surface.

7. The connector according to any one of claims 4 to 6,

a lubricant is provided between the first fitting surface and the second fitting surface.

8. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

the inner peripheral surface of the flow path is continuous without a step and a gap between the first member and the second member.

9. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8,

the first member is rotatable with respect to the second member.

10. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8,

the first member is not rotatable relative to the second member.

11. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 10,

the main portion includes a male member or a female member.

12. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 11,

the second member can be connected to the end of a flexible tube.

13. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 11,

the second member is provided at the side nozzle.

14. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 13,

the first member and the second member are made of different materials.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a connector which can be used favorably for medical use.

Background

In the medical field, a flexible tube is used to form a flow path (also referred to as a circuit) through which various liquids such as a drug solution and blood flow. A connector is used to connect different pipes. The connector is generally composed of a male connector and a female connector which can be repeatedly connected and separated.

For example, a male connector and a female connector are connected to the ends of a pipe, respectively (see, for example, patent document 1). The connector (in the present invention, the "connector" includes both the male connector and the female connector) is generally made of a hard resin material that is not substantially deformed by an external force. As a method of connecting a hard connector and a flexible tube, solvent bonding or hot melting is often used. However, depending on the combination of the materials of the connector and the pipe, it may be difficult to connect the connector and the pipe by these methods while securing desired strength and sealability.

Patent document 2 describes a connector in which: a first part body having a male luer connectable to a female connector and a second part body connected to a supply tube are integrated by a two-color injection molding method. By selecting a material different from the material of the first member body in consideration of the connection with the pipe as the material of the second member body, a connector having good connection with the pipe can be obtained.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2013-135729

Patent document 2: international publication No. 2010/122988

Patent document 3: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2008-029607

Patent document 4: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 11-197254

Patent document 5: japanese patent application laid-open No. 2010-075684

Patent document 6: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2013-252165

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

However, in the connector of patent document 2, since the first member body and the second member body made of different materials need to be integrated by the two-color injection molding method, the manufacturing is complicated.

Further, when the connectors of patent documents 1 and 2 are connected to pipes having different diameters, for example, it is necessary to redesign and manufacture the connectors corresponding to the pipes. Further, in the case where the connector is integrally provided to a member other than the tube (for example, a side nozzle), the connector and the whole including the member need to be redesigned and manufactured. Therefore, a plurality of different connectors are required to be mostly common, and management of the connectors is complicated, and the cost of the connectors is increased. A highly versatile connector capable of replacing only a part with a modified design is desired.

The invention aims to provide a connector which is easy to manufacture and has high universality.

Means for solving the problems

A connector of the present invention includes a first member and a second member. The first member and the second member are coupled to each other by a coupling portion. The first member includes a main portion on a side opposite to the connection portion, the main portion being connectable to and disconnectable from a connector of a target side different from the connector. A flow path that connects the main portion and the second member extends along a central axis of the connector. One of the first member and the second member includes an outer cylindrical portion having a hollow cylindrical shape coaxial with the central axis. The other of the first member and the second member includes an inner cylindrical portion having a hollow cylindrical shape coaxial with the central axis. The inner tube portion is fitted into the outer tube portion at the coupling portion. The outer tube portion includes a first engagement portion and a contact portion. The inner cylinder portion includes a second engaging portion that engages with the first engaging portion, and a tip that is a tip in an insertion direction in which the inner cylinder portion is inserted into the outer cylinder portion. The engagement between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion causes the distal end of the inner cylindrical portion to abut against the abutting portion of the outer cylindrical portion along the central axis.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

The connector of the present invention is obtained by manufacturing the first member and the second member separately from each other, and then connecting and integrating the first member and the second member. Therefore, the connector is easy to manufacture.

By replacing the first member or the second member, various kinds of connectors can be configured. Therefore, the connector of the present invention has high versatility.

Since the distal end of the inner cylindrical portion abuts against the abutment portion of the outer cylindrical portion along the central axis, the inner peripheral surface of the flow path is continuous with the abutment portion of the distal end of the inner cylindrical portion and the outer cylindrical portion without a gap.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a connector according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a connector according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 3a is a sectional perspective view of the first member according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 3B is a sectional view of the first member according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 4 a is a sectional perspective view of the second member according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 4B is a sectional view of the second member according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 5a is a sectional view of the connector according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 5B is an enlarged sectional view of a portion 5B of a in fig. 5.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a side nozzle assembly including first and second connectors according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a side nozzle assembly including first and second connectors according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a side nozzle assembly including first and second connectors according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is an exploded sectional view of a first connector of embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is an exploded sectional view of the second connector of embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a side nozzle assembly including first and second connectors according to embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 12 is an exploded sectional perspective view of a side nozzle assembly including first and second connectors according to embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Detailed Description

In the connector of the present invention, at least one of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion may have an inclined surface inclined with respect to the central axis. The inclined surface may be inclined such that a tip end of the inner cylindrical portion abuts against the abutting portion of the outer cylindrical portion along the central axis. This aspect is advantageous in that the abutment of the distal end of the inner cylinder portion with respect to the abutment portion of the outer cylinder portion is achieved with a simple configuration.

The distal end of the inner cylindrical portion may abut against the abutting portion in an annular shape so as to surround the flow path. This is advantageous in that the inner peripheral surface of the flow path of the connector is continuous without a gap between the first member and the second member.

The inner peripheral surface of the outer tube portion may have a first fitting surface. The outer peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical portion may have a second fitting surface that fits the first fitting surface. This is advantageous in that the inner peripheral surface of the flow path of the connector is continuous without a step between the first member and the second member.

The fitting between the first fitting surface and the second fitting surface may position the outer cylinder portion and the inner cylinder portion coaxially. This is more advantageous in that the inner peripheral surface of the flow path of the connector is continuous without a step between the first member and the second member.

A liquid-tight seal may be formed between the first fitting surface and the second fitting surface. In this manner, the first advantage is to prevent the liquid flowing in the flow path from leaking out of the connector through between the first member and the second member, and the second advantage is to form a liquid-tight seal with a simple configuration.

A lubricant may be provided between the first fitting surface and the second fitting surface. The lubricant is advantageous in that the first member forms a liquid-tight seal between the first fitting surface and the second fitting surface, and the second member is advantageous in that the first member can rotate relative to the second member.

The inner circumferential surface of the flow path may be continuous without a step or a gap between the first member and the second member. This is advantageous in preventing the liquid flowing through the flow path from staying in the flow path.

The first member may be rotatable with respect to the second member. In this aspect, for example, when the second member is connected to the pipe, the connection between the rotation of the first member and the twisting of the pipe can be cut off. In the above aspect, when the second member is provided in the side nozzle, the side nozzle can be easily rotated in any direction.

The first member may be non-rotatable with respect to the second member. In this aspect, for example, in the case where the first member is provided with a screw lock mechanism for maintaining a connected state with the target connector, screwing and releasing of the screw are facilitated.

The main part may be provided with a male part or a female part. When the main part includes the male member, the connector of the present invention can be made to function as a male connector, and when the main part includes the female member, the connector of the present invention can be made to function as a female connector.

The second member may be attached to the end of a flexible tube. In this manner, the pipe can be connected to another member via the connector of the present invention.

The second member may be provided to the side gate. In this aspect, the side port can be connected to another member via the connector of the present invention.

The first member and the second member may be made of different materials. According to the above aspect, the optimum material can be selected as each material of the first member and the second member. For example, when the second member is connected to the pipe, the material of the second member can be selected in consideration of the connectivity with the pipe.

The present invention will be described in detail below while showing preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. For convenience of explanation, the drawings referred to in the following description are simplified in illustration of main components constituting the embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, any component not shown in the drawings may be added or any component shown in the drawings may be changed or omitted within the scope of the present invention. In the drawings referred to in the description of the respective embodiments, the same reference numerals or corresponding reference numerals as those given in the drawings of the previous embodiments are given to the components corresponding to the components shown in the drawings referred to in the previous embodiments. For such components, redundant description or description of the previous embodiments will be omitted.

(embodiment mode 1)

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a connector 1 according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the connector 1. The connector 1 is a male connector having a male member (male luer) 51. The connector 1 is arranged at the end of a flexible tube 9. The connector 1 comprises a first part 10 having a male part 51 and a second part 20 provided to the tube 9. The second member 20 is inserted into the first member 10, and the first member 10 and the second member 20 are joined. The first part 10 is connected to the tube 9 via the second part 20. For the sake of convenience of the following description, the side close to the tube 9 is referred to as the "proximal" side, and the side far from the tube 9 is referred to as the "distal" side, with reference to the tube 9. The direction of rotation about the central axis is referred to as the "circumferential direction".

Fig. 3a is a sectional perspective view of the first member 10 as viewed from the proximal side, and fig. 3B is a sectional view of the first member 10. The cross-sections a in fig. 3 and B in fig. 3 each comprise the central axis 11 of the first part 10. The first member 10 has a hollow substantially cylindrical shape coaxial with the central axis 11 as a whole. The first member 10 includes a male member 51 connected to a connector (mating connector) different from the connector 1 on the distal side, and includes an outer cylinder 30 into which the inner cylinder 40 (see fig. 2) of the second member 20 is inserted on the proximal side (opposite side to the male member 51). The flow path 12 penetrates the male member 51 along the central axis 11.

The outer cylinder portion 30 has a hollow substantially cylindrical shape coaxial with the central axis 11. On the inner circumferential surface of the outer tube portion 30, 4 first engagement portions 31, first fitting surfaces 32, and annular ribs 35 are provided in this order from the opening end (proximal side) of the outer tube portion 30 toward the male member 51 (distal side). Further, the outer cylindrical portion 30 is provided with 4 transverse holes 37 penetrating the outer cylindrical portion 30 in the radial direction at positions between the first engagement portions 31 and the first fitting surfaces 32. The first engaging portion 31 is provided along the opening edge on the proximal side of the lateral hole 37.

The first engaging portion 31 is a projection (or a claw) projecting radially inward from the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube portion 30. The first engaging portion 31 includes a top portion 311 protruding most inward in the radial direction, and an inclined surface 312 extending from the top portion 311 toward the proximal side. The inclined surface 312 is a tapered surface (conical surface) inclined such that the inner diameter of the outer cylinder portion 30 increases toward the proximal side. The 4 first engaging portions 31 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

The first fitting surface 32 is composed of a tapered surface 321 and a cylindrical surface 322 adjacent to the tapered surface 321 on the distal side. The tapered surface 321 and the cylindrical surface 322 are coaxial with the central axis 11. The tapered surface 321 is a tapered surface (conical surface) whose inner diameter increases toward the proximal side. The inner diameter of cylindrical surface 322 is the same as the inner diameter of the distal end of tapered surface 321. The maximum inner diameter of the first fitting surface 32 (i.e., the inner diameter of the proximal end of the tapered surface 321) is smaller than the diameter of the inscribed circle of the top portion 311 of the first engaging portion 31. In the present embodiment, the first fitting surface 32 is composed of the tapered surface 321 and the cylindrical surface 322, but either one of the tapered surface 321 and the cylindrical surface 322 may be omitted. The first fitting surface 32 may have a surface other than the tapered surface 321 and the cylindrical surface 322. However, the further additional surface is preferably a cylindrical surface or a tapered surface having a diameter expanding toward the proximal side.

The first fitting surface 32 has an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the flow passage 12 (i.e., the inner diameter of the male member 51). Therefore, a stepped surface 34 is formed between the first fitting surface 32 and the inner peripheral surface of the flow passage 12 due to the difference in inner diameter therebetween. The level difference surface 34 is an annular flat surface along a plane perpendicular to the central axis 11. An annular rib 35 having a substantially cylindrical shape protrudes from the step surface 34 toward the proximal side. The annular rib 35 is disposed along an inner peripheral edge of the stepped surface 34 such that the inner peripheral surface of the flow channel 12 extends closer to the proximal side than the stepped surface 34. The annular rib 35 is separated radially inward from the first fitting surface 32.

The male member 51 has a hollow cylindrical shape coaxial with the central axis 11, through which the flow path 12 passes. The outer peripheral surface 52 of the male member 51 is a tapered surface (so-called male tapered surface) having an outer diameter that decreases toward the distal end (distal end) of the male member 51. The cylindrical lock cylinder 53 is separated from the male member 51 in the radial direction and surrounds the male member 51. A female screw 54 is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the lock cylinder 53 facing the male member 51. The male member 51 and the female screw 54 constitute a so-called screw lock type male connector (see, for example, patent document 1).

The flow path 12 extends from the annular rib 35 to the tip of the male member 51 along the central axis 11. The cross-sectional shape of the flow channel 12 along a plane perpendicular to the central axis 11 is circular regardless of the position in the direction of the central axis 11. In the present embodiment, the inner diameter of the flow path 12 is constant in the direction of the central axis 11. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the inner diameter of the flow path 12 may be changed along the central axis 11, for example, to increase toward the proximal side or the distal side.

Fig. 4 a is a sectional perspective view of the second member 20 as viewed from the proximal side, and fig. 4B is a sectional view of the second member 20. The cross-sections a in fig. 4 and B in fig. 4 comprise the central axis 21 of the second part 20. The second member 20 has a hollow substantially cylindrical shape coaxial with the central axis 21 as a whole. The second member 20 includes an inner tube 40 inserted into the outer tube 30 of the first member 10 on the distal side, and a base 25 to which the tube 9 (see fig. 2) is connected on the proximal side.

The inner cylinder 40 has a hollow substantially cylindrical shape coaxial with the central axis 21. The flow path 22 along the central axis 21 penetrates the inner cylindrical portion 40. The distal end 45 of the inner tube 40 extends in a circular shape along a plane perpendicular to the central axis 21 of the second member 20. In the present invention, the "tip end" of the inner tube 40 refers to a front end when the inner tube 40 is inserted into the outer tube 30 (see fig. 2). In embodiment 1, the distal end of the inner tube 40 corresponds to the distal end 45. The outer peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical portion 40 is provided with a second fitting surface 42, a second engagement portion 41, and a projection 43 from the distal end 45 toward the base portion 25.

The second fitting surface 42 includes a tapered surface (conical surface) or a cylindrical surface whose outer diameter decreases toward the distal end 45. In embodiment 1, the second fitting surface 42 is a tapered surface having a smaller taper angle than the tapered surface 321 (see fig. 3a and 3B) of the first fitting surface 32 of the outer cylinder part 30. The second fitting surface 42 is provided to be fitted with the first fitting surface 32 when the inner tube portion 40 is inserted into the outer tube portion 30.

The second engaging portion 41 is a protrusion (or a rib) protruding radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical portion 40. The second engaging portion 41 is annularly continuous in the circumferential direction. The second engaging portion 41 includes a top portion 411 projecting most outward in the radial direction, a first inclined surface 412 extending from the top portion 411 toward the proximal side (the base portion 25 side), and a second inclined surface 413 extending from the top portion 411 toward the distal side (the distal end 45 side). The first inclined surface 412 is a tapered surface (or a conical surface) inclined such that the outer diameter of the inner tube portion 40 decreases toward the proximal side. The second inclined surface 413 is a tapered surface (or a conical surface) inclined such that the outer diameter of the inner tube portion 40 decreases toward the distal side. The first inclined surface 412 has a steeper inclination corresponding to the central axis 21 than the second inclined surface 413.

The projection 43 projects radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical portion 40. The projection 43 is an annular rib that is continuous annularly in the circumferential direction. A recess 46 is formed between the second engaging portion 41 and the projection 43. The recess 46 is an annular groove continuous in the circumferential direction.

The base portion 25 has an inner peripheral surface 26, and the inner peripheral surface 26 has an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the pipe 9 so as to be fitted into the pipe 9. The inner circumferential surface 26 is a cylindrical surface having an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the flow passage 22. A stepped surface 27 is formed between the inner peripheral surface 26 and the inner peripheral surface of the inner tube portion 40 due to the difference in inner diameters between the two.

The flow path 22 extends from the step surface 27 to the tip 45 along the central axis 21 of the second member 20. The cross-sectional shape of the flow path 22 along a plane perpendicular to the central axis 21 is circular regardless of the position in the direction of the central axis 21. The inner diameter of the proximal end of the flow path 22 (i.e., the opening edge on the stepped surface 27) is set to be the same as the inner diameter of the tube 9. The distal end (i.e., the distal end 45) of the flow channel 22 has the same inner diameter as the proximal end (i.e., the annular rib 35, see fig. 3A and 3B) of the flow channel 12 of the first member 10. The inner circumferential surface of the flow path 22 is formed of a tapered surface, a cylindrical surface, or a combination thereof so that the inner diameter of the flow path 22 smoothly changes from the proximal end to the distal end.

In fig. 5a is a cross-sectional view of the connector 1. Fig. 5B is an enlarged sectional view of a portion 5B of a in fig. 5. The inner tube portion 40 of the second member 20 is inserted into the outer tube portion 30 of the first member 10. A portion where the outer tube 30 and the inner tube 40 form a double tube structure is referred to as a connection portion 100. In the coupling portion 100, the first member 10 and the second member 20 are coupled. The flow path 12 of the first member 10 communicates with the flow path 22 of the second member 20 to form a flow path 102 of the connector 1. The flow path 102 extends along the central axis 101 of the connector 1. The central axis 101 coincides with the central axis 11 of the first part 10 and the central axis 21 of the second part 20. The tube 9 is inserted and connected coaxially with the central axis 101 to the base 25 of the second member 20. The pipe 9 communicates with the flow path 102. The pipe 9 communicates with the male member 51 through a flow path 102.

As can be understood from fig. 5a and 5B, the first member 10 and the second member 20 can be coupled as follows: the first member 10 and the second member 20 are separately manufactured, and then the inner tube portion 40 of the second member 20 is inserted into the outer tube portion 30 of the first member 10 and press-fitted (see fig. 2). The inclined surface 312 of the first engagement portion 31 of the outer tube portion 30 guides the inner tube portion 40 into the outer tube portion 30.

The first engaging portion 31 of the outer tube portion 30 passes over the second engaging portion 41 of the inner tube portion 40 and engages with the second engaging portion 41. The inclined surface 312 of the first engaging portion 31 and the second inclined surface 413 of the second engaging portion 41 facilitate the first engaging portion 31 to pass over the second engaging portion 41. Since the first inclined surface 412 is steeper than the second inclined surface 413, it is difficult to release the engagement when the first engagement portion 31 and the second engagement portion 41 are engaged as shown in a and B in fig. 5. That is, the first member 10 and the second member 20 are irreversibly coupled.

The first engaging portion 31 is located in the recess 46 between the second engaging portion 41 and the protrusion 43. The protrusion 43 is hard to contact the top 311 of the first engaging portion 31 from the proximal side. This is advantageous in preventing the connector 1 from being disassembled.

When the first engaging portion 31 is engaged with the second engaging portion 41, the first engaging portion 31 (particularly, the top portion 311 thereof) abuts against the first inclined surface 412 of the second engaging portion 41. The first engaging portion 31 applies a pressing force F in a direction perpendicular to the first inclined surface 412. The pressing force F can be decomposed into an axial component force F1 directed toward the distal end 45 side of the inner cylinder 40 in parallel with the central axis 101 and a radial component force F2 directed radially inward. The axial component force F1 presses the distal end 45 of the inner tube portion 40 against the annular rib 35 of the outer tube portion 30 along the central axis 101. The tip 45 is closely attached to the annular rib 35 without a gap. In the vicinity of the boundary between the annular rib 35 and the tip 45, the inner peripheral surface of the flow passage 12 of the first member 10 and the inner peripheral surface of the flow passage 22 of the second member 20 are continuous without a gap in the direction of the central axis 101. By the engagement of the first engaging portion 31 with the second engaging portion 41 and the abutment of the distal end 45 with the annular rib 35, a slight dimensional error (manufacturing error) of the outer cylinder portion 30 and the inner cylinder portion 40 is absorbed, and the inner cylinder portion 40 is positioned with respect to the outer cylinder portion 30 in the direction of the central axis 101 without play.

The second fitting surface 42 of the inner tube portion 40 is fitted to the first fitting surface 32 of the outer tube portion 30. The first and second fitting surfaces 32 and 42 are disposed coaxially with the central axis 101 so as to annularly surround the flow path 102. The fitting of the second fitting surface 42 to the first fitting surface 32 allows the inner cylinder 40 to be coaxially aligned with the outer cylinder 30 without being eccentric. In this case, the radial positional deviation of the distal end 45 of the inner tube 40 with respect to the annular rib 35 of the outer tube 30 is reduced. In the vicinity of the boundary between the annular rib 35 and the tip 45, the inner peripheral surface of the flow passage 12 of the first member 10 and the inner peripheral surface of the flow passage 22 of the second member 20 are smoothly continuous without a positional shift (or a step) in the radial direction.

The distal end of the tube 9 is inserted into the base 25 of the second member 20 until it abuts against the stepped surface 27 of the second member 20. The step surface 27 limits the insertion depth of the tube 9 with respect to the base 25. The inner circumferential surface 26 of the base 25 is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 9, and the pipe 9 is coaxially aligned with the central axis 101. Therefore, in the vicinity of the boundary between the pipe 9 and the step surface 27, the inner peripheral surface of the pipe 9 and the inner peripheral surface of the flow passage 22 of the second member 20 are smoothly continuous without any gap in the direction of the central axis 101 and without any positional deviation (or step) in the radial direction.

The connector 1 can be repeatedly connected to and disconnected from a female connector having a female member into which the male member 51 is inserted. The female connector is configured arbitrarily. For example, the female member may include an inner circumferential surface (female tapered surface) that fits into an outer circumferential surface (male tapered surface) 52 of the male member 51. The female connector may have a male thread on the outer peripheral surface of the female member, into which the female thread 54 is screwed. The connector 1 may be configured to be connected to a second connector 2b (see fig. 6) of embodiment 2 and a second connector 3b (see fig. 11) of embodiment 3, which will be described later. In the present invention, a connector (in embodiment 1, a female connector) to which the connector (in embodiment 1, the connector 1) of the present invention is connected is referred to as a "mating connector". In the connector of the present invention, a portion (the male member 51 and the female screw 54 in embodiment 1) related to connection with the mating connector is referred to as a "main portion". The main portion is provided to the first member 10.

The material of the first member 10 and the second member 20 is not limited, but is preferably a hard material. The material of the first member 10 may be the same as or different from that of the second member 20. For example, the material of the first member 10 can be selected in consideration of strength, durability, sealing property, and the like required for connection and disconnection with respect to an object connector (female connector). Specifically, as the material of the first member 10, a resin material such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyacetal, polyamide, rigid polyvinyl chloride, styrene ethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, butylene styrene block copolymer, or the like can be used. On the other hand, the material of the second member 20 can be selected in consideration of the connectivity with respect to the tube 9. The method of connecting the second member 20 to the tube 9 is not limited, but a general method in the art, such as solvent bonding, hot melting, can be used. For example, in the case where the material of the tube 9 is soft polyvinyl chloride or polybutadiene, hard polyvinyl chloride or polybutadiene can be used as the material of the second member 20. These materials preferred for the second component 20 are relatively soft compared to the materials described above preferred for the first component 10. In this case, it is advantageous to form a liquid-tight seal between the first member 10 and the second member 20 (details will be described later). The first member 10 and the second member 20 can be integrally manufactured as a single member by injection molding or the like using the above-described materials.

The connector 1 of embodiment 1 includes: a first member 10 having a main portion (a male member 51 and a female thread 54) that can be repeatedly connected to and disconnected from a target connector (a female connector); and a second part 20 connected to the tube 9. As the material of the second member 20, a material having good connectivity with the tube 9 can be selected. The first member 10 and the second member 20 are separately manufactured, and then joined and integrated. The first member 10 and the second member 20 may be connected by merely press-fitting the inner cylindrical portion 40 of the second member 20 into the outer cylindrical portion 30 of the first member 10. The connector 1 of embodiment 1 is very easy to manufacture compared to the connector of patent document 2 described above, which is manufactured by integrating 2 members by a two-color injection molding method.

In order to connect the connector 1 to a plurality of pipes 9 having different materials and sizes (inner diameter and outer diameter), a plurality of types of second members 20 corresponding to the respective pipes may be prepared. The second member 20 corresponding to the tube 9 among the plurality of types of second members 20 is coupled to the first member 10. A common first member 10 can be used for the plurality of tubes 9.

In order to connect the connector 1 to a plurality of types of female connectors having different styles (specifications), a plurality of types of first members 10 corresponding to the respective female connectors may be prepared. A first member 10 corresponding to a female connector among a plurality of types of first members 10 is coupled to a second member 20. A common second part 20 can be used for multiple female connectors.

As described above, the connector 1 according to embodiment 1 can be configured into a plurality of types by replacing the first member 10 or the second member 20 with a member having another configuration. Therefore, the connector 1 has high versatility.

The pipe 9 and the male member 51 communicate via a flow path 102. The flow path 102 is composed of the flow path 12 of the first member 10 and the flow path 22 of the second member 20. The engagement between the first engaging portion 31 and the second engaging portion 41 causes the distal end 45 of the inner cylindrical portion 40 to abut against the annular rib 35 of the outer cylindrical portion 30 along the central axis 101. Further, the fitting of the first fitting surface 32 of the outer cylinder 30 and the second fitting surface 42 of the inner cylinder 40 positions the outer cylinder 30 and the inner cylinder 40 coaxially. As a result, no gap or step is generated between the flow path 12 and the flow path 22.

In general, when 2 members manufactured separately are connected to form a flow path in which the flow paths of the 2 members communicate with each other, a gap or a step tends to be generated in the boundary portion between the 2 members and the inner peripheral surface constituting the flow path. The gap and the step are highly likely to become a retention section where the liquid flowing through the flow path is retained. The retention section is likely to cause the following problems: when the liquid is a drug solution, the drug is retained in the retention portion for a long time, and the mixing ratio of the drug changes; when the liquid is blood, thrombus is generated in the retention part; when bacteria are mixed in the liquid, the bacteria proliferate in the retention section; and in the case where the bubbles in the liquid stay in the retention section, the bubbles are difficult to remove. In embodiment 1, the flow path 102 of the connector 1 is constituted by the flow path 12 of the first member 10 and the flow path 22 of the second member 20, but a retention portion is less likely to be formed at the boundary portion between the flow path 12 and the flow path 22. Therefore, the possibility of the above problem is low.

A liquid-tight seal is formed between the first fitting surface 32 and the second fitting surface 42, and at least one of (preferably, both of) the annular rib 35 and the distal end 45 of the inner cylindrical portion 40. This seal prevents the liquid flowing through the flow path 102 from flowing out of the connector 1 through between the first member 10 and the second member 20. The flow path 102 is composed of the flow path 12 of the first member 10 and the flow path 22 of the second member 20, but the possibility of occurrence of liquid leakage is low. In general, the fitting of the first fitting surface 32 and the second fitting surface 42 is easy to form a good seal. The first fitting surface 32 and the second fitting surface 42 may be in surface contact (so-called taper fitting) in a large area or in a relatively narrow and limited area in the direction of the central axis 101. The local contact is advantageous for improving the sealing. In the present embodiment, the boundary between the tapered surface 321 and the cylindrical surface 322 and the vicinity thereof partially contact the vicinity of the distal end of the second fitting surface 42.

In the connector 1 according to embodiment 1, the first member 10 is rotatable about the central axis 101 with respect to the second member 20 in a state where the first member 10 and the second member 20 are coupled (i.e., a state where the first engagement portion 31 and the second engagement portion 41 are engaged). In this case, the following advantages are provided. First, the tube 9 does not twist. For example, when the connector 1 is connected to or disconnected from a female connector, the female screw 54 needs to be screwed or released with respect to the male screw of the female connector. At this time, only the first member 10 can be rotated without rotating the second member 20. Therefore, the tube 9 connected to the second member 20 is not twisted. Second, the screwing of the female screw 54 and the male screw is not loosened by the twisting of the pipe 9. For example, when the tube 9 connected to the second member 20 is twisted in a state where the connector 1 is connected to the female connector, a rotational force generated in the tube 9 to cancel the twist is transmitted to the second member 20. By rotating the second member 20 relative to the first member 10, rotational force is not transmitted to the first member 10. Therefore, the engagement of the female screw 54 with the male screw is not loosened.

In this way, the connection between the first member 10 and the second member 20 can function as a "rotary joint". In embodiment 1, even if the first member 10 rotates relative to the second member 20, no gap or step is generated between the flow path 12 and the flow path 22 as described above. The liquid flowing through the flow path 102 does not flow out of the connector 1 through between the first member 10 and the second member 20. The first member 10 and the second member 20 are integrated without looseness.

In order to facilitate the rotation of the first member 10 with respect to the second member 20, a lubricant may be applied to a contact portion between the outer cylinder portion 30 and the inner cylinder portion 40, particularly, between the first fitting surface 32 and the second fitting surface 42. The lubricant is not limited, but for example, silicone oil can be used. Before the inner cylindrical portion 40 is inserted into the outer cylindrical portion 30, a lubricant is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical portion 40 (particularly, the second fitting surface 42). The lubricant also contributes to improving the sealability between the first fitting surface 32 and the second fitting surface 42.

Similarly to the second connector 2b of embodiment 2 and the first and second connectors 3a and 3b of embodiment 3, which will be described later, the connector 1 may be configured such that the first member 10 is not rotatable with respect to the second member 20.

The first member 10 includes a main portion on a distal side (opposite to the connection portion 100) thereof, which can be repeatedly connected to and separated from a connector (target connector) different from the connector 1. In embodiment 1, the main portion includes a male member 51 and a female screw 54 so as to be connectable to a second connector 2b (see fig. 6) of embodiment 2 and a second connector 3b (see fig. 11) of embodiment 3, which will be described later. However, the configuration of the master is not limited to this, and can be arbitrarily changed according to the target connector. For example, the connector 1 can be configured to be connectable to a side nozzle 90 (see fig. 6 and 11) in embodiments 2 and 3 described later. In this case, as a locking mechanism for maintaining the connection state with the side nozzle 90, 2 grooves (or projections) that engage with 2 claws (projections) 93 projecting from the outer peripheral surface of the side nozzle 90 may be provided instead of the female screw 54 (see, for example, patent document 3). The lock mechanism for maintaining the connected state with the target connector may be a swingable lock lever provided with a claw that engages with the target connector, instead of the lock cylinder 53 and the female screw 54. The main portion may not include the lock mechanism (the lock cylinder 53 and the female screw 54). The male member 51 constituting the main portion may be a puncture needle having a sharp distal end capable of puncturing a rubber stopper or the like. The connector 1 may not be a male connector but a female connector. In this case, the main portion of the first member 10 may include, for example, a female member 61 provided with a male thread 64 in embodiments 2 and 3 described later (see fig. 6, 10, and 11), instead of the male member 51, the locking cylinder 53, and the female thread 54.

(embodiment mode 2)

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a side nozzle assembly 200 according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the side nozzle assembly 200, and fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the side nozzle assembly 200. The side nozzle assembly 200 includes a side nozzle (also referred to as a mixing nozzle) 90, and a first connector 2a and a second connector 2b arranged so as to sandwich the side nozzle 90.

The side nozzle 90 includes a base 91, a cover 94, and a diaphragm (partition member) 97. The base 91 has a bottomed substantially cylindrical shape that opens upward. On the outer peripheral surface of the base portion 91, 2 claws (projections) 93 (only one claw 93 is visible in fig. 6 and 8) for maintaining the connection state with a male connector (not shown) connected to the side gate 90 are provided. The diaphragm 97 is configured to block an upward facing opening of the base 91. The cover 94 is attached to the base 91 so as to cover the diaphragm 97. A central portion of the diaphragm (partition member) 97 is exposed from an opening 95 in the upper surface of the cover 94. The diaphragm 97 is a circular thin plate made of a soft material (so-called elastomer) having rubber elasticity (or flexibility) such as rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer. A linear slit (notch) 98 penetrating the septum 97 in the thickness direction is formed in the center of the septum 97. In the initial state of the septum 97 undeformed, the slit 98 closes to form a liquid-tight seal. When a cylindrical male member (male luer, not shown) having no sharp distal end is inserted into the slit 98 of the septum 97, the septum 97 is elastically deformed, and the cavity 92 of the base 91 communicates with the male member. When the male member is pulled out of the septum 97, the septum 97 is immediately restored to the original state, and the slit 98 is liquid-tightly closed. In this manner, the diaphragm 97 functions as a self-closing valve body. The side nozzle 90 is a female connector having such a resealability, and is known from patent documents 3 to 5, for example.

The first connector 2a, the second connector 2b, and the side gate 90 therebetween are arranged along a straight line. The first connector 2a includes a first member 10a having a male member 51, and a second member 20a integrally provided to the outer peripheral wall of the base 91. The first member 10a is inserted into the second member 20a, and both are coupled. The second connector 2b includes a first part 10b having a female part 61, and a second part 20b integrally provided to the outer peripheral wall of the base 91. The first member 10b is inserted into the second member 20b, and both are coupled. The first and second connectors 2a, 2b are connectors of the present invention.

For the sake of convenience of the following description, the side closer to the side nozzle 90 is referred to as the "proximal" side, and the side farther from the side nozzle 90 is referred to as the "distal" side. In the drawings referred to in the following description, of the components constituting the first and second connectors 2a and 2b, those corresponding to those constituting the connector 1 of embodiment 1 are given the same reference numerals as those given to those of embodiment 1. In addition, in order to distinguish which of the first connector 2a and the second connector 2b the component belongs to, a suffix "a" is attached to the symbol of the component belonging to the first connector 2a, and a suffix "b" is attached to the symbol of the component belonging to the second connector 2 b. The suffixes "a" and "b" are not attached to the symbols of the components belonging to only one of the first connector 2a and the second connector 2 b. For example, the member to which the reference numeral "30 a" is given is an "outer tube portion" corresponding to the "outer tube portion 30" of embodiment 1, and belongs to the first connector 2 a. Redundant description of the components corresponding to those described in embodiment 1 is omitted. Hereinafter, the present embodiment 2 will be described mainly focusing on differences from embodiment 1.

Unlike the connector 1 of embodiment 1, in the connectors 2a and 2b of embodiment 2, the first members 10a and 10b include inner tubular portions 40a and 40b, and the second members 20a and 20b include outer tubular portions 30a and 30 b. The inner tubular portions 40a, 40b are fitted into the outer tubular portions 30a, 30 b.

The first connector 2a will be explained. Fig. 9 is an exploded sectional view of the first connector 2 a.

The first member 10a includes a male member 51 and a lock cylinder 53 provided with a female screw 54 on the distal side, and includes an inner cylinder portion 40a on the proximal side. The flow path 12a passes through the first member 10a from the distal end to the proximal end of the first member 10a, and communicates the male member 51 with the inner cylindrical portion 40 a. The male member 51 and the female screw 54 constitute a so-called screw lock type male connector (see, for example, patent document 1).

The inner tube portion 40a includes a distal end 45a at its proximal end, and a second fitting surface 42a, a second engaging portion 41a, and a protrusion 43a on its outer peripheral surface from the distal end 45a (proximal side) toward the male member 51 (distal side) in the same manner as the inner tube portion 40 of embodiment 1 (see fig. 4 a and 4B). A recess 46 is formed between the second engaging portion 41a and the projection 43 a.

The second member 20a includes a base portion 25a on the proximal side and an outer tube portion 30a on the distal side. Unlike the base portion 25 of embodiment 1, the proximal end of the base portion 25a is connected to the base portion 91 of the side gate 90. The base portion 25a has a hollow substantially cylindrical shape. The flow path 22a communicating with the cavity 92 of the side port 90 penetrates the base portion 25 a.

On the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube portion 30a, from the opening end (distal end) of the outer tube portion 30a toward the base portion 25a, 4 first engagement portions 31a, first fitting surfaces 32a, and annular ribs 35a are provided in this order, similarly to the outer tube portion 30 of embodiment 1 (see fig. 3a and 3B). The distal end (i.e., the annular rib 35a) of the flow path 22a has the same inner diameter as the proximal end (i.e., the distal end 45a) of the flow path 12a of the first member 10 a.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, the inner tube portion 40a is inserted into the outer tube portion 30a, and the first member 10a and the second member 20a are coupled to each other, as in embodiment 1. In the coupling portion 100a, the outer tubular portion 30a and the inner tubular portion 40a constitute a double pipe structure. The flow path 12a of the first member 10a communicates with the flow path 22a of the second member 20a to form a flow path 102a of the first connector 2 a. The side nozzle 90 communicates with the male member 51 through a flow path 102 a.

The second connector 2b will be explained. Fig. 10 is an exploded sectional view of the second connector 2 b.

The first member 10b includes a female member 61 on the distal side and an inner tube 40b on the proximal side. The female part 61 has a hollow cylindrical shape. The inner peripheral surface 62 of the female part 61 is a tapered surface (so-called female tapered surface) having an inner diameter that increases toward the distal end (end opposite to the inner cylindrical portion 40 b) of the female part 61. A male thread 64 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the female member 61. The female member 61 provided with the male screw 64 constitutes a so-called screw-locking type female connector (for example, see patent document 1).

The inner cylindrical portion 40b has a hollow substantially cylindrical shape through which the flow path 12b penetrates. The inner tube 40B includes a distal end 45B at its proximal end, and a second fitting surface 42B, a second engaging portion 41B, and a projection 43B on its outer peripheral surface from the distal end 45B (proximal side) toward the female member 61 (distal side) in the same manner as the inner tube 40 of embodiment 1 (see fig. 4 a and 4B). In embodiment 1, a recess 46 (see fig. 2) continuous in the circumferential direction is formed between the second engagement portion 41 and the projection 43. In contrast, in embodiment 2, as shown in fig. 8, the recess 46 is interrupted by 4 ribs 47 connecting the second engagement portion 41b and the projection 43b along the central axis direction. Therefore, 4 independent recesses 48 are provided between the second engagement portion 41b and the projection 43b at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

Returning to fig. 10, the second member 20b includes a base portion 25b on the proximal side and an outer tube portion 30b on the distal side. The flow path 22b communicating with the cavity 92 of the side port 90 penetrates the base portion 25 b. The second member 20b and the second member 20a (see fig. 9) are symmetrical with respect to the side gate 90.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, the inner tube portion 40b is inserted into the outer tube portion 30b, and the first member 10b and the second member 20b are coupled to each other, as in embodiment 1. In the coupling portion 100b, the outer tubular portion 30b and the inner tubular portion 40b constitute a double pipe structure. The flow passage 12b of the first member 10b communicates with the flow passage 22b of the second member 20b to form a flow passage 102b of the second connector 2 b. The side port 90 communicates with the female member 61 through the flow path 102 b.

As with the connector 1 of embodiment 1, the first connector 2a can be repeatedly connected to and disconnected from a female connector including a female member into which the male member 51 is inserted. The configuration of the female connector is arbitrary. For example, the female member may include an inner circumferential surface (female tapered surface) that fits into an outer circumferential surface (male tapered surface) 52 of the male member 51. The female connector may have a male thread on the outer peripheral surface of the female member, into which the female thread 54 is screwed. The female connector may have the same configuration as the female part 61 and the male thread 64 provided on the first part 10b of the second connector 2 b. The female connector may be provided at the end of a flexible tube.

The second connector 2b can be repeatedly connected to and disconnected from a male connector including a male member inserted into the female member 61. The configuration of the male connector is arbitrary. For example, the male member may have an outer peripheral surface (male tapered surface) that fits into an inner peripheral surface (female tapered surface) 62 of the female member 61. The male connector may have a female thread into which the male thread 64 is screwed. The second connector 2b may be configured to be connectable to the connector 1 (see fig. 1) of embodiment 1.

The first connector 2a and the second connector 2b may be configured to be connectable to each other. In this case, a plurality of side nozzle assemblies 200 can be connected in series.

The second member 20 (see fig. 2) of embodiment 1 is connected to the tube 9. Therefore, the material of the second member 20 is selected in consideration of the connectivity with the tube 9. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the second members 20a, 20b are integrally manufactured as one member with the base portion 91 of the side gate 90. The choice of material for the second parts 20a, 20b does not require any consideration of the connectivity with the tube 9. The material of the second members 20a and 20b is not limited, and for example, the resin material exemplified as the material of the first member 10 in embodiment 1 can be used. The material of the cover 94 is also not limited, and for example, the resin material exemplified as the material of the first member 10 in embodiment 1 can be used.

The connectors 2a and 2b of embodiment 2 can be manufactured as follows: the first members 10a and 10b are press-fitted into the second members 20a and 20b to connect the first members 10a and 10b and the second members 20a and 20 b. Therefore, the connectors 2a and 2b can be easily manufactured as in the connector 1 of embodiment 1.

In order to connect the first connector 2a to plural kinds of female connectors having different styles (specifications), plural kinds of first members 10a corresponding to the respective female connectors may be prepared. Similarly, in order to connect the second connector 2b to a plurality of types of male connectors having different styles (specifications), a plurality of types of first members 10b corresponding to the respective male connectors may be prepared. The first members 10a, 10b can be replaced with other connectors connected to the connectors 2a, 2b, respectively. By replacing the first member 10a with the first member 10b having the female member 61, the first connector 2a can be changed to a female connector. Further, the second connector 2b can be changed to a male connector by replacing the first member 10b with the first member 10a having the male member 51. Thus, the connectors 2a, 2b have high versatility.

In the second connector 2b, the first engagement portion 31b of the outer cylindrical portion 30b is fitted into the recess 48 of the inner cylindrical portion 40b (see fig. 8). The ribs 47 between the circumferentially adjacent recesses 48 collide with the first engaging portions 31b, and therefore the first member 10b cannot rotate relative to the second member 20 b. The first engaging portion 31b of the outer tube portion 30b and the rib 47 of the inner tube portion 40b function as a "rotation preventing mechanism" that prevents the first member 10b from rotating relative to the second member 20 b. When the second connector 2b is to be connected to or disconnected from a male connector (mating connector), it is necessary to screw or release the male screw 64 into or from a female screw of the male connector. At this time, when the first member 10b provided with the male screw 64 is rotated with respect to the second member 20b (i.e., the side gate 90), it may be difficult to screw and unscrew the male screw 64 and the female screw. In embodiment 2, since the first member 10b is prohibited from rotating relative to the second member 20b (further, the side gate 90), the male connector (mating connector) and the side gate 90 can be easily connected to and disconnected from the second connector 2b by, for example, grasping the male connector and the side gate 90 with different hands and rotating them in opposite directions.

In embodiment 2, the rib 47 may be omitted and the first member 10b may be configured to be rotatable with respect to the second member 20 b. That is, the first member 10b may be replaced with a member provided with the ribs 47. In this case, the first members 10a and 10b are rotatable with respect to the second members 20a and 20b (further, the side gates 90). For example, when the side nozzle assembly 200 is provided in the middle of a liquid flow path formed of a tube, the side nozzle 90 can be rotated in any direction without twisting the tube.

Alternatively, in the first connector 2a, the rib 47 may be configured to disconnect the recess 46 between the second engagement portion 41a and the projection 43a, and the first member 10a may be configured to be non-rotatable with respect to the second member 20a, as in the second connector 2 b.

The base 91, the second member 20a, and the second member 20b of the side nozzle 90 may be separately manufactured and then joined to be integrated. In this case, the side nozzle assembly 200 can be configured by replacing one or 2 of the base 91 and the second members 20a and 20b with members having other configurations.

The main portion of the first member 10a can be variously modified in the same manner as the first member 10 of embodiment 1. The main portion of the first member 10b is not limited to the present embodiment, and can be arbitrarily changed. For example, the first member 10b may not include the male screw 64.

Embodiment 2 is the same as embodiment 1 except for the above. The description of embodiment 1 is also suitably applied to embodiment 2.

(embodiment mode 3)

Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a side nozzle assembly 300 according to embodiment 3 of the present invention. Fig. 12 is an exploded sectional perspective view of the side nozzle assembly 300. As with the side nozzle assembly 200 of embodiment 2, the side nozzle assembly 300 includes the side nozzle 90, and the first connector 3a and the second connector 3b disposed with the side nozzle 90 therebetween. The first and second connectors 3a, 3b are connectors of the present invention. The side nozzle assembly 300 has the same external appearance as the side nozzle assembly 200 (see fig. 6) of embodiment 2, and therefore, the drawings thereof are omitted.

The side nozzle assembly 300 differs from the side nozzle assembly 200 in the following respects. First, in the side nozzle assembly 300, both the first and second connectors 3a and 3b are configured such that the first members 10a and 10b cannot rotate relative to the second members 20a and 20 b. Second, embodiment 3 is different from embodiment 2 in a mechanism (rotation prevention mechanism) for making the first members 10a and 10b non-rotatable with respect to the second members 20a and 20 b. Hereinafter, the present embodiment 3 will be described mainly focusing on differences from embodiment 2.

As shown in fig. 11, in embodiment 3, the ribs 47 (see fig. 8) of embodiment 2 are not provided on the outer peripheral surfaces of the inner cylindrical portions 40a and 40 b. Instead, grooves 49a, 49b are provided on the outer peripheral surfaces of the inner tubular portions 40a, 40 b. That is, 2 linear grooves 49a (only one groove 49a is visible in fig. 11) are provided along the central axis direction on the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical portion 40a so as to divide the second engagement portion 41a into two halves in the circumferential direction. Similarly, 2 linear grooves 49b (only one groove 49b is visible in fig. 11) are provided along the central axis direction on the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical portion 40b so as to divide the second engagement portion 41b into two halves in the circumferential direction. In fig. 11, a part of the distal side of the groove 49a is not visible, but the groove 49a extends similarly to the groove 49 b.

On the other hand, ribs 39a, 39b protruding radially inward are provided on the inner circumferential surfaces of the outer tubular portions 30a, 30 b. That is, as shown in fig. 12, 2 linear ribs 39a (only one rib 39a is visible in fig. 12) are provided along the central axis direction at positions between the lateral holes 37a adjacent in the circumferential direction on the inner circumferential surface of the outer tube portion 30 a. Similarly, 2 linear ribs 39b (only one rib 39b is visible in fig. 12) are provided along the central axis direction at positions between the circumferentially adjacent cross holes 37b on the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube portion 30 b.

When the first members 10a, 10b are coupled to the second members 20a, 20b, the ribs 39a, 39b are fitted into the grooves 49a, 49 b. Since the ribs 39a, 39b collide with the second engaging portions 41a, 41b in the circumferential direction, the first members 10a, 10b cannot rotate with respect to the second members 20a, 20b (further, the side gates 90). According to embodiment 3, for example, it is easy to connect 2 side nozzle assemblies 300 in series so as to connect the first connector 3a and the second connector 3b, and to separate the 2 side nozzle assemblies 300 connected in series. This is because connection and disconnection can be performed only by grasping the side gate 90 of one side gate assembly 300 and the side gate 90 of the other side gate assembly 300 with different hands and rotating them in opposite directions to each other.

In embodiment 3, the number of pairs of grooves (49a, 49b) and ribs (39a, 39b) that fit into each other does not need to be 2, and may be one or 3 or more in each of the first and second connectors 3a, 3 b.

One or both of the ribs 39a and 39b may be omitted. Thus, one or both of the rotation of the first member 10a relative to the second member 20a and the rotation of the first member 10b relative to the second member 20b can be performed without changing the first members 10a and 10 b.

Embodiment 3 is the same as embodiments 1 and 2 except for the above. The description of embodiments 1 and 2 is also applicable to embodiment 3.

The above embodiments 1 to 3 are merely examples. The present invention is not limited to embodiments 1 to 3, and can be modified as appropriate.

In embodiments 1 to 3 described above, the annular rib 35 that functions as an abutment portion against which the tip 45 of the inner tube portion abuts is provided on the stepped surface 34 of the outer tube portion. The annular rib 35 narrows the area against which the tip 45 abuts, and therefore facilitates the formation of a liquid-tight seal between the tip 45 and the annular rib 35. However, in the present invention, the annular rib 35 may be omitted. That is, the tip 45 may directly abut against the step surface 34. In this case, the step surface 34 functions as an abutting portion. Alternatively, an annular rib similar to the annular rib 35 may be provided at the distal end 45 of the inner cylindrical portion.

In embodiments 1 to 3 described above, the first inclined surface 412 is provided on the second engagement portion 41 of the inner cylindrical portion so that the distal end 45 of the inner cylindrical portion abuts against the abutment portion (annular rib 35) of the outer cylindrical portion along the central axis. However, in the present invention, the distal end 45 of the inner cylindrical portion may be brought into contact with the contact portion (annular rib 35) of the outer cylindrical portion by another configuration. For example, the first engagement portion 31 of the outer tube portion may be provided with an inclined surface that increases the inner diameter of the outer tube portion from the top portion 311 toward the contact portion (annular rib 35), and the second engagement portion 41 may be brought into contact with the inclined surface.

In embodiments 1 to 3 described above, 4 first engagement portions 31 are provided on the outer tubular portion, but the number of first engagement portions 31 is not limited to 4, and may be smaller or larger. The first engaging portion 31 may be continuous annularly in the circumferential direction.

In embodiments 1 to 3 described above, the second engagement portion 41 provided in the inner cylindrical portion is continuous in the circumferential direction, but the second engagement portion 41 is not limited to this. For example, the second engaging portion 41 may be circumferentially disconnected at 1 or more.

In embodiments 1 to 3 described above, the projection 43 provided on the inner cylindrical portion is continuous in the circumferential direction, but the projection 43 is not limited thereto. For example, the protrusion 43 may be broken in the circumferential direction at 1 or more. Alternatively, the projection 43 may be omitted.

The configuration of the rotation preventing mechanism for preventing the first member from rotating relative to the second member is not limited to embodiments 2 and 3. In general, the rotation preventing mechanism may be configured with an engaging structure provided in each of the first member and the second member to engage with each other. The engaging structure for engaging with each other may be any combination of projection and projection or projection and recess. The position of the rotation preventing mechanism is not limited to the above embodiments 2 and 3, and can be arbitrarily changed. The rotation prevention mechanism may include other components in addition to the first and second components.

The connector of the present invention, which is composed of the first and second members, is provided at the distal end of the tube 9 in embodiment 1, and is provided at the side nozzle 90 in embodiments 2 and 3. However, the connector of the present invention can be provided to any component other than these. For example, the connector of the present invention may be provided at the tip of the syringe barrel, 3 ports of a three-way cock, a port of a pump through which a liquid flows, or the like.

In embodiment 1, the first member 10 may include the inner tube portion 40, and the second member 20 may include the outer tube portion 30. In embodiments 2 and 3, the first members 10a and 10b may include the outer tubular portions 30a and 30b, and the second members 20a and 20b may include the inner tubular portions 40a and 40 b. The first member provided with the main portion can be adapted to any second member such as the second member provided in the pipe 9 and the second member provided in the side nozzle 90, as long as the first member is standardized to be provided with either the outer tube portion or the inner tube portion at all times. This further improves the versatility of the connector.

The first member constituting the connector of the present invention includes a main portion on the opposite side of the connection portion, the main portion being capable of being repeatedly connected to and separated from a connector (a target connector) different from the connector of the present invention. The main portion is not limited to the above embodiments 1 to 3, and can be arbitrarily changed. In general, when the mating connector is a female connector, the main portion includes a male member that can be inserted into the female member of the female connector, and when the mating connector is a male connector, the main portion includes a female member that can be inserted into the male member of the male connector. The main portion may be provided with a self-closing diaphragm similar to diaphragm 97 of side port 90. In this case, the mixing/injection port can be configured using the connector of the present invention (see patent document 6). The main part may further include a lock mechanism for maintaining a connection state with the counterpart connector. As the lock mechanism, a screw lock mechanism using screwing of a screw, a pawl lock mechanism using engagement of a pawl (projection), a lever lock mechanism using a lever provided with a pawl and capable of swinging, and the like are known, and any of these can be applied to the present invention.

Industrial applicability of the invention

The field of use of the present invention is not particularly limited, and the connector used as a passage for forming a liquid flow can be used in a wide range. The present invention can be used particularly well in the medical field, but can be used in any fields other than medical use, for example, food, chemical, and other treatment liquids.

Description of the symbols

1. 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b connector

9 tube

10. 10a, 10b first part

20. 20a, 20b second part

30. 30a, 30b outer cylinder

31. 31a, 31b first engaging parts

32. 32a, 32b first fitting surfaces

35. 35a, 35b annular Ribs (abutting part)

39a, 39b ribs

40. 40a, 40b inner cylinder part

41. 41a, 41b second engaging part

412. 412a, 412b first inclined plane (inclined plane)

42. 42a, 42b second fitting surfaces

45. 45a, 45b are provided with distal ends of inner tubular portions

47 Rib

49a, 49b groove

51 Male component (Main part)

61 female part (main part)

90 side injection port

100. 100a, 100b connecting part

101. 101a, 101b connector center axis

102. 102a, 120b connector flow path