Syringe connector

Abstract

The syringe connector (30) comprises: a first element (40) including a connecting section (41) fitted to a section of a syringe (10) to be connected; and a second element (60) comprising a connector flow path (66) through which fluid dispensed from the syringe (10) flows. The first element (40) is made of resin containing a reinforcing material, the reinforcing material preferably being a fiber or a carbon tube. The second element (60) is made of resin that does not contain a reinforcing material.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector connected to a distal end of a syringe. 2. Description of related technology

[0002] As described in Non-Patent Document 1, a syringe (an injector) is commonly used in the medical field for administering medical solution, collecting blood, and the like. Such a syringe consists of a barrel (an outer cylinder) in which medical solution or the like is stored, and a piston (a slider) to be inserted into the barrel.

[0003] Attached to a distal end of the cylinder is a connector (a nozzle head) that meets a predetermined standard. This connector is configured so that a needle base of an injection needle, a connector of a catheter, or the like can be connected to this connector. As the connector, there is a connector made of metal, such as brass, that is plated for a specific purpose. The metal connector can maintain a tight fit with the distal end of the cylinder even when the metal connector is stored for a long period of time. LIST OF COUNCIL OBSERVATIONS Non-patent document

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) T 3201-1979 “Glass Injector” SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] However, in the case where the connector is manufactured using metal, the shape of the connector and the specification of the connector are subject to limitations due to the machining of metal. Since machining of metal involves many challenges, it requires time and cost. One proposed improvement is to manufacture the connector using resin. In this regard, it is required that a material used to form a syringe connector satisfy both a condition of obtaining sufficient fitting strength with a distal end of a barrel and a condition that the material be a safe material with which no foreign material is mixed into medical solution or the like flowing from the barrel to the connector.However, it is difficult to produce a resin connector that can equally satisfy both of the above conditions. Given this, there is a need for a connector that can be used instead of a metal connector, offers safety, and is easy to manufacture.

[0006] The present invention is achieved to solve the problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a syringe connector which provides safety and has sufficient fitting strength with a syringe and is easy to manufacture.

[0007] A syringe connector according to the present invention includes: a first member including a connecting portion attached to a portion of a syringe to be connected; and a second member including a connector flow path through which fluid discharged from the syringe flows. The first member is made of resin containing a mixture. The second member is made of resin not containing a mixture.

[0008] The syringe connector according to the present invention includes: the first member including the connecting portion attached to the portion of the syringe to be connected; and a second member including the connector flow path through which fluid discharged from the syringe flows. The first member is made of resin containing a mixture, and the second member is made of resin not containing a mixture. Accordingly, a material containing a mixture that improves strength or rigidity is selected for the first member including the connecting portion to be attached to a predetermined part of the syringe and requiring a high fitting force, and a safe material that offers no possibility of raw material separation is selected for the second member including the connector flow path through which fluid discharged from the syringe flows.Thus, it is possible to form the first element and the second element using respective optimal materials. Accordingly, with the syringe connector according to the present invention, it is possible to achieve a secure syringe connector with a high fitting force.

[0009] Furthermore, in the syringe connector according to the present invention, it is preferred that the mixture is fiber.

[0010] In the syringe connector according to the present invention, the resin constituting the first member contains fiber, and the resin constituting the second member does not contain any mixture. Accordingly, in the syringe connector according to the present invention, the first member is configured to contain fiber that can be easily mixed with the resin, so that the first member has a high fitting force with the syringe, and the second member, which does not contain fiber, is configured to contain no fiber that could be deposited into a medical solution, so that the second member has high safety.

[0011] Furthermore, in the syringe connector according to the present invention, it is preferable that the first member and the second member can be connected to each other only by fitting between respective abutment surfaces of the first member and the second member, the respective abutment surfaces being in contact with each other.

[0012] In the syringe connector according to the present invention, the first member and the second member are connected to each other only by fitting between their respective contact surfaces. Since other members such as an adhesive are not used, other substances are not mixed into the fluid discharged from the syringe. Accordingly, it is possible to achieve a syringe connector with higher safety.

[0013] The first member and the second member include paired fitting portions configured to be mated at the respective abutting surfaces that abut against each other, so that the paired fitting portions are fitted to each other by a recess-projection fit.

[0014] Furthermore, in the syringe connector according to the present invention, it is preferable that the first member and the second member include paired fitting portions formed to be mated with each other at the respective abutting surfaces that abut against each other, so that the fitting portions are fitted to each other by a recess-projection fitting.

[0015] The first member and the second member provided in the syringe connector according to the present invention include the paired fitting portions formed on the respective abutting surfaces that abut against each other, so that the paired fitting portions are fitted to each other by a recess-projection fitting. Accordingly, with the syringe connector according to the present invention, it is possible to achieve a secure syringe connector with a high fitting force by fitting, which is a simple and reliable connection method.

[0016] Furthermore, in the syringe connector according to the present invention, it is preferable that: the first member includes a first fitting portion as one of the paired fitting portions; the second member includes a second fitting portion as the other of the paired fitting portions; the first member includes a first indicating portion corresponding to a rotational direction angular position of the first fitting portion about a central axis of the first member; and the second member includes a second indicating portion corresponding to a rotational direction angular position of the second fitting portion about a central axis of the second member.

[0017] The first member and the second member of the syringe connector according to the present invention include the first indicator portion and the second indicator portion, respectively, wherein the first indicator portion and the second indicator portion correspond to respective rotational direction angular positions of the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion. Accordingly, the first member and the second member can be easily fitted to each other with mating fitting structures only at respective specific rotational direction angular positions. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently manufacture the syringe connector.

[0018] In the syringe connector according to the present invention, it is preferable that the connecting portion has an inner diameter equal to or more than 94% but equal to or less than 98% of an outer diameter of the portion to be connected placed at a position corresponding to the connecting portion.

[0019] In the syringe connector according to the present invention, the connecting portion has an inner diameter equal to or greater than 94% but equal to or less than 98% of the outer diameter of the portion to be connected, which is placed at a position corresponding to the connecting portion. Thus, the connecting portion and the portion to be connected are formed in a dimensional relationship suitable for tight fitting. Accordingly, the syringe connector according to the present invention can be pressed into the portion to be connected of the syringe by fitting it, and also has sufficient pull-out strength and fitting strength for long-term storage.

[0020] In the syringe connector according to the invention, it is preferable that the connecting portion has a plate thickness in a radial direction of the connecting portion, the plate thickness being equal to or greater than 2 mm but equal to or less than 3 mm in a part other than a round part or a chamfer part provided in an end portion of the connecting portion in a central axis direction of the connecting portion.

[0021] Since the plate thickness in the radial direction of the connecting portion of the syringe connector according to the present invention is formed within the above range, the syringe connector according to the present invention can have sufficient pull-out strength with respect to the syringe while reducing defects such as a warp or a sink mark.

[0022] In the syringe connector according to the present invention, it is preferable that: the second member includes a circular plate portion; and the second display portion is a non-circular portion formed by cutting an outer peripheral part of the circular plate portion.

[0023] Since the second indicator portion provided in the syringe connector according to the present invention is a non-circular portion provided in the outer peripheral part of the circular plate portion provided in the second member, the second indicator portion can be easily formed. Furthermore, since the second indicator portion is placed in the outer peripheral part of the circular plate portion, the rotational direction position of the second member is easy to grasp at the time of assembling the connector, and further, the periphery of the second indicator portion is easy to grasp. Accordingly, it is possible to easily manufacture the syringe connector.

[0024] In the syringe connector according to the present invention, it is preferable that: the first member includes an outer tubular portion connected to a mating connector, and an intermediate portion connecting the connecting portion to the outer tubular portion; the connecting portion has an inner peripheral surface located between an inner peripheral surface of the outer tubular portion and an outer peripheral surface of the outer tubular portion in a radial direction of the connecting portion; and the connecting portion has an outer peripheral surface located outward from the outer peripheral surface of the outer tubular portion in a radial direction.

[0025] In the first element of the syringe connector according to the present invention, the inner peripheral surface of the connecting portion is positioned radially between the inner peripheral surface of the outer tubular portion and the outer peripheral surface of the outer tubular portion, and the outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion is positioned radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the outer tubular portion. Accordingly, while the fitting strength is increased by moderately constraining deformation in an outer peripheral part of the connecting portion, the connecting portion is held by the outer tubular portion to prevent excessive stress from occurring locally, thereby making it possible to stably improve the fitting strength.

[0026] It is preferable that: the syringe connector according to the present invention includes a sealing member placed to be sandwiched between the syringe and the syringe connector in a central axis direction of the syringe connector, the sealing member being more easily deformable than the syringe connector; and the syringe connector has a groove continuously extending in a circumferential direction of the syringe connector on a surface in contact with the sealing member.

[0027] The syringe connector according to the present invention sandwiches the sealing member between the syringe and the syringe connector, the sealing member being more easily deformable than the syringe connector, and the syringe connector has the groove continuously extending in a circumferential direction of the syringe connector on the surface in contact with the sealing member. With the above configuration, the syringe connector according to the present invention causes the sealing member to swell in the groove, and due to the physical shape of a corner portion of the groove, the sealing performance is improved compared to the case where no groove is formed.

[0028] It is preferable that: the syringe connector according to the present invention includes a connecting portion having an inner peripheral surface formed in a truncated conical shape or a cylindrical shape; and the connecting portion is outwardly engaged by tight fitting with a portion to be connected provided in a glass cylinder of the syringe and has an outer peripheral surface formed in a truncated conical shape or a cylindrical shape.

[0029] The syringe connector according to the present invention includes the connecting portion having an inner peripheral surface formed in a truncated conical shape or a cylindrical shape, and the connecting portion is outwardly engaged by tight fitting with the portion to be connected provided in the glass cylinder of the syringe and has an outer peripheral surface formed in a truncated conical shape or a cylindrical shape. This accordingly facilitates insertion into the connector and increases an adhesion property with the connector, whereby the fitting strength can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to a syringe, FIG. 2 is a side view of the connector and syringe of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion parallel to a central axis passing through the connector and syringe of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a right-side view of a first member of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a right-side view of a second member of FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a left-side view of the second member of FIG. 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS <Ausführungsform>

[0031] A connector 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the connector 30 is attached to a syringe 10. FIG. 2 is a front view of the connector 30 and the syringe 10 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along a plane including a central axis X of FIG. 2. The connector 30 is configured to be attached to a syringe conforming to ISO standard 80369-6.

[0032] The syringe 10 is used for administering a medical solution, collecting blood, or the like, and, as is publicly known, the syringe 10 is constituted by a barrel 11 and a piston (not illustrated). The barrel 11 is formed into a generally cylindrical shape having an internal space in which fluid such as medical solution, saline solution, or air is stored. The barrel 11 includes a distal end portion 12 in an end part—on a connector side—of the barrel 11 and a flange portion 13 in an end part on an opposite side from the distal end portion 12. The barrel 11 is made of glass, and is made of, for example, borosilicate glass.

[0033] The distal end portion 12 includes a connecting portion 14 formed to protrude from a cylinder end surface 19 on the distal end portion 12 side of the cylinder 11, which is formed into a generally cylindrical shape. The connecting portion 14 is a part formed with an outer diameter d2 connected to the cylinder end surface 19 via a neck portion 16, and has an outer peripheral surface with a truncated cone shape or a cylindrical shape. A connecting portion distal surface 15 is formed on a distal surface on the connector side of the connecting portion 14. The connecting portion 14 and the neck portion 16 are integrally formed as part of the cylinder 11.Within the portion 14 to be joined, a syringe flow path 18 is provided, communicating with an interior of the cylinder 11 and penetrating along a central axis X of the portion 14 to be joined from the cylinder end surface 19 to the distal surface 15 of the portion to be joined. An inner diameter d1 on the cylinder end surface 19 side of the syringe flow path 18 is a portion of the inner diameter d1 of the syringe flow path 18 with the maximum inner diameter, and the inner diameter d1 of the syringe flow path 18 is formed to have a generally truncated conical shape that gradually decreases in diameter toward the distal surface 15 of the portion to be joined.On the distal surface 15 of the portion to be connected of the syringe flow path 18, the inner diameter d1 is formed uniformly, and the syringe flow path 18 is opened on the distal surface 15 of the portion to be connected.

[0034] Reference is now made to FIGS. 3 through 6, in which the connector 30 will be described. The connector 30 includes a first member 40 and a second member 60 fitted and supported within the first member 40. FIG. 4 is a right-side view of the first member 40 from the right side of FIG. 3, that is, viewed from the side of the syringe 10. FIG. 5 is a right-side view of the second member 60 from the right side of FIG. 3, that is, viewed from the side of the syringe 10. FIG. 6 is a left-side view of the second member 60 from the left side of FIG. 3, that is, viewed from the distal end of the connector 30.

[0035] The first member 40 includes a connecting portion 41 having a cylindrical shape and configured to be fitted on the outer surface of the connecting portion 14, an outer tubular portion 42 coaxially connected to the connecting portion 41 along the central axis X, and an intermediate portion 43 connecting the connecting portion 41 to the outer tubular portion 42. The connecting portion 41 is a part fitted to the connecting portion 14 of the syringe 10. The inner peripheral surface of the connecting portion 41 is formed into a truncated conical shape or a cylindrical shape with an inner diameter d3 such that the inner peripheral surface of the connecting portion 41 engages the connecting portion 14 outwardly.

[0036] The outer tubular portion 42 is a cylindrical portion formed from a cylindrical surface parallel to the central axis X, and a syringe-side edge of the outer tubular portion 42 is connected to a distal-end surface of the intermediate portion 43. The outer tubular portion 42 may include a screw rib portion on the inner surface of the outer tubular portion 42, which screw rib portion can be engaged with a threaded portion provided in a female connector or the like (not illustrated) to which the connector 30 is connected. In this case, the connector 30 may also be used for a mating connector having a collar with a threaded groove.

[0037] The intermediate portion 43 is fixed to close an end portion of a distal end side of the connecting portion 41, which has a cylindrical shape. The intermediate portion 43 includes a first end surface of the intermediate portion 45 as a surface on the syringe 10 side and an intermediate portion center hole 46 formed in the center of the intermediate portion 43. The intermediate portion center hole 46 is a hole through which an inner tubular portion 62 of the second member 60 (described later) penetrates and is formed to have an inner diameter of generally the same dimension as the outer diameter of a base end portion of the inner tubular portion 62 connected to the intermediate portion 43.The intermediate portion center hole 46 may be formed with an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the base end part of the inner tubular portion 62 of the second member 60, that is, an edge of the inner tubular portion 62 on the intermediate portion first end surface 45 side, so that respective curved surfaces of the intermediate portion center hole 46 and the inner tubular portion 62 are brought into surface contact with each other and fitted together by tight fitting.Alternatively, a recessed portion may be provided on one of the inner peripheral surface of the center hole 46 of the intermediate portion and the outer peripheral surface of the inner tubular portion 62 with which the inner peripheral surface comes into contact, and a projection portion may be provided on the other of them so that the recessed portion and the projection portion are fitted to each other by a recess-projection fitting.

[0038] The inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface of the connecting portion 41 is formed to have generally the same dimension as the outer diameter of the outer peripheral surface of a circular plate portion 61 facing the inner peripheral surface of the connecting portion 41. The inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface of the connecting portion 41 may be formed to be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the circular plate portion 61, so that respective curved surfaces of the inner peripheral surface of the connecting portion 41 and the outer peripheral surface of the circular plate portion 61 are brought into surface contact with each other and fitted together in a tight fit.Alternatively, a recessed portion may be provided on one of the inner peripheral surface of the connecting portion 41 and the outer peripheral surface of the circular plate portion 61 with which the inner peripheral surface comes into contact, and a projection portion may be provided on the other thereof so that the recessed portion and the projection portion are fitted to each other by a recess-projection fitting.

[0039] The first member 40 and the second member 60 are fixed to each other by a fixing method other than fitting. The fixing method other than fitting is, for example, welding. Respective contact parts of the first member 40 and the second member 60, for example, the inner peripheral surface of the connecting portion 41 and the outer peripheral surface of the circular plate portion 61, or the inner peripheral surface of the center hole 46 of the intermediate portion and the outer peripheral surface of the inner tubular portion 62, may be welded to each other. A welding method may be, for example, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, and the like. Alternatively, a bayonet fitting may be used so that a depressed portion and a protruding portion are formed in the first member 40 and the second member 60 in the rotational direction of the first member 40 and the second member 60.Alternatively, a snap fit may be used such that a recessed portion and a protruding portion are formed in the first member 40 and the second member 60 in the central axis X direction.

[0040] As illustrated in FIG. 4, a first fitting portion 47 is formed as one of the paired fitting portions on the first end surface 45 of the intermediate portion. The first fitting portion 47 is a part to be fitted to a corresponding part of the second member 60 to prevent rotation. The first fitting portion 47 is one or more recessed portions, one or more grooves, or the like formed with a uniform groove width L1 in the radial direction of the first member 40 from the center hole 46 of the intermediate portion to an outer peripheral end of the first end surface 45 of the intermediate portion. Four first fitting portions 47 are formed at an interval of 90° in the circumferential direction of the first member 40 around the center hole 46 of the intermediate portion such that the four first fitting portions 47 each have the uniform groove width L1.The number of first fitting portions 47 may be other than four, and one first fitting portion 47 may be formed in the circumferential direction of the first end surface 45 of the intermediate portion, or two to six fitting portions 47 may be formed at the same angular interval in the circumferential direction around the center hole 46 of the intermediate portion.

[0041] On the outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion 41, a first indicating portion 48 is provided, which corresponds to a rotational direction angular position of the first fitting portion 47 around the central axis X of the first member 40. The first indicating portion 48 is a part for positioning respective rotational direction angular positions of the first member 40 and the second member 60 at the time of assembling the first member 40 and the second member 60. The first indicating portion 48 is a U-shaped groove formed by cutting a part of the outer periphery of the connecting portion 41 from the outer periphery of the connecting portion 41 toward the center of the first member 40.The first display portion 48 includes a straight line parallel to a straight line in contact with the outer periphery of the connecting portion 41, and straight lines positioned at both ends of the protruding straight line and perpendicular to the protruding straight line. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first display portion 48 is provided over the entire length of the connecting portion 41 in the central axis X direction of the connecting portion 41.

[0042] Two first indicator portions 48 are formed at an interval of 180° on the outer periphery of the circular plate portion 61. The first indicator portions 48 are provided at respective rotational direction angular positions that are the same as their corresponding first fitting portions 47 in the rotational direction of the connecting portion 41. The first indicator portions 48 may be provided at respective rotational direction angular positions that are different from those of the first fitting portions 47.

[0043] The inner diameter d3 of the connecting portion 41 is formed to fall within a range of 94% to 98% of the outer diameter d2 of the portion 14 to be connected, and the connecting portion 41 and the portion 14 to be connected are fitted together by tight fitting. If the inner diameter d3 of the connecting portion 41 is smaller than the range, it is difficult to press the connecting portion 41 into the portion 14 to be connected by fitting. Furthermore, if the inner diameter d3 of the connecting portion 41 exceeds the range, the fastening force for the connecting portion 41 decreases. As a result, it is difficult to obtain sufficient pull-out strength of the connecting portion 41 from the portion 14 to be connected. Furthermore, it may be difficult to maintain a fitting strength required by creep deformation or the like during long-term storage (e.g., storage in a cool, dry place).a fitting strength that can tolerate a pull-out load of 78 N, defined in JIS T3201-1979, for five minutes).

[0044] The following describes the relationship between the connecting portion 41 and the outer tubular portion 42 constituting the first member 40 in terms of radial dimension. The inner diameter d3 of the connecting portion 41 is larger than an inner diameter d5 of the outer tubular portion 42, but is smaller than an outer diameter d6 of the outer tubular portion 42. Further, an outer diameter d4 of the connecting portion 41 is larger than the outer diameter d6 of the outer tubular portion 42. In other words, in a direction perpendicular to the central axis X direction of the connector 30, that is, in the radial direction, the inner peripheral surface of the connecting portion 41 is located between the inner peripheral surface of the outer tubular portion 42 and the outer peripheral surface of the outer tubular portion 42.Furthermore, the outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion 41 is positioned outward from the outer peripheral surface of the outer tubular portion 42. Therefore, while increasing the fitting strength by moderately constraining deformation in an outer peripheral part of the connecting portion 41, the connecting portion 41 is held by the outer tubular portion 42 to prevent excessive stress from occurring locally, thus stably improving the fitting strength.

[0045] The plate thickness of the connecting portion 41 is formed in a dimension equal to or more than 2 mm, but equal to or less than 3 mm in parts other than a round part or a chamfer part provided at one end of the connecting portion 41 in the central axis X direction. As the plate thickness of the connecting portion 41 is made thicker, the strength or rigidity of the connecting portion 41 improves. However, as the plate thickness is made thicker than above, the possibility of causing a molding defect such as a warp or a sink mark increases. When the connecting portion 41 is formed to have the above plate thickness, the connector 30 has a pull-out strength of 300 N or more to the syringe 10 while reducing the molding defects.

[0046] The first member 40 is made of a resin containing a mixture. The resin containing a mixture may be a mixture of a variety of resins. The first member 40 may be made of a resin containing a mixture other than resins. Since the resin constituting the first member 40 contains such a mixture, the strength or rigidity of the first member 40 is improved. The resin constituting the first member 40 is preferably polyamide resin (PA). The polyamide resin is chemically and biologically safe, and in the field of medical equipment, the polyamide resin is mainly used as a raw material for surgical sutures, catheters, or the like, and thus the polyamide resin has been successfully used in the medical field.Furthermore, the polyamide resin has high creep resistance and has the property that its fitting strength is difficult to decrease even when the connector 30 is stored for a long period of time in a state where the connector 30 is attached to the cylinder 11. The polyamide resin (PA) includes aliphatic polyamide and aromatic polyamide, and any of them is usable. The aliphatic polyamide resin includes, for example, nylon 66, nylon 6, and the like. The aromatic polyamide includes para-aramid and meta-aramid. Any blend is usable provided the blend improves the strength or rigidity of the first member 40. The blend is, for example, fiber. The fiber includes glass fiber, aramid fiber (Kevlar fiber), carbon fiber, ZYLON fiber, polyethylene fiber (Dyneema), boron fiber, and the like. Further, the blend may also be a carbon tube including a carbon nanotube.

[0047] The second member 60 is a member that forms the connector flow path 66 through which medical solution or the like discharged from the syringe 10 flows. The second member 60 includes a circular plate portion 61 and an inner tubular portion 62 connected to the circular plate portion 61. The inner tubular portion 62 is connected to a second end surface 64 of the circular plate portion 61 coaxially with the circular plate portion 61 along the central axis X, so that the inner tubular portion 62 and the circular plate portion 61 are integrally formed. The second member 60 includes a connector flow path 66 formed as a through hole provided through both the circular plate portion 61 and the inner tubular portion 62.The connector flow path 66 is a generally cylindrical space through which fluid, such as the medical solution discharged from the syringe flow path 18, flows. The connector flow path 66 is configured to have an extremely small diameter, so that residues, such as the medical solution remaining in the connector flow path 66 without being squeezed out, are reduced compared to conventional technology.

[0048] The circular plate portion 61 is a disc-shaped member formed to have an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter d3 of the first member 40 and including a first end surface 63 of the circular plate portion and the second end surface 64 of the circular plate portion. A central portion of the first end surface 63 of the circular plate portion is provided with an insertion portion 67 as part of the connector flow path 66, and the medical solution or the like discharged from the syringe flow path 18 flows directly into the insertion portion 67.

[0049] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the insertion portion 67 is configured such that a cross section of the insertion portion 67 with respect to the central axis X direction of the connector 30 has a shape obtained by intersecting a circular shape with two straight lines generally parallel to each other. Further, the cross-sectional shape of a part of the connector flow path 66 that is closer to the distal end side than the insertion portion 67 with respect to the central axis X direction of the connector 30 is formed in a generally circular shape. The minimum inner dimension of the insertion portion 67 is formed to be larger than the maximum inner dimension of a generally circular shape constituting the cross section of the part of the connector flow path 66 closer to the distal end side than the insertion portion 67.That is, the inner peripheral surface of the connector flow path 66 is formed by two steps in the central axis X direction. The minimum inner dimension of the insertion portion 67 is larger than the inner diameter d1 of the syringe flow path 18 on the distal surface 15 of the connecting portion of the syringe 10, and is approximately two to three times the inner diameter d1.

[0050] A second fitting portion 65, as the other of the paired fitting portions, is formed on the second end surface 64 of the circular plate portion of the circular plate portion 61. The second fitting portion 65 is a part to be fitted to the first fixing portion 47 formed on the first end surface 45 of the intermediate portion of the first member 40 to prevent rotation. The second fitting portion 65 is a projecting portion or a protrusion formed to have a uniform width L2 in the radial direction on the first end surface 45 of the intermediate portion from the inner tubular portion 62 to an outer peripheral end of the circular plate portion 61.The second fitting portion 65 is connected to the surface of a base end part of the inner tubular portion 62, so that the second fitting portion 65 is formed integrally with the surface of the base end part of the inner tubular portion 62. For this reason, the second fitting portion 65 has an effect of improving the bending rigidity of the inner tubular portion 62 and preventing the inner tubular portion 62 from bending or breaking. Four second fitting portions 65 are formed at an interval of 90° in the circumferential direction around the base end part of the inner tubular portion 62, so that the four second fitting portions 65 each have the uniform width L2. The number of the second fitting portions 65 may be other than four, provided that the second fitting portions 65 can be fitted to the first fitting portions 47.One second fitting portion 65 may be formed in the circumferential direction of the first end surface 45 of the intermediate portion, or two to six second fitting portions 65 may be formed at the same angular interval in the circumferential direction around the center hole 46 of the intermediate portion.

[0051] A sealing member 20 made of a material more easily deformable than the syringe connector 39 is interposed between the first end surface 63 of the circular plate portion and the distal surface 15 of the connecting portion of the syringe 10, so that the sealing member 20 is interposed between the first end surface 63 of the circular plate portion and the distal surface 15 of the connecting portion of the syringe 10 in the central axis X direction. The sealing member 20 prevents the occurrence of leakage of the medical solution or the like. The sealing member 20 has a circular shape and has a sealing member center hole 21 formed in a central part of the sealing member 20. The sealing member 20 is made of a thin elastic member, for example, silicone rubber.A circumferentially continuous annular groove 71 with a predetermined radius is formed on the first end surface 63 of the circular plate portion. The annular groove 71 allows a portion of the sealing member 20 to swell, with the portion facing the annular groove 71, and due to a physical shape of a corner portion of the annular groove 71 formed on the first end surface 63 of the circular plate portion, the sealing performance is improved compared to the case where no annular groove 71 is formed.

[0052] An outer peripheral portion of the circular plate portion 61 includes a second display portion 69 corresponding to a rotational direction angular position of the second fitting portion 65 around the central axis of the second member 60. The second display portion 69 is a part for positioning respective rotational direction angular positions of the first member 40 and the second member 60 at the time of assembling the first member 40 and the second member 60. The second display portion 69 is a so-called D-cut shaped part obtained by cutting an arc part of the outer peripheral surface of the circular plate portion 61 by a straight line perpendicular to the radial direction, and two second display portions 69 are formed at an interval of 180° on the outer periphery of the circular plate portion 61.In other words, the second display portion is a non-circular portion formed by cutting an outer peripheral part of the circular plate portion 61. Each of the second display portions 69 is provided at the same rotational direction angular position as its corresponding second fitting portion 65 in the rotational direction of the circular plate portion 61. The second display portions 69 may be provided at respective rotational direction angular positions different from those of the second fitting portions 65. Accordingly, since the second display portions 69 are non-circular portions provided in the outer peripheral part of the circular plate portion 61 provided in the second member 60, the second display portions 69 can be easily formed.Furthermore, since the second display portions 69 are placed in the outer peripheral part of the circular plate portion 61, the rotational direction angular position of the second member 60 is easy to grasp at the time of assembling the connector 30, and the periphery of the second member 60 is easy to grasp.

[0053] Any resin is usable for the second member 60, provided the resin is a chemically and biologically safe resin. The second member 60 is made of, for example, polyamide resin (PA). The polyamide resin (PA) is chemically and biologically safe, and in the field of medical equipment, the polyamide resin is mainly used as a raw material for surgical sutures, catheters, or the like, and thus the polyamide resin has been successfully used in the medical field. The polyamide resin (PA) includes aliphatic polyamide and aromatic polyamide, and either of them is usable. The aliphatic polyamide resin includes, for example, nylon 66, nylon 6, and the like. The aromatic polyamide includes para-aramid and meta-aramid.Furthermore, since the second member 60 is a member constituting the connector flow path 66 through which the medical solution or the like flows, the second member 60 does not contain a mixture that can be deposited into the medical solution, e.g., fiber.

[0054] The sealing member center hole 21 and the connector flow path 66 form a flow path space 68 through which the medical solution or the like discharged from the syringe flow path 18 flows. The materials for forming the second member 60 and the sealing member 20 in contact with the flow path space 68 do not contain any material, such as grass fiber, that might partially sink into the medical solution. Accordingly, the medical solution or the like is injected into a patient's body without containing any foreign matter.

[0055] Since the first member 40 and the second member 60 are manufactured by resin molding, the connector 30 can be colored with a desired color at a lower cost than a metal connector. In a metal connector, it is necessary to color the metal connector by providing a coating step after the shape of the connector is formed. Meanwhile, in the connector 30 of the present invention manufactured by resin molding, the first member 40 and the second member 60 can be colored with a color defined by the ISO standard or the like by mixing pigment as a molding material. For this reason, the connector 30 can be formed as the connector 30 colored with a desired color at a lower cost than the metal connector. [Method for assembling the connector 301

[0056] The following describes a method for assembling the connector 30. The connector 30 is assembled by inserting the inner tubular portion 62 of the second member into the intermediate portion center hole 46 of the first member 40. At the time of assembly, the first member 40 and the second member 60 are held in a state where their rotational direction angular positions are aligned with each other around the center axis X by using the first indicator portion 48 and the second indicator portion 69 with a jig or an automated assembly machine. While maintaining this state, the inner tubular portion 62 is inserted through the intermediate portion center hole 46 so that the second fitting portion 65 of the second member 60 is fitted to the first fitting portion 47 of the first member 40, and thereby the assembly of the connector 30 is completed. [Modifications]

[0057] The above embodiment can be configured by replacing part of the configuration of the above embodiment with the following configurations.

[0058] The first fitting portion 47 and the second fitting portion 65 may have different shapes, provided that the first fitting portion 47 and the second fitting portion 65 reliably fit each other. For example, the first fitting portion 47 and the second fitting portion 65 may be formed to be protruded and recessed, respectively, inversely as above. Alternatively, instead of the recessed portion and the projection portion extending in the radial direction, the first fitting portion 47 and the second fitting portion 65 may each include a recessed portion and a projection extending in the circumferential direction at the positions corresponding to each other.Alternatively, the recessed portion and the projection portion may be a recessed portion and a projection portion corresponding to respective given shapes formed in corresponding parts of the first end surface 45 of the intermediate portion and the first end surface 63 of the annular plate portion.

[0059] Furthermore, the first indicator portion 48 and the second indicator portion 69 may have other shapes, provided that the first indicator portion 48 and the second indicator portion 69 clearly indicate the respective rotational direction angular positions of the first member 40 and the second member 60. For example, the first indicator portion 48 and the second indicator portion 69 may be respective arcuate grooves. Alternatively, the first indicator portion 48 and the second indicator portion 69 may be omitted. In the case where the first indicator portion 48 and the second indicator portion 69 are omitted, the first member 40 and the second member 60 have respective outer shapes, which are illustrated by dashed lines in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0060] With the present invention, it is possible to provide a syringe connector which provides safety and has sufficient fitting strength with a syringe and is easy to manufacture. Description of reference symbols

[0061] 10: syringe, 40: first element, 47: first fitting portion (fitting portion), 48: first display portion, 60: second element, 61: circular plate portion, 65: second fitting portion (fitting portion), 68: flow path space, 69: second display portion.

Claims

1. A syringe connector comprising: a first member including a connecting portion fitted to a portion to be connected of a syringe; and a second member including a connector flow path through which fluid discharged from the syringe flows, wherein: the first member is made of resin containing a mixture; and the second member is made of resin not containing a mixture.

2. The syringe connector of claim 1, wherein the mixture is fiber.

3. A syringe connector according to claim 2, wherein the first member and the second member are secured to each other only by fitting between respective abutment surfaces of the first member and the second member, the respective abutment surfaces abutting each other.

4. The syringe connector according to claim 3, wherein the first member and the second member include mating fitting portions configured to be mated with each other at the respective abutting surfaces that abut against each other, such that the fitting portions are fitted to each other by a recess-projection fit.

5. The syringe connector according to claim 4, wherein: the first member includes a first fitting portion as one of the paired fitting portions, the second member includes a second fitting portion as the other of the paired fitting portions; the first member includes a first indicator portion corresponding to a rotational direction angular position of the first fitting portion about a central axis of the first member; and the second member includes a second indicator portion corresponding to a rotational direction angular position of the second fitting portion about a central axis of the second member.

6. The syringe connector according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion has an inner diameter equal to or more than 94% and equal to or less than 98% of an outer diameter of the portion to be connected placed at a position corresponding to the connecting portion.

7. The syringe connector according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion has a plate thickness in a radial direction of the connecting portion, the plate thickness being equal to or greater than 2 mm and equal to or less than 3 mm in a part other than a round part or a chamfer part provided in an end portion of the connecting portion in a central axis direction of the connecting portion.

8. The syringe connector according to claim 5, wherein: the second member includes a circular plate portion; and the second indicator portion is a non-circular portion formed by cutting an outer peripheral part of the circular plate portion.

9. The syringe connector according to claim 1, wherein: the first member includes an outer tubular portion connected to a mating connector, and an intermediate portion provided between the connecting portion and the outer tubular portion, connecting the connecting portion to the outer tubular portion; the connecting portion has an inner peripheral surface located between an inner peripheral surface of the outer tubular portion and an outer peripheral surface of the outer tubular portion in a radial direction of the connecting portion; and the connecting portion has an outer peripheral surface located outward from the outer peripheral surface of the outer tubular portion in a radial direction.

10. The syringe connector according to claim 1, further comprising: a sealing member placed to be sandwiched between the syringe and the syringe connector in a central axis direction of the syringe connector, the sealing member being more easily deformable than the syringe connector, wherein: the syringe connector has a groove continuously extending in a circumferential direction of the syringe connector on a surface in contact with the sealing member.

11. The syringe connector according to claim 1, wherein: the connecting portion has an inner peripheral surface formed in a truncated conical shape or a cylindrical shape; and the connecting portion is outwardly engaged by tight fitting with the portion to be connected provided in a glass cylinder of the syringe and has an outer peripheral surface formed in a truncated conical shape or a cylindrical shape.