Pipe connector and pipe with connector

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to suppress clogging of a medical tube when the medical tube is attached. A tube connector for connecting a medical tube and a medical device, the tube connector being provided with: a female member into which the medical tube is inserted; a male member (22) screwed to the female member; and an O-ring that is housed in the female member, deforms in accordance with the screwing of the male member (22) with respect to the female member, and fixes the medical tube (11) by the deformation, the male member (22) having a pressing part (42) that presses the O-ring in accordance with the screwing, and the pressing part (42) having a plurality of pressing pieces (51) arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to pipe connectors and pipes with connectors. Background Technology

[0002] Conventionally, tube connectors (connectors) exist that consist of a first part (part A) and a second part (part B). Medical tubing (catheters) are secured by screwing the first and second parts together and compressing a washer using these two parts (see Patent Document 1). This tube connector includes a first and second part with screws that engage with each other, and a washer mounted on the first part. After inserting the medical tubing into the through-hole of the washer, the first and second parts are screwed together, and the washer is compressed using these two parts. The medical tubing is then secured using the washer, which deforms due to the compression. Because the medical tubing is secured by the deformation of the washer accompanying the screwing of the first and second parts, it is easy and liquid-tightly secured.

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-129741

[0004] However, in conventional tube connectors, during the installation of medical tubes, the amount of engagement between the second component and the first component can cause excessive deformation of the gasket, resulting in the medical tube being flattened. If the medical tube is flattened, the internal flow path (lumen) of the medical tube will be blocked (narrowed). Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a tube connector and a tube with a connector that can suppress tube blockage during medical tube installation.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a tube connector for connecting a medical tube to a medical device. The tube connector comprises: a first component for inserting the medical tube; a second component for screwing into the first component; and an O-ring housed in the first component, which deforms with the screwing of the second component relative to the first component, thereby securing the medical tube. The second component has a pressing portion that presses the O-ring with the screwing, and the pressing portion has a plurality of pressing members arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0007] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a tube with a connector, characterized in that the tube with connector comprises a medical tube and a tube connector for connecting the medical tube to a medical device, the tube connector comprising: a first component for inserting the medical tube; a second component for screwing into the first component; and an O-ring housed in the first component and deforming as the second component screws relative to the first component, thereby fixing the medical tube by the deformation, the second component having a pressing portion that presses the O-ring as it screws in, the pressing portion having a plurality of pressing members arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0008] The tube connector and tube with connector involved in this invention can prevent medical tube blockage when installing medical tubes. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 These are front views (a) and (b) showing a tube with a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, in the state of the medical tube being installed in the tube connector and in the state of the medical tube being detached from the tube connector.

[0010] Figure 2 (a) is a sectional view along line A-A' of the pipe connector. Figure 2 (b) is a cross-sectional view along line B-B' of the pipe connector. Figure 2 (c) indicates the area around the engaging protrusion and the anti-slip part. Figure 2 Enlarged view of the main part of (b).

[0011] Figure 3 These represent the front view (a), right side view (b), and left side view (c) of the common component.

[0012] Figure 4 These are a side view (a) and a cross-sectional view (b) showing the movement of the O-ring when pressed by the pressing part.

[0013] Figure 5 These represent the front view (a), right side view (b), and left side view (c) of the parent component.

[0014] Figure 6 This is an explanatory diagram showing the pipe installation process. Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0015] 1... Tube with connector; 11... Medical tube; 12... Tube connector; 21... Female component; 22... Male component; 23... O-ring; 42... Pressing part; 51... Pressing element; D... Medical device. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a tube connector according to one embodiment of the present invention and a tube with a connector provided with the tube connector will be described. This tube with a connector is a medical tube used internally or externally in the human body, with the tube connector attached. In particular, for this tube with a connector, by studying the pressing structure formed by the pressing part in the tube connector, the medical tube is prevented from becoming clogged. Furthermore, as shown in the accompanying drawings, left-right, front-back, and up-down directions will be defined in the following description. In this embodiment, the left-right direction is aligned with the axial direction of the tube connector, and the direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the tube connector is the shearing direction of the tube connector.

[0017] (The structure of a tube with connectors)

[0018] like Figure 1 As shown, the connector-equipped tube 1 includes a medical tube 11 and a tube connector 12 that connects the medical tube 11 to the medical device D. The medical tube 11 is connected to the medical device D by inserting and securing the end of the medical tube 11 into the tube connector 12, and then connecting the tube connector 12 to the medical device D. In this embodiment, the connector-equipped tube 1 and tube connector 12 are exemplified as drainage tube 1 and drainage tube connector 12 for endoscopic biliary / pancreatic duct drainage. Therefore, the medical device D connecting the medical tube 11 is assumed to be a syringe, a drainage bag (sterilized bag), etc.

[0019] The medical tube 11 is an externally colored tube, and in this embodiment, for example, it is assumed to be a catheter inserted into the patient's body. That is, in this embodiment, one side of the medical tube 11 is inserted into the patient's body, and the other end of the medical tube 11 is fixed to the tube connector 12 outside the patient's body.

[0020] (Composition of a pipe connector)

[0021] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the tube connector 12 is generally formed in a gourd shape and includes: a female component 21 on the right for inserting a medical tube 11; a male component 22 on the left for screwing into the female component 21; and an O-ring 23, housed in the female component 21, which deforms as the male component 22 screws into the female component 21, thereby fixing (retaining) the medical tube 11. The female component 21 is an example of the first component, and the male component 22 is an example of the second component. Furthermore, the O-ring 23 is an example of a washer that deforms with the screwing of the female component 21 and the male component 22, thereby fixing the medical tube 11. Additionally, the O-ring 23 is a synthetic rubber annular washer with a circular cross-section.

[0022] like Figure 3As shown, the male component 22 includes: a male component body 31; a shaft-like portion 32 protruding to the right from the male component body 31; a device connection portion 33 protruding to the left from the male component body 31 and connecting to the medical device D; and a through hole 34 penetrating the male component body 31, the shaft-like portion 32, and the device connection portion 33. The male component body 31, the shaft-like portion 32, the device connection portion 33, and the through hole 34 are formed coaxially. Furthermore, the device connection portion 33 has threads for connection, allowing direct connection to the medical device D, or connection to the medical device D via a separately prepared medical tube connector.

[0023] A screw-on grip 37 for screwing the male component 22 and the female component 21 is formed on the outer peripheral surface 36 of the male component body 31. The screw-on grip 37 is constructed by a handle structure consisting of six circumferentially arranged recesses 37a (finger hooks) and is disposed at a position separating from the right end of the outer peripheral surface 36 to the left. The separation distance L1 of the screw-on grip 37 relative to the right end is only required to be such that the tip of the finger holding the grip does not extend beyond the right end of the outer peripheral surface 36 when the grip is held from the left. For example, it is preferably 0.95 mm or more. In addition, each recess 37a is formed, for example, in a teardrop shape with the right side as the tip side.

[0024] In addition, the outer peripheral surface 36 of the male component body 31 is configured such that the right end is tapered at the front end and the right end is circular.

[0025] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the shaft-shaped portion 32 has: a cylindrical shaft-shaped portion body 41; a pressing portion 42 formed at the right end of the shaft-shaped portion body 41, which presses the O-ring 23 as the female component 21 and male component 22 are screwed together; a male-side threaded portion 43 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft-shaped portion body 41 adjacent to the left side of the pressing portion 42; and an engaging protrusion 44 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft-shaped portion body 41 adjacent to the left side of the male-side threaded portion 43. The male-side threaded portion 43 engages with the female-side threaded portion 71 (described later) of the female component 21.

[0026] like Figure 2 As shown in (c), the engaging protrusion 44 is formed by protruding radially over the entire circumference of the shaft-shaped main body 41 and is formed in a trapezoidal cross-section. Although the details will be described later, the engaging protrusion 44 and the anti-detachment part 72 of the mother part 21 (described later) constitute a separation suppression structure.

[0027] like Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the pressing part 42 has six pressing members 51 arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction, which press the O-ring 23 through which the medical tube 11 is inserted. Specifically, the O-ring 23 is pressed at six points spaced apart in the circumferential direction by the six pressing members 51. Thus, as... Figure 4 As shown in (b), the O-ring 23 can cause significant deformation at these six points, and the holes of the O-ring 23 are approximately hexagonal. Therefore, relative to the medical tube 11 inserted into the holes of the O-ring 23, the O-ring 23 only applies pressure at the six points corresponding to the pressing members 51, thus causing the wall of the tube body (e.g., the outer tube) in the medical tube 11 to protrude towards the unpressed portion (the portion corresponding to the interval), and the tube body is approximately hexagonal. This prevents occlusion of the medical tube 11 and allows for stable fixation of the medical tube 11. Furthermore, it is preferable that each interval of the six pressing members 51 has a width equal to (approximately the same) in the circumferential direction as the circumferential width of each pressing member 51. For example, it is preferable that each interval of the six pressing members 51 has a width in the circumferential direction that is at least 0.8 times and less than 1.2 times the circumferential width of each pressing member 51.

[0028] In addition, such as Figure 4 As shown in (a), each pressing member 51 of the pressing part 42 has a pressing surface 51a formed parallel to the shearing direction of the tube connector 12. That is, the pressing surface 51a of the pressing part 42 is a surface that is substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the tube connector 12.

[0029] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the through hole 34 functions as an insertion hole for inserting the medical tube 11, and also as a connecting flow path that connects the internal flow path of the medical tube 11 to the medical device D. That is, the configuration is such that when the medical tube 11 is inserted into the tube connector 12 and fixed, the internal flow path of the medical tube 11 is liquid-tightly connected to the medical device D via the through hole 34 of the tube connector 12, thereby connecting the medical tube 11 to the medical device D.

[0030] Furthermore, a tube limiting portion 56 is formed at the axial center of the through hole 34. This tube limiting portion 56 forms a narrow portion of the through hole 34 and serves as a contact point for the tip of the medical tube 11 inserted into the mother component 21. The tube limiting portion 56 is an annular rib protruding from the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 34, and its annular right surface serves as a contact surface for the medical tube 11 to contact. Additionally, the inner diameter of the tube limiting portion 56 is smaller than the outer diameter of the medical tube 11 but larger than its inner diameter. Thus, the tube limiting portion 56 functions as a limiter to prevent the tip of the medical tube 11 from being inserted beyond a predetermined insertion position, and also functions as a positioning portion to position the tip of the medical tube 11 by contact with the tube connector 12 when the medical tube 11 is inserted. Therefore, by providing the tube limiting portion 56, the alignment of the tip of the medical tube 11 inserted into the tube connector 12 can be easily achieved.

[0031] Furthermore, the male component 22 (male component body 31, shaft-shaped portion 32, and device connection portion 33) is formed of a translucent resin material, making it translucent. Thus, the male component 22 is configured such that the tip of the medical tube 11 inside can be visually confirmed. This allows for easier and more accurate alignment of the tip of the medical tube 11 when inserted into the tube connector 12.

[0032] (Composition of the mother component)

[0033] like Figure 5 As shown, the female component 21 is formed into a cylindrical shape that tapers at the front end. A screw-on grip 62 for screwing the male component 22 onto the female component 21 is formed on the outer peripheral surface 61 of the female component 21. The screw-on grip 62 is constructed as a handle consisting of six circumferentially arranged recesses 62a (finger hooks), and is positioned on the outer peripheral surface 61 at a position separating from the left end to the right. The separation distance L2 of the screw-on grip 62 relative to the left end is only required to ensure that the tip of the finger holding the grip does not extend beyond the left end of the outer peripheral surface 61 when gripping the screw-on grip 62 from the right side; for example, it is preferably 0.95 mm or more. Furthermore, each recess 62a is, for example, formed in a teardrop shape with the left side as the front end. When screwing the male component 22 relative to the female component 21, hold the screwing grip 62 of the female component 21 with one hand in the form of hooking the finger on the recess 62a and pinching it, and hold the screwing grip 37 of the male component 22 with the other hand in the form of hooking the finger on the recess 37a and pinching it, so that the male component 22 is rotated relative to the female component 21, thereby screwing the male component 22 into the female component 21.

[0034] Furthermore, the outer peripheral surface 61 of the female component 21 is configured such that its left end tapers towards the front, and the shape of the left end is a perfect circle with the same diameter as the right end of the male component body 31. Based on the shape of the left end of the outer peripheral surface 61 of the female component 21 and the shape of the right end of the outer peripheral surface 36 of the male component 22, a recess is formed in the center of the tube connector 12 in the left-right direction. This recess serves as a connector holding portion for integrally holding the tube connector 12.

[0035] On the other hand, such as Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, inside the mother component 21, there are an insertion hole 66 for inserting the medical tube 11 from the right side, a conical sitting part 67 connected to the left side of the insertion hole 66 and for seating the O-ring 23, and a receiving hole 68 connected to the left side of the sitting part 67 and for receiving the shaft-shaped part 32 of the male component 22.

[0036] The inner circumferential surface of the receiving hole 68 has: a female threaded portion 71 that engages with the male threaded portion 43 of the male component 22; and an anti-disengagement portion 72, which is separately disposed on the left side of the female threaded portion 71 and locks the engaging protrusion 44 of the male component 22. By engaging the male threaded portion 43 of the male component 22 with the female threaded portion 71 of the female component 21, the male component 22 is engaged relative to the female component 21.

[0037] like Figure 2 As shown in (c), the anti-detachment portion 72 is formed by protruding radially throughout the entire circumference of the receiving hole portion 68, and is formed in a trapezoidal cross-section shape. Furthermore, the anti-detachment portion 72 is configured such that its right surface 72a serves as a locking surface that engages the left surface 44a of the engaging protrusion 44 of the male component 22 in the separation direction (leftward direction) of the male component 22 relative to the female component 21. This right surface 72a restricts the separation of the male component 22 from the female component 21 by contacting the left surface 44a of the engaging protrusion 44 and engaging the engaging protrusion 44 in the separation direction. Thus, by providing a portion for the engagement of the female component 21 and the male component 22 separately from the threaded portions 43 and 71, even if the engagement of the threaded portions 43 and 71 is loosened and the engagement of the threaded portions 43 and 71 is disengaged, separation of the female component 21 and the male component 22 can be suppressed, preventing accidental separation of the female component 21 and the male component 22. Furthermore, it is preferable that the separation distance between the female threaded portion 71 and the anti-detachment portion 72 is greater than or equal to the length of the male threaded portion 43, so that even if the threads 43 and 71 are disengaged, the separation of the female component 21 and the male component 22 can be suppressed.

[0038] Furthermore, the right surface 72a of the anti-detachment part 72 becomes an inclined surface that slopes radially inward toward the left (separation direction). Therefore, by forcefully pulling the male part 22 relative to the female part 21 toward separation, the male part 22 can be intentionally separated from the female part 21.

[0039] like Figure 2 As shown, the seating portion 67 has an inclined (conical) seating surface 67a that slopes downwards and outwards to the left, allowing the O-ring 23 to sit on this seating surface 67a. That is, the seating surface 67a of the seating portion 67 is formed to slope downwards from a plane parallel to the pressing surface 51a of the pressing portion 42 toward the medical tube 11. Figure 4 As shown in (a), the pressing surface 51a of the pressing part 42 is formed parallel to the shearing direction, and the sitting surface 67a of the O-ring 23 is an inclined surface tilted towards the medical tube 11. Therefore, if the O-ring 23 sitting on the sitting surface 67a is pressed by the pressing part 42, stress is generated relative to the O-ring 23 towards the medical tube 11, and the O-ring 23 deforms significantly towards the medical tube 11. As a result, the medical tube 11 can be securely fixed.

[0040] Furthermore, the mother component 21 is made of a translucent resin material, making it translucent. Thus, the mother component 21 is configured such that the medical tube 11 and O-ring 23 inside can be visually identified.

[0041] Next, refer to Figure 6 The tube installation operation of attaching the medical tube 11 to the tube connector 12 is explained. For example... Figure 6 As shown in (a), the tube installation operation is performed with the female component 21 and the male component 22 connected by the anti-detachment part 72, that is, with the shaft-shaped part 32 of the male component 22 accommodated in the receiving hole part 68 of the female component 21 and the engaging protrusion 44 located to the right of the anti-detachment part 72.

[0042] In the pipe installation process, firstly, as Figure 6 As shown in (b), the front side of the medical tube 11 is inserted into the insertion hole 66 of the female component 21 and into the interior of the female component 21 and the male component 22, so that the medical tube 11 passes through the hole of the O-ring 23. At this time, the front end of the medical tube 11 is aligned by bringing it abutting against the tube restraint part 56. In addition, since the female component 21 and the male component 22 are transparent, the alignment can be performed while visually confirming the position of the front end of the medical tube 11.

[0043] After inserting the medical tube 11, such as Figure 6As shown in (c), the male component 22 is screwed relative to the female component 21, thereby securing the medical tube 11 using the O-ring 23. That is, if the male component 22 is screwed relative to the female component 21 via the male-side threaded portion 43 and the female-side threaded portion 71, the pressing portion 42 presses down on the O-ring 23, causing the O-ring 23 to deform inwards, thus securing the medical tube 11 through which the O-ring 23 is inserted. At this time, the pressing surface 51a of the pressing portion 42 (6 pressing elements 51) is parallel to the shearing direction, and in contrast, the sitting surface 67a of the sitting portion 67 is formed in an inclined shape, thereby... Figure 4 As shown in (a), the O-ring 23 is induced to deform radially inward, thereby securely fixing the medical tube 11. Furthermore, by pressing the O-ring 23 with six pressing members 51 arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction, thus, as... Figure 4 As shown in (b), the O-ring 23 deforms significantly radially inward only at the position of the pressing member 51. Therefore, the O-ring 23 presses only the outer circumferential surface of the medical tube 11 at the position corresponding to the pressing member 51, thus allowing the wall of the medical tube 11 to escape towards the unpressed portion (the portion corresponding to the gap), preventing the medical tube 11 from becoming blocked. This concludes the tube installation operation.

[0044] (The role and effect of the implementation method)

[0045] As described above, according to the configuration of the above embodiment, the pressing part 42 has a plurality of pressing members 51 arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction, thereby enabling pressing of the O-ring 23 at multiple points spaced apart only in the circumferential direction. Thus, as... Figure 4 As shown in (b), the O-ring 23 can be significantly deformed at multiple points, so that the medical tube 11 is pressed only by the O-ring 23 at the portion corresponding to the pressing member 51. Therefore, the wall of the tube body in the medical tube 11 can be allowed to escape towards the unpressed portion (the portion corresponding to the interval). Thus, blockage of the medical tube 11 can be suppressed. In addition, since the holes of the O-ring 23 and the shape of the medical tube 11 can be made into a roughly polygonal shape that matches the number of pressing members 51, the medical tube 11 can be securely fixed.

[0046] Furthermore, by configuring the six pressing members 51 in the pressing part 42 such that each interval in the circumferential direction has the same width as the circumferential width of each pressing member 51, the hole of the O-ring 23 and the shape of the medical tube 11 can be made into a more regular polygon, and the medical tube 11 can be fixed more securely.

[0047] (Regarding other implementation methods)

[0048] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but these embodiments do not limit the invention to the technical solutions described herein. Furthermore, it should be noted that not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessary means to solve the problems of the invention. The present invention can be implemented with appropriate modifications without departing from its spirit.

[0049] For example, in the above embodiment, the number of pressing members 51 in the pressing part 42 is set to 6, but it is not limited to this. That is, the number of pressing members 51 in the pressing part 42 can be 5 or less, or 7 or more. However, the number of pressing members 51 in the pressing part 42 is preferably 3 or more and 8 or less, and more preferably 3 or more and 6 or less.

[0050] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each interval of the six pressing members 51 has a width in the circumferential direction that is the same as the circumferential width of each pressing member 51, but it is not limited to this. That is, the circumferential width of each interval can be greater than the circumferential width of each pressing member 51, or the circumferential width of each interval can be less than the circumferential width of each pressing member 51.

[0051] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the pressing surface 51a of the pressing part 42 is a surface parallel to the shearing direction, and the sitting surface 67a of the sitting part 67 is an inclined surface, but it is not limited to this. That is, it is also possible to have the pressing surface 51a of the pressing part 42 be an inclined surface, and the sitting surface 67a of the sitting part 67 be a surface parallel to the shearing direction.

[0052] In addition, in the above embodiment, the side connected to the medical tube 11 is the female component 21 and the side connected to the medical device D is the male component 22. However, it is also possible to configure the component connected to the medical device D as the female component 21 and the side connected to the medical tube 11 as the male component 22.

[0053] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, a tube 1 and tube connector 12 with connectors for drainage in biliary / pancreatic duct drainage of an endoscope were exemplified, but the invention is not limited thereto. That is, the present invention can also be applied to tube 1 and tube connector 12 with connectors used for purposes other than drainage.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the medical tube 11 is exemplified as a catheter inserted into the patient's body, but the present invention can also be applied to medical tubes 11 used externally. That is, the present invention can also be applied to the tube 1 with connector of the medical tube 11 used externally, and the tube connector 12 of the medical tube 11 used externally.

Claims

1. A tube connector for connecting medical tubes to medical devices, characterized in that, The tube connector includes: The first component is for inserting the medical tube; The second component screws into the first component; and An O-ring is housed in the first component and deforms as the second component is screwed relative to the first component, thereby securing the medical tubing through this deformation. The second component has a pressing part that presses down on the O-ring during the screwing-in process. The pressing part has a plurality of pressing elements arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction.

2. The tube connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The interval has the same width in the circumferential direction as the width of the pressing member in the circumferential direction.

3. A tube with a connector, characterized in that, The tube with connector includes a medical tube and a tube connector for connecting the medical tube to a medical device. The tube connector includes: The first component is for inserting the medical tube; The second component screws into the first component; and An O-ring is housed in the first component and deforms as the second component is screwed relative to the first component, thereby securing the medical tubing through this deformation. The second component has a pressing part that presses down on the O-ring during the screwing-in process. The pressing part has a plurality of pressing elements arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction.

Images