Aseptic connector

Abstract

In the present invention, individual connector parts 10 of an aseptic connector comprise: a connector body 1 in which a facing surface 11 retains an opening part of a flow passage; a film member 2 that closes the opening part; and a plate-form tab member 3 connected to the film member 2, the tab member 3 rotating from a closed position at which the tab member 3 is accommodated on the facing surface 11 such that a first surface 3a faces the facing surface 11, to an open position at which the tab member 3 projects and extends to the outside of the connector body 1. The tab member 3 has a ring part 31 into which the finger of a user is inserted, and a shaft-form part 32 that protrudes from one side surface 3c of the tab member and serves as a rotary shaft. The connector body 1 has a bearing part 14 that pivotally supports the shaft-form part 32, which is inserted through a long guide hole 14a. The position at which the shaft-form part 32 is pivotally supported when in the open position is shifted vertically from that when in the open position, whereby the first surface 3a of the tab member 3 is adjusted so as to be positioned at the same height as an imaginary boundary surface between two connector parts 10 in close contact with each other when the two connector parts 10 are joined.

Description

TITLE OF INVENTION: Aseptic Connector BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an aseptic connector that is formed by two connector sections and that achieves flow of fluid between the two connector sections by coupling of the two connector sections while invasion of various germs from the outside is inhibited. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In the field in which pharmaceuticals are used, there have been conventionally known connectors for connecting pipes through which fluid such as medicinal solution flows, containers which contain such fluid, devices which process such fluid, and the like, to each other to distribute fluid between them. Each of such connectors is formed by two connector sections and achieves flow of fluid between the two connector sections by coupling of the two connector sections.

[0003] Among such connectors, there are some connectors in which the two connector sections couple each other while invasion of various germs from the outside is inhibited, and these connectors are called aseptic connectors. Among aseptic connectors, there is an aseptic connector known as so-called a film-type of aseptic connector in which the flow of the fluid between the two connector sections is achieved by bringing the two connector sections into close contact with each other while an opening of a flow channel for the fluid in each connector section is covered with a membrane (film) and by simultaneously pulling out the two membranes of these connector sections (see for example See Patent Literature 1-3). In this type of aseptic connector, the flow channel for the fluid is closed from the outside until the two membranes are pulled out even in the coupling state, so the risk of invasion of various germs into the flow channel for the fluid is extremely low.

[0004] In the film-type of aseptic connector, a tab is generally attached to the membrane to facilitate pulling the membrane out of the connector section in the coupling state. The connector section before coupling has the tab attached to a connector body thereof, and a user of the aseptic connector can pull the membrane from each connector by grasping the tab of each connector section and pulling the tab out of each connector body while maintaining the two connector sections in close contact with each other.

[0005] In view of the role of the tab as described above, it is preferable that the tab has a shape that makes it easy for a user to grasp. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a tab that has grooves or ribs in the area to be grasped by a user so that the user can easily grasp the tab (see reference sign 314a in FIG. 28 and its description in Patent Document 1). CITATION LIST PATENT LITERATURE

[0006] Patent document 1: U.S. Patent No. 10307583 Patent document 2: Japanese Patent No. 6535902 Patent Document 3: Japanese Translation of PCT International Application Publication No. 2017-505408 SUMMARY OF INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0007] By the way, for hygiene reasons, a user of an aseptic connector often put on gloves and the like. In the case that gloves and the like are put on in this way, a finger may slip, even if the grooves or ribs are formed on the tabs, when the tab is grasped and pulled out, which indicates operability is not good. Therefore, further efforts are required to improve the operability of the aseptic connector.

[0008] In view of the above circumstances, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an aseptic connector operability of which is improved. MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0009] To solve the aforementioned problem, the present invention provides an aseptic connector below.

[0010] [1] An aseptic connector that is formed by two connector sections each having a flow channel for fluid and that achieves flow of the fluid between the two connector sections by coupling of the two connector sections in which the flow channels of the two connector sections communicate with each other while invasion of various germs from the outside is inhibited, each of the two connector sections comprising, a connector body that has a coupling mechanism for coupling to a counterpart connector section to which the each of the two connector sections couples and that has the flow channel for the fluid having an opening on an opposing surface of the connector body opposing to the counterpart connector section when the two connector sections couple to each other, a membrane member having a strip shape, that has one end thereof which is bonded on the opposing surface in such a manner to close the opening of the connector body before the two connector sections couple to each other, and which is stripped from the opposing surface so as to open the opening to cause the flow channels of the two connector sections to communicate with each other after the two connector sections couple to each other, and a tab member: that has a plate shape and is connected to the remaining portion of the membrane member other than the one end, that is rotated using an end portion thereof as a rotational axis and thereby shifts from a close posture taken when accommodated on the opposing surface of the connector body in such a manner that a first surface of two surfaces of the plate shape is opposed to the opposing surface of the connector body, to an open posture taken when turning upside down and extending outward from the connector body, and that contacts, in the open posture, the tab member of the counterpart connector section in the open posture when the two connector sections couple to each other, and is detached from the connector body to strip the one end of the membrane member from the opposing surface of the connector body when receiving a pull-out operation by a user’s finger, wherein the tab member includes: a ring portion formed in a ring shape, that contacts the ring portion of the tab member of the counterpart connector section in such a manner that a cavity inside the ring shape overlaps a cavity inside the ring shape of the ring portion of the tab member of the counterpart connector section when the two connector sections couple to each other, and that receives insertion of the user's finger during the pull-out operation, and an axis shape portion that is, in the end portion of the tab member, formed on only one side surface of two side surfaces of the plate shape and that projects from the one side surface to act as the rotational axis, the two side surfaces extending in a band shape which has a width in a direction of thickness of the plate shape and facing each other, wherein the connector body includes a bearing that has a guide hole formed therein through which the axis shape portion is inserted, and that rotatably supports the axis shape portion inserted through the guide hole, the guide hole being formed to extend so long that the axis shape portion inserted through the guide hole is able to move in a direction perpendicular to a insertion direction of the axis shape portion, and wherein a rotatably supporting position for the open posture in the guide hole at which the axis shape portion of the tab member in the open posture is rotatably supported is displaced, in a vertical direction perpendicular to the opposing surface, from a rotatably supporting position for the close posture in the guide hole at which the axis shape portion of the tab member in the close posture is rotatably supported, and thereby the first surface of the tab member which is opposed to the opposing surface in the closed posture is adjusted in the open posture to be positioned at the same height in the vertical direction as a virtual boundary surface that serves as a boundary between the two connector sections that are in close contact with each other when the two connector sections couple to each other.

[0011] [2] The aseptic connector according to claim 1, further comprising an annular sealing member made of elastic material, located along an inner wall of the flow channel of the connector body, and having a protruding end thereof that protrudes from the opening of the flow channel in the vertical direction, wherein the ring portion of the tab member in the close posture accommodates, in the cavity inside the ring shape thereof, the one end of the membrane member pushed up from the opening in the vertical direction by the protruding end of the annular seal member.

[0012] [3] The aseptic connector according to [1] or [2], wherein the tab member includes an abutting portion that stands, in the end portion, from a second surface thereof opposite to the first surface and that maintains the first surface of the tab member in the open posture at the same height as the virtual boundary surface in the vertical direction by abutting, when the open posture is taken, against a side surface of the connector body connected to the opposing surface.

[0013] [4] The aseptic connector according to [1] or [2], wherein the rotatably supporting position for the open posture is lower than the rotatably supporting position for the close posture in the vertical direction and located downstream of the rotatably supporting position for the close posture in a pull-out direction of the pull-out operation.

[0014] [5] The aseptic connector according to [4], wherein the guide hole is a long notch having a downstream end thereof in the pullout direction that is open toward the pull-out direction, and the tab member is detached from the connector body when the tab member receives the pull-out operation which causes the axis shape portion to be detached from the downstream end that is open toward the pull-out direction.

[0015] [6] The aseptic connector according to [4], wherein the axis shape portion includes a detachment preventing portion formed at a top end thereof, that has a larger diameter than a width of the guide hole extending long and that prevents the axis shape portion from being detached from the guide hole due to deviation of the axis shape portion in the insertion direction. ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

[0016] In the present invention, the tab member of each connector section before coupling takes the close posture in which the tab member is accommodated on the opposing surface of the connector body, and thereby the tab member is maintained to be compact without being bulky, which is convenient for handling and carrying in the stage of before coupling.

[0017] When the two connector sections couple to each other, the tab member is rotated using the axis shape portion in the end portion thereof as a rotational axis to take the open posture in which the tab member turns upside down and extends outward from the connector body, and contacts, in this posture, the tab member of the counterpart connector section in the open posture. At the time of this contact, the ring portions of the two tab members overlap each other, and a user inserts his / her finger into the two ring portions and pulls out the two tab members at the same time from the two coupled connector bodies, and thereby the user can pull out the membrane members connected to the tab members at the same time so as to cause the flow channels of the two connector sections to communicate with each other. The method as described above in which a user inserts his / her finger into the ring portions and pulls out the tab members makes it possible to pull out the tab members and the membrane members with less slipperiness of his / her finger and thus more securely than the conventional method in which a user grasps tab members with his / her fingers and pulls out the tab members, and therefore operability of the aseptic connector according to the present invention is improved.

[0018] Here, it is preferable that the ring portions overlap each other as closely as possible from the viewpoint of ensuring that the two membrane members are pulled out at the same time. However, due to the thickness of each of the tab members and the like, simple rotation of each of the tab members from the close posture to the open posture at its position cannot usually lead to the close overlapping of the ring portions of the tab members when the two connector sections couple to each other. On the other hand, the present invention has the displacement between the rotatably supporting position for the close posture and the rotatably supporting position for the open posture in a vertical direction, and thereby the first surface of the tab member in the closed posture is adjusted in the open posture to be positioned at the same height as the virtual boundary surface between the two connector sections that are in close contact with each other when the two connector sections couple to each other. This makes it easier for the ring portions to overlap each other closely when the two connector sections couple to each other, and the two membrane members can be more securely pulled out at the same time . BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] [FIG. 1] This is an external perspective view of a connector section that is a constituent of the aseptic connector of the present embodiment. [FIG. 2] This is a side view of the connector section in FIG. 1. [FIG. 3] This is an exploded view of the connector section in FIG. 1 separately showing constituents of the connector section in FIG. 1. [FIG. 4] This is is an external perspective view of a configuration of the connector section when the cover member is removed from the connector section in FIGS. 1 and 2. [FIG. 5] This is an external perspective view of the tab member when the tab member is rotated using the axis shape portion in the end portion thereof as the rotational axis and thereby shifts from the close posture shown in FIG. 4 to the open posture . [FIG. 6] This an external perspective view of the two connector sections each having the tab member in the open posture when the two connector sections couple to each other. [FIG. 7] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the two connector sections in FIG. 6. [FIG. 8] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing, when the annular seal member is protruding from the opening, relationship between the membrane member pushed up from the opening by the annular seal member and the ring portion of the tab member in the close posture. [FIG. 9] This is a side view of the tab member in the close posture and the connector body accommodating the tab member in the close posture on the opposing surface in FIG. 3 when the tab member and the connector body in FIG. 4 are viewed from an axial direction of the axis shape portion in FIG. 4. [FIG. 10] This is a side view showing the tab member under rotation while the tab member in the close posture shown in FIG. 9 is rotated toward the open posture. [FIG. 11] This is a side view showing the tab member under rotation while the tab member in the close posture shown in FIG. 9 is rotated toward the open posture. [FIG. 12] This is a side view showing the tab member after the tab member in the close posture shown in FIG. 9 shifts to the open posture via the states shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. [FIG. 13] This is a side view showing the two connector sections when the two connector sections, each of which includes the tab members in the open posture, couple to each other. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0020] The following will describe an embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment, and it should be understood that those created by adding changes, improvements or the like to the following embodiment, as appropriate, on the basis of the common knowledge of one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention are also covered by the scope of the present invention.

[0021] An aseptic connector of the present embodiment is formed by two connector sections each having a flow channel for fluid. The aseptic connector of the present embodiment achieves flow of the fluid between the two connector sections by coupling of the two connector sections in which the flow channels of the two connector sections communicate with each other while invasion of various germs from the outside is inhibited. These two connector sections have the same structure, and in the following, a single connector section that is one of these two connector sections will be described first.

[0022] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a connector section 10 that is a constituent of the aseptic connector of the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a side view of the connector section 10 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the connector section 10 in FIG. 1 separately showing constituents of the connector section 10 in FIG. 1.

[0023] The connector section 10 includes, as major constituents, a connector body 1 (see FIGS. 1 to 3), a membrane member 2 (see FIG. 3), and a tab member 3 (see FIGS. 1 to 3). In addition to these constituents, the present embodiment is further provided with, as an example, an annular sealing member made of elastic material, located along an inner wall of the flow channel in the connector section 10.

[0024] Here, the connector section 10 before coupling in the present embodiment includes a cover member 4 (see FIGS. 1 to 3) mounted thereon that prevents exposure of internal structure of the connector section 10, and the cover member 4 is also one of the constituents of the connector section 10 before coupling. As described below, the cover member 4 is a constituent that is removed from the connector section 10 at the beginning of a coupling process of the two connector sections 10, and therefore does not appear at all in subsequent stages of the coupling process. In the following description, for simplicity of explanation, the connector section 10 after the cover member 4 has been removed may be referred to simply as "connector section 10" as well as the connector section 10 including the cover member 4.

[0025] In the following, the connector body 1, the membrane member 2, and the tab member 3, which are the main constituents of the connector section 10, will be described in detail mainly with reference to FIG. 3.

[0026] The connector body 1 has a coupling mechanism 12 for coupling to a connector section 10 as a counterpart to which the connector section 10 couples (hereinafter simply called "counterpart connector section 10"), on an opposing surface 11 of the connector body 1 which opposes to the counterpart connector section 10 when the two connector sections couple to each other. The connector body 1 further has a flow channel 13 for the fluid for fluid having an opening 13a on the opposing surface 11. Incidentally, a part of the flow channel 13 and a part of the opening 13a are not visible from the outside, and thus these invisible parts are indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 3. Here, a mounting portion 131 is formed on the opposite side of the flow channel 13 from the opening 13a, and an external pipe and the like of the aseptic connector of the present embodiment are mounted on the mounting portion 131, which realizes inflow of the fluid from the outside and outflow of the fluid to the outside.

[0027] The membrane member 2 has a strip shape. The membrane member 2 has one end 20 thereof which is bonded on the opposing surface 11 in such a manner to close the opening 13a of the connector body 1 before the two connector sections 10 couple to each other. The one end 20 is stripped from the opposing surface 11 so as to open the opening 13a to cause the flow channels of the two connector sections 10 to communicate with each other after the two connector sections 10 couple to each other. Here, in FIG. 3, a first portion 21, a second portion 22, and a third portion 23 are shown as the remaining portion of the membrane member 2 other than the one end 20. The first portion 21 connects with the one end 20 at the left end of the membrane member 2 in the figure and is folded back 180 degrees to extend to the right in the figure. The second portion 22 connects with the first portion 21 at the right end of the membrane member 2 in the figure and is folded back 90 degrees to extend upward in the figure. The third portion 23 connects with the second portion 22 at the right end of the membrane member 2 in the figure and is folded back 90 degrees to extend toward the left in the figure, and the third portion 23 has an end having a ring shape (the other end opposite to the one end 20 in the entire membrane member 2).

[0028] The tab member 3 is a member having a plate shape that is connected to the remaining portion of the membrane member 2 other than the one end 20 described above. Although there exists a tab member (reference sign 300) in Patent Document 1, the tab member of Patent Document 1 has a complicated bent shape, and as a result, the aseptic connector of Patent Document 1 has a somewhat bulky structure. On the other hand, the tab member 3 in the present embodiment has a simpler plate shape compared to the tab member of Patent Document 1 (reference sign 300), contributing to the realization of a less bulky and more compact aseptic connector.

[0029] In the present embodiment, the tab member 3 is connected to the remaining portion of the membrane member 2 by, as an example, the third portion 23 of the membrane member 2 bonded to a surface of the tab member 3 facing upward in FIG. 3 (second surface 3b described below). In the exploded view in FIG. 3, the tab member 3 and the membrane member 2 are shown separated, but in the actual state of FIGS. 1 and 2, the tab member 3 is located between the third portion 23 (see FIG. 3) of the membrane member 2 which is bonded to the tab member 3, and the first portion 21 (see FIG. 3) of the membrane member 2 which is not bonded to the tab member 3. Here, the second portion 22 of the membrane member 2 opposes to a rear end surface 3d of the tab member 3 which faces rightward in FIG. 3.

[0030] In this state, the tab member 3 is accommodated on the opposing surface 11 of the connector body 1 in such a manner that a first surface (not shown in FIG. 3, see reference sign 3a in FIG. 5) of two surfaces of the plate shape of the tab member 3 is opposed to the opposing surface 11 of the connector body 1. Hereafter, the tab member 3 in this posture is referred to as the tab member 3 in the closed posture. In FIGS. 1-3, the tab member 3 takes this close posture.

[0031] In the present embodiment, the tab member 3 of each connector section 10 before coupling takes the close posture in which the tab member 3 is accommodated on the opposing surface 11 of the connector body 1 (see FIG. 3), and thereby the tab member 3 is maintained to be compact without being bulky, which is convenient for handling and carrying in the stage of before coupling.

[0032] FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of a configuration of the connector section 10 when the cover member 4 is removed from the connector section 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0033] A user who uses the connector section 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 first removes the cover member 4 from the connector sections 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 in order to cause the two connector sections 10 to couple to each other. As a result, the internal structure of the connector section 10, which was covered by the cover member 4 and not visible from the outside in FIGS. 1 and 2, is exposed as shown in FIG. 4, and the tab member 3 in the close posture is visible. In the tab member 3 in the close posture shown in FIG. 4, the third portion 23 of the membrane member 2 is bonded to the upper surface (second surface 3b described below) of the tab member 3, and the first portion 21 of the membrane member 2 is placed on the lower surface of the tab member 3 via the second portion 22 of the membrane member 2 facing the rear end surface 3d of the tab member 3. Incidentally, in FIG. 4, the cover member 4 is removed from a single connector section 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but the counterpart connector section 10 also has the same structure.

[0034] Here, the tab member 3 can be rotated using an end portion thereof (more precisely, an axis shape portion 32 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 that is formed in the end portion) as a rotational axis. By this rotation the tab member 3 shifts from the close posture shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to an open posture which is a posture taken by the tab member 3 turning upside down and extending outward from the connector body 1.

[0035] FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of the tab member 3 when the tab member 3 is rotated using the axis shape portion 32 in the end portion thereof as the rotational axis and thereby shifts from the close posture shown in FIG. 4 to the open posture .

[0036] By the rotation in which the tab member 3 in the closed posture shown in FIG. 4 is rotated half in the direction of arrow X in FIG. 4 using an end portion thereof (an axis shape portion 32 described later) as a rotational axis, the tab member 3 shifts to the open posture in which the tab member projects and extends outward from the connector body 1 along an extended surface of the opposing surface 11 of the connector body 1, as shown in FIG. 5. In this state, the first surface 3a is the upper surface of the tab member 3 in the open posture shown in FIG. 5, although in the close posture shown in FIG. 4, the first surface 3a (not shown in FIG. 4, see FIG. 5) is the lower surface of the tab member 3 which opposes to the opposing surface 11 (not shown in FIG. 4, see FIGS. 3 and 5) of the connector body 1. To the contrary, a second surface 3b (see FIG. 4, not shown in FIG. 5) of the tab member 3 that is a surface of the tab member 3 on the opposite side of the first surface 3a and the upper surface of the tab member 3 in the close posture shown in FIG. 4 is the lower surface of the tab member 3 in the open posture shown in FIG. 5. That is, the tab member 3 turns upside down when the tab member 3 shifts from the close posture to the open posture.

[0037] The tab member 3 in the open posture described above contacts the tab member 3 of the counterpart connector section 10 also in the open posture when the two connector sections 10 couple to each other.

[0038] FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of the two connector sections 10 each having the tab member 3 in the open posture when the two connector sections 10 couple to each other, and FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the two connector sections 10 in FIG. 6.

[0039] Each of the tab members 3 in the open posture overlapping each other as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is detached from the connector body 1 when each of the tab members 3 receives a pull-out operation by a user’s finger in Y direction in FIGS. 6 and 7. Due to the detachment, the one end 20 of each membrane member 2 to which each of the tab members 3 is connected is stripped from the opening 13a (see FIG. 3) on the opposing surface 11 of the connector body 1. This causes the flow channels 13 (see FIGS. 3 and 7) of the two connector sections 10 to communicate with each other.

[0040] In the following, contrivance in shapes and structures applied to the tab member 3 and the connector body 1 to improve operability of the aseptic connector before the two connector sections 10 couple to each other to cause the flow channels to communicate with each other will be described in detail.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the tab member 3 includes a ring portion 31 and an axis shape portion 32.

[0042] The ring portion 31 is a portion formed in a ring shape. The ring portion 31 contacts the ring portion 31 of the tab member 3 of the counterpart connector section 10 in such a manner that a cavity inside the ring shape overlaps a cavity inside the ring shape of the ring portion 31 of the tab member 3 of the counterpart connector section 10 (see FIG. 6) when the two connector sections 10 couple to each other. Under the contact state described above, the ring portion 31 receives insertion of the user's finger during the pull-out operation on the tab member 3 by the user.

[0043] The axis shape portion 32 is a portion that is, in the end portion (right end portion in FIG. 3) of the tab member 3, formed on only one side surface (front side surface 3c in FIG. 3) of two side surfaces of the plate shape of the tab member 3, where the two side surfaces extend in a band shape which has a width in a direction of thickness of the plate shape of the tab member 3, and face each other. That is, the axis shape portion 32 is not formed on the other side surface (back side surface in FIG. 3) of the two side surfaces, and there exists only one axis shape portion 32 in the end portion of the tab member 3. The axis shape portion 32 projects from the above-mentioned one side surface 3c to act as the rotational axis for the above-mentioned rotation when the tab member 3 is rotated from the close posture (see FIG. 4) to the open posture (see FIG. 5).

[0044] Meanwhile, the connector body 1 includes a bearing 14 as a portion thereof that rotatably supports the above-mentioned axis shape portion 32, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. The bearing 14 has a guide hole 14a formed therein through which the axis shape portion 32 is inserted, and rotatably supports the axis shape portion 32 inserted through the guide hole 14a, where the guide hole 14a is formed to extend so long that the axis shape portion 32 inserted through the guide hole 14a is able to move in a direction perpendicular to a insertion direction of the axis shape portion 32. Corresponding to the fact that there is only one axis shape portion 32 in one side of the tab member 3, there is also only one bearing 14 on one side of the connector body 1. The reason why the bearing 14 exists only on one side of the connector body 1 as described above is that it is possible to prevent the bearing 14 from colliding with the bearing 14 of the counterpart connector 10 to interfere with the coupling when the two connector bodies 1 couples each other as shown in FIG. 6.

[0045] The bearing 14 supports the axis shape portion 32 of the tab member 3 in the close posture shown in FIG. 4 at a rotatably supporting position for the close posture in the guide hole 14a, and the axis shape portion 32 of the tab member 3 in the open posture shown in FIG. 5 at a rotatably supporting position for the open posture in the guide hole 14a. That is, the position occupied by the axis shape portion 32 in the long guide hole 14a shown in FIG. 4 is the rotatably supporting position for the close posture, and the position occupied by the axis shape portion 32 in the long guide hole 14a shown in FIG. 5 is the rotatably supporting position for the open posture. Here, as can be seen from the comparison of the positions of the axis shape portions 32 in FIGS. 4 and 5, the rotatably supporting position for the open posture is displaced from the rotatably supporting position for the close posture in a vertical direction perpendicular to the opposing surface 11 (see FIG. 3). More specifically, the rotatably supporting position for the open posture is lower than the rotatably supporting position for the close posture in a vertical direction (see difference d in FIG. 12 below). Due to the displacement, the first surface 3a of the tab member 3 which is opposed to the opposing surface 11 in the closed posture is adjusted in the open posture to be positioned at the same height in the vertical direction as a virtual boundary surface B (see FIG. 7) that serves as a boundary between the two connector sections 10 that are in close contact with each other when the two connector sections 10 couple to each other.

[0046] Incidentally, "virtual" in the above-mentioned "virtual boundary surface" indicates that the virtual boundary surface is a conceptual abstract surface rather than a real surface, such as a surface of a member. Specifically, such a "virtual boundary surface" is obtained by extending a contact surface which is a place where the two connector sections 10 that are in close contact with each other contact each other. Here, in FIG. 7, as a specific example, it is shown that the annular seal member 5 of FIG. 5 protrudes slightly from the opening 13a of the flow channel 13 in the vertical direction. In this case, when the two connector sections 10 couple to each other, the two annular seal members 5 in the two connector sections 10 are in close contact with each other, and the above virtual boundary surface B is obtained by extending a contact place (contact surface) of the two annular seal members 5. The height of the virtual boundary surface B in the vertical direction (e.g., height measured from the opposing surface 11) is determined in advance (in the stage of before coupling) by the above-mentioned coupling mechanism in the connector body 1. That is, in the present embodiment, the height of the first surface 3a of the tab member 3 in the open posture is adjusted in the open posture to be the same height as the boundary surface B in the stage of before coupling.

[0047] When the two connector sections 10 couple to each other, the tab member 3 in the open posture contacts the tab member 3 in the open posture of the counterpart connector section 10 with the height of the first surface 3a adjusted to the same height as the boundary surface B as described above (see FIGS. 6 and 7). At the time of this contact, the ring portions 31 of the two tab members 3 overlap each other, and a user inserts his / her finger into the two ring portions 31 and pulls out the two tab members 3 at the same time from the two coupled connector bodies 1 in Y direction in FIG. 6, and thereby the user can pull out the membrane members 2 connected to the tab members 3 at the same time so as to cause the flow channels 13 of the two connector sections 10 to communicate with each other. The method as described above in which a user inserts his / her finger into the ring portions 31 and pulls out the tab members 3 makes it possible to pull out the tab members 3 and the membrane members 2 with less slipperiness of his / her finger and thus more securely than the conventional method in which a user grasps tab members with his / her fingers and pulls out the tab members, and therefore operability of the aseptic connector according to the present embodiment is improved.

[0048] Here, it is preferable that the ring portions 31 overlap each other as closely as possible from the viewpoint of ensuring that the two membrane members 2 are pulled out at the same time. However, due to the thickness of each of the tab members 3 and the like, simple rotation of each of the tab members 3 from the close posture to the open posture at its position cannot usually lead to the close overlapping of the ring portions 31 of the tab members 3 when the two connector sections 10 couple to each other. On the other hand, the present embodiment has the displacement between the rotatably supporting position for the close posture and the rotatably supporting position for the open posture in a vertical direction, and thereby the first surface 3a of the tab member 3 in the closed posture is adjusted in the open posture to be positioned at the same height as the virtual boundary surface when the two connector sections 10 couple to each other. This makes it easier for the ring portions to overlap each other closely when the two connector sections 10 couple to each other, and the two membrane members 2 can be more securely pulled out at the same time.

[0049] The displacement (see difference d in FIG. 12 described later) in the vertical direction between the rotatably supporting position for the close posture and the rotatably supporting position for the open posture is preferably 1.0 to 4.0 mm, for example. The value can be determined according to the actual situation such as the height of the virtual boundary surface B.

[0050] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing, when the annular seal member 5 is protruding from the opening 13a, relationship between the membrane member 2 pushed up from the opening 13a by the annular seal member 5 and the ring portion 31 of the tab member 3 in the close posture.

[0051] As described above in FIG. 5, the annular sealing member 5 made of elastic material is located along an inner wall of the flow channel 13 of the connector body 1, and as described above in FIG. 7, protrudes from the opening 13a of the flow channel 13 in the vertical direction. In FIG. 8, the protruding portion of the annular sealing member 5 is shown as a protruding end 51. As shown in FIG. 8, the protruding end 51 pushes up the one end 20 of the membrane member 2, which covers the opening 13a, from the opening 13a in the vertical direction. In this state, the ring portion 31 of the tab member 3 in the close posture accommodates, in the cavity inside the ring shape thereof, the one end 20 of the membrane member 2 which is pushed up. Incidentally, in FIG. 8, it is shown that not only the one end 20 of the membrane member 2 but also the first portion 21 of the membrane member 2 that overlaps the one end 20 of the membrane member 2 is accommodated in the cavity inside the ring shape of the ring portion 31 together with the one end 20.

[0052] In general, it is often necessary for an annular sealing member to protrude from an opening to provide high sealing performance. In the present embodiment, even in such a case, the ring portion 31 of the tab member 3 in the close posture accommodates, in the cavity inside the ring shape thereof, the one end 20 of the membrane member 2 pushed up by the protruding end 51 of the annular seal member 5. Thus, destabilization of the closed posture of the tab member 3 due to the presence of the protruding end 51 is avoided.

[0053] Here, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the tab member 3 includes an abutting portion 33 that stands from a second surface 3b thereof in FIG. 4 opposite to the first surface 3a in FIG. 5, in the end portion of the tab member 3 where the axis shape portion 32 is formed. The abutting portion 33 abuts against a side surface 15 (see FIGS. 3 to 5) of the connector body 1 connected to the opposing surface 11 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) when the open posture shown in FIG. 5 is taken by the tab member 3. The abutment of the abutting portion 33 against the side surface 15 of the connector body 1 prevents the tab member 3 from being rotated further beyond the open posture shown in FIG. 5, and thereby the first surface 3a of the tab member 3 in the open posture is maintained to be at the same height as the virtual boundary surface in the vertical direction.

[0054] According to the embodiment in which the tab member 3 includes the abutting portion 33 as described above, the above-mentioned state (see FIG. 5) of the tab member 3 in the open posture is stabilized, and thus the posture (see FIG. 6) of the two overlapping connector sections 10 when the two connector sections 10 couple to each other is also stabilized.

[0055] In the following, the shift of the position of the axis shape portion 32 in the guide hole 14a extending long during the transition from the close posture in FIG. 4 to the open posture in FIG. 5 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 9-12 below.

[0056] FIG. 9 is a side view of the tab member 3 in the close posture and the connector body 1 accommodating the tab member 3 in the close posture on the opposing surface 11 in FIG. 3 when the tab member 3 and the connector body 1 in FIG. 4 are viewed from an axial direction of the axis shape portion 32 in FIG. 4. FIGS. 10 and 11 are side views showing the tab member 3 under rotation while the tab member 3 in the close posture shown in FIG. 9 is rotated toward the open posture. FIG. 12 is a side view showing the tab member 3 after the tab member 3 in the close posture shown in FIG. 9 shifts to the open posture via the states shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. FIG. 13 is a side view showing the two connector sections 10 when the two connector sections 10, each of which includes the tab members 3 in the open posture, couple to each other.

[0057] The position of the axis shape portion 32 in FIG. 9 in the guide hole 14a extending long is the rotatably supporting position for the close posture the rotatably supporting position for the close posture described above (see also FIG. 4), and the tab member 3 starts the rotation using, as a rotational axis, the axis shape portion 32 at the rotatably supporting position for the close posture when the user applies a rotational force to a tip portion 34 of the tab member 3 in a direction of arrow X shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 9. FIG. 10 shows the tab member 3 under rotation which is rotated at a rotation angle of less than 90°, and FIG. 11 shows the tab member 3 under rotation which is rotated at a rotation angle exceeding 90°. After passing through these states shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the tab member 3 finally shifts to the open posture shown in FIG. 12, where the position of the axis shape portion 32 in FIG. 12 in the guide hole 14a extending long is the rotatably supporting position for the open posture described above (see also FIG. 5).

[0058] Here, the guide hole 14a extending long extends, as shown in FIGS. 9-12, in a pull-out direction (Y direction in FIGS. 6 and 13). As the tab member 3 is rotated, the axis shape portion 32 proceeds in the pull-out direction within the guide hole 14a (see the change in position of the axis shape portion 32 within the guide hole 14a from FIG. 10 to FIG. 11). That is, the rotatably supporting position for the open posture in FIG. 12 is located downstream of the rotatably supporting position for the close posture in the pull-out direction in addition that the rotatably supporting position for the open posture in FIG. 12 is lower than the rotatably supporting position for the close posture in FIG. 9 in the vertical direction (see difference d in FIG. 12) .

[0059] According to the embodiment in which the rotatably supporting position for the open posture is located downstream of the rotatably supporting position for the close posture in the pull-out direction, the transition of the axis shape portion 32 from the rotatably supporting position for the close posture to the rotatably supporting position for the open posture, which is lower by the difference d (see FIG. 12) in the vertical direction, is smooth and stable.

[0060] As shown in FIGS. 9-12, the long guide hole 14a is not, strictly speaking, a complete hole, but a long notch having a downstream end thereof in the pull-out direction (Y direction in FIGS. 6 and 13) that is open toward the pull-out direction. The tab member 3 is detached from the connector body 1 when the tab member 3 receives, in the coupling state shown in FIG. 13, the pull-out operation of the user in the Y direction in the figure which causes the axis shape portion 32 to be detached from the downstream end that is open toward the pull-out direction.

[0061] According to the embodiment as described above in which the guide hole 14a is a long notch, it is easier and smoother to pull out the tab member 3 from the connector body 1.

[0062] Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the axis shape portion 32 includes a detachment preventing portion 32a formed at a top end thereof, that has a larger diameter than a width of the guide hole 14a extending long and that prevents the axis shape portion 32 from being detached from the guide hole 14a due to deviation of the axis shape portion 32 in the insertion direction.

[0063] According to the embodiment as described above in which the axis shape portion 32 includes the detachment preventing portion 32a, the axis shape portion 32 is prevented from being detached from the guide hole 14a and thereby the posture of the tab member 3 is stabilized even though there is only one axis shape portion 32 on one side of the tab member 3.

[0064] In the above, features related to the axis shape portion 32 of the tab member 3 and the bearing 14 of the connector body 1 (or the guide hole 14a formed thereon) have been described, and other features are described below.

[0065] As described above in FIG. 3, the connector body 1 has the coupling mechanism 12 for coupling to the counterpart connector section 10 on the opposing surface 11 thereof. The coupling mechanism 12 may have, as an example, a ratchet pawl 121 protruding from the opposing surface 11 and a ratchet pawl receiving section 122 recessed from the opposing surface 11, as shown in FIG. 3. The ratchet pawl 121 and the ratchet pawl receiving section 122 engage with the ratchet pawl receiving section 122 and the ratchet pawl 121 of the counterpart connector section 10, respectively to which the ratchet pawl 121 and the ratchet pawl receiving section 122 in the state shown in FIGS. 6 and 13 respectively oppose. In more detail, a hook shaped portion of a tip of the ratchet pawl 121 is hooked by a hooking portion in the ratchet pawl receiving section 122 to be fitted into the ratchet pawl receiving section 122, and thereby the ratchet pawl 121 engages with the ratchet pawl receiving section 122. This engagement results in the coupling state of the two connector sections 10.

[0066] In the coupling mechanism 12 using the ratchet pawl 121 and the ratchet paw receiving section 122 as described above, the two connector sections 10 couple to each other simply by inserting the ratchet pawl 121 into the ratchet paw receiving section 122. This makes it extremely easy to cause the two connector sections 10 to couple to each other.

[0067] In the present embodiment, the ratchet system as described above is also used to stabilize the closed posture of the tab member 3 shown in FIGS. 4 and 9. Specifically, a ratchet pawl 35, which is formed on the tab member 3 in FIGS. 5 and 9, engages with the ratchet pawl receiving section 16, which is formed on the connector body 1 in FIG. 9, and thereby the closed posture the tab member 3 shown in FIGS. 4 and 9 is fixed. Fixing the close posture of the tab member as described above makes it possible to prevent accidents such as detachment of the tab member 3 from the connector body 1 before the two connector sections 10 are coupled to each other.

[0068] Incidentally, the resent invention may employ, as the coupling mechanism, coupling and fixing system other than the ratchet system described above. For example, the present invention may employ system in which screws are used to couple or fix two subjects to be coupled or fixed. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0069] The present invention is useful for improving the operability of the aseptic connector. REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0070] 1: connector body, 2: membrane member, 3: tab member, 3a: first surface, 3b: second surface, 3c: side surface, 3d: rear end surface, 4: cover member, 5: annular sealing member, 10: connector section 11: opposing surface, 12: coupling mechanism, 13: flow channel, 13a: opening, 14: bearing, 15: side surface, 16: ratchet pawl receiving section, 20: one end, 21: first portion, 22: second portion, 23: third portion, 31: ring portion, 32: axis shape portion, 32a: detachment preventing portion, 33: abutting portion, 34: tip portion, 35: ratchet pawl, 51: protruding end, 121: ratchet pawl, 122: ratchet pawl receiving section B: virtual boundary surface.

Claims

1. An aseptic connector that is formed by two connector sections each having a flow channel for fluid and that achieves flow of the fluid between the two connector sections by coupling of the two connector sections in which the flow channels of the two connector sections communicate with each other while invasion of various germs from the outside is inhibited, each of the two connector sections comprising,a connector body that has a coupling mechanism for coupling to a counterpart connector section to which the each of the two connector sections couples and that has the flow channel for the fluid having an opening on an opposing surface of the connector body opposing to the counterpart connector section when the two connector sections couple to each other,a membrane member having a strip shape, that has one end thereof which is bonded on the opposing surface in such a manner to close the opening of the connector body before the two connector sections couple to each other, and which is stripped from the opposing surface so as to open the opening to cause the flow channels of the two connector sections to communicate with each other after the two connector sections couple to each other, anda tab member:that has a plate shape and is connected to the remaining portion of the membrane member other than the one end, that is rotated using an end portion thereof as a rotational axis and thereby shifts from a close posture taken when accommodated on the opposing surface of the connector body in such a manner that a first surface of two surfaces of the plate shape is opposed to the opposing surface of the connectorbody, to an open posture taken when turning upside down and extending outward from the connector body, andthat contacts, in the open posture, the tab member of the counterpart connector section in the open posture when the two connector sections couple to each other, and is detached from the connector body to strip the one end of the membrane member from the opposing surface of the connector body when receiving a pull-out operation by a user’s finger, wherein the tab member includes:a ring portion formed in a ring shape, that contacts the ring portion of the tab member of the counterpart connector section in such a manner that a cavity inside the ring shape overlaps a cavity inside the ring shape of the ring portion of the tab member of the counterpart connector section when the two connector sections couple to each other, and that receives insertion of the user’s finger during the pull-out operation, and an axis shape portion that is, in the end portion of the tab member, formed on only one side surface of two side surfaces of the plate shape and that projects from the one side surface to act as the rotational axis, the two side surfaces extending in a band shape which has a width in a direction of thickness of the plate shape and facing each other,wherein the connector body includes a bearing that has a guide hole formed therein through which the axis shape portion is inserted, and that rotatably supports the axis shape portion inserted through the guide hole, the guide hole being formed to extend so long that the axis shape portion inserted through the guide hole is able to move in a direction perpendicular to a insertion direction of the axis shape portion, andwherein a rotatably supporting position for the open posture in the guide hole at which the axis shape portion of the tab member in the open posture is rotatably supported isdisplaced, in a vertical direction perpendicular to the opposing surface, from a rotatably supporting position for the close posture in the guide hole at which the axis shape portion of the tab member in the close posture is rotatably supported, and thereby the first surface of the tab member which is opposed to the opposing surface in the closed posture is adjusted in the open posture to be positioned at the same height in the vertical direction as a virtual boundary surface that serves as a boundary between the two connector sections that are in close contact with each other when the two connector sections couple to each other.

2. The aseptic connector according to claim 1, further comprising an annular sealing member made of elastic material, located along an inner wall of the flow channel of the connector body, and having a protruding end thereof that protrudes from the opening of the flow channel in the vertical direction, wherein the ring portion of the tab member in the close posture accommodates, in the cavity inside the ring shape thereof, the one end of the membrane member pushed up from the opening in the vertical direction by the protruding end of the annular seal member.

3. The aseptic connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tab member includes an abutting portion that stands, in the end portion, from a second surface thereof opposite to the first surface and that maintains the first surface of the tab member in the open posture at the same height as the virtual boundary surface in the vertical direction by abutting, when the open posture is taken, against a side surface of the connector body connected to the opposing surface.

4. The aseptic connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rotatably supporting position for the open posture is lower than the rotatably supporting position for the close posture in the vertical direction and located downstream of the rotatably supporting position for the close posture in a pull-out direction of the pull-out operation.

5. The aseptic connector according to claim 4, wherein the guide hole is a long notch having a downstream end thereof in the pull-out direction that is open toward the pull-out direction, and the tab member is detached from the connector body when the tab member receives the pull-out operation which causes the axis shape portion to be detached from the downstream end that is open toward the pull-out direction.

6. The aseptic connector according to claim 4, wherein the axis shape portion includes a detachment preventing portion formed at a top end thereof, that has a larger diameter than a width of the guide hole extending long and that prevents the axis shape portion from being detached from the guide hole due to deviation of the axis shape portion in the insertion direction.INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT International application No. PCT / JP2024 / 009820A. CLASSIFICATION OF SUBJECT MATTERA61M39ZW(2006.01)i;F16L 37 / 30(2006.01)1; F16L 37 / 133(2006.01)1; F16L 57 / 00(2006.01)1FI: A61M39 / 18; Fl 61.57 / 00 C; Fl 61.37 / 133: Fl fl.37 / 30According to International Patent Classification (IPC) or to both national classification and IPCB.FIELDS SEARCHEDMinimum documentation searched (classification system followed by classification symbols) A61M39 / 18: FKL37 / 30; FI6L3TI33; Flft.57 / 00Documentation searched other than minimum documentation to the extent that such documents are included in the fields searchedPublished examined utility model applications of Japan 1922-1996Published unexamined utility model applications of Japan 1971-2024Registered utility model specifications of Japan 1996-2024Published registered utility model applications of Japan 1994-2024Electronic data base consulted during the international search (name of data base and, where practicable, search terms used)DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANTCategory* Citation of document, with indication, where appropriate, of the relevant passages Relevant to claim No. A US 2013 / 0207380 Al (COLDER PRODUCTS COMPANY) 15 August 2013 (2013-08-15) fig. 40 1-6 A A CN 115154885 A (WUXI NEST LIFE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.) 11 October 2022 (2022-10-11) entire text, all drawings JP 2022-546706 A (COLDER PRODUCTS COMPANY) 07 November 2022 (2022-11-07) entire text, all drawings 1-6 1-6 A JP 2017-180829 A (PALL CORPORATION) 05 October 2017 (2017-10-05) entire text, all drawings 1-6| | Further documents are listed in the continuation of Box C. | | See patent family annex. * Special categories of cited documents: “T” later document published after the international filing date or priority “A” document defining the general state of the art which is not considered date and not in conflict with the application but cited to understand the to be of particular relevance principle or theory underlying the invention “D” document cited by the applicant in die international application “X” document of particular relevance; the claimed invention cannot be ■SE” earlier application orpatent but published on or after the international considered novel or cannot be considered to involve an inventive step filing date when the document is taken alone •SL” document which may throw doubts on priority claim(s) or which is “Y” document of particular relevance; the claimed invention cannot be cited to establish the publication date of another citation or other considered to involve an inventive step when the document is special reason (as specified) combined with one or more other such documents, such combination “O” document referring to an oral disclosure, use, exhibition or other being obvious to a person skilled in the art means document member of the same patent family “P” document published prior to the international filing date but later than the priority date claimed Date of the actual completion of the international search 22 May 2024 Date of mailing of the international search report 04 June 2024 Name and mailing address of the ISA / JP Japan Patent Office (ISA / JP) 3-4-3 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8915 Japan Authorized officer Telephone No.Form PCT / ISA / 210 (second sheet) (July 2022)INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT Information on patent family members International application No. PCT / JP2024 / 009820Patent document cited in search report Publication date (day / month / year) Patent family member)s) Publication date (day / month / year) US 2013 / 0207380 Al 15 August 2013 WO 2013 / 123347 Al EP 3342450 Al CN 104203337 A CN 107261318 A CN 115154885 A 11 October 2022 WO 2024 / 036843 Al JP 2022-546706 A 07 November 2022 US 2021 / 0062946 Al entire text, all drawings US 2024 / 0035600 Al WO 2021 / 040830 Al KR 10-2022-0049598 A CN 114585411 A JP 2017-180829 A 05 October 2017 US 2017 / 0284584 Al entire text, all drawings EP 3225895 Al CN 107269995 A KR 10-2017-0113369 A

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