Cap for medical device

Abstract

To provide a cap for a medical device that facilitates connection of an external member to a discharge port.SOLUTION: A cap 100 for a medical device having one end connected to a first external member and the other end connected to a second external member, includes: a body part 10 in which a first flow path 14 for communicating with the first external member is formed in an insertion part 11; and a seal part 30 formed of a softer material than that of the body part 10 and stored in a storage part 12. Te seal part includes: a cylindrical flow path part 33 having an opening 31 for insertion of the second external member and having an inside formed with a second flow path 32 that allows communication of the opening 31 and the first flow path 14; and a support part 34 that spreads from the flow path part 33 in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the second flow path 32 extends, and supports the flow path part 33 such that a gap is formed between the flow path part 33 and the storage part 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cap for a medical device that functions as an external opening / closing valve for a medical device that is left in the body, such as a urethral catheter. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a medical instrument cap that functions as an external opening and closing valve for a urinary catheter for the purpose of urination management (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This type of medical instrument cap is attached to a urinary catheter that is placed in the bladder, and when urinating, urine in the urinary catheter is discharged outside the body simply by opening the lid of the medical instrument cap.

[0003] If a medical device cap is not attached to a urinary catheter, it is necessary to carry a urine bag connected to the urinary catheter at all times to collect excreted urine. In contrast, if a medical device cap with an on-off valve is attached to the urinary outlet of the urinary catheter, urination can be done simply by going to the toilet and opening the lid of the medical device cap when necessary, eliminating the need to carry a urine bag attached to the urinary catheter.

[0004] Furthermore, because urethral catheters are used by users to place them in the bladder and to urinate themselves, there has been a demand for urethral catheters and accessory devices that can be easily operated by users who have difficulty operating a urethral catheter due to dexterity issues, such as those with cerebrovascular disorders or spinal cord injuries. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-206370 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, with the medical instrument caps of the above-mentioned conventional technology, in order to connect a urine bag to a urethral catheter, the medical instrument cap attached to the urethral catheter must be removed and the connector of the urine bag must be inserted into the tube extending from the urethral catheter, making the installation process complicated.

[0007] Another method for connecting a urine bag is to attach an adapter to the connector on the urine bag and then insert the adapter into the urination outlet of the medical device cap, but this is a cumbersome operation because it requires preparing an adapter and connecting the two together.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a cap for a medical instrument that overcomes the problems of the conventional techniques described above and allows an external member to be easily connected to the outlet. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention provides a cap for a medical device having one end connected to a first external member and the other end connected to a second external member, the cap comprising: a main body portion having an insertion portion for insertion into the first external member and a cylindrical storage portion provided at the base end of the insertion portion, with a first flow path formed within the insertion portion for communicating with the first external member; a sealing portion made of a material softer than the main body portion and stored within the storage portion, the sealing portion having a cylindrical flow path portion having an opening for inserting the second external member and a second flow path formed therein that connects the opening with the first flow path; and a support portion that extends from the flow path portion in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the second flow path and supports the flow path portion so as to provide a gap between the flow path portion and the storage portion.

[0010] In this case, the flow path section may have a tapered shape in which the flow path cross section becomes smaller as the position becomes closer to the first flow path. The interval may become larger as the position becomes closer to the first flow path. The support section may have a flange section that widens from the flow path section. The outer peripheral surface of the flange section may abut the storage section. The support section may have claw sections that are inserted into the storage section. The claw sections may be hooked onto the outer peripheral surface of the storage section. The flow path section may have a cylindrical connecting section that has a constant size of flow path cross section and protrudes from the support section toward the insertion section. The length that the connecting section protrudes from the support section may be shorter than the radius of the outer periphery of the connecting section. The flow path section may be fixed in a recess formed in the base end of the insertion section. The space between the storage section and the flow path section may be sealed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The present invention can provide a cap for a medical instrument that allows an external member to be easily connected to the outlet. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the medical instrument cap with the lid portion open. [Figure 2] 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a cap for a medical device. [Figure 3] 2 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] A medical instrument cap according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the medical instrument cap with the lid portion open, Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the medical instrument cap, and Figure 3 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of Figure 1.

[0014] The medical instrument cap 100 has one end connected to an external member (first external member) such as a urethral catheter, and the other end connected to another external member (second external member) such as a urine bag. As shown in Fig. 1, the medical instrument cap 100 includes a main body 10 having an elongated cylindrical shape, a lid portion 20, and a seal portion 30.

[0015] The main body 10 has an insertion portion 11 and a storage portion 12, and these insertion portion 11 and storage portion 12 are integrally formed together with the cover portion 20 from a synthetic resin having elasticity.

[0016] The insertion section 11 is formed so that it can be inserted into and connected to an external member such as a silicone rubber tube extending from a urethral catheter, and is formed in a cylindrical shape with multiple tapered steps so that it can be caught in the tube and prevent it from coming off. This allows the connected tube or the like to expand and contract and fit over the outer periphery of the insertion section 11. As shown in Fig. 2, a first flow path 14 is formed within the insertion section 11 for communicating with the inside of a tube such as a urethral catheter. The base end of the insertion section 11 is widened into a disk shape, and a circular recess 11a is formed therein to which the seal section 30 incorporated in the main body 10 is adhered.

[0017] The accommodation portion 12 is provided at the base end of the insertion portion 11, and is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to be able to accommodate the seal portion 30. The accommodation portion 12 according to this embodiment is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a ceiling portion 16 is provided on the upper part of a cylindrical side wall 15.

[0018] The side wall 15 is formed with a plurality of holes 15a through which the support parts 34 of the seal part 30 pass.

[0019] The ceiling portion 16 is formed in an annular shape, and its inner peripheral surface 16a contacts the outer periphery of the flow path portion 33 of the seal portion 30 over the entire circumference. As a result, the ceiling portion 16 supports the end of the seal portion 30 in a direction perpendicular to the direction Z in which the second flow path 32 formed in the seal portion 30 extends. Therefore, the end of the seal portion 30 on the ceiling portion 16 side is maintained straight without swinging, making it easier to insert an external member into the second flow path 32.

[0020] The lid 20 is designed to swing relative to the storage section 12. The lid 20 is made of a resilient synthetic resin and is integral with the main body 10. On the opposite side of the hinge 21, the lid 20 is provided with a knob 22 that the user can grip with their hand to open or close the lid 20.

[0021] A cylindrical plug 23 is formed on the lid 20, rising from the center of the inner surface. The plug 23 is made of a material harder than the seal 30, i.e., a synthetic resin harder than the silicone rubber that is the material of the seal 30.

[0022] When the lid portion 20 is closed, the plug 23 is inserted into the discharge port (opening) 31 of the seal portion 30. When the lid portion 20 is closed, the plug 23 is inserted into the discharge port 31 so as to push open the discharge port 31 of the seal portion 30, thereby sealing the discharge port 31.

[0023] The seal portion 30 is housed in the housing portion 12 of the main body portion 10. The seal portion 30 according to this embodiment is made of silicone rubber, which is softer than the main body portion 10, which is made of synthetic resin. The seal portion 30 has a flow path portion 33 and two support portions 34.

[0024] The flow path section 33 is formed in a cylindrical shape and has an outlet 31 for inserting an external member such as a connector. A connector of a urine bag or the like can be inserted into the flow path section 33 through the outlet 31, and a second flow path 32 that connects the outlet 31 to the first flow path 14 of the main body 10 is formed inside the flow path section 33. The flow path section 33 has a circular flow path cross section of the second flow path 32 and a tapered shape in which the flow path cross section becomes smaller as it approaches the first flow path 14. Accordingly, the distance between the flow path section 33 and the storage section 12 becomes larger as it approaches the first flow path 14.

[0025] The flow path portion 33 abuts against and is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface 16a of the ceiling portion 16 of the main body portion 10. In addition, the flow path portion 33 is fixed by adhesive to a recess 11a formed in the insertion portion 11 of the main body portion 10, thereby preventing fluid from leaking between the seal portion 30 and the recess 11a of the main body portion 10.

[0026] The flow path section 33 has a connecting section 33a that protrudes from a support section 34 provided on the insertion section 11 side toward the insertion section 11. This connecting section 33a is formed in a cylindrical shape that has a flow path cross section of a certain size and protrudes from the support section 34 toward the insertion section 11. The length that the connecting section 33a protrudes from the support section 34 is shorter than the radius of the outer periphery of the connecting section 33a. Because the protruding length of the connecting section 33a is short, the support section 34 provided on the insertion section 11 side makes it difficult for the flow path section 33 to undergo deformation such as expansion in the portion near the connecting section 33a. This makes it possible to prevent the sealing section 30 from peeling off from the insertion section 11 due to excessive force generated by deformation of the connecting section 33a.

[0027] The connector inserted from the outlet 31 into the second flow path 32 is usually made of a hard synthetic resin, but the medical instrument cap 100 incorporates a seal portion 30 made of a soft material, which allows the connector to fit tightly into the second flow path 32. Therefore, the medical instrument cap 100 is designed to prevent fluid from leaking between the connector and the seal portion 30, even when the connector is connected directly without going through a joint or the like made of a soft material.

[0028] The two support parts 34 are provided at the end of the main body part 10 on the insertion part 11 side and near the middle position of the flow path part 33. The support parts 34 extend from the flow path part 33 in a direction perpendicular to the direction Z in which the second flow path 32 extends, and support the flow path part 33 so that a gap is created between the flow path part 33 and the storage part 12.

[0029] 3, the support portion 34 has a flange portion 35 that extends from the outer peripheral surface of the flow path portion 33, and the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 35 abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the storage portion 12. The outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 35 has a plurality of claw portions 36 that are inserted into and tightly contact with each of the hole portions 15a formed in the storage portion 12. In the support portion 34 according to this embodiment, four claw portions 36 are provided at equal intervals on each flange portion 35, and each claw portion 36 passes through the corresponding hole portions 15a in the storage portion 12. The claw portions 36 are fixed to the storage portion 12 by barbs that hook onto the outer peripheral surface of the side wall 15 of the storage portion 12.

[0030] Because a space is formed between the storage portion 12 and the flow path portion 33, the seal portion 30 can expand within the storage portion 12 in a direction perpendicular to the direction Z in which the second flow path 32 extends. Therefore, even when a thick connector is inserted into the second flow path 32, the medical instrument cap 100 is designed so that the seal portion 30 is pushed open and the diameter of the second flow path 32 is expanded.

[0031] Furthermore, in the seal portion 30, one end of the flow path portion 33 is adhered to the insertion portion 11 of the main body portion 10, the other end of the flow path portion 33 is in close contact with the ceiling portion 16 of the main body portion 10, and the support portion 34 is in close contact with the hole portion 15a of the side wall 15 at the claw portion 36, thereby sealing the space between the accommodation portion 12 and the flow path portion 33 and trapping the air. Therefore, when the flow path portion 33 expands and the space between the accommodation portion 12 and the flow path portion 33 becomes smaller, the air pressure increases, applying pressure to the flow path portion 33 in a direction that causes the flow path portion 33 to contract.

[0032] The medical device cap 100 according to this embodiment includes a main body 10 having an insertion section 11 for insertion into an external member and a cylindrical storage section 12 provided at the base end of the insertion section 11, with a first flow path 14 formed within the insertion section 11 for communication with the external member, and a seal section 30 formed of a material softer than the main body 10 and housed within the storage section 12, the seal section 30 having a cylindrical flow path section 33 having an outlet 31 for inserting the external member and having a second flow path 32 formed therein that connects the outlet 31 with the first flow path 14, and a support section 34 extending from the flow path section 33 in a direction perpendicular to the Z direction in which the second flow path 32 extends and supporting the flow path section 33 so as to provide a gap between the flow path section 33 and the storage section 12. This allows the medical device cap 100 to be directly connected to an external member such as a connector for a urine bag without using an adapter, making it easy to connect an external member such as a connector to the outlet 31.

[0033] Furthermore, the medical instrument cap 100 includes the sealing portion 30 formed of a material softer than the main body portion 10, and therefore external members of various sizes can be inserted.

[0034] Furthermore, since the medical device cap 100 supports the sealing portion 30 with the containing portion 12 formed of a material harder than the sealing portion 30, bending of the sealing portion 30, which is expected when an external member is inserted into the sealing portion 30, can be prevented.

[0035] Furthermore, the elastic force that the seal portion 30 applies to the external member inserted into the seal portion 30 is not too strong because the flow path portion 33 of the seal portion 30 expands in areas other than the outlet 31. Therefore, when the external member is pulled out of the seal portion 30, the seal portion 30 is less likely to peel off from the main body portion 10, and the durability of the medical instrument cap 100 can be improved.

[0036] Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in the above embodiment, the space between the housing portion 12 and the flow path portion 33 is sealed, but the present invention is not limited thereto. As long as the flow path portion 33 of the seal portion 30 can expand within the housing portion 12, the space between the housing portion 12 and the flow path portion 33 may not be sealed and the air inside may be allowed to escape into the atmosphere.

[0037] In addition, although the above embodiment has two support parts 34, the present invention is not limited to this. Any number of support parts may be provided as long as a space is formed in which the seal part can expand.

[0038] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each flange portion 35 is provided with four claw portions 36, but this is not limited to this. Any number of claw portions may be provided as long as the seal portion can be appropriately fixed to the storage portion.

[0039] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the seal portion 30 is made of silicone rubber, but is not limited to this. The seal portion may be made of elastomer or other materials as long as they are rubber-like, stretchable, and capable of adhering.

[0040] In the above embodiment, the inner circumferential surface of the flow path portion 33 is formed to be a smooth surface, but this is not limited thereto. The inner circumferential surface of the flow path portion may be provided with protrusions or the like to make it difficult for an inserted external member to come out. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 10...Main body 11...insertion section 11a...recess 12...Storage section 14...First flow path 15…Side wall 15a...hole 16...Ceiling 16a...Inner peripheral surface 20…Lid part 21...Hinge part 22...Knob part 23...Stop 30...Seal part 31...Discharge port (opening) 32...Second flow path 33...flow path section 33a...Connection part 34...Support part 35...Flange 36...Claw part 100...Medical equipment caps

Claims

1. A medical instrument cap having a first outer member connected to one end and a second outer member connected to the other end, a main body portion having an insertion portion to be inserted into the first external member and a cylindrical housing portion provided at a base end of the insertion portion, the main body portion having a first flow path formed within the insertion portion for communicating with the first external member; a sealing portion formed of a material softer than the main body portion and housed within the housing portion, the sealing portion having an opening for inserting the second external member and a cylindrical flow path portion having a second flow path formed therein that connects the opening with the first flow path, and a support portion that extends from the flow path portion in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the second flow path extends and supports the flow path portion so as to leave a gap between the flow path portion and the housing portion.

2. The medical instrument cap according to claim 1, The medical instrument cap, wherein the flow path portion has a tapered shape in which the cross section of the flow path becomes smaller as the position becomes closer to the first flow path.

3. The medical instrument cap according to claim 1, A cap for a medical instrument, wherein the gap is larger at a position closer to the first flow path.

4. The medical instrument cap according to claim 1, A cap for a medical instrument, wherein the support portion has a flange portion extending from the flow path portion.

5. The medical instrument cap according to claim 4, A cap for a medical instrument, wherein the flange portion has an outer peripheral surface that abuts against the storage portion.

6. The medical instrument cap according to claim 1, A cap for a medical instrument, wherein the support portion has a claw portion that is inserted into the storage portion.

7. The medical instrument cap according to claim 6, A cap for a medical instrument, wherein the claw portion is hooked onto an outer peripheral surface of the container portion.

8. The medical instrument cap according to claim 1, A cap for a medical instrument, characterized in that the flow path portion has a cylindrical connecting portion having a flow path cross section of a fixed size and protruding from the support portion toward the insertion portion.

9. The medical instrument cap according to claim 8, A cap for a medical instrument, wherein the length of the connecting portion that protrudes from the support portion is shorter than the radius of the outer periphery of the connecting portion.

10. The medical instrument cap according to claim 1, The cap for a medical instrument, wherein the flow path portion is fixed to a recess formed in the base end of the insertion portion.

11. The medical instrument cap according to claim 1, A cap for a medical instrument, wherein a space between the storage portion and the flow path portion is sealed.

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