Medical connectors and medical devices

Abstract

To provide a medical connector and medical device that can reduce damage to the O-ring even when the male connector is repeatedly inserted into the female connector. [Solution] The male connector 50 has an O-ring 70 that is placed on the third inner circumference 17 of the female connector when the female connector 10 and the male connector are connected to prevent air leakage between the female connector and the male connector, a tapered portion 64 provided on the base end side of the O-ring that slides the latch 30 radially outward and expands in diameter toward the base end side, and a fourth groove portion 66 provided on the base end side of the tapered portion that fixes the latch when the female connector and the male connector are connected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a medical connector and a medical device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various tools have been developed to assist in acquiring biological information of a subject by a medical sensor attached to the finger of the subject.

[0003] As an example of such a medical sensor, a probe of a pulse oximeter can be mentioned. A probe having a light emitting part and a light receiving part is attached to the fingertip of a subject and used to acquire biological information such as non-invasive arterial blood oxygen saturation (SpO2).

[0004] Such a medical sensor is used together with an assisting tool provided with an expandable and deformable bag body. Specifically, the bag body is expanded by the gas supplied from the gas supply device and pressed against the fingertip of the subject, whereby the biological information of the subject is acquired.

[0005] On the other hand, various medical connectors that connect a tube (long member) connected to one end of an assisting tool provided with an expandable and deformable bag body and a gas supply device have also been developed.

[0006] In relation to such a medical connector, for example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a medical connector provided with a male connector and a female connector. The above-mentioned tube is connected to the male connector, and the gas supply device is connected to the female connector. The gas supplied from the gas supply device is sent to an assisting tool provided with an expandable and deformable bag body through the female connector, the male connector, and the tube. [[ID=3>

Prior Art Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0008] In the medical connector described in Patent Document 1, the tip of the male connector has a tapered portion formed so as to move the latch of the female connector outward, and an O-ring is positioned on the base end side of the tapered portion.

[0009] In this type of medical connector configuration, since the O-ring is located on the base end of the tapered portion, if the male connector is repeatedly inserted into the female connector after the tapered portion moves the latch outward, the O-ring will come into contact with the inner circumference of the female connector while the latch is biased to return to its original position. This can cause damage to the O-ring. If the O-ring is damaged, a leak may occur, potentially preventing the gas from being delivered properly.

[0010] The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a medical connector and medical device that can reduce damage to the O-ring even when the male connector is repeatedly inserted into the female connector. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The above objectives of the present invention are achieved by the following means. (1) A medical connector comprising a female connector with a latch and a male connector connected to the female connector, capable of supplying gas, The aforementioned male connector is When the female connector and the male connector are connected, an O-ring is placed on the inner wall of the female connector to prevent air leakage between the female connector and the male connector, A tapered portion is provided on the base end side of the O-ring, which slides the latch radially outward and expands in diameter toward the base end side, A medical connector having a fixing portion provided on the base end side of the tapered portion, which fixes the latch when the female connector and the male connector are connected.

[0012] (2) The fixing portion is a groove formed in a concave shape, as described in (1), for the medical connector.

[0013] (3) The aforementioned male connector is The first guide portion formed on the tip side of the O-ring, It has a second guide portion formed between the O-ring and the tapered portion, The medical connector according to (1) or (2), wherein the axial length of the first guide portion is longer than the axial length of the second guide portion.

[0014] (4) Insert the male connector into the female connector, and before the latch is fixed to the fixing part, A medical connector according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein, when viewed from the insertion direction, the inner circumference of the latch is positioned radially outward of the O-ring.

[0015] (5) The inclination of the tapered portion is 30 to 60 degrees, as described in any one of (1) to (4).

[0016] (6) A medical connector according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein a straight portion is formed between the base end of the tapered portion and the fixing portion.

[0017] (7) A medical connector as described in any one of (1) to (6), A long member connected to the base end of the male connector, A medical device comprising a support tool having an expandable and deformable bag connected to the opposite side of the male connector of the long member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the above-described medical connector, since the O-ring is disposed on the tip side of the tapered portion, the male connector can be inserted into the female connector without applying force to the inner peripheral portion of the female connector. Therefore, damage to the O-ring can be reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is an exploded perspective view showing a medical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a front sectional view showing a female connector of the medical connector according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a front sectional view showing a male connector of the medical connector according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a front sectional view showing a state where the male connector of the medical connector according to the present embodiment is inserted into the female connector. [Figure 5] Following FIG. 4, it is a front sectional view showing a state where the male connector is inserted into the female connector. [Figure 6] Following FIG. 5, it is a front sectional view showing a state where the male connector is inserted into the female connector. [Figure 7] Following FIG. 6, it is a front sectional view showing a state where the male connector is inserted into the female connector. [Figure 8] Following FIG. 7, it is a front sectional view showing a state where the male connector is inserted into the female connector, and is a front sectional view showing a state where the male connector and the female connector are connected. [Figure 9] It is a front sectional view showing a state where the male connector of the medical connector according to the present embodiment is removed from the female connector. [Figure 10] Following FIG. 9, it is a front sectional view showing a state where the male connector is removed from the female connector. [Figure 11] Following FIG. 10, it is a front sectional view showing a state where the male connector is removed from the female connector.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. The dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for illustrative purposes and may differ from actual ratios.

[0021] The configuration of the medical connector 1 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the medical connector 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a front cross-sectional view showing the female connector 10 of the medical connector 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 3 is a front cross-sectional view showing the male connector 50 of the medical connector according to this embodiment.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the medical connector 1 according to this embodiment has a female connector 10 and a male connector 50. When the male connector 50 is connected to the female connector 10 (see Figure 8), the medical connector 1 functions as a connector. Although not shown in the figure, a tube (long member) is connected to the base end of the male connector 50, and a support device having an expandable and deformable bag is connected to the opposite end of the tube from the male connector 50.

[0023] The following describes each component. In the following description, the direction in which the male connector 50 is inserted into the female connector 10 is referred to as the X direction, the vertical direction as the Z direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X and Z directions as the Y direction (see Figure 1).

[0024] <Female connector 10> First, the configuration of the female connector 10 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the female connector 10 has a first main body 11, a biasing member 20, and a latch 30.

[0025] The first main body portion 11 constitutes the external appearance of the female connector 10. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first main body portion 11 includes a first connection portion 12 provided at the very front and connected to a gas supply device (not shown), a first outer peripheral portion 13 provided on the base end side of the first connection portion 12, a second outer peripheral portion 14 provided on the base end side of the first outer peripheral portion 13, a first inner peripheral portion 15 located on the inner circumference of the first connection portion 12 and the first outer peripheral portion 13, a second inner peripheral portion 16 located on the base end side of the first inner peripheral portion 15, a third inner peripheral portion (corresponding to an inner wall) 17 located on the base end side of the second inner peripheral portion 16, and a fourth inner peripheral portion 18 located on the base end side of the third inner peripheral portion 17.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the first connection portion 12 has a tapered shape that narrows towards the tip so that it can be connected to a gas supply device.

[0027] The first outer circumference 13 has a threaded portion 13A provided on the tip side and a straight portion 13B provided at the base end of the helical portion 13A.

[0028] The second outer circumference 14 is configured to have a larger outer diameter than the first outer circumference 13. As shown in Figure 2, a first groove 14H is formed in the second outer circumference 14, extending radially inward. The biasing member 20 is housed in the first groove 14H.

[0029] As shown in Figure 1, a pair of recesses 14A are provided at the base end of the second outer circumference 14 so that the latch 30 can slide in the Z direction.

[0030] The first inner circumference portion 15, the second inner circumference portion 16, the third inner circumference portion 17, and the fourth inner circumference portion 18 constitute the inner circumference portion of the first main body portion 11. The first inner circumference portion 15, the second inner circumference portion 16, and the third inner circumference portion 17 are through which the gas supplied from the gas supply device passes. The inner diameters are configured to increase in the order of the first inner circumference portion 15, the second inner circumference portion 16, the third inner circumference portion 17, and the fourth inner circumference portion 18. By gradually increasing the inner diameter in this way, stress concentration on the inner circumference of the first main body portion 11 can be effectively suppressed.

[0031] The third inner circumference portion 17 functions as a guide for the first guide portion 61 and the O-ring 70 of the male connector 50, which will be described later, as they pass through. Therefore, it is preferable that the inner diameter of the third inner circumference portion 17 be slightly smaller than the outer circumference of the O-ring 70.

[0032] As described above, the fourth inner circumference portion 18 is configured to have a larger inner diameter than the third inner circumference portion 17. Therefore, the fourth inner circumference portion 18 functions as a clearance for the tapered portion 64 when inserting the male connector 50 into the female connector 10.

[0033] The material used to constitute the first main body 11 is not particularly limited, but a resin material can be used.

[0034] The biasing member 20 is a spring. As shown in Figure 2, the biasing member 20 biases the latch 30 upward.

[0035] The latch 30 is positioned to be movable in the Z direction, as shown in Figure 1. Movement of the latch 30 in the X and Y directions is restricted by its placement inside a pair of recesses 14A.

[0036] The latch 30 is biased upward by the biasing member 20. As shown in Figure 2, the pin P inserted through the latch 30 contacts the second groove 14G formed on the second outer circumference 14, thereby restricting excessive movement of the latch 30 in the Z direction.

[0037] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the latch 30 is configured in an L-shape when viewed from the front, and has a first extending portion 31 extending in the X direction and a second extending portion 32 extending in the Z direction. The biasing member 20 described above biases the first extending portion 31 upward in the Z direction. Therefore, in the normal state, as shown in Figure 2, the first extending portion 31 and the second outer peripheral portion 14 of the first main body portion 11 are separated by a predetermined distance.

[0038] The materials used to constitute the biasing member 20 and the latch 30 are not particularly limited, but metal materials can be used.

[0039] The aforementioned pin P is inserted through the second extension portion 32 along the X direction.

[0040] As shown in Figure 1, a hole 32H is formed in the second extension portion 32 along the X direction. The inner diameter of the hole 32H is configured to be larger than the inner diameter of the fourth inner circumference portion 18.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, the hole 32H is configured to slightly cover the lower part of the fourth inner circumference 18 when viewed along the X direction in the normal state. Furthermore, when the latch 30 is pushed down, the entire circumference of the fourth inner circumference 18 is visible through the hole 32H when viewed along the X direction (see Figure 10).

[0042] When the first guide portion 61 of the male connector 50, described later, is inserted through to the third inner circumference portion 17 of the female connector 10, and the latch 30 is not yet fixed to the fourth groove portion (corresponding to the fixing portion) 66 of the male connector 50, the hole portion 32H of the latch 30 is positioned radially outward from the O-ring 70 when viewed from the X direction. With this configuration, when inserting the male connector 50 into the female connector 10, contact between the O-ring 70 and the latch 30 can be suppressed, thus more effectively preventing damage to the O-ring 70 (see Figure 4).

[0043] <Male connector 50> Next, the configuration of the male connector 50 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 3. The male connector 50 has a second main body 60, an O-ring 70, and a second connecting part 80 that is connected to a long member (not shown).

[0044] The second main body portion 60 includes a first guide portion 61, a third groove portion 62 provided on the base end side of the first guide portion 61, a second guide portion 63 provided on the base end side of the third groove portion 62, a tapered portion 64 provided on the base end side of the second guide portion 63, a straight portion 65 provided on the base end side of the tapered portion 64, a fourth groove portion 66 provided on the base end side of the straight portion 65, a gripping portion 67 provided on the base end side of the fourth groove portion 66, a fifth inner circumference portion 68, and a sixth inner circumference portion 69 provided on the base end side of the fifth inner circumference portion 68.

[0045] The first guide portion 61, the third groove portion 62, the second guide portion 63, the tapered portion 64, the straight portion 65, the fourth groove portion 66, and the gripping portion 67 constitute the outer periphery of the second main body portion 60.

[0046] The first guide portion 61 and the second guide portion 63 guide the male connector 50 through the third inner circumference 17 of the female connector 10 when the male connector 50 is inserted into the female connector 10. In this embodiment, the length of the first guide portion 61 in the X direction is longer than the length of the second guide portion 63 in the X direction. With this configuration, the length of the first guide portion 61 provided at the tip is relatively longer, so that the male connector 50 can be suitably inserted into the female connector 10.

[0047] The first guide section 61 and the second guide section 63 have substantially the same outer diameter.

[0048] The third groove 62 is positioned between the first guide portion 61 and the second guide portion 63. The third groove 62 has a smaller outer diameter than the first guide portion 61 and the second guide portion 63. An O-ring 70 is positioned in the third groove 62.

[0049] The tapered portion 64 is provided to allow the latch 30 to slide radially outward. The tapered portion 64 is configured to widen towards the base end in the insertion direction. Therefore, when inserting the male connector 50 into the female connector 10, the tapered portion 64 contacts the hole 32H of the latch 30, causing the tapered portion 64 to move the latch 30 radially outward (downward in Figures 5 and 6) (see Figures 5 and 6).

[0050] The angle of the tapered portion 64 (the angle rising from the X direction) is not particularly limited, but is preferably 30 to 60 degrees.

[0051] The straight section 65 is provided continuously with respect to the base end of the tapered section 64. That is, the outer diameter of the straight section 65 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the base end of the tapered section 64. With this configuration, even if the tapered section 64 wears down, the tapered shape can be maintained by forming the straight section 65.

[0052] The fourth groove 66 functions as a fixing part to which the latch 30 is secured when the male connector 50 and the female connector 10 are connected. The outer diameter of the fourth groove 66 is smaller than the outer diameter of the straight section 65 and the gripping section 67.

[0053] The gripping portion 67 is the part that the user grips when inserting the male connector 50 into the female connector 10 or when removing the male connector 50 from the female connector 10. For this reason, it is preferable that the gripping portion 67 has a configuration that is slightly recessed toward the inside.

[0054] The fifth inner circumference portion 68 and the sixth inner circumference portion 69 constitute the inner circumference portion of the second main body portion 60. The gas supplied from the gas supply device passes through the fifth inner circumference portion 68 and the sixth inner circumference portion 69. The inner diameter decreases in the order of the fifth inner circumference portion 68 and the sixth inner circumference portion 69.

[0055] The material constituting the second main body 60 is not particularly limited, but a resin material can be used.

[0056] The O-ring 70 is configured to be elastically deformable. As shown in Figure 3, the O-ring 70 is positioned on the outer circumference of the third groove 62. When the male connector 50 and the female connector 10 are connected, the O-ring 70 abuts against and rests on the third inner circumference 17 of the female connector 10. This prevents gas leakage between the male connector 50 and the female connector 10. The material constituting the O-ring 70 is not particularly limited as long as it is elastically deformable, but for example, rubber material can be used.

[0057] The second connection portion 80 connects the second main body portion 60 of the male connector 50 and the gas supply device. An inner lumen 81 is formed in the inner circumference of the second connection portion 80 and is configured to be continuous with the sixth inner circumference portion 69 of the male connector 50.

[0058] Next, with reference to Figures 4 to 8, a method for connecting the male connector 50 to the female connector 10 in the medical connector 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Figures 4 to 8 are front cross-sectional views sequentially showing the insertion of the male connector 50 into the female connector 10.

[0059] First, as shown in Figure 4, the user grasps the gripping portion 67 of the male connector 50 and inserts the male connector 50 into the female connector 10 so that the first guide portion 61 of the male connector 50 is positioned on the third inner circumference 17 of the female connector 10.

[0060] As the male connector 50 is inserted further into the female connector 10, the tapered portion 64 of the male connector 50 comes into contact with the lower hole 32H of the latch 30, as shown in Figure 5. As the male connector 50 is further inserted into the female connector 10, the tapered portion 64 moves the latch 30 radially downward, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

[0061] As the male connector 50 is inserted into the female connector 10, the straight section 65 passes the latch 30, and as shown in Figure 8, the lower part of the latch 30 is fixed to the fourth groove 66, thereby connecting the male connector 50 and the female connector 10.

[0062] Next, with reference to Figures 9 to 11, a method for removing the male connector 50 from the female connector 10 in the medical connector 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Figures 9 to 11 are front cross-sectional views sequentially showing the process of removing the male connector 50 from the female connector 10.

[0063] First, the user pushes down on the latch 30 with their left hand, for example, as shown in Figure 9 (see arrow in Figure 9). This releases the latch 30 from its fixed position in the fourth groove 66 below.

[0064] Then, the user pushes the latch 30 downward with their left hand, grasps the gripping portion 67 of the male connector 50 with their right hand, and moves it in the opposite direction to the insertion direction, as shown in Figure 10, to remove the male connector 50 from the female connector 10. When the user releases the pressure on the latch 30 with their left hand, the latch 30 of the female connector 10 returns to its normal state, as shown in Figure 11. In this way, since it is necessary to pull the male connector 50 out of the female connector 10 while pushing the latch downward, it is possible to prevent the male connector 50 from being unintentionally removed from the female connector 10.

[0065] As described above, the medical connector 1 according to this embodiment is a medical connector capable of supplying gas, comprising a female connector 10 equipped with a latch 30 and a male connector 50 connected to the female connector 10. The male connector 50 has an O-ring 70 that is placed on the third inner circumference (inner wall) 17 of the female connector 10 when the female connector 10 and the male connector 50 are connected, preventing air leakage between the female connector 10 and the male connector 50; a tapered portion 64 provided on the base end side of the O-ring 70, which slides the latch 30 radially outward and expands in diameter toward the base end side; and a fourth groove (fixing portion) 66 provided on the base end side of the tapered portion 64, which fixes the latch 30 when the female connector 10 and the male connector 50 are connected. With the medical connector 1 configured in this way, since the O-ring 70 is positioned on the tip side of the tapered portion 64, the O-ring 70 can move without force being applied to the third inner circumference 17 of the female connector 10, thus reducing damage to the O-ring 70.

[0066] Furthermore, the fixing portion is a concave fourth groove 66. With the medical connector 1 configured in this way, the latch 30 can be fixed simply by inserting the male connector 50 into the female connector 10, making the work easy.

[0067] Furthermore, the male connector 50 has a first guide portion 61 formed on the tip side of the O-ring 70 and a second guide portion 63 formed between the O-ring 70 and the tapered portion 64, and the axial length of the first guide portion 61 is longer than the axial length of the second guide portion 63. With the medical connector 1 configured in this way, the length of the first guide portion 61 provided at the tip is relatively long, so that the male connector 50 can be suitably inserted into the female connector 10.

[0068] Furthermore, when the male connector 50 is inserted into the female connector 10 and the latch 30 is not yet fixed in the fourth groove 66, the hole 32H of the latch 30 is positioned radially outward of the O-ring 70 when viewed from the insertion direction. With the medical connector 1 configured in this way, it is possible to suppress contact between the O-ring 70 and the latch 30 when inserting the male connector 50 into the female connector 10, thereby more effectively suppressing damage to the O-ring 70.

[0069] Furthermore, a straight section 65 is formed between the base end of the tapered section 64 and the fourth groove section 66. With the medical connector 1 configured in this way, even if the tapered section 64 wears down, the tapered shape can be maintained by forming the straight section 65.

[0070] Furthermore, as described above, the medical device according to this embodiment comprises the medical connector 1 described above, a tube (long member) connected to the base end of the male connector 50, and a support tool having an expandable and deformable bag connected to the opposite side of the male connector 50 of the tube. With a medical device configured in this way, damage to the O-ring 70 can be reduced.

[0071] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims.

[0072] For example, in the embodiment described above, the first guide portion 61 had a longer axial length than the second guide portion 63. However, the first guide portion may have a shorter axial length than the second guide portion.

[0073] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the latch 30 was fixed by the fourth groove 66 when the male connector 50 was connected to the female connector 10. However, other means may be used to fix the latch 30.

[0074] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, a straight section 65 was formed between the base end of the tapered section 64 and the fourth groove section 66. However, the straight section 65 does not necessarily have to be formed. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0075] 1. Medical connector, 10 female connectors, 17. Third inner circumference (inner wall), 20 biasing member, 30 latches, 32H hole, 50 male connectors, 61 1st information section, 63 2nd information section, 64 Tapered section, 65 Straight section, 66 4th groove part (fixed part), 70 O-rings.

Claims

1. A medical connector comprising a female connector with a latch and a male connector connected to the female connector, capable of supplying gas, The aforementioned male connector is When the female connector and the male connector are connected, an O-ring is placed on the inner wall of the female connector to prevent air leakage between the female connector and the male connector, A tapered portion is provided on the base end side of the O-ring, which slides the latch radially outward and expands in diameter toward the base end side, A medical connector having a fixing portion provided on the base end side of the tapered portion, which fixes the latch when the female connector and the male connector are connected.

2. The medical connector according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion is a groove formed in a concave shape.

3. The aforementioned male connector is The first guide portion formed on the tip side of the O-ring, It has a second guide portion formed between the O-ring and the tapered portion, The medical connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the axial length of the first guide portion is longer than the axial length of the second guide portion.

4. Insert the male connector into the female connector, and before the latch is fixed to the fixing part, The medical connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, when viewed from the insertion direction, the hole of the latch is positioned radially outward of the O-ring.

5. The medical connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inclination of the tapered portion is 30 to 60 degrees.

6. A medical connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a straight portion is formed between the base end of the tapered portion and the fixing portion.

7. A medical connector according to claim 1 or 2, A long member connected to the base end of the male connector, A medical device comprising a support tool having an expandable and deformable bag connected to the opposite side of the male connector of the long member.

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