adapter

Abstract

To provide an adapter that is easy to downsize, and allows completion of an outflow of a liquid material in a container to be visually checked.SOLUTION: An adapter 1 comprises a first connection part 10 and a second connection part 20 made to communicate with each other via a lumen 41. The first connection part comprises a screw cylinder 11 in which a female screw 12 capable of being screwed to a port 810 of a container 800 is formed. The second connection part comprises a circular top plate 25, a male member 21 provided on the top plate, and an engagement claw 28 protruding outward in a radial direction from an outer peripheral edge of the top plate. A peripheral wall 30 of the adapter connecting the screw cylinder and the top plate is provided with a translucent part for allowing the presence or absence of a liquid material in the lumen of the adapter to be viewed from the outside, and a communication hole 45 for making the lumen of the adapter and the outside communicate with each other. A hydrophobic film 46 for allowing the passage of gas and preventing the passage of liquid is provided on a path for connecting the outside and the lumen via the communication hole.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2B

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an adapter for connecting a female connector provided at the base end of a tube to a port of a container in which a liquid is stored. [Background technology]

[0002] Enteral nutrition is known as a method of administering liquids containing nutrients, liquid food (commonly called "enteral nutrition"), or medicines to patients who are no longer able to take food orally. In enteral nutrition, a flexible catheter (enteral nutrition catheter) is inserted from outside the body into the digestive tract (e.g., stomach) and left in the patient. Known enteral nutrition catheters include fistula catheters that are inserted into the stomach through a hole (fistula) formed in the patient's abdomen, and nasal catheters that are inserted through the patient's nose.

[0003] The liquid to be administered to the patient is stored in a container, and the enteral feeding catheter is connected to a port on the container via a flexible tube (commonly called a feeding set or extension tube).

[0004] Containers in which liquid materials are stored can be roughly divided into flexible containers and non-flexible containers from the viewpoint of ease of deformation. An example of a flexible container is a pouch in which flexible resin sheets are pasted together to form a bag (see, for example, FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1). Examples of non-flexible containers include bottles made of resin or metal (see, for example, FIG. 16 of Patent Document 1 and Patent Documents 2 to 4) and paper packs (see, for example, Patent Documents 5 to 8).

[0005] When the container is flexible, if the container is hung with the port facing down, the liquid in the container will flow out continuously from the port, and the container will gradually deform in parallel. On the other hand, when the container is non-flexible, negative pressure is generated in the container when the liquid in the container flows out of the port, so it is difficult to make the liquid flow out continuously from the port by utilizing gravity. For this reason, an adapter provided with a hydrophobic membrane that allows gas to pass but not liquid to pass is attached to the port of the non-flexible container (see, for example, Figs. 17 to 21 of Patent Document 1 and Patent Documents 2 and 4). A female connector provided at the base end (upstream end) of the tube is connected to this adapter. In parallel with the liquid flowing out of the non-flexible container into the tube, the air from the outside world flows into the non-flexible container through the hydrophobic membrane. In this way, by using an adapter provided with a hydrophobic membrane, even when the container is non-flexible, the liquid in the container can be continuously flowed out of the port in the same way as when the container is flexible. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-088866 A [Patent Document 2] WO2010 / 140630 [Patent Document 3] JP 2005-145519 A [Patent Document 4] Special Publication No. 2016-506262 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 05-077052 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 06-312738 [Patent Document 7] JP 2010-143626 A [Patent Document 8] JP 2020-015511 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In conventional adapters, both the connection part (male connector) to which the female connector provided at the base end of the tube is connected and the hydrophobic membrane are provided on the top surface of the adapter. Therefore, the top surface needs to have a relatively large area, making it difficult to reduce the diameter of the adapter.

[0008] When a container is made of an opaque material, the amount of liquid remaining in the container cannot be visually confirmed through the container. Therefore, it is difficult to visually confirm that enteral nutrition has ended, i.e., that all of the liquid in the container has flowed out. In particular, since a non-flexible container does not substantially deform even if liquid flows out, unlike a flexible container, the amount of liquid remaining in the container cannot be estimated based on the degree of deformation of the container.

[0009] The first object of the present invention is to provide an adapter with a hydrophobic membrane that can be easily made small in diameter. The second object of the present invention is to provide an adapter that allows visual confirmation of the completion of outflow of a liquid substance in a container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The adapter of the present invention is used to connect a female connector to a port of a container. The adapter includes a first connection part at one end of the adapter and a second connection part at the other end of the adapter. The first connection part and the second connection part are in communication with each other through an inner cavity of the adapter. The first connection part has a screw-type tube having a female thread that can be screwed into the port. The second connection part has a circular top plate, a cylindrical male member that is provided on the top plate and can be liquid-tightly connected to a female member of the female connector, and an engagement claw that protrudes radially outward from the outer periphery of the top plate and can be engaged with the female connector. A translucent part that allows the presence or absence of a liquid in the inner cavity of the adapter to be visually confirmed from the outside world, and a communication hole that communicates the inner cavity of the adapter with the outside world are provided on the peripheral wall of the adapter that connects the screw-type tube and the top plate. A hydrophobic membrane that allows gas to pass but not liquid to pass through is provided on a path that connects the outside world to the inner cavity of the adapter through the communication hole. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, a communication hole that communicates the inner cavity of the adapter with the outside world is provided in the peripheral wall of the adapter that connects the screw-on tube and the top plate. The hydrophobic membrane is provided on the path that connects the outside world with the inner cavity of the adapter via the communication hole. Therefore, the adapter of the present invention can be easily made small in diameter, even though it has a hydrophobic membrane.

[0012] The peripheral wall of the adapter connecting the screw tube and the top plate is provided with a light-transmitting section that allows the presence or absence of liquid in the inner cavity of the adapter to be visually confirmed from the outside. Therefore, when the female connector is connected to the port of the container via the adapter, it is possible to visually confirm through the light-transmitting section of the peripheral wall that the outflow of the liquid in the container has been completed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing how to use an adapter according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the adapter according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the first connection portion side. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the adapter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2C] FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional perspective view of the adapter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2D] FIG. 2D is a perspective view of the adapter according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the second connection portion side. [Figure 2E] FIG. 2E is a plan view of the adapter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2F] FIG. 2F is a bottom view of the adapter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a plug having a female connector to be connected to a second connection portion of the adapter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3B]FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional perspective view of a plug having a female connector to be connected to the second connection portion of the adapter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing a state in which a female connector of a plug is connected to a port of a container via an adapter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the main part of FIG. 4A. [Figure 5A] FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the adapter according to the second embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the first connection portion side. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the adapter according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5C] FIG. 5C is a perspective view of the adapter according to the second embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the second connection portion side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] In one aspect of the adapter of the present invention, the hydrophobic membrane may be provided at a position retreated toward the inner cavity side from the communication hole. According to this aspect, firstly, the possibility of problems such as contamination or damage of the hydrophobic membrane due to contact with the hydrophobic membrane by an operator's fingers or surrounding objects is reduced, and secondly, the dimensions (or areas) of the communication hole and the hydrophobic membrane can be set independently of each other, improving the degree of freedom in designing the adapter.

[0015] In one aspect of the adapter of the present invention, the opening area of ​​the communication hole may be smaller than the effective area of ​​the hydrophobic membrane. A relatively small opening area of ​​the communication hole is advantageous in reducing the possibility of problems such as contamination or damage to the hydrophobic membrane caused by the operator's fingers or surrounding objects touching the hydrophobic membrane.

[0016] In one aspect of the adapter of the present invention, the lumen may be a first lumen. A second lumen communicating with the communication hole and partitioned from the first lumen by a partition may be provided in the peripheral wall. The second lumen may communicate with the first lumen via an opening facing the first connection part. The hydrophobic membrane may be provided so as to close the opening of the second lumen. According to this aspect, firstly, even if the hydrophobic membrane is provided at a position that is difficult to access from the outside, the adapter can be easily manufactured, and secondly, even if the hydrophobic membrane has a relatively large dimension (or area), the axial dimension of the adapter can be reduced.

[0017] In one aspect of the adapter of the present invention, the main surface of the hydrophobic film may be perpendicular to the axis of the screw-on tube. According to this aspect, firstly, even if the hydrophobic film is provided at a position that is difficult to access from the outside, the adapter can be manufactured easily, and secondly, even if the hydrophobic film has a relatively large size (or area), the axial dimension of the adapter can be made small.

[0018] In one aspect of the adapter of the present invention, the second connection part may be eccentric with respect to the first connection part, which makes it easy to provide a relatively large-area hydrophobic membrane in the adapter with its main surface perpendicular to the axis of the adapter.

[0019] In one aspect of the adapter of the present invention, the peripheral wall may include a first peripheral wall on the first connection part side and a second peripheral wall on the second connection part side. The second peripheral wall may extend from the outer periphery of the top plate. The communication hole may be provided in the first peripheral wall. According to this aspect, since the communication hole is provided in the first peripheral wall closer to the first connection part, the travel distance of air (air bubbles) from the communication hole through the inner cavity of the adapter to the container is short. This facilitates the flow of liquid in a direction generally opposite to that of air.

[0020] In one aspect of the adapter of the present invention, the hydrophobic film may be provided on the first circumferential wall so as to close the communication hole. This aspect is advantageous for simplifying the configuration of the adapter.

[0021] In one aspect of the adapter of the present invention, the second connection part may be arranged coaxially with the first connection part. According to this aspect, when the female connector is connected to the port of the container via the adapter, the port, the adapter, and the female connector are all arranged coaxially. When rotational forces in opposite directions are applied between the container and the female connector, the female thread of the first connection part can be screwed into the male thread of the port, and the engagement of the engagement claw of the second connection part with the female connector can be simultaneously and more reliably performed.

[0022] In one aspect of the adapter of the present invention, the entire adapter may be light-transmitting, which is advantageous in facilitating the manufacture of the adapter.

[0023] The present invention will be described in detail below while showing preferred embodiments. However, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Each drawing referred to in the following description shows a simplified view of the main components constituting the embodiment of the present invention for the convenience of explanation. Therefore, the present invention may include any components not shown in the following drawings. Furthermore, within the scope of the present invention, each component shown in the following drawings may be modified or omitted. In the drawings cited in the description of each embodiment, components corresponding to components shown in the drawings cited in the preceding embodiment are given the same reference numerals as those given in the drawings of the preceding embodiment. For such components, duplicated explanations are omitted, and the explanations of the preceding embodiment should be taken into consideration as appropriate.

[0024] In the present invention, the "axis" of a member (e.g., an adapter, a first connection part, a second connection part, a port, a plug, a female connector, etc.) refers to the central axis of the member. The "axis" passes through the center of a circle contained in the member and / or coincides with the central axis of a cylinder or a cone (taper) contained in the member. The direction along a straight line perpendicular to the axis is called the "radial direction". In the radial direction, the side closer to the axis is called the "inner" side, and the side farther from the axis is called the "outer" side. The direction of rotation around the axis is called the "circumferential direction". In the drawings cited in the following description, the axes are omitted from the illustration in order to simplify the drawings.

[0025] (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a method of using the adapter 1 according to the first embodiment. The adapter 1 can be used when performing enteral nutrition. A liquid substance (e.g., an enteral nutritional agent) to be administered to a patient is stored in a container 800. The container 800 is a paper pack (see, for example, Patent Documents 5 to 8). The container 800 has a hollow cylindrical port 810. A male screw 812 (see FIG. 4B described later) is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the port 810. The nutrition set (or extension tube) 900 has a flexible hollow tube 950, and a plug 901 is provided at its base end (upstream end). Although not shown, the tip (downstream end) of the tube 950 can be connected to an enteral nutrition catheter (e.g., a fistula catheter or a nasal catheter) inserted into a patient. The plug 901 can be connected to the port 810 via the adapter 1. The liquid substance in the container 800 flows from the port 810 through the adapter 1 and the nutrition set 900 in order. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the "top" and "bottom" of each member refer to the "top" and "bottom" of the paper surface of FIG.

[0026] Fig. 2A is a perspective view of the adapter 1 as viewed from the upper side (first connection part 10 side). Figs. 2B and 2C are cross-sectional perspective views of the adapter 1. Fig. 2D is a perspective view of the adapter 1 as viewed from the lower side (second connection part 20 side). Fig. 2E is a plan view of the adapter 1, and Fig. 2F is a bottom view of the adapter 1. The adapter 1 has the first connection part 10 at one end (upper side) and the second connection part 20 at the other end (lower side).

[0027] 2A and 2B, the first connection part 10 includes a hollow cylindrical threaded tube 11. An internal thread 12 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the threaded tube 11. The upper end of the threaded tube 11 is open upward.

[0028] As best shown in FIG. 2D, the second connection part 20 includes a top plate 25. Although not limited to this, in this embodiment 1, the top plate 25 is a circular flat plate perpendicular to the axis of the screw tube 11 (the axis of the screw tube 11 coincides with the axis of the adapter 1). A peripheral wall 30 extends from the circular outer periphery of the top plate 25 toward the first connection part 10 (the screw tube 11). The peripheral wall 30 has a hollow cylindrical shape. The outer periphery of the peripheral wall 30 is a cylindrical surface coaxial with the top plate 25. The peripheral wall 30 has a smaller diameter than the screw tube 11. The peripheral wall 30 is connected to the screw tube 11 via a connecting plate 48. Although not limited to this, the connecting plate 48 is a flat plate parallel to the top plate 25.

[0029] A pair of engagement claws 28 protrude radially outward from the outer periphery of the top plate 25. The engagement claws 28 extend along the circumferential direction (the direction of rotation around the center of the top plate 25). The engagement claws 28 are spaced apart from the connecting plate 48 in the axial direction (or the up-down direction). The upper surface 28a of the engagement claws 28 (the surface facing the first connecting part 10) is configured by combining three inclined surfaces with different inclinations (see FIG. 2A). The lower surface of the engagement claws 28 (the surface facing the opposite side to the first connecting part 10) forms a plane common to the top plate 25, although it is not limited thereto. The pair of engagement claws 28 are two-fold rotationally symmetric with respect to an axis passing through the center of the top plate 25 (this axis is parallel to the axis of the adapter 1).

[0030] The male member 21 protrudes downward (the opposite side to the first connection part 10) from the top plate 25. The male member 21 has a hollow cylindrical shape with a smaller diameter than the top plate 25, and is arranged coaxially with the top plate 25 and the peripheral wall 30, although not limited thereto. The male member 21 forms a flow path through which the liquid in the container 800 flows to the nutrition set 900 (see FIG. 4B described later).

[0031] An annular protrusion 23a and a rib 23b are provided on the flow path in the male member 21. The annular protrusion 23a protrudes radially inward from the cylindrical inner peripheral surface of the male member 21 and is continuous in the circumferential direction. The rib 23b is provided in the circular opening of the annular protrusion 23a, has a substantially cross shape, and divides the circular opening surrounded by the annular protrusion 23a into four. The cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path in the male member 21 is locally small at the position where the annular protrusion 23a and the rib 23b are provided. The annular protrusion 23a and the rib 23b function as a "puncture prevention structure" that prevents a puncture needle with a sharp tip from being erroneously inserted into the male member 21.

[0032] In the present invention, the puncture prevention structure provided in the male member 21 is not limited to the annular protrusion 23a and the rib 23b. In general, a structure that locally reduces the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path of the male member 21 can function as the puncture prevention structure. For example, the puncture prevention structure may be composed of only the annular protrusion 23a, or the annular protrusion 23a may be omitted and composed of only the approximately cross-shaped rib 23b directly provided on the inner peripheral surface of the male member 21. The puncture prevention structure may be composed of at least one protrusion protruding radially inward from the annular protrusion 23a or the inner peripheral surface of the male member 21 instead of the approximately cross-shaped rib 23b. The opening shape of the flow path of the male member 21 at the location where the puncture prevention structure is provided is not limited, and may be a slot shape (or an elongated hole shape), a small hole shape, etc. In the present embodiment 1, the puncture prevention structures 23a and 23b are arranged to be flush with the top plate 25 (see FIG. 2B), but the puncture prevention structures may be misaligned in the axial direction with respect to the top plate 25. The puncture prevention structure does not have to be provided inside the male member 21.

[0033] The male member 21 has an outer peripheral surface 22 which is a substantially cylindrical surface as a whole. More specifically, the outer peripheral surface 22 has a large diameter portion 22a having a maximum outer diameter at a substantially middle position in the axial direction of the male member 21. The outer peripheral surface 22 has a tapered surface on each of the tip side and base end side (top plate 25 side) of the male member 21 with respect to the large diameter portion 22a, the outer diameter of which decreases with increasing distance from the large diameter portion 22a. However, the shape of the outer peripheral surface 22 is not limited thereto, and may be, for example, a male tapered surface in which the outer diameter decreases toward the tip of the male member 21.

[0034] As can be seen from Figures 2B, 2D, and 2F, the top plate 25, the male member 21, and the peripheral wall 30 are eccentric with respect to the screwing tube 11 (first connection portion 10). A communication hole 45 penetrating the peripheral wall 30 in the radial direction is formed at a position on the peripheral wall 30 opposite to the side (left side in Figure 2B) where the peripheral wall 30 is eccentric with respect to the screwing tube 11 (right side in Figure 2B). The communication hole 45 is a slot-shaped elongated hole extending parallel to the vertical direction (axial direction of the peripheral wall 30). However, the shape of the communication hole 45 is not limited thereto, and may be a circle, an ellipse, a slot extending in the circumferential direction, or the like.

[0035] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the adapter 1 cut along a plane including the axis of the adapter 1 and passing through the communication hole 45. FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional perspective view of the adapter 1 cut along a plane perpendicular to the axis of the adapter 1 and passing through the communication hole 45. As shown in these figures, a partition wall 43 extending upward from the top plate 25 is provided in the peripheral wall 30. The partition wall 43 has a substantially arcuate shape in plan view, and together with the peripheral wall 30, forms an inner cavity (the inner cavity of the partition wall 43, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the second inner cavity) 42 that communicates with the communication hole 45. The partition wall 43 divides the space in the peripheral wall 30 into a second inner cavity 42 and an inner cavity (the inner cavity of the adapter 1, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the first inner cavity) 41 that communicates with the male member 21. The second inner cavity 42 communicates with the first inner cavity 41 through an opening facing upward (toward the first connecting part 10). A hydrophobic membrane (sometimes called a gas-permeable membrane) 46 is provided at the opening end that defines the opening of the second lumen 42 so as to close the opening. The main surface (the surface with the largest area) of the hydrophobic membrane 46 is perpendicular to the axis of the adapter 1 (or the screw-on tube 11). The hydrophobic membrane 46 has the property of passing gas but not liquid. Therefore, with regard to gas, the outside of the adapter 1, the communication hole 45, the lumen 42 of the partition wall 43, the hydrophobic membrane 46, and the lumen 41 of the adapter 1 communicate with each other in this order (see FIG. 2B).

[0036] 2B, the sealing tube 15 extends upward from the connecting plate 48. The sealing tube 15 has a cylindrical shape with a smaller diameter than the threaded tube 11, and is disposed coaxially with the threaded tube 11 so as to be surrounded by the threaded tube 11. The outer circumferential surface of the sealing tube 15 is formed with a male taper surface 16 whose outer diameter becomes smaller toward the tip (upper end) of the sealing tube 15.

[0037] The material of the adapter 1 (excluding the hydrophobic film 46) is not limited, but is preferably a hard material, and for example, resin materials such as polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyacetal, polyamide, rigid polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, and styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer can be used. Considering its use for medical purposes and durability, polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene are preferable, and polypropylene is particularly preferable. The adapter 1 is preferably translucent, and particularly preferably transparent. In the present invention, the term "transparent" for the adapter 1 means that the adapter 1 has a high light transmittance and the inside of the lumen 41 can be seen through the adapter 1 from the outside. In addition, the term "translucent" for the adapter 1 means that although light can pass through the adapter 1, the transmitted light is diffused or the light transmittance is low, so that the inside of the lumen 41 cannot be clearly recognized through the adapter 1 from the outside, unlike "transparent". The adapter 1 is preferably manufactured as a single piece by injection molding of a resin material.

[0038] The hydrophobic membrane 46 is not limited, and may be, for example, a membrane filter such as a glass fiber membrane, PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), or PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride). The method of fixing the hydrophobic membrane 46 to the adapter 1 is not limited, and may be, for example, a method of welding the hydrophobic membrane 46 to the open end of the lumen 42 by ultrasonic welding or heat welding, or a method of fixing with an adhesive.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 1, the first connection portion 10 of the adapter 1 is connected to a port 810 of a container 800 , and the second connection portion 20 is connected to a plug 901 .

[0040] Fig. 3A is a perspective view of plug 901, and Fig. 3B is a cross-sectional perspective view of plug 901. Plug 901 has a female connector 920 at one end, and a base tube 930 at the other end.

[0041] The female connector 920 includes a female member 921. The female member 921 has a recess having a circular planar shape concentric with the axis (not shown) of the plug 901. An inner peripheral surface 922 of the female member 921 includes a tapered surface (female tapered surface) whose inner diameter increases slightly toward a tip 921a of the female member 921. A flat surface 925 surrounds the female member 921. The flat surface 925 extends along a plane perpendicular to the axis of the plug 901. A circumferentially continuous annular groove 924 is provided on the flat surface 925. The annular groove 924 surrounds the female member 921. As a result, the female member 921 has a hollow cylindrical shape having an inner peripheral surface 922. The tip 921a of the female member 921 is along the plane along which the flat surface 925 is aligned. The annular groove 924 may be omitted. In this case, a flat surface 925 extends radially outward from the open end (tip 921a) of the female member 921.

[0042] The female connector 920 further includes a pair of engagement walls 927. The engagement walls 927 are disposed radially outward from the flat surface 925 and extend toward the tip side (the side opposite to the base tube 930) of the female connector 920 from the flat surface 925. The engagement walls 927 are along a cylindrical surface coaxial with the axis of the plug 901. An engagement protrusion 928 protrudes radially inward from the tip of the engagement wall 927. The engagement protrusion 928 extends approximately along the circumferential direction. When viewed from the axis of the plug 901, the left end of the engagement protrusion 928 is open. The right end of the engagement protrusion 928 descends to approach the flat surface 925 and forms a stop end 929. A surface (lower surface) 928a of the engagement protrusion 928 on the flat surface 925 side includes three inclined surfaces with different inclinations. The pair of engagement walls 927 including the engagement protrusion 928 are two-fold rotationally symmetric with respect to the axis of the plug 901.

[0043] The base tube 930 has a hollow cylindrical shape coaxial with the female member 921. The base tube 930 is inserted into the base end of the tube 950. The tube 950 may be fixed to the plug 901 using an adhesive or the like. Note that the method of connecting the plug 901 to the tube 950 is not limited to this embodiment. The plug 901 may be connected to the tube 950 via a member different from the plug 901.

[0044] A flow passage 902 penetrates the plug 901 along the axis of the plug 901. The female member 921 and the base tube 930 communicate with each other via the flow passage 902. The flow passage 902 communicates with a tube 950.

[0045] The material of the plug 901 is not limited, but is preferably a hard material, and examples of the material that can be used include resin materials such as polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyacetal, polyamide, hard polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, and styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer. Considering its use in medical applications and durability, polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene are preferred. The plug 901 is preferably manufactured as a single component by injection molding a resin material.

[0046] Enteral nutrition using the adaptor 1 will be described.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 1, the adapter 1 can be disposed between a port 810 of a container 800 and a plug 901 to connect them. Fig. 4A is a perspective view showing a state in which the plug 901 is connected to the port 810 via the adapter 1. Fig. 4B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the main part of Fig. 4A. The first connecting portion 10 of the adapter 1 is connected to the port 810, and the second connecting portion 20 of the adapter 1 is connected to the female connector 920 of the plug 901.

[0048] An example of a procedure for enteral nutrition will now be described.

[0049] A container 800 (see FIG. 1) containing a liquid is prepared. Generally, a port 810 of the container 800 before use is sealed with a cap (not shown) having a female thread that screws into a male thread 812. The container 800 is placed on a table or the like with the port 810 facing upward. The cap is removed and the port 810 is opened. Then, the adapter 1 is rotated relative to the port 810, and the female thread 12 (see FIG. 2A) of the first connecting part 10 of the adapter 1 is screwed into the male thread 812 of the port 810. The first connecting part 10 is connected to the port 810.

[0050] A nutrition set 900 (see FIG. 1) is prepared. A clamp (not shown) provided on a tube 950 of the nutrition set 900 is closed. A female connector 920 (see FIG. 3A) of a plug 901 is connected to a second connection part 20 (see FIG. 2D) of an adapter 1 connected to a port 810 of a container 800. More specifically, the female connector 920 is made to coaxially face the second connection part 20. A direction connecting a pair of engagement protrusions 928 (see FIG. 3A) of the female connector 920 is made substantially perpendicular to a direction connecting a pair of engagement claws 28 (see FIG. 2D) of the second connection part 20. In this state, the plug 901 is brought close to the adapter 1. A top plate 25 of the adapter 1 is inserted between a pair of engagement walls 927 of the female connector 920. The plug 901 is rotated with respect to the adapter 1. The plug 901 is rotated with respect to the adapter 1 until one end of the engagement claw 28 (see FIG. 2D) of the second connecting portion 20 abuts against the stop end 929 (see FIGS. 3A and 3B) of the female connector 920. In this manner, the female connector 920 is connected to the second connecting portion 20.

[0051] As shown in Fig. 4A, the container 800 is hung on an irrigator stand (not shown) with the port 810 (not visible in Fig. 4A) facing down. The adapter 1 is connected to the port 810 of the container 800, and the plug 920 of the nutrition set 900 is connected to the adapter 1. The tube 950 of the nutrition set 900 hangs down in a substantially vertical direction.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 4B, the female thread 12 of the first connection part 10 of the adapter 1 is screwed into the male thread 812 of the port 810. The sealing tube 15 of the adapter 1 is inserted into the port 810. The male tapered surface 16 (see Fig. 2B) of the sealing tube 15 fits into the inner circumferential surface of the port 810, forming a liquid-tight seal therebetween.

[0053] The male member 21 of the adapter 1 is inserted into the female member 921 of the female connector 920 of the plug 901. The large diameter portion 22a (see FIG. 2D) of the male member 21 fits into the inner peripheral surface (female tapered surface) 922 (see FIG. 3A) of the female member 921, forming a liquid-tight seal between them. The flat surface 925 of the female connector 920 and the tip 921a (see FIG. 3A) of the female member 921 are axially opposed to and approach or abut the top plate 25 (see FIG. 2D) of the adapter 1. Although not shown in FIG. 4B, the engagement claw 28 (see FIGS. 2A and 2D) of the adapter 1 is axially engaged with the engagement protrusion 928 (see FIG. 3A) of the female connector 920. Three inclined surfaces (see FIG. 2A) provided on the surface 28a of the engagement claw 28 fit into three inclined surfaces (see FIG. 3A) provided on the surface 928a of the engagement protrusion 928. This is advantageous in maintaining the engagement state (locked state) between the engagement claw 28 and the engagement projection 928.

[0054] Thus, the lumen of the container 800, the port 810, the lumen 41 of the adapter 1, the flow path 902 of the plug 901, and the tube 950 are sequentially connected to each other. The tip (downstream end) of the nutrition set 900 (or the tube 950) is connected to the enteral nutrition catheter (not shown) inserted into the patient. The clamp (not shown) provided on the tube 950 is opened. The liquid (not shown in FIG. 4B) in the container 800 flows by gravity through the adapter 1, the plug 901, the tube 950, and the enteral nutrition catheter in that order, and is administered to the patient. As the liquid flows out of the container 800, the outside air flows into the container 800 through the communication hole 45, the second lumen 42, the hydrophobic membrane 46, the first lumen 41, and the port 810 in that order. Therefore, even if the container 800 is a non-flexible container that cannot be substantially deformed, a negative pressure is not substantially generated in the container 800, and the liquid in the container 800 can be continuously administered to a patient by utilizing gravity. Since the liquid cannot pass through the hydrophobic membrane 46, the liquid in the first lumen 41 does not leak out to the outside world through the second lumen 42 and the communication hole 45.

[0055] The presence or absence of liquid in the lumen 41 can be visually confirmed through the peripheral wall 30. When the lumen 41 is filled with air, this means that the outflow of the liquid in the container 800 is complete. After this is confirmed, the clamp (not shown) provided on the tube 950 is closed. The nutrition set 900 (or the tube 950) is separated from the enteral nutrition catheter (not shown) inserted into the patient. Enteral nutrition is then completed.

[0056] If necessary, the plug 901 may be separated from the adapter 1. The plug 901 can be separated from the adapter 1 by performing the reverse operation of the above-mentioned connection operation. That is, the plug 901 is rotated in the opposite direction relative to the adapter 1 to release the engagement of the engagement claw 28 with the engagement protrusion 928. Then, the plug 901 and the adapter 1 are pulled in the opposite directions. The female connector 920 is separated from the second connection portion 20.

[0057] Furthermore, the adapter 1 may be separated from the port 810. The adapter 1 can also be separated from the port 810 by performing the reverse operation of the above-mentioned connection operation. That is, the adapter 1 is rotated in the reverse direction relative to the port 810 to release the female thread 12 from the male thread 812. The first connection portion 10 is separated from the port 810.

[0058] As described above, the adapter 1 has the first connection part 10 at one end and the second connection part 20 at the other end. The first connection part 10 has a threaded tube 11 on which a female thread 12 is formed. The female thread 12 can be threadably engaged with the male thread 812 of the port 810. Therefore, the first connection part 10 of the adapter 1 can be threadably connected to the port 810 of the container 800. Even if tension is applied to the container 800 and the adapter 1, which are connected to each other, the first connection part 10 is prevented from being unintentionally separated from the port 810.

[0059] The second connection part 20 is a male connector including a top plate 25, a male member 21 provided on the top plate 25, and an engagement claw 28 protruding radially outward from the outer periphery of the top plate 25. The male member 21 can be liquid-tightly connected to the female member 921 of the female connector 920 of the plug 901. Therefore, the second connection part 20 (or the adapter 1) can be liquid-tightly connected to the female connector 920 (or the plug 901). In addition, the engagement claw 28 can be engaged with the engagement protrusion 928 of the female connector 920. The engagement claw 28 and the engagement protrusion 928 function as a lock mechanism for maintaining the state in which the male member 21 (or the second connection part 20) is connected to the female member 921 (or the female connector 920). Therefore, even if tension is applied to the adapter 1 and the female connector 920 (plug 901) that are connected to each other, the male member 21 is prevented from being unintentionally separated from the female member 921.

[0060] The first connection part 10 and the second connection part 20 are in communication with each other via the inner cavity 41 of the adapter 1. Therefore, when the first connection part 10 is connected to the port 810 and the second connection part 20 is connected to the female connector 920 (see FIG. 4B), the liquid in the container 800 can flow through the inner cavity 41 of the adapter 1 to the female connector 920.

[0061] The female connector 920 of the plug 901 cannot be directly connected to the port 810 of the container 800. Unlike the first embodiment, if the liquid in the container 800 is to be administered to a patient through the nutrition set 900 without using the adapter 1, it is necessary to transfer the liquid in the container 800 to another container (e.g., a flexible container or a non-flexible container having air permeability) that has a port compatible with the second connection part 20. This work is cumbersome, and there is a possibility that bacteria may be mixed into the liquid during the transfer. According to the first embodiment, enteral nutrition can be performed efficiently and hygienically. The adapter 1 can function as a conversion adapter that converts the female connector 920 of the plug 901 into the first connection part 10 that can be connected to the port 810. Alternatively, the adapter 1 can function as a conversion adapter that converts the port 810 into the second connection part 20 that can be connected to the female connector 920 of the plug 901.

[0062] The peripheral wall 30 connecting the screw-fitting tube 11 and the top plate 25 is provided with a communication hole 45 that communicates the inner cavity 41 with the outside world of the adapter 1. A hydrophobic membrane 46 is provided on a path connecting the outside world and the inner cavity 41 through the communication hole 45. Therefore, the air from the outside world can be allowed to flow into the inner cavity 41 through the communication hole 45 and the hydrophobic membrane 46 without causing the liquid in the inner cavity 41 to flow out to the outside world through the communication hole 45. Even if the container 800 is a non-flexible container that is not substantially deformed with the outflow of the liquid, substantially the entire amount of the liquid in the container 800 can be continuously outflowed from the port 810 by using, for example, gravity without applying an external force to crush the container 800. Therefore, the adapter 1 enables efficient enteral nutrition even when the container 800 is a non-flexible container.

[0063] The communication hole 45 is provided in the peripheral wall 30, not in the top plate 25. The hydrophobic membrane 46 is provided on a path that connects the outside world with the inner cavity 41 of the adapter 1 via the communication hole 45. Therefore, the top surface of the adapter 1 is formed by the top plate 25, and it is not necessary to arrange the communication hole 45 or the hydrophobic membrane 46 on the top surface. This is advantageous for reducing the outer diameter of the adapter 1. For example, depending on the container, such as a paper carton, the port through which the liquid flows out may be relatively small in diameter. The adapter 1 is equipped with the communication hole 45 and the hydrophobic membrane 46 that allow the air from the outside world to flow into the container 800, and is also compatible with such a small-diameter port.

[0064] In the present invention, the hydrophobic film 46 can be disposed at any position on the path connecting the outside world and the inner cavity 41 of the adapter 1 via the communication hole 45. For example, the hydrophobic film 46 can be provided on the peripheral wall 30 so as to block the communication hole 45, as in the second embodiment described later. However, in the first embodiment, the hydrophobic film 46 is provided at a position retreated toward the inner cavity 41 side from the communication hole 45. This has the following effects. First, there is a low possibility that the hydrophobic film 46 will be contaminated or damaged by the fingers of an operator or surrounding objects touching the hydrophobic film 46 during the manufacture, storage, transportation, use, etc. of the adapter 1. Second, it becomes possible to set the dimensions (or areas) of the communication hole 45 and the hydrophobic film 46 independently of each other, improving the degree of freedom in designing the adapter 1.

[0065] In the present invention, for example, the opening area of ​​the communication hole 45 can be made equal to or larger than the effective area of ​​the hydrophobic membrane 46. However, in the present embodiment 1, the opening area of ​​the communication hole 45 is smaller than the effective area of ​​the hydrophobic membrane 46. The relatively small opening area of ​​the communication hole 45 is advantageous in reducing the possibility of problems such as contamination or damage of the hydrophobic membrane 46 caused by the fingers of an operator or surrounding objects touching the hydrophobic membrane 46 during the manufacture, storage, transportation, use, etc. of the adapter 1. The relatively large effective area of ​​the hydrophobic membrane 46 increases the amount of air passing through the hydrophobic membrane 46, which is advantageous in increasing the flow rate of liquid in enteral nutrition and shortening the administration time of the liquid. The "effective area" of the hydrophobic membrane 46 means the area of ​​the region of the hydrophobic membrane 46 that can effectively function as a hydrophobic membrane, specifically, the area of ​​the region through which air can pass. Therefore, for example, when the outer peripheral edge of the hydrophobic membrane 46 is adhered to the open end of the lumen 42, the effective area of ​​the hydrophobic membrane 46 does not include the outer peripheral edge.

[0066] In the first embodiment, a partition wall 43 that defines the inner cavity 42 that communicates with the communication hole 45 is provided in the peripheral wall 30. The hydrophobic membrane 46 is provided so as to close the opening of the inner cavity 42 facing the first connecting part 10 side. The main surface of the hydrophobic membrane 46 is perpendicular to the axis of the adapter 1 (or the screw-on tube 11). Therefore, the hydrophobic membrane 46 can be easily fixed to the opening of the inner cavity 42 from the first connecting part 10 side. Although the hydrophobic membrane 46 is provided at a position that is difficult to access from the outside through the communication hole 45, the adapter 1 is easy to manufacture. In addition, even if the hydrophobic membrane 46 has a relatively large dimension (or area), the axial dimension of the adapter 1 can be made smaller than when the main surface of the hydrophobic membrane 46 is perpendicular to the radial direction.

[0067] The entire adapter 1 (except for the hydrophobic film 46) is translucent (preferably transparent). This allows the presence or absence of liquid in the inner cavity 41 of the adapter 1 to be visually confirmed from the outside. When the female connector 920 (plug 901) is connected to the port 810 via the adapter 1 (see FIG. 4B), it is possible to visually confirm through the adapter 1 (particularly the peripheral wall 30) that the liquid in the container 800 has completely flowed out. The fact that the entire adapter 1 is translucent is advantageous in facilitating the manufacture of the adapter 1, since the entire adapter 1 (except for the hydrophobic film 46) can be manufactured using a single material.

[0068] In the first embodiment, the second connection part 20 is eccentric with respect to the first connection part 10. This makes it easy to provide a relatively large-area hydrophobic membrane 46 in the adapter 1 with its main surface perpendicular to the axis of the adapter 1 (see FIG. 2B). The large area of ​​the hydrophobic membrane 46 is advantageous for improving breathability and facilitating the work of fixing the hydrophobic membrane 46.

[0069] However, the second connection portion 20 may be disposed coaxially with the first connection portion 10, as in the second embodiment described below.

[0070] (Embodiment 2) Fig. 5A is a perspective view of the adapter 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from above. Fig. 5B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the adapter 2. Fig. 5C is a perspective view of the adapter as viewed from below. Similar to the adapter 1 of the first embodiment, the adapter 2 has a first connection part 210 at one end (upper side) and a second connection part 220 at the other end (lower side). The first connection part 210 and the second connection part 220 are in communication with each other via an inner cavity 241 of the adapter 2.

[0071] The first connection part 210 includes a hollow cylindrical screw tube 11 with a female screw 12 formed therein. A sealing tube 15 is provided inside the screw tube 11 and coaxially with the screw tube 11. The second connection part 220 includes, but is not limited to, a circular top plate 25 perpendicular to the axis of the screw tube 11 (not shown. The axis of the screw tube 11 coincides with the axis of the adapter 2), a cylindrical male member 21 provided in the center of the top plate 25, and an engagement claw 28 protruding radially outward from the outer periphery of the top plate 25. An annular protrusion 23a and a rib 23b that function as an anti-puncture structure are provided on the flow path inside the male member 21. These are the same as those of the adapter 1 of the first embodiment.

[0072] Unlike the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, the second connecting portion 220 is arranged coaxially with the first connecting portion 210. The screwing tube 11 and the top plate 25 are connected via a peripheral wall 230. The peripheral wall 230 includes a first peripheral wall 231 on the screwing tube 11 side and a second peripheral wall 232 on the top plate 25 side. The first peripheral wall 231 and the second peripheral wall 232 each have a hollow cylindrical shape coaxial with the axis of the adapter 2. The first peripheral wall 231 has a slightly smaller diameter than the screwing tube 11. The second peripheral wall 232 has a slightly smaller diameter than the first peripheral wall 231, and its lower end is connected to the circular outer peripheral edge of the top plate 25. The outer peripheral surface of the second peripheral wall 232 is a cylindrical surface coaxial with the top plate 25.

[0073] A communication hole 245 penetrating the first peripheral wall 231 in the radial direction is formed in the first peripheral wall 231. Although not limited, the communication hole 245 is substantially circular in the second embodiment. A hydrophobic membrane (sometimes called a gas-permeable membrane) 246 is provided in the first peripheral wall 231 so as to close the communication hole 245. The hydrophobic membrane 246 has a property of passing gas but not passing liquid, similar to the hydrophobic membrane 46 in the first embodiment. Therefore, with regard to gas, the inner cavity 241 of the adapter 2 communicates with the outside of the adapter 2 via the hydrophobic membrane 246.

[0074] The material of the adapter 2 (excluding the hydrophobic film 246) may be the same as the material of the adapter 1 of the first embodiment. The adapter 2 is preferably translucent, and particularly preferably transparent. The adapter 2 is preferably manufactured as a single integral part by injection molding a resin material.

[0075] The hydrophobic film 246 may be made of the same material as the hydrophobic film 46 of the embodiment 1. The method for fixing the hydrophobic film 246 to the adapter 2 is not limited, and may include welding the hydrophobic film 246 to the opening end of the communication hole 245 by ultrasonic welding or heat welding, or fixing with an adhesive.

[0076] Although not shown, the adapter 2 can be used for enteral nutrition in the same manner as the adapter 1 of the first embodiment (see Figs. 1, 4A, and 4B). The first connecting part 210 of the adapter 2 is connected to the port 810 of the container 800 (see Fig. 1), and the second connecting part 220 is connected to the female connector 920 of the plug 901 (see Figs. 3A and 3B). The lumen of the container 800, the port 810, the lumen 241 of the adapter 2, the flow path 902 of the plug 901, and the tube 950 are sequentially connected to each other. The container 800 is hung with the port 810 facing downward. The liquid in the container 800 flows by gravity through the adapter 2, the plug 901, the tube 950, and the enteral nutrition catheter in that order, and is administered to the patient. As the liquid flows out of the container 800, the air from the outside flows into the container 800 through the hydrophobic membrane 246 provided in the communication hole 245, the lumen 241, and the port 810 in that order. Therefore, even if the container 800 is a non-flexible container that cannot be substantially deformed, a negative pressure is not substantially generated in the container 800, and the liquid in the container 800 can be continuously administered to the patient by utilizing gravity. Since the liquid cannot pass through the hydrophobic membrane 246, the liquid in the lumen 241 does not leak out to the outside through the communication hole 245.

[0077] The presence or absence of liquid in the lumen 241 can be visually confirmed through the peripheral wall 230 (the first peripheral wall 231 and the second peripheral wall 232). After it is confirmed that the lumen 241 is filled with air and therefore the outflow of the liquid in the container 800 is completed, the enteral nutrition is terminated.

[0078] As in the first embodiment, the plug 901 (female connector 920) may be separated from the adapter 2 (second connection portion 220), and the adapter 2 (first connection portion 210) may be separated from the port 810, if necessary.

[0079] As described above, the adapter 2 has the first connection part 210 at one end and the second connection part 220 at the other end. The first connection part 210 has a threaded tube 11 on which a female thread 12 is formed. The female thread 12 can be threadably engaged with the male thread 812 (see FIG. 1 ) of the port 810. Therefore, the first connection part 210 of the adapter 2 can be threadably connected to the port 810 of the container 800. Even if tension is applied to the container 800 and the adapter 2 that are connected to each other, the first connection part 210 is prevented from being unintentionally separated from the port 810.

[0080] The second connecting portion 220 is a male connector including a top plate 25, a male member 21 provided on the top plate 25, and an engagement claw 28 protruding radially outward from the outer periphery of the top plate 25. The male member 21 can be liquid-tightly connected to a female member 921 of a female connector 920 of a plug 901 (see FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B). Therefore, the second connecting portion 220 (or the adapter 2) can be liquid-tightly connected to the female connector 920 (or the plug 901). In addition, the engagement claw 28 can be engaged with an engagement protrusion 928 of the female connector 920. The engagement claw 28 and the engagement protrusion 928 function as a lock mechanism for maintaining a state in which the male member 21 (or the second connecting portion 220) is connected to the female member 921 (or the female connector 920). Therefore, even if tension is applied to the adapter 2 and the female connector 920 (plug 901) that are connected to each other, the male member 21 is prevented from being unintentionally separated from the female member 921.

[0081] The first connection part 210 and the second connection part 220 are in communication with each other via the inner cavity 241 of the adapter 2. Therefore, when the first connection part 210 is connected to the port 810 and the second connection part 220 is connected to the female connector 920, the liquid in the container 800 can flow through the inner cavity 241 of the adapter 2 to the female connector 920.

[0082] By using the adapter 2, the port 810 of the container 800 can be connected to the female connector 920 of the plug 901, which cannot be directly connected to each other. Therefore, enteral nutrition can be performed efficiently and hygienically.

[0083] A communication hole 245 that communicates the inner cavity 241 with the outside of the adapter 2 is provided in the peripheral wall 230 (particularly the first peripheral wall 231) that connects the screw-fitting tube 11 and the top plate 25. A hydrophobic membrane 246 is provided on a path that connects the outside world with the inner cavity 241 via the communication hole 245. Therefore, the air from the outside world can be allowed to flow into the inner cavity 241 via the communication hole 245 and the hydrophobic membrane 246 without causing the liquid in the inner cavity 241 to flow out to the outside world via the communication hole 245. Even if the container 800 is a non-flexible container that is not substantially deformed with the outflow of the liquid, substantially the entire amount of the liquid in the container 800 can be continuously outflowed from the port 810 by using, for example, gravity without applying an external force to crush the container 800. Therefore, the adapter 2 enables efficient enteral nutrition even when the container 800 is a non-flexible container.

[0084] The communication hole 245 is an opening provided in the peripheral wall 230 so as to penetrate the peripheral wall 230 (particularly the first peripheral wall 231) in the radial direction, and the hydrophobic film 246 closes this communication hole 245. Therefore, the open end of the communication hole 245 and the hydrophobic film 246 do not protrude significantly outward in the radial direction from the peripheral wall 230, which is advantageous in keeping the outer diameter of the peripheral wall 230 small.

[0085] The communication hole 245 is provided in the peripheral wall 230 (particularly the first peripheral wall 231) rather than in the top plate 25. The hydrophobic film 246 is provided at an open end that defines the communication hole 245 so as to close the communication hole 245. For this reason, the top surface of the adapter 2 is formed by the top plate 25, and it is not necessary to arrange the communication hole 245 or the hydrophobic film 246 on the top surface. This is advantageous for reducing the outer diameter of the adapter 2. For example, depending on the container, such as a paper carton, the port through which the liquid flows out may be relatively small in diameter. The adapter 2 is capable of handling such a small-diameter port while having the communication hole 245 and the hydrophobic film 246 that allow the outside air to flow into the container 800.

[0086] Unlike the first embodiment, the hydrophobic film 246 is provided at the opening end that defines the communication hole 245. This simplifies the configuration of the adapter 2. When the adapter 2 is manufactured by injection molding, the structure of the molding die can be simplified. Of course, like the hydrophobic film 46 in the first embodiment, the hydrophobic film 246 may be provided at a position retreated toward the inner cavity 241 side from the communication hole 245. In this case, the opening area of ​​the communication hole 245 may be made smaller than the effective area of ​​the hydrophobic film 246.

[0087] The communication hole 245 and the hydrophobic membrane 246 are provided in the first peripheral wall 231, which is closer to the first connecting part 210, of the first peripheral wall 231 and the second peripheral wall 232. Therefore, the travel distance of air (air bubbles) from the hydrophobic membrane 246 through the lumen 241 to the container 800 is short. This facilitates the flow of liquid in the direction roughly opposite to that of air, and is advantageous for increasing the flow rate of liquid in enteral nutrition and shortening the administration time of liquid.

[0088] The entire adapter 2 (except for the hydrophobic film 246) is translucent (preferably transparent). This allows the presence or absence of liquid in the inner cavity 241 of the adapter 2 to be visually confirmed from the outside. When the female connector 920 (plug 901) is connected to the port 810 via the adapter 2, it is possible to visually confirm through the adapter 2 (particularly the peripheral wall 230) that the outflow of the liquid in the container 800 has been completed. The fact that the entire adapter 2 is translucent is advantageous in facilitating the manufacture of the adapter 2, since the entire adapter 2 (except for the hydrophobic film 46) can be manufactured using a single material.

[0089] The second connection part 220 is disposed coaxially with the first connection part 210. Therefore, when the female connector 920 (plug 901) is connected to the port 810 via the adapter 2, the port 810, the adapter 2, and the female connector 920 (plug 901) are all disposed coaxially. For example, in a state in which the port 810, the adapter 2, and the female connector 920 (plug 901) of the container 800 are connected in this order, if the container 800 and the plug 901 are held with different hands and a rotational force is applied to the plug 901 in a clockwise direction as viewed from the plug 901 side, the female thread 12 of the first connection part 210 can be screwed into the male thread 812 of the port 810 and the engagement of the engagement protrusion 928 with the engagement claw 28 can be simultaneously and more reliably performed.

[0090] However, similarly to the first embodiment, the second connection portion 220 may be eccentric with respect to the first connection portion 210.

[0091] The peripheral wall 230 includes a first peripheral wall 231 and a second peripheral wall 232 arranged coaxially with each other. The second peripheral wall 232 extends from the outer periphery of the top plate 25. The communication hole 245 is provided in the first peripheral wall 231. Therefore, compared with the peripheral wall 30 of the first embodiment, the peripheral wall 230 is longer in the axial direction, and the area of ​​the outer surface of the peripheral wall 230 is larger. This provides the following effects. First, it is easy to grip the adapter 2 and apply a rotational force to the adapter 2. Second, when the entire peripheral wall 230 (and further the entire adapter 2) has translucency (or transparency), it is easy to check the presence or absence of a liquid in the inner cavity 241 through the relatively long and large-area peripheral wall 230.

[0092] In the second embodiment, the peripheral wall 230 is configured with the first peripheral wall 231 and the second peripheral wall 232 having different diameters, but the configuration of the peripheral wall 230 is not limited to this. Between the first peripheral wall 231 and the second peripheral wall 232, one or more hollow peripheral walls having different diameters from these may be provided. Alternatively, the second peripheral wall 232 may be omitted, and the peripheral wall 230 may be configured with the first peripheral wall 231 extending from the top plate 25 to the screwing tube 11. In this case, the communication hole 245 is provided in the first peripheral wall 231, preferably at a position close to the first connection part 10. The peripheral wall 230 may include a hollow tapered (or conical) peripheral wall whose diameter changes in the axial direction of the adapter 2.

[0093] Except for the above, the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment. The description of the first embodiment can also be applied to the second embodiment as appropriate.

[0094] The above-mentioned first and second embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned first and second embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate.

[0095] In the above-mentioned first and second embodiments, the entire adapter (1, 2) (except for the hydrophobic film) is made of a light-transmitting portion having light-transmitting properties (preferably transparency), but the present invention is not limited thereto. The light-transmitting portion may be provided in the peripheral wall (30, 230) connecting the screw-fitting tube (11) and the top plate (25). The light-transmitting portion may constitute the entire peripheral wall (30, 230), or may constitute only a part of the peripheral wall (30, 230). The light-transmitting portion is made of a material having light-transmitting properties (preferably transparency) so that the presence or absence of a liquid in the inner cavity (41, 241) of the adapter can be visually confirmed from the outside. The portion of the adapter other than the light-transmitting portion (main body portion) does not have to have light-transmitting properties. The light-transmitting portion and the main body portion can be made of different materials. Such an adapter can be manufactured, for example, by manufacturing the light-transmitting portion and the main body portion separately and then integrating them, or by a two-color molding method. If at least a translucent portion is provided on the peripheral wall, when the female connector 920 (plug 901) is connected to the port 810 via an adapter (see FIG. 4B), it is possible to visually confirm through the translucent portion of the peripheral wall that the outflow of the liquid in the container 800 has been completed.

[0096] In the present invention, the configuration of the second connection part (20, 220) of the adapter (1, 2) is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment 1, 2, and may be appropriately changed. For example, the top plate 25 does not need to be perpendicular to the axis of the screw tube 11, and may be inclined at an angle other than 90 degrees with respect to the axis of the screw tube 11. The male member 21 does not need to be coaxial with the top plate 25, and may be disposed eccentrically with respect to the top plate 25. The lower surface of the engagement claw 28 (the surface facing the opposite side to the first connection part (10, 210)) does not need to form a single plane common to the top plate 25. The upper surface 28a of the engagement claw 28 does not need to be composed of three inclined surfaces with different inclinations, and may have any shape. The lower surface 928a of the engagement protrusion 928 of the female connector 920 may be appropriately changed according to or independently of the upper surface 28a of the engagement claw 28.

[0097] In the above first and second embodiments, the engagement and release of the engagement protrusion 928 of the female connector with the engagement claw 28 of the adapter is performed by rotating the female connector 910 relative to the adapter, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the female connector may have an elastically swingable arm, and the engagement protrusion 928 may be provided on the arm so as to be movable in the radial direction. In this case, the engagement protrusion 928 of the female connector with the engagement claw 28 can be engaged and released by swinging the arm. When connecting and disconnecting the female connector to and from the second connection portion of the adapter of the present invention, it is not necessary to rotate the female connector relative to the adapter.

[0098] In the above-mentioned first and second embodiments, the container 800 is a paper pack, which is a non-flexible container, but the container to which the adapter of the present invention is connected is not limited to this. For example, the container may be a resin or metal bottle (see, for example, FIG. 16 of Patent Document 1 and Patent Documents 2 to 4) other than a paper pack. The container does not have to be a non-flexible container, and may be a flexible container such as a pouch (see, for example, FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1). The container may have translucency (or transparency) so that the liquid stored inside can be visually recognized from the outside, or may be opaque. However, since the adapter of the present invention has a translucent portion, a communication hole, and a hydrophobic film, the effect of the present invention is significantly manifested when the container is an opaque non-flexible container.

[0099] The liquid stored in the container is arbitrary. The liquid is not limited to the liquid administered to the patient in enteral nutrition, but may be a liquid administered to the patient by a method other than enteral nutrition (e.g., drip infusion). The liquid may be used in food, chemistry, or the like other than medical purposes. [Industrial Applicability]

[0100] The adapter of the present invention can be preferably used, but not limited to, in the medical field, particularly in enteral nutrition, to form a flow path for liquid to flow from a container to a patient. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 1,2 Adapter 10,210 First connection part 11 Threaded tube 12 Female thread 20,220 Second connection part (male connector) 21 Male member 25 Tabletop 28 Engagement Claw 30,230 Peripheral wall 231 1st peripheral wall 232 Second peripheral wall 41,241 Adapter bore (first bore) 42 Septum lumen (second lumen) 43 Bulkhead 45,245 Communication hole 46,246 Hydrophobic membrane 800 containers 810 Port 812 Male thread 900 Nutrition Set 901 Plug 920 Female Connector 921 Female Part 928 Engagement protrusion 950 tube

Claims

1. 1. An adapter for connecting a female connector to a port on a container, comprising: the adapter includes a first connection portion at one end of the adapter and a second connection portion at the other end of the adapter; the first connection portion and the second connection portion are in communication with each other via a first inner cavity of the adapter, the first connection portion has a threaded tube having a female thread that can be threadedly engaged with the port, The second connection portion has a circular top plate, a cylindrical male member provided on the top plate and capable of being liquid-tightly connected to a female member of the female connector, and an engagement claw protruding radially outward from an outer circumferential edge of the top plate and capable of engaging with the female connector, a peripheral wall of the adapter connecting the screw-fitting tube and the top plate is provided with a light-transmitting portion that allows the presence or absence of a liquid in the first cavity of the adapter to be visually confirmed from the outside, and a communication hole that communicates the first cavity of the adapter with the outside, a second cavity communicating with the communication hole and partitioned from the first cavity by a partition wall is provided in the peripheral wall; The second lumen communicates with the first lumen via an opening facing the first connection portion, a hydrophobic membrane that allows gas to pass but does not allow liquid to pass therethrough is provided on a path connecting the outside world and the first lumen of the adapter via the communication hole so as to close the opening of the second lumen, The adapter, wherein the second cavity is defined by the peripheral wall and the partition wall.

2. An adapter as described in claim 1, wherein the partition has a planar shape of approximately a circular arc, and both ends of the approximately circular arc are connected to the peripheral wall.

3. 3. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein an opening area of ​​the communication hole is smaller than an effective area of ​​the hydrophobic membrane.

4. The adapter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a main surface of the hydrophobic film is perpendicular to an axis of the screw-on tube.

5. The adapter according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second connection portion is eccentric with respect to the first connection portion.

6. The adapter according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the entire adapter is translucent.

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