Medical Tube Clamps

Abstract

To provide a medical tube clamp, even when an improper operation is performed, capable of reliably closing a tube, while securing excellent operability.SOLUTION: A medical tube clamp 10 comprises a first plate 20 with a first protrusion 21 formed thereon, and a second plate 30 with a second protrusion 31 formed thereon, for oppressing a medical tube 1 together with the first protrusion 21. The first plate 20 has a pair of side walls 22 erected on both ends in a width direction formed therein, and the second plate 30 has a slope surface inclined so as to approach the first plate 20 from both ends in the width direction toward a center in the width direction formed therein. The slope surface has an inclination angle θ of 10° to 60° with respect to the width direction of the second plate 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to medical tubing clamps, and more particularly to clamps that compress and occlude flexible medical tubing. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in the medical field, flexible medical tubes have been used as tubular bodies constituting extracorporeal circulation circuits for bodily fluids such as blood, auxiliary circuits connected to extracorporeal circulation circuits, infusion lines for medicinal fluids, etc. In some cases, clamps are attached to medical tubes to compress and close the tubes at desired positions. Resin clamps that can be operated with one hand are widely known as clamps that are applied to medical tubes.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a resin clamp in which two plates connected to each other have convex parts formed on their opposing surfaces for compressing a tube, and a locking means is provided for fixing the plates in a position where the plates are close to each other to maintain the closed state of the tube. The locking means maintains the closed state of the tube by fixing (locking) the plates in a state where the two plates are close to each other and compress the tube. The clamp disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a centering function for guiding the plates to a normal predetermined position so that the plates do not deviate significantly from a predetermined position for a normal locked state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2012 / 111310 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, there are cases where the clamp for medical tubes is locked without being operated visually, and the tube is not compressed normally. In this case, the tube's occlusion property decreases and leaks occur. As a mechanism to prevent such a situation, the clamp disclosed in Patent Document 1 discloses a centering function that guides the plate to a normal position. However, when various verifications were performed on the clamp of Patent Document 1, a new phenomenon was discovered in which the centering function is not fully exerted and the tube is locked when used with a tube with a large outer diameter. That is, a tube with a large outer diameter is elastically deformed by each convex part of the clamp at an early stage in the clamp operation. For this reason, the frictional force between each convex part and the tube becomes extremely large due to the repulsive force of the tube and the increase in the contact area in the width direction caused by the tube expanding in the width direction, and it was discovered that even if the centering function works, the frictional force does not allow each plate to move relatively in the width direction. In such a case, due to the configuration of the centering function, the plates do not move relative to each other in the width direction, and therefore do not move in the approaching direction either, and locking should not occur.However, it has been newly discovered that if excessive pressure is applied to the widthwise ends of the plates, the connecting parts can deform while the plates remain misaligned, causing the plates to tilt, and the corners of the plates can become engaged with the engaging parts, resulting in the plates being locked in an uncentered state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The medical tube clamp according to the present invention is a clamp for compressing and closing a flexible medical tube, comprising: a first plate having a first convex portion formed thereon; a second plate disposed opposite the first plate and having a second convex portion formed thereon for compressing the medical tube together with the first convex portion; a connecting portion connecting one end portion of the first and second plates in the longitudinal direction and elastically deformable so that the plates approach each other; and a locking means formed by extending from the first plate towards the second plate and engaging the other end portion of the second plate in the longitudinal direction to maintain the medical tube in a closed state; To A pair of side walls are formed at both ends in the width direction, before Play 2 To teeth, The plate From both ends in the width direction to the center in the width direction The first Tilt to approach the plate steep slope is formed, steep slope teeth, the second plate is formed at a position where the second plate comes into contact with the pair of side walls when the second plate is laterally displaced relative to the first plate, The inclination angle θ with respect to the width direction of the plate is 10° to 60°. The vertical length of the steeply inclined surface is shorter than the vertical length of the pair of side walls. It is characterized by:

[0007] The medical tube clamp according to the present invention preferably has a structure in which the second plate is inclined relative to the first plate so that the gap between the two plates compressing the tube is wider at the other end in the length direction away from the connecting portion in the unlocked state. The medical tube clamp according to the present invention is suitable for medical tubes with a large outer diameter, for example, a medical tube whose outer diameter is equal to or larger than the gap between the first and second convex parts of the clamp before assembly, that is, a medical tube whose first and second convex parts are in contact with the outer surface of the medical tube in the unlocked state. In the medical tube clamp according to the present invention, by pressing the other end in the length direction of the second plate toward the first plate, the gap between the first and second convex parts of each plate is reduced, compressing the tube. Then, the other end in the length direction of the pressed second plate is locked by the locking means, thereby maintaining the locked state in which the tube is blocked.

[0008] According to the medical tube clamp having the above-mentioned configuration, when an inappropriate operation such as pressing the second plate obliquely is performed, the second plate steep slope contacts the side wall of the first plate, steep slope The contact point with the side wall at steep slope The second plate slides toward the upper end of the clamp. As a result, the second plate moves toward the inside of the clamp. In other words, even if improper operation is performed, the second plate can be centered in the correct position where the tube can be reliably blocked, and a correct locked state can be easily ensured. Therefore, a medical tube clamp having the above configuration makes it possible to quickly and reliably block a medical tube.

[0009] Medical tube clamp according to the present invention teeth, Incline angle θ but Steep slopes of 10° to 60° Yes The lateral force acting on the side wall from the inclined surface is large. As a result, even when the outer diameter of the medical tube is large, the second plate is guided inward against the frictional force, making it easier to ensure a normal locked state even if an inappropriate operation such as pushing the second plate diagonally is performed. steep slope The inclination angle θ is preferably 25° to 45°, and more preferably 30° to 45°. With this configuration, the force required for centering the second plate is significantly reduced, allowing for smoother centering. As a result, it becomes easier to ensure a normal locked state when an inappropriate operation such as pushing the second plate obliquely is performed.

[0010] Alternatively, one of the first and second protrusions may be formed to be sharper than the other. As a result, the force required to compress the medical tubing is reduced, improving operability and improving the ability to close the medical tubing. This makes the clamp suitable for medical tubing with a small outer diameter that is relatively difficult to close. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a medical tube clamp that can more reliably occlude a tube even when an improper operation is performed while ensuring good operability. According to the medical tube clamp of the present invention, for example, when an operation is performed in which the second plate is pushed obliquely, the second plate can be centered in a normal position where the tube can be reliably occluded, and a normal locked state can be easily ensured. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a medical tube clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a side view of a medical tube clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is a side view showing an unlocked state of a medical tube clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a side view showing a locked state of a medical tube clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between the inclination angle θ of the slope surface and the force required to lock the clamp in a medical tube clamp that is one example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modified example of a slope surface. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modified example of a slope surface. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment. In this specification, the expression "numerical value (A) to numerical value (B)" means numerical value (A) or more and numerical value (B) or less, unless otherwise specified.

[0014] In the following, a medical tube clamp 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as "clamp 10") as one example of an embodiment will be illustrated as being attached to a medical tube 1 as illustrated in Fig. 3 etc., but clamp 10 may also be applied to other medical tubes, such as tubes having a smaller diameter than medical tube 1. The medical tube to which clamp 10 is attached constitutes, for example, an extracorporeal circulation circuit, an auxiliary circuit, an infusion line, etc.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of clamp 10, and Fig. 2 is a side view of clamp 10. Figs. 3 and 4 are views showing the state in which clamp 10 is attached to medical tubing 1, with Fig. 3 showing an unlocked state in which medical tubing 1 is not compressed or blocked, and Fig. 4 showing a locked state in which medical tubing 1 is compressed and blocked and second plate 30 is locked by the locking means.

[0016] 1 to 4, clamp 10 is a resin molded body including a first plate 20 having a first protrusion 21 formed thereon, and a second plate 30 disposed opposite first plate 20 and having a second protrusion 31 formed thereon that compresses medical tubing 1 together with first protrusion 21, and the two plates compress and close medical tubing 1. Second plate 30 is disposed opposite first plate 20 with a gap between them that allows medical tubing 1 to be inserted. Both first plate 20 and second plate 30 are substantially rectangular in shape.

[0017] For ease of explanation, in the following, one end in the longitudinal direction of the first plate 20 and the second plate 30 connected by a connecting portion 40 described below will be referred to as the "base end" and the other end in the longitudinal direction opposite the base end will be referred to as the "tip end", and the terms "base end" and "tip end" will also be used for the clamp 10. Furthermore, the direction along the longitudinal direction of each plate may be referred to as the "vertical direction" of the clamp 10, the direction along the width direction as the "horizontal direction", and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and horizontal directions as the "up-down direction".

[0018] Clamp 10 is attached to a desired position on medical tubing 1 with the length direction of each plate aligned with the length direction of medical tubing 1. In clamp 10, in an unlocked state in which medical tubing 1 is not occluded, the distance between first plate 20 and second plate 30 that press against medical tubing 1 is wider at the tip side of each plate. In clamp 10, the tip of second plate 30 is pressed toward first plate 20 to reduce the distance between the plates, thereby reducing distance X between first convex portion 21 and second convex portion 31 and occluding medical tubing 1. Here, distance X refers to the length in the vertical direction from the upper end of first convex portion 21 to the lower end of second convex portion 31.

[0019] The clamp 10 includes a connecting portion 40 that connects the tip portions of the first plate 20 and the second plate 30. The connecting portion 40 is elastically deformable in the vertical direction so that the first plate 20 and the second plate 30 approach each other. In the clamp 10, when the connecting portion 40 is elastically deformed and the second plate 30 is pressed or when the pressing force is released, the distance X between the first convex portion 21 and the second convex portion 31 changes, thereby opening and closing the medical tube 1.

[0020] The connecting part 40 is curved greatly toward the outside of the clamp 10, and is formed into a roughly U-shape in side view. The distance between the first plate 20 and the second plate 30 can be adjusted by changing the vertical length (diameter of the arc) of the connecting part 40. A tube insertion hole 41 is formed in the connecting part 40 over a wide range excluding both ends in the width direction. By forming the tube insertion hole 41 large, it becomes easier to attach the clamp 10 to the medical tube 1, and the rigidity of the connecting part 40 is reduced, facilitating elastic deformation.

[0021] The clamp 10 also includes a locking portion 50 extending from the first plate 20 toward the second plate 30. The locking portion 50 is a locking means that locks the tip of the second plate 30 to maintain the closed state of the medical tube 1. A claw 52 that protrudes toward the inside of the clamp 10 and onto which the tip of the second plate 30 is hooked is formed at the tip of the locking portion 50. In this embodiment, a slope that slopes diagonally downward toward the inside of the clamp 10 is formed at the tip of the locking portion 50, and the lower end of the slope protrudes toward the inside of the clamp 10 to form the claw 52. The slope and the claw 52 are formed across the entire width of the locking portion 50.

[0022] The locking portion 50 is a plate-like portion extending upward from the tip of the first plate 20, and is formed with the same width as the first plate 20. In this embodiment, the first plate 20, the second plate 30, the connecting portion 40, and the locking portion 50 are formed with the same width, and in the unlocked state and the normal locked state, the center portions of the width direction of the two plates overlap each other in the vertical direction. The locking portion 50 has a base end portion close to the first plate 20 that curves toward the outside of the clamp 10, and a tip portion that is slightly inclined inward. In addition, the locking portion 50 has a tube insertion hole 51 formed therein, similar to the connecting portion 40.

[0023] Furthermore, locking portion 50 elastically deforms in the vertical direction of clamp 10. When the tip of second plate 30 is pushed towards first plate 20, the tip comes into contact with a slope formed at the tip of locking portion 50, elastically deforming locking portion 50 outward, and moves over claws 52 to approach first plate 20. At this time, locking portion 50 returns to its original shape, and when second plate 30 is released, the tip of second plate 30 is caught and locked by claws 52, and medical tubing 1 is closed and locked.

[0024] On the other hand, when in the locked state, pushing the tip of the locking portion 50 outward to elastically deform it causes the second plate 30 to disengage from the claws 52, releasing the locked state, and the second plate 30 returns to the unlocked state position due to the restoring force of the connecting portion 40. In the unlocked state, the clamp 10 has an opening 11 formed between the tip of the second plate 30 and the tip of the locking portion 50. In the locked state, the opening 11 does not exist, and the first plate 20, connecting portion 40, second plate 30, and locking portion 50 are connected in a ring shape.

[0025] Clamp 10 is attached to medical tubing 1 with medical tubing 1 inserted through tube insertion holes 41, 51 of connecting portion 40 and engaging portion 50, respectively, and sandwiched between first plate 20 and second plate 30. At this time, clamp 10 is attached so that medical tubing 1 passes between first convex portion 21 of first plate 20 and second convex portion 31 of second plate 30. Therefore, distance X between first convex portion 21 and second convex portion 31 is set to be larger than the diameter of the medical tubing to be attached.

[0026] The first plate 20 and the second plate 30, particularly the configuration related to the centering function of the second plate 30, will be described in detail below.

[0027] [Plate 1 20] As described above, first plate 20 is formed with first protrusion 21 that compresses medical tube 1. First protrusion 21 is formed on opposing surface 20S that faces second plate 30, protruding toward second plate 30. In this embodiment, first protrusion 21 is formed across the entire width of first plate 20 in the longitudinal center of first plate 20. Furthermore, the tip portion of first protrusion 21 that contacts medical tube 1 is formed in a rounded hemispherical shape when viewed from the side of clamp 10.

[0028] There is no large convex portion like the first convex portion 21 on the outer surface of the first plate 20 opposite the opposing surface 20S. When locking the clamp 10, for example, the first plate 20 and the second plate 30 are pinched from above and below and the second plate 30 is pressed, so that small anti-slip irregularities 27 are formed on the outer surface of the first plate 20. The thickness of the first plate 20 is, for example, about 0.5 mm to 3 mm in a flat portion where no large irregularities exist (the same applies to the second plate 30).

[0029] A pair of side walls 22 are formed on both ends in the width direction of the first plate 20. The pair of side walls 22 are formed on the opposing surface 20S of the first plate 20, protruding toward the second plate 30 and higher than the first protrusion 21. On the other hand, the side walls 22 are formed with a height and width such that the vertical length (height) is shorter than the vertical length of the locking portion 50 and does not come into contact with the second plate 30 in the unlocked state and the normal locked state.

[0030] The pair of side walls 22 are components related to the centering function of the second plate 30, and the second plate 30 is centered so that a centering guide 32, which will be described later, fits between the pair of side walls 22. From the viewpoint of improving the centering function, it is preferable that the side walls 22 are formed high within a range that does not interfere with an appropriate locking operation. Moreover, the side walls 22 are formed with a thickness within a range that does not interfere with an appropriate locking operation, that is, a thickness that does not interfere with the centering guide 32 when the second plate 30 is pressed straight toward the first plate 20.

[0031] The pair of side walls 22 have the same shape and dimensions, are aligned in the width direction of the first plate 20, and are formed between the tip of the first plate 20 and the first protrusion 21. In this embodiment, the side wall 22 is formed closer to the tip of the clamp 10 than the second protrusion 31 of the second plate 30, and the upper end of the side wall 22 is located higher than the lower end of the second protrusion 31 in the unlocked state. The upper end surface of the side wall 22 is formed, for example, parallel to the opposing surface 20S of the first plate 20. The side wall 22 also functions as a tube guide that prevents the medical tube 1 from protruding laterally from between the two plates.

[0032] [2nd Plate 30] As described above, the second plate 30 is formed with the second convex portion 31 that compresses the medical tube 1. The second convex portion 31 is formed on the facing surface 30S that faces the first plate 20, protruding toward the first plate 20. In this embodiment, the second convex portion 31 is formed in the center of the length direction of the second plate 30 across the entire width of the second plate 30. In addition, the tip portion of the second convex portion 31 that contacts the medical tube 1 is sharper than the first convex portion 21 and is formed in a generally V-shape in side view. In this case, the force required to compress the medical tube 1 is reduced, improving operability and improving the occlusion of the medical tube 1. This shape is particularly suitable for medical tubes with a small outer diameter. The lower end of the second convex portion 31 is preferably chamfered so as not to damage the medical tube. In addition, the tip portion of the first convex portion 21 may be sharper than the second convex portion 31.

[0033] The lower end of second protrusion 31 is located closer to the tip of clamp 10 than the upper end of first protrusion 21. By arranging first protrusion 21 and second protrusion 31 so that they are not lined up in the vertical direction and each protrusion is offset in the vertical direction, medical tubing 1 is less likely to be damaged even if medical tubing 1 is compressed by sharp second protrusion 31, and the occlusion ability of medical tubing 1 can be improved.

[0034] A pair of tube guides 36 are formed between the base end of the second plate 30 and the second protrusion 31, protruding from both widthwise ends of the opposing surface 30S towards the first plate 20. The pair of tube guides 36 prevent the medical tube 1 from protruding laterally from between the two plates. Similarly to the first plate 20, the outer surface of the second plate 30 is formed with small projections and recesses 37 to prevent slipping.

[0035] The opposing surface 30S of the second plate 30 has a sloped surface formed thereon, which is inclined from both widthwise ends toward the widthwise center so as to approach the first plate 20. That is, the sloped surface is inclined with respect to the width direction so that both widthwise ends of the second plate 30 are the upper ends and the widthwise center is the lower end.

[0036] The sloped surface is formed so as to come into contact with the side wall 22 of the first plate 20 when an inappropriate locking operation, such as pushing the second plate 30 obliquely, is performed. As will be described in detail later, when the sloped surface comes into contact with the side wall 22, the second plate 30 slides toward the inside of the clamp 10, and the second plate 30 is centered. It is preferable that the sloped surface is formed symmetrically with respect to the center in the width direction of the second plate 30. In this case, the same centering is performed regardless of whether the second plate 30 is pushed obliquely to the left or right.

[0037] The slope surface in this embodiment includes a first slope surface 33 and a second slope surface 34 having a smaller inclination angle θ than the first slope surface 33, and these two slope surfaces form a centering guide 32. The centering guide 32 (slope surface) is formed between the tip of the second plate 30 and the second convex portion 31. Note that the centering guide may be formed of one slope surface (for example, only the first slope surface 33), or may be formed of three or more slope surfaces having different inclination angles θ.

[0038] The centering guide 32 is formed obliquely with respect to the opposing surface 30S from the vicinity of the tip of the second protrusion 31 protruding toward the first plate 20 side to the vicinity of the tip of the second plate 30. In this embodiment, the opposing surface 30S, the second protrusion 31, and the centering guide 32 are arranged so as to form one side of a triangle in a side view of the clamp 10. A reinforcing rib 38 having a generally triangular shape in a side view is formed in a portion surrounded by the opposing surface 30S, the second protrusion 31, and the centering guide 32. The reinforcing rib 38 is formed in the width direction center of the second plate 30 so as to become higher as it approaches the second protrusion 31.

[0039] In this embodiment, a jam prevention piece 35 that protrudes toward the first plate 20 is formed on the opposing surface 30S of the second plate 30. Jam prevention piece 35 extends toward the first plate 20 beyond the tip position of the locking portion 50. Since the opening 11 is formed between the second plate 30 and the locking portion 50 in the clamp 10, it is expected that, for example, during transportation or storage, another clamp 10 will get inside and become difficult to separate; however, by providing the jam prevention piece 35, such a problem can be prevented.

[0040] The jam prevention piece 35 is formed in the widthwise center of the facing surface 30S along the length direction from the tip of the second plate 30 to the second protrusion 31. The second slope surface 34 of the centering guide 32 has a lower end connected to the jam prevention piece 35, and is divided into one end side and the other end side in the width direction of the second plate 30 by the jam prevention piece 35. On the other hand, the lower end of the first slope surface 33 formed in the widthwise center of the facing surface 30S protrudes toward the first plate 20 beyond the lower end of the jam prevention piece 35, and is not divided by the jam prevention piece 35. The jam prevention piece 35 may not be provided.

[0041] The configuration of the centering guide 32 will be described in further detail below with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 2, and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Figure 2.

[0042] 5, the centering guide 32 is formed so as to fit inside the pair of side walls 22 formed on the first plate 20 in a normal locked state. That is, the centering guide 32 is formed on the opposing surface 30S of the second plate 30 in a range that does not overlap with the pair of side walls 22 in the vertical direction. This prevents interference between the side walls 22 and the centering guide 32 when an appropriate locking operation is performed in which the second plate 30 is pushed straight.

[0043] As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the slope surface (first slope surface 33 and second slope surface 34) of the centering guide 32 is inclined at a predetermined angle θ with respect to the width direction of the second plate 30. A pair of first slope surfaces 33 are provided to form an approximately V-shaped portion. The apex of the approximately V-shaped portion is formed to be located above the second protrusion 31, so that the influence of the approximately V-shaped portion on the tube during clamping is reduced. The slope surface is formed so as to be able to come into contact with the pair of side walls 22 when the interval X between the first protrusion 21 and the second protrusion 31 is reduced by 10% to 90%. When an appropriate locking operation is performed, the slope surface does not come into contact with the side walls 22 as described above. In other words, the slope surface is formed so as to come into contact with the side walls 22 when the second plate 30 is pushed in the plate approach direction in a state where it is laterally displaced from the first plate and the interval X is reduced by 10% to 90%.

[0044] Both ends of the first slope surface 33 and the second slope surface 34 in the width direction are preferably close to a position directly above the side wall 22 within a range that does not interfere with an appropriate locking operation, and may be formed directly above the side wall 22. In this embodiment, both ends of the first slope surface 33 and the second slope surface 34 in the width direction are positioned to coincide with each other, and are formed slightly toward the center of the second plate 30 in the width direction rather than directly above the side wall 22.

[0045] The slope surface of the centering guide 32 has an inclination angle θ of 10° to 60° with respect to the width direction of the second plate 30. The inclination angle θ is the angle that the slope surface forms with an imaginary line α parallel to the width direction of the second plate 30 in a cross section (cross section shown in FIG. 6) obtained by cutting the second plate 30 in the width direction perpendicular to the lower end of the slope surface. When a first slope surface 33 and a second slope surface 34 are present as the slope surfaces as in this embodiment, at least the first slope surface 33, which has a steeper inclination, is formed at an angle θ of 10° to 60°, and preferably all slope surfaces are formed at an angle θ of 10° to 60°.

[0046] As the angle θ increases, the lateral component of the force acting obliquely on the side wall 22 becomes stronger, making it easier to reliably perform centering against the frictional force, but if the angle θ is too large, the slope height increases, resulting in strong contact with the tube in the unlocked state, increasing the frictional force and making centering difficult. On the other hand, if the inclination angle θ of the slope surface is less than 10°, when the slope surface comes into contact with the side wall 22, it is difficult to apply a force that slides the first plate 20 toward the center in the width direction relative to the second plate 30, and centering of the second plate 30 cannot be performed sufficiently.

[0047] In the centering guide 32, the inclination angle θ of at least the first slope surface 33 (hereinafter referred to as "incline angle θ1") is preferably 25° or more, and more preferably 30° or more, from the viewpoint of improving the centering function. The upper limit of the inclination angle θ1 is preferably 45° or less or 40° or less, from the viewpoint of moldability of the clamp 10, prevention of interference with the medical tubing 1, and the like. An example of a suitable range of the inclination angle θ1 is 25° to 45°, 30° to 45°, or 30° to 40°. It is preferable that an inclined surface with an inclination angle θ1 within this range is formed at least partially on the first slope surface 33, in which case the centering of the second plate 30 can be made smoother.

[0048] On the other hand, the inclination angle θ of the second slope surface 34 (hereinafter referred to as "incline angle θ2") is smaller than the inclination angle θ1 of the first slope surface 33, and may be, for example, 10° or more and less than 25°, or 20° or more and less than 25°. When the centering guide is composed of one slope surface, the inclination angle θ of the slope surface is preferably 25° or more, similar to the first slope surface 33, and more preferably 30° or more.

[0049] In this embodiment, both the first slope surface 33 and the second slope surface 34 are flat surfaces without any irregularities. The second slope surface 34 is formed closer to the tip of the second plate 30 than the first slope surface 33. When two slope surfaces with different inclination angles θ are formed as in this embodiment, the slope surface with the smaller inclination angle θ is formed closer to the tip of the first plate 20 than the slope surface with the larger inclination angle θ. The first slope surface 33 is formed so that it is longer in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction as long as it can abut a part of the side wall 22. In this way, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of sink marks during molding due to an increase in the thickness of the second plate 30, and to reduce the occurrence of adverse effects of the slope surface on the tube during clamping.

[0050] The centering guide 32 is formed at a position where it comes into contact with the side wall 22 when the second plate 30 is pushed obliquely and the interval X is reduced by 10% to 90%, preferably 30% to 70%. If the second plate 30 comes into contact with the side wall 22 at a stage where the reduction rate of the interval X is small, centering is performed when the frictional force is relatively small, so that the above configuration can reduce the situation where centering does not function due to the frictional force. The vertical length of the first slope surface 33 is, for example, 10% to 50% of the vertical length of the side wall 22. The shorter the vertical length of the first slope surface 33, the smaller the contact area with the side wall 22 becomes, so that the frictional resistance during centering is reduced and operation is easy. However, if the vertical length is too short, there is a risk that the connecting portion 40 will not come into contact with the side wall 22 when it is significantly distorted, so it is preferable to have an appropriate relationship.

[0051] The centering guide 32 is preferably formed so as to come into contact with the side wall 22 before the second plate 30 is pushed obliquely and the distance X becomes 50% smaller. In this case, the second plate 30 can be centered quickly, further improving operability. In a side view of the clamp 10 in the unlocked state, the distance between the lower end of the first slope surface 33 and the upper end of the side wall 22 is, for example, 10% to 80% of the distance X between the first convex portion 21 and the second convex portion 31, and preferably 20% to 50%.

[0052] Since the first slope surface 33 protrudes further toward the first plate 20 than the second slope surface 34, when an inappropriate locking operation is performed such as pushing the second plate 30 obliquely, the first slope surface 33 comes into contact with the side wall 22 preferentially. On the other hand, when the second plate 30 is strongly pressed toward the connecting portion 40, the second slope surface 34 formed on the tip side of the second plate 30 further than the first slope surface 33 comes into contact with the side wall 22, and the second plate 30 may be centered using the second slope surface 34.

[0053] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between the inclination angle θ1 of the first slope surface 33 and the force (pressing force of the second plate 30) required to lock the clamp 10. The pressing force was measured using a precision universal testing machine Autograph (AG Xplus, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation). In this experiment, the pressing force was measured five times for each of the inclination angles θ1 of 20° and 32° to obtain the average value. For the clamp with θ1=20°, the shape of the tip portion of the second convex portion 31 that contacts the medical tube 1 was hemispherical in side view, similar to the first convex portion 21. A flexible tube having a diameter equivalent to the interval X was used for the medical tube 1.

[0054] "Normal" in Figure 7 indicates a state in which the second plate 30 is locked by an appropriate operation of pushing the second plate 30 straight toward the first plate 20, and "Abnormal" indicates a state in which the second plate 30 is pushed obliquely so that the vicinity of the lower end of the first slope surface 33 comes into contact with the side wall 22, and then locked after centering the second plate 30.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 7, when an appropriate locking operation is performed, the first slope surface 33 of the second plate 30 does not contact the side wall 22 of the first plate 20, so there is no significant difference in the pressing force depending on the inclination angle θ1. In the clamp with θ=32°, the pressing force is about 5% smaller than that in the clamp with θ1=20°, but this difference is considered to be due to the shape of the tip portion of the second protrusion 31. In other words, by forming the tip portion of the second protrusion 31 into a substantially V-shape in side view, the force required for locking can be reduced and operability can be improved.

[0056] On the other hand, when an improper locking operation is performed by pressing the second plate 30 obliquely, the pressing force varies greatly depending on the inclination angle θ1. As shown in Fig. 7, the pressing force is significantly reduced in the clamp with θ=32° compared to the clamp with θ1=20°. That is, when an improper operation is performed, it is easier to center the second plate 30 and ensure a normal locking state in the clamp with θ=32° compared to the clamp with θ1=20°.

[0057] If the inclination angle θ1 of the first slope surface 33 is less than 10°, the pressing force required for locking increases significantly when an inappropriate locking operation is performed, making it difficult to center the second plate 30. If the inclination angle θ1 is 10° or more, centering of the second plate 30 is possible, but if the inclination angle θ1 is 25° or more, particularly 30° or more, the pressing force required for locking is specifically reduced, and operability is greatly improved.

[0058] 8 and 9 are diagrams showing modified examples of the first slope surface 33 of the centering guide 32. The first slope surface 33X shown in FIG. 8 is curved to be convex downward, so that the distance between the slope surface and the side wall is small, and centering is performed at an earlier stage when the plate is pushed obliquely. The first slope surface 33Y shown in FIG. 9 is different from the flat first slope surface 33 in that it is bent to be convex downward and has an angle change point. In this way, the width direction component force when abutting against the side wall is large, and the height direction length of the slope surface can be reduced. The first slope surfaces 33X and 33Y are convex surfaces that protrude downward from the imaginary line β connecting the upper end P1 and the lower end P2 of the slope surface in a cross section of the second plate 30 cut in the width direction perpendicular to the lower end of the slope surface. In this case, the angle between the imaginary line α parallel to the width direction of the second plate 30 and the imaginary line β is regarded as the inclination angle θ1.

[0059] The slope surface may be a concave surface curved or bent so as to be convex upward. In this case, the angle between the virtual line α and the virtual line β connecting the upper end P1 and the lower end P2 of the slope surface is regarded as the inclination angle θ. The slope surface may be a concave surface, but is preferably a flat surface or a convex surface. The first slope surface 33Y illustrated in FIG. 9 is composed of two planes S1 and S2 having different inclination angles with respect to the virtual line α, and each of the planes S1 and S2 is preferably inclined at an angle of 25° or more with respect to the virtual line α.

[0060] As described above, with clamp 10 having the above configuration, even if an improper locking operation is performed, second plate 30 can be centered in a normal position where medical tubing 1 can be reliably blocked, and a normal locked state can be easily ensured. Therefore, clamp 10 makes it possible to quickly and reliably block medical tubing 1. Furthermore, even if clamp 10 is attached to a medical tubing 1 with a large diameter, second plate 30 can be easily centered.

[0061] In particular, by providing a centering guide 32 including a slope surface with an inclination angle θ relative to the width direction of the second plate 30 of 25° to 45°, more preferably 30° to 45°, the force required to center the second plate 30 is significantly reduced, enabling smoother centering.

[0062] The above embodiment may be appropriately modified in design without impairing the object of the present invention. For example, the above embodiment illustrates the clamp 10 made of an integrally molded resin body, but the clamp may be manufactured by assembling a plurality of parts. Also, in the above embodiment, the first plate 20 has the side wall 22, and the second plate 30 has the sloped surfaces (the first sloped surface 33 and the second sloped surface 34), but the first plate may have the sloped surfaces, and the second plate may have the side walls. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1 medical tube, 10 medical tube clamp (clamp), 11 opening, 20 first plate, 21 first convex portion, 22 side wall, 27, 37 unevenness, 30 second plate, 31 second convex portion, 32 centering guide, 33 first slope surface, 34 second slope surface, 35 jam prevention piece, 36 tube guide, 38 reinforcing rib, 40 connecting portion, 41, 51 tube insertion hole, 50 locking portion, 52 claw

Claims

1. A clamp for compressing and occluding a flexible medical tube, comprising: a first plate having a first protrusion formed thereon; a second plate disposed opposite the first plate and having a second protrusion formed thereon that compresses the medical tube together with the first protrusion; a connecting portion that connects one end portion of the first and second plates in the longitudinal direction to each other and is elastically deformable so that the plates approach each other; a locking means formed to extend from the first plate toward the second plate and locking the other end of the second plate in the longitudinal direction to maintain the medical tube in a closed state; Equipped with The first plate is formed with a pair of side walls extending upright at both ends in the width direction, The second plate has steeply inclined surfaces that are inclined from both ends of the second plate in the width direction toward the center of the second plate in the width direction so as to approach the first plate. The steeply inclined surface is formed at a position where it contacts the pair of side walls when the second plate is shifted laterally relative to the first plate, an inclination angle θ with respect to the width direction of the second plate is 10° to 60°, and a vertical length of the steeply inclined surface is shorter than the vertical length of the pair of side walls and is 10% or more of the vertical length of the pair of side walls.

2. The medical tube clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the steeply inclined surface is formed in a substantially V-shape when viewed from one end side in the longitudinal direction of the second plate.

3. the second plate has a reinforcing rib in a portion surrounded by a centering guide including a surface facing the first plate, the second convex portion, and the steeply inclined surface, 3. The medical tube clamp according to claim 1, wherein a vertical length of the steeply inclined surface is shorter than a vertical length of the reinforcing rib.

4. The medical tube clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the steeply inclined surface is bent so as to be convex toward the first plate side, and the inclination angle θ changes at the bent portion.

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