Medical connector reinforcement device

Abstract

To enable reinforcement by a simple attachment operation without using an adhesive and requiring no high dimensional-accuracy when a medical connector including a three-way cock of a multiple string type is reinforced with another member.SOLUTION: A medical connector reinforcement tool 1 includes: a holding unit 20 that holds an axial one end of an outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical body part 101a of a three-way cock 101 arranged in one end in an arrangement direction; and a claw part 31 that can elastically deform and fits to an axial another end of the outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical body part 103a of a three-way cock 103 arranged in another end in the arrangement direction from a radial direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a medical connector reinforcing device that reinforces a medical connector consisting of a multiple-type three-way stopcock. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, during infusion therapy, a medical connector 100 consisting of a multiple-type three-way stopcock as shown in Fig. 17 may be used. This type of medical connector 100 is configured by connecting in series, for example, two or three three-way stopcocks (the figure includes a first three-way stopcock, a second three-way stopcock, and a third three-way stopcock) 101, 102, 103. Each of the three-way stopcocks 101, 102, 103 includes a cylindrical main body 101a, 102a, 103a extending in the vertical direction, a flow path switching valve 101b, 102b, 103b inserted into each cylindrical main body 101a, 102a, 103a, and a cock 101c, 102c, 103c for operating the valve 101b, 102b, 103b. In order to improve the strength of medical connector 100 when first three-way stopcock 101, second three-way stopcock 102, and third three-way stopcock 103 are connected, a reinforcing plate-shaped part may be adhered to medical connector 100.

[0003] Patent document 1 also discloses a fixing method in which, when each three-way stopcock has a constricted portion, multiple insertion portions are provided in a reinforcing plate-shaped part, and the constricted portion of the three-way stopcock is inserted into each insertion portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Republished Patent Publication WO2016 / 002182 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when adhesive is used to bond reinforcing plate-like parts, the use of adhesive complicates the installation process and management items, and also leads to increased costs for materials, management, and the like.

[0006] Furthermore, due to issues of chemical resistance and safety, it is recommended not to use polycarbonate (PC) for wetted parts. As an alternative to polycarbonate, for example, polypropylene (PP) is increasingly being used, but polypropylene is a poor adhesive material, and so there is a risk that the adhesive strength with the reinforcing plate-like parts will be low, which may in turn reduce the reinforcing effect of the medical connector 100.

[0007] Therefore, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the above-mentioned problems related to adhesion can be solved by adopting a fixing method in which the constricted portion of a three-way stopcock is inserted into the insertion portion of a reinforcing plate-like part, but the method of Patent Document 1 is applicable only to three-way stopcocks with constricted portions, and has a narrow range of application. Also, the constricted portion is thinner than the main body, and since force is concentrated on this narrow portion, it is disadvantageous in terms of strength, and further, when attaching the reinforcing plate-like part, force must be applied evenly to the multiple insertion portions, making it difficult to say that operability during attachment is good.

[0008] Furthermore, when attempting to fix the medical connector 100 to the reinforcing plate-like component of Patent Document 1, the first three-way stopcock 101, the second three-way stopcock 102, and the third three-way stopcock 103 must each be fixed in their respective predetermined positions, which requires high dimensional accuracy from the reinforcing plate-like component.

[0009] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of such points, and its purpose is to enable a medical connector consisting of a multiple-type three-way stopcock to be reinforced with a separate member through a simple installation operation without using adhesive or requiring high dimensional accuracy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present disclosure can be premised on a medical connector reinforcing device for reinforcing a medical connector in which a plurality of three-way stopcocks are connected in series in a predetermined arrangement direction. The medical connector reinforcing device includes a holding portion that holds one axial end of an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical main body that houses a valve body of one of the three-way stopcocks located at one end in the arrangement direction among the plurality of three-way stopcocks, an elastically deformable claw portion that radially fits onto the other axial end of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical main body that houses the valve body of one of the three-way stopcocks located at the other end in the arrangement direction among the plurality of three-way stopcocks, and a base portion that connects the holding portion and the claw portion.

[0011] According to this configuration, when attaching the medical connector reinforcement device to a medical connector, the retaining portion first holds one axial end of the outer circumferential surface of the tubular main body of the three-way stopcock located at one end in the arrangement direction. After the retaining portion is held by the retaining portion, the claw portion is fitted to the other axial end of the outer circumferential surface of the tubular main body of the three-way stopcock located at the other end in the arrangement direction. At this time, the claw portion is moved radially of the tubular main body, elastically deforming the claw portion so that it can be fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the tubular main body. This improves operability during installation, and eliminates the need for high dimensional accuracy, as some dimensional error is tolerated due to the elastic deformation of the claw portion. Furthermore, because the tubular main body is a part commonly found in three-way stopcocks, this medical connector reinforcement device is highly versatile. Furthermore, because the tubular main body houses the valve, it has a sufficiently large outer diameter, eliminating strength issues.

[0012] After mating, the claws firmly contact the outer circumferential surface of the tubular main body due to their elasticity, so the medical connector reinforcement device is firmly attached to the medical connector without rattle, eliminating the need for adhesive. Therefore, even if the three-way stopcock is made of a poorly adhesive material such as polypropylene, the strength of the attachment is sufficient. Furthermore, because the retaining portion holds one axial end and the claws hold the opposite axial end, the attached medical connector reinforcement device is less likely to come off the medical connector, ensuring a long-term reinforcing effect.

[0013] The holding portion according to the second aspect of the present disclosure has an annular shape extending along the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical main body of the three-way stopcock arranged at one end in the arrangement direction.

[0014] With this configuration, while the cylindrical main body of the three-way stopcock is first held by the holding portion, the medical connector reinforcement device can be rotated around the cylindrical main body as the rotation center. Therefore, with the holding portion positioned on the medical connector, the operation of moving the claw portion in the mating direction with the cylindrical main body can be easily performed. Note that the medical connector may also be rotated relative to the medical connector reinforcement device.

[0015] The holding portion according to the third aspect of the present disclosure holds the axial end of the tubular main body portion of the three-way stopcock arranged at one end in the arrangement direction more than the connected pipe portion protruding radially from the tubular main body portion.

[0016] That is, typically, a cylindrical main body of a three-way stopcock is provided with a connected tube portion that protrudes radially, and an infusion tube or the like is connected to this connected tube portion. The holding portion holds one axial end of the connected tube portion rather than the connected tube portion, so it does not get in the way of the infusion tube or the like. Moreover, the connected tube portion can prevent the holding portion from moving toward the other axial end of the cylindrical main body, thereby suppressing misalignment of the holding portion.

[0017] The claw portion relating to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure holds the other axial end of the tubular main body portion of the three-way stopcock arranged at the other end in the arrangement direction more than the connected pipe portion protruding radially from the tubular main body portion.

[0018] With this configuration, the claws fit closer to the other axial end than the connected pipe, so they do not get in the way of an infusion tube or the like that is connected to the connected pipe. Moreover, the connected pipe can prevent the claws from moving toward one axial end of the cylindrical main body, so misalignment of the claws can be suppressed.

[0019] The claw portion according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure is formed in an arc shape that surrounds at least half of the circumference of the cylindrical main body portion of the three-way stopcock that is arranged at the other end in the arrangement direction.

[0020] According to this configuration, the claw portion is shaped to surround a wide area of the cylindrical main body, so that the claw portion can be stably fitted to the cylindrical main body.

[0021] In a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, the base end of the claw portion is provided with a base plate portion integrally molded therewith. The tip end of the claw portion may be provided with a protruding portion that protrudes in a direction approaching the axis of the cylindrical main body portion of the three-way stopcock arranged at the other end in the arrangement direction.

[0022] In a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, a portion of the claw between the base end and the tip end may be formed to be spaced apart from the outer circumferential surface of the tubular main body of the three-way stopcock arranged at the other end in the arrangement direction, thereby enabling the protrusion to reliably contact the outer circumferential surface of the tubular main body, thereby preventing the claw from coming off the tubular main body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] As described above, the medical connector is provided with a holding portion that holds one axial end of the outer surface of the cylindrical main body portion of the three-way stopcock that is arranged at one end in the arrangement direction, and an elastically deformable claw portion that radially fits into the other axial end of the outer surface of the cylindrical main body portion of the three-way stopcock that is arranged at the other end in the arrangement direction.This makes it possible to reinforce the medical connector with a simple installation operation without using adhesive and without requiring high dimensional accuracy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a medical connector reinforcing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached to a medical connector. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a front view showing the medical connector reinforcing device attached to the medical connector. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a medical connector reinforcing device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a medical connector reinforcing device. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a front view of the medical connector reinforcing device. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part C in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part D in FIG. 6. [Figure 9] 10 is a perspective view showing the state immediately before the cylindrical main body of the three-way stopcock is held in the holding portion of the medical connector reinforcing instrument. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a view equivalent to FIG. 9 showing a state in which the cylindrical main body of the three-way stopcock is held by a holding part of the medical connector reinforcing instrument. [Figure 11] 10 is a view equivalent to FIG. 9 showing the medical connector in a rotated state. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a front view of the medical connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0026] (Embodiment 1) 1 and 2 show a state in which a medical connector reinforcing device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached to a medical connector 100. Before describing the medical connector reinforcing device 1, the structure of the medical connector 100 will be described. As also shown in FIG. 17, the medical connector 100 is configured as a multiple-type three-way stopcock in which first to third three-way stopcocks 101, 102, and 103 are connected in series in a predetermined arrangement direction. In this first embodiment, a case in which the medical connector 100 is configured with three three-way stopcocks 101, 102, and 103 will be described. However, this is not limited to this, and the medical connector 100 may be configured with two three-way stopcocks or four or more three-way stopcocks, and the number of three-way stopcocks is not particularly limited. The predetermined arrangement direction may be, for example, horizontal, vertical, or inclined relative to the horizontal or vertical direction. In this first embodiment, a case in which the first to third three-way stopcocks 101, 102, and 103 are arranged horizontally will be described. The first to third three-way stopcocks 101, 102, and 103 are arranged at the same height. Furthermore, one end and the other end of the medical connector reinforcing device 1 are defined as shown in each drawing, but this is for the sake of convenience of explanation only and does not limit the posture during use.

[0027] The first three-way stopcock 101 includes a cylindrical main body 101a, a flow path switching valve 101b inserted into the cylindrical main body 101a, and a cock 101c for operating the valve 101b. The cylindrical main body 101a has a cylindrical shape with an axis extending in the vertical direction and is made of a hard resin material such as polypropylene that is highly chemical-resistant and safe. Connectable pipes 101d, 101d are provided at the vertical middle of the cylindrical main body 101a, protruding radially from both sides of the cylindrical main body 101a. The connectable pipes 101d, 101d are molded integrally with the cylindrical main body 101a and are made of the same resin material as the cylindrical main body 101a. The connectable pipes 101d, 101d protrude in opposite directions. Furthermore, a port portion 101e into which a medicinal liquid or the like can be injected is provided in a portion of the cylindrical main body 101a between one of the connected pipe portions 101d and the other of the connected pipe portions 101d.

[0028] The upper end of the cylindrical main body 101a is open. A valve element 101b is inserted into this open portion and closes the open portion with the valve element 101b. The valve element 101b is rotatable relative to the axis of the cylindrical main body 101a. A cock 101c is fixed to the upper end of the valve element 101b. By using the cock 101c to rotate the valve element 101b, it is possible to connect one connected pipe portion 101d to the other connected pipe portion 101d, connect one connected pipe portion 101d to the port portion 101e, or block communication between one connected pipe portion 101d and the other connected pipe portion 101d.

[0029] The second three-way stopcock 102 and the third three-way stopcock 103 are configured in the same manner as the first three-way stopcock 101. That is, the second three-way stopcock 102 has a cylindrical main body 102a, a valve body 102b, a cock 102c, a connected tube portion 102d, and a port portion 102e. The third three-way stopcock 103 has a cylindrical main body 103a, a valve body 103b, a cock 103c, a connected tube portion 103d, and a port portion 103e.

[0030] The first three-way stopcock 101 is disposed at one end of the three three-way stopcocks 101, 102, and 103 in the arrangement direction. The third three-way stopcock 103 is disposed at the other end of the three three-way stopcocks 101, 102, and 103 in the arrangement direction. The second three-way stopcock 102 is disposed between the first three-way stopcock 101 and the third three-way stopcock 103. An infusion tube (not shown) or the like is connected to a connectable tube portion 101d located at one end of the first three-way stopcock 101 and a connectable tube portion 103d located at the other end of the third three-way stopcock 103. The connectable tube portion 101d located at the other end of the first three-way stopcock 101 and a connectable tube portion 102d located at one end of the second three-way stopcock 102 are connected to each other, allowing the flow of a medicinal solution or the like. In addition, the connected pipe portion 102d located on the other end side of the second three-way stopcock 102 and the connected pipe portion 103d located on one end side of the third three-way stopcock 103 are connected to each other, allowing the flow of medicinal liquids, etc.

[0031] In medical connector 100 configured as described above, three three-way stopcocks 101, 102, and 103 are connected via connected tube portions 101d, 102d, and 103d, and therefore there is a risk of significant deformation or damage to the connection portions when an external force is applied. In response to this, by attaching medical connector reinforcing device 1 to medical connector 100, deformation of medical connector 100 and damage to the connection portions are suppressed. Below, we will explain the structure of medical connector reinforcing device 1, which is used to reinforce medical connector 100 in which multiple three-way stopcocks 101-103 are connected in series in a predetermined arrangement direction.

[0032] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the medical connector reinforcing device 1 includes a base plate portion 10, a holding portion 20, an upper claw portion 31, and a lower claw portion 32. The base plate portion 10, the holding portion 20, the upper claw portion 31, and the lower claw portion 32 are integrally molded using a hard resin material such as polycarbonate, polyacetal, or polypropylene. The base plate portion 10 connects the holding portion 20 to the upper claw portion 31 and the lower claw portion 32. The base plate portion 10 includes a lower plate portion 11, a vertical plate portion 12, and an upper plate portion 13, which are integrally molded. The lower plate portion 11 extends horizontally along the arrangement direction of the three three-way stopcocks 101, 102, and 103. The vertical plate portion 12 extends upward from the rear edge of the lower plate portion 11 and, like the lower plate portion 11, extends along the arrangement direction of the three three-way stopcocks 101, 102, and 103. The upper plate portion 13 extends forward from the upper edge of the vertical plate portion 12 and extends parallel to the lower plate portion 11. By providing the upper plate portion 13 and the lower plate portion 11 on the vertical plate portion 12, the upper plate portion 13 and the lower plate portion 11 act like ribs, thereby increasing the rigidity of the base plate portion 10. The structure of the base plate portion 10 is not limited to the structure described above, and the base plate portion 10 may have a structure that includes only some of the plate portion 11, the vertical plate portion 12, and the upper plate portion 13.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 2, the lower plate 11 is disposed below the lower ends of the cylindrical main bodies 101a, 102a, and 103a. Meanwhile, the upper plate 13 is disposed at the same height as the upper ends of the cylindrical main bodies 101a, 102a, and 103a, i.e., between the connected pipes 101d, 102d, and 103d and the cocks 101c, 102c, and 103c. In this manner, the distance between the lower plate 11 and the upper plate 13 and the vertical dimension of the vertical plate 12 are set. Furthermore, the vertical plate 12 is disposed at the rear side of the cylindrical main bodies 101a, 102a, and 103a.

[0034] The base plate portion 10 is provided with a first locking portion 14, a second locking portion 15, a third locking portion 16, and a fourth locking portion 17. The first to fourth locking portions 14 to 17 are provided according to the number of three-way stopcocks 101 to 103, and if the number of three-way stopcocks 101 to 103 is small, the number of locking portions should be small, and if the number of three-way stopcocks 101 to 103 is large, the number of locking portions should be large.

[0035] First locking portion 14 is a portion that locks onto connected pipe portion 101d located on the other end side of first three-way stopcock 101, and includes first lower locking portion 14a and first upper locking portion 14b. First lower locking portion 14a is provided on lower plate portion 11 and has first lower protrusion 14c at its upper end. First upper locking portion 14b is provided on upper plate portion 13 and has first upper protrusion 14d at its lower end. The distance between first lower protrusion 14c and first upper protrusion 14d is set narrower than the outer diameter of connected pipe portion 101d. When engaging the connected pipe portion 101d, the connected pipe portion 101d is moved from the front side toward the back side, causing the connected pipe portion 101d to climb over the first lower protrusion 14c and the first upper protrusion 14d and move relatively further back than the protrusions 14c, 14d, and engage with the first engaging portion 14.

[0036] The second locking portion 15 is a portion that locks onto the connected pipe portion 102d located at one end of the second three-way stopcock 102, and includes a second lower locking portion 15a and a second upper locking portion 15b. The second lower locking portion 15a is provided on the lower plate portion 11 and has a second lower protrusion 15c at its upper end. The second upper locking portion 15b is provided on the upper plate portion 13 and has a second upper protrusion 15d at its lower end. The distance between the second lower protrusion 15c and the second upper protrusion 15d is set narrower than the outer diameter of the connected pipe portion 102d. The locking method is the same as that of the first locking portion 14.

[0037] The third locking portion 16 is a portion that locks onto the connected pipe portion 102d located at the other end of the second three-way stopcock 102, and includes a third lower locking portion 16a and a third upper locking portion 16b. The third lower locking portion 16a is provided on the lower plate portion 11 and has a third lower protrusion 16c at its upper end. The third upper locking portion 16b is provided on the upper plate portion 13 and has a third upper protrusion 16d at its lower end. The distance between the third lower protrusion 16c and the third upper protrusion 16d is set narrower than the outer diameter of the connected pipe portion 102d. The locking method is the same as that of the first locking portion 14.

[0038] The fourth locking portion 17 is a portion that locks onto the connected pipe portion 103d located at one end of the third three-way stopcock 103, and includes a fourth lower locking portion 17a and a fourth upper locking portion 17b. The fourth lower locking portion 17a is provided on the lower plate portion 11 and has a fourth lower protrusion 17c at its upper end. The fourth upper locking portion 17b is provided on the upper plate portion 13 and has a fourth upper protrusion 17d at its lower end. The distance between the fourth lower protrusion 17c and the fourth upper protrusion 17d is set narrower than the outer diameter of the connected pipe portion 103d. The locking method is the same as that of the first locking portion 14.

[0039] The holding portion 20 is a portion that holds the lower end (one axial end) of the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical main body portion 101a of the first three-way stopcock 101, which is arranged at one end in the arrangement direction among the multiple three-way stopcocks 101-103. The lower end of the cylindrical main body portion 101a is a portion lower than the base end of the connected tube portion 101d, and therefore the holding portion 20 holds the portion of the cylindrical main body portion 101a lower than the connected tube portion 101d. In the first embodiment, the holding portion 20 has an annular shape that extends along the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical main body portion 101a of the first three-way stopcock 101, and the upper and lower ends of the holding portion 20 are both open. The lower end of the holding portion 20 may be closed.

[0040] That is, the lower end of the cylindrical main body 101a has a circular cross section centered on the axis of the cylindrical main body 101a. The shape of the holding portion 20 is set so that when attached to the medical connector 100, i.e., when the holding portion 20 holds the lower end of the cylindrical main body 101a, it has a circular shape centered on the axis of the cylindrical main body 101a. As a result, when the lower end of the cylindrical main body 101a is inserted into the holding portion 20 from above, the holding portion 20 can securely hold the lower end of the cylindrical main body 101a, preventing horizontal movement of the cylindrical main body 101a relative to the holding portion 20. When the lower end of the cylindrical main body 101a is inserted into the holding portion 20, the holding portion 20 can be rotated relative to the cylindrical main body 101a about the axis of the cylindrical main body 101a. In other words, after the tubular main body portion 101a is held by the holding portion 20, the medical connector 100 can be rotated relative to the medical connector reinforcing device 1, or conversely, the medical connector reinforcing device 1 can be rotated relative to the medical connector 100.

[0041] Furthermore, the holding portion 20 is integrated with one end side of the lower plate portion 11 and one end side of the vertical plate portion 12, and is connected to one end side of the lower plate portion 11 and one end side of the vertical plate portion 12. This improves the strength of the holding portion 20. Furthermore, since the first lower locking portion 14a is integrated with the holding portion 20, the strength of the first lower locking portion 14a and the strength of the holding portion 20 can be improved.

[0042] The upper claw 31 is a portion that radially fits onto the upper end (the other axial end) of the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical main body 103a of the third three-way stopcock 103, which is located at the other end in the arrangement direction among the multiple three-way stopcocks 101-103, and is elastically deformable due to the elasticity of the resin material. The upper end of the cylindrical main body 103a is a portion above the base end of the connected tube portion 103d, and the upper claw 31 fits into a portion of the cylindrical main body 103a above the connected tube portion 103d. As shown in FIG. 5, the upper claw 31 and the holding portion 20 are arranged with a gap between them in the vertical direction. The upper claw 31 is formed in an arc shape that surrounds more than half of the circumference of the cylindrical main body 103a of the third three-way stopcock 103.

[0043] The lower claw 32 is a portion that radially fits onto the lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical main body 103a of the third three-way stopcock 103, and is elastically deformable due to the elasticity of the resin material. The lower end of the cylindrical main body 103a is lower than the base end of the connected pipe 103d, and the lower claw 32 fits into a portion of the cylindrical main body 103a that is lower than the connected pipe 103d. As shown in FIG. 5, the lower claw 32 and the upper claw 31 are spaced apart in the vertical direction. The lower claw 32 and the holding portion 20 are located at the same height. The lower claw 32 is formed in an arc shape that surrounds more than half of the cylindrical main body 103a of the third three-way stopcock 103 in the circumferential direction.

[0044] Because the upper claw 31 and the lower claw 32 have the same structure and shape, the structure of the lower claw 32 will be specifically described below with reference to Figures 7 and 8. The symbol E in Figure 7 virtually indicates the axial center of the cylindrical main body 103a of the third three-way stopcock 103. The axial centers of all of the cylindrical main bodies 101a, 102a, and 103a are parallel to one another. A first imaginary line that passes through the axial center E of the cylindrical main body 103a of the third three-way stopcock 103 and is parallel to the arrangement direction of the three three-way stopcocks 101, 102, and 103 is indicated by symbol F. A second imaginary line that passes through the axial center E and intersects with the first imaginary line F is indicated by symbol H. In this case, the intersection angle between the first imaginary line F and the second imaginary line H is indicated by symbol α.

[0045] The lower claw 32 is curved in an arc or a shape approximating an arc as a whole, with a circumferentially open portion that allows the cylindrical main body 103a of the third three-way stopcock 103 to fit through the open portion. The base end 32a of the lower claw 32 is integrally molded with the vertical plate 12 and the upper plate 13 of the base plate 10. When the tip of the lower claw 32 (the portion where the protrusion 32b, described later, is formed) is positioned on the second imaginary line H, the circumferential position of the tip is set so that the crossing angle α is in the range of 30° to 80°. In other words, the circumferential length of the lower claw 32 is set so that the crossing angle α is in the range of 30° to 80°. The crossing angle α may be, for example, in the range of 45° to 70°. The smaller the crossing angle α, the less force is required to fit the cylindrical main body 103a, but the more easily the cylindrical main body 103a will come off the lower claw 32 when an external force is applied after the cylindrical main body 103a is fitted. On the other hand, the larger the crossing angle α, the more difficult it is for the cylindrical main body 103a to come off the lower claw 32 after the cylindrical main body 103a is fitted, but the greater the force required to fit the cylindrical main body 103a. As in the first embodiment, by setting the circumferential position of the tip end so that the crossing angle α is in the range of 30° to 80°, the force required to fit the cylindrical main body 103a is prevented from becoming too large, and the cylindrical main body 103a will be less likely to come off the lower claw 32 after the cylindrical main body 103a is fitted. Once the cylindrical main body 103a is fitted, it does not need to be detached from the lower claw 32, but it may be configured to be detachable.

[0046] The tip of the lower claw 32 is provided with a protrusion 32b that protrudes toward the axis E of the cylindrical main body 103a of the third three-way stopcock 103. The tip of the protrusion 32b is the portion that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical main body 103a and is configured as an inclined surface, an arcuate surface, or the like. The portion between the base end 32a of the lower claw 32 and the portion of the lower claw 32 where the protrusion 32b is formed (the tip) is an intermediate portion 32c that is arc-shaped or shaped approximately like an arc. This intermediate portion 32c is formed so as to be spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical main body 103a of the third three-way stopcock 103. In other words, when in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical main body 103a, a gap is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the intermediate portion 32c and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical main body 103a. As a result, the base end 32a and the protruding portion 32b of the lower claw portion 32 come into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical main body portion 103a, and the cylindrical main body portion 103a is sandwiched between two points spaced apart in the circumferential direction. As shown in Figure 4, the upper claw portion 31 has the same configuration as the lower claw portion 32, and therefore has a base end 31a, a protruding portion 31b, and a middle portion 31c.

[0047] (Method of installing a medical connector reinforcement device) Next, an example of a method for attaching the medical connector reinforcement device 1 to the medical connector 100 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 9 , the holding portion 20 of the medical connector reinforcement device 1 is positioned below the first three-way stopcock 101 of the medical connector 100. Then, as shown in FIG. 9 , the medical connector 100 is moved downward or upward as indicated by arrow A in FIG. 9 , and the lower end of the tubular main body 101 a of the first three-way stopcock 101 is inserted into the holding portion 20 of the medical connector reinforcement device 1 as shown in FIG. 10 . As a result, the lower end of the tubular main body 101 a is temporarily held by the holding portion 20, restricting relative movement in the horizontal direction. However, relative rotation about the axis E between the two is possible, so that the medical connector 100 can be rotated in the direction in which the third three-way stopcock 103 approaches the claws 31 and 32 as indicated by arrow B in FIG. 10 . Then, the medical connector 100 is further rotated as shown in FIG. 11 .

[0048] As a result, the cylindrical main body 103a of the third three-way stopcock 103 abuts against the vicinity of the tips of the upper claw 31 and the lower claw 32. When the medical connector 100 is further rotated and the cylindrical main body 103a is pressed from the outside against the vicinity of the tips of the upper claw 31 and the lower claw 32, the pressing force acts on the vicinity of the tips of the upper claw 31 and the lower claw 32, causing an external force to expand the upper claw 31 and the lower claw 32. As a result, the middle portions 31c, 32c of the upper claw 31 and the lower claw 32 mainly elastically deform, and the cylindrical main body 103a moves over the vicinity of the tips of the upper claw 31 and the lower claw 32. After the cylindrical main body 103a moves over the vicinity of the tips of the upper claw 31 and the lower claw 32, the shapes of the upper claw 31 and the lower claw 32 are restored. As a result, the upper claw portion 31 and the lower claw portion 32 are fitted radially onto the upper end and lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical main body portion 103a, respectively. When attaching, the medical connector reinforcing instrument 1 may be rotated.

[0049] Furthermore, substantially simultaneously with the engagement of the upper claw portion 31 and the lower claw portion 32, the first locking portion 14 locks onto the connectable pipe portion 101d located on the other end side of the first three-way stopcock 101, the second locking portion 15 locks onto the connectable pipe portion 102d located on one end side of the second three-way stopcock 102, the third locking portion 16 locks onto the connectable pipe portion 102d located on the other end side of the second three-way stopcock 102, and the fourth locking portion 17 locks onto the connectable pipe portion 103d located on one end side of the third three-way stopcock 103. In this way, the medical connector 100, including its intermediate portion, is reinforced by the medical connector reinforcing device 1.

[0050] (Effects of the embodiment) As described above, according to the first embodiment, when attaching the medical connector reinforcement device 1 to the medical connector 100, the upper claw portion 31 and the lower claw portion 32 can be fitted to the upper and lower ends of the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical main body portion 101a of the third three-way stopcock 103 simply by holding the lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical main body portion 101a of the first three-way stopcock 101 with the holding portion 20 and then rotating it. Therefore, the medical connector reinforcement device 1 is easy to attach, and since some dimensional error is allowed due to elastic deformation of the upper claw portion 31 and the lower claw portion 32, high dimensional accuracy of the medical connector reinforcement device 1 is not required. Therefore, the medical connector reinforcement device 1 can be manufactured inexpensively.

[0051] Moreover, because cylindrical main bodies 101a and 103a are parts that are provided on a typical three-way stopcock, the versatility of medical connector reinforcing device 1 is high. Furthermore, because cylindrical main bodies 101a and 103a are parts that house valve bodies 101b and 103b, respectively, they have sufficiently large outer diameters, so there are no strength problems even when cylindrical main body 101a is held or fitted to cylindrical main body 103a.

[0052] After mating, the upper claw portion 31 and the lower claw portion 32 strongly contact the outer peripheral surface of the tubular main body portion 103a due to their elasticity, so that the medical connector reinforcement device 1 is firmly attached to the medical connector 100 without rattle, and no adhesive is required for fixation. Therefore, even if the first to third three-way stopcocks 101 to 103 are made of a poorly adhesive material such as polypropylene, the fixing strength is sufficient. Moreover, because the holding portion 20 holds the lower end of the tubular main body portion 101a and the upper claw portion 31 holds the upper end of the tubular main body portion 103a, which are opposite ends to each other, the attached medical connector reinforcement device 1 is unlikely to come off the medical connector 100, and the reinforcing effect can be continuously obtained over a long period of time.

[0053] (Embodiment 2) 12 to 14 show a medical connector reinforcing device 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment is applicable when the medical connector is composed of two three-way stopcocks (not shown). Hereinafter, the same parts as those in the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals and their explanation will be omitted, and only the different parts will be explained in detail.

[0054] Because the medical connector is composed of two three-way stopcocks, the length of the medical connector is short. Correspondingly, the length of the medical connector reinforcing device 1 is also short. In addition, because the number of three-way stopcocks is small, the second locking portion 15 and the third locking portion 16 of the first embodiment are omitted.

[0055] In the case of this embodiment 2, one of the three-way stopcocks of the medical connector can be held by the holding portion 20, and the upper claw portion 31 and the lower claw portion 32 can be fitted to the other three-way stopcock, thereby achieving the same effects as in embodiment 1.

[0056] (Embodiment 3) 15 shows a medical connector reinforcing device 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this third embodiment, the upper plate portion, lower plate portion, locking portion, and lower claw portion are omitted. Hereinafter, the same parts as those in the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals and their explanation will be omitted, and different parts will be explained in detail.

[0057] By omitting the upper and lower plate portions, the structure of the base plate portion 10 can be simplified. The rigidity of the base plate portion 10 can be sufficiently increased by the thickness of the base plate portion 10, etc. Since sufficient mating force can be obtained by mating the upper claw portion 31 with the cylindrical main body portion 103a of the third three-way stopcock 103, in this case the lower claw portion is not necessary. Furthermore, even without the locking portion, the reinforcing effect of the medical connector can be sufficiently obtained by fixing the three-way stopcocks at both ends in the arrangement direction to the medical connector reinforcing device 1. Therefore, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be achieved.

[0058] (Embodiment 4) 16 shows a medical connector reinforcing device 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this fourth embodiment, as in the third embodiment, the upper plate portion, lower plate portion, locking portion, and lower claw portion are omitted, and the fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the holding portion 200 is formed in an arc shape. In the following, the same parts as in the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals and their explanation will be omitted, and the different parts will be described in detail.

[0059] The holding portion 200 has a shape in which a portion of the holding portion 20 of the first embodiment is cut out in the circumferential direction. Specifically, the holding portion 200 is formed to cover a range of more than 180° in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical main body 101a of the first three-way stopcock 101, and in this example, the circumferential length of the holding portion 200 is set so as to cover a range of 270° or more in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical main body 101a. In this fourth embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be achieved.

[0060] The above-described embodiment is merely illustrative in all respects and should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, all modifications and variations within the scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention. For example, the fitting direction of the upper claw portion 31 or the lower claw portion 32 may be vertical, in which case they may be fitted to the connected pipe portion 103d from above or below. [Industrial Applicability]

[0061] As described above, the medical connector reinforcing device according to the present invention can be used to reinforce a medical connector made up of, for example, a multiple-type three-way stopcock. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1 Medical connector reinforcement device 10 Circuit board 20 Holding part 31 Upper claw part 31a Proximal end 31b Protrusion 32 Lower claw part 32a Proximal end 32b Protrusion 100 Medical Connectors 101 First three-way stopcock (three-way stopcock located at one end) 101a cylindrical main body 101b Valve body 101d Connected pipe section 103 Third three-way stopcock (three-way stopcock located at the other end) 103a cylindrical main body 103b Valve body 103d Connected pipe section

Claims

1. A medical connector reinforcing device for reinforcing a medical connector in which a plurality of three-way stopcocks are connected in series in a predetermined arrangement direction, a holding portion for holding one axial end portion of an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical main body portion that houses a valve body of one of the three-way stopcocks arranged at one end portion in the arrangement direction among the plurality of three-way stopcocks; an elastically deformable claw portion that radially fits into the other axial end of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical main body portion that houses the valve body of the three-way stopcock that is arranged at the other end in the arrangement direction among the plurality of three-way stopcocks; A medical connector reinforcing device comprising a base portion that connects the holding portion and the claw portion.

2. The medical connector reinforcing device according to claim 1, The holding portion is an annular member extending along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical main body of the three-way stopcock arranged at one end in the arrangement direction.

3. The medical connector reinforcing device according to claim 1 or 2, The holding portion is a medical connector reinforcement device that holds the axial end of a tubular main body portion of a three-way stopcock arranged at one end in the arrangement direction, more than the connected tube portion that protrudes radially from the tubular main body portion.

4. The medical connector reinforcing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The claw portion is a medical connector reinforcement device that holds the other axial end of the tubular main body portion of the three-way stopcock arranged at the other end in the arrangement direction, more than the connected pipe portion that protrudes radially from the tubular main body portion.

5. The medical connector reinforcing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The claw portion is formed in an arc shape that surrounds more than half of the circumference of the cylindrical main body portion of the three-way stopcock located at the other end in the arrangement direction.

6. The medical connector reinforcing device according to claim 5, The base portion is integrally formed with a base end of the claw portion, The medical connector reinforcing device has a protrusion at the tip of the claw portion that protrudes in a direction approaching the axis of the cylindrical main body portion of the three-way stopcock located at the other end in the arrangement direction.

7. The medical connector reinforcing device according to claim 6, A medical connector reinforcement device in which the portion between the base end and the tip end of the claw portion is formed so as to be spaced apart from the outer surface of the tubular main body portion of the three-way stopcock located at the other end in the arrangement direction.

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