Male connector

Abstract

This male connector is connectable to a female connector having an elastic valve body. The male connector comprises: a flow path pipe member having an opening; a housing; an elastic opening / closing part; a moving body having a moving body restriction part and holding the elastic opening / closing part; and a biasing part composed of all portions capable of biasing the elastic opening / closing part toward the tip side in the axial direction. The form of the male connector changes from a first form, in which the opening is closed, to a second form, in which the opening is opened by a connection operation in which the elastic valve body is pressed against a tip surface of the elastic opening / closing part against a biasing force exerted by the biasing part whereby the elastic opening / closing part and the moving body are moved. The moving body restriction part moves radially inward through the connection operation to restrict the movement of the female connector, and releases the restriction by a release operation causing the form to change from the second form to the first form. The biasing force is maximized before the end of the connection operation after the start of the connection operation.

Description

male connector

[0001] The present disclosure relates to male connectors.

[0002] A male connector connectable to a female connector having an elastic valve body includes a flow path pipe member having an opening at a portion toward the axial tip end, a housing connected to the flow path pipe member, an elastic opening / closing section, a movable body having a movable body regulating section and holding the elastic opening / closing section, and a bellows-shaped biasing section that can bias the elastic opening / closing section toward the axial tip end, and the male connector changes its configuration from a first configuration in which the opening of the flow path pipe member is closed by the elastic opening / closing section in an initial position through a connecting operation in which the elastic valve body is pressed against the tip surface of the elastic opening / closing section against the biasing force of the biasing section, and the elastic opening / closing section and the movable body move toward the axial base end relative to the flow path pipe member, to a second configuration in which the connecting operation is completed and the axial tip end portion of the flow path pipe member protrudes toward the axial tip end from the elastic opening / closing section, thereby opening the opening of the flow path pipe member, and the movable body restricting section receives resistance from the housing during the connecting operation and moves radially inward, thereby restricting movement of the female connector toward the axial tip end relative to the elastic opening / closing section, and a release operation that changes the configuration from the second configuration to the first configuration by moving radially outward, thereby releasing the restriction on movement of the female connector (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] International Publication No. 2022 / 149339

[0004] In the male connector described above, the biasing force of the bellows-shaped biasing portion increases with the connection operation and reaches a maximum at the end, so a large operating force is required to perform the connection operation to achieve the second configuration.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a male connector that can be connected with a small operating force.

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is as follows.

[0007] [1] A male connector connectable to a female connector having an elastic valve body, comprising: a flow path pipe member defining an axial direction and a radial direction and having an opening at a portion on the axial tip side; a housing connected to the flow path pipe member; an elastic open-close section; a movable body having a movable body regulating section and holding the elastic open-close section; and a biasing section consisting of all portions capable of biasing the elastic open-close section toward the axial tip side, wherein the state changes from a first state in which the opening of the flow path pipe member is closed by the elastic open-close section in an initial position to a second state in which the connection operation is completed and the axial tip side portion of the flow path pipe member protrudes from the elastic open-close section toward the axial tip side by a connecting operation in which the elastic valve body is pressed against a tip surface of the elastic open-close section against the biasing force of the biasing section, thereby moving the elastic open-close section and the movable body toward the axial base end side relative to the flow path pipe member, The movable body regulating portion moves radially inward due to resistance from the housing during the connecting operation, thereby regulating the movement of the female connector toward the axial tip side relative to the elastic opening and closing portion, and moves radially outward due to a release operation that changes the form from the second form to the first form, thereby releasing the restriction on the movement of the female connector, and the spring force becomes maximum after the start of the connecting operation and before the end of the connecting operation.

[0008] [2] The male connector according to [1], wherein the axial tip end portion of the flow path pipe member has a tapered surface whose outer circumferential surface narrows toward the axial tip end, and in the first form, the elastic opening / closing portion contacts the tapered surface, and the biasing portion is constituted by the tapered surface.

[0009] [3] The male connector according to [2], wherein the tapered surface of the flow path pipe member extends across the opening in the axial direction.

[0010] [4] A male connector according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the movable body regulating portion has a receiving surface that receives a resistance force from the housing toward the axial tip side by being pressed radially outward against the housing by a restoring force from elastic deformation of the movable body regulating portion, and the biasing portion is constituted by the receiving surface.

[0011] [5] A male connector described in any one of [1] to [4], wherein the movable body restricting portion restricts movement of the female connector toward the axial tip side relative to the elastic opening and closing portion by hooking onto the female connector.

[0012] [6] A male connector according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the housing has a housing regulating portion that regulates movement of the female connector toward the axial tip side relative to the elastic opening and closing portion when the housing changes shape from the first shape to the second shape.

[0013] [7] The male connector according to [6], wherein the housing restricting portion restricts movement of the female connector toward the axial tip side relative to the elastic opening and closing portion by being hooked onto the female connector.

[0014] [8] The male connector according to any one of [1] to [7], configured as a medical device.

[0015] [9] A connection structure having the male connector according to any one of [1] to [8] and the female connector.

[0016]

[10] The connection structure according to [9], wherein the male connector and the female connector are each configured as a medical device.

[0017] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a male connector that can be connected with a small operating force.

[0018] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before connection in a connection structure of a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of FIG. 1 at an angle different by 90°. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a state when the connection operation has further progressed from the state of FIG. 3, which is a cross-sectional view showing a state when the connection operation has started from the state of FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a state when the connection operation has further progressed and ended from the state of FIG. 4. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of FIG. 5 at an angle different by 90°. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a male connector of a second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a male connector of a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 , a male connector 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is a male connector 1 connectable to a female connector 2 having an elastic valve body 2 a, and includes a flow path pipe member 3 that defines axial and radial directions and has an opening 3 a in an axially distal portion thereof, a housing 4 connected to the flow path pipe member 3, an elastic open-close portion 5, a movable body 6 that has a movable body restricting portion 6 a and holds the elastic open-close portion 5, and a biasing portion 7 made up of all portions that can bias the elastic open-close portion 5 toward the axial distal end (i.e., can generate a biasing force that can move the elastic open-close portion 5 toward the axial distal end), and the opening 3 a of the flow path pipe member 3 is closed by the elastic open-close portion 5 in an initial position (see FIGS. 1 and 2 ), and the elastic valve body 2 a is pressed against the distal end surface of the elastic open-close portion 5 against the biasing force of the biasing portion 7. The connecting operation is performed in which the elastic opening / closing section 5 and the movable body 6 move axially toward the base end relative to the flow path pipe member 3, and the connecting operation is completed. The axial tip end portion of the flow path pipe member 3 protrudes axially toward the tip end from the elastic opening / closing section 5, thereby changing the form to a second form (see Figures 5-6) in which the opening 3a of the flow path pipe member 3 is opened. The movable body regulating section 6a receives resistance from the housing 4 during the connecting operation and moves radially inward, thereby restricting the movement of the female connector 2 toward the axial tip end relative to the elastic opening / closing section 5 (see Figure 4). The releasing operation, which changes the form from the second form to the first form, causes the movable body regulating section 6a to move radially outward, thereby releasing the restriction on the movement of the female connector 2, and the biasing force becomes maximum after the start of the connecting operation and before the end of the connecting operation.

[0021] According to the above configuration, from a first configuration in which the flow path inside the male connector 1 (male connector flow path C1) is closed by the elastic opening-closing portion 5 and the flow path inside the female connector 2 (female connector flow path C2) is closed by the elastic valve body 2a, a connecting operation causes the elastic valve body 2a to tightly contact the elastic opening-closing portion 5 by the resistance of the biasing portion 7, and by maintaining this tight contact, the second configuration is established, thereby communicating the male connector flow path C1 and the female connector flow path C2 through the opening 3a of the flow path pipe member 3 and allowing fluid to flow. Furthermore, during a release operation, as the female connector 2 moves toward the axial tip, the elastic opening-closing portion 5 is moved toward the axial tip via the moving body restricting portion 6a, and then, after the transition from a moving body restricted state (see FIGS. 4 and 5 ) in which the moving body restricting portion 6a restricts movement of the female connector 2 to a moving body released state (see FIGS. 1 and 3 ) in which the moving body restricting portion 6a releases the restriction on movement of the female connector 2, the biasing portion 7 can return the elastic opening-closing portion 5 to its initial position. For this reason, unlike the conventional configuration with a bellows-shaped spring as described in Patent Document 1, for example, where a biasing force is constantly applied from an elastic member to the elastic opening-closing part 5 to return it to its initial position during the release operation, the biasing part 7, which is made up of all parts capable of biasing the elastic opening-closing part 5 toward the axial tip, can be configured to exert a maximum biasing force after the start of the connection operation and before the end of the connection operation, thereby avoiding the need for a large operating force just before the end of the connection operation as in the conventional configuration. This makes it possible to realize a male connector 1 that can be connected with a small operating force.

[0022] The axial tip end portion of the flow path pipe member 3 has a tapered surface 3b whose outer peripheral surface narrows toward the axial tip end, and in the first configuration, the elastic open-close portion 5 contacts the tapered surface 3b, and the biasing portion 7 is formed by the tapered surface 3b. According to the above configuration, during a connecting operation, a resistance force is generated by the biasing force of the biasing portion 7, which is in contact with the elastic open-close portion 5, toward the axial tip end of the elastic open-close portion 5. Furthermore, during a releasing operation, the biasing force from the tapered surface 3b of the biasing portion 7 can return the elastic open-close portion 5 to the position in the first configuration. When the tip end surface of the elastic open-close portion 5 is located axially closer to the base end of the tapered surface 3b, the tapered surface 3b can bias the elastic open-close portion 5 toward the axial tip end by a restoring force from elastic deformation directed toward the tapered surface 3b. Furthermore, when the tip surface of the elastic opening-closing part 5 is located closer to the axial base end than the tapered surface 3 b, no biasing force is generated by the tapered surface 3 b. In this embodiment, the portion of the outer circumferential surface of the flow path pipe member 3 that is closer to the axial base end than the tapered surface 3 b and on which the elastic opening-closing part 5 can slide has a constant diameter in the axial direction, but this is not limited to this.

[0023] In this embodiment, the base end of the tapered surface 3b is located axially closer to the tip end than the base end of the opening 3a, but this is not limiting, and the tapered surface 3b of the flow path pipe member 3 may be configured to extend across the opening 3a in the axial direction, as in the second embodiment shown in Fig. 7. According to the above configuration, even when the tip surface of the elastic open-close part 5 is located axially closer to the base end than the base end of the opening 3a, the biasing force of the tapered surface 3b can be obtained, making it easier to obtain a good resistance force during the connecting operation and a good biasing force for returning to the first configuration during the releasing operation.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 8 , in a third embodiment, the movable body restricting portion 6a may have a receiving surface 6a1 that receives a resistance force from the housing 4 toward the axial tip end side when the movable body restricting portion 6a comes into contact with the housing 4 and is pressed radially outward against the housing 4 by a restoring force resulting from elastic deformation of the movable body restricting portion 6a in the first configuration, and the biasing portion 7 may be configured with the receiving surface 6a1. According to the above configuration, during a connecting operation, a resistance force can be generated by the biasing force from the receiving surface 6a1 in contact with the housing 4 toward the axial tip end side of the elastic opening-closing portion 5 via the movable body restricting portion 6a. Furthermore, during a releasing operation, the biasing force from the receiving surface 6a1 of the biasing portion 7 via the movable body restricting portion 6a can return the elastic opening-closing portion 5 to the position in the first configuration. In the third embodiment, the movable body restricting portion 6a has a bent portion 6a2 that bends radially inward toward the axial base end side, and the receiving surface 6a1 extends from the bent portion 6a2 toward the axial base end side and radially inward. When the state of the movable body 6 changes between the movable body restricted state and the movable body released state, the receiving surface 6a1 can bias the elastic opening / closing part 5 toward the axial tip side by a restoring force acting radially outward from the elastic deformation of the movable body restricting part 6a. Furthermore, when the state of the movable body 6 does not change between the movable body restricted state and the movable body released state, the receiving surface 6a1 does not generate a biasing force.

[0025] The moving body restricting portion 6a hooks onto the female connector 2, thereby restricting movement of the female connector 2 toward the axial tip side relative to the elastic open-close portion 5. That is, the moving body restricting portion 6a has a moving body hooking portion 6a3 that hooks onto the moving body hooked portion 2b1 of the female connector 2. The moving body restricting portion 6a can be released from its hooking onto the female connector 2 by swinging radially outward as it recovers from elastic deformation. The moving body restricting portion 6a has an arm portion 6a4 that extends radially outward and toward the axial tip side, and a protrusion 6a5 that protrudes radially inward from the end of the arm portion 6a4 on the axial tip side and constitutes the moving body hooking portion 6a3. As in the third embodiment, the arm portion 6a4 may be configured to have a receiving surface 6a1 and a bent portion 6a2.

[0026] The movable body 6 has, for example, a cylindrical movable body base 6c that connects the retaining portion 6b and the base of the movable body regulating portion 6a, which is located axially closer to the base end than the retaining portion 6b. The retaining portion 6b, the movable body regulating portion 6a, and the movable body base 6c form an integrated movable body 6. The movable body 6 has a first movable body regulating portion 6a and a second movable body regulating portion 6a, and the retaining portion 6b is located between the first movable body regulating portion 6a and the second movable body regulating portion 6a, or the first movable body regulating portion 6a and the second movable body regulating portion 6a are arranged to face each other (shifted by 180°).

[0027] The elastic opening-closing part 5 has a slit 5a through which the flow path pipe member 3 passes when the elastic opening-closing part 5 changes from the first configuration to the second configuration. The elastic opening-closing part 5 is made of, for example, rubber or elastomer. The movable body 6, the flow path pipe member 3, and the housing 4 are made of, for example, resin.

[0028] The housing 4 has a housing restricting portion 4a that restricts movement of the female connector 2 toward the axial tip side relative to the elastic opening and closing portion 5 by changing its configuration from the first configuration to the second configuration.

[0029] The housing restricting portion 4a hooks onto the female connector 2, thereby restricting movement of the female connector 2 toward the axial tip side relative to the elastic open-close portion 5. That is, the housing restricting portion 4a has a housing hooking portion 4a1 that hooks onto the housing hooked portion 2b2 of the female connector 2. The housing restricting portion 4a hooks onto the female connector 2 by swinging. The housing restricting portion 4a hooks onto the female connector 2 by swinging radially inward of the flow path pipe member 3 as it recovers from elastic deformation.

[0030] The housing 4 has a housing base 4b that is connected to the flow path pipe member 3 and forms a hollow portion S in which the flow path pipe member 3 is located, a housing restriction portion 4a that has a housing hook portion 4a1 on its axial tip end and is connected to the housing base 4b on its axial base end side so as to be swingable, and an operation portion 4c that extends from the housing restriction portion 4a to the axial base end side. When the operation portion 4c is operated radially inward, the housing restriction portion 4a swings radially outward of the flow path pipe member 3 due to elastic deformation, thereby releasing the hooking of the housing hooked portion 2b2.

[0031] The housing 4 has a first housing regulating portion 4a, a first operating portion 4c extending from the first housing regulating portion 4a toward the base end in the axial direction, a second housing regulating portion 4a, and a second operating portion 4c extending from the second housing regulating portion 4a toward the base end in the axial direction, and the flow path pipe member 3 is positioned between the first housing regulating portion 4a and the second housing regulating portion 4a, or the first housing regulating portion 4a and the second housing regulating portion 4a are arranged to face each other (shifted by 180°).

[0032] The flow path pipe member 3 and the base portion of the housing base 4b form an integral member. The housing restricting portion 4a, the portion of the housing base 4b other than the base portion, and the operating portion 4c form an integral member.

[0033] In this embodiment, the connection structure 8 has a male connector 1 and a female connector 2 .

[0034] The female connector 2 has an elastic valve body 2a and a housing member 2b, and the housing member 2b forms a female connector flow path C2 and a connection port P that is connected to the female connector flow path C2 and in which the elastic valve body 2a is disposed. The housing member 2b also has a movable body hook portion 2b1 and a housing hook portion 2b2.

[0035] The elastic valve body 2a has a top surface 2a1 that is pressed against the tip surface of the elastic opening-closing part 5 by the connecting operation, and a slit 2a2 through which the flow path pipe member 3 passes from the top surface 2a1 when the configuration changes from the first configuration to the second configuration. The elastic valve body 2a is made of, for example, rubber or elastomer.

[0036] The male connector 1 and the female connector 2 are each configured as a medical device. The male connector 1 and the female connector 2 can form, for example, an infusion set. The infusion set includes, for example, the male connector 1, the female connector 2, an infusion container, a drip tube, and a medical tube. The fluid is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a medicinal solution (infusion solution, nutrient, anticancer drug, etc.), physiological saline, etc.

[0037] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the above-described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0038] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Male connector 2 Female connector 2a Elastic valve body 2a1 Top surface 2a2 Slit 2b Housing member 2b1 Moving body hooked portion 2b2 Housing hooked portion 3 Flow path pipe member 3a Opening 3b Tapered surface 4 Housing 4a Housing regulating portion 4a1 Housing hooking portion 4b Housing base 4c Operating portion 5 Elastic opening / closing portion 5a Slit 6 Moving body 6a Moving body regulating portion 6a1 Receiving surface 6a2 Bent portion 6a3 Moving body hooking portion 6a4 Arm portion 6a5 Protrusion 6b Holding portion 6c Moving body base 7 Urging portion 8 Connection structure C1 Male connector flow path C2 Female connector flow path S Hollow portion P Connection port

Claims

1. A male connector connectable to a female connector having an elastic valve body, comprising: a flow path pipe member defining an axial direction and a radial direction and having an opening at a portion on the axial tip side; a housing connected to the flow path pipe member; an elastic opening and closing section; a movable body having a movable body regulating section and holding the elastic opening and closing section; and a biasing section consisting of all portions capable of biasing the elastic opening and closing section toward the axial tip side, wherein the opening of the flow path pipe member changes from a first form in which the opening is closed by the elastic opening and closing section in an initial position to a second form in which the connecting operation is completed and the axial tip side portion of the flow path pipe member protrudes from the elastic opening and closing section toward the axial tip side by a connecting operation in which the elastic valve body is pressed against the tip surface of the elastic opening and closing section against the biasing force of the biasing section, thereby moving the elastic opening and closing section and the movable body toward the axial base end side relative to the flow path pipe member, and the connecting operation is completed. The movable body regulating portion moves radially inward due to resistance from the housing during the connecting operation, thereby regulating the movement of the female connector toward the axial tip side relative to the elastic opening and closing portion, and moves radially outward due to a release operation that changes the form from the second form to the first form, thereby releasing the restriction on the movement of the female connector, and the spring force becomes maximum after the start of the connecting operation and before the end of the connecting operation.

2. A male connector as described in claim 1, wherein the portion of the flow path pipe member at the axial tip end has an outer circumferential surface that tapers toward the axial tip end, and in the first configuration, the elastic opening / closing portion contacts the tapered surface, and the biasing portion is constituted by the tapered surface.

3. The male connector according to claim 2, wherein the tapered surface of the flow path pipe member extends across the opening in the axial direction.

4. A male connector as described in claim 1, wherein the movable body restricting portion has a receiving surface that receives a resistance force from the housing toward the axial tip side by being pressed radially outward against the housing by a restoring force from elastic deformation of the movable body restricting portion, and the biasing portion is constituted by the receiving surface.

5. A male connector as described in claim 1, wherein the movement restricting portion restricts movement of the female connector toward the axial tip side relative to the elastic opening and closing portion by being caught on the female connector.

6. A male connector as described in claim 1, wherein the housing has a housing restriction portion that restricts movement of the female connector toward the axial tip side relative to the elastic opening and closing portion when the housing changes shape from the first shape to the second shape.

7. A male connector according to claim 6, wherein the housing restricting portion restricts movement of the female connector toward the axial tip side relative to the elastic opening and closing portion by being caught on the female connector.

8. The male connector of claim 1 configured as a medical device.

9. A connection structure comprising the male connector according to claim 1 and the female connector.

10. The connection structure of claim 9, wherein the male connector and the female connector are each configured as a medical device.

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