JP6878788B2 - Cover for male connector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention, male connector, in particular patient male connectors used in enteral nutrition, relates removably male connector cover to be attached to.

Enteral nutrition is known as a method of administering a liquid substance containing a nutritional supplement, a drug, or the like to a patient who cannot eat food by mouth. In enteral nutrition, a catheter is placed in a patient with a catheter inserted from outside the body into the gastrointestinal tract (for example, stomach). As the catheter, a nasal catheter inserted through the nose of a patient, a PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy) catheter inserted into a gastrostomy formed in the abdomen of a patient, and the like are known. When the liquid substance is administered to the patient, the container in which the liquid substance is stored and the catheter (nasal catheter, PEG catheter, etc.) indwelled in the patient are connected via a flexible tube or the like. In order to connect different members, a connector consisting of a male connector and a female connector is used.

Conventional general connectors include a male connector having a tapered tapered surface and a female connector having a hollow tubular shape into which the male connector is inserted. Male connectors are made of hard material, while female connectors are generally made of flexible material. The female connector is extended so as to increase its diameter when the male connector is inserted, and comes into close contact with the tapered surface of the male connector (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Such a connection method between the male connector and the female connector is generally called "slip connection".

International Publication No. 2008/152871 Pamphlet Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-119837

In the slip connection, the connection state between the male connector and the female connector is maintained by the frictional force generated between them. Slip connections generally have low connection strength, and the male connector and female connector may unintentionally separate due to tensile force or pressure applied to the liquid material.

As a method of improving the connection strength between the male connector and the female connector, it is conceivable to provide the male connector and the female connector with a screw structure (that is, a male screw and a female screw) that are screwed together. In this case, in order to secure the desired connection strength, it is desired that the entire connector including the screw structure is made of a hard material.

In enteral nutrition, a catheter with a connector on the upstream end is placed in the patient. The connector may be placed relatively close to the patient's face or body, and the connector may become the underlay of the patient's face or body when the patient rolls over. In this case, the patient may feel pain due to the connector made of hard material. In addition, the connector can cause pressure ulcers by continuously compressing the patient's skin and soft tissues.

Also, because the connectors are generally small, they are difficult to find under the patient's body. For this reason, nurses, caregivers, and the like are forced to take extra time to find a connector.

An object of the present invention is to make the connector easier to find and to reduce the possibility that the patient will feel pain or develop a pressure ulcer when the connector is placed under the patient.

The cover for a male connector of the present invention is attached to and detached from a male connector having a male member having a hollow tubular shape, a male main body portion having an outer cylinder surrounding the male member, and a grip portion from which a flexible tube is derived. It is a cover that can not be fixed to the patient. The cover holds at least one of the male connector and the tube when the male connector is housed in the recess, a recess in which the male connector can be housed , a pair of facing side surfaces defining the recess, and the recess. It is provided with a holding unit. The holding portion is constituted by the pair of side surfaces, or comprise projections provided on at least one of the pair of side surfaces. The male connector and the tube are arranged in the recess so that the flow path of the male connector and the tube are aligned with each other.

The cover of the present invention can be attached to the connector with the connector housed in the recess. Therefore, the cover has a larger outer dimension than the connector. Therefore, even if the connector with the cover is placed under the patient, the pain felt by the patient is reduced and the possibility of developing a pressure ulcer is reduced. In addition, nurses and caregivers can easily find the location of the connector to which the cover is attached.

Since the cover includes a holding portion that holds at least one of the connector and the tube, the cover does not easily come off from the connector and remains stably attached to the connector for a long period of time.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an example of a male connector to which the cover of the present invention can be attached and detached. FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing a state in which a cap is attached to the male connector. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the cover according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a plan view of the cover according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cover according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which is attached to a male connector. FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the cover according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4B is a plan view of the cover according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cover according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which is attached to a male connector. FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the cover according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6B is a plan view of the cover according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cover according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the cover according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, which is attached to the male connector. FIG. 9A is a perspective view of the cover according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9B is a plan view of the cover according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a cover according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, which is attached to a male connector. FIG. 11A is a perspective view of the cover according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11B is a plan view of the cover according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12A is a perspective view of the cover according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12B is a plan view of the cover according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13A is a perspective view of the cover according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13B is a plan view of the cover according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14A is a perspective view of the cover according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14B is a plan view of the cover according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a cover according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention, which is attached to a male connector. FIG. 16A is an exploded perspective view showing a state immediately before attaching the cover according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention to the male connector and the female connector connected to each other. FIG. 16B is a perspective view of a cover according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention, which is attached to a male connector and a female connector connected to each other. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the cover according to the tenth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a cover according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention, which is attached to a male connector.

In the cover of the present invention, the connector and the tube may be arranged in the recess so that the flow path of the connector and the tube are aligned with each other. Such a configuration is advantageous in reducing the possibility that the tube becomes bent or the flow path in the tube is narrowed or blocked due to the bending of the tube.

The holding portion may be composed of a pair of facing side surfaces. Such a configuration is advantageous in facilitating the manufacture of the cover and reducing the cost because the configuration of the holding portion can be simplified.

The holding portion may include protrusions provided on at least one of a pair of facing side surfaces. Such a configuration is advantageous for the stable attachment of the cover to the connector, as the protrusions locally contact the connector and / or the tube. The protrusion may be, for example, a rib extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the recess.

The recess may extend in a straight line, and the recess may have an open end open along the longitudinal direction at one end in the longitudinal direction thereof. According to such a configuration, when the connector is housed in the recess, the tube can be pulled out from the open end. This is advantageous in reducing the possibility that the tube will bend or the flow path in the tube will be narrowed or blocked due to the bending of the tube.

In the above, the open end may be provided with a narrow portion having a relatively narrow width of the recess. Such a configuration is advantageous in preventing the connector from being pulled out of the recess through the open end when a tensile force along the longitudinal direction of the recess acts on the tube.

The holding portion may include a first holding portion that holds the connector and a second holding portion that holds the tube. Such a configuration is advantageous for stably attaching the cover to the connector. Further, it is advantageous to reduce the possibility that the tube will come off from the connector when a tensile force or the like acts on the tube.

Alternatively, the holding portion may hold only the tube. Such a configuration is advantageous for facilitating the work of removing the connector from the recess. Further, since the allowable range is expanded with respect to the orientation of the connector housed in the recess, it is advantageous to quickly perform the work of attaching the cover to the connector.

A through hole may be provided on the bottom surface of the recess to expose a part of the connector housed in the recess. Such a configuration is advantageous for facilitating the work of removing the connector from the recess.

At least one of the pair of opposing side surfaces that define the recess may be provided with a notch that exposes a portion of the connector housed in the recess. Such a configuration is also advantageous for facilitating the work of removing the connector from the recess.

In the above, the notch may be provided so as to penetrate the cover in the vertical direction. Such a configuration is advantageous for further facilitating the work of removing the connector from the recess.

The recess may be formed by a recess recessed from the outer surface of the cover. Such a configuration is advantageous for stably attaching the cover to the connector. In addition, since the connector can be covered with a relatively thick cover, the pain felt by the patient when the connector with the cover is placed under the patient is reduced, and the possibility of developing a pressure ulcer is reduced. It is advantageous for.

Alternatively, the recess may be provided between a pair of walls erected on the outer surface of the cover. Such a configuration is advantageous in reducing the weight and cost of the cover.

The connector may be a male connector. In this case, the recess may be configured to accommodate the male connector and the female connector connected to the male connector. According to such a configuration, the cover can be attached not only in the state of the male connector alone to which the female connector is not connected but also in the state of being connected to the female connector. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the pain felt by the patient when the connected male and female connectors are placed under the patient, and it is easy for nurses, caregivers, etc. to locate the male and female connectors. Can be found in.

The connector may be a male connector conforming to ISO80369-3. The male connector is made of a hard material and is used by being placed in a patient. Therefore, according to such a configuration, the effect of the present invention is remarkably exhibited.

The cover is preferably made of a material that is softer than the connector. This configuration reduces the likelihood that the cover will damage the connector, reduces the potential for pain and pressure ulcers that the patient feels when the cover is under the patient, and facilitates the attachment and detachment of the cover to and from the connector. Furthermore, the cover can be attached to connectors having different dimensions and shapes.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to suitable embodiments. However, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. For convenience of explanation, each figure referred to in the following description is a simplified representation of the main members constituting the embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention may include any member not shown in each of the following figures. Further, within the scope of the present invention, each member shown in each of the following figures may be changed or omitted. In the drawings cited in the description of each embodiment, the members corresponding to the members shown in the drawings cited in the preceding embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals as those in the preceding embodiments. Overlapping description of such members has been omitted, and description of the preceding embodiments should be taken into account as appropriate.

(Male connector)
An example of a male connector suitable for the cover of the present invention will be described.

1A and 1B are perspective views of the male connector 900. The male connector 900 is provided with a male main body portion 901 at one end thereof and a grip portion 903 at the other end.

The male main body 901 has a male member 911 having a hollow tubular shape and an outer cylinder 913 surrounding the male member 911. The outer peripheral surface 912 of the male member 911 is a tapered surface (so-called male tapered surface) whose outer diameter decreases as it approaches the tip. The male member 911 is provided with a flow path 917 that penetrates the male member 911 along the longitudinal direction thereof. A female screw 915 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 913 facing the male member 911. The male main body 901 complies with ISO80369-3, an international standard for nutritional medical devices, which is under consideration for international standardization (see Patent Document 2 (FIG. 4)).

The grip portion 903 has a thin substantially flat plate shape so that the operator can easily grip the male connector 900 and apply a rotational force. The cross-sectional shape of the grip portion 903 along the plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the male member 911 is substantially rectangular. The dimensions of the grip portion 903 along the long side of the cross-sectional shape are substantially the same as the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 913 which is a substantially cylindrical surface. The dimension of the grip portion 903 along the short side of the cross-sectional shape (thickness of the grip portion 903) is smaller than the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 913.

A flexible hollow tube 909 is led out from the end of the grip portion 903. The tube 909 is arranged coaxially with the flow path 917 formed in the male member 911 and communicates with the flow path 917. The tube 909 may be a catheter indwelling in the patient (nasal catheter, PEG catheter, etc.). Alternatively, the tube 909 may be a tube connected to the catheter. The outer diameter of the tube 909 can be appropriately changed depending on the application of the male connector 900 and the like, and is generally about 1 to 5 mm.

An annular ring 908 is mounted between the male body portion 901 and the grip portion 903. The outer diameter of the ring 908 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 913. A flexible strip-shaped band 907 connects the ring 908 and the cap 905. The cap 905 has a substantially disk shape having a diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 913. The tab 906 projects outward along the radial direction from a position on the outer peripheral edge of the cap 905 that is opposite to the position where the band 907 is connected. The cap 905 can be repeatedly attached to and detached from the tip of the male main body 901. By pinching the tab 906 with fingers, the cap 905 can be easily attached and detached. FIG. 1A shows a state in which the cap 905 is not attached to the male main body 901. When enteral nutrition is not performed, a cap 905 is attached to the male body 901 as shown in FIG. 1B. The cap 905 closes the opening on the tip side of the male member 911 and the outer cylinder 913. When the cap 905 is attached to the male main body 901, the tab 906 and the curved band 907 project outward along the radial direction from the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 913 and in opposite directions to each other.

The cap 905, tab 906, band 907, and ring 908 can be integrally molded as a component. Examples of the material of these integrated products including the cap 905 include relatively hard resin materials such as polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE), rubbers such as isoprene rubber, silicone rubber and butyl rubber, and styrene elastomers. A soft material having rubber elasticity (so-called elastomer) such as a thermoplastic elastomer such as an olefin-based elastomer and a polyurethane-based elastomer can be used.

The material of the male connector 900 other than the above-mentioned integrated product including the cap 905 (that is, the male main body 901 and the grip 903) has a mechanical strength (rigidity) that is not substantially deformed by an external force. A hard material (hard material) to have can be used. Generally, a material having a hardness of 700 MPa or more is used. For example, resin materials such as polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polyacetal (POM), polystyrene, polyamide, polyethylene, and hard polyvinyl chloride can be used.

The male connector 900 is merely an example, and the shape of the portion not specified by ISO80369-3 can be arbitrarily changed. For example, the shape of the grip portion 903 may be changed, or the grip portion 903 may be omitted. The shape of the integrated product including the cap 905 can be changed as appropriate. Tab 906 may be omitted. The band 907 and the ring 908 may be omitted and the cap 905 may be an independent member separable from the male connector 900. The integrated product including the cap 905 may be omitted.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the cover 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a plan view of the cover 1.

The cover 1 has substantially the same plan view shape as the track shape of the athletics field. A groove-shaped recess 30a extending in a straight line along the longitudinal direction of the cover 1 is provided on the upper surface 21 of the cover 1. One end of the recess 30a in the longitudinal direction reaches the outer peripheral surface of the cover 1 and is an open end 301 opened along the longitudinal direction of the recess 30a, and the other end ends without reaching the outer peripheral surface of the cover 1. Closed end 302. The recess 30a is defined by a pair of side surfaces 303 facing each other and a bottom surface 304 connecting the pair of side surfaces 303. Both the side surface 303 and the bottom surface 304 are flat surfaces. The pair of side surfaces 303 are arranged parallel to each other, and the width of the recess 30a defined by the distance between the pair of side surfaces 303 is constant in the longitudinal direction of the recess 30a. The depth of the recess 30a (dimensions from the top surface 21 to the bottom surface 304 of the cover 1) is also constant in the longitudinal direction of the recess 30a.

For the convenience of the following description, the depth direction of the recess 30a is referred to as "vertical direction", and the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction is referred to as "horizontal direction". In the vertical direction, the side where the recess 30a is open is called the "upper" side, and the bottom surface 304 side of the recess 30a is called the "lower" side. Of the horizontal directions, the direction in which the pair of side surfaces 303 face each other is referred to as the "width direction". However, the "vertical direction" and the "horizontal direction" do not mean the orientation of the cover 1 when it is actually used.

The material of the cover 1 is not limited, but a resin material is preferable, and a material softer than the material of the male connector 900 so as not to damage the male connector 900, specifically, a material having a hardness of 700 MPa or less is preferable. Further, when the cover 1 becomes dirty due to the adhesion of a liquid substance to be administered to the patient, a material that can be easily washed (for example, washed with water) is preferable. Specifically, a resin material such as polypropylene or polyethylene that does not substantially deform when an external force is applied can be used. Alternatively, a rubber having rubber elasticity such as natural rubber, isoprene rubber, silicone rubber, or a thermoplastic elastomer such as a styrene elastomer, an olefin elastomer, or a polyurethane elastomer (hereinafter referred to as "elastomer"), or urethane foam. A foam such as styrene can be used. Since soft materials such as elastomers and foams can be easily deformed by external force, (1) reduce the possibility that the patient will feel pain or develop decubitus when the cover 1 is placed under the patient. (2) By deforming the cover 1, the cover 1 can be easily attached to and detached from the male connector. (3) The cover 1 is deformed appropriately according to the male connector, so that the males have different dimensions and shapes. It is advantageous in that the cover 1 can be attached to the connector. The cover 1 is an integrally molded product that is integrally manufactured as a single component by a known method (for example, injection molding) using the above materials.

The cover 1 may be colored. For example, relatively conspicuous coloring such as red, yellow, and blue can be applied. This is advantageous for nurses, caregivers, etc. to easily find the location of the cover 1.

When enteral nutrition is not performed, a cap 905 is attached to the tip of the male body 901 (see FIG. 1B). The cover 1 is attached to the male connector 900 in this state.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover 1 is attached to the male connector 900. The male connector 900 is housed in the recess 30a with the cap 905 facing the closed end 302 side. The length of the recess 30a (the dimension along the longitudinal direction of the recess 30a) is longer than the total length of the male connector 900 including the cap 905 from the cap 905 to the grip portion 903. Therefore, the male connector 900 is housed in the recess 30a without protruding from the cover 1 beyond the open end 301 of the recess 30a. The tube 909 connected to the male connector 900 is guided by the recess 30a and led out from the open end 301 to the outside of the cover 1. Since the recess 30a extends in a straight line and one end of the recess 30a is an open end 301 opened along the longitudinal direction of the recess 30a, when the male connector 900 is housed in the recess 30a, the tube is formed from the open end 301. 909 can be derived. In the recess 30a, the flow path 917 (see FIG. 1A) of the male member 911 and the tube 909 can be arranged along a substantially straight line. Therefore, it is unlikely that the tube 909 will be bent or that the flow path in the tube 909 will be narrowed or blocked due to the bending of the tube 909.

The width of the recess 30a is set to be substantially the same as or smaller than the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900. Therefore, the pair of facing side surfaces 303 of the recess 30a holds the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900. Therefore, the cover 1 does not easily fall off from the male connector 900 due to gravity, vibration, or the like. The outer diameter of the tube 909 is smaller than the width of the recess 30a.

The male connector 900 is housed in the recess 30a with the tab 906 protruding from the cap 905 facing upward. Although not shown, the curved band 907 (see FIG. 1B) projects toward the bottom surface 304 of the recess 30a. Of course, it is also possible to house the male connector 900 in the recess 30a with the tab 906 facing downwards and the curved band 907 facing upwards. The depth of the recess 30a is the male connector 900 along the direction connecting the tab 906 and the curved band 907 so that the tab 906 or the curved band 907 does not project upward above the top surface 21 of the cover 1. It is preferable that the outer dimensions are the same as or larger than the outer dimensions (see FIG. 1B).

When performing enteral nutrition, the cover 1 is removed from the male connector 900 in order to connect the female connector to the male connector 900. There are various methods for taking out the male connector 900 from the recess 30a. For example, one hand may hold the cover 1 while the other hand may pinch the tube 909 or tab 906 and pull it upwards. When the cover 1 is made of a soft material that is easily deformed, the cover 1 is deformed so that the width of the recess 30a is expanded, and a finger is inserted into the widened recess 30a, or the recess 30a on the lower surface of the cover 1 is inserted. The male connector 900 can be taken out from the recess 30a by pushing up the corresponding portion with a finger.

As described above, the cover 1 of the first embodiment includes the recess 30a capable of accommodating the male connector 900. Therefore, as a matter of course, the cover 1 has an outer dimension larger than that of the male connector 900. When the male connector 900 with the cover 1 (see FIG. 3) is under the patient, the patient's body pressure is higher than when the male connector 900 without the cover 1 is under the patient. Is distributed over a wider area, reducing the pain felt by the patient and reducing the likelihood of pressure ulcers. If the cover 1 is made of a soft material that is easily deformable, the possibility of pain and pressure ulcers is further reduced. Further, since a cover 1 larger than this is attached to the male connector 900, a nurse, a caregiver, or the like can easily find the location of the male connector 900 to which the cover 1 is attached. Therefore, when performing enteral nutrition, it is possible to reduce the trouble of searching for the male connector 900. Further, being able to easily find the location of the male connector 900 may be advantageous in reducing the possibility that the male connector 900 to which the cover 1 is attached becomes an underlay for the patient.

The cover 1 includes a holding portion for holding the male connector 900 housed in the recess 30a. Therefore, the cover 1 does not easily fall off from the male connector 900, and the cover 1 can be stably attached to the male connector 900 for a long period of time.

The holding portion that holds the male connector 900 is composed of a pair of side surfaces 303 that define the width of the recess 30a. Therefore, the configuration of the holding portion can be simplified, the production of the cover 1 can be facilitated, and the cost can be reduced.

The direction in which the pair of side surfaces 303 holds the male connector 900 (that is, the width direction of the recess 30a) is perpendicular to the direction in which the male connector 900 is inserted / removed (vertical direction) with respect to the recess 30a. Therefore, the work of attaching / detaching the cover 1 to / from the male connector 900 is easy.

The width and depth of the recess 30a are constant in the longitudinal direction of the recess 30a. Therefore, the shape of the cover 1 is simple, and the cover 1 is easy to manufacture.

Since one end of the groove-shaped recess 30a is the closed end 302, the male connector 900 can be housed in the recess 30a with the cap 905 in contact with the closed end 302, as shown in FIG. In this way, since the closed end 302 can be used for positioning the male connector 900 in the recess 30a, the cover 1 for the male connector 900 can be quickly attached. Further, the closed end 302 increases the strength of the cover 1. Therefore, when the cover 1 is made of a flexible material, it is possible to prevent the cover 1 from easily falling off from the male connector 900 due to vibration or a small external force.

However, both ends of the groove-shaped recess 30a may be open ends 301 opened in the longitudinal direction of the recess 30a. In this case, the tube 909 can be derived from any of the two open ends 301. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider the orientation of the cover when mounting the cover on the male connector 900, so that the cover mounting work can be performed quickly.

The bottom surface 304 does not have to be a flat surface. For example, the bottom surface 304 may be a concave curved surface (for example, a cylindrical surface) so that the depth of the recess 30a is the deepest in the central portion in the width direction and the recess 30a becomes shallower as it approaches the pair of side surfaces 303. Further, the bottom surface 304 may be provided with a step or an inclination so that the recess 30a becomes shallow at the open end 301.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the cover 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4B is a plan view of the cover 2. Similar to the cover 1 of the first embodiment, the cover 2 includes a recess 30b capable of accommodating the male connector 900. However, unlike the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, the width of the recess 30b is not constant in the longitudinal direction of the recess 30b. The recess 30b includes a main portion 31 and a narrow portion 32 having a width narrower than that of the main portion 31. The narrow portion 32 is provided at the open end 301 of the recess 30b.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover 2 is attached to the male connector 900. The male connector 900 (see FIG. 1B) to which the cap 905 is attached is housed in the main portion 31, and the tube 909 is housed in the narrow portion 32. The width of the main portion 31 is substantially the same as or smaller than the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900. Therefore, the pair of facing side surfaces that define the width of the main portion 31 hold the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900 as in the first embodiment. The width of the narrow portion 32 is the same as or smaller than the outer diameter of the tube 909. Therefore, a pair of opposing side surfaces that define the width of the narrow portion 32 hold the tube 909.

As described above, the cover 2 of the second embodiment has a first holding portion (opposing side surface of the main portion 31) for holding the male connector 900 and a second holding portion (opposing the narrow portion 32) for holding the tube 909. Side) and. The cover 2 holds the tube 909 in addition to holding the male connector 900 as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the cover 2 is hard to fall off from the male connector 900, and the cover 2 can be attached to the male connector 900 more stably for a long period of time.

The main portion 31 and the narrow portion 32 hold the male connector 900 and the tube 909 so that the flow path 917 (see FIG. 1A) and the tube 909 of the male member 911 are substantially aligned. Therefore, the possibility that the tube 909 becomes bent or the flow path in the tube 909 is narrowed or blocked due to the bending of the tube 909 is further reduced as compared with the first embodiment. Further, since the narrow portion 32 holds the tube 909, the possibility that the tube 909 will come off from the male connector 900 when a tensile force or the like acts on the tube 909 is reduced.

In the second embodiment, the width of the narrow portion 32 may be larger than the outer diameter of the tube 909. Such a narrow portion 32 does not function as a second holding portion for holding the tube 909. Even in this case, since the main portion 31 holds the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900, the cover 2 can be stably attached to the male connector 900 for a long period of time.

Regardless of whether the narrow portion 32 holds the tube 909 or not, since the narrow portion 32 having a relatively narrow width is provided at the open end 301 of the recess 30b, the tube 909 is provided along the longitudinal direction of the recess 30b. When a pulling force is applied, the male connector 900 (grip portion 903 or outer cylinder 913) collides with the narrow portion 32. Therefore, the narrow portion 32 is advantageous in preventing the male connector 900 from being pulled out from the recess 30b through the open end 301.

The second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except for the above. The description of the first embodiment may be appropriately applied to the second embodiment.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the cover 3 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6B is a plan view of the cover 3. The cover 3 includes a recess 30c capable of accommodating the male connector 900. Similar to the second embodiment, the recess 30c includes a main portion 33 for accommodating the male connector 900 and a narrow portion 32 for accommodating the tube 909. However, the third embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that the main portion 33 has a width larger than the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900.

When the cover 3 is attached to the male connector 900, the narrow portion 32 holds the tube 909 as in the second embodiment. On the other hand, since the width of the main portion 33 is larger than the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 913, the main portion 33 does not have a function of holding the male connector 900 unlike the main portion 31 of the second embodiment.

As described above, the cover 3 of the third embodiment includes a holding portion (opposing side surface of the narrow portion 32) for holding the tube 909. Therefore, the cover 3 can be stably attached to the male connector 900 for a long period of time.

Unlike the main part 31 of the second embodiment, the main part 33 of the third embodiment does not hold the male connector 900. This is advantageous for facilitating the work of removing the male connector 900 from the recess 30c. For example, when the upper surface 21 is turned downward, the tube 909 held by the narrow portion 32 is curved, and a part of the male connector 900 protrudes from the recess 30c so as to hang from the tube 909. By pinching the protruding portion of the male connector 900, the male connector 900 can be easily taken out from the recess 30c. Alternatively, a finger can be inserted into the gap between the side surface 333 of the main portion 33 and the male connector 900 to pull out the male connector 900 from the recess 30c.

In the first and second embodiments, the opposite side surfaces of the recesses 30a and 30b hold the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900. Therefore, it is necessary to house the male connector 900 in the recesses 30a and 30b so that the tab 906 and the band 907 (see FIG. 1B) are arranged in the vertical direction (see FIGS. 3 and 5). On the other hand, in the third embodiment, it is not necessary for the opposing side surface 333s, which define the width of the main portion 33, to hold the male connector 900. Therefore, there is a wide tolerance for the orientation of the male connector 900 around the male member 911 in the recess 30c in the rotational direction. Therefore, the work of attaching the cover 3 to the male connector 900 can be performed quickly. Depending on the width of the main portion 33, the male connector 900 can be housed in the recess 30c so that the tabs 905 and the band 907 are arranged along the width direction of the recess 30c. In this case, even if the recess 30c is made shallow, the tab 905 and the band 907 do not protrude upward from the upper surface 21 of the cover 3. Therefore, the vertical dimension of the cover 3 can be reduced (that is, the cover 3 can be made thinner).

The third embodiment is the same as the first and second embodiments except for the above. The description of the first and second embodiments may be appropriately applied to the third embodiment.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cover 4 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The cover 4 includes a recess 30d capable of accommodating the male connector 900. The recess 30d includes a first main portion 34, a second main portion 35, and a narrow portion 32 having a width narrower than that of the first main portion 34. The fourth embodiment is different from the third embodiment in that a second main portion 35 having a width narrower than the first main portion 34 and wider than the narrow portion 32 is provided between the first main portion 34 and the narrow portion 32. different.

As shown in FIG. 7, the width of the second main portion 35 is not constant in the vertical direction. The second main portion 35 includes a relatively narrow narrow portion 35a on the lower side and a relatively wide wide portion 35b on the upper side thereof.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover 4 is attached to the male connector 900. The male main body 901 with the cap 905 attached is housed in the first main part 34, the grip part 903 is housed in the second main part 35, and the tube 909 is housed in the narrow part 32.

The width of the narrow width portion 35a (see FIG. 7) of the second main portion 35 is set to be substantially the same as or smaller than the thickness of the grip portion 903. Therefore, although detailed drawings are omitted, the pair of opposite side surfaces of the narrow width portion 35a hold the grip portion 903. The wide portion 35b (see FIG. 7) arranged above the narrow portion 35a does not have a function of holding the grip portion 903.

The narrow portion 32 holds the tube 909 as in the second and third embodiments.

As described above, the cover 4 of the present embodiment 4 has a first holding portion (second main portion 35, particularly the opposite side surface of the narrow width portion 35a thereof) for holding the grip portion 903 of the male connector 900, and the tube 909. A second holding portion (opposing side surface of the narrow portion 32) for holding is provided. Therefore, the cover 4 can be attached to the male connector 900 more stably for a long period of time.

The width of the first main portion 34 is larger than the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 913. Therefore, the first main portion 34 does not have the function of holding the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900, as in the main portion 33 of the third embodiment. This is advantageous for facilitating the work of removing the male connector 900 from the recess 30d. That is, the male connector 900 can be pulled out from the recess 30d by inserting a finger into the gap between the side surface 343 of the first main portion 34 and the male main body portion 901.

In the fourth embodiment, the width of the narrow portion 32 may be larger than the outer diameter of the tube 909. In this case, the narrow portion 32 does not function as a second holding portion for holding the tube 909. Even in this case, since the second main portion 35 holds the grip portion 903 of the male connector 900, the cover 4 can be stably attached to the male connector 900 for a long period of time.

The narrow portion 32 may be omitted, and the second main portion 35 may extend to the open end 301. Also in this case, the tube 909 is not held, but the grip portion 903 is held by the second main portion 35.

The wide portion 35b may be omitted in the second main portion 35, and the width of the second main portion 35 may have the same constant width as the narrow width portion 35a in the vertical direction. As a result, the second main portion 35 can hold the grip portion 903 in a wider range, so that the cover 4 can be more stably attached to the male connector 900 for a long period of time.

The width of the first main portion 34 may be set to be substantially the same as or smaller than the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 913 so that the first main portion 34 holds the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900. In this case, the cover 4 can be continuously attached to the male connector 900 more stably for a long period of time.

The fourth embodiment is the same as the first to third embodiments except for the above. The description of Embodiments 1 to 3 may be appropriately applied to the present embodiment 4.

(Embodiment 5)
9A is a perspective view of the cover 5 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9B is a plan view of the cover 5. Similar to the cover 1 of the first embodiment, the cover 5 includes a recess 30e capable of accommodating the male connector 900. The cover 5 of the fifth embodiment is provided with a protrusion 36 protruding toward the other side surface 303b on one side surface 303a of the pair of side surfaces 303a and 303b that defines the width of the recess 30e. It is different from the cover 1 of the first embodiment. The protrusion 36 extends in a rib shape from the upper end to the lower end (bottom surface 304) of the side surface 303a along the vertical direction (that is, the depth direction of the recess 30e).

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover 5 is attached to the male connector 900. A male connector 900 (see FIG. 1B) to which a cap 905 is attached is housed in the recess 30e. The width of the recess 30e at the position of the protrusion 36 is substantially the same as or smaller than the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900. Therefore, the protrusion 36 and the side surface 303b (see FIG. 9B) hold the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900.

As described above, the cover 5 of the fifth embodiment includes a holding portion (a protrusion 36 and a side surface 303b facing the protrusion 36) for holding the male connector 900. The protrusion 36 abuts on the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900 in a relatively narrow area. Therefore, the contact pressure between the protrusion 36 and the outer cylinder 913 in the region is high. Therefore, a large frictional force is generated between the protrusion 36 and the outer cylinder 913. Further, when the cover 5 is made of a flexible material, the protrusion 36 is locally largely compressed and deformed by the outer cylinder 913. As a result, the cover 5 can be attached to the male connector 900 more stably for a long period of time.

By providing the protrusion 36 on the side surface 303a, a gap is formed between the side surface 303a (the portion excluding the protrusion 36) and the male connector 900. By inserting a finger into this gap, it is easy to take out the male connector 900 from the recess 30e.

In the fifth embodiment, the number of protrusions 36 is arbitrary. Two or more protrusions 36 may be provided on one side surface 303a (or side surface 303b). One or more protrusions 36 may be provided on both of the pair of side surfaces 303a and 303b, respectively.

The position of the protrusion 36 is also arbitrary. In addition to or in place of the protrusion 36 that holds the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900, a protrusion 36 that holds the grip portion 903 of the male connector 900 may be provided.

The size and shape of the protrusion 36 are also arbitrary.

For example, the protrusion 36 does not have to extend over the entire vertical area of the side surface, and may be provided only in a limited area that can abut the male connector 900. The height of the protrusion 36 (the length of protrusion along the width direction of the recess 30e) may be constant or variable in the vertical direction. For example, the height of the protrusion 36 may be changed so as to be lower at the portion abutting the male connector 900. The cross-sectional shape of the protrusion 36 along the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is not limited to the semicircular shape as in the above example, and may be trapezoidal, triangular, or the like.

The protrusion 36 does not have to have a rib shape extending in the vertical direction. For example, a plurality of discretely arranged hemispherical (dome-shaped) protrusions may be provided on one or both of the side surfaces 303a and 303b.

The fifth embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except for the above. The description of the first embodiment may be appropriately applied to the fifth embodiment.

The protrusions of the fifth embodiment may be applied to the covers 2 to 4 of the second to fourth embodiments. Specifically, a protrusion may be provided on the side surface of the main portion in which the male connector 900 is housed so as to abut the male connector 900, and in addition to or in place of this, a narrow space in which the tube 909 is housed. A protrusion may be provided on the side surface of the portion so as to come into contact with the tube 909.

(Embodiment 6)
11A is a perspective view of the cover 6 according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11B is a plan view of the cover 6. Similar to the cover 1 of the first embodiment, the cover 6 includes a recess 30f capable of accommodating the male connector 900. The cover 6 of the present embodiment 6 is different from the cover 1 of the first embodiment in that a through hole 37 is provided in the bottom surface 304 of the recess 30f.

The cover 6 can be attached to the male connector 900 in the same manner as the cover 1 of the first embodiment. At least a part of the male connector 900 housed in the recess 30f (particularly the surface facing downward thereof, that is, the lower surface) is exposed through the through hole 37. The through hole 37 can be used when separating the cover 6 from the male connector 900. That is, a finger or a thin rod is inserted into the through hole 37 from the lower side of the cover 6, hits the male connector 900 housed in the recess 30f, and pushes up the male connector 900 upward. As a result, the male connector 900 can be easily taken out from the recess 30f.

As described above, the cover 6 of the sixth embodiment is provided with a through hole 37 on the bottom surface 304 of the recess 30f to expose a part of the male connector 900 housed in the recess 30f, so that the cover 6 and the male connector 900 are covered. It is easy to separate from 6.

The position, size, and shape of the through hole 37 are arbitrary. Two or more through holes 37 may be provided in the bottom surface 304 of the recess 30f.

When the male connector 900 is housed in the recess 30f, the through hole 37 may be provided so that the tab 906 or the curved band 907 (see FIG. 1B) is inserted into the through hole 37. As a result, the male connector 900 can be housed in the recess 30f with the outer cylinder 913 and the grip portion 903 of the male connector 900 in contact with the bottom surface 304. This makes it possible to store the male connector 900 deeply in the recess 30f in a constant posture at all times, which is advantageous for keeping the cover 6 stably attached to the male connector 900 for a long period of time. Further, since the tab 906 or the band 907 inserted into the through hole 37 engages with the cover 6, the male connector 900 has an open end 301 when a tensile force along the longitudinal direction of the recess 30f acts on the tube 909. It is possible to prevent it from being pulled out from the recess 30f through the recess. In the above case, it is preferable that the thickness of the cover 6 at the bottom surface 304 is set so that the tab 906 or the band 907 inserted into the through hole 37 does not protrude from the lower surface of the cover 6.

The sixth embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except for the above. The description of the first embodiment may be appropriately applied to the sixth embodiment.

The through hole 37 of the sixth embodiment may be applied to the covers 2 to 5 of the second to fifth embodiments.

(Embodiment 7)
12A is a perspective view of the cover 7 according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 12B is a plan view of the cover 7. Similar to the cover 1 of the first embodiment, the cover 7 includes a recess 30 g capable of accommodating the male connector 900. The cover 7 of the present embodiment 7 is different from the cover 1 of the first embodiment in that a notch 38 is provided on one of the pair of side surfaces 303 that defines the width of the recess 30 g. The notch 38 extends along a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the recess 30g (that is, the width direction of the recess 30g) and reaches the outer peripheral surface of the cover 7.

The cover 7 can be attached to the male connector 900 in the same manner as the cover 1 of the first embodiment. At least a part of the male connector 900 (particularly the surface facing the notch 38, that is, the side surface) is exposed through the notch 38. The notch 38 can be used to separate the cover 7 from the male connector 900. That is, a finger or a thin rod is inserted into the notch 38, and the male connector 900 is lifted upward by touching the side surface or the lower surface (the surface facing the bottom surface 304) of the male connector 900 housed in the recess 30 g. As a result, the male connector 900 can be easily taken out from the recess 30 g.

As described above, the cover 7 of the present embodiment 7 is provided with a notch 38 on the side surface 303 of the recess 30 g to expose a part of the male connector 900 housed in the recess 30 g, so that the male connector 900 and the cover 7 are covered. It is easy to separate from 7.

The position and dimensions of the notch 38 are arbitrary. The depth of the notch 38 (the vertical dimension from the upper surface 21 of the cover 7) is also not limited, but the lower surface of the male connector 900 housed in the recess 30 g is exposed through the notch 38. It is preferably as deep as possible, and can be set to be the same as the depth of the recess 30 g, for example, as shown in FIG. 12A.

Notches 38 may be provided on both of the pair of side surfaces 303. In this case, two fingers can be inserted into the two notches 38 to grip the male connector 900 housed in the recess 30 g in the horizontal direction (that is, in the width direction of the recess 30 g). Therefore, the work of taking out the male connector 900 from the recess 30 g becomes easier.

When the notches 38 are provided on both of the pair of side surfaces 303, the male connector 900 can be housed in the recess 30 g with the tab 906 and the curved band 907 (see FIG. 1B) inserted into the two notches 38. It can be possible. In this case, the male connector 900 is housed in the recess 30g with the outer cylinder 913 and the grip portion 903 of the male connector 900 in contact with the pair of side surfaces 303 and the outer cylinder 913 in contact with the bottom surface 304. be able to. This makes it possible to store the male connector 900 deeply in the recess 30 g in a constant posture at all times, which is advantageous for keeping the cover 7 stably attached to the male connector 900 for a long period of time. It is also advantageous to reduce the vertical dimension of the cover 7 (that is, to make the cover 7 thinner). Further, since the tab 906 and the band 907 inserted into the notch 38 engage with the cover 7, the male connector 900 has an open end 301 when a tensile force along the longitudinal direction of the recess 30 g acts on the tube 909. It is possible to prevent it from being pulled out from the recess 30 g through the recess. In the above case, it is preferable that the outer shape of the cover 7 is set so that the tab 906 and the band 907 inserted into the notch 38 do not protrude in the horizontal direction from the outer peripheral surface of the cover 7.

The present embodiment 7 is the same as the first embodiment except for the above. The description of the first embodiment may be appropriately applied to the seventh embodiment.

The notch 38 of the seventh embodiment may be applied to the covers 2 to 6 of the second to sixth embodiments.

(Embodiment 8)
13A is a perspective view of the cover 8 according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13B is a plan view of the cover 8. Similar to the cover 1 of the first embodiment, the cover 8 includes a recess 30h capable of accommodating the male connector 900. Similar to the cover 6 of the sixth embodiment, a notch 39 is provided on one of the pair of side surfaces 303 that defines the width of the recess 30h. However, the notch 39 of the present embodiment 8 penetrates the cover 8 in the vertical direction.

The cover 8 can be attached to the male connector 900 in the same manner as the cover 1 of the first embodiment. The notch 39 can be used when separating the cover 8 from the male connector 900, as in the seventh embodiment. Compared to the seventh embodiment, the eighth embodiment faces the bottom surface 304 in addition to a wider range of the male connector 900 (ie, the horizontally oriented surface (side surface) of the male connector 900) through the notch 39. (At least part of the bottom surface) is exposed. Therefore, a finger or a thin rod can be easily applied to the lower surface of the male connector 900 housed in the recess 30h through the notch 39, and an upward force can be easily applied to the male connector 900. Therefore, the male connector 900 can be more easily taken out from the recess 30h.

As described above, the cover 8 of the present embodiment 8 is provided with a notch 39 on the side surface 303 of the recess 30h to expose a part of the male connector 900 in the recess 30h, and the notch 39 covers the cover 8. Since it penetrates in the vertical direction, the male connector 900 and the cover 8 can be separated more easily.

The position and dimensions of the notch 39 are arbitrary, and the notch 39 may be provided on both of the pair of side surfaces 303, as in the seventh embodiment. The notch 39 of the present embodiment 8 may be provided on one of the pair of side surfaces 303, and the notch 38 of the seventh embodiment may be provided on the other side.

The present embodiment 8 is the same as the first and seventh embodiments except for the above. The description of embodiments 1 and 7 may be appropriately applied to the present embodiment 8.

The cutout 39 of the eighth embodiment may be applied to the covers 2 to 6 of the second to sixth embodiments.

(Embodiment 9)
14A is a perspective view of the cover 9 according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 14B is a plan view of the cover 9. The cover 9 includes a recess 30i capable of accommodating the male connector 900. Both ends of the recess 30i in the longitudinal direction are open ends 301 opened along the longitudinal direction of the recess 30i, respectively. The recess 30i has substantially the same shape as the recess 30d (see FIG. 7) of the fourth embodiment symmetrically arranged on both sides with respect to the center in the longitudinal direction. That is, the recess 30i is provided with a first main portion 134 in the center in the longitudinal direction thereof, is provided with a second main portion 135 on both outer sides of the first main portion 134, and is further provided on the outside of each second main portion 35. A narrow portion 132 is provided. The second main portion 135 is provided with a narrow portion 135a on the lower side thereof, and has a wide portion 135b wider than the narrow portion 135a on the upper side thereof. The first main portion 134, the second main portion 135, the narrow portion 135a, the wide portion 135b, and the narrow portion 132 are in the order of the first main portion 34, the second main portion 35, the narrow portion 35a, and the wide portion 132 of the fourth embodiment. It corresponds to 35b and the narrow portion 32.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover 9 is attached to the male connector 900. The male main body 901 and the cap 905 are housed in the first main part 134, the grip part 903 is housed in the second main part 135, and the tube 909 is housed in the narrow part 132. Similar to the fourth embodiment, the opposite side surface (see FIGS. 14A and 14B) of the narrow width portion 135a of the second main portion 135 holds the grip portion 903.

As described above, the cover 9 of the present embodiment 9 includes a holding portion (second main portion 135, particularly the opposite side surface of the narrow portion 135a thereof) for holding the grip portion 903 of the male connector 900. Therefore, the cover 9 can be stably attached to the male connector 900 for a long period of time.

The narrow portion 132 of the cover 9 of the ninth embodiment does not hold the tube 909. However, as in the narrow portion 32 of the fourth embodiment, the width of the narrow portion 132 may be narrowed so as to hold the tube 909.

The width of the first main portion 134 is larger than the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 913. Therefore, as in the fourth embodiment, the work of taking out the male connector 900 from the recess 30i is easy. That is, the male connector 900 can be pulled out from the recess 30i by inserting a finger into the gap between the side surface of the first main portion 134 and the male main body portion 901.

In the ninth embodiment, since both ends of the recess 30i are open ends 301, the tube 909 can be derived from any open end 301. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider the orientation of the cover 9 when mounting the cover 9 on the male connector 900, so that the mounting work of the cover 9 can be performed quickly.

When performing enteral nutrition, a female connector is connected to the male connector 900. The cover 9 of the ninth embodiment can also be attached to the male connector 900 in the state where the female connector is connected. FIG. 16A is an exploded perspective view showing a state immediately before mounting the male connector 900 and the female connector 950 connected to each other on the cover 9. A female connector 950 is connected to the male connector 900 (see FIG. 1A) from which the cap 905 has been removed.

The female connector 950 includes a female main body 951 conforming to ISO80369-3 at one end thereof (see Patent Document 2 (FIG. 5)). In FIG. 16A, most of the female main body 951 is housed in the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900 (see FIG. 1A), so that it cannot be seen. Although not shown, the female main body 951 has a hollow cylindrical tubular portion (female member). The inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion is a tapered surface (so-called female tapered surface) whose inner diameter increases as it approaches the tip. A spiral protrusion (male screw) is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion. The tubular portion is inserted between the male member 911 of the male connector 900 (see FIG. 1A) and the outer cylinder 913. The outer peripheral surface (male tapered surface) 912 of the male member 911 fits with the female tapered surface of the tubular portion. The female screw 915 provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 913 is screwed with the spiral protrusion provided on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion.

A grip portion 953 is provided at the other end of the female connector 950. Like the grip portion 903 of the male connector 900, the grip portion 953 has a thin substantially flat plate shape so that the operator can easily grip the female connector 950 and apply a rotational force. A flexible tube 959 is derived from the end of the grip portion 953. The tube 959 is arranged coaxially with the tubular portion (not shown) provided on the female main body portion 951 and communicates with the tubular portion. The tube 959 may be a tube connected to a container in which the liquid material to be administered to the patient is stored.

As the material of the female connector 950, a hard material (hard material) having mechanical strength (rigidity) that is not substantially deformed by an external force can be used as in the material of the male connector 900 described in the first embodiment. it can. Generally, a material having a hardness of 700 MPa or more is used.

FIG. 16B is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover 9 is attached to the male connector 900 and the female connector 950 shown in FIG. 16A. The male main body 901 is attached to the first main portion 134, the grip portion 903 of the male connector 900 is attached to one second main portion 135, the grip portion 953 of the female connector 950 is attached to the other second main portion 135, and the male connector 900. The tube 909 is housed in one narrow portion 132, and the tube 959 of the female connector 950 is housed in the other narrow portion 132. The grip portions 903 and 953 are held on opposite side surfaces (see FIGS. 14A and 14B) of the narrow width portions 135a of the corresponding second main portions 135, respectively.

In this way, the cover 9 of the present embodiment 9 can be attached to the male connector 900 and the female connector 950 in a connected state. The cover 9 includes two holding portions (second main portion 135, particularly facing side surfaces thereof of the narrow width portion 135a) that hold the grip portion 903 of the male connector 900 and the grip portion 956 of the female connector 950. Therefore, the cover 9 can be stably attached to the male connector 900 and the female connector 950 connected to each other for a long period of time.

In the example shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, the tube 959 of the female connector 950 is thicker than the tube 909 of the male connector 900 and is therefore held by the opposing sides of the narrow portion 132 (see FIG. 16B). That is, the cover 9 of this example also includes a holding portion (opposing side surface of the narrow portion 132) for holding the tube 959. This is advantageous for stably mounting the cover 9 on the male connector 900 and the female connector 950 connected to each other for a long period of time.

Unlike the above example, the recess 30i of the cover 9 does not have to hold one or both of the female connector 950 and its tube 959. Even in this case, since the recess 30i holds at least the male connector 900, the cover 9 can be stably attached to the male connector 900 and the female connector 950 connected to each other for a long period of time.

In the state of FIG. 16B, the male connector 900 and the female connector 950 can be easily taken out from the recess 30i by inserting a finger into the gap between the side surface of the first main portion 134 and the male main body portion 901. ..

The male connector 900 and the female connector 950 can be inserted into the recess 30i with their positions reversed from those in FIGS. 16A and 16B, and in that case, the same effect as described above is obtained.

The recesses 30a to 30h of the covers 1 to 8 of the first to eighth embodiments are configured to accommodate a single male connector 900 to which the female connector 950 is not connected. On the other hand, in the recess 30i of the cover 9 of the ninth embodiment, both the male connector 900 alone (see FIG. 15) and the male connector 900 to which the female connector 950 is connected (see FIG. 16B) are stored. be able to. Therefore, when enteral nutrition is not performed, the cover 9 can be attached to the male connector 900 with the cap 905 attached to the male body 901, and when enteral nutrition is performed, the cover 9 can be attached. The cover 9 can be attached to the male connector 900 and the female connector 950 in a connected state. Therefore, according to the ninth embodiment, it is possible to further reduce the pain felt by the patient when the male connector 900 and the female connector 950 are placed under the patient when enteral nutrition is performed. In addition, nurses, caregivers, and the like can easily find the locations of the male connector 900 and the female connector 950 to which the cover 9 is attached.

The configuration of the recess of the ninth embodiment is not limited to the above example as long as the male connector 900 alone and the male connector 900 and the female connector 950 connected to each other can be accommodated. For example, the recesses may have substantially the same shape as any recesses described in Embodiments 1-3, 5 to 8 arranged on both sides with respect to the center in the longitudinal direction thereof. The shape of the recess need not be symmetrical with respect to its longitudinal center. For example, an arbitrary recess described in Embodiments 1 to 8 is arranged on one side of the recess with respect to the center in the longitudinal direction, and an arbitrary recess different from the recess on the one side is arranged on the other side. It may have substantially the same shape as the arranged one. Further, the recess may be asymmetrically configured so that one side corresponds to the male connector 900 and the other side corresponds to the female connector 950 with respect to the center of the recess in the longitudinal direction.

The present embodiment 9 is the same as the first to eighth embodiments except for the above. The description of Embodiments 1 to 8 may be appropriately applied to the present embodiment 9.

(Embodiment 10)
FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the cover 10 according to the tenth embodiment of the present invention. In the first to ninth embodiments, the recesses 30a to 30i capable of accommodating the male connector 900 are formed by recesses recessed from the outer surface (upper surface 21) of the covers 1 to 9. On the other hand, the recess 30j of the tenth embodiment is provided between a pair of walls 310 erected on the flat outer surface (upper surface 21) of the cover 10. The wall 310 is a flat plate-like object, which projects upward substantially perpendicular to the upper surface 21. The pair of walls 310 are opposed to each other and parallel to each other. Similar to the recess 30a of the first embodiment, the recess 30j is defined by a pair of side surfaces 303 facing each other (in FIG. 17, one side surface 303 cannot be seen) and a bottom surface 304 connecting the pair of side surface 303s. The side surface 303 is a surface (inner side surface) of the pair of walls 310 facing each other. The bottom surface 304 corresponds to the area between the pair of walls 310 of the top surface 21.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover 10 is attached to the male connector 900. A male connector 900 (see FIG. 1B) to which a cap 905 is attached is housed in the recess 30j. The width of the recess 30j is set to be substantially the same as or smaller than the outer diameter of the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900. Therefore, a pair of facing side surfaces 303 of the recess 30j holds the outer cylinder 913 of the male connector 900. As described above, the cover 10 of the present embodiment 10 includes a holding portion (a pair of side surfaces 303) for holding the male connector 900. Therefore, the cover 10 does not easily fall off from the male connector 900 due to gravity, vibration, or the like.

In the tenth embodiment, the recess 30j is provided between the pair of walls 310 erected on the outer surface 21 of the cover 10. This is advantageous in reducing the weight and cost of the cover 10 because the cover 10 can be constructed with a small amount of material. The portion of the cover 10 outside the pair of walls 310 can be made relatively thin. When the cover 10 is made of a easily deformable soft material, this thinned portion is easily deformable, so that the patient feels pain when the connector 900 to which the cover 10 is attached becomes the patient's underlay. It is advantageous to reduce the possibility of developing pressure ulcers.

In the tenth embodiment, both ends of the recess 30j in the longitudinal direction are open ends 301 opened along the longitudinal direction of the recess 30j. This is advantageous in the following two points.

First, the tube 909 can be derived from either of the two open ends 301. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider the orientation of the cover 10 when mounting the cover 10 on the male connector 900, so that the mounting work of the cover 10 can be performed quickly.

Secondly, when the cover 10 is made of a easily deformable soft material, the portion of the bottom surface 304 can be bent and deformed so that the distance between the pair of walls 310 is increased. By bending and deforming the cover 10 in this way, the male connector 900 can be easily taken out from the recess 30j.

In the above example, both ends of the groove-shaped recess 30j are open ends 301, but by connecting one ends of the pair of walls 310 to each other, one end of the groove-shaped recess 30a in the longitudinal direction may be used as a closed end. ..

In the above example, the outer surface (upper surface 21) of the cover 10 provided with the pair of walls 310 is flat, but the pair of walls 301 may be provided on a curved surface (convex curved surface or concave curved surface).

The present embodiment 10 is the same as the first embodiment except for the above. The description of the first embodiment may be appropriately applied to the tenth embodiment.

The facing wall 310 erected on the upper surface 21 of the tenth embodiment may be applied to the covers 2 to 9 of the second to ninth embodiments. In this case, the side surface 303 of the wall 310 can be configured in the same manner as the side surface defining the concave portion described in the second to ninth embodiments. Two or more sets of facing walls 310 may be provided. For example, even if a pair of first walls constituting a recess for accommodating the male connector 900 and a pair of second walls configured to accommodate the tube 909 are provided independently of each other. Good. The pair of first walls may be further divided into a pair of walls for accommodating the male main body 901 and a pair of walls for accommodating the grip portion 903.

The above embodiments 1 to 10 are merely examples. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments 1 to 10, and can be appropriately modified.

In the first to tenth embodiments, the recess is provided on the upper surface of the cover, but the surface on which the recess is provided is not limited to this. For example, the recess may be provided on the lower surface of the cover. Further, the recess does not have to be provided on the surface having the largest area of the cover, and may be provided on the side surface of the cover, for example. The surface on which the recess is provided does not have to be a flat surface, and for example, the recess may be provided on any curved surface (convex curved surface or concave curved surface).

The covers 1 to 8 and 10 of the first to eighth and tenth embodiments have substantially the same plan view shape as the track shape of the athletics stadium, and the cover 9 of the ninth embodiment has a character imitating a bear. , The shape of the cover is not limited to these, and can be set arbitrarily. The cover may have any three-dimensional shape, such as a rugby ball.

The width of the recess (particularly the holding portion) may vary in the depth direction of the recess. For example, the width of the recess (holding portion) may be narrowed at or near the shallowest position of the recess. This narrow area acts to prevent the male connector or tube housed in the recess from passing through this area, reducing the possibility of the cover unintentionally separating from the male connector. It is advantageous for.

The cover may be provided with two or more recesses that are independent of each other. For example, the cover can be provided with a plurality of recesses having different dimensions and shapes so as to correspond to a plurality of types of male connectors having different standards. As a result, a common cover can be attached to male connectors having different standards.

In the above embodiment, the connector to which the cover is attached is a male connector 900 provided with a male main body 901 conforming to ISO80369-3, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The connector may be any male connector that does not comply with ISO 80369-3. Alternatively, the connector may be a female connector (eg, an ISO 80369-3 compliant female connector or any other female connector). The connector may not include a cap 905, a tab 906, a band 907, and a ring 908.

The present invention can be widely used as a cover that can be attached to and detached from a connector. The connector is not limited, but is preferably a connector used in the medical field, particularly enteral nutrition. Above all, the connector is preferably a connector compliant with ISO80369-3, particularly a male connector compliant with ISO80369-3.

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,90,10 Cover 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e, 30f, 30g, 30h, 30i, 30j Recess 31 Main part of the recess (first holding part) )
32 Narrow part of recess (second holding part)
35 Second main part of recess (first holding part)
36 protrusion (holding part)
37 Through holes 38, 39 Notches 301 Open ends 303, 303b Side surface (holding part) of the recess
304 Bottom of recess 310 Wall 900 Male connector 909 Tube 917 Flow path 950 Female connector

Claims (13)

A cover that is not fixed to the patient and can be attached to and detached from a male connector having a male member having a hollow tubular shape and a male main body having an outer cylinder surrounding the male member, and a grip portion from which a flexible tube is derived. And
A recess that can accommodate the male connector and
A pair of opposing side surfaces that define the recess,
When the male connector is housed in the recess, the male connector and a holding portion for holding at least one of the tubes are provided.
The holding portion is constituted by the pair of side surfaces, or, seen including a projection provided on at least one of the pair of side surfaces,
A cover for a male connector, characterized in that the male connector and the tube are arranged in the recess so that the flow path of the male connector and the tube are aligned with each other. The recess extends in a straight line
The cover for a male connector according to claim 1 , wherein the recess is provided with an open end opened along the longitudinal direction at one end thereof in the longitudinal direction. The cover for a male connector according to claim 2 , wherein a narrow portion having a relatively narrow concave portion is provided at the open end. The cover for a male connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the holding portion includes a first holding portion that holds the male connector and a second holding portion that holds the tube. The cover for a male connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the holding portion holds only the tube. The cover for a male connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein a through hole for exposing a part of the male connector housed in the recess is provided on the bottom surface of the recess. The male connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein at least one of the pair of side surfaces is provided with a notch for exposing a part of the male connector housed in the recess. cover. The cover for a male connector according to claim 7 , wherein the notch is provided so as to penetrate the cover in the vertical direction. The cover for a male connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein the recess is formed by a recess recessed from the outer surface of the cover. The cover for a male connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein the recess is provided between a pair of walls erected on the outer surface of the cover. The cover for a male connector according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , wherein the recess is configured to accommodate the male connector and a female connector connected to the male connector. The cover for a male connector according to any one of claims 1 to 11 , wherein the male connector is a male connector conforming to ISO80369-3. The cover for a male connector according to any one of claims 1 to 12, which is made of a material softer than the male connector.

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