KR20170054416A - Adapter for semi-solid nutritional supplement - Google Patents

Abstract

The adapter 1 has a first connecting portion 10 connected to a female connector 5 and a second connecting portion 20 connected to a port 8. The first connecting portion 10 has a male lure 11 inserted into the female connector and an engaging portion 15 engageable with the female connector. The second connecting portion 20 includes a cylindrical communicating portion 21 inserted into the port and a female screw 25 engageable with the port. A sharp edge 22 is provided at the tip of the communicating portion 21. [

Description

ADAPTER FOR SEMI-SOLID NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT [0002]

The present invention relates to an adapter used for connecting a pouch containing an enteral nutrient and a catheter or an extension tube connected thereto in an oral nutritional therapy.

Nutritional therapy is known as a method of administering nutrition or medication to a patient without being taken orally. In vaginal nutrition therapy, a flexible PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy) catheter is inserted into the vagina formed in the patient's abdomen. One end (downstream end) of the PEG catheter is reaching the patient, and the other end (upstream end) is drawn out of the patient's body. In the case of performing the vaginal nutrition therapy, a flexible tube (generally called an " extension tube ") is connected to the other end of the PEG catheter. An enteral nutrient (hereinafter simply referred to as a " nutritional agent ") is administered to a patient through an extension tube and a PEG catheter in turn.

In recent years, nutritional supplements of prescribed doses such as one-time or one-day doses are often stored in a pouch (bag) having flexibility and being sold and distributed. This type of product is called a white liquor. The pouch is provided with a port for discharging the nutrient. By connecting the extension tube to the port, a nutritional agent can be administered to the patient. In the bag material, it is not necessary to transfer the nutrient to another container. Therefore, the possibility of bacterial infection is reduced, and it is advantageous that the caregiver can be less laborious.

If the nutritional agent administered in the oral nutritional therapy is a liquid having a low viscosity, there is a problem that the nutrient is refluxed from the upper part to the esophagus and concomitant with pneumonia, diarrhea is caused because the nutrient water is not absorbed sufficiently in the body. Therefore, in the oral nutritional therapy, the nutrient is often semi-solidified (that is, increased in viscosity) by adding a thickener or thickening agent (for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

Semi-solidifying the nutrient increases the resistance of the nutrient as it passes through the extension tube and the PEG catheter. Patent Document 3 discloses an extrusion apparatus for applying a compressive force to a pouch to push out a nutrient.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-248981 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-273804 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-29562

Generally, the port of the pouch and the extension tube are directly connected. In the case where the port and the extension tube are directly connected, there is the following problem.

Applying a compressive force to the pouch increases the pressure of the nutrient. Depending on the pressure of the nutrient, the connection between the port of the pouch and the extension tube may be inadvertently disconnected or the nutrient may leak from the connection portion.

The port of the pouch before use is generally sealed by attaching a sealing sheet such as aluminum or the like. In order to connect the extension tube to the port, it is necessary to pierce the sealing sheet with a thin rod beforehand to open the port. Therefore, it is necessary to separately prepare a rod for piercing the sealing sheet. Further, there is a case where an erroneous operation is performed in which the nutrient is drained from the opened port by, for example, holding the pouch firmly while piercing the bag sheet and connecting the extension tube to the port.

The present invention solves the above problems and provides an adapter for a semi-solidified nutrient for connecting a port of a pouch and an extension tube. It is a first object of the present invention to prevent the connection of the port of the pouch and the extension tube from being unintentionally disconnected or the nutrient leaking from the connection portion even if the nutrient is pressed and fed. A second object of the present invention is to simplify the connecting operation between the port of the pouch and the extension tube.

The adapter for the semi-solid nutrient of the present invention is used to communicate a port of a pouch containing a female connector and a semi-solid nutrient. The adapter includes a first connecting portion connected to the female connector at one end and a second connecting portion connected to the port at the other end. The first connecting portion includes a male lure inserted into the female connector and an engaging portion engageable with the female connector. The second connecting portion includes a cylindrical communicating portion inserted into the port, and a female screw disposed to surround the communicating portion and screwable with the port. A sharp edge is provided at the distal end of the communicating portion.

The adapter of the present invention has an engagement portion that can be engaged with the female connector and a female screw that can be screwed into the port. Therefore, by connecting the female connector and the port through the adapter, even if the pressure is applied to the pouch to pressurize the nutrient, the liquid material does not leak out from the connecting portion, and they are not unintentionally separated.

Further, since the inserting portion of the adapter has a sharpening edge at its tip, if the inserting portion is inserted into the port, the sealing sheet for sealing the flow path of the port can be easily pierced. Therefore, the connecting operation of the adapter and the port can be simplified.

1A is a perspective view of an adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the side of a second connecting portion. Fig. 1B is a perspective view of the adapter according to one embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the first connecting portion side. Fig.
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken along a plane including a central axis; Fig.
3A is a perspective view showing a female connector, an adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a port of the pouch before they are connected to each other.
FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the female connector, the adapter according to one embodiment of the present invention, and the port of the pouch shown in FIG. 3A;
4A is a perspective view showing a female connector, an adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a port of the pouch connected to each other.
4B is a cross-sectional view of the female connector, the adapter according to one embodiment of the present invention, and the port of the pouch shown in Fig. 4A.

In the adapter of the present invention, it is preferable that the communication portion is provided with a slit extending along the longitudinal direction thereof. This is advantageous for suppressing the increase in flow resistance when the nutrient flows through the adapter. It is also advantageous in reducing the amount of the nutrient remaining in the pouch and improving the cleaning property of the adapter after use.

The adapter of the present invention may further include a substantially cylindrical tubular portion between the water channel and the communicating portion. In this case, it is preferable that the engaging portion is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion, and the female screw is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion. This is advantageous in reducing the size of the adapter and improving the operability of connecting the female connector and the port through the adapter.

It is preferable that the adapter of the present invention is integrally formed as one component. This is advantageous for facilitating the manufacture of the adapter and improving the strength of the adapter.

And the edge portion of the communicating portion is configured to be able to pierce a sealing sheet that seals the port when the communicating portion is inserted into the port. As a result, the operability of connection between the adapter and the port is further improved.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail while showing a preferred embodiment. However, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. For convenience of explanation, each of the drawings referred to in the following description is a simplified illustration of essential members required for explaining the present invention among the members constituting the embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention can include any member not shown in the following drawings.

<Configuration of adapter>

1A is a perspective view of an adapter 1 (half solidifying nutrient adapter) 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention as seen from a side of a second connection portion 20, FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a first connection portion 10 of the adapter 1, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view along a plane including the central axis 1a of the adapter 1. [Fig. The adapter 1 has the first connecting portion 10 at one end and the second connecting portion 20 at the other end. Between the first connecting portion 10 and the second connecting portion 20, a substantially cylindrical tubular portion 30 is provided. The first connecting portion 10, the cylindrical portion 30 and the second connecting portion 20 are disposed coaxially along the central axis 1a.

The first connecting portion 10 is provided with a male coupler 11 and a pair of engaging portions (engaging claws) 15 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 30.

The male coupler 11 has a hollow cylindrical shape. On the outer circumferential surface of the male coupler 11, a plurality of small tapered surfaces whose outer diameters become smaller as they approach the tip end are arranged adjacent to each other along the longitudinal direction of the male coupler 11. [ The outer diameter of the plurality of small tapered surfaces gradually changes so that the smaller tapered surface near the tip of the male coupler 11 becomes smaller. Accordingly, the outer circumferential surface of the male coupler 11 is a tapered surface (for example, 12.5% tapered) having a small outer diameter as the tip of the male coupler 11 approaches the tip. The shape of the outer circumferential surface of the male coupler 11 does not need to be a so-called &quot; bamboo shape &quot; shape having a plurality of small tapered surfaces shown in Figs. 1A and 1B, % Taper). It is preferable that the outer circumferential surface of the water lure 11 conforms to the "standard for the connection portion of the nourishing line for nutrition" of Article 888 of the Ministry of Health (notification of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare). However, the shape of the outer peripheral surface of the male coupler 11 is not limited to the above. The configuration of the male coupler 11 can be appropriately changed in accordance with the female connector to which the male coupler 11 is connected.

The pair of engaging portions 15 protrude outward from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 30 along the radial direction. A surface (engaging surface) 16 on the opposite side of the male coupler 11 of the engaging portion 15 is formed by combining three inclined surfaces having different inclination angles. The engagement portion 15 extends in the circumferential direction along the end edge of the cylindrical portion 30 side (or the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate 31). The pair of engaging portions 15 are rotationally symmetrical with respect to the central axis 1a along the longitudinal direction of the adapter 1. [ The shape of the engaging portion 15 is not limited to the present embodiment. (The handle 60 of the female connector 5 to be described later) to which the male coupler 11 is connected. The engaging portion 15 does not have to have a protruding claw shape but may be, for example, a groove (concave portion). In addition, the number of the engaging portions 15 is not limited to two, but is arbitrary. The shape and the number of the engaging portions 15 can be appropriately changed in accordance with the female connector to which the male coupler 11 is connected.

The second connecting portion 20 includes a communicating portion 21 and a female screw 25 provided on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 30.

The communicating portion 21 has a substantially hollow cylindrical shape. The distal end of the communicating portion 21 is obliquely cut with respect to the longitudinal direction of the communicating portion 21. As a result, a sharp edge 22 similar to the distal end of the injection needle is formed at the distal end .

The communication portion 21 is formed with a slit 23 extending from its tip toward its base end (side end of the bottom plate 31). The inside and the outside of the communicating portion 21 communicate with each other through the slit 23. The slit 23 preferably does not pass through the sharp edge 22 which is the farthest portion from the bottom plate 31 of the communicating portion 21. [ The slit 23 preferably reaches the bottom plate 31. However, the depth of the slit 23 (the length from the distal end of the communicating portion 21) is not limited to the present embodiment, but is arbitrary. The number of the slits 23 is not limited to one, but may be plural. The width (opening dimension in the circumferential direction) of the slit 23 can be set arbitrarily.

In the present embodiment, the outer peripheral surface of the communicating portion 21 is a cylindrical surface whose outer diameter is constant in the longitudinal direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The outer circumferential surface of the communicating portion 21 may be a tapered surface with a smaller outer diameter as it approaches the distal end or may have a polygonal cross section perpendicular to the central axis 1a (for example, regular hexagon, ).

The female screw 25 is arranged so as to surround the proximal end of the communicating portion 21 and its vicinity. The female screw 25 does not have to be a "continuous screw" in which threads are continuous, but may be a so-called "split screw" in which a plurality of threads are divided. The breaking screw is advantageous for improving the cleaning performance of the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 30. [

The cylindrical portion 30 has a hollow, substantially cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 30 (in particular, the outer diameter of the portion where the engaging portion 15 is provided) is larger than the outer diameter of the male coupler 11. The inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 30 is larger than the outer diameter of the communicating portion 21.

As shown in Fig. 2, the water lure 11 and the communicating portion 21 communicate with each other. A disk-shaped bottom plate 31 extends outwardly along the radial direction from a boundary portion between the male coupler 11 and the communicating portion 21. The tubular portion 30 is integrally formed with the male coupler 11 and the communicating portion 21 by connecting the end of the tubular portion 30 of the male coupler 11 to the outer peripheral end of the bottom plate 31. [ A cylindrical sealing cylinder 32 extends from the surface of the bottom plate 31 on the side of the communication portion 21 toward the same side as the communication portion 21. [ The sealing barrel 32 is coaxial with and spaced from the cylindrical portion 30 and the communicating portion 21.

The adapter 1 is made of a hard material so as to have mechanical strength (rigidity) that is not substantially deformed by an external force. Such hard materials include, but are not limited to, polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), polyacetal (POM), polystyrene, polyamide, polyethylene, rigid polyvinyl chloride, ABS (acryl-butadiene- Polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene, and ABS are preferable. The adapter 1 can be integrally manufactured as a component by an injection molding method or the like using the resin material.

<Configuration of Female Connector and Port Connected to Adapter>

Fig. 3A is a perspective view showing the adapter 1, the female connector 5 and the port 8 connected through the adapter 1. Fig. Fig. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the female connector 5, the adapter 1 and the port 8 shown in Fig. 3A.

The female connector 5 is provided at one end (upstream side end) of the &quot; extension tube &quot; The other end (downstream side) of the extension tube is connected to the PEG catheter inserted in the patient's surge. The female connector (5) has a connector body (50) and a handle (60).

The connector body 50 has a generally cylindrical hollow shape as a whole. The connector main body 50 has an insertion portion 51 into which the male coupler 11 of the adapter 1 is inserted on the upper side (adapter 1 side), and a flexible tube 59 And a connecting portion 58 to which the upstream end is inserted and fixed. The flow path 53 extending from the insertion portion 51 to the connection portion 58 penetrates the connector main body 50 along the longitudinal direction.

The inner circumferential surface of the insertion portion 51 is a tapered surface whose inner diameter becomes larger as it approaches the upper opening so that the male coupler 11 can be easily inserted. In order to realize fluid-tight connection with the male coupler 11 by locally adhering to the outer circumferential surface of the male coupler 11, an annular projection continuous in the circumferential direction is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the insert portion 51, (Ribs) are formed. However, the shape of the inner peripheral surface of the insertion portion 51 is not limited to these. For example, an arbitrary shape known in the female connector provided at the upstream end of the extension tube may be used.

On the outer peripheral surface of the insertion portion 51, a flange 52, which is an annular protrusion protruding outward along the radial direction and continuous in the circumferential direction, is formed. In this embodiment, the flange 52 is formed along the upper end (the adapter 1 side) of the insertion portion 51, but may be formed at a position slightly spaced downward from the upper end.

The handle 60 as a whole has an approximately cylindrical hollow shape. The connector body 50 is inserted into the handle 60. The handle 60 is freely rotatable around the connector body 50.

The upper portion of the inner peripheral surface of the handle 60 (on the side of the adapter 1) is slightly enlarged along the opening edge. On the inner circumferential surface of the handle 60, a step 62 based on the inner minor difference is formed. The flange 52 of the connector body 50 is engaged with the stepped portion 62. As a result, the handle 60 can not move upward with respect to the connector main body 50 from the state shown in Figs. 3A and 3B.

A pair of engaging walls 64 extend upward from the upper end of the handle 60 so as to surround the upper opening of the handle 60. The inner circumferential surface of the engaging wall 64 facing each other is a cylindrical surface coaxial with the connector main body 50. On the inner peripheral surface of the engaging wall 64, an engaging projection 65 protrudes inward. The engaging projections 65 extend along the circumferential direction. The lower surface (engaging surface) 66 of the engaging projection 65 is formed by combining three inclined surfaces having different inclination angles. One end in the longitudinal direction of the engaging projection 65 is blocked by the stopper 67 and the other end is opened. The pair of engaging walls 64 and the engaging projections 65 and stoppers 67 formed thereon are rotationally symmetrical. In the present embodiment, the pair of engaging walls 64 are independent of each other, but may be continuous in the circumferential direction so as to surround the opening of the handle 60. The shape of the engaging projection 65 and the stopper 67 is not limited to the present embodiment, but can be appropriately changed. The stopper 67 may be omitted and both ends of the engaging projection 65 in the circumferential direction may be opened.

The connector main body 50 and the tube 59 are made of a flexible material and easily deformed by an external force and have a characteristic of returning to an initial shape immediately after an external force is lost (so-called rubber elasticity). The material of the connector main body 50 and the tube 59 is not limited, but a soft material having a rubber-like elasticity (so-called elastomer) can be used. For example, natural rubber, isoprene rubber, A thermoplastic elastomer such as a rubber, a styrene-based elastomer, an olefin-based elastomer, or a polyurethane-based elastomer can be used.

On the other hand, the handle 60 is made of a relatively hard material (hard material) as compared with the connector main body 50 and the tube 59, and has a mechanical strength (rigidity) that is not substantially deformed by an external force. Such hard materials include, but are not limited to, polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), polyacetal (POM), polystyrene, polyamide, polyethylene, rigid polyvinyl chloride, ABS (acryl-butadiene-styrene Polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), and polyacetal (POM) are preferable. The handle 60 can be integrally manufactured as a part by the injection molding method or the like using the resin material.

The port 8 is installed in a pouch containing semi-solidifying nutrients to be administered to a patient in an oral nutritional therapy. 3A and 3B, the illustration of the pouch is omitted so that the shape of the port 8 can be easily understood.

The port 8 has a connecting tube 81 at one end (the side of the adapter 1) and a sealing portion 85 at the other end.

The connection cylinder 81 has a hollow cylindrical shape. On the outer circumferential surface, which is a cylindrical surface of the connection cylinder 81, a male screw 82 is formed.

The seal portion 85 has a substantially rectangular column shape having a bottom surface of a smooth shape. The two sheets and the seal portion 85 are fixed with the seal portion 85 sandwiched between the two sheets constituting the pouch. The fixing method is not limited, and for example, a heat sealing method and an ultrasonic sealing method can be used. Thereby, the port 8 is integrated with the two sheets constituting the pouch.

3B, a flow passage 83 extending from the seal portion 85 to the connection cylinder 81 passes through the port 8 in the up-and-down direction. On the upper surface of the seal portion 85 (the surface opposite to the connection cylinder 81), a seal sheet 84 including an aluminum layer is bonded by, for example, a heat seal or an ultrasonic seal. As a result, the opening of the flow path 83 on the side of the sealing portion 85 is sealed with the sealing sheet 84.

The port 8 is made of a hard material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, thermoplastic elastomer, or polyacetal. The port 8 can be integrally manufactured as an integral part, for example, by injection molding using the resin material described above.

<How to use adapter>

As shown in Figs. 3A and 3B, the adapter 1 is interposed between the female connector 5 and the port 8, and is used to communicate them. A method of using the adapter 1 will be described.

First, the first connector 10 of the adapter 1 and the female connector 5 are connected.

The male coupler 11 of the adapter 1 is inserted into the insertion portion 51 of the connector main body 50 of the female connector 5 so as to face the adapter 1 and the female connector 5 as shown in Figures 3a and 3b, . The insertion portion 51 is elastically deformed by the outer peripheral surface of the male coupler 11 as the male coupler 11 is inserted into the insertion portion 51 so that the insertion portion 51 is extended in the circumferential direction . As a result, the adhesion between the insertion portion 51 and the male coupler 11 is improved.

The male coupler 11 is inserted deeply into the insertion portion 51 so that the engaging portion 15 of the adapter 1 approaches or contacts the flange 52 of the connector main body 50. [ In this state, the adapter 1 and the handle 60 are rotated in directions opposite to each other. More specifically, the adapter 1 and the handle 60 are rotated in opposite directions so that the engaging portion 15 of the adapter 1 is engaged with the engaging projection 64 formed on the engaging wall 64 of the handle 60, And one end of the engaging portion 15 is caused to collide with the stopper portion 67. [ Thereby, the engaging surface 16 of the engaging portion 15 and the engaging surface 66 of the engaging projection 65 engage with each other. In this way, the adapter 1 and the female connector 5 are liquid-tightly connected (see Figs. 4A and 4B).

The connecting operation between the adapter 1 and the female connector 5 can be performed by grasping the cylindrical portion 30 of the adapter 1 and the handle 60 of the female connector 5. [

Then, the second connection portion 20 of the adapter 1 and the port 8 are connected.

3A and 3B, the connecting portion 21 of the adapter 1 is inserted into the connecting cylinder 81 of the port 8. When the communication portion 21 is inserted to a certain depth, the edge 22 of the leading end of the communicating portion 21 comes into contact with the sealing sheet 84 of the port 8. When the adapter 1 is pushed into the port 8 from this state, the sealing sheet 84 is perforated by the edge 22. And the communicating portion 21 is inserted deeper into the port 8. The female screw 25 of the adapter 1 collides with the male screw 82 of the port 8. The port 8 is rotated with respect to the adapter 1 so that the female screw 25 and the male screw 82 are screwed together. Thus, the adapter 1 and the port 8 are connected. The tip end of the connection cylinder 81 of the port 8 is brought into contact with the bottom plate 31 of the adapter 1 and a liquid tight seal is formed therebetween as shown in Fig. In addition, the sealing cylinder 32 of the adapter 1 is fitted in the connection cylinder 81 of the port 8, and a liquid-tight seal is formed between them. Thus, the adapter 1 and the port 8 are connected in a liquid-tight manner.

The connecting operation between the adapter 1 and the port 8 is carried out by connecting the cylindrical portion 30 of the adapter 1 and the sealing portion 85 of the port 8 (actually, through the sheet constituting the pouch) It can be performed by grasping.

As described above, the port 8 and the female connector 5 are connected through the adapter 1, as shown in Fig. 4A. The flow path 83 of the port 8 and the flow path 53 of the female connector 5 communicate with each other through the adapter 1 as shown in Fig. In this state, the nutrient in the pouch (not shown) provided with the port 8 can be administered to the patient through the port 8, the adapter 1, the female connector 5, and the tube 59 in that order . There is no limitation on the method of moving the nutrient. For example, a method of compressing the pouch with a hand or an extruding device, or a method of skimming the tube 59 with a roller or the like may be employed. can do.

When the administration of the nutrient is finished, the operation opposite to the above is performed to separate the female connector 5, the adapter 1, and the port 8, respectively. The adapter 1 can be cleaned and reused as necessary.

<Action>

As described above, the adapter 1 of the present embodiment has the first connection portion 10 at one end and the second connection portion 20 at the other end.

The first connecting portion 10 has a male coupler 11 and an engaging portion 15. The male coupler 11 is inserted into the insertion portion 51 of the connector main body 50 of the female connector 5 and is brought into close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the insertion portion 51 by enlarging the insertion portion 51. [ The engaging portion 15 is engaged with the engaging projection 65 of the handle 60 of the female connector 5. Thereby, the male coupler 11 and the female connector 5 can be tightly and liquid-tightly connected. Therefore, even if the liquid material is leaked from between the male coupler 11 and the insertion portion 51 of the connector main body 50 or the adapter 1 and the female connector 5 There is no case in which it is unintentionally separated.

The second connecting portion 20 includes a communicating portion 21 and a female screw 25. The female screw 25 can be screwed to the male screw 82 of the port 8 in a state where the connecting portion 21 is inserted into the port 8. This makes it possible to connect the adapter 1 and the port 8 in a liquid-tight manner and firmly. Therefore, even when the pressure is applied to the pouch to pressurize the nutrient, there is no case where the liquid material leaks out between the adapter 1 and the port 8 or the adapter 1 and the port 8 are inadvertently separated from each other .

At the tip of the insertion portion 21 of the adapter 1, a sharp edge 22 is formed. By inserting the insertion portion 21 into the port 8 and pushing it, the sealing sheet 84 provided in the port 8 can be pierced by the edge 22. Thereafter, the insertion portion 21 may be further inserted to complete the connection between the adapter 1 and the port 8. Conventionally, in order to drill the sealing sheet 84 of the port 8, it has been necessary to insert a rod having a sharp tip into the port 8. For this reason, it was necessary to separately prepare a rod for piercing the sealing sheet 84. [ In addition, there was a case where an erroneous operation of discharging the nutrient from the port 8 was performed during the time until the extension sheet was connected to the port 8 after the bag sheet 84 was pierced. The present invention solves such a conventional problem. In the present invention, only by inserting the insertion portion 21 of the adapter 1 into the port 8, breakage of the sealing sheet 84 and connection of the adapter 1 and the port 8 can be performed quickly and efficiently .

4B, the insertion portion 21 of the adapter 1 is inserted into the flow passage 83 of the port 8 in a state where the adapter 1 and the port 8 are connected to each other, . Therefore, the cross-sectional area of the flow path 83 of the port 8 becomes smaller by the cross-sectional area of the insertion portion 21. This increases the flow resistance of the nutrient. Incidentally, in the above-described embodiment, the slit 23 is formed in the insertion portion 21. Therefore, the nutrient can flow into the insertion portion 21 through the slit 23 as well as the opening at the distal end side of the insertion portion 21. [ Thus, it is possible to suppress an increase in the flow resistance of the nutrient. This has the advantage that it is not necessary to apply a large pressure to the pouch when the nutrient is pressed and the flow rate of the nutrient is increased. A gap is preferably formed between the outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion 21 and the inner circumferential surface of the flow path 83 of the port 8 in order to effectively exhibit this function of the slit 23.

The slit 23 also has the advantages of reducing the amount of nutrients remaining in the pouch and improving the cleaning property of the adapter 1 after use.

However, unlike the above-described embodiment, the slits 23 may not be formed in the insertion portion 21.

The female part 25 constituting the engaging part 15 and the second connecting part 20 constituting the first connecting part 10 is formed in the cylindrical part 30 in the above embodiment. This is advantageous in reducing the size of the adapter 1 and improving workability of connection between the female connector 5 and the port 8 through the adapter 1. [ However, unlike the above embodiment, the engagement portion 15 and the female screw 25 may be provided on separate elements.

In the above embodiment, the adapter 1 is integrally formed as one component. This is advantageous in that the manufacture of the adapter 1 is facilitated and the strength of the adapter 1 is improved. However, unlike the above embodiment, the adapter 1 may be configured by combining two or more members separately prepared. For example, the first connecting portion 10 and the second connecting portion 20 may be separate parts separately prepared. In this case, the first connecting portion 10 and the second connecting portion 20 can be integrated by a method such as adhesion or fusion. A hard or flexible cylindrical member may be interposed between the first connecting portion 10 and the second connecting portion 20. [

The stopper 67 of the handle 60 rotates the adapter 1 clockwise with respect to the handle 60 as viewed from the adapter 1 side That is, the right turn), the engaging portion 15 is provided so as to collide. The female screw 25 of the adapter 1 and the male screw 82 of the port 8 are right-handed screws. The direction in which the adapter 1 is rotated with respect to the handle 60 and the direction in which the adapter 1 is rotated in order to engage the engagement projection 15 of the adapter 1 with the engagement projection 65 of the handle 60, The direction in which the port 8 is rotated with respect to the adapter 1 in order to screw the female thread 25 of the plug 8 and the male screw 82 of the port 8 is the same. The port 8 is rotated with respect to the adapter 1 in order to screw the female screw 25 and the male screw 82 in the state where the engagement portion 15 and the engagement protrusion 65 are engaged with each other , It is unlikely that an erroneous operation of releasing the engagement between the engaging portion 15 and the engaging projection 65 is likely to occur. However, in the present invention, the stop 67 may be omitted, or the stop 67 may be provided on the opposite side of the engagement protrusion 65 from the above embodiment. The female screw 25 and the male screw 82 may be left-handed.

A plurality of protrusions (for example, a center portion) are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 30 of the adapter 1 so as to easily apply rotational force when the adapter 1 is connected to the female connector 5 and the port 8, A plurality of ribs parallel to the axis 1a) may be formed, or a rectangular prism shape such as a square-pillar shape or a square-prism shape may be provided.

The sealing sheet 84 may be attached so as to close the opening of the flow path 83 of the port 8 on the connection cylinder 81 side. The sealing sheet 84 can be pierced with the sharp edge 22 of the connecting portion 21 of the adapter 1 in the same manner as described above.

The nutrient flowing through the adapter of the present invention is a semi-solidified animal (for example, a pooled product, a paste product, a creamy product, etc.). The viscosity of the nutrient is not limited, but is preferably 400 mPa · s or more and 50,000 mPa · s or less. For example, the adapter of the present invention can preferably be applied to a semi-solid nutrient having a viscosity of 20,000 mPa · s.

[Industrial applicability]

The adapter of the present invention can be advantageously used when connecting a port of a pouch containing a semi-solid nutrient and an extension tube connected to a PEG catheter.

1: Adapter (adapter for semi-solid nutrition)
10: first connection
11: Suler
15: Engaging part (engaging claw)
20:
21:
22:
23: slit
25: female thread
30:
5: female connector
8: Port
84: Sealing sheet

Claims (5)

An adapter for a semi-solid nutrient for communicating a female connector with a port of a pouch containing a semi-solid nutrient,
And a second connecting portion connected to the port at the other end and having a first connecting portion connected to the female connector at one end,
Wherein the first connecting portion includes a male lure inserted into the female connector and an engaging portion engageable with the female connector,
Wherein the second connecting portion includes a cylindrical communicating portion inserted into the port and a female screw disposed so as to surround the communicating portion and capable of being screwed with the port,
Characterized in that a sharp edge is provided at the distal end of the communicating part. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the communicating portion is formed with a slit extending along the longitudinal direction thereof. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
Further comprising a substantially cylindrical tubular portion between the male coupler and the communicating portion,
Wherein the engaging portion is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion, and the female screw is provided on an inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
An adapter for a semi-solidified nutrient, the adapter being integrally formed as a component. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Wherein the sharpening end of the communicating portion is configured to be able to pierce a sealing sheet that seals the port when the communicating portion is inserted into the port.

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