CONNECTOR AND CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY

• US 20130006211A1
• Filed: 03/10/2011
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Takemoto, Masafumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,790,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/403
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/10 Bag-type containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/14 Details; Accessories therefor A61J7/00 takes precedence; openers B65D, B67B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/201 having one piercing end
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2051 having tap means, e.g. tap means activated by sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2055 having gripping means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2089 Containers or vials which are to be joined to each other in order to mix their contents combinations of vial and syringe for mixing their contents A61J1/2096
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1077 Adapters, e.g. couplings adapting a connector to one or several other connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/00 Tubes, tube connectors, tube couplings, valves, access sites or the like, specially adapted for medical use for respiratory devices, e.g. tracheal tubes A61M16/00; artificial heart valves A61F2/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/10 Tube connectors; Tube couplings A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/162 Needle sets, i.e. connections by puncture between reservoir and tube ; Connections between reservoir and tube in jet-action syringes A61M5/30; connectors for tubes having sealed ends and a needle for piercing them A61M39/14

Abstract

A first connector 2 is provided with: a first connector body composed of a cylindrical outer tube 4, a cylindrical inner tube 7, and a hub 12; a hollow needle 5 supported by the hub 12; a first sealing member supported by the inner tube 7; a coil spring 8 serving as a biasing means which biases the hub 12 in a proximal direction and also serving as a to-be-pierced section biasing means which biases the first sealing member in the distal direction; and gripping and pressing members disposed on the outer tube 4. A plurality of pawls 126 are formed on a flange 124 of the hub 12. A plurality of ratchet teeth 41 are formed on the inner circumferential portion of a proximal portion of the outer tube 4. Each of the ratchet teeth 41 and each of the pawls 126 of the hub 12 form an engagement-disengagement mechanism 13.

Claims

1. A connector comprising:

an outer tube;

a hub disposed at a proximal portion of the outer tube so as to be movable in a direction of an axis of the outer tube and rotatable about the axis of the outer tube, relative to the outer tube, wherein the hub has a connection portion connected on a proximal side of the hub to a medical instrument having a screw engagement part and also has a projected portion for screw engagement with the screw engagement part, and at least a distal portion of the hub being inserted in the outer tube; and

an engagement-disengagement mechanism provided at a joint part between the outer tube and the hub, wherein the engagement-disengagement mechanism permits rotation of the hub in both of a forward direction and a reverse direction when the hub is positioned in a first position, and inhibits the rotation of the hub in only one of the forward direction and the reverse direction when the hub is positioned in a second position on a distal side relative to the first position.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the rotating direction of the hub for tightening the screw engagement between the projected portion of the hub and the screw engagement part of the medical instrument coincides with a direction in which the rotation of the hub is inhibited by the engagement-disengagement mechanism.

3. The connector according to claim 1,

wherein the hub has a flange at an outer circumferential portion thereof;

and

the engagement-disengagement mechanism has pawls provided on one of the flange and an inner circumferential portion of the outer tube, and ratchet teeth provided on the other.

4. The connector according to claim 1, further comprising

biasing means for biasing the hub in a proximal direction,

wherein the hub is positioned in the first position by a biasing force of the biasing means, and, when the hub is moved in a distal direction from the first position against the biasing force of the biasing means to be positioned in the second position, the rotation of the hub in only one of the forward direction and the reverse direction is inhibited by the engagement-disengagement mechanism.

5. A connector assembly comprising:

the connector according to claim 1; and

a mating connector connected to the connector and having on a distal side a connection portion to which to connect a liquid storing vessel capable of storing a liquid.