Female connector and connector

Abstract

A female connector ( 100 ) to be connected to a male connector ( 170 ) having a tubular section ( 172 ), out of which a liquid-like substance flows, is disclosed. The female connector has an adaptor ( 110 ) installed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular section, and a handle ( 120 ) fitted on the adaptor. The adaptor has a tube-shaped section ( 112 ) having an opening ( 119 a ) at one end. The tube-shaped section includes an insertion section ( 119 ) into which the tubular section is inserted from the opening, and the insertion section has flexibility and elasticity. The handle has a rigidity higher than that of the insertion section of the adaptor. There is provided movement limitation means that limits a range in which the handle is capable of moving relative to the adaptor from an end of the adaptor on an opposite side of the opening to an end thereof on the opening side in a direction of a center axis ( 111 ) of the adaptor.

1 . A female connector to be connected to a male connector having a tubular section, out of which a liquid-like substance flows, comprising:
 an adaptor installed on an outer peripheral surface of the tubular section, and a handle fitted on the adaptor,   wherein the adaptor has a tube-shaped section having an opening at one end thereof, the tube-shaped section includes an insertion section into which the tubular section is inserted from the opening, and the insertion section has flexibility and elasticity,   the handle has a rigidity higher than that of the insertion section of the adaptor, and   there is provided movement limitation means limiting a range in which the handle is capable of moving relative to the adaptor from an end of the adaptor on an opposite side of the opening to an end thereof on the opening side in a center axis direction of the adaptor.   
     
     
         2 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the movement limitation means includes a flange section provided at the end of the tube-shaped section of the adaptor on the opening side or in a vicinity thereof so as to protrude outward from the outer peripheral surface of the tube-shaped section, and a flange holding section provided on the handle so as to hold a surface of the flange section on an opposite side of the opening. 
     
     
         3 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the movement limitation means further limits a range in which the handle is capable of moving relative to the adaptor from the end of the adaptor on the opening side to the end thereof on the opposite side of the opening in the center axis direction of the adaptor. 
     
     
         4 . The female connector according to  claim 3 , wherein the movement limitation means includes an annular groove in a circumferential direction, provided on a surface of one of the tube-shaped section and the handle opposed to the other, and a fitting section provided on the other of the tube-shaped section and the handle so as to be fitted in the groove. 
     
     
         5 . The female connector according to  claim 4 , wherein, when a width of the groove is defined as W 1  and a width of the fitting section is defined as W 2  in the center axis direction of the adaptor, 1.0≦W 1 /W 2 ≦1.5 is satisfied. 
     
     
         6 . The female connector according to  claim 3 , wherein the movement limitation means includes a bonding section that bonds the adaptor to the handle. 
     
     
         7 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein an inner peripheral surface of the insertion section of the adaptor has a tapered surface whose inner diameter increases toward the opening. 
     
     
         8 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein an inner peripheral surface of the insertion section of the adaptor is provided with an annular protrusion in a circumferential direction. 
     
     
         9 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein an inner peripheral surface of the insertion section of the adaptor is provided with an annular difference in level in a circumferential direction, and the difference in level changes an inner diameter of the insertion section in a stepped shape so that the inner diameter of the insertion section on the opening side with respect to the difference in level becomes larger than the inner diameter of the insertion section on an opposite side of the opening with respect to the difference in level. 
     
     
         10 . The female connector according to  claim 2 , wherein the adaptor is provided with a holding mechanism holding the handle. 
     
     
         11 . The female connector according to  claim 10 , wherein the holding mechanism is a locking protrusion that protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface of the tube-shaped section of the adaptor so as to abut on an end of the handle on an opposite side of the male connector. 
     
     
         12 . The female connector according to  claim 10 , wherein the holding mechanism is a contact protrusion that protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface of the tube-shaped section of the adaptor so as to abut on an inner peripheral surface of the handle. 
     
     
         13 . The female connector according to  claim 2 , wherein a tube connected to an end of the adaptor on an opposite side of the opening is provided with a holding mechanism holding the handle. 
     
     
         14 . The female connector according to  claim 2 , wherein the handle is provided with a holding mechanism so as to be held by a tube connected to an end of the adaptor on an opposite side of the opening or the adaptor. 
     
     
         15 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle has an annular shape surrounding the adaptor without any rift. 
     
     
         16 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein an inner peripheral surface of the handle has a tapered surface whose inner diameter decreases toward the male connector. 
     
     
         17 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein an inner peripheral surface of the handle has a small-diameter section whose inner diameter is smaller than that of the other sections. 
     
     
         18 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle is provided with a slit connecting an upper end to a lower end thereof so as to be discontinuous in a circumferential direction of the adaptor. 
     
     
         19 . The female connector according to  claim 18 , wherein a hinge is formed at a position to which the slit of the handle is opposed, and two halves constituting the handle are connected rotatably via the hinge. 
     
     
         20 . The female connector according to  claim 18 , wherein the handle includes diameter expansion limitation means that limits a diameter expansion of the handle. 
     
     
         21 . The female connector according  claim 1 , wherein the handle includes an engagement shape capable of being engaged with the male connector. 
     
     
         22 . The female connector according to  claim 21 , wherein the handle includes a brim section that protrudes on the male connector side with respect to the movement limitation means, and the engagement shape is provided at the brim section. 
     
     
         23 . The female connector according to  claim 22 , wherein an inner peripheral surface of the brim section opposed to a center axis of the handle includes an engagement wall that extends in a circumferential direction, a concave portion provided on an opposite side of the engagement wall with respect to the male connector, and a convex portion provided adjacent to the concave portion on either one side in the circumferential direction with respect to the concave portion, and the engagement shape includes the engagement wall. 
     
     
         24 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle includes a frame having the movement limitation means, a pair of clips protruding on the male connector side with respect to the frame, and a pair of operation sections protruding on an opposite side of the male connector with respect to the frame, wherein a surface on a side opposed to each of the pair of clips is provided with an engagement tab, and when the frame is deformed elastically so as to narrow an interval between tip ends of the pair of operation sections, an interval between tip ends of the pair of clips is widened. 
     
     
         25 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle includes a female thread on the male connector side with respect to the movement limitation means. 
     
     
         26 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid-like substance is a transintestine nutrient in a transintestine nutrition therapy. 
     
     
         27 . A connector comprising a male connector having a tubular section, out of which a liquid-like substance flows, and a female connector to be connected to the male connector,
 wherein the female connector is the female connector according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         28 . The connector according to  claim 27 , wherein, when the tubular section of the male connector is inserted into the insertion section of the adaptor of the female connector, the insertion section is squeezed by the tubular section and the handle. 
     
     
         29 . The connector according to  claim 27 , wherein the male connector and the handle of the female connector are provided with engagement shapes that are engaged with each other. 
     
     
         30 . A connector comprising a male connector having a tubular section, out of which a liquid-like substance flows, and a female connector to be connected to the male connector,
 wherein the female connector is the female connector according to  claim 23 ,   the male connector has a platform in which the tubular section protrudes from a center thereof,   an outer peripheral surface of the platform is provided with an engagement tab protruding in a radial direction with respect to a center axis, and   the engagement tab is stored in the concave portion of the handle, and the engagement tab is engaged with the engagement wall of the handle.   
     
     
         31 . The connector according to  claim 30 , wherein the engagement tab of the male connector abuts on the convex portion of the handle to regulate a rotation of the handle with respect to the male connector. 
     
     
         32 . The connector according to  claim 30 , wherein the engagement tab is provided along a surface of the platform, on which the tubular section is provided. 
     
     
         33 . A connector comprising a male connector having a tubular section, out of which a liquid-like substance flows, and a female connector to be connected to the male connector,
 wherein the female connector is the female connector according to  claim 24 ,   the male connector has a platform in which the tubular section protrudes from a center thereof   an engagement protrusion protruding in a radial direction with respect to a center axis is provided continuously over the outer peripheral surface of the platform, and   the engagement tab of the handle is engaged with the engagement protrusion.   
     
     
         34 . The connector according to  claim 33 , wherein the engagement protrusion is provided along a surface of the platform, on which the tubular section is provided. 
     
     
         35 . A connector comprising a male connector having a tubular section, out of which a liquid-like substance flows, and a female connector to be connected to the male connector,
 wherein the female connector is the female connector according to  claim 25 ,   the male connector has a platform in which the tubular section protrudes from a center thereof,   a male thread is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the platform, and   the female thread of the handle is screwed with the male thread.   
     
     
         36 . The connector according to  claim 27 , wherein the connector is provided on a line connecting a container storing a transintestine nutrient in a transintestine nutrition therapy to a patient.