The present invention relates to a blood circuit connector, and particularly to a
blood circuit connector including: a main body provided with a through hole through
which a tube can be inserted from both ends; and a plug connected to an outer
circumferential surface of the main body, and allowing the plug to be detachably
10 attached to one end of the main body.
BACKGROUNDART
An extracorporeal circulation circuit used for hemodialysis and the like is
formed of an artery-side blood circuit and a vein-side blood circuit. The artery-side
blood circuit includes a tube connected to one end of the hemodialyzer and used for
15 connecting various kinds of devices. The tube has a tip end to which a blood circuit
connector is attached, which is used for introducing another connector connected to an
artery-side puncture needle. Also, the vein-side blood circuit includes a tube
connected to the other end of the hemodialyzer and used for connecting various kinds
of devices. The tube has a tip end to which a blood circuit connector is attached,
20 which is used for introducing another connector connected to a vein-side puncture
needle.
The blood circuit connector has a cylindrical shape provided with a through
hole such that the above-described connector can be introduced into both ends thereof.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the blood circuit connector is kept clean from the
25 hygiene point of view. In particular, at one end of the blood circuit connector into
which a connector connected to the artery-side puncture needle or the vein-side
puncture needle is introduced, a plug for closing an opening at one end until use is
provided in order to prevent contamination by various bacteria.
For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 201 1-5591 1 (PTD 1) is cited as
a document disclosing a blood circuit connector provided with a plug for closing an
opening at one end.
The blood circuit connector disclosed in PTD 1 includes: a main body provided
therein with a through hole and separable between one end and the other end; and a
5 plug connected to the main body. The main body is provided at its one end with a
first opening that communicates with the through hole. The plug is configured to
close the first opening in the attached state where this plug is attached to the main body.
By the configuration as described above, the first opening can be closed by the
plug until it becomes necessary to be used during the priming process or the like, so
10 that the opening end of the main body located on the first opening side can be
prevented from being contaminated by various bacteria.
CITATION LIST
PATENT DOCUMENT
PTD 1 : Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 20 1 1-559 1 1
15 SUMMARY OF INVENTION
TECHNICAL PROBLEM
When the extracorporeal circulation circuit is used, a connector of the other
blood circuit (including an adapter for connecting the connector) or a connector for a
puncture needle is connected to one end of the main body of the blood circuit connector
20 In this case, it is necessary to remove the plug closing the opening at one end of the
main body.
In the configuration disclosed in PTD 1, the blood circuit connector itself is not
fixed. Accordingly, in order to allow disengagement between the main body and the
plug, it becomes necessary to perform an operation of gripping the plug with one hand
25 to pull out the plug while fixing the blood circuit connector with the other hand holding
the main body, which requires exertion of considerable force with both hands. This
operation also requires time and effort, which may lead to a significant overload.
The present invention has been made in light of the above-described problems.
An object of the present invention is to provide a blood circuit connector that allows
easy removal of a plug and also allows easy formation of an extracorporeal circulation
circuit.
SOLUTION TO PROBLEM
A blood circuit connector according to the present invention includes: a main
5 body having a cylindrical shape and having a through hole provided therein to have one
end provided with a first opening end and the other end provided with a second opening
end; a plug having a bottomed cylindrical shape and detachably attached to the first
opening end; and a connection part having flexibility and configured to connect the
main body and the plug. The plug includes a side wall loosely fitted to an outer
10 circumferential surface of the first opening end and a bottom facing the first opening
end in an extending direction of an axis line of the main body in an attached state where
the plug is attached to the first opening end. The connection part includes a first fixed
end connected to the side wall of the plug, a second fixed end connected to an outer
circumferential surface of the main body, and a curved part located between the first
15 fixed end and the second fixed end and expanding in a direction away from the main
body. In the attached state, the curved part is pushed in a direction approaching the
outer circumferential surface of the main body such that the curved part extends, to
cancel a loosely fitted state between the side wall of the plug and the outer
circumferential surface of the first opening end, so as to remove the plug from the first
20 opening end.
In the blood circuit connector according to the present invention, it is preferable
that the connection part further includes an elastic force generating part located
between the first fixed end and the curved part, and flexibly deformed in the attached
state so as to generate elastic force. In this case, it is preferable that the plug is
25 attached to the first opening end as the plug swings against the elastic force generated
by the elastic force generating part such that an axis line of the plug extends in line with
the axis line of the main body. It is preferable that, when the plug is removed, the
loosely fitted state between the side wall of the plug and the outer circumferential
surface of the first opening end is cancelled, to cause the plug to swing with restoring
force produced based on the elastic force generated by the elastic force generating part,
so as to move the plug away from above the axis line of the main body.
In the blood circuit connector according to the present invention, it is preferable
that the elastic force generating part has an approximately S-shape.
5 In the blood circuit connector according to the present invention, it is preferable
that the main body, the plug and the connection part are integrally molded by injection
molding.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION
According to the present invention, it becomes possible to provide a blood
10 circuit connector that allows easy removal of a plug and also allows easy formation of
an extracorporeal circulation circuit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an extracorporeal circulation circuit in which a
blood circuit connector is used, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
15 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blood circuit connector shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a front view of the blood circuit connector shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line IV-IV shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the attached state where a plug is
attached to a first opening end of a main body in the blood circuit connector shown in
20 Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line VI-VI shown in Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line VII-VII shown in Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the state where a tube is introduced into
the other end of the blood circuit connector from the state shown in Fig. 5.
25 Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the manner in which a curved part of a
connection part in the blood circuit connector is pushed so as to be moved from the
state shown in Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line X-X shown in Fig. 9.
Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the plug is removed
from the first opening end of the main body in the blood circuit connector.
Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the state where the blood
circuit connector is used during a priming process.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
5 Embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described in detail
with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following embodiments, the
same or corresponding components are designated by the same reference characters in
the accompanying drawings, and description thereof will not be repeated.
(Embodiments)
Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an extracorporeal circulation circuit in which a
blood circuit connector is used, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to Fig. 1, an extracorporeal circulation circuit 1 in which a blood circuit
connector 100 according to the present embodiment is used will be hereinafter
described.
15 As shown in Fig. 1, extracorporeal circulation circuit 1 in which blood circuit
connector 100 according to the present embodiment is used is configured by connecting
an artery-side blood circuit 20 to one end of a dialyzer 10, and connecting a vein-side
blood circuit 30 to the other end of dialyzer 10.
Dialyzer 10 serves as a device for purifying blood by bringing blood and a
20 dialysis fluid into contact with each other through a dialysis membrane, to cause
diffusion by the concentration difference of solutes and ultrafiltration by the static
pressure difference, thereby removing and supplying the solutes, and also removing
moisture.
To artery-side blood circuit 20, an artery-side drip chamber 40, a physiological-
25 saline supply part 60 for example filled with physiological saline and a blood circuit
connector 100 are connected via a tube. Artery-side blood circuit 20 is set in a blood
pump 50. To vein-side blood circuit 30, on the other hand, a vein-side drip chamber
80 and blood circuit connector 100 are connected via a tube.
Artery-side drip chamber 40 prevents air bubbles flowing through artery-side
blood circuit 20 from flowing into dialyzer 10. Blood pump 50 delivers a circulation
liquid within artery-side blood circuit 20 to dialyzer 10. Vein-side drip chamber 80
prevents air bubbles flowing through vein-side blood circuit 30 from flowing into a
human body.
5 Before hemodialysis is carried out, a priming process is performed for washing
the internal area of extracorporeal circulation circuit 1 to be used and the internal areas
of various devices and processors incorporated therein with physiological saline or the
like.
In the priming process, the passage from physiological-saline supply part 60 to
10 the inside of blood circuit connector 100 located at the end of artery-side blood circuit
20 is first filled with physiological saline. Then, a clamp 21 is used to clamp a part of
the tube that is located close to blood circuit connector 100, the tube serving to connect
artery-side drip chamber 40 and the other end of blood circuit connector 100.
Then, blood pump 50 is operated to introduce physiological saline such that the
15 physiological saline fills the passage through artery-side drip chamber 40, dialyzer 10
and vein-side drip chamber 80 to the inside of blood circuit connector 100 located at
the end of vein-side blood circuit 30. Then, a clamp 3 1 is used to clamp a part of the
tube that is located close to blood circuit connector 100, the tube serving to connect
vein-side drip chamber 80 and the other end of blood circuit connector 100.
After the priming process is ended, in artery-side blood circuit 20, a connector
of an artery-side puncture needle 70 is connected to one end of blood circuit connector
100. Also, in vein-side blood circuit 30, a connector of a vein-side puncture needle 90
is connected. Artery-side puncture needle 70 and vein-side puncture needle 90 are
punctured in advance into a shunt blood vessel of a dialysis patient.
25 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blood circuit connector shown in Fig. 1. Fig.
3 is a front view of the blood circuit connector shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a crosssectional
view taken along a line IV-IV shown in Fig. 2. Referring to Figs. 2 to 4,
blood circuit connector 100 according to the present embodiment will be hereinafter
described.
As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, blood circuit connector 100 according to the present
embodiment includes a main body 110, a plug 140, a connection part 150, and a hook
160. Blood circuit connector 100 is for example formed of an injection-molded
product that is obtained by integrally molding main body 110, plug 140, connection
5 part 150, and hook 160. Furthermore, the material of blood circuit connector 100 may
be synthetic resins such as plastic, for example.
Main body 110 is formed in a cylindrical shape and provided with a through
hole 112 (see Fig. 4) so as to have one end provided with a first opening end 120 and
the other end provided with a second opening end 130. Main body 110 has an outer
10 circumferential surface 1 1 1 provided with a plurality of bar-shaped protrusions 1 13.
The plurality of bar-shaped protrusions 113 are spaced apart from each other in the
circumferential direction of the main body and extend in the extending direction of the
axis line of main body 110.
First opening end 120 of main body 110 is provided with a first opening 121
15 located as one end of through hole 112. Second opening end 130 of main body 110 is
provided with a second opening 13 1 located as the other end of the through hole.
Outer circumferential surface 11 1 of main body 11 0 on the first opening end
120 side and outer circumferential surface 1 1 1 of main body 1 10 on the second opening
end 130 side are provided with a pair of engagement parts 114 and a pair of
20 engagement parts 1 15, respectively, that extend in the circumferential direction of main
body 110 and that protrude in the direction vertical to the extending direction of the
axis line of main body 110.
Engagement parts 114 as one pair are provided so as to face each other in the
direction vertical to the extending direction of the axis line of main body 110.
25 Similarly, engagement parts 11 5 as one pair are also provided so as to face each other
in the direction vertical to the extending direction of the axis line of main body 110.
In addition, the pair of engagement parts 114 may be used as a thread part for
connecting the connector of a puncture needle, for example.
Plug 140 has a bottomed cylindrical shape that is detachably attached to first
opening end 120. Plug 140 includes: a bottom 141 formed in a circular shape and a
positioning part 143 formed in a cross shape, both of which are seen in the axial
direction of plug 140; and a side wall 142 formed in a cylindrical shape and extending
from the main surface of bottom 141 in the direction vertical to the main surface.
5 Bottom 141, side wall 142 and positioning part 143 are disposed such that their central
axes extend coaxially with each other.
The outer diameter of side wall 142 is smaller than the outer diameter of bottom
14 1, so that the circumferential edge of bottom 14 1 protrudes from side wall 142 in the
circumferential direction. Furthermore, positioning part 143 is disposed on the inside
10 of side wall 142. The outside dimension of positioning part 143 on the side of an end
143a (see Fig. 4) is smaller than the inner diameter of side wall 142. The outside
dimension of positioning part 143 on the side of a base part 143b (see Fig. 4) is
approximately the same as the inner diameter of side wall 142.
Thereby, in the attached state where plug 140 is attached to first opening end
15 120 of main body 110 (see Figs. 5 and 6), a housing space 144 is to be formed on the
end 143a side of positioning part 143. Housing space 144 serves to house first
opening end 120 between positioning part 143 and side wall 142. Furthermore, in the
attached state (see Figs. 5 and 6), a portion of positioning part 143 on the base part
143b side is almost in contact with first opening end 120. Thereby, the position of
20 plug 140 to be attached is determined.
Connection part 150 serves as a part for connecting main body 1 10 and plug
140. Furthermore, connection part 150 has flexibility and has a plate-like shape that is
partially curved. Connection part 150 is extended and contracted, so that plug 140 can
be moved in a DR1 direction (see Fig. 2) so as to be attachable to first opening end 120
25 of main body 110, and so that attached plug 140 can be moved in a DR2 direction (see
Fig. 2) so as to be removable from first opening end 120. In this way, plug 140 is
configured so as to be swingable.
Connection part 150 includes: a first fixed end 15 1 coupled to side wall 142 of
plug 140; a second fixed end 152 coupled to outer circumferential surface 1 1 1 of main
body 1 10; and a curved part 155 and an elastic force generating part 156 that are
located between first fixed end 15 1 and second fixed end 152 and arranged sequentially
from second fixed end 152.
In a front view of blood circuit connector 100 from which plug 140 has been
5 removed (see Fig. 3), first fixed end 15 1 is located approximately in the center of the
outer side surface of side wall 142 that is located close to main body 110. In the
attached state where plug 140 is attached, first fixed end 15 1 and second fixed end 152
are arranged so as to align in the extending direction of the axis line of main body 110.
Second fixed end 152 includes: a linear-shaped inclined part 153 that is inclined
10 in the direction away from main body 1 10; and a reinforcement part 154 that connects
the approximately center portion of inclined part 153 and outer circumferential surface
11 1 of main body 110 along the extending direction of the axis line of main body 110.
Thereby, second fixed end 152 is firmly fixed to outer circumferential surface 11 1 of
main body 1 10.
15 Curved part 155 is provided so as to expand in the direction away from main
body 110. Curved part 155 is extendable and contractable, and formed such that the
curvature of curved part 155 in the attached state is greater than the curvature of curved
part 155 in the removed state.
Elastic force generating part 156 has an approximately S shape including a
20 curved part expanding toward first fixed end 15 1. Elastic force generating part 156 is
located between first fixed end 15 1 and curved part 155, and flexibly deformed in the
attached state so as to generate elastic force.
Hook 160 serves as a part to be inserted into an orifice of a container for
fixation (see Fig. 12) when the physiological saline or the circulation liquid is
25 discharged through first opening end 120 during the priming process or after
completion of hemodialysis.
Hook 160 is arranged so as to face connection part 150 with main body 1 10
interposed therebetween. Hook 160 includes a fixed end 161 and a free end 167.
Furthermore, hook 160 has flexibility and includes: a plate-shaped part that is partially
curved and bent; and a sphere-shaped part that is located at free end 167 (the tip end).
The above-described plate-shaped part of hook 160 includes: a linear part 162
extending from outer circumferential surface 1 1 1 of main body 1 10 in the direction
vertical to the extending direction of the axis line of main body 110; a curved part 163
5 expanding in the direction away from main body 110; and a bent part 164 bent in the
direction away from main body 110.
In order to ensure the strength, linear part 162 and curved part 163 are provided
with reinforcement parts 165 and 166, respectively, so as to be approximately centered
on their respective surfaces extending toward main body 110. Furthermore, a gap is
10 provided between bent part 164 and main body 110, and the orifice of the container can
be inserted into this gap.
In the state where the orifice of the container is inserted into the gap, hook 160
is flexibly deformed such that bent part 164 is moved away from main body 110.
Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the attached state where the plug is
15 attached to the first opening end of the main body in the blood circuit connector shown
in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line VI-VI shown in Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line VII-VII shown in Fig. 6. Referring
to Figs. 5 to 7, an explanation will be hereinafter given with regard to the attached state
where plug 140 is attached to first opening end 120 in blood circuit connector 100.
As shown in Figs. 5 to 7, in the attached state where plug 140 is attached so as
to close first opening end 120, bottom 141 of plug 140 is disposed so as to face first
opening end 120 in the extending direction of the axis line of main body 110, and first
opening end 120 is housed in housing space 144.
As shown in Fig. 7, in the state where first opening end 120 is housed in
25 housing space 144, a pair of engagement parts 114 comes in contact with the inner side
surface of side wall 142, so that plug 140 engages with first opening end 120. In this
case, as shown in Fig. 6, a gap is provided between the inner circumferential surface of
first opening end 120 and each of end 143a of positioning part 143 and the inner side
surface of side wall 142, so that side wall 142 of plug 140 is loosely fitted to outer
circumferential surface 11 1 of first opening end 120.
Furthermore, when plug 140 is attached to first opening end 120, connection
part 150 is flexibly deformed, and thus, plug 140 is attached to first opening end 120
while swinging against the elastic force generated by elastic force generating part 156
5 such that the axis line of plug 140 extends in line with the axis line of main body 110.
Thereby, elastic force generating part 156 maintains the state where plug 140 is biased
in the DR2 direction (see Fig. 2).
Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the state where a tube is introduced into
the other end of the blood circuit connector from the state shown in Fig. 5. Referring
10 to Fig. 8, an explanation will be hereinafter given with regard to the state where a tube
171 is introduced into the other end of the blood circuit connector.
As shown in Fig. 8, when extracorporeal circulation circuit 1 is formed, blood
circuit connector 100 is prepared, into which tube 171 forming a part of artery-side
blood circuit 20 (see Fig. 1) or vein-side blood circuit 30 (see Fig. 1) is inserted in
15 advance through second opening end 130. In this state, plug 140 is attached to first
opening end 120. It is to be noted that tube 171 is liquid-tightly inserted into through
hole 112.
Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the manner in which the curved part of
the connection part in the blood circuit connector is pushed to be moved from the state
20 shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line X-X shown in Fig
9. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the plug is removed from
the first opening end of the main body in the blood circuit connector. Referring to
Figs. 9 to 11, the operation for removing plug 140 from first opening end 120 will be
hereinafter described.
25 As shown in Fig. 9, when plug 140 is removed from first opening end 120,
curved part 155 of connection part 150 is pushed in the direction approaching outer
circumferential surface 11 1 of main body 110. In this case, the user uses hislher index
finger or middle finger of one hand to grip hook 160 so as to be covered, and then, uses
hislher thumb to push curved part 155 to be moved, for example, in a DR3 direction
shown in the figure. Thereby, curved part 155 is extended, so that plug 140 moves
away from hook 160 and swings in the direction back to the removed state (the DR2
direction: see Fig. 2).
While plug 140 is swinging, plug 140 is inclined such that the end of side wall
5 142 of plug 140 is positioned in the manner in which its tip end on the connection part
150 side is located closer to second opening end 130 than its tip end on the hook 160
side is. Between the inner side surface of side wall 142 and outer circumferential
surface 1 1 1 of main body 1 10, and between positioning part 143 and the inner
circumferential surface of main body 110, a gap is provided such that plug 140 is
10 swingable relative to first opening end 120.
In this state, as shown in Fig. 10, since a pair of engagement parts 114 comes in
contact with the inner side surface of side wall 142 of plug 140, the loosely fitted state
between side wall 142 and first opening end 120 is not canceled.
When curved part 155 of connection part 150 is further pushed with a thumb in
15 the direction approaching outer circumferential surface 1 1 1 of main body 1 10 as
described above, curved part 155 is further extended, so that plug 140 swings to a
position at which the pair of engagement parts 114 does not come in contact with the
inner side surface of side wall 142 of plug 140. Thereby, the loosely fitted state
between side wall 142 of plug 140 and first opening end 120 is cancelled.
As shown in Fig. 11, when the loosely fitted state between side wall 142 of plug
140 and first opening end 120 is canceled, the restoring force obtained based on the
elastic force generated by elastic force generating part 156 causes plug 140 to further
swing in the DR2 direction such that plug 140 is moved away from above the axis line
of main body 110. Thereby, plug 140 moves in the extending direction of the axis
25 line of the main body to a position at which this plug 140 does not overlap with main
body 110.
In this way, plug 140 can be readily removed from main body 110 in a singletouch
operation of pushing connection part 150 in the direction approaching main body
110. Since such a single-touch operation can be performed only with one hand, plug
140 can be removed more smoothly. Thus, it becomes possible to eliminate the time
and effort caused when one hand is used to grip and remove plug 140 while using the
other hand to fix main body 110 as in the conventional case.
Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the state where the blood
5 circuit connector is used during a priming process. Referring to Fig. 12, an
explanation will be hereinafter given with regard to an example of the state where the
blood circuit connector is used during the priming process.
As shown in Fig. 12, in the state where tube 171 is inserted through second
opening end 130, and in the state where plug 140 is removed from first opening end
10 120 of main body 1 10, hook 160 is hooked on an orifice 18 1 of a container 180 such
that first opening end 120 faces the inside of container 180.
By hooking blood circuit connector 100 on container 180 so as to be attached
thereto, the physiological saline and the like having circulated through extracorporeal
circulation circuit 1 can be discharged into container 180. In addition, also when
15 hemodialysis is completed, blood circuit connector 100 is attached to orifice 181 of
container 180 as described above, so that the circulation liquid can be discharged.
In this way, when the physiological saline and the circulation liquid are
discharged, plug 140 does not overlap with main body 110 in the extending direction of
the axis line of the main body, with the result that the physiological saline and the
20 circulation liquid can be readily discharged through first opening end 120.
By the configuration as described above, in blood circuit connector 100
according to the present embodiment, connection part 150 is pushed to be moved closer
to main body 110, so that plug 140 can be readily removed from first opening end 120.
Furthermore, an extracorporeal circulation circuit can be readily formed by using blood
25 circuit connector 100 according to the present embodiment.
As described above, blood circuit connector 100 according to the present
embodiment has been described while illustrating the configuration including elastic
force generating part 156, but the configuration not including elastic force generating
part 156 may be applied. Also in such a configuration, curved part 155 is coupled to
the end on the outer side surface of side wall 142 of plug 140 that is located on the
opposite side to bottom 141, so that plug 140 can be readily removed from first opening
end 120 while utilizing the elastic force caused by flexible deformation of curved part
155.
5 Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described as
above, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and non-restrictive in every
respect. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, and
is intended to include any modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the
terms of the claims.
10 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
1 extracorporeal circulation circuit, 10 dialyzer, 20 artery-side blood circuit, 2 1,
3 1 clamp, 30 vein-side blood circuit, 40 artery-side drip chamber, 50 blood pump, 60
physiological-saline supply part, 70 artery-side puncture needle, 80 vein-side drip
chamber, 90 vein-side puncture needle, 100 blood circuit connector, 1 10 main body,
15 1 1 1 outer circumferential surface, 1 12 through hole, 1 13 protrusion, 1 14, 1 15
engagement part, 120 first opening end, 12 1 first opening, 13 0 second opening end, 13 1
second opening, 140 plug, 14 1 bottom, 142 side wall, 143 positioning part, 143a end,
143b base part, 144 housing space, 150 connection part, 151 first fixed end, 152 second
fixed end, 153 inclined part, 154 reinforcement part, 155 curved part, 156 elastic force
20 generating part, 160 hook, 161 fixed end, 162 linear part, 163 curved part, 164 bent part,
165 reinforcement part, 167 free end, 171 tube.

CLAIMS
1. A blood circuit connector comprising;
a main body having a cylindrical shape, the main body having a through hole
5 provided therein to have one end provided with a first opening end and the other end
provided with a second opening end;
a plug having a bottomed cylindrical shape and detachably attached to the first
opening end; and
a connection part having flexibility and configured to connect the main body
10 and the plug,
the plug including a side wall loosely fitted to an outer circumferential surface
of the first opening end and a bottom facing the first opening end in an extending
direction of an axis line of the main body in an attached state where the plug is attached
to the first opening end,
15 the connection part including a first fixed end connected to the side wall of the
plug, a second fixed end connected to an outer circumferential surface of the main body,
and a curved part located between the first fixed end and the second fixed end and
expanding in a direction away from the main body, and
in the attached state, the curved part being pushed in a direction approaching the
20 outer circumferential surface of the main body such that the curved part extends, to
cancel a loosely fitted state between the side wall of the plug and the outer
circumferential surface of the first opening end, so as to remove the plug from the first
opening end.
2. The blood circuit connector according to claim 1, wherein
the connection part further includes an elastic force generating part located
between the first fixed end and the curved part, and flexibly deformed in the attached
state so as to generate elastic force,
the plug is attached to the first opening end as the plug swings against the
elastic force generated by the elastic force generating part such that an axis line of the
plug extends in line with the axis line of the main body, and
when the plug is removed, the loosely fitted state between the side wall of the
plug and the outer circumferential surface of the first opening end is cancelled, to cause
the plug to swing with restoring force produced based on the elastic force generated by
the elastic force generating part, so as to move the plug away from above the axis line
of the main body.
3. The blood circuit connector according to claim 2, wherein the elastic force
generating part has an approximately S-shape
4 The blood circuit connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein
the main body, the plug and the connection part are integrally molded by injection
molding