JP7613004B2 - Pouch container for enteral nutrition - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements that is used in medical settings to store and administer enteral nutritional supplements to patients.

Traditionally, in the medical field, enteral nutrition, in which liquid nutrients or medicines are administered to the stomach or intestines through a tube inserted into the patient's nasal cavity, oral cavity, or fistula, has used a specific pouch container to hold the enteral nutrients and administer them to the patient.

In such a pouch container for enteral nutrition, a sheet made of soft synthetic resin is generally processed into a bag shape, and a storage section for liquid enteral nutrition is formed inside, with an opening on the upper side. The pouch container is placed in a storage bag sealed in a sterile state and supplied to the treatment site. At the treatment site, a medical professional such as a nurse who is in charge of treatment opens the storage bag and takes out the pouch container for enteral nutrition, and then injects the enteral nutrition and, if necessary, a diluent through the opening provided at the top of the container. The enteral nutrition contained in the storage section of the pouch container flows out through an outflow port provided below the pouch container for enteral nutrition to an external duct such as a tube and is administered to the patient. Since the administration of enteral nutrition to a patient is performed continuously for a certain period of time, a hook hole is generally formed in the pouch container for enteral nutrition, and the pouch container for enteral nutrition can be used in a state in which it is suspended from an IV stand by inserting a hanging hook through the hook hole.

Due to the special nature of their use, pouch containers for enteral nutritional supplements have demands and challenges, such as quick operability, easy operability, reliable operability, ability to prevent erroneous operation, and prevention of bacterial adhesion.

In consideration of these problems, JP 2011-78737 A (Patent Document 1) proposes a structure in which a sheet-like opening/closing operation part is fixed to the outer surface of each of the two resin sheets that make up the opening portion, and holes for inserting fingers are provided on the outside of each of the resin sheets, so that the opening portion can be maintained in an open state by opening both fingers inserted into each opening/closing operation part so that they move away from each other.

JP 2011-78737 A

However, after the inventors' investigation, they found that with the conventional structure described in Patent Document 1, the fingers of one hand had to be kept widely spread in order to maintain the shape of the opening formed by the soft resin sheet, and from other perspectives as well, there was still room for improvement in the various issues required for specific uses of conventional pouch containers for enteral nutritional supplements.

The problem to be solved by this invention is to provide a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements that has a new structure and is improved to satisfy the required characteristics of a pouch container.

The following describes preferred embodiments for understanding the present invention, but each embodiment described below is described by way of example only and may be combined with one another as appropriate. In other words, each embodiment described below may be combined with two or more embodiments, regardless of whether it is described in a form that references other embodiments, or a portion of the configuration described in a particular embodiment may be extracted and combined with another embodiment. In short, the multiple components described in each embodiment may be recognized and employed independently as far as possible, and may also be combined with any of the components described in another embodiment as appropriate. As a result, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and various other embodiments may be realized.

In a first aspect, a pouch container for an enteral nutritional supplement has a storage section that opens upward between the overlapping surfaces of a pair of main body sheets, the pair of main body sheets having side seal parts that are fixed to each other in an overlapping state on both sides in the width direction, and a pressing operation part is provided on both sides in the width direction of the pair of main body sheets for applying an opening force to the upward opening of the storage section by bringing the side seal parts on both sides in the width direction closer to each other, and the pressing operation part is made of through holes formed in the side seal parts on both sides , and serves as a first operation hole and a second operation hole into which a finger is inserted , the first operation hole being a through hole with a structure having a constantly open structure in an upper region through which a hanging hook is inserted , and the second operation hole has a periphery that is partially open. a flap-shaped covering portion is provided that extends into the through hole so as to cover at least an upper region of the through hole by being left substantially non-through, while the accommodating portion has a narrow portion in which the widthwise opposing distance between the side seal portions on both sides in the width direction is reduced in a region extending downward from the opening, and a wide portion in which the widthwise opposing distance between the side seal portions on both sides in the width direction is increased on both sides in a region extending further downward from the narrow portion, and above the narrow portion is provided an expanding portion in which the widthwise opposing distance between the side seal portions on both sides in the width direction gradually increases from bottom to top, and the pressing operation portion is provided biased downward in the vertical direction relative to the expanding portion.

When using a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements that is structured according to this embodiment, the user can hold the opening (pressing operation part) of the pouch container with the fingers of one hand while pinching and pulling the bottom end of the pouch container downward with the fingers of the other hand to perform an unfolding operation. The opening can be opened by the pressing force (opening force) exerted by the pressing operation part. In addition, by providing an area with the same narrow container internal dimensions as the opening (pressing operation part) at the upper end part of the storage part that extends downward from the opening, the open state of the opening part is efficiently transmitted to the wide part below the narrow part. As a result, the pair of main body sheets are separated from each other throughout the entire storage part, and the storage part can be in an expanded state, and the enteral nutritional supplement can be easily poured into the expanded storage part through the opened opening part.

If the widthwise inner dimension of the container suddenly expands from the opening (pressing operation part) which is narrow to facilitate the pressing operation and container support operation with one hand toward the storage part, the opening shape of the opening part is difficult to be transmitted to the storage part below. Therefore, a region is provided at the upper end part of the storage part where the widthwise inner dimension of the container is as narrow as the opening (pressing operation part). This makes it possible to efficiently transmit the opening shape of the opening part as it is to the upper part of the storage part. And, if not only the opening part but also the upper part of the storage part is made to have a bulging shape with the pair of main body sheets separated from each other, such a bulging shape is easily transmitted to the lower part of the storage part, and the entire storage part is easily made to have a bulging shape. In addition, once the entire storage part is made to have a bulging shape, the pressing force applied to the opening part is transmitted, so that it is easy to maintain the bulging shape as a whole. In addition, since the opening part is made to have a funnel-shaped opening shape by the opening force applied from the pressing operation part, it is easy to pour the enteral nutritional agent into the storage part through the opening part.

In the second aspect, in the pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements described in the first aspect, a reinforcing member having a greater rigidity than the main body sheet is provided in at least one of the pair of main body sheets at the opening.

According to the pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements constructed according to this embodiment, the use of a separate reinforcing member makes it easy to open the pouch and to stabilize the opening shape. The reinforcing member has a deformation rigidity greater than that of the main body sheet, and is capable of holding the main body sheet in a curved shape. The reinforcing member is provided so as to extend in the sheet width direction on at least one of the main body sheets.

The third aspect is a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements as described in the first or second aspect, in which a zipper is provided at the connection between the opening and the storage section.

According to the pouch container for enteral nutrients constructed according to this embodiment, by opening the zipper, it is possible to pour the enteral nutrients into the storage section through the opening, and by closing the zipper, it is possible to prevent the enteral nutrients contained in the storage section from spilling out. In addition, the zipper makes it easy to grasp the boundary between the opening and the storage section.

In the fourth aspect, in the pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements described in any one of the first to third aspects, at least one of the pressing operation parts is an operation hole that penetrates the side seal part, and the operation hole is located at the lower end of the opening part.

With a pouch container for enteral nutrients constructed according to this embodiment, by inserting a finger into the operation hole and applying a pressing force in a direction that brings the side seals closer together, it becomes easy to hold and press the opening with one hand, regardless of the outer width dimension of the side seals. In addition, the operation hole makes it easy to grasp the boundary between the opening and the storage section.

The fifth aspect is a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements described in any one of the first to fourth aspects, in which the narrow portion satisfies at least one of the length conditions of a length of 3 cm or more downward from the opening and a length of 1/5 or more of the overall vertical length of the storage portion.

In a pouch container for enteral nutrients constructed according to this embodiment, the vertical length of the narrow portion is made sufficiently long, so that the opening shape of the opening portion is effectively transmitted to the storage section, making it easier to deform the storage section into an expanded state.

A seventh aspect is a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements, in which a storage section that opens upward is formed between the overlapping surfaces of a pair of main body sheets, the pair of main body sheets having side seal parts that are fixed to each other in an overlapping state on both sides in the width direction, and a pressing operation part is provided on both sides in the width direction of the pair of main body sheets for applying an opening force to the upward opening of the storage section by bringing the side seal parts on both sides in the width direction closer to each other, and the pressing operation part is provided through a through hole formed in the side seal parts on both sides. a first operating hole and a second operating hole each having a first opening and a second opening, and on one side of the first operating hole or the second operating hole, a flap-shaped covering portion is provided which covers at least an upper portion of the through hole and extends into the through hole so as to cover the through hole by leaving a peripheral portion of the through hole partially non-through , and on the other side of the first operating hole or the second operating hole, a hanging hook insertion hole having a constantly open structure which is provided through the side seal portion and is formed in an open state at at least an upper portion of the through hole .

When a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements constructed according to this embodiment is used by hanging it from a hanging hook on an IV stand or the like, if a cover is provided on an operation hole through which the hanging hook should not be inserted, the hanging hook is less likely to be mistakenly inserted into an operation hole covered by the cover, and the pouch container can be hung appropriately on an IV stand or the like.

The eighth aspect is a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements as described in the seventh aspect, in which the through hole constituting either the first operation hole or the second operation hole is always open without the cover, so that the through hole constitutes the insertion hole for the hanging hook.

In a pouch container for enteral nutrients constructed according to this embodiment, the through-holes constituting one of the operation holes can also be used as insertion holes for the hanging hook, making it possible to achieve excellent one-handed operability by inserting a finger into the operation hole to apply opening force, and hanging from a hook, with only a small number of holes.

The ninth aspect is a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements as described in the seventh aspect, in which the cover portion is provided on both the first operation hole and the second operation hole, and in the through hole constituting either the first operation hole or the second operation hole, the cover portion is made smaller than the through hole, and the through hole for the hanging hook is constituted by an opening area inside the through hole that is not covered by the cover portion and remains open at all times.

In a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements constructed according to this embodiment, the insertion hole for the hanging hook is formed by an opening area that is always open and is provided inside the through hole that constitutes either the first operation hole or the second operation hole, without providing a special hole. In addition, in the through hole with the opening area that constitutes the insertion hole for the hanging hook, the area where the finger should be inserted is covered by a partial covering portion, so that the hook is prevented from being erroneously inserted into the area where the finger should be inserted.

The tenth aspect is a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements as described in the seventh aspect, in which the cover portion is provided on both the first operation hole and the second operation hole, and an additional through hole with a constantly open structure is formed on the outer periphery of the through hole constituting either the first operation hole or the second operation hole, and the additional through hole constitutes the insertion hole for the hanging hook.

In a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements constructed according to this embodiment, both the first and second operation holes are covered by the cover portion, so that when a user (such as a medical professional) hangs the pouch container on a hook, the user can be intuitively guided to insert the hook into the hanging hook insertion hole, which is an additional through hole with a constantly open structure, without accidentally inserting the hook into the operation hole.

The eleventh aspect is a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements described in any one of the seventh to tenth aspects, in which the flap-shaped cover portion is formed by leaving the periphery of the through-hole on the inner side in the width direction of the pair of main body sheets.

When a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements is constructed according to this embodiment, when a finger inserted into the operation hole is used to press the side seals inward in the width direction to bring them closer together, the part of the flap-shaped cover that is continuous with the main sheet (the periphery of the remaining through hole) is folded, and the folded part is pressed by the finger. By pressing the folded part on the inside of the cover in this way, the pressing area becomes larger than when the end face of the side seal that has an opening structure is pressed, and pain can be alleviated by dispersing the force.

The twelfth aspect is a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements described in any one of the seventh to eleventh aspects, in which an insertion hole for the hanging hook is formed on the side of the first operation hole, and the second operation hole is longer in the vertical direction than the first operation hole.

With a pouch container for enteral nutrients constructed according to this embodiment, the second operating hole is made longer in the vertical direction, making it easier to insert and operate multiple fingers, without unnecessarily enlarging the first operating hole on the side where the insertion hole for the hanging hook is formed. As a result, it is possible to encourage the insertion of the thumb into the first operating hole and the insertion of fingers other than the thumb into the second operating hole, making it possible to naturally identify the operating state.

The thirteenth aspect is a pouch container for enteral nutrients described in any one of the seventh to twelfth aspects, in which a zipper is provided below the opening, and the first and second operation holes are provided on either side of the zipper in the width direction of the pair of main body sheets.

The pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements constructed according to this embodiment makes good use of the portion reinforced by the zipper, allowing the pressure applied by the fingers through the first and second operation holes to be applied more efficiently to the openings of the pair of main body sheets.

In the fourteenth aspect, in the pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements described in any one of the seventh to thirteenth aspects, an expansion section is provided in which the opposing distance in the width direction at the side seal portions on both sides in the width direction of the pair of main body sheets gradually increases from the bottom to the top at the opening, and the first operation hole and the second operation hole are provided downwardly biased in the vertical direction relative to the opening.

In a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements constructed according to this embodiment, the opening portion is funnel-shaped due to the opening force applied by the pressing operation portion, making it easy to pour the enteral nutritional supplement into the storage portion through the opening portion. In the portion that widens upward, the inner width dimension of the opening portion is narrower at the lower portion than at the upper portion. Therefore, the areas on both sides of the narrowed lower portion can be used effectively to ensure space for forming the operation hole. In addition, by supporting the narrowed lower portion of the opening portion with the fingers, it is also easy to efficiently support the upper portion of the opening portion that widens upward by placing it on the fingers.

In the fifteenth aspect, in the pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements described in any one of the seventh to fourteenth aspects, a reinforcing member having a greater rigidity than the main body sheet is provided in at least one of the pair of main body sheets in the opening portion, and the first operation hole and the second operation hole are provided in a position at least partially overlapping the reinforcing member in the width direction of the pair of main body sheets or in a position below the reinforcing member.

With a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements constructed according to this embodiment, the opening at the opening portion, particularly the upper end, can be opened large and stably by skillfully utilizing the reinforcing member that is opened by the pressing force applied by the first and second operating parts.

A sixteenth aspect is a pouch container for enteral nutrients in which a storage compartment that opens upward is formed between the overlapping surfaces of a pair of main body sheets, the pair of main body sheets having side seal portions that are overlapping and fixed to each other on both sides in the width direction, and a pressing operation portion is provided on both sides in the width direction of the pair of main body sheets for applying an opening force to the upward opening of the storage compartment by bringing the side seal portions on both sides in the width direction closer to each other, the pressing operation portion being a first operation hole and a second operation hole consisting of through holes formed in the side seal portions on both sides, and one of the first operation hole and the second operation hole has an insertion hole for a hanging hook that is smaller than the through hole and extends outward from an upper portion of the outer edge of the through hole formed in the side seal portion.

In a pouch container for enteral nutritional supplements constructed according to this embodiment, the hanging hook insertion hole is formed in a form that expands outward from the outer edge of the through hole that constitutes the operation hole, so when inserting a hook into the hanging hook insertion hole, which is smaller than the through hole that constitutes the operation hole, the operation hole can be used to facilitate insertion, making it easier to hang the pouch container on the hook. In particular, by making the hanging hook insertion hole so small that fingers cannot be inserted, the user can see at a glance that it is a hole for inserting a hook.

The present invention makes it possible to improve various issues that were previously required of pouch containers for enteral nutritional supplements.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a pouch container for enteral nutrients according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the pouch container shown in FIG. 1, which corresponds to the cross section taken along line II-II in FIG. 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining an operation for opening the opening portion of the pouch container shown in FIG. 1, in which (a) shows a state in which the opening portion is closed, and (b) shows a state in which the opening portion is open. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the opening portion of the pouch container shown in FIG. 1 is opened. FIG. 5 is a front view showing a pouch container for enteral nutrients according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a front view showing a pouch container for enteral nutrients according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a front view showing a pouch container for enteral nutrients according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

Figures 1 and 2 show a pouch container 10 for enteral nutritional supplements (hereinafter referred to as pouch container 10) as a first embodiment of the present invention. This pouch container 10 has a bag structure that is long in the vertical direction in Figure 1, with an openable opening 12 at the top and a port section 16 at the bottom as a discharge port to which an external tube 14 can be connected. A liquid such as a nutrient solution is contained inside and it is used as a bag for supplying nutrients. Note that the pouch container 10 in Figures 2 and 3 is illustrated with a larger dimension in the thickness direction (vertical direction in Figure 2) than in other directions to make it easier to understand.

More specifically, the pouch container 10 has a bag-shaped bag body 18 with an opening 12 at the top, and a storage section 20 is provided inside the bag body 18. The bag body 18 has a structure in which main body sheets 22, 22 are overlapped and fixed to each other in an overlapping state at a surrounding seal section 24. The seal section 24 has side seal sections 26, 26 on both sides in the width direction and a lower seal section 28 on the lower side, and is provided in three directions around the two overlapping front and back main body sheets 22, 22, and the upper part where the seal section 24 is not provided is the opening section 12. Note that, as a means for fixing the front and back main body sheets 22, 22 at the seal section 24, heat welding (heat sealing) is preferable, but for example, adhesion by adhesive or the like can also be used.

The port portion 16 is inserted between the overlapping surfaces of the lower left corner of the main body sheets 22, 22, and is fixed to the main body sheets 22, 22 at a seal portion 24. The port portion 16 is made of a hard material such as synthetic resin, and is preferably made to have greater rigidity than the two main body sheets 22, 22 that make up the bag body 18. One end of the port portion 16 is connected to the storage portion 20, and the other end is open to the outside.

The other end of the port section 16 can be connected to an external tube 14 as an external conduit. The external tube 14 can be a conventionally known one, and as it is not a component of the present invention, a detailed description will be omitted. However, it is a flexible tube, and is provided with flow path devices such as a chamber (drip tube), clamp (flow regulator), and connector (none of which are shown) as necessary. The external tube 14 is then inserted through the nasal cavity, fistula, etc., and reaches the stomach, small intestine, etc. of the patient's body (not shown), and the enteral nutritional agent contained in the container section 20 is administered into the patient's body through the external tube 14.

The bag body 18 is formed by bonding the front and back body sheets 22, 22 to each other at the side seals 26, 26 on both sides and the lower seal 28. The bag body 18 has a storage section 20 formed inside the bag body 18 between the overlapping surfaces of the front and back body sheets 22, 22. The upper part of the storage section 20 is a narrow part 30 that is an area extending downward from the opening 12, and the lower part is a wide part 32 that is an area extending further downward from the narrow part 30. In the narrow part 30, the opposing distance in the width direction between the side seals 26, 26 on both sides in the width direction is made smaller, and in the wide part 32, the opposing distance in the width direction between the side seals 26, 26 on both sides in the width direction is made larger. As a result, the width dimension of the storage section 20 is larger in the wide part 32 than in the narrow part 30. The widthwise inner dimension of the pouch container 10 at the narrow portion 30 is approximately the same as the widthwise inner dimension of the pouch container 10 at the lower end of the opening portion 12.

The narrow portion 30 in this embodiment is provided in the upper part of the storage section 20 as an area that extends linearly in the vertical direction with approximately the same size as the lower end of the opening 12 and with an approximately constant inner width dimension in the vertical direction. The narrow portion 30 is provided with a length that satisfies at least one of the following conditions: a length of 3 cm or more downward from the opening 12, and a length of 1/5 or more of the overall vertical length of the storage section 20.

The wide portion 32 is expanded on both sides of the narrow portion 30 in the width direction. In addition, a transition portion expanded only on one side in the width direction is provided between the narrow portion 30 and the wide portion 32. Therefore, the width direction inner dimension of the pouch container 10 at the transition portion is larger than the width direction inner dimension of the pouch container 10 at the narrow portion 30 and smaller than the width direction inner dimension of the pouch container 10 at the wide portion 32. Near the connection portion between the opening portion 12 and the storage portion 20, the width direction inner edges of the side seal portions 26, 26 extend linearly without inclining in the vertical direction. The non-inclined portions of the width direction inner edges of the side seal portions 26, 26 have different vertical lengths and are offset from each other in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, one side seal portion 26 and the other side seal portion 26 are partially overlapped at the same position in the vertical direction, but the entire one side seal portion 26 may be overlapped at the same position as the other side seal portion 26 in the vertical direction, or the one side seal portion 26 and the other side seal portion 26 may be in different positions in the vertical direction. Also, the one side seal portion 26 and the other side seal portion 26 may have different lengths in the vertical direction, or they may be the same length.

In the narrow portion 30, in the portion extending downward from near the upper end chuck 42, the widthwise inner edges of the side seal portions 26, 26 on both sides extend vertically in a straight line, without being inclined, and parallel to each other. For this reason, for example, as described below, when the fingers of one hand are inserted into the first operating hole 44 and the second operating hole 46 to open the opening portion 12, and the fingers of the other hand are used to pull the lower seal portion 28 downward, an internal space can be stably formed within the storage portion 20, not only in the opening portion 12 but also in such a way that it is connected downward from the opening portion 12.

In particular, in the narrow portion 30 continuing below the opening 12, a cylindrical space is formed between the side seal portions 26, 26 on both sides, extending downward from the upper end of the storage portion 20. In the wide portion 32 located in the lower portion of the storage portion 20, only the approximate center of the lower seal portion 28 is pulled downward, resulting in an approximately inverted cone-shaped space that narrows downward. However, by forming a cylindrical space that extends vertically over the upper portion of the storage portion 20, the height of the inverted cone-shaped space can be shortened. As a result, the degree of reduction in the cross-sectional width of the inverted cone-shaped space increases by the amount of the cylindrical space formed, shortening the length of the inverted cone-shaped area, and the storage portion 20 opens wide to near the bottom end.

At the transition from the narrow portion 30 to the wide portion 32, the widthwise inner edge of the side seal portion 26 is formed into a widened portion 33 that slopes downward and outward in the widthwise direction in a smoothly continuous curved shape (i.e., a shape that has no bending points and is connected to multiple curves and straight lines by a common tangent) so as to connect the side seal portions 26, 26 that are located above and below the transition portion and extend linearly up and down. The upper end of the widened portion 33 smoothly continues to the widthwise inner edge of the side seal portion 26b of the narrow portion 30 that extends vertically, and the lower end smoothly continues to the widthwise inner edge of the side seal portion 26c of the wide portion 32 that extends vertically.

The widening portion 33a on the side of the first operation hole 44 described later has an upper portion that is curved in an arc shape that is convex toward the inside in the width direction (the inside side of the storage section 20), and a lower portion that is curved in an arc shape that is concave toward the inside in the width direction. The radius of curvature of the upper portion is smaller than the radius of curvature of the lower portion. In addition, the length of the lower curved portion that is curved in an arc shape that is convex toward the inside is longer than the length of the upper curved portion that is curved in an arc shape that is concave toward the inside. In addition, the connection point (inflection point) between the upper curved portion and the lower curved portion is located upward from the center in the vertical direction of the transition portion. In addition, the connection point (inflection point) is set to be biased toward the inside (the inside side of the storage section 20) from the center in the width direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 1) of the transition portion.

The smooth shape of this transition portion (widened portion 33a) prevents the concentration of distortion and stress when the bag body 18 deforms, and achieves a smooth bulge shape throughout the entire vertical direction of the storage section 20, including the narrow portion 30, the wide portion 32, and their transition portions, while ensuring the volume of the storage section 20 in a space-efficient manner.

The widening portion 33b on the second operation hole 46 side, which will be described later, is approximately symmetrical with respect to the center line extending in the vertical direction of the pouch container 10 with respect to the widening portion 33a. That is, the upper portion is curved in an arc shape that is convex toward the inside in the width direction, and the lower portion is curved in an arc shape that is concave toward the inside in the width direction. However, the widening portion 33b differs from the widening portion 33a in the vertical position and the radius of curvature of each part, and the radius of curvature of the upper part and the lower part are approximately the same in the widening portion 33b. In the widening portion 33b, the connection point (inflection point) between the curved part of the upper part and the curved part of the lower part is set approximately in the center. The widening portion 33a on the first operation hole 44 side is generally located lower than the widening portion 33b on the second operation hole 46 side.

The width dimension A (widening dimension of the inner edge of the side seal portion 26) of the portion of the side seal portion 26 located at the widening portion 33 is smaller than the vertical length dimension B (the distance from the lower end of the chuck, which is the upper end of the storage portion 20, to the upper end of the widening portion 33) of the portion of the side seal portion 26 where the narrow portion 30 and the widening portion 33 are located. Preferably, in the above portion, the vertical length dimension B of the side seal portion 26 is 1.5 times or more, and more preferably 2 times or more, the width dimension A of the side seal portion 26.

Note that in FIG. 1, the width dimension A and the vertical length dimension B are shown for the side seal portion 26 on the side of the second operation hole 46 described later, but for the side seal portion 26 on the side of the first operation hole 44 described later as well, the width dimension A in the above-mentioned portion is made smaller than the vertical length dimension B. In this embodiment, the ratio (B/A) of the vertical length dimension B to the width dimension A is made larger for the side seal portion 26 on the side of the first operation hole 44 than for the side seal portion 26 on the side of the second operation hole 46.

As the material of the front and back main body sheets 22, 22 constituting the bag body 18, a conventionally known soft resin sheet material can be appropriately adopted, taking into consideration the resistance to enteral nutrients, etc. That is, the front and back main body sheets 22, 22 are formed from a resin material such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polyamide, polyvinyl chloride, etc., and are preferably transparent flexible resin sheets. The main body sheet 22 may be a single-layer sheet or a multi-layer sheet of two or more layers. In the case of a multi-layer sheet, each layer can be formed from a different material, so that each layer can be given different properties such as durability, barrier properties, and heat welding properties. Specifically, for example, a sealant layer for heat welding formed from polyethylene, polypropylene, etc., or a gas barrier layer formed from a synthetic resin film or a synthetic resin film on which metal, etc., is vapor-deposited can be provided. The front and back main body sheets 22, 22 are preferably formed from the same resin material, but may be formed from different resin materials. Additionally, in the bag body 18, the main body sheet 22 may be formed entirely from a single material, or the forming materials may be different depending on the part, for example, the constituent parts of the opening portion 12 and the constituent parts of the storage portion 20 may be formed from different materials.

The opening 12 is provided above the storage section 20, and is formed by fixing the main body sheets 22, 22 at the side seal parts 26, 26 on both sides in the width direction. The opening 12 has an expansion part 34 in which the opposing distance in the width direction between the side seal parts 26, 26 on both sides in the width direction gradually increases from the bottom to the top. In this embodiment, the entire opening 12 is formed by the expansion part 34, but for example, the upper part of the opening 12 may be the expansion part 34, and the opposing distance in the width direction between the side seal parts 26, 26 on both sides in the width direction at the lower part of the opening 12 may be constant. The width direction edge of the expansion part 34 may extend at a substantially constant inclination angle in the vertical direction, or the inclination angle of the width direction edge may change stepwise or continuously in the vertical direction.

The reinforcing members 36 are superimposed on the overlapping inner surfaces of the main sheets 22, 22 at the opening 12. The reinforcing members 36 are longitudinal members, and have a deformation rigidity greater than that of the main sheet 22 with respect to bending deformation in the overlapping direction of the main sheets 22, 22. The reinforcing members 36 are preferably elastic with respect to bending deformation that results in a curved shape in the longitudinal direction. The reinforcing members 36 of this embodiment are sheet-shaped or plate-shaped, and have a deformation rigidity greater than that of the main sheet 22 with respect to bending deformation in the thickness direction, and exert an elastic restoring force. The reinforcing members 36 are preferably pre-curved so as to draw a curve that is convex toward the outside in the thickness direction where they are superimposed on the main sheet 22. The reinforcing members 36 may be curved with a substantially constant radius of curvature, or the radius of curvature may change gradually.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the length dimension Lb of the reinforcing member 36 arranged in the opening portion 12 is made larger than the container inner dimension La of the pouch container 10 in the narrow width portion 30. Since the container inner dimension of the pouch container 10 at the connection portion between the opening portion 12 and the storage portion 20 where the zipper 42 described below is provided is approximately the same as the container inner dimension La of the pouch container 10 at the narrow width portion 30, the length dimension Lb of the reinforcing member 36 arranged in the opening portion 12 is made larger than the length dimension La of the zipper 42 arranged in the connection portion between the opening portion 12 and the storage portion 20.

In addition, in this embodiment, the reinforcing member 36 has a deformation rigidity greater than at least the main body sheet 22, and more preferably greater than the chuck member constituting the chuck 42. The reinforcing member 36 has flexibility (deformability) due to an external force, and the deformation rigidity of the reinforcing member 36 does not elastically return to its original shape when deformed, but has plastic deformation characteristics, has shape retention in a deformed state, and has deformation rigidity in the deformed state.

The reinforcing member 36 is formed from metal, synthetic resin, or a composite material thereof, and is preferably made of synthetic resin. The resin material of the reinforcing member 36 is not particularly limited, but examples of the resin material that can be used include polypropylene, polyethylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer synthetic resin (ABS resin), nylon resin, polycarbonate, acrylic resin, and hard polyvinyl chloride. The reinforcing member 36 is not limited to being made of synthetic resin, but by using a non-metallic material such as cardboard or resin, the burden of sorting can be reduced.

The inner sheet 38 is superimposed on the inner side of the reinforcing member 36 opposite the side where it is superimposed on the main sheet 22. The inner sheet 38 is a sheet having a shape corresponding to the opening 12, and is superimposed on the reinforcing member 36, and is superimposed on the inner surface of the main sheet 22 at the portion outside the reinforcing member 36. The inner sheet 38 is disposed above the chuck 42 described later, and is welded to the superimposed main sheet 22 at its upper end and lower end. As a result, a reinforcing member storage space 40 extending in the width direction is formed between the superimposed surfaces of the main sheet 22 and the inner sheet 38. Both widthwise end portions of the inner sheets 38, 38 are welded together with the main sheet 22, 22 at the side seal portions 26, 26, and the main sheet 22, 22 and the inner sheet 38, 38 are integrated at the side seal portions 26, 26.

A reinforcing member 36 is disposed between the overlapping surfaces of the main body sheets 22, 22 and the inner sheets 38, 38. Both end portions of the reinforcing member 36 reach the side seal portions 26, 26, and are integrated by welding with the main body sheet 22 and the inner sheet 38 at the side seal portion 26. The middle portion of the reinforcing member 36 located between the side seal portions 26, 26 is disposed in the reinforcing member accommodating space 40. The reinforcing member 36 disposed in the reinforcing member accommodating space 40 may be fixed to at least one of the main body sheet 22 and the inner sheet 38, or may be unfixed to both the main body sheet 22 and the inner sheet 38.

The reinforcing member 36 is located on the inside of the main body sheet 22 and on the side seal portion 26, and the outer surface of the main body sheet 22 is smoothed. Therefore, compared to when the reinforcing member 36 is located on the outside of the main body sheet 22, fingers are less likely to hit the reinforcing member 36, and even if they do hit, the main body sheet 22 and the reinforcing member 36 are less likely to deform toward either the front or back side.

The method of bonding the main body sheets 22, 22, the inner sheets 38, 38, and the reinforcing members 36, 36 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, heat bonding. In this case, if the inner sealant layer constituting the inner surface of the inner sheet 38 is formed from a material with a higher melting point than the outer sealant layer constituting the outer surface of the inner sheet 38, the upper and lower ends of the inner sheets 38, 38 can be bonded to the main body sheets 22, 22 while preventing bonding between the inner sheets 38, 38, and maintaining the opening 12 with the main body sheets 22, 22, the inner sheets 38, 38, and the reinforcing members 36, 36 all overlapped.

A chuck 42 is provided at the connection between the opening 12 and the storage section 20. The chuck 42 is composed of a pair of members fixed to the overlapping inner surfaces of the front and back main body sheets 22, 22, and seals the connection between the opening 12 and the storage section 20 liquid-tight by uneven engagement caused by pressing against each other. In addition, the connection between the opening 12 and the storage section 20 can be opened by applying an external force to release the uneven engagement of the chuck 42. In short, the connection between the opening 12 and the storage section 20 can be repeatedly opened and closed by the chuck 42, and when the chuck 42 is closed, the storage section 20 is sealed liquid-tight from the outside by the lower seal section 28, the pair of side seal sections 26, and the chuck 42. In short, in this embodiment, the area below the chuck 42 provided on the lower side of the opening 12 is the storage section 20. Incidentally, the opening 12 in this embodiment is located above the storage section 20 in which the liquid is stored, and extends to the opening edge, and a zipper 42 is disposed near the lower end of the opening 12, and the opening 12 includes a tapered expansion section 34 whose inner width dimension expands toward the upper end (opening edge).

The chuck 42 is composed of a pair of chuck members, each of which has a pair of tape-like base portions that are overlapped and welded to each main body sheet 22, and engagement portions that protrude from the opposing surfaces of each base portion and are integrally formed, and engage with each other in a detachable manner. Compared to each base portion in the chuck 42, the reinforcing member 36 in this embodiment has a larger thickness dimension, thereby improving the shape retention characteristics. The specific structure of the chuck 42 is not limited, and various known structures can be adopted. The chuck 42 in this embodiment is a resin chuck that is closed by elastic uneven engagement caused by pressing the engagement portions.

1, the engagement parts of the zipper member constituting the zipper 42 are formed on the inner surfaces of the front and back main body sheets 22, 22 inside the bag body 18, but because the main body sheets 22, 22 are made of a transparent material and for the purpose of making the structure easier to understand, the engagement parts are shown in solid lines. The zipper 42 is formed over the entire width of the connection part between the opening part 12 and the storage part 20 so that the connection part between the opening part 12 and the storage part 20 can be sealed. Both end parts of the zipper 42 reach the side seal parts 26, 26 and are integrated with the main body sheets 22, 22 by being heat-sealed at the side seal parts 26, 26.

The side seal parts 26, 26 located on both sides of the chuck 42 are formed with a first operation hole 44 and a second operation hole 46 as a pressing operation part. The first operation hole 44 and the second operation hole 46 are formed by through holes penetrating the side seal part 26 in the thickness direction. At least a part of the first operation hole 44 and the second operation hole 46 is located at the lower end of the opening part 12, and is provided biased downward in the vertical direction with respect to the opening part 12. The through holes constituting the first operation hole 44 and the second operation hole 46 are arranged in an area where the opposing distance in the width direction of the side seal parts 26, 26 is small in the vertical direction from the lower part of the expansion part 34 in the opening part 12 to the narrow part 30 of the storage part 20. In the area where the opposing distance in the width direction of the side seal parts 26, 26 is reduced, the width dimension of the side seal part 26 is secured to be large without protruding outward in the width direction, and the first operation hole 44 and the second operation hole 46 can be provided in a space-efficient manner by utilizing the large area of the side seal part 26.

In this embodiment, the side seal portion 26 on the side where the first operation hole 44 is formed extends further downward than the side seal portion 26 on the side where the second operation hole 46 is formed. The widthwise edge of the expansion portion 34 on the side where the first operation hole 44 is provided extends further downward than the widthwise edge on the side where the second operation hole 46 is provided, and reaches near the lower end of the opening portion 12. In this embodiment, the inclination angles of both widthwise edges of the expansion portion 34 are different from each other, and specifically, the inclination angle α of the widthwise edge on the side where the first operation hole 44 is provided in the vertical direction is smaller than the inclination angle β of the widthwise edge on the side where the second operation hole 46 is provided in the vertical direction. Note that if the inclination angle of the edge of the expansion portion 34 is not constant, the inclination angles α and β can be grasped, for example, by the average value of the inclination angles.

The first operation hole 44 has an outer edge extending in the vertical direction in the width direction, and an inner edge in the width direction that is gradually inclined outward in the width direction toward the top, and the width dimension gradually decreases toward the top. The first operation hole 44 is configured as a through hole with a constantly open structure. The lower end of the first operation hole 44 is located on the widthwise outer side of the chuck 42 in the vertical direction, and the upper part is located on the widthwise outer side of the opening portion 12. Therefore, the first operation hole 44 is located above the narrow portion 30 of the storage section 20.

The second operating hole 46 has a vertically long oval shape with a vertically-long central portion that extends at a substantially constant width and both vertical end portions that are curved in a substantially semicircular shape that protrudes outwardly, giving the hole an overall vertically long oval shape. The second operating hole 46 has a vertically-long central portion that extends in a straight line that is located outside the width of the chuck 42, and extends vertically from the narrow portion 30 of the storage section 20 past the chuck 42 to the bottom of the opening 12.

The second operation hole 46 is covered by a flap-shaped cover portion 48. The cover portion 48 is formed, for example, by leaving the periphery of the through hole partially non-through when the through hole constituting the second operation hole 46 is formed by punching the side seal portion 26, and is provided by spreading into the through hole so as to cover the through hole. The cover portion 48 in this embodiment is formed by leaving the periphery of the through hole on the inner side in the width direction of the main body sheet 22, and the inner end in the width direction of the cover portion 48 is continuous with the main body sheet 22. Since the cover portion 48 is separated from the main body sheet 22 in an approximately C-shaped ring shape, it is bent at the end on the inner side in the width direction connected to the main body sheet 22, so that it can tilt in the thickness direction relative to the main body sheet 22. The periphery of the through hole that constitutes the second operation hole 46 is folded inward in a semicircular shape at both circumferential ends to form a folded portion 50, and when the cover portion 48 is bent and tilted at the connection portion relative to the main body sheet 22, cracks due to stress concentration are avoided at both circumferential ends of the periphery of the through hole.

In this embodiment, the second operation hole 46 is longer in the vertical direction than the first operation hole 44. Therefore, the user's thumb can be naturally guided to the first operation hole 44 and the remaining fingers to the second operation hole 46. In addition, the second operation hole 46 is sized to allow the index finger and middle finger, the index finger, middle finger and ring finger, or the index finger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger to be inserted, and when the fingers are inserted in each operation hole 44, 46 and moved inward in the width direction, the palm and the main body sheet 22, 22 are easily contacted. Therefore, the user is likely to grasp the pouch container 10 with the entire hand, and the container 10 can be supported with a sense of stability, and the force applied to the fingers by the edges of the operation holes 44, 46 can be reduced to reduce the burden on the user. In addition, the first operation hole 44 is arranged to be biased upward in the vertical direction relative to the second operation hole 46. The side seal portion 26 on the first operation hole 44 side has a tube holding portion 52 below the first operation hole 44 for hanging the external tube 14 by, for example, a cut.

The first operation hole 44 and the second operation hole 46 are both located below the reinforcing member 36. However, the first operation hole 44 and the second operation hole 46 may be located at a position that at least partially overlaps the reinforcing member 36 in the width direction. That is, the first operation hole 44 and the second operation hole 46 may be formed at the same position as at least a part of the reinforcing member 36, or may be located on an extension of the reinforcing member 36 in the width direction. In short, at least one of the upper end and the lower end of the reinforcing member 36 may be located between the upper end and the lower end of the first operation hole 44 and the second operation hole 46 in the vertical direction.

When pouring liquid such as an enteral nutrient into the storage section 20 of the bag body 18, the pouch container 10 constructed in this manner allows the opening 12 to be opened and held with one hand, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

First, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the user inserts the thumb 54 into the first operation hole 44 of the pouch container 10, and inserts the index finger 56 and middle finger 58 into the second operation hole 46 of the pouch container 10. The second operation hole 46 is covered with a cover portion 48, but when the index finger 56 and middle finger 58 are inserted into the second operation hole 46, the cover portion 48 is pushed aside by the fingers 56, 58, so that the insertion of the fingers 56, 58 into the second operation hole 46 is not hindered.

Next, the user moves the thumb 54 and the index finger 56 and middle finger 58 in a direction that shortens the distance between them, thereby bringing the side seals 26, 26 on both sides in the width direction closer to each other, thereby applying an opening force, which is a pressing force in the width direction, to the opening portion 12 of the pouch container 10. When the opening force acts on the opening portion 12, the main body sheets 22, 22 at the opening portion 12 move away from each other in the overlapping direction, and the opening portion 12 is opened.

The opening 12 is an expansion section 34 in which the distance between the side seal sections 26, 26 in the width direction gradually increases toward the top, and the first operating hole 44 and the second operating hole 46 are arranged biased downward in the up-down direction relative to the expansion section 34. Therefore, when an opening force is applied between the first operating hole 44 and the second operating hole 46 in a direction that brings the side seal sections 26, 26 on both sides closer together in the width direction, the opening 12 tends to open upward in a funnel shape, and the opening 12 can be opened wide with one hand.

The reinforcing member 36 is located in the opening 12, where the container inner dimensions in the width direction are larger at the top than at the bottom, and the reinforcing member 36 located in the opening 12 is longer in the width direction at the top than at the bottom. Therefore, when an opening operation force is applied to the pressing operation part and the reinforcing member 36 is curved, the force can be transmitted to the main body sheet 22 more widely at the top, and a force that opens the opening 12 more widely is generated at the top. Note that the length dimension of the reinforcing member 36 is larger than the container inner dimensions in the width direction of the main body sheet 22 at the pressing operation part, and it is preferable that the pressing operation part is located below the reinforcing member 36. In addition, it is preferable that the reinforcing member 36 is arranged in the middle part (not necessarily in the center in the vertical direction) of the opening 12 except for the upper end and lower end in the vertical direction, and in this case, the pressing operation part may be arranged at the lower end or lower end of the opening 12.

The connection between the opening 12 and the storage section 20 is reinforced by the chuck 42, and the deformation caused by the opening force is stabilized. In addition, since the first operation hole 44 and the second operation hole 46 are provided on both sides of the width of the chuck 42, the pressing operation force (opening force) in the width direction applied to the first operation hole 44 and the second operation hole 46 acts on the part of the main body sheet 22, 22 reinforced by the chuck 42, making it easier to deform the main body sheet 22, 22 reinforced by the chuck 42 into an appropriate opening shape. In addition, in the pouch container 10 before use, it is desirable that the chuck 42 is in an open state in order to omit the work of opening the chuck 42. By applying a deformation action force in the opening direction due to the pressing operation force to the pre-opened chuck 42, it is possible to make it easier to open the fixed part of the main body sheet 22, 22 to which the chuck 42 is fixed.

The zipper 42 may be in a closed state beforehand, or, for example, by adjusting the meshing force of the zipper 42 according to the shape, size, etc., it is possible to switch the zipper 42 from a closed state to an open state by the action of an opening force. Before use, the pouch container 10 is preferably stored in a bag-shaped sealed case in a sterile state so that the inner surface of the pouch container 10 is not contaminated even if the zipper 42 is open.

In addition, a reinforcing member 36 having a deformation rigidity greater than that of the main sheet 22 is fixed to the opening portion 12. Therefore, it is easy to maintain the opening portion 12 in a funnel-shaped open state, and the opening shape is stabilized. For example, if the lower portion of the opening portion 12 has a shorter widthwise length than the upper portion, it is difficult to transmit force to the wider widthwise sides at the upper portion, and it tends to be difficult to open. However, by bending or curving the reinforcing member 36 located at the opening portion 12 before applying the opening operation force, it is possible to apply the opening operation force from the state in which the main sheets 22, 22 are deformed in the opening direction, and the opening stability during the opening operation is improved. The reinforcing member 36 may be molded in a curved shape in advance, or may be curved by rolling it up into a roll.

By utilizing the stable opening operation achieved by providing the chuck 42 in a pre-open state, a bending operation force is also applied to the reinforcing members 36, 36 arranged above the chuck 42, so that the pressing force from both sides in the width direction by the fingers is indirectly transmitted to the opening portion 12 where the reinforcing members 36, 36 are arranged, making it possible to stably realize the operation of opening the opening portion 12 by pressing.

Both ends of the reinforcing member 36 in the length direction (width direction of the main sheet 22) are fixed to the side seal portion 26 of the main sheet 22. Therefore, it is possible to avoid problems such as a large change in bending stiffness of the opening portion 12 at the end of the reinforcing member 36, which may occur when the end of the reinforcing member 36 is located in the center of the main sheet 22, resulting in bending at that portion and an irregular opening shape, and to realize a smooth opening shape in the circumferential direction at the opening portion 12. In addition, it is possible to avoid problems such as a large change in sheet strength at that portion, which may occur when the end of the reinforcing member 36 is located in the opening portion 12 of the main sheet 22, which may cause damage to the sheet due to stress concentration associated with deformation, and to realize a thinner and lower strength main sheet 22. In addition, since the side seal portion 26 around the reinforcing member 36 is less likely to bend and deform, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the side seal portion 26 bends and the side of the opening portion 12 is similarly bent, resulting in an unstable opening shape.

As shown in Fig. 4, when the opening portion 12 of the pouch container 10 of this embodiment is opened, the opening shape of the opening portion 12 is transmitted to the storage portion 20, and the sticking of the main body sheets 22, 22 in the storage portion 20 is easily eliminated. In other words, if the inner dimension of the pouch container 10 in the width direction is suddenly expanded from the opening portion 12, which is narrowed to facilitate pressing operation and support of the container with one hand, toward the storage portion 20, it is difficult for the opening shape of the opening portion 12 to be transmitted to the storage portion 20 below. In response to this, a narrow portion 30 is provided in the upper portion of the storage portion 20. This allows the opening shape of the opening portion 12 to be efficiently transmitted to the upper portion of the storage portion 20, and the enteral nutrient is smoothly poured from the opening portion 12 to the storage portion 20. In addition, when the main body sheets 22, 22 are formed in a bulging shape separated from each other in the upper part of the storage section 20, the lower part of the storage section 20 is also likely to have a bulging shape, and it is possible to form the storage section 20 in a bulging shape over the entire vertical direction. Therefore, the enteral nutritional supplement can be smoothly poured into the lower part of the storage section 20, making it easier to fill the storage section 20 with the enteral nutritional supplement from below.

The narrow portion 30 of the storage section 20 is provided with a sufficient vertical length to satisfy at least one of the conditions of a length of 3 cm or more downward from the opening 12 and a length of 1/5 or more of the overall vertical length of the storage section 20. Therefore, the opening shape of the opening 12 is efficiently transmitted to the storage section 20, and the main body sheets 22, 22 in the storage section 20 are prevented from sticking to each other.

Because the opening operation of the opening portion 12 can be performed with one hand, for example, if the storage section 20 is bent, the bending of the storage section 20 can be eliminated by opening the opening portion 12 with one hand while pulling the lower side of the storage section 20 with the other hand as shown in FIG. 4. By eliminating the bending of the storage section 20 in this way, the opening shape of the opening portion 12 can be easily transmitted to the lower part of the storage section 20.

The user then pours the enteral nutritional supplement from a cup (not shown) into the open opening 12 and into the storage section 20. After the enteral nutritional supplement has been poured into the storage section 20, the opening force is released and the zipper 42 is pressed from the front and back to close the zipper 42 and seal the storage section 20. This prevents the enteral nutritional supplement from leaking out of the opening 12 of the pouch container 10 and reduces the risk of the enteral nutritional supplement in the storage section 20 becoming contaminated by bacteria, etc.

As the amount of enteral nutritional supplement injected into the storage section 20 increases, a larger load acts on the hand gripping the pouch container 10; however, because the thumb 54 is inserted through the first operating hole 44 and the index finger 56 and middle finger 58 are inserted through the second operating hole 46, it is easy to support the weight of the enteral nutritional supplement. In addition, the opening force applied by the user to the opening portion 12 when pouring the enteral nutritional supplement is input in a manner that pinches the opening portion 12 between the thumb 54 and the index finger 56 and middle finger 58, so it is easy to grip the opening portion 12 and support the weight of the enteral nutritional supplement while maintaining the opening shape of the opening portion 12.

The length dimension Lb of the reinforcing member 36 at the opening 12 is made larger than the widthwise inner dimension La of the pouch container 10 from the connection between the opening 12 and the storage section 20 where the zipper 42 is located to the narrow portion 30 of the storage section 20. This makes it easy for female nurses with small hands to handle, and when transferring contents from a container held in one hand to a container held in the other hand in situations where complicated operations are necessary, nutrients, medicines, water, etc. are less likely to spill, making it easier to administer a specified volume. In addition, when the shape of the opening 12 is such that the container inner dimensions increase toward the top, the deformed shape of the upper part of the opening 12 is less stable, but by making Lb larger than La, it becomes easier to stably form the deformed shape of the opening 12 with a smooth curved shape in the circumferential direction up to the top end of the opening 12.

In Fig. 3, the pouch container 10 is shown being held in the left hand, but it is also possible to hold the pouch container 10 in the right hand and pour the enteral nutritional supplement into the storage section 20 with the left hand, as shown in Fig. 4. If the user is right-handed, holding the pouch container 10 in the left hand as shown in Fig. 3 allows the enteral nutritional supplement to be poured into the storage section 20 with high precision using the dominant hand. Alternatively, holding the pouch container 10 in the right hand as shown in Fig. 4 allows the opening 12 of the pouch container 10 to be more reliably kept open. Therefore, it is preferable that the front and back of the pouch container 10 are symmetrical.

The pouch container 10 containing an appropriate amount of enteral nutritional supplement in the storage section 20 is hung with the port section 16 facing downwards by inserting a hanging hook of a stand (not shown) through the first operation hole 44. The enteral nutritional supplement in the storage section 20 flows out of the port section 16 by gravity and is injected into the patient's body through the external tube 14. In this embodiment, the insertion hole for the hanging hook that penetrates the side seal section 26 is composed of a through hole with a constantly open structure that constitutes the first operation hole 44.

The first operation hole 44, which is also an insertion hole for the hanging hook, is arranged diagonally on the pouch container 10 with respect to the port portion 16. Therefore, when the pouch container 10 containing the enteral nutritional supplement is hung from the hanging hook, the up-down direction in FIG. 1 tilts relative to the vertical up-down direction, and the port portion 16 extends out approximately vertically downward. As a result, the port portion 16 is positioned at the vertical lower end of the storage portion 20, and the enteral nutritional supplement is discharged from the port portion 16 without remaining in the storage portion 20.

In this embodiment, the case where the user opens the opening 12 and pours in the enteral nutritional supplement before hanging the pouch container 10 on the hanging hook of the stand has been described. However, for example, an opening force may be applied to open the opening 12 while the empty pouch container 10 is hanging on the hanging hook, and the enteral nutritional supplement may be poured into the hanging pouch container 10. In this case, instead of inserting the thumb 54 into the first operation hole 44, the thumb 54 can be placed on the hanging hook, and an opening force can be applied between the hanging hook placed on the thumb 54 and the index finger 56 and middle finger 58. In this way, since the pouch container 10 is supported by the stand in advance, the increase in weight of the pouch container 10 due to the injection of the enteral nutritional supplement is unlikely to be a problem.

Figure 5 shows a pouch container 60 for enteral nutritional supplements as a second embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, the same components and parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals in the figure and will not be described.

The pouch container 60 has a first operation hole 62 and a second operation hole 46 in the side seal portions 26, 26 on both sides. A flap-shaped cover portion 64 is provided in the first operation hole 62, and a flap-shaped cover portion 48 is provided in the second operation hole 46. The cover portion 64 of the first operation hole 62, like the cover portion 48 of the second operation hole 46, is formed by leaving the periphery of the through hole constituting the first operation hole 62 partially non-through on the inner side in the width direction, and spreads into the first operation hole 62 so as to cover the first operation hole 62. The cover portion 64 of the first operation hole 62 is smaller than the opening area of the first operation hole 62, and partially covers the first operation hole 62.

The portion of the first operation hole 62 that is not covered by the cover portion 64 is an open area 66 that is left in a constantly open structure. The open area 66 of the first operation hole 62 constitutes the insertion hole for the suspension hook in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the cover portion 64 is arranged to cover the lower part of the first operation hole 62, and the open area 66 is provided in the upper part of the first operation hole 62.

When pouring the enteral nutritional supplement into the pouch container 60, the user inserts fingers (not shown) into the first operating hole 62 and the second operating hole 46 to apply an opening force to the opening 12, as in the first embodiment. When pressed by the finger, the flap-shaped cover portion 64 covering the first operating hole 62 has its inner end in the width direction bent in the thickness direction, so that the finger does not get in the way when the finger is inserted into the first operating hole 62. Furthermore, because the finger is pressed against the bent portion of the cover portion 64, the contact area is increased, dispersing stress on the finger and reducing pain in the finger.

The hanging hook of the stand (not shown) is inserted into an opening area 66 that serves as a hanging hook insertion hole provided above the first operation hole 62. Since the opening area 66 is always open, the area where the hanging hook should be inserted can be easily seen.

Figure 6 shows a pouch container 70 for enteral nutritional supplements as a third embodiment of the present invention. The pouch container 70 has a first operation hole 72 and a second operation hole 46 formed in the side seal portions 26, 26 on both sides.

The first operation hole 72 is configured as a through hole of a generally oval shape, similar to the second operation hole 46. In this embodiment, the first operation hole 72 has a smaller vertical length dimension than the second operation hole 46, which can encourage the insertion of the thumb (not shown) into the first operation hole 72 and the insertion of fingers other than the thumb (not shown) into the second operation hole 46, allowing the operation state to be naturally identified. However, the vertical length dimension of the first operation hole 72 may be the same as that of the second operation hole 46, or may be larger than that of the second operation hole 46.

A flap-shaped cover portion 74 is provided on the first operation hole 72, and a flap-shaped cover portion 48 is provided on the second operation hole 46. The cover portion 74 of the first operation hole 72, like the cover portion 48 of the second operation hole 46, is formed by leaving the periphery of the through hole that constitutes the first operation hole 72 partially non-through on the inner side in the width direction, and spreads into the first operation hole 72 so as to cover the first operation hole 72. The cover portion 74 of this embodiment is shaped and sized to cover almost the entire surface of the first operation hole 72.

An additional through hole 76 is formed in the side seal portion 26 on the side where the first operation hole 72 is formed. The additional through hole 76 is a through hole independent of the first operation hole 72, and is formed with a constantly open structure penetrating the side seal portion 26. The additional through hole 76 constitutes the insertion hole for the hanging hook in this embodiment. The additional through hole 76 is provided in a portion that is outside the first operation hole 72 toward the outer periphery, and is arranged above the first operation hole 72 in this embodiment. However, the additional through hole 76 may be arranged, for example, below the first operation hole 72, or may be arranged outside in the width direction. In addition, if the additional through hole 76 is made small enough that it is difficult to insert a finger, erroneous insertion of a finger into the additional through hole 76 is avoided when opening the opening portion 12.

In the pouch container 70 according to this embodiment, the insertion hole for the hanging hook is configured as an additional through hole 76 that is independent of the first operation hole 72. Therefore, the first operation hole 72 used to apply an opening force and the additional through hole 76 used to hook onto the hanging hook can each be provided in the optimal shape and position.

In addition, both the first operation hole 72 and the second operation hole 46 are entirely covered by the cover portions 74, 48. This makes it difficult to insert the hanging hook into the first operation hole 72 or the second operation hole 46 by mistake, and the user can be guided to insert the hanging hook into the additional through hole 76.

The additional through hole 76 does not need to be provided completely independent of the first operation hole 72, and may be connected to each other by, for example, a slit or a cut. In short, it is desirable that the additional through hole 76 is substantially independent of the first operation hole 72 so as to achieve functional separation, but it is not necessary for them to be completely separate and independent structurally.

Figure 7 shows a pouch container 80 for enteral nutritional supplements as a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The pouch container 80 has a first operating hole 82 and a second operating hole 84 formed in the side seal portions 26, 26 on both sides. The second operating hole 84 in this embodiment is configured as a through hole with an oval opening similar to the second operating hole 46 in the first embodiment, and no flap-shaped cover portion is provided to cover the second operating hole 84, so that the entire second operating hole 84 is always open.

A suspension hook insertion hole 86 is formed on the outer edge of the through hole constituting the first operation hole 82. The suspension hook insertion hole 86 is provided in a form that expands toward the outer periphery of the through hole at the upper end of the through hole constituting the first operation hole 82. The suspension hook insertion hole 86 has an opening area in the penetration direction of the first operation hole 82 that is smaller than that of the through hole constituting the first operation hole 82. Note that the first operation hole 82 in this embodiment does not have a flap-shaped cover portion, and the entire hole is always open.

With the pouch container 80 for enteral nutritional supplements having the structure according to this embodiment, when inserting the hanging hook of a stand (not shown) into the hanging hook insertion hole 86, the first operation hole 82, which has a larger opening area than the hanging hook insertion hole 86, can be used to facilitate the insertion of the hanging hook into the hanging hook insertion hole 86.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the specific description. For example, in the above embodiment, both end portions of the reinforcing member 36 reach the side seal portions 26, 26, but at least one end of the reinforcing member 36 does not have to reach the side seal portion 26.

The reinforcing member 36 can be provided with a protrusion that protrudes partially in the width direction (the vertical direction of the main sheet 22), or the outer and inner surfaces that are overlapped with the main sheet 22, etc. can be provided with unevenness such as a grained pattern, thereby improving the adhesive strength and the efficiency of transmitting force to the main sheet 22, etc.

For example, the main body sheets 22, 22 can be made of a single continuous sheet folded back at the bottom side of the lower edge, in which case the lower seal portion 28 at the lower end is not essential. The main body sheets 22, 22 can also be made of a single continuous sheet folded back at one edge in the sheet width direction. It is also possible to cut a cylindrical molded sheet to a predetermined length in the cylindrical length direction and weld the lower side to form the lower seal portion 28, thereby making the main body sheets 22, 22 out of a single continuous sheet at both widthwise edges.

The opening 12 of the pouch container 10 is not limited to a structure having a tapered expanding portion 34 that expands upward, but may also have a cylindrical opening 12 that extends straight. In addition, the expanding portion 34 of the opening 12 is not limited to a tapered shape with both sides inclined in the width direction, but may be a tapered shape with only one side in the width direction inclined.

The upper end side of the opening 12, in particular, may be in the form of a flap, in which the side seal portions 26 on one or both sides of the width direction of the main sheet 22 are absent, and the main sheets 22, 22 open apart from each other in the overlapping direction. When the upper end side of the opening 12 is in the form of a flap, the opening area can be increased even if a straight, cylindrical opening 12 is used. Also, even if the reinforcing member 36 is positioned at the same level as or below the zipper 42, or if the length of the reinforcing member 36 is made shorter than the sealing portion, the upper part of the opening 12 is relatively easy to open. Note that even when the upper end side of the opening 12 is in the form of a flap, it is preferable that the end of the reinforcing member 36 is located on the side seal portion 26.

In the above embodiment, the zipper 42 is used as the sealing part of the pouch container 10 that seals the storage part 20, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the pouch container 10 may be sealed by bending it. Also, an additional reinforcing member may be provided instead of the sealing part, and in this case, it is preferable to provide an additional reinforcing member having a lower rigidity than the reinforcing member 36 shown in the above embodiment.

Although the opening operation is inferior, the reinforcing member 36 may not be pre-curved, but may have bands on the front and back so that the user can pull the bands to pre-curve the reinforcing member 36. Alternatively, the reinforcing member 36 may be provided only on the front and a band on the back, and the band may be a ring-shaped body into which the user can insert fingers. The reinforcing member 36 may be pre-curved into a bent or curved shape that is convex outward in the thickness direction as a whole by providing creases at one or more locations in the length direction. In this case, the creases may be provided at the center of the length direction of the reinforcing member 36, but are preferably provided at both sides of the reinforcing member 36 that are not in the center of the length direction, as shown by the two-dot chain circle in FIG. 1. As a result, when the opening operation force is applied to the pressing operation portion, the opening portion 12 is reliably opened to both ends in the width direction, and the opening area of the opening portion 12 can be stably and large. In addition to or instead of preforming the fold in a deformed state, the fold can be made into an easily deformable portion that is easily deformed by the action of an external opening operation force. An easily deformable portion can be realized, for example, by reducing the cross-sectional area of the reinforcing member 36 by partially reducing its thickness or vertical dimensions.

The reinforcing member 36 may be made of materials other than synthetic resin. For example, a wide strip of cardboard may be used as the reinforcing member 36. In this case, a reinforcing member storage space 40 may be formed between the main body sheet 22 and the inner sheet 38 or between the main body sheet 22 and the outer layer sheet, and the cardboard may be stored inside the space. The sheets may also be joined together around the periphery of the cardboard to prevent the cardboard from shifting position.

The pouch container 10 before use is provided to a user such as a medical professional as a pouch container product housed in a bag-shaped sealed case in a sterile state, for example. When the pouch container 10 is housed in a sealed case, the external tube 14 connected to the port portion 16 and flow path devices such as a chamber, clamp, and connector attached to the external tube 14 may be housed in the sealed case in addition to the pouch container 10. The external tube 14 and the flow path devices may be attached to the pouch container 10 in advance, or may be housed in the sealed case in a state separated from the pouch container 10 as necessary. When housed in the sealed case, the pouch container 10 is folded so as to be curled up in the vertical direction. The rolled-up state preferably includes, for example, folding in half, thirds, or fourths to create a curved, rolled shape, or folding into an elliptical or oval shape as if the entire rolled-up product had been compressed and crushed in one radial direction, but it is acceptable as long as it is not in a flat, unfolded state or folded 180 degrees with a curved crease.

The pouch container 10 thus folded and stored in the sealed case is preferably stored in a state in which the external tube 14 and the flow path device are at least partially inserted inside the folded state, i.e., the discharge parts of the external tube 14 and the flow path device are wrapped in the rolled pouch container 10. The sealed case is sterilized as necessary after storing the pouch container 10.

The sealed case that houses the pouch container 10 has a certain amount of space reserved inside, and even if it is made of a soft sheet, it maintains a certain degree of thickness. By utilizing the internal space, the opening 12 of the pouch container 10 is maintained in an open state, even if only slightly. In particular, since the opening 12 is provided with a reinforcing member 36, the opening 12 is maintained in a pre-established open state based on the deformation rigidity of the reinforcing member 36.

Therefore, in a medical pouch container product in which a pouch container 10 or the like is housed in a sealed case, the opening 12 of the pouch container 10 is already open when the sealed case is opened and taken out in the medical field, so the opening 12 can be easily, quickly, and stably opened wide by simply pressing the pressing operation parts (first operation hole 44, second operation hole 46) of the side seal parts 26, 26 on both sides in the width direction inward so as to bring them closer to each other with fingers. In addition, since the reinforcing member 36 is located above the zipper 42, the side that is desired to be opened when injecting nutrients into the pouch container 10, that is, the upper side rather than the lower side of the zipper 42, opens wide. Therefore, it is suitable for use in medical fields where an emergency is required, and there is no need to insert fingers inside the two main body sheets 22, 22 that form the opening 12 in order to open the opening 12, and it is also possible to avoid the risk of bacteria adhesion due to contact of fingers with the inner surface of the opening 12.

10 Pouch container (first embodiment)
12 Opening portion 14 External tube 16 Port portion 18 Bag body 20 Storage portion 22 Body sheet 24 Sealed portion 26 Side sealed portion 28 Lower sealed portion 30 Narrow width portion 32 Wide width portion 33 Widened portion 34 Widened portion 36 Reinforcing member 38 Inner sheet 40 Reinforcing member storage space 42 Zipper 44 First operation hole (pressing operation portion, insertion hole for hanging hook)
46 Second operation hole (pressing operation portion)
48 Covering portion 50 Folded portion 52 Tube holding portion 54 Thumb 56 Index finger 58 Middle finger 60 Pouch container (Second embodiment)
62 First operation hole (pressing operation portion, insertion hole for hanging hook)
64 Covering portion 66 Opening region 70 Pouch container (third embodiment)
72 First operation hole (pressing operation portion)
74 Covering portion 76 Additional through hole 80 Pouch container (fourth embodiment)
82 First operation hole (pressing operation portion)
84 Second operation hole (pressing operation portion)
86 Hanging hook insertion hole

Claims (1)

A pouch container for enteral nutrients, the pouch container having an upwardly opening storage section formed between the overlapping surfaces of a pair of main sheets,
The pair of main body sheets have side seal portions at both sides in the width direction where they are overlapped and fixed to each other,
A pressing operation portion is provided on each of both widthwise sides of the pair of main sheets, the pressing operation portion applying an opening force to an upward opening portion of the storage portion by bringing the side seal portions on both widthwise sides closer to each other, and
The pressing operation portion is composed of through holes formed in the side seal portions on both sides, and serves as a first operation hole and a second operation hole into which a finger is inserted ,
The first operation hole is a through hole having a constantly open structure in an upper region through which a suspension hook is inserted ,
The second operation hole is provided with a flap-shaped cover portion that extends into the through hole so as to cover at least an upper region of the through hole by leaving a peripheral edge of the through hole partially non-through, and
The storage section is
a narrow portion in which a widthwise opposing distance between the side seal portions on both sides in the width direction is reduced in a region extending downward from the opening portion;
and a wide portion in which the widthwise opposing distance between the side seal portions on both sides in the width direction is increased in a region extending further downward from the narrow portion, and
An expansion section is provided above the narrow portion, in which the widthwise opposing distance between the side seal portions on both sides of the widthwise direction gradually increases from bottom to top, and the pressing operation section is provided biased downward in the up-down direction relative to the expansion section.

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