Patent ID: 7371305

Claim:
A tube connecting apparatus having a first holding assembly and a second holding assembly which hold at least two flexible tubes approximately in a parallel state, comprising: a first pressing unit which is provided at the first holding assembly and which presses the tubes to a flat state; a second pressing unit which is provided at the second holding assembly and which presses the tubes to a flat state and which is allowed to be located so as to contact the first pressing unit; a supporting member which supports at least one of the first and second pressing units such that a pressing amount of the at least one of the first and second pressing units to the tubes changes; a cutting unit which cuts the tubes between the first and second pressing units; a first movement unit which moves at least one of the first and second holding assemblies to change relatively positions of the tubes cut by the cutting unit such that end portions to be connected face each other; and a second movement unit which moves at least one of the first and second holding assemblies in a direction that the first pressing unit and the second pressing unit separate and a direction that the end portions to be connected of the tubes cut by the cutting unit contact closely each other, wherein the first pressing unit has a first engagement portion and the second pressing unit has a second engagement portion, wherein the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion have a first inclined face and a second inclined face respectively which engage each other, and wherein, when at least one of the first and second holding assemblies is driven to move in a direction that the holding assemblies separate from each other by the second movement unit, the supporting member gradually changes the pressing amount of the at least one of the first and second pressing units to the tubes by the first inclined face and the second inclined face slidably contacting each other while increasing or decreasing engaging force.