Dosage device

Abstract

To provide a liquid ejecting apparatus that can eject a predetermined amount of a very small amount of liquid.SOLUTION: A liquid ejecting apparatus has a liquid storage part, a tube member, a hitting part, and an operation part. Liquid is ejected from an ejection port. In the tube member, the inside of the liquid storage part is brought into communication with one end, and the liquid is sent from the liquid storage part toward an ejection port side. The tube member has an elastically deformable elastic domain in at least a portion in the longitudinal direction. At least a portion of the elastic domain of the tube member is hit by the hitting part by operating the operation part, and thereby the liquid in the tube member is pushed out of the ejection port and is ejected.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid ejection device for ejecting a minute amount of liquid, and in particular to a medication device that can be suitably used when administering a minute amount of medicinal liquid, such as eye drops, to the eyeballs of a patient. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, with the aging of patients, there has been an increase in patients who cannot look up to administer eye drops or who are unable to accurately administer eye drops to the surface of the eye. In addition, patients with rheumatism or weak grip strength are unable to press or open the eye drop container themselves.

[0003] Furthermore, it is said that the maximum amount of eye drops that can be retained on the surface of the human eye is only about 7 μL, so if 25 to 50 μL of eye drops are administered by drip infusion as in the past, the excess will inevitably leak out of the eye, preventing the medicine from being used effectively and raising concerns about side effects due to absorption by tissues around the eye and systemic transfer.

[0004] Therefore, eyeglass-type ophthalmic devices that administer small amounts of medicine to the eye have been proposed (Patent Documents 1 and 2). In Patent Document 1, a thermal jet dispenser is used as the liquid injection means (see FIGS. 5 and 6 of Patent Document 1), and in Patent Document 2, a piezo jet dispenser or a thermal jet dispenser is used. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 1994 / 003135 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-21701 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the thermal jet and piezo jet systems described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 only deliver a horizontal distance of a few millimeters, requiring the nozzle to be placed close to the eyeball. Therefore, when administering directly with one's own hand or when administered by a third party such as a doctor, it is difficult to administer the medication while facing forward, resulting in poor administration accuracy. Furthermore, the devices are complex, resulting in high product costs.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid ejection device capable of ejecting a predetermined amount of minute liquid. Another object of the present invention is to provide a medication administration device that allows even people who have difficulty administering medication themselves or doctors to easily administer a predetermined amount of minute medicinal liquid. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The invention described in claim 1 for solving the above-mentioned problem is a medication device having a medicinal solution storage unit, an operating unit, and an outlet, and wherein, by operating the operating unit, the medicinal solution in the medicinal solution storage unit is ejected from the outlet onto the surface of the eyeball, wherein, when the operating unit is operated 10 times, the amount of medicinal solution ejected from the outlet in one go is less than 7 μL, and the standard deviation is 0.05 or less. The invention described in claim 2 is the medication device described in claim 1, in which when the operating part is operated 10 times at intervals of 10 seconds or less, the amount of fluid ejected from the ejection outlet in one go is less than 7 μL and the standard deviation is 0.05 or less. The invention described in claim 3 is the medication device described in claim 1 or 2, wherein when the operating portion is operated 10 times, the amount of liquid ejected from the ejection port at one time is less than 1 μL. The invention described in claim 4 is a medication device described in any one of claims 1 to 3, which has a main body portion having the operating portion and a plurality of medicinal liquid cartridges that can be individually attached to the main body portion, each of the plurality of medicinal liquid cartridges having a medicinal liquid storage portion and an outlet, and the plurality of medicinal liquid cartridges including a first medicinal liquid cartridge and a second medicinal liquid cartridge, and by operating the operating portion, medicinal liquid can be simultaneously ejected from the outlet of the first medicinal liquid cartridge and the outlet of the second medicinal liquid cartridge. A fifth aspect of the present invention is the medication device according to the fourth aspect, wherein the first and second medication cartridges are capable of ejecting different types of medication. The invention of claim 6 is the medication device of any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a discharge mechanism that can administer the medicinal liquid in an upward orientation. The invention described in claim 7 is a medication device described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein when the operating part is operated with the outlet facing horizontally, the medicinal liquid is ejected from the outlet at an angle of 1 degree or less to the horizontal within a range of at least more than 0 cm and not more than 0.5 cm from the outlet. An invention related to the present invention is a liquid discharge device that has a liquid storage section, a tube member, a striking section, a struck section, and an operating section, and discharges liquid from a discharge port, wherein one end of the tube member is connected to the inside of the liquid storage section and sends liquid from the liquid storage section toward the discharge port side, and the tube member has an elastic region that is elastically deformable in at least a part in the longitudinal direction, and by operating the operating section, the tube member can be moved from a state in which it is positioned between the striking section and the struck section and on the struck section side to a state in which it is elastically deformable in at least a part of the longitudinal direction. This liquid ejection device is characterized in that the striking portion does not move relative to the striking portion, but strikes at least a part of the elastic region of the tube member, pressing the tube member toward the struck portion and clamping the tube member together with the struck portion, causing the liquid in the tube member to be pushed out and ejected from the ejection outlet, and the tube member restores its shape from a state in which it has been elastically deformed by the pressing force of the striking portion, allowing liquid to be replenished from the liquid storage portion by capillary action. An invention related to the present invention is a liquid ejection device that has a liquid storage section, a tube member, a striking section, and an operating section, and ejects liquid from an ejection outlet, wherein one end of the tube member is connected to the inside of the liquid storage section and transports liquid from the liquid storage section toward the ejection outlet, and the tube member has an elastic region that can elastically deform in at least a portion of its longitudinal direction, and by operating the operating section, at least a portion of the elastic region of the tube member is struck by the striking section, causing the liquid in the tube member to be pushed out and ejected from the ejection outlet.

[0009] The term "strike" here refers to striking with force. The term "liquid" as used herein refers to anything that has fluidity, and includes chemical solutions, oil, water, organic solvents, aqueous solutions, ionic liquids, and the like.

[0010] An invention related to the present invention is a liquid ejection device in which the tube member transports liquid from the liquid storage portion toward the ejection port side by capillary action.

[0011] An invention related to the present invention is a liquid ejection device in which the entire area of ​​the tube member constitutes the elastic region.

[0012] The above invention relates to a liquid ejection device in which the elastic region is made of at least one elastic material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, silicone, fluororubber, polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, natural rubber, and synthetic rubber.

[0013] The above invention relates to a liquid ejection device that has a biasing member that biases the striking portion toward the elastic region, and by operating the operating portion, the striking portion moves or changes its position against the biasing force from the biasing member, and the biasing force causes the striking portion to strike toward the elastic region.

[0014] The above invention relates to a liquid ejection device in which the maximum inner diameter of the elastic region of the tube member is 0.1 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and the amount of liquid ejected from the ejection outlet when the operating part is operated once is 0.01 μL or more and 7 μL or less.

[0015] The term "maximum inner diameter" as used herein refers to the smallest diameter of a circle that includes the internal space of the tube member in a cross section perpendicular to the extension direction of the tube member, and refers to the diameter of the smallest circle that includes the entire internal space.

[0016] The above invention relates to a liquid ejection device in which the amount of liquid ejected from the ejection port when the operation portion is operated once is 0.01 μL or more and 7 μL or less. The above invention relates to a liquid ejection device in which the amount of liquid ejected from the ejection port when the operation unit is operated once is less than 1 μL. The above invention relates to a liquid ejection device in which the amount of liquid ejected from the ejection port when the operation unit is operated once is 0.625 μL or less. The above invention relates to a liquid ejection device in which the amount of liquid ejected from the ejection port when the operation portion is operated once is not less than 0.01 μL and not more than 100 μL.

[0017] The above invention relates to a liquid discharge device, wherein the range of the tube member struck by the striking portion is in the range of 1 mm to 30 mm in the longitudinal direction.

[0018] The above invention relates to a liquid ejection device in which, when the operating part is operated with the ejection outlet facing horizontally, the liquid is ejected in a substantially straight line within a range of at least more than 0 cm and not more than 0.5 cm from the ejection outlet.

[0019] Here, "substantially linear" does not only mean a completely linear shape, but also means a shape that is slightly curved to the extent that it can be considered roughly linear due to the influence of gravity, etc. Specifically, this refers to a case where the angle of the straight line connecting the start point (liquid ejection port) and the end point is 5 degrees or less, preferably 3 degrees or less, and more preferably 1 degree or less.

[0020] The above invention relates to a liquid ejection device having a main body and a liquid cartridge, the main body including the striking portion and the operating portion, and the liquid cartridge including the liquid storage portion and the tube member, and being detachable from the main body.

[0021] The above invention relates to a liquid ejection device that has a case portion that houses at least a part of the tube member so as to incorporate the ejection outlet, and a blocking portion that moves or changes its position relative to the case portion in conjunction with the operating portion, the case portion having a liquid passage hole at a position opposite the ejection outlet, and the blocking portion having an operating side through hole, and that can be changed by operating the operating portion between a blocked state in which the blocking portion blocks the liquid passage hole, and an open state in which the blocking portion moves or changes its position so that the operating side through hole is aligned in a straight line with the liquid passage hole and opens the liquid passage hole. An invention related to the present invention is a liquid ejection device that has a case portion that houses at least a part of the tube member so as to incorporate the ejection outlet, and a blocking portion that moves or changes its position relative to the case portion in conjunction with the operating portion, the case portion having a liquid passage hole at a position opposite the ejection outlet, and by operating the operating portion, can be changed between a blocked state in which the blocking portion blocks the liquid passage hole and an open state in which the blocking portion moves or changes its position to open the liquid passage hole.

[0022] The above invention is a liquid discharge device having a liquid storage section, a tube member, a striking section, a struck section, and an operating section, and discharging liquid from a discharge port, wherein one end of the tube member is connected to the inside of the liquid storage section and sends liquid from the liquid storage section towards the discharge port side, and the tube member has an elastic region in at least a part thereof that is elastically deformable in the longitudinal direction, and by operating the operating section, the tube member is moved from a state in which the tube member is between the striking section and the struck section and positioned on the struck section side, so that the struck section does not move relative to the striking section, and the striking section strikes at least a part of the elastic region of the tube member, pressing the tube member towards the struck section, and The liquid ejection device clamps the tube member and pushes the liquid inside the tube member out of the ejection port, and has a case member and an impacting member, the case member has an impact fixing portion, the operating portion has an operating-side engaging portion, the impacting member has the impact portion and a connecting portion, the connecting portion is held by the impact fixing portion of the case member and is supported in a cantilevered manner so that the impact portion extends from the connecting portion, the elastic region of the tube member is located at a higher position than the connecting portion, and by operating the operating portion, the operating-side engaging portion presses the impacting portion, causing the impacting portion to elastically deform, and the restoring force of the impacting portion strikes at least a part of the elastic region. An invention related to the present invention is a liquid ejection device that has a case member and an impact member having the impact portion, the impact member having a connection portion, the connection portion being held by the case member and supported in a cantilevered manner, the elastic region of the tube member being located higher than the connection portion, and by operating the operating portion, the impact portion elastically deforms, and the restoring force of the impact portion causes the impact portion to strike at least a portion of the elastic region.

[0023] The above invention is a drug dispensing device that uses the above liquid ejection device, characterized in that the liquid is a medicinal liquid. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the liquid ejection device of the present invention, it is possible to eject a minute amount of liquid at a predetermined amount. According to the medication device of the present invention, even patients who have difficulty in administering medication can be easily administered medication by a doctor or the like during an examination. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing a typical usage situation of a medication device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the medication dispensing device of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the medication administration device of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 4 is a perspective view of the second case portion of FIG. 3 as viewed from a different direction from that of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 5] 4 is a perspective view of the striking member of FIG. 3, seen from a different direction from that of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the chemical liquid unit of FIG. 3. [Figure 7] 4 is a perspective view of the chemical liquid unit of FIG. 3, seen from a direction different from that of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the chemical liquid unit of FIG. 3. [Figure 9] 3 is a side view of the medication device in FIG. 2 with the second case part removed. [Figure 10] 1A to 1C are explanatory diagrams of the administration device when administering a medicinal solution, where (a) is a side view showing the state when the operating part is operated, (b) is a side view showing the state when the operating part returns due to the biasing force of the biasing member, and (c) is a side view showing the state when a part of the tube member is struck by the striking part, and all of (a) to (c) are depicted with the second case part removed. [Figure 11] 11A to 11D are cross-sectional views showing the flow of the medicinal liquid near the tube member when the medicinal liquid is administered using the medication administration device of Fig. 10, and show the flow in the order of (a) to (d). The medicinal liquid is indicated by dots. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a medication device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13]13 is an explanatory diagram of the administration device when administering a medicinal liquid using the administration device of FIG. 12, where (a) to (c) are side views showing each step when the first operating part is pressed, and all of (a) to (c) are depicted with the second case part removed. [Figure 14] 13(c) is a side view showing the process following FIG. 13(c) when the first operating unit is pressed; (e) and (f) are side views showing the process when the second operating unit is pressed after the first operating unit is pressed; (d) to (f) are all shown with the second case removed. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a medication device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] 16 is an explanatory diagram of the administration device when administering a medicinal solution using the administration device of FIG. 15, where (a) to (c) are side views showing each step when the operating part is pressed, and all of (a) to (c) are depicted with the second case part removed. [Figure 17] 16(d) and (e) are side views showing the steps following FIG. 16(c) when the operating part is pressed, and both (d) and (e) are depicted with the second case part removed. [Figure 18] 10A and 10B are perspective views of a medication device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view of a closed state before a discharge operation, and (b) is a perspective view of an open state during discharge. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view of the medication device of FIG. 18, seen from a different direction from that of FIG. 18. [Figure 20] 19 is an exploded perspective view of the main body portion of FIG. 19, seen from the same direction as FIG. 18. [Figure 21] FIG. 18(b) is a cross-sectional view of the dispensing device taken along line AA in FIG. 18(a). [Figure 22] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the case member of FIG. 20. [Figure 23] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the case portion of FIG. 20. [Figure 24] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the operating member of FIG. 20. [Figure 25]20 is a perspective view of the drug solution cartridge of FIG. 19, seen from a different direction from that of FIG. 19. FIG. [Figure 26] 19A and 19B are explanatory views of the operation procedure of the medication administration device of FIG. 18, and (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views showing the positional relationship in each step. [Figure 27] 27 is an explanatory diagram of the operation procedure of the medication administration device following FIG. 26, where (c) and (d) are cross-sectional views showing the positional relationship in each step. [Figure 28] 28 is an explanatory diagram of the operation procedure of the medication administration device following FIG. 27, where (e) and (f) are cross-sectional views showing the positional relationship in each step. [Figure 29] 10A and 10B are perspective views of a medication device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view of a closed state before a discharge operation, and (b) is a perspective view of an open state during discharge. [Figure 30] FIG. 30 is an exploded perspective view of the medication device of FIG. 29, seen from a different direction from that of FIG. 29. [Figure 31] 10A and 10B are explanatory views of the vicinity of a tube member according to another embodiment of the present invention, and show different embodiments. [Figure 32] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a tube member according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 33] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a chemical solution unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the posture (vertical posture) in Fig. 1 is used as a reference, the side of the patient's eyeball 101 is the anterior side, and the side distal to the patient is the posterior side.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the medication device 1 (liquid ejection device) of the first embodiment of the present invention has an ejection outlet 8 on its end surface, and administers droplets of medicinal liquid 100 from the ejection outlet 8 onto the surface of a patient's eyeball 101. As shown in Figure 1, the medication device 1 is capable of ejecting the medicinal liquid 100 horizontally from the ejection port 8 when the device is in a horizontal position with the ejection port 8 facing horizontally, and one of its features is that the medicinal liquid 100 can be administered to the patient without the patient having to look up, i.e., regardless of the patient's position.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the medication device 1 includes, as its main components, a case member 2, a striking member 3, a medicinal liquid unit 4, a biasing member 7, and a discharge port 8. The chemical liquid unit 4 is mainly composed of a chemical liquid storage section 5 (liquid storage section) and a tube member 6.

[0029] The case member 2 is composed of a first case portion 10 and a second case portion 11, as shown in FIG. The first case portion 10 includes a main body wall portion 20, side walls 21 to 24, and a shaft portion 25. The main body wall portion 20 is a wall portion having a substantially rectangular shape, and the side walls portions 21 to 24 are upright walls rising from the respective sides of the main body wall portion 20. The shaft 25 is a rod-shaped part that stands upright on the main body wall 20, and is a part that forms the rotation axis of the striking member 3 during assembly. The shaft 25 also serves as a fixing part that fixes the biasing member 7.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, the second case portion 11 includes a main body wall portion 30, side wall portions 31 to 34, a guide groove 35, and a shaft fixing hole 36. The main body wall portion 30 is a wall portion having a substantially rectangular shape, and the side walls 31 to 34 are upright walls rising from the respective sides of the main body wall portion 30.

[0031] The guide groove 35 is a groove that guides the striking member 3, and is a through groove that is provided in the main body wall portion 30 and passes through the main body wall portion 30 in the thickness direction. When the main body wall portion 30 is viewed from the front, the guide groove 35 extends in an arc shape in the circumferential direction with the shaft fixing hole 36 as the center. As shown in FIG. 3, the shaft fixing hole 36 is a bearing hole that receives the end of the shaft portion 25 of the first case portion 10, and is a through-hole that penetrates the main body wall portion 30 in the thickness direction.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 5, the striking member 3 includes a main body 50, a striking portion 51, an operating portion 52, and a shaft hole 53. The main body 50 is a hammer piece having a generally V-shape, and includes a first extension 55 and a second extension 56 extending obliquely from the end of the first extension 55. The first extending portion 55 includes a fixing portion 57 to which an end of the biasing member 7 can be fixed.

[0033] The striking portion 51 is a portion that strikes a part of the tube member 6 to discharge the liquid medicine 100 from the discharge port 8. In other words, the striking portion 51 is a portion that presses a part of the tube member 6 to forcibly discharge the liquid medicine 100 in the tube member 6 from the discharge port 8. As shown in FIG. 5, the striking portion 51 has a flat portion 58 and a protruding portion 59 that protrudes from the flat portion 58. When assembled, the protrusion 59 is a protrusion that pairs with the recess 69 of the drug solution storage part 5 and extends across the tube member 6. In other words, the protrusion 59 extends in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the tube member 6, and is provided on the upstream side of the striking part 51 in the flow direction of the drug solution 100 in the tube member 6 due to capillary action.

[0034] The operating portion 52 is a portion that operates the striking portion 51, and is a rod-shaped portion that is provided on the second extending portion 56 and stands upright relative to the second extending portion 56. The shaft hole 53 is an insertion hole into which the shaft portion 25 can be inserted, and is a through-hole that is provided on the base end side of the first extension portion 55 and passes through the first extension portion 55 in the thickness direction.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 6, the liquid medicine storage unit 5 is a container having a storage space 65 capable of storing the liquid medicine 100.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 7, the drug solution reservoir 5 includes a main body 60 and a cap 61. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the main body 60 includes a struck portion 62, a storage hole 63, and a communication hole 64. The struck portion 62 is a portion that is struck by the striking portion 51 of the striking member 3 through the tube member 6, and includes a flat portion 68 and a recessed portion 69 recessed relative to the flat portion 68. The recess 69 is a recessed groove that extends across the tube member 6 when assembled, and extends in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the tube member 6.

[0037] The storage hole 63 is a bottomed hole that extends linearly from the front end face of the liquid medicine storage portion 5 in the front-rear direction and has a depth, and is a hole that connects the storage space 65 to the outside. The communication hole 64 is a through-hole that connects the storage space 65 with the outside, extends vertically or obliquely from the outside toward the storage space 65, and also serves as an insertion hole into which the tube member 6 can be inserted.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 7, the cap portion 61 is a closing portion that closes the storage hole 63 and has a through hole 66 . The through-hole 66 is an air hole for introducing outside air into the storage space 65 from the outside, and is a through-hole that penetrates in the thickness direction. That is, the through-hole 66 is a hole that introduces outside air into the storage space 65 and keeps the internal pressure and the external pressure in the drug solution storage section 5 equal at all times. If necessary, the periphery of the through-hole 66 may be subjected to a hydrophilic or hydrophobic treatment to prevent leakage of the medicinal solution 100 from the through-hole 66. In this way, it becomes even more difficult for the medicinal solution 100 to leak from the through-hole 66.

[0039] As shown in Figure 6, the tube member 6 is a member having one end inserted into the drug solution storage section 5 and the other end forming the discharge outlet 8, and is a liquid delivery tube that sends the drug solution 100 from the drug solution storage section 5 to the discharge outlet 8. The tube member 6 is a hollow, elongated cylindrical body. The tube member 6 of this embodiment is a cylindrical tube with a circular cross section. The tube member 6 has an elastic region at least a part of which in the longitudinal direction is made of an elastic body, and in the elastic region, it is elastically deformable in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction. In the tube member 6 of this embodiment, the entire area in the longitudinal direction is an elastic region.

[0040] The tube member 6 is not particularly limited as long as it is elastically deformable, but can be made of at least one elastic material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, silicone, fluororubber, polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, natural rubber, and synthetic rubber, for example. By using these elastic materials, a desired amount of the liquid medicine 100 can be ejected with good reproducibility. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of replenishing the medicinal liquid 100 inside by capillary action, the tube member 6 is preferably lipophilic if the medicinal liquid is an oil-based preparation, and is preferably hydrophilic if the medicinal liquid is an aqueous preparation.

[0041] The inner diameter (maximum inner diameter) of the tube member 6, i.e., the smallest encompassing circle diameter of the internal space of the tube member 6 in a cross section perpendicular to the extension direction of the tube member 6, may be within a range in which the drug solution 100 can be transported by capillary action, and is preferably 0.1 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and more preferably 0.3 mm or more and 1 mm or less. The outer diameter (maximum outer diameter) of the tube member 6, i.e., the smallest diameter of the outer surface of the tube member 6 in a cross section perpendicular to the extension direction of the tube member 6, exceeds the inner diameter of the tube member 6 and is preferably 0.2 mm or more and 5 mm or less. The thickness of the tube member 6 (the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter) is preferably 0.05 mm or more and 3 mm or less. Within these ranges, the pressing force from the striking portion 51 is not excessively absorbed within the tube member 6, and can be efficiently transmitted to the medicinal solution 100 inside.

[0042] The inner surface of the tube member 6 that comes into contact with the liquid may be subjected to hydrophobic treatment or hydrophilic treatment as required.

[0043] The biasing member 7 is a member that biases the striking part 51 toward the liquid medicine storage part 5 side. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the biasing member 7 is a torsion coil spring that includes a coil portion 80 and arm portions 81 and 82 extending from the coil portion 80 and receives a torsional moment around the central axis of the coil portion 80. The coil portion 80 is an annular portion, and the shaft portion 25 can be inserted into the center thereof. The arms 81 and 82 are rod-shaped portions extending from the coil portion 80 .

[0044] The discharge port 8 is an opening through which the medicinal liquid 100 is discharged, and in this embodiment, the discharge port 8 is configured by the end of the tube member 6.

[0045] Next, the positional relationship of each member of the medication device 1 of the first embodiment will be described.

[0046] 3, the medication device 1 has a striking member 3, a drug solution storage section 5, and a biasing member 7 arranged inside a case member 2. The first case member 10 and the second case member 11 are fixed to each other and face each other with the main body walls 20, 30 facing outward. In the medication device 1, side walls 21 to 24 of the first case portion 10 and side walls 31 to 34 of the second case portion 11 form side surfaces 41 to 44 of the case member 2, as shown in FIG. As shown in Figure 3, the shaft portion 25 of the first case portion 10 passes through the shaft hole 53 of the striking member 3 and the coil portion 80 of the biasing member 7, and is inserted into and fixed to the shaft fixing hole 36. Furthermore, the biasing member 7 has an arm portion 81 inserted into and fixed to the fixing portion 57, and an arm portion 82 abuts against the side surface portion 43 of the case member 2. That is, the biasing member 7 biases the striking member 3 in the circumferential direction around the shaft portion 25 so that the striking portion 51 presses the struck portion 62 of the drug solution storage portion 5, as shown in Figure 9.

[0047] 2, the operating part 52 is inserted through the guide groove 35, and a part of the operating part 52 is exposed to the outside of the case member 2. That is, the movable range of the operating part 52 is restricted by the guide groove 35, and the operating part 52 is only allowed to move in the circumferential direction around the shaft part 25, as shown in FIG. The striking portion 51 receives the biasing force of the biasing member 7 and presses a part of the tube member 6 toward the liquid medicine storage portion 5 side.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 9, the tube member 6 extends downward (diagonally downward in this embodiment) from the drug solution storage portion 5, and a portion of the tube member 6 is bent and extends toward the side surface portion 41. Tube member 6 is sandwiched between struck portion 62 of medicinal solution storage portion 5 and striking portion 51 of striking member 3, and is subjected to a pressing force from striking portion 51 toward struck portion 62, causing pressed portion 85 (FIG. 8) to elastically deform and become flattened. That is, as shown in FIG. 11(a), the inside of tube member 6 is constantly elastically deformed by the pressing force of striking portion 51, and the flow path inside pressed portion 85 is blocked, blocking the flow of medicinal solution 100 toward discharge port 8. The convex portion 59 of the striking portion 51 presses against a portion of the tube member 6 that corresponds to the concave portion 69 of the struck portion 62 .

[0049] The length of the striking portion of striking section 51 shown in Figure 8, i.e., the longitudinal length D of pressed portion 85 of tube member 6, can be changed as appropriate depending on the amount of medicinal liquid 100 to be ejected, but is preferably 1 mm or more and 30 mm or less, and more preferably 3 mm or more and 10 mm or less. Within this range, the liquid medicine 100 in the tube member 6 can be discharged with good reproducibility.

[0050] Next, a description will be given of a general process that is assumed when a patient administers the drug solution 100 to the surface of the eyeball 101 using the drug administration device 1. Note that the drug administration device 1 can take any posture and can administer the drug solution 100 from any direction, such as upward, downward, or sideways, but to facilitate understanding of the features of the present invention, a case will be described in which the drug solution 100 can be ejected horizontally.

[0051] First, as shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b), the discharge port 8 is placed facing the eyeball 101 and facing horizontally, and when the operating unit 52 is operated in this state, the striking member 3 rotates around the shaft 25 against the biasing force received from the biasing member 7, and the striking part 51 moves away from the tube member 6.

[0052] At this time, the shape of the tube member 6 is restored to a cylindrical shape as shown in FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b), and the drug solution 100 is automatically replenished into the tube member 6 from the drug solution reservoir 5 by capillary action.

[0053] 10(b) and 10(c), when the user releases operating portion 52, striking member 3 rotates about shaft 25 due to the biasing force of biasing member 7, striking tube member 6. As a result, tube member 6 is elastically deformed as shown in FIGS. 11(b) to 11(d), and medicinal solution 100 inside tube member 6 is pushed out and discharged from discharge port 8.

[0054] At this time, the liquid medicine 100 discharged from the discharge port 8 is a small amount of the liquid medicine 100, and is discharged substantially linearly in a range of at least more than 0 cm and not more than 0.5 cm from the discharge port 8. The amount of the chemical solution 100 discharged from the discharge port 8 at this time is preferably 0.01 μL or more and 100 μL or less, more preferably 0.1 μL or more and 10 μL or less, and particularly preferably 0.1 μL or more and 7 μL or less. Within this range, administration of an excessive amount of the medicinal solution 100 can be prevented, and problems caused by overadministration and side effects caused by preservatives and the like can be reduced. The method for adjusting the amount of medicinal liquid 100 discharged from outlet 8 is not particularly limited, but can be adjusted, for example, by changing the length D of the striking portion of striking section 51 or by changing the inner diameter of tube member 6.

[0055] Next, the medicinal liquid 100 that can be suitably used in the medication device 1 will be described.

[0056] The medicinal solution 100 is not particularly limited as long as it is used as an ophthalmic drug. The drug solution 100 is preferably an oil-based preparation, an aqueous preparation, a suspension preparation, or an emulsion preparation, and more preferably an oil-based preparation. There are no particular limitations on the solvent that can be used as the base of the medicinal solution 100, as long as it is liquid in the temperature range from cold to room temperature. Examples of the solvent include water, ethyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycols, propylene glycol, medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides, glycerin, vegetable oils, animal oils, mineral oils, perfluorocarbons, and mixtures thereof. Examples of drugs in the drug solution 100 include anti-inflammatory agents such as dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, epsilon aminocaproic acid, allantoin, berberine chloride, and berberine sulfate; antihistamines such as diphenhydramine hydrochloride and chlorpheniramine maleate; corneal treatment agents such as flavin adenine dinucleotide sodium, cyanocobalamin, retinols, pyridoxine hydrochloride, panthenol, sodium pantothenate, and sodium chondroitin sulfate; epinephrine, ephedrine hydrochloride, and tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride. Decongestants such as benzocaine, naphazoline hydrochloride, phenylephrine hydrochloride, dl-methylephedrine hydrochloride, antibacterial agents such as ofloxacin, levofloxacin, tosufloxacin, gatifloxacin, gentamicin, sulfamethoxazole, sulfisoxazole, β-lactam antibiotics such as cephalexin, imipenem, meropenem, antifungal agents such as amphotericin B, ketoconazole, fluconazole, cooling agents such as menthol, borneol, camphor, timolol maleate, pilocarpine hydrochloride, Anti-glaucoma and anti-ocular hypertension drugs such as luteolol, latanoprost, tafluprost, travoprost, and ripasudil; anti-cataract drugs such as phacoridine, glutathione, pirenoxine, and sodium pentacecylsulfonate; antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, colistin, and erythromycin; immunosuppressants such as rapamycin, tacrolimus, and cyclosporine; corticosteroids such as hydrocortisone acetate, prednisolone acetate, dexamethasone, triamcinolone acetonide, and fluorometholone; Examples of such agents include carbonic anhydrase inhibitors such as zolamide, dorzolamide, and methazolamide, alpha-2 blockers such as brimonidine, alpha-1 blockers such as bunazosin, antioxidants such as tocopherols and vitamin C, mucosal repair agents (dry eye treatments) such as hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, gefarnate, vitamin U, and rebamipide, local anesthetics such as lidocaine hydrochloride and dibucaine hydrochloride, diagnostic agents such as fluorescein, rose bengal, cyclopentolate, and tropicamide, protein preparations, antibody preparations, and nucleic acid preparations.

[0057] The viscosity of the chemical solution 100 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10,000 cps or less, more preferably 1,000 cps or less, and even more preferably 300 cps or less.

[0058] According to the medication administration device 1 of the first embodiment, the medicinal solution 100 is discharged from the discharge port 8 by operating the operating unit 52, so the patient does not need to look up and the medicinal solution 100 can be administered from any direction without relying on gravity. Therefore, even patients who have difficulty administering medication, such as elderly people, patients with rheumatism, and patients with poor grip strength, can accurately administer a predetermined, minute amount of the medicinal solution 100 to the surface of the patient's eyeball 101. As a result, convenience for the patient can be improved, excessive administration of the medicinal solution 100 can be prevented, and side effects of preservatives and the like can be reduced. Furthermore, according to the medication device 1 of the first embodiment, the patient does not need to look up, so when administering a test drug by eye drop in an ophthalmic examination room, the patient can remain seated while the drug solution 100 is administered, improving convenience.

[0059] According to the medication device 1 of the first embodiment, the amount of medicinal liquid dispensed (for example, 0.001 to 7 μL) is far less than the amount of liquid droplets (25 to 50 μL) dispensed by conventional dropwise administration of eye drops. Therefore, the amount of medicinal liquid 100 dispensed onto the surface of the eyeball 101 is so small that there is no risk of the medicinal liquid 100 leaking out of the eye, and all of it can be used effectively. Furthermore, the administration device 1 of the first embodiment allows for administration of a smaller amount of medicinal solution 100 than that administered dropwise from a conventional eye dropper, and also reduces the impact of medicinal solution 100 on the living body, thereby enabling the medicinal solution to have a wide pH range, a wide osmotic pressure range, and a wide viscosity range, thereby providing a high degree of freedom in designing medicinal solution 100. Furthermore, even oily medicinal solution 100 can be administered without any discomfort. Furthermore, according to the medication device 1 of the first embodiment, the medicinal solution 100 administered to the surface of the eyeball 101 can be made into minute droplets, so that the patient can prevent discomfort or irritation in the eyeball 101.

[0060] According to the medication device 1 of the first embodiment, by operating the operating unit 52, a part of the tube member 6 is struck by the striking unit 51, and a part of the medicinal liquid 100 in the tube member 6 is pushed out and discharged from the discharge port 8. Therefore, a small amount of the medicinal liquid 100 can be discharged in a straight line.

[0061] According to the medication device 1 of the first embodiment, the tube member 6 transports the liquid medicine from the liquid medicine storage section 5 toward the discharge port 8 by capillary action. Therefore, the liquid medicine 100 can be automatically and easily replenished into the tube member 6.

[0062] According to the medication device 1 of the first embodiment, the entire area of ​​the tube member 6 constitutes an elastic region, so there is no need to combine multiple types of elastic materials in the tube member 6, and it is easy to manufacture.

[0063] According to the medication device 1 of the first embodiment, by operating the operating unit 52, the position of the striking unit 51 is changed against the biasing force from the biasing member 7, and the biasing force causes the striking unit 51 to strike the tube member 6. In other words, since the striking is performed by the biasing force of the biasing member 7, the medicinal solution 100 can be more accurately discharged from the discharge port 8.

[0064] According to the medication administration device 1 of the first embodiment, by operating the operation unit 52 with the discharge port 8 facing horizontally, the medicinal liquid 100 is discharged substantially linearly over a range of at least more than 0 cm and not more than 0.5 cm from the discharge port 8. Therefore, even when a third party such as a doctor, nurse, or caregiver administers the medication, it can be easily administered.

[0065] According to the medication device 1 of the first embodiment, the convex portion 59 is provided upstream of the striking portion 51 in the flow direction of the medicinal liquid 100 in the tube member 6 due to capillary action. Therefore, when the striking portion 51 strikes the tube member 6, the convex portion 59 can block the movement of the medicinal liquid 100 toward the medicinal liquid storage portion 5, and the medicinal liquid 100 can be more accurately discharged from the discharge port 8.

[0066] Next, a description will be given of a medication device 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Note that the same components as those in the medication device 1 according to the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted. The same applies hereinafter.

[0067] A medication device 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a case member 2, an operation unit 203, a drug solution storage section 5, a tube member 6, and a discharge port 8, as shown in FIG.

[0068] The operation unit 203 includes a first operation portion 210 , a second operation portion 211 , a first engagement portion 212 , a second engagement portion 213 , a first biasing member 215 , and a second biasing member 216 . The first operating portion 210 is a portion that is pressed by the user, and presses the first engaging portion 212 in response to the pressing operation by the user. The second operating portion 211 is a portion that is pressed by the user, and presses the second engaging portion 213 in response to the pressing operation by the user. As shown in FIG. 12, the first engagement portion 212 is a plate-like or rod-like portion extending in a predetermined direction, and is composed of a first shaft portion 217, a first extension portion 218, and a second extension portion 219. The first shaft portion 217 is fixed to the main body wall portions 20, 30 of the case member 2, and is a portion that pivotally supports the middle portion of the first engagement portion 212 in the longitudinal direction. The first extending portion 218 is a portion located on one end side in the longitudinal direction with the first shaft portion 217 as a reference, and is provided with a striking portion 51 that strikes the tube member 6. The second extending portion 219 is a portion located on the other end side in the longitudinal direction with the first shaft portion 217 as the reference, and includes a pressed portion 221 that is pressed by the first operating portion 210. The pressed portion 221 is also a biased portion that is biased by the first biasing member 215 in the opposite direction to the pressing direction from the first operating portion 210.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 12, the second engaging portion 213 is a plate-like or rod-like portion extending in a predetermined direction, and includes a pressed portion 231 , an engaging piece 232 , a connecting portion 233 , and a second shaft portion 235 . The pressed portion 231 is a portion that is pressed by the second operating portion 211, and is a portion that is biased by the second biasing member 216 in the opposite direction to the pressing direction from the second operating portion 211. The engaging piece 232 is a portion that engages with the first engaging portion 212, and is connected to the pressed portion 231 via a connecting portion 233 so as to be rotatable in one direction. The connecting portion 233 is specifically a hinge, and connects a surface of the pressed portion 231 on the second operating portion 211 side with a surface of the engaging piece 232 on the second operating portion 211 side. In other words, the connecting portion 233 allows the engaging piece 232 to move toward the second operating portion 211 side relative to the pressed portion 231, and restricts the engaging piece 232 from moving toward the tube member 6 side relative to the pressed portion 231. The connecting portion 233 may be a pin. The second shaft portion 235 is fixed to the case member 2 and is a portion that supports one end (outer end) of the pressed portion 231 in the longitudinal direction.

[0070] Next, the positional relationship of each member of the medication administration device 200 when the first operating section 210 and the second operating section 211 are not being operated will be described.

[0071] A part of the tube member 6 is inserted into the liquid medicine storage part 5, and the tip part is immersed in the liquid medicine in the liquid medicine storage part 5. The first operating portion 210 and the second operating portion 211 protrude from the side surface portion 42 of the case member 2 and are in a state where they can be pressed. The first engagement portion 212 has a middle portion rotatably supported by a first shaft portion 217 . The first engagement portion 212 is disposed between the first biasing member 215 and the first operating portion 210, and is biased by the first biasing member 215 upward (towards the first operating portion 210). The striking part 51 receives the biasing force of the first biasing member 215 and presses a part of the tube member 6 towards the struck part 62 side of the drug solution storage part 5.

[0072] The outer end of the second engaging portion 213 is rotatably supported by the second shaft portion 235. That is, the second engaging portion 213 is supported by the second shaft portion 235 in a cantilevered manner. The second engagement portion 213 is disposed between the second biasing member 216 and the second operating portion 211, and is biased by the second biasing member 216 upward (towards the second operating portion 211). The second engaging portion 213 has an engaging piece 232 aligned with the pressed portion 231 via a connecting portion 233, and is plate-shaped or rod-shaped. The second shaft portion 235 is located on the upper side (side surface portion 42 side) compared to the first shaft portion 217.

[0073] Next, a method of administering a medication to a user using the medication administration device 200 will be described.

[0074] As shown in Figure 13(a), when a user presses the first operating portion 210, the first engagement portion 212 rotates around the first shaft portion 217 against the biasing force of the first biasing member 215 and comes into contact with the engagement piece 232 of the second engagement portion 213. 13(b), when the first operating unit 210 is pressed further, the engaging piece 232 rotates around the connecting portion 233 relative to the pressed portion 231, and the tip of the first engaging portion 212 is positioned higher than the end of the second engaging portion 213. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 13(c), the first engaging portion 212 rotates in the opposite direction around the first shaft portion 217 due to gravity, and when the user stops pressing the first operating unit 210, the first engaging portion 212 and the second engaging portion 213 engage with each other.

[0075] At this time, as the user presses the first operating part 210, the striking part 51 moves away from the tube member 6, and the medicinal liquid 100 is introduced into the tube member 6 by capillary action, filling the tube member 6 with the medicinal liquid 100.

[0076] Subsequently, when second operating unit 211 is pressed, second engaging unit 213 is pressed by second operating unit 211, and second engaging unit 213 rotates about second shaft 235 against the biasing force of second biasing member 216, as shown in Figure 14(d). Then, when first engaging unit 212 and second engaging unit 213 are disengaged as shown in Figure 14(e), first engaging unit 212 rotates about first shaft 217 by first biasing member 215, and striking unit 51 strikes a part of tube member 6 as shown in Figure 14(f). Then, the striking force causes medicinal solution 100 in tube member 6 to be discharged linearly from discharge port 8.

[0077] Next, a medication device 300 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0078] A medication device 300 according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes a case member 2, an operation unit 303, a drug solution storage section 5, a tube member 6, and a discharge port 8, as shown in FIG.

[0079] The operation unit 303 includes an operation portion 310 , a first engagement portion 312 , a second engagement portion 313 , a first biasing member 215 , and a second biasing member 216 . The operating portion 310 is a portion that is pressed by the user, and presses the first engagement portion 312 in response to the pressing operation by the user.

[0080] The first engaging portion 312 is a plate-like or rod-like portion extending in a predetermined direction, and includes a pressed portion 321 and a first shaft portion 322. The pressed portion 321 is a portion that is pressed by the operating portion 310, and is a portion that is biased by the first biasing member 215 in the opposite direction to the pressing direction from the operating portion 310. The first shaft portion 322 is fixed to the case member 2 and is a portion that supports one end (outer end) of the pressed portion 321 in the longitudinal direction.

[0081] The second engaging portion 313 is a plate-like or rod-like portion extending in a predetermined direction, and is composed of a second shaft portion 335 , a first extending portion 336 , and a second extending portion 337 . The second shaft portion 335 is fixed to the case member 2 and is a portion that supports the second engagement portion 313 at an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction. The first extending portion 336 is a portion located on one end side in the longitudinal direction with the second shaft portion 335 as a reference, and is provided with a striking portion 51 that strikes the tube member 6.

[0082] The second extension portion 337 is a portion located on the other end side in the longitudinal direction with the second shaft portion 335 as the reference, and is composed of a main body portion 341 , an engagement piece 342 , and a connecting portion 343 . The main body portion 341 is a portion that extends continuously from the first extension portion 336 . The engagement piece 342 is a portion that engages with the first engagement portion 312, and is connected to the main body portion 341 via a connecting portion 343 so as to be rotatable in one direction. Specifically, the connecting portion 343 is a hinge, and connects the surface of the main body 341 on the operating portion 310 side with the surface of the engagement piece 342 on the operating portion 310 side. Note that the connecting portion 343 may be a pin.

[0083] Next, the positional relationship of each component of the medication administration device 300 when the operation unit 310 is not operated will be described.

[0084] A part of the tube member 6 is inserted into the liquid medicine storage part 5, and the tip part is immersed in the liquid medicine in the liquid medicine storage part 5. As shown in FIG. 16(a), the operating portion 310 protrudes from the side surface portion 42 of the case member 2 and can be pressed. One end of the first engagement portion 312 is rotatably supported by the first shaft portion 322. In other words, the first engagement portion 312 is supported by the first shaft portion 322 in a cantilevered manner. The first engagement portion 312 is disposed between the first biasing member 215 and the operating portion 310, and is biased upward by the first biasing member 215.

[0085] The second engagement portion 313 has a middle portion rotatably supported by a second shaft portion 335 . The second engaging portion 313 is disposed between the drug solution storage portion 5 and the second biasing member 216 at a position where it overlaps with the tube member 6 in the vertical direction. The striking portion 51 of the second engaging portion 313 receives the biasing force of the second biasing member 216 and presses a part of the tube member 6 toward the liquid medicine storage portion 5 side. The second engaging portion 313 has an engaging piece 342 aligned with the main body portion 341 via a connecting portion 343 . The second shaft portion 335 is located lower than the first shaft portion 322 (closer to the side surface portion 44).

[0086] Next, the operation of administering medication to a user using the medication administration device 300 will be described.

[0087] 16(a) and 16(b), when the user presses the operating portion 310, the first engaging portion 312 is pressed by the operating portion 310, and the first engaging portion 312 rotates around the first shaft portion 322 against the biasing force of the first biasing member 215. When the first engaging portion 312 rotates, the inner end of the second engaging portion 313 is pressed downward, and the second engaging portion 313 rotates around the second shaft portion 335 in a direction away from the first engaging portion 312 against the biasing force of the second biasing member 216.

[0088] At this time, as the user presses, striking portion 51 moves away from tube member 6, and thus medicinal liquid 100 is introduced into tube member 6 by capillary action, and tube member 6 is filled with medicinal liquid 100.

[0089] 16(b) and 16(c), when first engaging portion 312 and second engaging portion 313 rotate together and move away from each other to release the engagement, second engaging portion 313 rotates due to the biasing force of second biasing member 216, and striking portion 51 strikes a part of tube member 6. Then, medicinal solution 100 in tube member 6 is discharged from discharge port 8.

[0090] 17(d) and 17(e), when the user stops pressing the operating portion 310, the first engagement portion 312 is reversed by the biasing force of the first biasing member 215 and presses the engagement piece 342. When the engagement piece 342 is pressed, the engagement piece 342 rotates via the connecting portion 343, releasing the pressing force of the first engagement portion 312 and positioning the first engagement portion 312 above the second engagement portion 313.

[0091] According to the medication device 300 of the third embodiment, the medicinal liquid 100 can be discharged from the discharge port 8 simply by pressing the operation part 310, and the operability is excellent.

[0092] Next, a description will be given of a fourth embodiment of the medication device 500 of the present invention. Similar to the above-described embodiments, the medication device 500 can also take any posture and can administer the medicinal liquid 100 from any direction, such as upward, downward, or sideways. However, to facilitate understanding of the features of the present invention, the description will be based on a posture in which the medicinal liquid 100 can be discharged horizontally and the operating member 512 is on the upper side.

[0093] As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the medication device 500 of the fourth embodiment includes a main body 501 and a liquid medicine cartridge 502 (liquid cartridge), and the liquid medicine cartridge 502 is detachable from the main body 501. As shown in FIG. 20, the main body 501 includes a case member 510, a striking member 511, and an operating member 512. The case member 510 is made up of a pair of case sections 520 and 521 as shown in FIG. As can be seen from Figures 19, 20, and 22, the case member 510 has a front wall portion 530 (530a, 530b), a rear wall portion 531 (531a, 531b), a top wall portion 532 (532a, 532b), a bottom wall portion 533 (533a, 533b), side wall portions 535 (535a, 535b), front guide wall portions 536 (536a, 536b), rear guide wall portions 537 (537a, 537b), position fixing portions 538 (538a, 538b), a striking fixing portion 540, and fitting portions 541 (541a, 541b). The case member 510 also has an internal space 542 surrounded by the walls 530-535.

[0094] As shown in Figures 20 and 21, the front wall portion 530 has a liquid medicine passage hole 550 (liquid passage hole) that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction from the outside toward the internal space 542, and a case-side regulating groove 551 that extends in the up-down direction. The liquid medicine passing hole 550 is a hole through which the liquid medicine discharged from the discharge port 8 of the liquid medicine cartridge 502 passes. Case-side regulation groove 551 is a groove that regulates the movement direction of closing portion 583 of operating member 512 that closes discharge port 8 of liquid medicine cartridge 502, and its depth is longer than the length of closing portion 583 of operating member 512.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 19, rear wall portion 531 is provided with mounting portion 555 to which liquid medicine cartridge 502 can be mounted. As shown in FIG. 20, the mounting portion 555 is a mounting hole that extends from the outside toward the internal space 542 and is a communication hole that is continuous with the internal space 542. As shown in FIGS. 19 and 22, mounting portion 555 has a regulation groove 556 that regulates the orientation of liquid medicine cartridge 502.

[0096] The top wall portion 532 has a communication hole 560 that penetrates vertically from the outside toward the internal space 542 and communicates with the internal space 542 . The communication hole 560 is an insertion hole into which the operating side pressing portion 585 and the operating side engaging portion 586 of the operating member 512 can be inserted, and is also continuous with the restriction groove 556 of the mounting portion 555 .

[0097] As shown in FIG. 23, a guide portion 561 is provided on the bottom wall portion 533b of one case portion 521. The guide portion 561 is a triangular plate-like portion that guides the main body plate portion 595 of the operation member 512 toward the side wall portion 535b. The guide portion 561 of this embodiment is configured by a plurality of right-angled triangular plate-like pieces arranged in the front-rear direction, and the slopes of the plate-like pieces form an inclined portion 562 on the side wall portion 535b side.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 20, the side wall portion 535 has slide grooves 565 and 566 and locking grooves 567 and 568 extending from the upper end toward the lower end on the outer surface in the vertical direction. The slide grooves 565 and 566 are restriction grooves that restrict the sliding direction of the leg portions 588 and 589 of the operating member 512 in the up and down direction. The locking grooves 567 and 568 extend in the vertical direction and are engaged with the locking claws 590 and 591 of the side wall portions 581 and 582 to prevent the operating member 512 from separating from the case member 510. That is, the inner wall portions of the locking grooves 567 and 568 located at the upper ends thereof constitute locking surfaces that lock the locking claws 590 and 591 of the side wall portions 581 and 582.

[0099] The guide walls 536 and 537 are portions that guide the movement direction of the operating member 512 in the vertical direction, and are wall portions that protrude upward from the top wall 532. The position fixing part 538 is a part that fixes the distance and position between the outlet 8 and the eyeball 101 of the user. The striking fixing portion 540 is a portion that holds the connecting portion 572 of the striking member 511 .

[0100] The fitting portions 541 (541a, 541b) are portions that fit together to fix the case portions 520, 521 together. Of the case parts 520 and 521, the fitting part 541a of one case part 520 is a recess as shown in FIG. 20, and the fitting part 541b of the other case part 521 is a protrusion as shown in FIG.

[0101] As shown in FIG. 20, the striking member 511 includes a striking portion 570, an elastic portion 571, and a connecting portion 572. The striking portion 570 includes a flat portion 58 , a protrusion 59 protruding from the flat portion 58 , and an engagement portion 575 . The engaging portion 575 is a portion that engages with the locking surface 597 of the operating member 512 when no load is applied to the operating member 512.

[0102] The elastic portion 571 is an elastically deformable member, and specifically, is a leaf spring. The elastic portion 571 is supported in a cantilever manner by the case member 510 via the connection portion 572, and extends from the connection portion 572 in the same direction as the striking portion 570 (forward direction). The connecting portion 572 is fixed to the fixing portion for striking 540 and is a portion that connects to the case member 510 , and is also a portion that connects the base end of the striking portion 570 and the base end of the elastic portion 571 .

[0103] As shown in FIGS. 20 and 24, the operating member 512 includes an operating surface portion 580, side walls 581 and 582, a closing portion 583, an operating side pressing portion 585, and an operating side engaging portion 586. The operation surface portion 580 is a portion that is pressed by the user, and is a plate-like portion that constitutes the top surface of the medication device 500. As shown in FIG. 24, the side walls 581 and 582 are walls that hang down from the operation surface 580, and include a main body 587 and legs 588 and 589. The main body 587 is a plate-like portion extending in the front-rear direction, and is provided with locking claws 590 and 591 at or near the bottom end to prevent the operating member 512 from separating from the case member 510. The legs 588 and 589 are protruding portions that protrude downward from the lower end of the main body 587.

[0104] As shown in FIG. 24, the blocking portion 583 is a portion that blocks the discharge port 8 of the liquid medicine cartridge 502. The blocking portion 583 is a plate-like body extending downward from the operation surface portion 580, and is provided with an operation-side through-hole 592 that penetrates in the thickness direction. Operation-side through-hole 592 is an opening hole that opens discharge port 8 of liquid medicine cartridge 502 when operation member 512 is operated. The operation side pressing portion 585 is a protruding portion that extends downward from the operation surface portion 580, and is a portion that presses the elastic portion 571 of the striking member 511 at the end portion in the extending direction.

[0105] As shown in FIG. 24, the operating side engaging portion 586 includes a main body plate portion 595 and a locking portion 596 . Main body plate portion 595 is a protruding portion that extends downward from operation surface portion 580, and is a portion that presses guide portion 561 of case portion 521 at the end portion in the extending direction. The locking portion 596 is provided at the middle of the body plate portion 595 in the extending direction, and is a portion that engages with the engaging portion 575 of the striking portion 570 of the striking member 511 to lock the striking member 511 against upward movement. The locking portion 596 is a convex portion that protrudes in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the main body plate portion 595 , and includes a locking surface 597 and an inclined surface 598 . The locking surface 597 faces downward and is a surface that abuts against and locks onto the engaging portion 575 of the striking portion 570 , and is a vertical surface that rises perpendicular to the inner surface of the main body plate portion 595 . The inclined surface 598 is a surface that is inclined at an acute angle with respect to the inner surface of the main body plate portion 595 .

[0106] As shown in FIG. 25, the liquid medicine cartridge 502 is composed of a liquid medicine storage section 601 and a tube member 6. The liquid medicine storage section 601 has a storage space 65 therein, and is a rectangular parallelepiped member extending in the direction in which the liquid medicine cartridge 502 is inserted. The drug solution storage section 601 has a notch 602 extending from the distal end side to the proximal end side in the insertion direction, and the tube member 6 is disposed within the notch 602 . The inner surface of the cutout portion 602 has a striking portion 62, in which a flat portion 68 and a recessed portion 69 are formed. As shown in FIG. 19, the drug solution storage section 601 has a ridge 603 extending from the base end to the tip end in the insertion direction.

[0107] Next, the positional relationship of each member of the medication administration device 500 when the operating member 512 is not being operated, that is, when no load is applied, will be described.

[0108] As shown in FIG. 21, the medication device 500 has a striking member 511 and a drug solution cartridge 502 disposed inside a case member 510, and an operating member 512 covering the case member 510 from the outside. As shown in FIG. 20, the case member 510 has case sections 520 and 521 connected together so that the side wall sections 535a and 535b face outwards. The fitting portion 541b of the case portion 521 is inserted into and fitted to the fitting portion 541a of the case portion 520. 21, the connecting portion 572 of the striking member 511 is fixed to the fixing portion for striking 540 of the case member 510, and the striking portion 570 and the elastic portion 571 are supported in a cantilever manner by the case member 510. In other words, the base ends of the striking portion 570 and the elastic portion 571 are fixed to the fixing portion for striking 540, and the tip ends are free ends. As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the operation member 512 has an operation surface 580 that is flush with the tip surfaces of the guide wall portions 536 and 537 of the case member 510 in the protruding direction. The operating member 512 has the blocking portion 583 inserted into the case-side restricting groove 551 of the case member 510, blocking the medicinal solution passing hole 550. That is, the medication device 500 is in a blocked state in which the medicinal solution passing hole 550 is blocked by the blocking portion 583. Liquid medicine cartridge 502 is attached to attachment portion 555 , and ridge portion 603 is inserted into restriction groove 556 of case member 510 .

[0109] Next, a method of administering a medication to a user using the medication administration device 500 will be described.

[0110] First, as can be seen from FIG. 19, liquid medicine cartridge 502 containing a desired liquid medicine is inserted into mounting portion 555 of main body portion 501.

[0111] At this time, drug solution cartridge 502 moves linearly along restriction groove 556 of mounting portion 555 , and tube member 6 is positioned so as to face striking portion 570 . At this time, since the administration device 500 is in a closed state as shown in FIG. 18( a ), the drug solution passing hole 550 is closed by the closing portion 583 , and the discharge port 8 of the tube member 6 faces the closing portion 583 .

[0112] Next, as shown in Figures 26(a) and 26(b), when the user presses the operating surface portion 580 of the operating member 512 with his / her finger, the operating side pressing portion 585 of the operating member 512 presses the elastic portion 571, and the locking surface 597 of the locking portion 596 of the operating side engaging portion 586 presses the engaging portion 575 of the striking portion 570, causing the elastic portion 571 and the striking portion 570 to rotate around the connecting portion 572.

[0113] When the operating surface portion 580 of the operating member 512 is pressed and the tip surface of the main body plate portion 595 comes into contact with the guide portion 561 of the case member 510 as shown in Figure 26(b), the elastic portion 571 and the striking portion 570 further rotate, and the main body plate portion 595 moves outward along the inclined portion 562 of the guide portion 561, and the engagement between the engaging surface 597 of the engaging portion 596 and the engaging portion 575 of the striking portion 570 is released.

[0114] At this time, the operation-side through-hole 592 is aligned in a straight line with the liquid medicine passing hole 550, the liquid medicine passing hole 550 is opened, and the open position shown in FIG. 18(b) is assumed.

[0115] When the engagement between the locking surface 597 of the locking portion 596 and the engagement portion 575 of the striking portion 570 is released, the striking portion 570 rotates around the connecting portion 572 due to its own restoring force, as shown in Figure 27(c), and the striking portion 570 strikes a part of the tube member 6. Then, the impact force causes the liquid medicine 100 in the tube member 6 to be discharged in a straight line from the discharge port 8, passing through the liquid medicine passing hole 550 and the operation side through hole 592 to reach the eyeball 101 of the user.

[0116] At this time, centrifugal force acts on striking portion 570 with connecting portion 572 as the center of rotation, causing striking portion 570 to exceed the height of connecting portion 572 and strike the elastic region of tube member 6 due to inertia.

[0117] As shown in FIG. 27(d), after striking the tube member 6, the striking part 570 tries to return to the position in the closed state due to a restoring force in the opposite direction.

[0118] 27(d) and 28(e), the restoring force of elastic portion 571 moves operating member 512 upward, and as shown in FIG. 28(e), engaging portion 575 of striking portion 570 moves along inclined surface 598 and overcomes inclined surface 598 to engage locking surface 597 with engaging portion 575 of striking portion 570. In addition, as operating member 512 moves upward, blocking portion 583 moves along case-side restricting groove 551, and drug solution passing hole 550 returns to the blocked state shown in FIG. 18(a) in which it is blocked by blocking portion 583.

[0119] According to medication device 500 of this embodiment, liquid medicine cartridge 502 is detachable from main body 501, and therefore can be easily replaced when the liquid medicine runs out or when a different liquid medicine is to be instilled.

[0120] According to medication device 500 of the present embodiment, when no pressing operation is performed, blocking portion 583 blocks medicinal solution passing hole 550, resulting in a blocked state, and when a pressing operation is performed, blocking portion 583 moves in response to the pressing operation to automatically open medicinal solution passing hole 550. In other words, when no pressing operation is performed, discharge port 8 of tube member 6 is always protected by blocking portion 583, and therefore discharge port 8 is not exposed to the outside except when medicinal solution cartridge 502 is replaced or when instilling medicine, and discharge port 8 is less likely to be contaminated.

[0121] According to medication device 500 of the present embodiment, by performing a pressing operation, striking portion 570 is elastically deformed, and the restoring force of striking portion 570 causes striking portion 570 to strike at least a part of an elastic region located at a higher position than connecting portion 572. That is, like a pendulum, striking portion 570 strikes tube member 6 by the restoring force and inertial force of striking portion 570, so there is no need to provide an additional biasing member for striking, and costs can be reduced.

[0122] Next, a medication device 700 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0123] As shown in FIGS. 29 and 30, in the medication device 700 of the fifth embodiment, a plurality of liquid medicine cartridges 502a and 502b can be individually attached to and detached from the attachment portion 555 of the main body portion 501. Like the medication device 500 of the fourth embodiment, in the closed state, the medication device 700 has the outlets 8, 8 of each of the medicinal liquid cartridges 502a, 502b blocked by the blocking portion 583, and is changed to an open state by pressing the operation surface portion 580, whereby the outlets 8, 8 of each of the medicinal liquid cartridges 502a, 502b overlap with the operation side through-holes 592 and are opened, allowing the medicinal liquids of each of the medicinal liquid cartridges 502a, 502b to be simultaneously ejected from the outlets 8, 8.

[0124] According to the fifth embodiment of the medication device 700, multiple medicinal liquid cartridges 502a, 502b can be attached to the main body 501, so that different types of medicinal liquids can be administered simultaneously, thereby relieving the patient from the hassle of administering multiple drugs.

[0125] According to the medication device 700 of the fifth embodiment, the liquid medicine cartridges 502a and 502b can be replaced individually, so that the liquid medicine in the liquid medicine cartridges 502a and 502b can be used to the last drop.

[0126] In the above-described embodiment, the tube member 6 has a uniform inner diameter from the liquid medicine storage portion 5 to the discharge port 8, but the present invention is not limited to this. A narrowed portion may be provided in a portion of the tube member 6 between the liquid medicine storage portion 5 and the discharge port 8. For example, an orifice may be provided at the end of the struck portion of the tube member 6 on the discharge port 8 side. This can improve the discharge distance of the liquid medicine 100.

[0127] In the above-described embodiment, the struck portion 62 is provided with a recess 69, and the striking portion 51 is provided with a protrusion 59, but the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in Figure 31(a), the struck portion 62 may be provided with a protrusion 59, and the striking portion 51 may be provided with a recess 69, or as shown in Figure 31(b), a protrusion 400 may be provided inside the tube member 6. Furthermore, the struck portion 62 and the striking portion 51 do not necessarily have to be provided with the convex portion 59 or the concave portion 69. In other words, the struck portion 62 and the striking portion 51 may be formed of only the flat portion 68 or the flat portion 58.

[0128] In the above embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the tube member 6 is circular, but the present invention is not limited to this. The cross-sectional shape of the tube member 6 may be a polygonal shape such as a triangle, square, pentagon, or hexagon, or may be a flat, elliptical, or oval shape.

[0129] In the above embodiment, the tube member 6 has a uniform wall thickness, but the present invention is not limited to this. There may be a thin wall portion. For example, the part of the tube member 6 that is to be struck may be thicker than the other parts.

[0130] In the above-described embodiment, the entire tube member 6 is made of an elastic material, and the entire area is an elastic region, but the present invention is not limited to this. At least a part of the longitudinal direction of the tube member 6, for example, only the area of ​​the tube member 6 that is struck by the striking portion 51 or only the vicinity of the struck area may be an elastic region.

[0131] In the above-described embodiment, the tube member 6 is made of a single elastic material, but the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 32, the tube member 6 may have a two-layer structure of an elastic layer 420 made of an elastic material and a hard layer 421 made of a hard material, or may have three or more layers. That is, the tube member 6 may have a multi-layer structure. In this case, it is preferable that at least the portion 85 pressed by the striking portion 51 has the elastic layer 420 exposed as an elastic region.

[0132] In the above embodiment, the striking member 3 changes its position against the biasing force from the biasing member 7 and strikes with the striking portion 51 using the reaction force, but the present invention is not limited to this. The striking member 3 may move against the biasing force from the biasing member 7 and strike with the striking portion 51 using the reaction force.

[0133] In the above-described embodiments, the administration devices 1, 200, 300, 500, and 700 are used for eye drops, but the present invention is not limited to this. The administration devices 1, 200, 300, 500, and 700 may also be used for nasal drops, ear drops, oral drops, and transdermal administration.

[0134] In the above-described embodiment, the storage space 65 of the medicinal solution storage unit 5 extends horizontally when the discharge port 8 of the medication device 1 faces horizontally, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 33, the storage space 65 of the medicinal solution storage unit 5 may extend vertically when the discharge port 8 of the medication device 1 faces horizontally. In this case, it is preferable that a part or all of the bottom of the medicinal solution storage unit 5 is inclined downward toward the tube member 6 and is provided with an introduction part 450 that guides the medicinal solution 100 into the tube member 6.

[0135] In the first to third embodiments described above, the chemical liquid unit 4 is not detachable from the case member 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. The chemical liquid unit 4 may be detachable from the case member 2. This allows a used chemical liquid unit 4 to be replaced with a new chemical liquid unit 4, as in the cartridge system. Therefore, other members other than the chemical liquid unit 4 can be reused.

[0136] The medication device 1 of the above-described embodiment may be provided with a protective cover for protecting the discharge port 8 and the tube member 6, if necessary.

[0137] The medication device 1 of the first to third embodiments described above may be provided with a fixing jig or the like for fixing the distance or position between the discharge port 8 and the eyeball 101, if necessary.

[0138] In the above-described embodiment, the striking portions 51, 570 change their positions to strike the tube member 6, but the present invention is not limited to this. The striking portions 51, 570 may also strike the tube member 6 by moving relative to the tube member 6.

[0139] In the fourth embodiment described above, by operating operation member 512, the state is changed between a closed state in which closing portion 583 closes medical solution passing hole 550 and an open state in which closing portion 583 moves relative to case member 510 to open medical solution passing hole 550, but the present invention is not limited to this. By operating operation member 512, closing portion 583 may change its position relative to case member 510 to change from the closed state to the open state.

[0140] In the above embodiment, the liquid ejection device is described as being used as a medication device, but the present invention is not limited to this. The liquid ejection device of the present invention can also be used for other purposes. For example, it can be used as a substitute for a liquid dispensing pipette, an adhesive applicator, a dropper for aroma oil or perfume, a lubricating device for precision parts, an animal drug administration device, or an insecticide ejection device.

[0141] In the above-described embodiments, each component can be freely substituted or added between the respective embodiments as long as it falls within the technical scope of the present invention. [Example]

[0142] The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following examples and can be practiced with appropriate modifications within the scope of the present invention.

[0143] Example 1 The tube member used was a silicone tube with an inner diameter of 0.5 mm and an outer diameter of 0.6 mm, and the length of the striking part of the striking part (the length D of the pressed part of the tube member) was 6 mm. 3 This was used as Example 1.

[0144] Example 2 Example 2 was the same as Example 1, except that an orifice with an orifice diameter of 0.15 mm was provided at the discharge port of the tube member.

[0145] (Discharge volume test) Since the drug solution is transported from the drug solution storage section to the tube member by capillary action, we examined the effect on the amount of drug solution discharged when changing the discharge interval (administration interval: 1 second, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 20 seconds). In this test, a medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride was used as the drug solution, and the amount of drug solution dispensed was measured as weight using a semi-microbalance. The amount of drug solution dispensed (μL) was then calculated from the specific gravity of the drug solution (at room temperature). Specifically, the drug solution was dispensed 10 times, and the total weight (mg) was measured to calculate the amount of drug solution dispensed (μL). The results are shown in Table 1.

[0146] [Table 1]

[0147] As shown in Table 1, the amount of ejection in Example 1 was 1 / 80 or less of the amount of ejection from a normal eye drop bottle (approximately 40 μL to 50 μL), which was a sufficiently small amount. In Example 2 with an orifice, the ejection amount was smaller than that of Example 1 without an orifice because the orifice generated ejection resistance. In Examples 1 and 2, the standard deviation of the amount discharged per time (amount of one drop) was 0.05 or less, and precision was high, even when discharged repeatedly, as shown in Table 1. Furthermore, in Examples 1 and 2, when the discharge interval during repeated discharge was changed to 1 second, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, and 20 seconds, the amount discharged tended to increase slightly, but this was not to a level that would cause a problem.

[0148] From the above, it was found that minute amounts of liquid medicine can be administered quantitatively with high precision. Furthermore, it was found that minute amounts of liquid medicine can be discharged linearly based on the trajectory of the liquid medicine. [Explanation of symbols]

[0149] 1,200,300,500,700 Medication device (liquid ejection device) 3,511 striking members 5,601 Chemical storage unit (liquid storage unit) 6 Tube material 7. Pressurizing member 8 outlet 51,570 Impact part 52,310 Operation unit 100 chemical solution 210 1st operation section 211 2nd operation section 215 first biasing member 216 second biasing member 501 Main body 502 Chemical cartridge (liquid cartridge) 510 Case material 512 Operating member (operating part) 520,521 Case part 550 Chemical passage hole (liquid passage hole) 551 Case side regulation groove 555 Mounting part 572 Connection 580 Operation panel 583 Occlusion

Claims

[Claim 1] A liquid ejection device having a tube member, a striking part, and an operation part, which ejects liquid from an ejection port, The tube member is filled with a liquid and has an elastic region that is elastically deformable in at least a portion in the longitudinal direction, The striking portion is separated from the tube member when the operating portion is not operated, A liquid ejection device characterized in that, when the operating unit is operated, the striking unit strikes at least a part of the elastic region of the tube member, pushing the liquid in the tube member out of the ejection outlet and ejecting it, and then returns to a state separated from the tube member.

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