Medicine container

Abstract

This invention provides a liquid medicine container that can be placed in a tray without misaligning the left or right orientation, and that can reliably dispense different liquid medicines into the liquid medicine tank without mixing them up. [Solution] The chemical solution container is a chemical solution container that is attached to a washing and disinfecting device, and comprises a container body, an opening provided in the container body, a first chemical solution storage section for storing a first chemical solution and a second chemical solution storage section for storing a second chemical solution, which divide the inside of the container body, and a closing section that closes the space between the first chemical solution storage section and the second chemical solution storage section to prevent the first chemical solution and the second chemical solution from mixing inside the container body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention mainly relates to a chemical solution container of a cleaning and disinfection device for cleaning and disinfecting used endoscopes.

Background Art

[0002] Endoscopes are widely used for inspections and treatments inside the body. In particular, medical endoscopes need to be cleaned and disinfected after use because they are inserted into the body. Therefore, in recent years, cleaning and disinfection devices (cleaning and disinfection devices for endoscopes) for cleaning used endoscopes have also been widely used.

[0003] In the cleaning and disinfection device, two chemical solution bottles in which the main agent or the buffer agent is stored are mounted on a tray. By closing the tray, the internal lid of the two chemical solution bottles is opened, and the main agent and the buffer agent are discharged from the injection part into the chemical solution tank.

[0004] For example, International Publication No. 2010 / 044442 discloses a fluid container unit used in an endoscope cleaning and disinfection device in which a first container and a second container for storing different types of fluids are integrally arranged in a parallel arrangement state. A conventional fluid container unit includes a container connector that connects the supply / discharge ports of the two containers, and a configuration in which a belt-like body, a shrink film, etc. are wound around the side walls of the two containers and connected is well-known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Conventional fluid container units consist of two liquid chemical bottles. Therefore, when users install them into the tray of the cleaning and disinfecting device, there is a possibility that they may mistakenly install them in the wrong orientation. If the fluid container unit is installed in the wrong orientation into the tray, it will not align with the blade that opens the lid inside the device, and the liquid chemical cannot be discharged into the liquid chemical tank.

[0007] Furthermore, when the tray of the fluid container unit is closed, there is a risk that the blade inside the device may break the container body, causing the chemical solution inside to leak out of the cleaning and disinfecting device.

[0008] Furthermore, if the fluid container unit's band-like structure or shrinkable film that connects the two liquid medicine bottles comes loose, there is a risk that the user might place two liquid medicine bottles containing the same medication into the tray of the cleaning and disinfecting device.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a liquid medicine container that can be mounted on a tray without misaligning the left and right orientation, and that can reliably discharge different liquid medicines into a liquid medicine tank without mistake. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A chemical solution container according to one aspect of the present invention is a chemical solution container attached to a washing and disinfecting device, comprising: a container body; an opening provided in the container body; a first chemical solution storage section for storing a first chemical solution and a second chemical solution storage section for storing a second chemical solution, which divide the inside of the container body; and a closing section that closes the space between the first chemical solution storage section and the second chemical solution storage section to prevent the first chemical solution and the second chemical solution from mixing inside the container body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a liquid medicine container that can be mounted on a tray without misaligning the left and right orientation, and that can reliably discharge different liquid medicines into a liquid medicine tank without mistake. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Perspective view showing an endoscope cleaning and disinfection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device with the liquid solution bottle tray extended. [Figure 3] Perspective view showing a liquid medicine bottle [Figure 4] Cross-sectional view showing a liquid medicine bottle. [Figure 5] A cross-sectional view showing the medication bottle tray, on which the medication bottles are placed, pulled out from the medication container mounting section. [Figure 6] A cross-sectional view showing the liquid medicine bottle tray, on which the liquid medicine bottles are placed, closed off in the liquid medicine container mounting section. [Figure 7] A side view showing the liquid medicine bottle tray, on which the liquid medicine bottles are placed, closed off in the liquid medicine container mounting section. [Figure 8] A cross-sectional view showing the state in which the liquid medicine bottle tray, on which the liquid medicine bottles of the first modified example are placed, has been pulled out from the liquid medicine container mounting section. [Figure 9] A cross-sectional view showing the liquid medicine bottle tray, on which the liquid medicine bottles of the first modification are placed, closed off in the liquid medicine container mounting section. [Figure 10] Exploded perspective view showing the air supply member and blade section of the second modified example. [Figure 11] Perspective view of the second modified example with the air supply member attached to the blade. [Figure 12] Cross-sectional view showing the liquid medicine bottle and blade of the third modified example. [Figure 13] A cross-sectional view showing the liquid medicine bottle tray, on which the liquid medicine bottles of the fourth modification are placed, closed off in the liquid medicine container mounting section. [Figure 14] A cross-sectional view showing the fifth modified example, with the liquid medicine bottle tray, on which the liquid medicine bottles are placed, pulled out from the liquid medicine container mounting section. [Figure 15] A cross-sectional view showing the fifth modification, where the liquid medicine bottle tray with the liquid medicine bottles placed on it is closed off in the liquid medicine container mounting section. [Figure 16] Side view showing the blade used to break the closure of the liquid medicine bottle in the sixth modified example. [Figure 17] Side view showing the state where the blade breaks the closing part of the chemical solution bottle of the sixth modification example [Figure 18] Perspective view showing the blade part of the seventh modification example [Figure 19] Cross-sectional view showing the chemical solution bottle of the two-bottle configuration of the eighth modification example [Figure 20] Cross-sectional view showing the state where the chemical solution bottles of the two-bottle configuration of the eighth modification example are connected [Figure 21] Cross-sectional view showing the state where the chemical solution bottle tray on which the chemical solution bottle of the eighth modification example is placed is pulled out from the chemical solution container installation part [Figure 22] Cross-sectional view showing the state where the chemical solution bottle tray on which the chemical solution bottle of the eighth modification example is placed is being closed in the chemical solution container installation part [Figure 23] Cross-sectional view showing the state where the chemical solution bottle tray on which the chemical solution bottle of the eighth modification example is placed is closed in the chemical solution container installation part [Figure 24] Side view showing the state where the chemical solution bottle tray on which the chemical solution bottle of the eighth modification example is placed is pulled out from the chemical solution container installation part [Figure 25] Side view showing the state where the chemical solution bottle tray on which the chemical solution bottle of the eighth modification example is placed is closed in the chemical solution container installation part [Figure 26] Cross-sectional view showing the chemical solution bottle of the ninth modification example [Figure 27] View showing the chemical solution bottle of the tenth modification example [Figure 28] External perspective view of the reprocessor to which the chemical solution bottle of the embodiment of the present invention is applied [Figure 29] External perspective view showing the state where the chemical solution bottle tray with the chemical solution bottle attached is pulled out in the reprocessor of FIG. 28 [Figure 30] External perspective view showing the chemical solution bottle of the eleventh modification example of the embodiment of the present invention [Figure 31] [[ID=A44]]Exploded perspective view showing the chemical solution bottle of FIG. 30 disassembled [Figure 32] Cross-sectional view of the chemical solution bottle along the plane indicated by the arrow

[32] in FIG. 30 [Figure 33]Figure 30 is a cross-sectional view showing the drug solution bottle tray with the drug solution bottle attached being pulled out from the drug solution container mounting section. [Figure 34] Figure 30 is a cross-sectional view showing the drug solution bottle tray, with the drug solution bottle attached, stored in the drug solution container mounting section. [Figure 35] A schematic diagram showing the state of Figure 34 viewed from the side. [Figure 36] Cross-sectional view showing a chemical solution bottle of a twelfth modified embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 37] Figure 36 shows a disassembled cross-sectional view of the liquid medicine bottle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The present invention will now be described. It should be noted that the drawings based on each embodiment in the following description are schematic, and the relationship between the thickness and width of each part, the ratio of the thicknesses of each part, etc., may differ from those in reality. Furthermore, there may be differences in the dimensional relationships and ratios between drawings.

[0014] Furthermore, in the following explanation, the downward direction indicates the direction of gravity (vertically downward), and the upward direction indicates the direction opposite to the direction of gravity (vertically upward). Also, the left and right directions are defined as the horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

[0015] Here, the cleaning and disinfection device shown in Figures 1 and 2 is exemplified by an endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1, which is an automatic endoscope reprocessor (AER). Note that the embodiment described below is not limited to endoscopes, but is applicable to various types of cleaning and disinfection devices.

[0016] The endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 is a device that reprocesses contaminated used endoscopes, endoscope parts, accessories, etc. (not shown).

[0017] The term "regeneration process" here is not particularly limited and includes, for example, rinsing with water, cleaning to remove organic matter and other contaminants, disinfection to inactivate specific microorganisms, and sterilization to eliminate or kill all microorganisms. The endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 may also perform a combination of the above processes.

[0018] Accessories are not limited to those mentioned above and may include, for example, a suction button, an air / water supply button, or a tip cover that covers the tip of the endoscope, which are attached to the endoscope during use and removed from the endoscope during reprocessing.

[0019] First, the configuration of the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 will be explained. The endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 has a main unit 2. The main unit 2 has an operation panel 3, an ID input unit 4, and a top cover 5.

[0020] The main unit 2 has a detergent / alcohol tray 7 positioned on the upper left side of the front panel 6, which can be freely pulled out from the front of the main unit 2. Additionally, the main unit 2 has a liquid medicine bottle tray 8 positioned on the upper right side of the front panel 6, which can be freely pulled out.

[0021] The liquid medicine bottle tray 8 can be inserted into and removed from the liquid medicine container mounting section 10 by pushing and pulling. A liquid medicine bottle 11, which is a liquid medicine container, is attached to and removed from this liquid medicine bottle tray 8. In other words, the liquid medicine container mounting section 10 is a storage section that houses the liquid medicine bottle 11.

[0022] A water supply hose connection port 9 is provided in one corner of the rear of the main body of the device 2. This water supply hose connection port 9 is connected to a water tap via a water supply hose (not shown).

[0023] The control panel 3 is capable of displaying various types of information and allowing various instructions to be input. The form of the control panel 3 is not limited to that shown in Figure 1, and may, for example, be formed by an LED panel and a keyboard with key input capabilities.

[0024] The ID input unit 4 is capable of receiving a user ID. The ID input unit 4 is comprised of, for example, an RFID reader capable of reading a user ID from an RFID tag. When a user ID is received, the ID input unit 4 outputs the user ID to a control unit (not shown) inside the device.

[0025] Furthermore, the ID input unit 4 is not limited to an RFID reader; for example, it may be a barcode reader that reads barcodes or a keyboard that allows key input.

[0026] The top cover 5 is provided on the top of the main body 2 of the device so as to be able to be opened and closed. When this top cover 5 is opened, a processing tank (not shown here) is exposed on the top of the main body 2 of the device. The processing tank is a cleaning and disinfecting tank that houses the endoscope, endoscope parts, accessories, etc. to be reconditioned, and stores liquids such as cleaning solution, disinfectant solution, and rinsing solution.

[0027] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the liquid medicine bottle 11 comprises a container body 12, which is the bottle body, and a cap 16. The liquid medicine bottle 11 is a so-called cassette type, with the cap 16 provided and sealed over the mouth portion 13, which is the opening of the substantially cylindrical fluid discharge portion of the container body 12.

[0028] The container body 12 is roughly box-shaped and stores liquid. The container body 12 has a partition wall 14 that divides the internal space in roughly half. The partition wall 14 inside the container body 12 creates two internal spaces that are divided in the left-right direction. That is, the partition wall 14 is positioned vertically so as to separate the two internal spaces from the mouth 13 of the container body 12 to the internal bottom surface.

[0029] The container body 12 has a first drug storage section 18, which is separated by a partition wall 14 and becomes one internal space for storing the first drug. The container body 12 also has a second drug storage section 19, which is separated by the partition wall 14 and becomes the other internal space for storing the second drug. Each drug storage section 18, 19 is also called a drug solution storage section.

[0030] The first drug storage section 18 of the container body 12 stores the main drug, which is the first drug solution containing an active ingredient such as peracetic acid, as a disinfectant. The second drug storage section 19 of the container body 12 stores the buffering agent, which is the second drug solution containing multiple components such as stabilizers as an additive. In other words, the drug solution bottle 11 is a single drug solution container that stores either the main drug (the first drug) or the buffering agent (the second drug), which are different drugs.

[0031] The cap 16 is a sealing member with a roughly cylindrical shape. The cap 16 is attached to the opening 13 from which the liquid stored in the container body 12 is discharged. The cap 16 is attached to the opening 13 of the container body 12 by screwing or other means.

[0032] The cap 16 has a closure portion 17, which is a lid portion that acts as a seal. The closure portion 17 is provided to close the inner hole of the cap 16. The closure portion 17 is in close contact with the opening end face of the partition portion 14 when the cap 16 is tightened onto the opening portion 13. That is, the partition portion 14 is in close contact with the closure portion 17 and is positioned perpendicular to the closure portion 17.

[0033] The closure portion 17 is preferably formed from an elastic material such as resin or rubber that has high adhesion to the partition wall portion 14.

[0034] As a result, the container body 12 maintains an airtight and liquid-tight state in both the first drug storage section 18 and the second drug storage section 19. In other words, the drug solution bottle 11 becomes a space in which both the first drug storage section 18 and the second drug storage section 19 are sealed.

[0035] Therefore, the drug solution bottle 11 stores the drug in the first drug storage section 18 and the buffer in the second drug storage section 19 in an unmixed state. In other words, when the closure section 17 of the cap 16 is closed, the two liquids of the drug solution bottle 11 are prevented from mixing in advance.

[0036] The liquid medicine bottle 11, configured in this way, is positioned with the cap 16 facing downwards and is placed on the liquid medicine bottle tray 8, which is pulled out by the user, as shown in Figure 5. The liquid medicine bottle 11 is then attached by the user pushing the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 into the liquid medicine container placement section 10 of the device body 2.

[0037] The liquid medicine bottle tray 8 moves forward and backward guided by rails 27 provided on both side walls 26 of the liquid medicine container installation section 10. At this time, the liquid medicine bottle 11 is placed on the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 lying down with the cap 16 facing downwards.

[0038] In other words, the container body 12 is fitted with the cap 16 at an eccentric position with respect to the central axis X (see Figure 3). Therefore, the mouth portion 13 of the container body 12 to which the cap 16 is screwed is also formed at an eccentric position with respect to the central axis X.

[0039] The liquid medicine bottle 11 is then attached to the liquid medicine container mounting section 10, and when the closure portion 17 of the cap 16 is broken by the blade portion 21 (described later) and opened, the liquid (medicine solution) of the main drug and buffering agent inside the container body 12 is discharged to the outside through the opening 13 and the cap 16, almost completely without remaining inside the container body 12, due to its own weight.

[0040] The chemical solution container installation section 10 has a cap placement section 23, which is a chemical solution injection section, located below a deep wall 25 that closes off the vertical direction inside the main body 2 of the device. The cap placement section 23 also constitutes a fluid passage inlet that guides the liquid in the chemical solution bottle 11 to a chemical solution tank (not shown).

[0041] As shown in Figure 6, the cap placement section 23 is cup-shaped into which the cap 16 of the liquid medicine bottle 11 is inserted when the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 is pushed into the liquid medicine container placement section 10 and closed. At this time, the end of the cap 16 comes into contact with the cap placement section 23.

[0042] Furthermore, a fluid conduit 24 (see Figure 7), which is a fluid passage formed in a predetermined curved shape and communicating with a chemical tank (not shown), is connected to the cap placement section 23. A blade portion 21, which is an opening member, is integrally joined to the cap placement section 23.

[0043] The blade portion 21 is a sharp, tubular metal member made of stainless steel or similar material. This blade portion 21 pierces the closing portion 17 of the cap 16 inserted into the cap placement portion 23, and also breaks the partition portion 14 inside the container body 12. The blade portion 21 has a V-shaped notch 22 formed in the center of its tip to facilitate the breaking of the partition portion 14 and the closing portion 17.

[0044] As a result, the main drug in the first drug storage section 18 and the buffer in the second drug storage section 19 of the drug solution bottle 11 are discharged from the cap 16, which has been opened by the rupture of the partition section 14 and the closure section 17, towards the cap placement section 23 and flow into the blade section 21. The main drug and the buffer then flow into a drug solution tank (not shown) through the fluid pipeline 45 from the blade section 21 and the cap placement section 23, mixing together as they go.

[0045] Incidentally, as shown in Figure 7, the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 has a first limit switch 36 and a second limit switch 37 in the drug solution container installation section 10, which are sensors for detecting the position of the drug solution bottle 11.

[0046] Furthermore, the liquid medicine bottle 11 has a recessed step portion 15 on a part of the side surface of the container body 12, which becomes the upper surface when attached to the liquid medicine container mounting section 10. This step portion 15 is formed on a part of the side surface of the container body 12 facing the first limit switch 36 and the second limit switch 37.

[0047] The first limit switch 36 and the second limit switch 37 detect two mounting positions of the liquid medicine bottle 11 by having the rollers 38 and 39 of each actuator fit into the stepped portion 15 of the liquid medicine bottle 11. In other words, the stepped portion 15 constitutes a detection unit for detecting the mounting position of the liquid medicine bottle 11 to the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1.

[0048] As a result, the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 can correctly detect the mounting position of the drug solution bottle 11 to the drug solution container mounting section 10.

[0049] Furthermore, the drug solution bottle 11 is not a conventional two-bottle type, but rather a single bottle divided into two spaces, a first drug storage section 18 and a second drug storage section 19, by a partition wall 14. Therefore, the drug solution bottle 11 does not require a strip-like body, shrink film, or other material to integrate the two bottles as in conventional designs.

[0050] Incidentally, in the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1, when two bottles are placed in the drug solution bottle tray 8 as in conventional devices, there is a possibility that the strip-shaped body, shrink film, etc. may bend. This is because the width between the drug solution bottle tray 8 and the outer surfaces that are separated in the left-right direction from the two bottles is very small.

[0051] In this way, if the strip-like material or shrinkable film that integrates the two bottles bends, when the drug solution bottle tray 8 is pushed into the drug solution container installation section 10 and closed, the bent strip-like material or shrinkable film may get caught on the rollers 38 and 39 of each limit switch 36 and 37, potentially preventing accurate position detection. Furthermore, if the rollers 38 and 39 of each limit switch 36 and 37 interfere with the strip-like material or shrinkable film, an error in position detection will occur in the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1.

[0052] In contrast, the drug solution bottle 11 of this embodiment has a single bottle configuration that does not require a strip-shaped body, shrinkable film, etc., to integrate two bottles as in the conventional configuration. Therefore, the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 can properly detect the position of the drug solution bottle 11 without the rollers 38, 39 of each limit switch 36, 37 interfering with the strip-shaped body, shrinkable film, etc., as in the conventional configuration.

[0053] Furthermore, since the drug solution bottle 11 is a single bottle, there is no risk of the user accidentally placing two bottles containing the same drug into the drug solution bottle tray 8 of the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1. Also, if the user places the drug solution bottle 11 into the drug solution bottle tray 8 with the cap 16 facing downwards, there is no risk of accidentally placing it in the wrong orientation.

[0054] At this time, the user visually checks that the stepped portion 15 of the liquid medicine bottle 11 is facing upwards and places the liquid medicine bottle 11 into the liquid medicine bottle tray 8. In other words, the stepped portion 15 also serves as a guide when placing the liquid medicine bottle 11 into the liquid medicine bottle tray 8.

[0055] Furthermore, since the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 has only one blade 21 that breaks the occlusion portion 17 and partition portion 14 of the liquid medicine bottle 11, the accuracy of aligning the blade 21 with the liquid medicine container mounting portion 10 can be improved. As a result, the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 can reduce the workload.

[0056] Furthermore, the drug solution bottle 11 is a single bottle configuration and, when mounted on the drug solution bottle tray 8 of the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1, has a partition wall 14 that divides the internal space of the container body 12 into left and right sections. The drug solution bottle 11 stores different drug solutions or buffers in a first internal space, which is the first drug storage section 18, and a second internal space, which is the second drug storage section 19, separated by the partition wall 14.

[0057] Therefore, by placing a single-bottle drug solution bottle 11 into the drug solution bottle tray 8 of the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1, the user can reliably inject different drug solutions and buffers into the drug solution tank without making mistakes.

[0058] As described above, the drug solution bottle 11 can be attached to the drug solution bottle tray 8 of the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 without misalignment, and the drug and buffer liquid can be reliably injected into the drug solution tank without any mistakes.

[0059] The following describes variations in the configuration of the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 or the drug solution bottle 11 described above.

[0060] (First variation) As shown in Figure 8, the modified endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 has two blades 31 and 32, which are opening members, in the drug solution container mounting section 10. The blades 31 and 32 are arranged side by side and are integrally joined to a single cap mounting section 23.

[0061] As shown in Figure 9, the first blade 31 breaks the closure portion 17 of the liquid medicine bottle 11 and inserts it into the first drug storage portion 18 when the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 is pushed into the liquid medicine container installation portion 10 and closed. The other second blade 32 also breaks the closure portion 17 of the liquid medicine bottle 11 and inserts it into the second drug storage portion 19 when the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 is pushed into the liquid medicine container installation portion 10 and closed. Note that the partition portion 14 of the liquid medicine bottle 11 is not broken by the blades 31 and 32.

[0062] The main drug in the first drug storage section 18 of the liquid drug bottle 11 is discharged from the cap 16, which has been opened by breaking the closure section 17, towards the cap placement section 23 and flows into the first blade section 31. The buffering agent in the second drug storage section 19 of the liquid drug bottle 11 is discharged from the cap 16, which has been opened by breaking the closure section 17, towards the cap placement section 23 and flows into the second blade section 32.

[0063] The main agent and buffer are then mixed within the fluid conduit 45 from within each blade portion 31, 32 and flow into a chemical tank (not shown).

[0064] (Second variation) Each blade portion 31, 32 in the first modified example has to have a smaller diameter than the blade portion 21 described in the above embodiment. Therefore, in this modified example, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, an air supply member 40 is provided to improve the discharge rate of the liquid in the liquid medicine bottle 11. This air supply member 40 is attached to the center of the tip of each blade portion 31, 32 in order to form an air passage into the liquid medicine bottle 11.

[0065] The air supply member 40 has a roughly trapezoidal plate-shaped portion 41 formed to match the tip shape of each blade portion 31, 32, and a conduit 42 in the center of this plate-shaped portion 41 for supplying air into the liquid medicine bottle 11. As a result, air enters the liquid medicine bottle 11 from the conduit 42 of the air supply member 40, increasing the flow rate of liquid discharged from the liquid medicine bottle 11 to each blade portion 31, 32.

[0066] Alternatively, a tube may be connected to the conduit 42, and air may be pumped into the liquid medicine bottle 11 using an air pump to forcibly discharge the liquid from the liquid medicine bottle 11. Here, an example has been given in which the air supply member 40 is attached to each of the blades 31 and 32 of the first modified example, but the air supply member 40 may also be attached to the blade 21 as described in the above embodiment.

[0067] (Third variation) In the above-described embodiment and each of its modifications, the liquid medicine bottle 11 has a single bottle configuration. Therefore, if the opening diameter of the mouth 13 of the container body 12 and the cap 16 is small, the flow rate of the liquid medicine and buffer will be reduced. In other words, compared to the conventional two-bottle configuration, it takes longer to drain the liquid from the liquid medicine bottle 11.

[0068] Therefore, the liquid medicine bottle 11 in this modified example has a larger diameter than conventional bottles, with an inner diameter D1 of the mouth portion 13 of the container body 12 and an inner diameter D2 of the cap 16. In addition, the inner diameter D3 of the blade portion 21 is set to be larger in proportion to the diameters of the mouth portion 13 and the cap 16 of the liquid medicine bottle 11.

[0069] Thus, the mouth portion 13, cap 16, and blade portion 21 have larger inner diameters D1, D2, and D3 than conventional designs, resulting in a larger cross-sectional area, which increases the flow rate of the main agent and the buffering liquid.

[0070] This reduces the time required to drain the liquid from the liquid bottle 11. Furthermore, the mouth 13, cap 16, and blade 21 can be configured to achieve approximately the same flow rate as a conventional two-bottle configuration by, for example, doubling the inner diameters D1, D2, and D3 of each part.

[0071] (Fourth variation) To reduce the liquid discharge time, the drug solution bottle 11 may be equipped with a mechanism to generate vortices in the liquids of the first drug storage section 18 and the second drug storage section 19, as shown in Figure 13.

[0072] (Fifth variation) As shown in Figure 14, the modified liquid medicine bottle 11 has a bottomed cylindrical portion 51 which is part of a partition wall that communicates with the mouth 13 of the container body 12. The bottomed cylindrical portion 51 has multiple holes perforated on its outer circumference near the mouth 13, in this case two inlets 52 and 53.

[0073] The bottomed cylindrical portion 51 has a partition wall portion 14 joined to the center of its bottom portion 51a. Inside the bottomed cylindrical portion 51 are a coil spring 54, which is a biasing member, and a plug 55, which is a plug member. The plug 55 is made of resin, rubber, or the like, and its outer surface shape is similar to the inner surface shape of the bottomed cylindrical portion 51.

[0074] The coil spring 54 biases the closure plug 55 toward the opening 13. Due to the biasing force of the coil spring 54, the closure plug 55 moves to a first position toward the opening 13. Then, in the first position, the closure plug 55 comes into contact with the stepped portion 20 formed on the cap 16 and comes to rest.

[0075] The first position of the occluding plug 55 seals the inlets 52 and 53 of the bottomed cylindrical section 51. As a result, both the first drug storage section 18 and the second drug storage section 19 of the drug solution bottle 11 are sealed.

[0076] Unlike the embodiments and modifications described above, the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1's chemical solution container placement section 10 is provided with a cap placement section 23 containing an opening tube 56, which is an opening member with a closed tip. The opening tube 56 has multiple openings on the side of its tip, in this case two openings 57 and 58.

[0077] In the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 configured in this way, when the drug solution bottle tray 8 is pushed into and closed in the drug solution container mounting section 10, the opening pipe 56 of the drug solution container mounting section 10 enters into the cap 16 of the drug solution bottle 11. At this time, the tip of the opening pipe 56 comes into contact with the closure plug 55 of the drug solution bottle 11.

[0078] Then, as shown in Figure 15, the opening pipe 56 moves to a second position, with the closing plug 55 being pushed toward the bottom 51a of the bottomed cylindrical portion 51 against the biasing force of the coil spring 54. In this state, with the closing plug 55 in the second position, the opening pipe 56 has its openings 57 and 58 facing the inlets 52 and 53 of the bottomed cylindrical portion 51.

[0079] In other words, when the open pipe 56 is inserted into the bottomed cylindrical portion 51, each of its openings 57 and 58 is formed at a position opposite to each of the inlets 52 and 53 of the bottomed cylindrical portion 51.

[0080] As a result, the main drug in the first drug storage section 18 of the liquid drug bottle 11 flows into the opening pipe 56 from one opening 57 opposite to one inlet 52 of the bottomed cylindrical section 51. In addition, the buffering agent in the second drug storage section 19 of the liquid drug bottle 11 flows into the opening pipe 56 from the other opening 57 opposite to the other inlet 53 of the bottomed cylindrical section 51.

[0081] As explained above, since the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 of this modified form does not have the blade portion 21 of the embodiment described above, it is not necessary to adjust the angle of the V-shaped notch 22 that matches the partition portion 14 and assemble it to the drug solution container installation portion 10. Therefore, since the endoscope cleaning and disinfection device 1 has a configuration that does not require angle adjustment of the blade portion 21, assembly is improved.

[0082] (Sixth variation) Each blade portion 21, 31, and 32 may have a saw blade 65 at its tip to facilitate the breaking of the closure portion 17 provided on the cap 16 of the liquid medicine bottle 11, as shown in Figures 16 and 17.

[0083] (Seventh variation) Each blade portion 21, 31, and 32 may have a spiral groove blade 66 on its outer circumference to facilitate the breaking of the closure portion 17 provided on the cap 16 of the liquid medicine bottle 11, as shown in Figure 18.

[0084] (Variation 8) As shown in Figure 19, the modified drug solution bottle 11 consists of two bottles: a first drug solution bottle 11a and a second drug solution bottle 11b. Both the first drug solution bottle 11a and the second drug solution bottle 11b are fitted with caps 16a and 16b, which have closing portions 17a and 17b, on the mouths 13a and 13b of the container bodies 12a and 12b. The first drug solution bottle 11a has a recess 43 with a closing portion 44 provided on the bottom 12c of the container body 12a, opposite to the mouth 13a.

[0085] The first liquid medicine bottle 11a stores the disinfectant, for example, the active ingredient containing peracetic acid, in the first drug storage section 18a of the container body 12a. The second liquid medicine bottle 11b stores a buffering agent, which is an additive containing multiple components such as stabilizers, in the second drug storage section 19b of the container body 12b.

[0086] As shown in Figure 20, the second liquid medicine bottle 11b is connected to the first liquid medicine bottle 11a and integrated into one unit. At this time, the cap 16b of the second liquid medicine bottle 11b is fitted into the recess 43 of the first liquid medicine bottle 11a. In other words, the liquid medicine bottle 11 is in a state where the first liquid medicine bottle 11a and the second liquid medicine bottle 11b are connected in series.

[0087] As shown in Figure 21, the liquid medicine bottle 11, which consists of a first liquid medicine bottle 11a and a second liquid medicine bottle 11b connected together, is placed on the liquid medicine bottle tray 8. Then, as shown in Figure 22, when the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 is pushed into the liquid medicine container mounting section 10 and closed, the blade portion 21 of the liquid medicine container mounting section 10 breaks the closure portion 17a provided on the cap 16a of the first liquid medicine bottle 11a, and only the first liquid medicine bottle 11a is opened.

[0088] At this time, the pushing of the drug solution bottle tray 8 is stopped, and the drug stored in the first drug storage section 18a of the first drug solution bottle 11a is discharged into the blade section 21. The drug flows into the blade section 21, through the fluid conduit 45, and into a drug solution tank (not shown).

[0089] Once all of the drug solution in the first drug solution bottle 11a has been dispensed, the drug solution bottle tray 8 is pushed into the drug solution container mounting section 10 and closed. Then, as shown in Figure 23, the closure portion 44 provided in the recess 43 of the first drug solution bottle 11a and the closure portion 17b provided in the cap 16b of the second drug solution bottle 11b are broken by the blade portion 21. As a result, the second drug solution bottle 11b is opened.

[0090] Therefore, the buffering agent stored in the second drug storage section 19b of the second drug solution bottle 11b is discharged into the blade section 21. The buffering agent flows into the blade section 21, through the fluid conduit 45, and into a drug solution tank (not shown).

[0091] The blade portion 21 is long enough to be inserted into the second drug storage portion 19b of the second drug bottle 11b when the drug bottle tray 8 is pushed into the drug container installation portion 10 and closed.

[0092] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 24 and 25, the first liquid medicine bottle 11a and the second liquid medicine bottle 11b may be connected during the process in which the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 is pushed into the liquid medicine container installation section 10 and closed.

[0093] (9th variation) Furthermore, as shown in Figure 26, the liquid medicine bottle 11 may have a configuration in which the first drug storage section 18 in which the drug is stored is on the mouth side 13, and a partition wall 46 separates it in a series direction from the second drug storage section 19b in which the buffering agent is stored. The partition wall 46 has a closure section 47 in the center which is broken by the blade 21.

[0094] (Tenth variation) As shown in Figure 27, the modified drug solution bottle 11 has a two-bottle configuration in which a first drug solution bottle 71 and a second drug solution bottle 72 are arranged side by side. The drug solution bottle 11 has a single connecting cap 75 that is attached to the openings 73 and 74 of the first drug solution bottle 71 and the second drug solution bottle 72, respectively. This connecting cap 75 has a closing portion 76 and a partition portion 77.

[0095] The liquid medicine bottle 11 may be configured as a two-bottle system consisting of a first liquid medicine bottle 71 and a second liquid medicine bottle 72, integrated by a connecting cap 75 that has a closure portion 76 and a partition portion 77.

[0096] Incidentally, generally, disinfectants and other chemical solutions used to clean and disinfect endoscopes and the like are supplied to the market sealed in chemical solution bottles. Here, chemical solution bottles can be formed by having multiple (for example, at least two) chemical solution storage sections, each storing a different chemical solution, or by integrating multiple (for example, at least two) chemical solution bottles into one unit.

[0097] In conventional reprocessors that use such a type of liquid medicine bottle, various configurations for supplying the liquid medicine from the bottle to the reprocessor have been proposed in the past, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 4823537 and Japanese Patent No. 5106557.

[0098] The reprocessors disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 4823537, Japanese Patent Publication No. 5106557, etc., have a configuration that allows the lids of the liquid medicine bottles to be opened and the liquid medicines inside the bottles to be injected into the reprocessor simply by sliding a tray on which the liquid medicine bottles are installed.

[0099] In this case, the tray on which the liquid medicine bottle is placed is composed of an inclined surface (downward in the direction of gravity) that extends from the base end (front of the device) to the tip end (back of the device) within the device, and the liquid medicine bottle is positioned with the end face on which the opening that serves as the outlet for the liquid medicine is formed facing the tip end.

[0100] With this configuration, when the drug solution bottle is installed inside the device, the opening of the drug solution bottle is positioned at a low location, and when the opening is opened, the drug solution inside the bottle is reliably discharged from the opening to the outside of the bottle and injected into a predetermined flow path inside the reprocessor.

[0101] However, in the conventional reprocessor configurations disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 4823537, Japanese Patent Publication No. 5106557, etc., the opening of the chemical solution bottle placed in the tray remains open at all times after being opened by a predetermined means. Therefore, when removing the used chemical solution bottle from the device after cleaning and disinfecting the reprocessor, for example, to replace the used bottle, there is a possibility that the remaining liquid in the chemical solution bottle may leak out from the opening.

[0102] Therefore, in conventional reprocessors, various measures have been disclosed, for example in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5767424, to prevent leakage of residual liquid when replacing the chemical solution bottle after using the reprocessor.

[0103] In the reprocessor disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5767424, etc., when a liquid medicine bottle is in a predetermined position for removing the liquid medicine bottle, an inclined portion is provided on the bottle-holding surface of the tray to cause the opening of the liquid medicine bottle to face upward in the direction of gravity.

[0104] However, the configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5767424, etc., has the problem that the bottle-holding surface of the tray is movable, which causes the liquid medicine bottles placed on the tray to be unstable.

[0105] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a drug solution container that has a configuration that allows the drug solution bottle, which is placed inside the reprocessor device, to be stably held, and that has a configuration that can prevent leakage of residual liquid inside the bottle when the drug solution bottle is replaced.

[0106] (11th variation) Before describing the configuration of the 11th modified drug bottle of this embodiment, the configuration of the reprocessor to which this drug bottle is applied will be briefly described below. Note that the basic configuration of this reprocessor is the same as that of the reprocessor illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 above. Therefore, the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and described only briefly.

[0107] Figure 28 is an external perspective view of a reprocessor to which a drug solution bottle of an embodiment of the present invention is applied. Figure 29 is an external perspective view of the reprocessor of Figure 28, showing the drug solution bottle tray with the drug solution bottle attached extended. Figure 30 is an external perspective view of a drug solution bottle of an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 31 is an exploded perspective view showing the drug solution bottle of Figure 30 in disassembled form. Figure 32 is a cross-sectional view of the drug solution bottle along the plane indicated by the arrow

[32] in Figure 30. Figure 33 is a cross-sectional view showing the drug solution bottle tray with the drug solution bottle of Figure 30 attached extended from the drug solution container installation section. Figure 34 is a cross-sectional view showing the drug solution bottle tray with the drug solution bottle of Figure 30 attached stored in the drug solution container installation section. Figure 35 is a schematic diagram showing the state of Figure 34 viewed from the side.

[0108] As shown in Figures 28 and 29, the reprocessor 1 of this embodiment is mainly composed of a device body 2. The device body 2 has an operation panel 3, an ID input unit 4, a top cover 5, and a water supply hose connection port 9.

[0109] The main body of the device 2 has a detergent alcohol tray 7 positioned on the upper left side of the front panel 6, which can be freely pulled out from the front of the device 2. Additionally, the main body of the device 2 has a chemical solution bottle tray 8 positioned on the upper right side of the front panel 6, which can be freely pulled out.

[0110] The liquid medicine bottle tray 8 can be inserted into and removed from the liquid medicine container mounting section 10 by pushing and pulling. A liquid medicine bottle 11, which is a liquid medicine container, is attached to and removed from this liquid medicine bottle tray 8. In other words, the liquid medicine container mounting section 10 is a bottle storage section that houses the liquid medicine bottle 11.

[0111] A water supply hose connection port 9 is provided in one corner at the rear (back) of the main body of the device 2. This water supply hose connection port 9 is connected to a general water tap through a water supply hose (not shown).

[0112] The control panel 3 is capable of displaying various types of information and allowing various instructions to be input. The form of the control panel 3 is not limited to the form shown in Figure 28, and may be formed by, for example, an LED panel and a keyboard with key input capabilities.

[0113] The ID input unit 4 is capable of receiving a user ID. The ID input unit 4 is comprised of, for example, an RFID reader capable of reading a user ID from an RFID tag. When a user ID is received, the ID input unit 4 outputs the user ID to a control unit (not shown) inside the device.

[0114] Furthermore, the ID input unit 4 is not limited to an RFID reader; for example, it may be a barcode reader that reads barcodes or a keyboard that allows key input.

[0115] The top cover 5 is provided on the top of the main body 2 of the device so as to be openable and closable. When this top cover 5 is opened, a processing tank (not shown) is exposed on the top of the main body 2 of the device. The processing tank is a cleaning and disinfecting tank that houses the endoscope, endoscope parts, accessories, etc. to be reconditioned, and stores liquids such as cleaning solution, disinfectant solution, and rinsing solution.

[0116] Next, the configuration of the liquid medicine bottle 11, which is the liquid medicine container of this modified example, will be described. As shown in Figures 30 to 32, the liquid medicine bottle 11 has a container body 12 which is the bottle body, a mouth portion 13, a cap 16, a bottomed cylindrical portion 51, a coil spring 54 (see Figure 32), and a closure plug 55.

[0117] The liquid medicine bottle 11 is a so-called cassette-type bottle container in which a cap 16 is provided on the mouth 13 of the container body 12 to seal it.

[0118] The container body 12 is roughly box-shaped and stores liquid. A body opening 12e, which serves as a fluid discharge section, is formed on one end face 12a of the container body 12 (see Figure 31). A mouth portion 13, which is roughly cylindrical in shape, is formed on the outer peripheral edge of this body opening 12e and protrudes outward. A cap 16 is provided on this mouth portion 13. As a result, the inside of the container body 12 is sealed.

[0119] The container body 12 is divided into approximately two halves by a partition wall 14 and a bottomed cylindrical portion 51. Here, the partition wall 14 and the outer wall surface forming the bottomed cylindrical portion 51 function as a partition plate that divides the internal space of the container body 12 into two. In other words, the container body 12 has two internal spaces (first region 18, second region 19) formed by the partition wall 14 and the bottomed cylindrical portion 51. Here, the first region 18 is the internal space region where the first drug solution is stored. The second region 19 is the internal space region where the second drug solution is stored.

[0120] The partition wall portion 14 is positioned vertically to divide the internal space of the container body 12 into two spaces (first region 18, second region 19) between the inner bottom surface and the bottom 51a of the bottomed cylindrical portion 51, and along the side surface of the bottomed cylindrical portion 51 to the inner surface of one end surface 12a.

[0121] The bottomed cylindrical portion 51 is part of the partition wall that communicates with the opening portion 13. The partition wall portion 14 is joined to the bottomed cylindrical portion 51 at approximately the center of the bottom portion 51a. The bottomed cylindrical portion 51 has multiple (two in this embodiment) holes 52 and 53 drilled in its outer circumference near the opening portion 13. These holes 52 and 53 communicate with the internal space of the container body 12 and function as liquid outlet openings that allow the liquid inside the container body 12 to flow out at predetermined times. In other words, the two holes 52 and 53 are openings provided in the container body 12 (main body).

[0122] The container body 12 is the main body for storing the drug solution. The container body 12 is divided by a partition wall 14 and a bottomed cylindrical portion 51, thereby forming a first drug solution storage section (first region) 18 for storing the first drug solution and a second drug solution storage section (second region) 19 for storing the second drug solution.

[0123] The first chemical solution storage section 18 stores the main drug, which is the first chemical solution containing an active ingredient such as peracetic acid, as a disinfectant. The second chemical solution storage section 19 stores a buffering agent, which is the second chemical solution containing multiple components such as stabilizers as an additive. Thus, the chemical solution bottle 11 constitutes a single chemical solution container that stores two different chemical solutions, namely the first chemical solution (main drug) and the second chemical solution (buffering agent).

[0124] Inside the bottomed cylindrical portion 51, there is a coil spring 54 (see Figure 32; not shown in Figures 30 and 31), which is a biasing member, and a closure plug 55, which is a plug member and lid. The closure plug 55 is made of resin, rubber, or the like, and its outer surface shape is similar to the inner surface shape of the bottomed cylindrical portion 51.

[0125] The coil spring 54 is a biasing member that biases the closure plug 55 toward the opening 13. The closure plug 55 is configured to maintain a position closer to the opening 13 due to the biasing force of the coil spring 54. For this purpose, the coil spring 54 is formed, for example, from an extendable spring.

[0126] The sealing plug 55 is restricted from moving in the biasing direction by contacting the inner stepped portion 20 formed on the cap 16. The position of the sealing plug 55 at this time is referred to as the first position. In other words, when the sealing plug 55 is in the first position, it closes the main opening 12e of the container body 12. At the same time, the sealing plug 55 closes the two holes 52 and 53 of the bottomed cylindrical portion 51. The coil spring 54 functions as a retaining member that maintains the sealing plug 55 in the first position. As a result, both the first liquid medicine storage portion 18 and the second liquid medicine storage portion 19 of the liquid medicine bottle 11 are sealed.

[0127] Therefore, in the drug solution bottle 11, the drug in the first drug solution storage section 18 and the buffer in the second drug solution storage section 19 are stored in an unmixed state. Consequently, when the closure plug 55 is blocking the two holes 52 and 53, the two drug solutions, the drug and the buffer, are stored in separate internal spaces (first region 18, second region 19) without mixing.

[0128] The cap 16 is a cylindrical member with openings at both ends, through which conduits are formed, and is generally cylindrical in shape. The cap 16 is formed with an inner stepped portion 20 inside. Therefore, the inner diameter of the base end opening is larger than the inner diameter of the tip end opening. A male threaded portion, which will be described later, is formed on the inner surface of this base end opening.

[0129] The cap 16 is attached to the opening 13 from which the liquid stored in the container body 12 is discharged. In this case, the cap 16 is attached to the opening 13 of the container body 12 by screwing it on or the like. For this purpose, the cap 16 has a female threaded portion formed on the inner surface of the opening on the side where the inner step portion 20 is formed, which screws into the male threaded portion formed on the outer surface of the opening 13.

[0130] The liquid medicine bottle 11, configured in this way, is positioned with the cap 16 facing downwards towards the back, and is placed in a predetermined position on the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 when it is pulled out towards the front by the user from the main body 2, as shown in Figure 33. For this purpose, for example, the bottom surface (bottle placement surface) of the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 is formed with a downward slope. Note that in Figure 35, the slope of the bottom surface of the tray 8 is omitted in the illustration because it is a schematic diagram.

[0131] Then, by the user pushing the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 toward the liquid medicine container installation section 10 of the device body 2 (in the direction of arrow S in Figure 33), the liquid medicine bottle 11 is installed inside the device body 2.

[0132] The liquid medicine bottle tray 8 moves forward and backward guided by rails 27 provided on both side walls 26 of the liquid medicine container installation section 10. At this time, the liquid medicine bottle 11 is installed lying on its side on the bottom surface of the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 so that the cap 16 is positioned downwards.

[0133] Here, the body opening 12e and mouth portion 13 of the container body 12 are formed at an eccentric position on one end face 12a of the container body 12, closer to one side surface 12c than the central region. Therefore, the cap 16 attached to the mouth portion 13 is also attached at an eccentric position on one end face 12a, closer to one side surface 12c than the central region. In this case, the side surface 12c is the surface that contacts the bottom surface of the tray when the liquid medicine bottle 11 is placed on the liquid medicine bottle tray 8.

[0134] This configuration allows almost the entire amount of the liquid medicine stored inside the liquid medicine bottle 11 to flow out when the main body opening 12e is open while the bottle is mounted on the liquid medicine bottle tray 8.

[0135] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 33 to 35, the chemical container mounting section 10 has a wall surface 25 that is positioned perpendicular to the side walls 26 provided along the direction of movement of the chemical bottle tray 8. A chemical injection section 23 is formed in the area near the bottom of the wall surface 25, approximately in the central region. This chemical injection section 23 constitutes the entrance to a chemical flow path that guides the chemical liquid in the chemical bottle 11 to a chemical tank (2x) not shown. The chemical injection section 23 is also a reprocessor opening provided on the side of the reprocessor 1.

[0136] The liquid medicine injection section 23 has a cup shape with an opening facing inward towards the liquid medicine container mounting section 10. The liquid medicine injection section 23 is formed with an inner diameter that allows the cap 16 of the liquid medicine bottle 11 to be inserted when the liquid medicine bottle tray 8, into which the liquid medicine bottle 11 is mounted, is pushed into the liquid medicine container mounting section 10 and positioned in a predetermined location (as shown in Figure 34). When the state shown in Figure 34 is reached, the front surface of the cap 16 abuts against the rear bottom surface of the liquid medicine injection section 23. This defines the position of the liquid medicine bottle tray 8, into which the liquid medicine bottle 11 is mounted, within the liquid medicine container mounting section 10.

[0137] Furthermore, a fluid conduit 24 is connected to the chemical injection section 23, which communicates with a chemical tank (2x) not shown (see Figure 35). This fluid conduit 24 is formed in a predetermined curved shape so that the chemical liquid flowing out through the chemical injection section 23 can be guided to the chemical tank (2x) located below the device.

[0138] Furthermore, the drug injection section 23 has an opening pipe 56, which is an opening member. The opening pipe 56 is a pressing projection that applies external pressure to the closure plug 55 at a predetermined timing. The opening pipe 56 has a cylindrical shape with a closed tip and a contact portion which is a contact portion that abuts against the closure plug 55 at a predetermined timing, and a plurality of (two in this embodiment) openings 57, 58 on the side portion near the tip closing portion. These two openings 57, 58 are openings (second openings) that connect to the fluid pipeline 24.

[0139] The opening pipe 56 is provided in the cup-shaped internal space of the chemical injection section 23, penetrates the bottom surface of the chemical injection section 23, and is integrally joined with the chemical injection section 23. In this way, the opening pipe 56 is connected to the fluid pipeline 24. With this configuration, the opening pipe 56 forms part of the chemical flow path.

[0140] In this configuration of the reprocessor 1, when the liquid medicine bottle tray 8, on which the liquid medicine bottle 11 is attached, is pushed into the liquid medicine container installation section 10, the opening tube 56 eventually enters the front opening of the cap 16 of the liquid medicine bottle 11. The closing end of the opening tube 56 then comes into contact with the front surface of the stopper 55 of the liquid medicine bottle 11.

[0141] Furthermore, when the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 is pushed in, the opening tube 56 pushes the stopper 55 toward the bottom 51a of the bottomed cylindrical part 51, against the biasing force of the coil spring 54. The stopper 55 then moves to the second position. In other words, the stopper 55 (lid) moves from the first position to the second position due to external pressure.

[0142] This causes the sealing plug 55 to expose the opening 12e of the main body. The position of the sealing plug 55 at this time will be called the second position. In other words, when the sealing plug 55 moves from the first position to the second position due to a predetermined external pressure, the sealing plug 55 exposes the two holes 52 and 53 (openings) of the container body 12.

[0143] Then, when the closure plug 55 moves to the second position, the two openings 57 and 58 of the opening pipe 56 are positioned opposite the two holes 52 and 53 of the bottomed cylindrical portion 51.

[0144] As a result, the main drug in the first liquid storage section 18 of the liquid drug bottle 11 flows into the opening tube 56 through one opening 57 opposite to one hole 52 of the bottomed cylindrical section 51. In addition, the buffering agent in the second liquid drug storage section 19 of the liquid drug bottle 11 flows into the opening tube 56 through the other opening 57 opposite to the other hole 53 of the bottomed cylindrical section 51.

[0145] On the other hand, when removing the chemical solution bottle 11 from inside the device after cleaning by the reprocessor 1, the user pulls out the chemical solution bottle tray 8, on which the chemical solution bottle 11 is attached, from the chemical solution container installation section 10.

[0146] As the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 is pulled out, the contact between the tip of the opening tube 56 and the front surface of the stopper 55 of the liquid medicine bottle 11 is maintained by the biasing force of the coil spring 54, while the stopper 55, which is in the second position, is pushed back toward the first position. As a result, the stopper 55 moves toward the bottom 51a of the bottomed cylindrical part 51. In other words, the coil spring 54 (maintaining member) moves the stopper 55 (lid) from the second position to the first position when the external pressure on the stopper 55 (lid) is released. When the stopper 55 moves to the first position, the two holes 52 and 53 of the bottomed cylindrical part 51 are closed by the stopper 55.

[0147] In this way, the blocking plug 55 blocks the chemical liquid flow path from the first chemical liquid storage section 18 and the second chemical liquid storage section 19 of the chemical liquid bottle 11 to the chemical liquid injection section 23 and the opening pipe 56. Therefore, leakage of residual liquid from the chemical liquid bottle 11 can be suppressed.

[0148] Incidentally, as shown in Figure 35, the reprocessor 1 has a first limit switch 36 and a second limit switch 37, which are sensors for detecting the position of the liquid medicine bottle 11. These two limit switches (36, 37) are located in the liquid medicine container mounting section 10.

[0149] The liquid medicine bottle 11 has a recessed step portion 15 on a part of the side surface of the container body 12. Here, the side surface on which the step portion 15 is formed is the side surface that becomes the top surface when the liquid medicine bottle 11 is mounted on the liquid medicine container mounting section 10, and refers to the side surface opposite to the other side surface 12c. Hereinafter, this side surface will be referred to as the other side surface 12d (see Figure 31).

[0150] Furthermore, the stepped portion 15 in the container body 12 is formed in a position facing the first limit switch 36 and the second limit switch 37 on the device body 2 side when the liquid medicine bottle 11 is mounted on the liquid medicine container mounting section 10.

[0151] The first limit switch 36 and the second limit switch 37 detect two mounting positions of the liquid medicine bottle 11 by having the rollers 38 and 39 fit into the stepped portion 15 of the liquid medicine bottle 11. In other words, the stepped portion 15 constitutes a detection unit for detecting the mounting position of the liquid medicine bottle 11 to the reprocessor 1. As a result, the reprocessor 1 can correctly detect the mounting position of the liquid medicine bottle 11 to the liquid medicine container installation section 10.

[0152] As described above, according to the above embodiment, when the liquid medicine bottle 11 placed on the liquid medicine bottle tray 8 is positioned in a predetermined location in the liquid medicine container installation section 10 inside the main body 2 of the reprocessor 1, the liquid medicine bottle 11 is held stably. In this state, the two holes 52 and 53 of the bottomed cylindrical section 51 are exposed by the closure plug 55, so the liquid medicine stored in the liquid medicine bottle 11 is reliably guided through the liquid medicine flow path and fluid conduit 24 from the two holes 52 and 53 and the two openings 57 and 58 of the opening pipe 56 to the liquid medicine tank (2x).

[0153] Furthermore, when replacing the liquid medicine bottle 11, the occluding plug 55 is positioned in a first position that blocks the two holes 52 and 53, so that even if there is residual liquid in the liquid medicine bottle 11, leakage is reliably prevented.

[0154] By the way, in the above-described embodiment, a drug solution bottle 11 is illustrated in which a partition wall (partition wall portion 14, bottomed cylindrical portion 51) is provided inside one bottle, thereby having at least two drug solution storage portions. However, the configuration of the present invention is not limited to the configuration example of the above-described embodiment. For example, the container body of the drug solution bottle can also be formed by a plurality of bottles, such as a first bottle for storing a first drug solution and a second bottle for storing a second drug solution. The twelfth modification described below is an example of such a configuration.

[0155] (12th variation) Figure 36 is a cross-sectional view showing a liquid medicine bottle of a twelfth modified embodiment of the present invention. This Figure 36 corresponds to Figure 32 in the above-described embodiment. Figure 37 is a cross-sectional view showing the liquid medicine bottle of Figure 36 disassembled.

[0156] The basic configuration of the liquid medicine bottle 11A of this twelfth modified example is substantially the same as that of the embodiment described above. While the liquid medicine bottle 11 of the embodiment described above is composed of a single container body 12, the liquid medicine bottle 11A of this modified example differs in that the container body 12A is composed of two containers (21, 22). Therefore, the same configuration as the embodiment described above will be omitted from the explanation, and the different configuration will be described in detail below.

[0157] The twelfth modified example of the liquid medicine bottle 11A has a container body 12A, an end cover 28, and a cap 16.

[0158] The container body 12A is formed by two bottles (containers): a first bottle 21 and a second bottle 22. Here, the first bottle 21 has a first liquid medicine storage section 18, which is a first region for storing a first liquid medicine. The second bottle 22 has a second liquid medicine storage section 19, which is a second region for storing a second liquid medicine.

[0159] The first bottle 21 and the second bottle 22 each have a first recess 51x and a second recess 51y that, when combined, form a bottomed cylindrical portion 51A. Here, the first recess 51x and the second recess 51y each have the shape of a cylinder cut lengthwise, and each cross-section is approximately semicircular. The first recess 51x and the second recess 51y each have a bottom 51Aa and a main body opening 12Ae in the bottomed cylindrical portion 51A when combined. Here, the bottom 51Aa consists of a first bottom 51aa and a second bottom 51ab. The main body opening 12Ae consists of a first main body opening 12x and a second main body opening 12y.

[0160] The first recess 51x of the first bottle 21 has a first opening, a first hole 52, in its side wall portion. The first hole 52 is formed near the first body opening 12x. The second recess 51y of the second bottle 22 has a second opening, a second hole 53, in its side wall portion. The second hole 53 is formed near the second body opening 12y. The first hole 52 and the second hole 53 are positioned opposite each other when the first bottle 21 and the second bottle 22 are combined.

[0161] The first end face 21a of the first bottle 21 has a first engaging projection 21c. One or more first engaging projections 21c are formed near the outer peripheral edge of the first end face 21a. The first end face 22a of the second bottle 22 has a second engaging projection 22c. One or more second engaging projections 22c are formed near the outer peripheral edge of the first end face 22a.

[0162] Furthermore, of the sides of the first bottle 21, the sides 21x and 22x that face each other and come into contact when the first bottle 21 and the second bottle 22 are combined function as partition plates. That is, the sides 21x and 22x correspond to the partition wall portion 14 in the above-described embodiment.

[0163] When the first bottle 21 and the second bottle 22, configured in this way, are combined, a bottomed cylindrical portion 51A is formed by the first recess 51x and the second recess 51y. A coil spring 54 and a closure plug 55 are provided in the bottomed cylindrical portion 51A. The configuration of these coil spring 54 and closure plug 55 is the same as in the embodiment described above.

[0164] In other words, the coil spring 54 is a retaining member that maintains the closure plug 55 in a first position. The coil spring 54 is made of an extendable spring.

[0165] The occluding plug 55 is disposed inside the bottomed cylindrical portion 51A and is movably disposed in a direction along the long axis of the bottomed cylindrical portion 51A. When the occluding plug 55 is in the first position, it simultaneously closes the first hole 52 and the second hole 53. As a result, when the occluding plug 55 is in the first position, it prevents the first liquid medicine from the first bottle 21 from being discharged to the outside through the first hole 52. At the same time, when the occluding plug 55 is in the first position, it prevents the second liquid medicine from the second bottle 22 from being discharged to the outside through the second opening.

[0166] On the other hand, when the occluding plug 55 is in the second position, it allows the first liquid medicine from the first bottle 21 to be discharged to the outside through the first hole 52. At the same time, when the occluding plug 55 is in the second position, it allows the second liquid medicine from the second bottle 22 to be discharged to the outside through the second hole 53.

[0167] The end cover 28 is a connecting member provided to combine and integrate the first bottle 21 and the second bottle 22. The end cover 28 has a mouth portion 13, an engaging recess 28c, and a cover opening 28d. Of these, the mouth portion 13 is the part to which the cap 16 is attached. The mouth portion 13 is provided in the approximately central region on the first end face 28a side of the end cover 28. The basic configuration of the mouth portion 13 is the same as in the embodiment described above. A cover opening 28d is formed in the mouth portion 13.

[0168] The cover opening 28d is a through-hole in the mouth portion 13 through which the end cover 28 is inserted. The cover opening 28d is positioned opposite the main body opening 12Ae when the first bottle 21 and the second bottle 22 are combined. As a result, when the end cover 28 is positioned in a predetermined location relative to the container body 12A with the first bottle 21 and the second bottle 22 combined, the main body opening 12Ae and the cover opening 28d form a single through-hole. A closing plug 55 is movably disposed in this through-hole.

[0169] The end cover 28 is positioned to cover the first end faces 21a and 22a of the container body 12A, which is formed by combining the first bottle 21 and the second bottle 22. In this case, the second end face 28b of the end cover 28 is positioned opposite the first end faces 21a and 22a of the first bottle 21 and the second bottle 22, respectively.

[0170] Furthermore, a recessed portion 28c is formed on the second end face 28b of the end cover 28. The first engaging projection 21c and the second engaging projection 22c engage with this recessed portion 28c. As a result, the two bottles (21, 22) are integrated and connected. Therefore, the same number (or more) of recessed portions 28c are provided as the first engaging projection 21c and the second engaging projection 22c.

[0171] In this state (where the two bottles (21, 22) are integrated and connected), a strip-shaped transparent thin film member 29 (hereinafter simply referred to as "strip film 29") is wound around the outer circumferential surface near the bottom of the container body 12A (see Figure 36). In this case, the strip film 29 is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the sides 21x and 22x. The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the embodiment described above.

[0172] In the 12th modified example described above, the container body 12A is composed of two bottles (21,2). Even with this configuration, the same effects as in the above-described embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, compared to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, the first region 18 for storing the first drug solution and the second region for storing the second drug solution can be clearly separated, so the two drug solutions, the main drug and the buffer, can be stored without mixing them before use.

[0173] The inventions described in the above embodiments and variations are not limited to those embodiments and variations, and various modifications can be made in the implementation stage without departing from the gist of the invention. Furthermore, the above embodiments and variations include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriate combinations of the multiple constituent elements disclosed.

[0174] For example, if the problem described can be solved and the effects described can be obtained even if some of the constituent elements shown in the embodiments and each modification are deleted, then the configuration with the deleted constituent elements can be extracted as an invention.

Claims

1. A chemical solution container that is attached to a washing and disinfection device, The container body and An opening provided in the container body, The container body is divided into a first liquid medicine storage section where a first liquid medicine is stored and a second liquid medicine storage section where a second liquid medicine is stored, To prevent the first and second chemical solutions from mixing within the container body, a blocking portion is provided to block the space between the first chemical solution storage portion and the second chemical solution storage portion. A drug solution container characterized by having the following features.

2. The device further comprises a partition wall that divides the first chemical solution storage section and the second chemical solution storage section, The closing portion is provided on the opposite side of the opening and closes the partition wall portion. The drug solution container according to feature 1.

3. The container body is The first container body constituting the first liquid medicine storage section, It comprises a second container body which constitutes the second liquid medicine storage section, The aforementioned opening is The first opening provided in the first container body, The second container body has a second opening, The aforementioned closure portion is Provided on the opposite side of the first opening of the first container, The drug solution container according to feature 1.

4. The first container body, the first opening and the closing portion are located in the first liquid medicine bottle, The invention comprises the second container body and the second liquid medicine bottle having the second opening, The first liquid medicine bottle and the second liquid medicine bottle are separable from each other. The drug solution container according to feature 3.

5. The first liquid medicine bottle has a recess on the opposite side of the first opening, The second liquid medicine bottle is fitted into the recess on the second opening side. The drug solution container according to feature 4.

6. The first liquid medicine bottle and the second liquid medicine bottle are connected and integrated. The drug solution container according to feature 4.

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