Medicine taking device, information acquisition system of medicine taking device and manufacturing method of medicine taking device

Abstract

To provide a medicine taking device capable of improving and stabilizing the strength of an ultrasonic signal which is transmitted, to provide an information acquisition system which includes the medicine taking device, and to provide a manufacturing method of the medicine taking device capable of filling a sealant more surely at least in part of a region around a piezoelectric element.SOLUTION: A medicine taking device 10A which transmits information by a device 10A itself vibrating includes: a substrate 40 which has a first main surface 41 and a second main surface 42; a piezoelectric element 20 mounted on the second main surface 42; a housing 30 which stores the substrate 40 and the piezoelectric element 20; a first region 11 surrounded by the first main surface 41 and the first inner wall part 31a of the housing 30; a second region 12 which is the region 12 surrounded by the second main surface 42 and the second inner wall part 31b of the housing 30, and which is communicated with the first region 11 via an opening part provided at the substrate 40; and a sealant 54 provided at least inside the second region 12 so as to come into contact at least with the piezoelectric element 20 and the second inner wall part 31b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a medication device, an information acquisition system for a medication device, and a method for manufacturing a medication device. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a need for a method to confirm whether a patient has taken the prescribed medicine or not, and a method to confirm what kind of biological reaction occurs when a patient takes a medicine. For this reason, development of a drug-taking device that transmits a signal from inside the body to outside after being taken with the medicine is underway.

[0003] Patent document 1 describes an ingestible sensor device that includes sensors including a sensor and a device for wirelessly transmitting information detected by the sensor, and a group of substrates formed by stacking multiple rigid substrates. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6914567 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the swallowing sensor device described in Patent Document 1 communicates using radio waves, which means that signals are transmitted non-directionally both inside and outside the body and can be obtained by third parties, posing a security issue.

[0006] In response to this, it is conceivable to use an ingestible device equipped with a piezoelectric element that emits an ultrasonic signal, and receive the ultrasonic signal emitted from the piezoelectric element of the ingested device with, for example, a receiver attached to the surface of the user's body. With this method, the ultrasonic signal emitted from the piezoelectric element basically propagates inside the user's body, but since it is reflected at the interface between the body and the air, it hardly leaks into the air, reducing the possibility of it being obtained by a third party.

[0007] However, in the above-mentioned ingested device, if the inside of the housing is not filled with a sufficient amount of sealant, the ultrasonic signal oscillated from the piezoelectric element may not be transmitted to the outside of the ingested device with sufficient signal strength. In that case, the signal strength transmitted by the ingested device may vary. This is because if the inside of the housing is not filled with a sufficient amount of sealant and air, i.e., space, remains around the piezoelectric element, the ultrasonic wave is reflected at the interface between the space and the sealant.

[0008] Therefore, when communicating using an ultrasonic method with a piezoelectric element, there was room for ingenuity in terms of how to more reliably fill the inside of the housing, particularly at least a portion of the area surrounding the piezoelectric element, with sealant, and how to improve and stabilize the strength of the ultrasonic signal emitted from the oral device.

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a medication device capable of improving and stabilizing the strength of the ultrasonic signal emitted, an information acquisition system for a medication device including the medication device, and a method for manufacturing a medication device capable of more reliably filling at least a portion of the area surrounding the piezoelectric element with a sealant. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The dosage device of the present invention is a dosage device that transmits information by vibrating the device itself, and comprises a substrate having a first main surface and a second main surface, a piezoelectric element mounted on the second main surface, a housing that houses the substrate and the piezoelectric element, a first region surrounded by the first main surface and a first inner wall portion of the housing, a second region surrounded by the second main surface and a second inner wall portion of the housing and communicating with the first region through an opening provided in the substrate, and a sealant provided at least in the second region so as to contact at least the piezoelectric element and the second inner wall portion.

[0011] The information acquisition system for a taken device of the present invention comprises a taken device of the present invention, a processing device, and a receiver that acquires information from the taken device by receiving an ultrasonic signal emitted from the piezoelectric element and transmits the acquired information to the processing device.

[0012] A manufacturing method for a dosage device of the present invention includes the steps of preparing a first split housing and a second split housing, preparing a substrate having an opening and a piezoelectric element mounted thereon, placing the substrate on the second split housing so that the piezoelectric element is positioned between the second split housing and the substrate, injecting a sealant through the opening into an area surrounded by the substrate and the inner wall of the second split housing, hardening the injected sealant, and joining the first split housing and the second split housing into which the sealant has been injected and hardened. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a medication device capable of improving and stabilizing the strength of an emitted ultrasonic signal, an information acquisition system for a medication device including the medication device, and a manufacturing method for a medication device capable of more reliably filling at least a portion of the area surrounding a piezoelectric element with a sealant. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a pill-taking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a cross section of the medication device shown in FIG. 1 taken along line segment A1-A1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a cross section of the medication device shown in FIG. 1 taken along line segment A2-A2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a cross section of the housing taken along line A3-A3 shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic example of a state in which a substrate is disposed in the housing shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating an example of a substrate and a piezoelectric element mounted on a second main surface of the substrate in the medication device illustrated in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a cross section of the medication device shown in FIG. 1 taken along line segment A4-A4. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a method for manufacturing the dosed device of embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating an example of a substrate and a piezoelectric element mounted on a second main surface of the substrate in a swallowed device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating an example of a substrate and a piezoelectric element mounted on a second main surface of the substrate in a swallowed device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating another example of a substrate and a piezoelectric element mounted on a second main surface of the substrate in the swallowed device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a schematic example of an information acquisition system for a taken device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The following describes the medication device, the information acquisition system for the medication device, and the manufacturing method for the medication device of the present invention. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following configurations, and may be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. In addition, a combination of multiple individual preferred configurations described below also constitutes the present invention.

[0016] The following embodiments are merely examples, and it goes without saying that partial replacement or combination of the configurations shown in different embodiments is possible. From the second embodiment onwards, the description of the matters common to the first embodiment will be omitted, and the differences will be mainly described. In particular, similar effects due to similar configurations will not be mentioned one by one for each embodiment.

[0017] In the following description, unless there is a need to distinguish between the various embodiments, they will simply be referred to as the "dosing device of the present invention."

[0018] In this specification, terms indicating the relationship between elements (e.g., "vertical," "parallel," "orthogonal," etc.) and terms indicating the shapes of elements are not intended to be used in a strict sense, but are intended to include a range of substantial equivalence, for example, a difference of a few percent.

[0019] The drawings shown below are schematic diagrams, and the dimensions, aspect ratio, and scale may differ from those of the actual product.

[0020] [Embodiment 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a medication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section of the medication device shown in FIG. 1 taken along a line segment A1-A1. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section of the medication device shown in FIG. 1 taken along a line segment A2-A2. In each diagram, the X-axis direction is the longitudinal direction of the medication device, and the Z-axis direction is the transverse direction of the medication device. The Y-axis is an axis perpendicular to each of the X-axis and Z-axis.

[0021] The ingested device 10A shown in FIG. 1 can transmit information by vibrating the device 10A itself. The ingested device 10A is taken by a person with or without a drug. The ingested device 10A may be taken by itself. The information transmitted from the ingested device 10A is not particularly limited and may be a signal. Specifically, for example, a signal indicating that a drug has been taken or administered with the ingested device 10A, biological information acquired in the body, and the like may be included. The drug that may be taken with the ingested device 10A is any drug. Specifically, for example, the drug may be taken by a person who has difficulty recognizing the act of taking a drug. In this case, the drug intake rate of such people can be improved. In addition, the burden on people who care for such people can be reduced. In this specification, "transmission" is synonymous with "transmission" unless otherwise specified.

[0022] 2 and 3, the medication device 10A includes a substrate 40, a piezoelectric element 20, a sealant 54, and a housing 30. The substrate 40 and the piezoelectric element 20 are housed in the housing 30 and disposed inside the housing 30.

[0023] The substrate 40 has a first main surface 41 and a second main surface 42 that face each other in the Z-axis direction. The substrate 40 disposed inside the housing 30 may be one sheet or multiple sheets. The substrate 40 may be made of, for example, glass epoxy resin, FR-4, or the like.

[0024] The substrate 40 is arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the device 10A. That is, the substrate 40 is arranged perpendicular to the transverse direction of the device 10A. The longitudinal direction of the device 10A is synonymous with the longitudinal direction of the housing 30, and the transverse direction of the device 10A is synonymous with the transverse direction of the housing 30.

[0025] The piezoelectric element 20 is mounted on a second main surface 42 of the substrate 40 .

[0026] The ingested device 10A drives the piezoelectric element 20 to generate an ultrasonic signal from the piezoelectric element 20. The ultrasonic signal generated from the piezoelectric element 20 propagates through a medium inside the ingested device 10A and is finally transmitted to the outside of the ingested device 10A. That is, the ingested device 10A itself vibrates due to the ultrasonic signal generated from the piezoelectric element 20, and transmits information as an ultrasonic signal to the outside of the ingested device 10A, specifically, to the inside of the body.

[0027] The piezoelectric element 20 functions as an ultrasonic oscillator that oscillates ultrasonic waves, and oscillates ultrasonic waves by vibrating the piezoelectric element 20. The piezoelectric element 20 is also called a piezoelectric vibrator. The ultrasonic waves oscillated from the piezoelectric element 20 have directivity in the direction in which the vibration surface of the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates. PZT (lead zirconate titanate), BT (barium titanate), KNN (potassium sodium niobate), etc. can be used as the material of the piezoelectric element 20. In this case, the oral device 10A includes an IC 56, and the IC 56 controls the piezoelectric element 20. The ultrasonic signal oscillated from the piezoelectric element 20 is received by a receiver attached to the body surface of the user, such as the torso, neck, or wrist, by a fastener such as a belt. The receiver is attached so as to directly contact the body surface, or so as to contact the body surface via an intervening material such as gel.

[0028] The shape of the piezoelectric element 20 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a cube, a rectangular parallelepiped, and a disk shape.

[0029] The housing 30 is made of, for example, a biocompatible resin, or a resin coated with a biocompatible material on the surface. For example, an epoxy resin can be used as the biocompatible resin. It is preferable that the material used for the housing 30 is a material that is not dissolved by stomach acid or the like after the ingestible device 10A is taken into the body and is discharged from the body.

[0030] Substantially all of the outer surface of the medication device 10A may be comprised of the outer surface of the housing 30.

[0031] 1 to 3 show a so-called capsule-shaped, more specifically, cylindrical housing 30 with both longitudinal ends hemispherical, but the external shapes of the oral device 10A and the housing 30 are not particularly limited as long as they do not interfere with oral administration, and may be spherical, ellipsoidal, discoidal, cylindrical, tablet-shaped, polygonal columnar with rounded corners, etc. The ellipsoidal shape may be an oblate spheroid or an oblate spheroid.

[0032] 2 and 3, the capsule-shaped housing 30 is composed of a first divided housing 32a and a second divided housing 32b divided at the center in the short side direction of the housing 30 along the longitudinal direction of the housing 30. That is, the housing 30 is divided into two evenly at the center in the short side direction of the housing 30 along the longitudinal direction of the housing 30. In other words, the capsule-shaped housing 30 is divided into two at a position where the cross-sectional area is maximum along the longitudinal direction of the housing 30.

[0033] The first divided housing 32a and the second divided housing 32b are semi-capsule-shaped with the opposing divided housing sides open, and each has a space inside in which other components can be placed. However, the space inside the first divided housing 32a does not have to exist. In other words, the first divided housing 32a may be formed as a solid material.

[0034] 2 and 3, the medication device 10A has a first region 11 surrounded by the first main surface 41 of the substrate 40 and the first inner wall portion 31a of the housing 30, and a second region 12 surrounded by the second main surface 42 of the substrate 40 and the second inner wall portion 31b of the housing 30. The first inner wall portion 31a of the housing 30 is composed of the entire inner wall portion of the first divided housing 32a and a part of the inner wall portion of the second divided housing 32b (the part on the first divided housing 32a side). The second inner wall portion 31b of the housing 30 is composed of only a part of the inner wall portion of the second divided housing 32b (the part on the opposite side to the first divided housing 32a).

[0035] The first region 11 is a rectangular parallelepiped region adjacent to the first main surface 41 of the substrate 40, and corresponds to a region obtained by expanding the entire area of ​​the first main surface 41 of the substrate 40 in the short direction of the medication device 10A.

[0036] The second region 12 is a rectangular parallelepiped region adjacent to the second main surface 42 of the substrate 40, and corresponds to a region obtained by expanding the rectangular region within the second main surface 42 of the substrate 40 in the short direction of the medication device 10A.

[0037] The shape and dimensions of the first region 11 are not particularly limited as long as the electronic components mounted on the first main surface 41 of the substrate 40 do not interfere with the first inner wall portion 31a of the housing 30, and for example, a partial region of the first region 11 formed by the first divided housing 32a may have the same shape and dimensions as the internal space of the second divided housing 32b. This allows the first divided housing 32a and the second divided housing 32b to be made of the same type of components, thereby making it possible to reduce the number of components.

[0038] Furthermore, the shape and dimensions of the second region 12 are not particularly limited as long as the piezoelectric element 20 mounted on the second main surface 42 of the substrate 40 can be arranged within the second region 12, and for example, its planar shape may be rectangular, circular, elliptical, etc.

[0039] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic example of a cross section of a housing taken along line A3-A3 shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic example of a state in which a substrate is disposed in the housing shown in Fig. 4. Note that sealant and other electronic components are not shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

[0040] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the housing 30, particularly the second divided housing 32b, has a mounting surface 33 on which the substrate 40 is placed, and the second inner wall portion 31b of the housing 30 forms a recess 34 recessed from the mounting surface 33.

[0041] More specifically, the second divided housing 32b has a plurality of surfaces facing the first inner wall portion 31a inside, and these surfaces form a space with a two-step bottom, and has a semi-capsule shape with the same external shape as the first divided housing 32a. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the second divided housing 32b has a rectangular first bottom portion 35a, a rectangular ring-shaped or frame-shaped second bottom portion 35b located closer to the first divided housing 32a than the first bottom portion 35a, a first side peripheral portion 35c connecting between the peripheral portion of the first bottom portion 35a and the inner peripheral portion of the second bottom portion 35b, and a second side peripheral portion 35d rising from the outer peripheral portion of the second bottom portion 35b. The second bottom portion 35b corresponds to the placement surface 33. The first bottom portion 35a and the first side peripheral portion 35c correspond to the second inner wall portion 31b, and form a recess 34. The region within the recess 34 corresponds to the second region 12 .

[0042] 5, the substrate 40 is placed on the placement surface 33 in a state where it is fitted into an opening formed by the second side peripheral portion 35d of the second divided housing 32b.

[0043] The shape of the outer periphery of the mounting surface 33 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the shape corresponds to the planar shape of the substrate 40.

[0044] In this specification, the planar shape of a substrate means the planar shape of the substrate assuming that there are no openings, unless otherwise specified.

[0045] In addition, while FIG. 5 shows substrate 40 having a rectangular planar shape, in the dosage device of the present invention, the planar shape of the substrate is not particularly limited as long as it fits into the dosage device, and may be circular, elliptical, or the like.

[0046] Furthermore, the substrate 40 is positioned at a position offset from the center of the medication device 10A in the Z-axis direction, specifically, from the center of the housing 30, in the direction in which the distance between the inner wall of the housing 30 and the piezoelectric element 20 becomes shorter.

[0047] 2, the distance d2 from the second main surface 42 of the substrate 40 to the second inner wall 31b of the housing 30 is shorter than the distance d1 from the first main surface 41 of the substrate 40 to the first inner wall 31a of the housing 30. As a result, the distance between the housing 30 and the piezoelectric element 20 is shorter than when the substrate 40 is disposed in the center of the drug-administered device 10A in the Z-axis direction, i.e., in the center of the housing 30, and therefore the strength of the ultrasonic signal transmitted from the drug-administered device 10A can be increased.

[0048] Here, the distance d1 is an arbitrary point on the first inner wall portion 31a of the housing 30, and is measured as the length of a perpendicular line extending from a point where the perpendicular line described below is the longest to the first main surface 41 of the substrate 40. Similarly, the distance d2 is an arbitrary point on the second inner wall portion 31b of the housing 30, and is measured as the length of a perpendicular line extending from a point where the perpendicular line described below is the longest to the second main surface 42 of the substrate 40.

[0049] Fig. 6 is a plan view showing an example of a substrate and a piezoelectric element mounted on a second main surface of the substrate in the medication device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section along line segment A4-A4 of the medication device shown in Fig. 1.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 6, the piezoelectric element 20 is soldered to a pair of lands 43 provided on the second main surface 42 of the substrate 40.

[0051] 6, the substrate 40 is provided with an opening 44 penetrating the substrate 40 in the thickness direction, and the first region 11 and the second region 12 communicate with each other through the opening 44, as shown in FIG. 5. That is, each opening 44 is provided at a position where at least a portion does not overlap with the mounting surface 33, and the first region 11 is connected to the region within the opening 44, which is connected to the second region 12. For this reason, it is possible to more reliably fill the region around the piezoelectric element 20 with the sealant 54 through the opening 44 from the opening side of the second divided housing 32b, for example, by a manufacturing method described later.

[0052] As a result, as shown in Fig. 7, the sealant 54 is provided at least in the second region 12 so as to contact at least the piezoelectric element 20 and the second inner wall portion 31b. Therefore, the sealant 54 is sufficiently filled in at least a part of the region around the piezoelectric element 20. Therefore, it is possible to improve and stabilize the strength of the ultrasonic signal emitted from the oral intake device 10A. This is because the ultrasonic waves oscillated from the piezoelectric element 20 can be prevented from being reflected at unnecessary interfaces caused by the space.

[0053] Examples of the material for the sealant 54 include epoxy resin, polyphenylsulfone (PPS), ceramic material, glass epoxy, and resin filled with a filler such as metal or oxide.

[0054] 2, 3 and 7, the sealant 54 is provided so as to contact the entire exposed surface of the piezoelectric element 20 and the entire surface of the second inner wall portion 31b, but the sealant 54 may be provided between the piezoelectric element 20 and the second inner wall portion 31b so as to contact at least a part of the exposed surface of the piezoelectric element 20 and at least a part of the surface of the second inner wall portion 31b. The sealant 54 is preferably provided so as to contact at least a part of the exposed surface of the piezoelectric element 20 and at least a part of the surface of the second inner wall portion 31b in the vibration direction of the piezoelectric element 20. The exposed surface of the piezoelectric element 20 means the surface of the piezoelectric element 20 that is exposed to the air at the stage immediately before the injection of the sealant 54 before hardening. In addition, in FIG. 2, the sealant 54 is provided so as to contact the bioinformation acquisition unit 52 described later, but it is sufficient that the sealant 54 is in contact with at least the piezoelectric element 20 and the second inner wall portion 31b.

[0055] 2, 3, and 7, the sealant 54 is filled at least in the second region 12 and the opening 44 of the substrate 40. More specifically, the sealant 54 is filled only in the second region 12 and the opening 44 of the substrate 40, that is, the sealant 54 is provided so as to fill the space surrounded by the substrate 40 and the second divided housing 32b and the opening 44 of the substrate 40. However, the sealant 54 does not necessarily need to be filled in the entire second region 12 and the entire opening 44, and may be filled in at least a part of the second region 12 and at least a part of the opening 44. The sealant 54 may also be provided in at least a part of the first region 11. For example, the sealant 54 may be provided so as to cover the first main surface 41 of the substrate 40, or may be filled in the first region 11. In the latter case, when the vibration direction of the piezoelectric element 20 is perpendicular to the second main surface 42 of the substrate 40, ultrasonic waves can be effectively generated from the piezoelectric element 20 not only on the second region 12 side but also on the first region 11 side.

[0056] In addition, in FIG. 6, four openings 44 are provided for one substrate 40, but the number of openings 44 provided for one substrate 40 is not particularly limited and can be set appropriately.

[0057] Furthermore, the planar shape of each opening 44 is not particularly limited to the rectangle shown in FIG. 6, but may be, for example, a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a hexagon, an octagon, or any other polygon other than a rectangle.

[0058] Also, unlike the case shown in Fig. 6, each opening 44 may be a through hole whose entire periphery is surrounded by substrate 40, but it is preferable that at least one opening 44 is a cutout whose periphery is partially exposed as shown in Fig. 6. This makes it easier for uncured sealant 54 to flow along second peripheral side portion 35d of second divided housing 32b and enter second region 12, thereby shortening the time required to inject sealant 54.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 2, the medication device 10A may include a battery 51, a power receiving coil (not shown), a biological information acquisition unit 52, and an A / D converter 53.

[0060] The battery 51 is, for example, a secondary battery that can be charged with the power received by the power receiving coil. In this case, the battery 51 is not particularly limited as long as it is a chargeable and dischargeable battery, and may be, for example, an all-solid-state battery having a solid electrolyte. An all-solid-state battery is suitable for the ingestible device 10A because it does not leak. In addition, the battery 51 may be a primary battery as long as it is configured so that a current flows through the ingestible device 10A immediately before taking the drug. The battery 51 is, for example, provided on the substrate 40 on which the piezoelectric element 20 is provided. However, the location where the battery 51 is provided is not particularly limited to the substrate 40 on which the piezoelectric element 20 is provided.

[0061] The receiving coil is provided on the substrate 40 and is paired with the transmitting coil to perform wireless power supply. The receiving coil is made of, for example, copper. Wireless power supply can be performed using electromagnetic induction technology or magnetic field resonance technology. Note that magnetic field resonance is a type of electromagnetic induction, since a current flows through the receiving coil in response to a change in the magnetic field created by the transmitting coil. The receiving coil is connected to a battery 51. The receiving coil is provided on, for example, the substrate 40 on which the piezoelectric element 20 is provided. However, the location where the receiving coil is provided is not particularly limited to the substrate 40 on which the piezoelectric element 20 is provided.

[0062] The biological information acquiring unit 52 acquires biological information such as the position of the ingested ingested device 10A in the body, the temperature in the body, the pH of the stomach and / or intestines, and vital signs such as intestinal activity. The temperature in the body may be deep body temperature. For example, the biological information acquiring unit 52 has a clocking means capable of measuring time, measures the time that has elapsed since the ingested device 10A was taken into the body, and estimates the position of the ingested device 10A in the body according to the measured time. As another example, the biological information acquiring unit 52 includes sensors such as a temperature sensor, a pH sensor, and an acceleration sensor, and detects vital signs such as the temperature in the body, the pH of the stomach and / or intestines, and intestinal activity. The temperature sensor may include, for example, a thermistor. Note that the biological information includes all information related to a living body, and the biological information acquiring unit 52 can be configured to acquire any biological information. The biological information acquiring unit 52 is controlled by an IC 56.

[0063] When the biological information is acquired by the biological information acquiring unit 52, the frequency of the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the piezoelectric element 20 may be changed for each type of biological information to be acquired.

[0064] Under the control of the IC 56, the A / D converter 53 converts the analog bioinformation acquired by the bioinformation acquisition unit 52 into digital information, and outputs the digital bioinformation to the piezoelectric element 20. The digital bioinformation converted by the A / D converter 53 is then transmitted by the piezoelectric element 20 as an ultrasonic signal.

[0065] Power is supplied to the piezoelectric element 20, the IC 56, the biological information acquisition unit 52, and the A / D converter 53 from a battery 51. In Fig. 2, the IC 56, the biological information acquisition unit 52, and the A / D converter 53 are provided on the substrate 40 on which the piezoelectric element 20 is provided, but the locations where the IC 56, the biological information acquisition unit 52, and the A / D converter 53 are provided are not particularly limited to the substrate 40 on which the piezoelectric element 20 is provided.

[0066] The dosage device 10A can be manufactured by the following method.

[0067] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a method for manufacturing the dosed device of embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0068] First, the first divided housing 32a, the second divided housing 32b, and the substrate 40 provided with the opening 44 are prepared. The piezoelectric element 20 is mounted on the second main surface 42 of the substrate 40.

[0069] As for the first divided housing 32a, as shown in FIG. 8, first divided housing 32a is fixed in a predetermined position in order to inject the sealant (S10), then unhardened, i.e., liquid, sealant is injected into first divided housing 32a (S11), then the unhardened sealant injected into first divided housing 32a is degassed (S12), and finally the degassed sealant is hardened and solidified (S13).

[0070] If first divided housing 32a is made of a solid material, these steps (S10 to S13) are omitted. Also, if first divided housing 32a is made to be semi-capsule-shaped with one side open, these steps (S10 to S13) may be omitted. In other words, the inner area of ​​semi-capsule-shaped first divided housing 32a may be left hollow.

[0071] As for the second divided housing 32b, as shown in FIG. 8, first, the second divided housing 32b is fixed in a predetermined position in order to inject the sealant (S20).

[0072] Next, the substrate 40 is placed on the second divided housing 32b so that the piezoelectric element 20 is located between the second divided housing 32b and the substrate 40, i.e., so that the piezoelectric element 20 is located on the second divided housing 32b side of the substrate 40 (S21). The substrate 40 is placed on the mounting surface 33 of the second divided housing 32b. At this time, the substrate 40 may be fixed to the mounting surface 33 with an adhesive or the like, or the substrate 40 may not be fixed to the mounting surface 33.

[0073] Next, it is preferable to degas the sealant before it is poured into the second divided housing 32b, that is, in a liquid state (S22). This effectively prevents air bubbles from being generated in the sealant poured into the second divided housing 32b, so that the sealant 54 can be more reliably filled in at least a part of the area around the piezoelectric element 20.

[0074] Next, the sealant before hardening is injected through the opening 44 into the second region 12 surrounded by the substrate 40 and the second inner wall portion 31b of the second divided housing 32b (S23). This makes it possible to more reliably fill at least a part of the region around the piezoelectric element 20 with the sealant 54 through the opening 44. At this time, the sealant may be injected until it fills at least the second region 12 and each opening 44. The sealant may be injected into the second divided housing 32b until it overflows from the opening 44, or may be injected into the second divided housing 32b until it covers the first main surface 41 of the substrate 40.

[0075] Furthermore, subsequently, the sealant injected into the second divided housing 32b may be degassed before it is hardened (S24).

[0076] The above degassing steps (S12, S22 and S24) can be carried out, for example, under vacuum.

[0077] Then, the sealant injected into the second divided housing 32b is cured and solidified (S25).

[0078] In the above-mentioned curing steps (S13 and S25), for example, a heat-curable sealant or a moisture-curable sealant is used to cure the sealant.

[0079] After the sealant injected into second divided housing 32b is hardened, it may be checked whether air bubbles exist in the hardened sealant.

[0080] Finally, the first divided housing 32a is joined to the second divided housing 32b into which the sealant has been injected and hardened (S30). For example, the first divided housing 32a and the second divided housing 32b are joined by an adhesive. The first divided housing 32a and the second divided housing 32b may also be ultrasonically welded together.

[0081] As a result of the above, a dosage device 10A can be obtained.

[0082] [Embodiment 2] FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating an example of a substrate and a piezoelectric element mounted on a second main surface of the substrate in a swallowed device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0083] In the medication device 10B shown in FIG. 9, the planar shape of the substrate 40 is rectangular, similar to that of the first embodiment.

[0084] At least one opening 44 is provided in the short-side direction of the substrate 40 relative to the portion on which the piezoelectric element 20 is mounted, i.e., in a direction parallel to the short side of the substrate 40. Preferably, at least one opening 44 is provided on each side of the piezoelectric element 20 in the short-side direction of the substrate 40. By providing the openings 44 in the vicinity of the periphery of the piezoelectric element 20 in this manner, the distance from the openings 44 to the piezoelectric element 20 is shortened, and the sealant before curing can easily flow in to cover the piezoelectric element 20.

[0085] Furthermore, although a sealant generally has a lower Young's modulus than a substrate, by filling the opening 44 in the vicinity of the piezoelectric element 20 with such a sealant, it is possible to provide an area around the piezoelectric element 20 within the mounting surface of the piezoelectric element 20 where the Young's modulus is relatively low, i.e., where vibration is relatively difficult to transmit, and an area where the Young's modulus is relatively high, i.e., where vibration is relatively easy to transmit. As a result, it is possible to control the vibration of the piezoelectric element 20 and to control the characteristics such as the intensity of the ultrasonic waves generated from the piezoelectric element 20.

[0086] More specifically, the vibration direction 21 of the piezoelectric element 20 is parallel to the second main surface 42 of the substrate 40, and may be parallel to the longitudinal direction of the substrate 40, i.e., parallel to the long side of the substrate 40. In this case, as shown in Fig. 9, by providing at least one opening 44 in the short side direction of the substrate 40 with respect to the piezoelectric element 20, it is possible to suppress the vibration of the piezoelectric element 20 in the short side direction of the substrate 40. Therefore, it is possible to improve the intensity of the ultrasonic waves oscillated in the vibration direction 21 of the piezoelectric element 20.

[0087] Here, the "vibration direction of the piezoelectric element" refers to the direction in which the amount of displacement is greatest at the frequency at which the piezoelectric element is to be driven.

[0088] The vibration direction 21 of the piezoelectric element 20 may be parallel to the second main surface 42 of the substrate 40 and parallel to the short side direction of the substrate 40, but in that case, it is preferable that at least one opening 44 is provided in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 40 with respect to the portion where the piezoelectric element 20 is mounted. More preferably, at least one opening 44 is provided on each side of the piezoelectric element 20 in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 40. In this case, the opening 44 may be a notch, but from the viewpoint of being disposed in the vicinity of the piezoelectric element 20, it is preferable that the opening 44 is a through hole.

[0089] Furthermore, the vibration direction 21 of the piezoelectric element 20 may be perpendicular to the second main surface 42 of the substrate 40. In that case, at least one opening 44 may be provided around the portion where the piezoelectric element 20 is mounted. Preferably, a plurality of openings 44 are provided evenly around the portion where the piezoelectric element 20 is mounted.

[0090] [Embodiment 3] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating an example of a substrate and a piezoelectric element mounted on a second main surface of the substrate in a swallowed device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0091] In the medication device 10C shown in FIG. 10, the planar shape of the substrate 40 is rectangular, similar to that of the first embodiment.

[0092] At least one opening 44 is provided in the short side direction of the substrate 40 with respect to the portion where the piezoelectric element 20 is mounted, and at least one opening 44 is provided in the long side direction of the substrate 40 with respect to the portion where the piezoelectric element 20 is mounted. Preferably, at least one opening 44 is provided on each side of the piezoelectric element 20 in the short side direction of the substrate 40, and at least one opening 44 is provided on each side of the piezoelectric element 20 in the long side direction of the substrate 40. This allows the elastic force of the substrate 40 to be used for the vibration of the piezoelectric element 20 when the vibration direction of the piezoelectric element 20 is perpendicular to the second main surface 42 of the substrate 40, and the strength of the ultrasonic signal oscillated from the piezoelectric element 20 can be improved. This is because a plurality of substrate portions, preferably four portions, existing between adjacent openings 44 can be arranged around the piezoelectric element 20 and function as a beam structure that enhances the vibration of the piezoelectric element 20.

[0093] FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating another example of a substrate and a piezoelectric element mounted on a second main surface of the substrate in the swallowed device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0094] 11, it is preferable that the opening 44 has a shape that has at least a part of a curve in a plan view. This allows the sealant 54 before hardening to flow over the entire area of ​​the opening 44, thereby making it possible to more effectively use the opening 44. This is because a fluid flowing through an opening having corners in its cross section, such as a rectangular parallelepiped, stagnates at the corner cross section due to the resistance of the wall surface, and flows mainly in the central round cross section.

[0095] Examples of shapes having at least a curved line include, for example, a circle (see FIG. 11), an ellipse, a polygon with rounded corners, etc., when the opening 44 is a through hole, and a semicircle, semi-ellipse, semi-oval (see FIG. 11), etc., when the opening 44 is a notch. Examples of polygonal shapes include, for example, a triangle, a rectangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, an octagon, etc.

[0096] 11 shows a case where each opening 44 has a shape that is at least partially curved in a plan view, but only some of the multiple openings 44 may have a shape that is at least partially curved in a plan view. In other words, openings 44 having a shape that is at least partially curved in a plan view and openings 44 having a shape that is only composed of straight lines in a plan view may be mixed.

[0097] The medication devices 10B and 10C can both be manufactured in the same manner as the medication device 10A.

[0098] [Embodiment 4] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a schematic example of an information acquisition system for a taken device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0099] The information acquisition system 100 for a taken device shown in FIG. 12 is a system for acquiring information from a taken device 110, and includes the taken device 110, a processing device 120, and a receiver 130.

[0100] The taken device 110, like the taken device 10 described above, includes a piezoelectric element 111, a battery 112, a biological information acquisition unit 113, and an A / D converter 114. The taken device 110 also includes a control unit 115 that controls the timing of acquiring biological information, processes the acquired information, and controls transmission to the receiving unit of the receiver 130.

[0101] The medication device 110 may include a memory unit 116, and for example, the biometric information acquired by the biometric information acquisition unit 113 may be stored in the memory unit 116.

[0102] The receiver 130 acquires information from the taken device 110 by receiving an ultrasonic signal oscillated from the piezoelectric element 111 of the taken device 110, and transmits the acquired information to the processing device 120. The receiver 130 is used by being attached to the body surface of the taker, such as the torso, neck, or wrist, using a fastener such as a belt. The receiver 130 is attached so as to be in direct contact with the body surface, or so as to be in contact with the body surface via an intermediary such as gel.

[0103] The receiver 130 includes, for example, a receiving unit 131, a transmitting unit 132, a battery 133, and a display unit 134.

[0104] The receiving unit 131 receives an ultrasonic signal oscillated from the piezoelectric element 111 of the taken device 110. As a result, the receiver 130 acquires information, such as biological information, from the taken device 110.

[0105] The receiving unit 131 is composed of an ultrasonic receiver that receives ultrasonic waves. The principle of ultrasonic reception by the ultrasonic receiver is not particularly limited, but the ultrasonic receiver preferably includes a piezoelectric element, and the piezoelectric element preferably generates a voltage by receiving ultrasonic waves. The piezoelectric element included in the receiving unit 131 is also called a piezoelectric vibrator. PZT (lead zirconate titanate), BT (barium titanate), KNN (potassium sodium niobate), etc. can be used as the material of the piezoelectric element.

[0106] The transmission unit 132 transmits information acquired from the medication device 110 to the processing device 120 by wireless communication. The wireless communication is, for example, communication using a data communication line using radio waves from a mobile phone, an Internet line, Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc. Note that the communication between the transmission unit 132 and the processing device 120 is not limited to wireless communication, and may be communication by a wired connection such as a USB cable connection, an Ethernet cable connection, or a serial cable connection.

[0107] The battery 133 supplies power to each component of the receiver 130, and may be a chargeable and dischargeable secondary battery. The specific type of the battery 133 is not particularly limited.

[0108] The display unit 134 is configured to be able to display, for example, information acquired from the medication device 110. As the display unit 134, for example, a liquid crystal display or the like can be mentioned.

[0109] The processing device 120 acquires information transmitted from the transmission unit 132 of the receiver 130, i.e., information from the ingested device 110. The processing device 120 performs various data processing and data management based on the acquired information. Specifically, for example, the processing device 120 manages and analyzes biological information acquired from the ingested device 110, manages medicines taken together with the ingested device 110, and the like.

[0110] The information acquisition system 100 for medication devices confirms whether the patient has taken the prescribed medication, for example, by the following method.

[0111] First, the ingestible device 110 is configured to automatically turn on when it is removed from its sealed container, and when the ingestible device 110 is turned on, it continues to emit ultrasonic signals of a constant frequency from the piezoelectric element 111.

[0112] At the same time, the receiver 130 continues to receive the ultrasonic signal transmitted from the ingested device 110. When the ingested device 110 is ingested by a patient together with a drug, the frequency of the ultrasonic signal received by the receiver 130 changes as the ingested device 110 enters the body. By detecting this change in frequency, it is possible to detect that a drug has been ingested together with the ingested device 110.

[0113] When the receiver 130 detects that the drug and the medication device 110 have been taken, it transmits information indicating this to the processing device 120, and the processing device 120 that receives the information manages whether or not the drug has been taken, the time of taking the drug, etc.

[0114] The present specification discloses the following:

[0115] <1> A ingestible device that transmits information by vibrating the device itself, a substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface; A piezoelectric element mounted on the second main surface; a housing that houses the substrate and the piezoelectric element; a first region surrounded by the first main surface and a first inner wall portion of the housing; a second region that is surrounded by the second main surface and a second inner wall portion of the housing and communicates with the first region through an opening portion provided in the substrate; a sealant provided at least in the second region so as to be in contact with at least the piezoelectric element and the second inner wall portion; A dosing device comprising:

[0116] <2> The sealant is filled at least in the second region and the opening. <1> A dosing device as described in.

[0117] <3> the housing has a mounting surface on which the substrate is placed, The second inner wall portion forms a recess recessed from the mounting surface. <1> or <2> A dosing device as described in.

[0118] <4> The planar shape of the substrate is rectangular, At least one opening is provided in a short-side direction of the substrate with respect to a portion on which the piezoelectric element is mounted. <1> ~ <3> 2. A dosing device as described in any one of the preceding claims.

[0119] <5> At least one opening is provided in the longitudinal direction of the substrate with respect to the portion on which the piezoelectric element is mounted. <4> A dosing device as described in.

[0120] <6> The opening has a shape having at least a curved line in a plan view. <1> ~ <5> 2. A dosing device as described in any one of the preceding claims.

[0121] <7> the substrate is disposed parallel to a longitudinal direction of the housing, a distance from the second main surface of the substrate to the second inner wall portion is shorter than a distance from the first main surface of the substrate to the first inner wall portion of the housing; <1> ~ <6> 2. A dosing device as described in any one of the preceding claims.

[0122] <8> <1> ~ <7> A dosing device according to any one of the preceding claims, A processing device; a receiver that receives an ultrasonic signal oscillated from the piezoelectric element to obtain information from the medication device and transmits the obtained information to the processing device; An information acquisition system for a medication device, comprising:

[0123] <9> preparing a first divided housing and a second divided housing; preparing a substrate having an opening and a piezoelectric element mounted thereon; placing the substrate on the second divided housing such that the piezoelectric element is located between the second divided housing and the substrate; injecting a sealant through the opening into a region surrounded by the substrate and an inner wall of the second divided housing; curing the injected sealant; a step of joining the first divided housing and the second divided housing into which the sealant has been injected and cured; A method for manufacturing a dosage device, comprising:

[0124] <10> The method further includes a step of degassing the sealant before hardening before injecting the sealant into the second divided housing. <9> A method for manufacturing the dosage device described in claim 1. [Explanation of symbols]

[0125] 10A, 10B, 10C, 110 Dosing Devices 11 First area 12 Second area 20, 111 Piezoelectric element 21 Vibration direction 30 Case 31a 1st inner wall part 31b 2nd inner wall part 32a First division housing 32b Second division housing 33 Placement surface 34 Recess 35a 1st Bottom 35b Second Bottom 35c first side circumference 35d Second side circumference 40 Substrate 41 First main surface 42 Second main surface 43 Rand 44 Opening 51, 112, 133 batteries 52, 113 Biometric information acquisition unit 53, 114 A / D converter 54 Sealant 56 IC 100 Information Acquisition System 115 Control Unit 116 Memory section 120 Processing equipment 130 Receiver 131 Receiving unit 132 Transmitter 134 Display section

Claims

1. A ingestible device that transmits information by vibrating the device itself, a substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface; A piezoelectric element mounted on the second main surface; a housing that houses the substrate and the piezoelectric element; a first region surrounded by the first main surface and a first inner wall portion of the housing; a second region that is surrounded by the second main surface and a second inner wall portion of the housing and communicates with the first region through an opening portion provided in the substrate; a sealant provided at least in the second region so as to be in contact with at least the piezoelectric element and the second inner wall portion; A dosing device comprising:

2. The dosing device of claim 1 , wherein the sealant is filled within at least the second region and the opening.

3. the housing has a mounting surface on which the substrate is placed, The medication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second inner wall portion forms a recess recessed from the placement surface.

4. The planar shape of the substrate is rectangular, The medication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one opening is provided in the short direction of the substrate relative to the portion in which the piezoelectric element is mounted.

5. The dosage device according to claim 4 , wherein at least one opening is provided in the longitudinal direction of the substrate relative to the portion in which the piezoelectric element is mounted.

6. The medication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the opening has a shape having at least a curved portion when viewed in a plane.

7. the substrate is disposed parallel to a longitudinal direction of the housing, A dosing device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the distance from the second main surface of the substrate to the second inner wall portion is shorter than the distance from the first main surface of the substrate to the first inner wall portion of the housing.

8. A dosing device according to claim 1 or 2, A processing device; a receiver that receives an ultrasonic signal oscillated from the piezoelectric element to obtain information from the medication device and transmits the obtained information to the processing device; An information acquisition system for a medication device, comprising:

9. preparing a first divided housing and a second divided housing; preparing a substrate having an opening and a piezoelectric element mounted thereon; placing the substrate on the second divided housing such that the piezoelectric element is located between the second divided housing and the substrate; injecting a sealant through the opening into a region surrounded by the substrate and an inner wall of the second divided housing; curing the injected sealant; a step of joining the first divided housing and the second divided housing into which the sealant has been injected and cured; A method for manufacturing a dosage device, comprising:

10. The method for manufacturing a dosing device according to claim 9, further comprising the step of degassing the sealant before it is hardened before being injected into the second divided housing.

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