Smoking device and smoking method

Abstract

To provide a smoking device suitable for use in the state of being arranged in a small space in a vertical direction with respect to a lateral direction of an underfloor space and the like, and a smoking method using the smoking device.SOLUTION: A smoking device comprises a smoking agent, a heater for heating the smoking agent, and a smoking container that houses the smoking agent and the heater. The smoking container has at least one smoke exhaust nozzle for laterally spewing out an aerosol, which is generated by heating the smoking agent, into a space from within the smoking container.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fumigation device suitable for use in a small space vertically relative to its horizontal direction, such as under a floor, and a fumigation method using this fumigation device. [Background technology]

[0002] A wide variety of pests, such as termites, centipedes, millipedes, cockroaches, and cockroaches, may inhabit the space under the floor of a house. Conventionally, a method for controlling (i.e., preventing and exterminating) these pests has been to spray or apply a liquid pest control agent. Patent Document 1 also proposes a method of diffusing a pest control component into the space under the floor together with smoke by fumigation.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an underfloor fumigation insecticide comprising a fumigation agent container containing a fumigation insecticide composition containing an organic foaming agent and a heat-generating agent, and a top lid attached to the top of the fumigation agent container. The top lid comprises a top lid body and a smoke nozzle detachably attached to the top lid body. The smoke nozzle is longer than the diameter of the fumigation agent container, allowing the direction of the smoke to be adjusted. A fumigation method using this underfloor fumigation insecticide involves inserting a spray nozzle into the underfloor space through an underfloor ventilation opening installed in the foundation of a house, heating and volatilizing the insecticide composition with the heat-generating agent, and then spraying the insecticide composition from the spray nozzle together with smoke to diffuse throughout the underfloor space. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-342155 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Underfloor ventilation openings installed in the foundation of a house are generally blocked with mesh or grills to allow air to pass through in order to prevent small animals from entering the space under the floor, and it is difficult to pass the spray nozzle of Patent Document 1 through such underfloor ventilation openings. Also, some houses use a foundation packing method in which underfloor packing is sandwiched between the foundation and the base instead of underfloor ventilation openings, creating a gap for ventilation, and in such houses there are no underfloor ventilation openings through which the spray nozzle of Patent Document 1 can pass. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In recent years, the number of homes equipped with floor inspection hatches has increased. These are entrances for inspecting the space under the floor. Inspection hatches are often installed in bathrooms or kitchens and are typically covered with inspection hatch covers. The inventors of the present application therefore came up with a pest control method in which a fumigation device is inserted into the crawl space through the inspection hatch and the device diffuses pest control ingredients into the crawl space along with the smoke. However, because the crawl space is a flat space that is narrower vertically than horizontally, conventional fumigation devices produce smoke that is hot and impinges on the crawl space top plate. This can lead to heat deterioration of the crawl space top plate directly above the fumigation device, or to concentrated pest control ingredients adhering to the crawl space top plate directly above the fumigation device, reducing the amount of active ingredient diffused into the crawl space.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a fumigation device suitable for use in a small space that is vertically narrower than horizontally, such as an underfloor space, and a fumigation method using said fumigation device.

[0008] A fumigation device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a fumigation device that is applied to a space that is small in the vertical direction relative to the horizontal direction, Fumigants and a heating device for heating the fumigant; a smoking container containing the fumigant and the heating device, The smoking container has at least one smoke outlet that ejects the smoke generated by heating the fumigant from within the smoking container in the lateral direction.

[0009] Further, a fumigation method according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: A smoking container containing a fumigant is placed in a small space vertically relative to the horizontal direction, Heating the fumigant, The smoke generated from the heated fumigant is sprayed horizontally from within the smoking container into the space, and the active ingredients contained in the fumigant are diffused into the space along with the smoke. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a fumigation device suitable for use in a small space that is vertically narrower than horizontally, such as an underfloor space, and a fumigation method using the fumigation device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a fumigation device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the heating device. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the fumigation device before use. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the inner lid. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a fumigation device showing an example of the arrangement of the upper cover. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the upper cover. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an upper cover according to the first modification. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an upper cover according to the second modification. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the fumigation device placed in the underfloor space. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 shows the state of the fumigation device during smoking. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a fumigation device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the fumigation device before use. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 shows how smoke outlet holes are opened in the smoking device. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 shows the state of the fumigation device during smoking. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The fumigation device according to the present disclosure is suitable for use in flat spaces that are narrow in the vertical direction relative to the horizontal direction, such as underfloor spaces. The fumigation device comprises a fumigant, a heating device for heating the fumigant, and a smoking container containing the fumigant and the heating device. The smoking container is configured to eject smoke generated by heating the fumigant laterally from the smoking container rather than directly above it. This allows fine particles of the active ingredient contained in the fumigant to be effectively diffused throughout the flat space along with the smoke. Below, first and second embodiments of the fumigation device, which differ in the configuration of the smoking container, are described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0013] [First embodiment] Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a smoking device 1A according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The direction corresponding to the up-down direction on the plane of the paper in Fig. 1 is referred to as the up-down direction X, and the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction X is referred to as the horizontal direction Y. In Fig. 1, the horizontal direction Y is shown as the direction penetrating the plane of the paper in Fig. 1. When the smoking device 1A is placed on a horizontal surface, the up-down direction X corresponds to the approximately vertical direction, and the horizontal direction Y corresponds to the approximately horizontal direction.

[0014] The smoking device 1A shown in FIG. 1 includes a fumigant 20, a heating device 10, and a smoking container 30 containing the heating device 10 and the fumigant 20.

[0015] 《Fumigant 20》 The fumigant 20 becomes aerosol when heated. The aerosol is a colloidal state in which fine particles of solid or liquid are dispersed in a gas. The particle size of the aerosol is about 0.1 to 10 μm.

[0016] The fumigant 20 contains a chemical agent containing an active ingredient appropriate for the purpose of the fumigation device 1A. The active ingredient contains a control ingredient that is effective against at least one of pests, microorganisms, and small animals that may inhabit the underfloor area of a house. Here, the control ingredient only needs to have at least one of the effects of preventing, repelling, and exterminating the target. Examples of pests include termites, centipedes, millipedes, cockroaches, and cockroaches. Examples of small animals include dogs, cats, mice, weasels, foxes, raccoon dogs, bats, and moles. Examples of chemical agents include pest control agents such as insecticides, repellents, and insect growth regulators; microbial control agents such as antibacterial agents, bactericides, and fungicides; and small animal control agents such as repellents.

[0017] Examples of pest control agents include pyrethroid agents such as permethrin, allethrin, resmethrin, cyphenothrin, prallethrin, bifenthrin, profluthrin, fluvalinate, fenothrin, fenvalerate, fenpropathrin, and etofenprox; organophosphate agents such as fenitrothion, dichlorvos (DDVP), diazinon, prothiofos, and vitex; carbamate agents such as propoxur, methoxadiazone, and fenobucarb (BPMC); benzoylphenylurea agents such as diflubenzuron, chlorfluazuron, and bistrifluron; neonicotinoid agents such as acetamiprid, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam; diamide agents such as flubendiamide and chlorantraniliprole; and electron transport system I inhibitors such as tebufenpyrad and tolfenpyrad. Examples of microbial control agents include agricultural fungicides such as triflumizole, cyflufenamid, tetrachloroisophthalonitrile (TPN), iprodione, mepanipyrim, procymidone, bayleton, and morestan; environmental sanitation fungicides such as thiabendazole (TBZ), thiabendazole, 3-iodo-2-propynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC), and IF-1000; and silver ions. Small animal control agents (small animal repellents) are compounds in which scent components extracted from plants are supported on a carrier. Examples of plants include chili pepper (capsaicin), wasabi (allyl isothiocyanate), mustard (allyl isothiocyanate), and herbs such as lemongrass, citronella, peppermint, Japanese mint, eucalyptus, and geranium. These agents can be used alone or in appropriate combinations of two or more. The amount of the agent in the fumigant is, for example, 0.1% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less. As a non-limiting example, the fumigant 20 of the fumigation device 1A intended for controlling termites under floors contains bistrifluron, which inhibits chitin biosynthesis in termites, as an agent containing a pest control component effective against termites.

[0018] The smoking agent 20 may contain additives such as a heat-generating base, a heat-generating aid, a stabilizer, a binder, an excipient, a flavoring agent, and a colorant, as required.

[0019] Examples of heat-generating bases include combustible agents and organic blowing agents. Examples of combustible agents include mixtures of oxidizing agents such as potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate, and potassium nitrate with combustible substances such as starch, lactose, and cellulose, and nitrocellulose. Preferably, the organic blowing agent used generates carbon dioxide gas or nitrogen gas. Examples of such organic blowing agents include azodicarbonamide, p,p'-oxybis(benzenesulfonylhydrazide), N,N'-dinitrosopentamethylenetetramine, and azobisisobutyronitrile. Examples of heat-generating assistants include zinc stearate, magnesium stearate, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, zinc carbonate, calcium carbonate, and urea. Examples of stabilizers include sorbitan fatty acid esters, dibutylhydroxytoluene, butylhydroxyanisole, propyl gallate, and epoxy compounds (epoxidized soybean oil, epoxidized linseed oil, etc.). Examples of binders include methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, starch, dextrin, hydroxypropyl starch, gelatin, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, sodium polyacrylate, etc. Examples of excipients include clay (hydrated aluminum silicate), talc, diatomaceous earth, kaolin, bentonite, white carbon, calcium carbonate, etc.

[0020] The amount of fumigant 20 to be loaded into the smoking container 30 is determined appropriately taking into consideration the size of the space to be smoked, the type and amount of agent in the fumigant 20, etc. 2 For a room of 6-8 tatami mats, it is about 10-12.5g, and 30-250m 2 In greenhouse horticulture facilities, etc., it is about 10-100g, and 40-900m 2 In warehouses, etc., the weight can be around 120-600g.

[0021] The fumigant 20 is generally prepared as a solid preparation in the form of powder, granules, bulk, pellets, tablets, or the like. The solid preparation can be prepared using a known manufacturing method depending on the desired dosage form. For example, when a granular preparation is used, the fumigant 20 can be produced by a known manufacturing method for granulated materials, such as extrusion granulation, compression granulation, stirring granulation, tumbling granulation, or fluidized bed granulation.

[0022] 《Heating device 10》 Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the heating device 10. As shown in Fig. 2, the heating device 10 includes a heat generating agent 14, a heat generating container 11 containing the heat generating agent 14, a middle plate 12 disposed on the heat generating agent 14, and a water-permeable sheet 13 disposed between the heat generating agent 14 and the middle plate 12 in the vertical direction X.

[0023] The heating container 11 is a cylindrical body with a bottom that extends in the vertical direction X. The heating container 11 may be cylindrical or rectangular. The upper end of the heating container 11 is open, and a flange 15 is provided on the edge of the upper opening. The heating container 11 is preferably made of a material with high thermal conductivity, such as steel (e.g., stainless steel), aluminum, an aluminum alloy, copper, or a copper alloy. Before use, the upper opening of the heating container 11 is sealed with a moisture-proof film 17 to prevent the heating agent 14 from absorbing moisture in the fumigation device 1A.

[0024] The heating container 11 is filled with a heating agent 14 to about 50-60% of the container's capacity. The heating device 10 heats the fumigant 20 using the heat of a chemical reaction between water and the heating agent 14. The heating agent 14 is not particularly limited, and any substance that generates heat upon reaction with water may be used. Examples of the heating agent 14 include calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum chloride, calcium chloride, and iron oxide. The heating agent 14 is preferably calcium oxide containing soft-burned quicklime as its main component. Calcium oxide (quicklime) is classified as soft-burned quicklime or hard-burned quicklime depending on the method of calcination. Hard-burned quicklime reacts with water more slowly than soft-burned quicklime. Hard-burned quicklime is suitable when aiming for a heat generation pattern that suppresses the initial heat generation amount and then gradually generates heat, or when mixing it with soft-burned quicklime to adjust the reaction rate.

[0025] The form of the heat generating agent 14 is not particularly limited, but granular or pellet form is preferred from the viewpoint of ease of contact with water. The particle size of the granular heat generating agent 14 is preferably 1-5 mm (nominal mesh size of the sieve). The amount of heat generating agent 14 used is not particularly limited as long as it is an amount that can generate the heat required for smoking, and is, for example, 5-50 g.

[0026] The water-permeable sheet 13 is placed on top of the heat-generating agent 14 and covers the top of the heat-generating agent 14. The water-permeable sheet 13 has heat resistance and water permeability that can withstand the heat generated by the heat-generating agent 14. The water-permeable sheet 13 distributes water supplied from above evenly to the heat-generating agent 14.

[0027] The middle plate 12 is placed inside the heat-generating container 11 and functions as an inner lid that holds the heat-generating agent 14 and the water-permeable sheet 13 inside the heat-generating container 11. The gap between the outer edge of the middle plate 12 and the inner wall of the heat-generating container 11 is sealed to prevent water from passing through. The middle plate 12 has at least one water-passing hole 16 that allows water to pass through. The middle plate 12 also has a spacer portion 18 that protrudes downward. The spacer portion 18 and the water-passing hole 16 may overlap. The spacer portion 18 forms a space between the middle plate 12 and the water-permeable sheet 13 in the up-down direction X, and prevents the water-permeable sheet 13 from coming into close contact with the middle plate 12 and blocking the water-passing hole 16.

[0028] Smoking container 30 Returning to FIG. 1, the smoking container 30 comprises a container body 31, an upper lid 33, and an upper cover 39.

[0029] The container body 31 is a cylindrical body with a bottom that extends in the vertical direction X. The container body 31 may be cylindrical or rectangular. The inner diameter of the container body 31 is sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of the heat-generating container 11 of the heating device 10. The container body 31 has heat resistance that can withstand the heat applied by the heating device 10. Examples of materials for the container body 31 include metal materials such as steel (e.g., stainless steel), aluminum, aluminum alloys, copper, and copper alloys, as well as organic materials such as paper and plastic. The area in the vertical direction X from the bottom of the container body 31 to the top lid 33, excluding the area where the heating device 10 is disposed, forms a storage section 32 in which the fumigant 20 is stored.

[0030] Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the fumigation device 1A before use. As shown in Fig. 3, in the fumigation device 1A before use, the upper end 31e of the container body 31 is airtightly sealed with the outer lid 34 to prevent moisture absorption and oxidation of the fumigant 20. It is preferable that the outer lid 34 be in a form that can be completely removed from the container body 31 so that the upper end 31e of the container body 31 becomes a fully open end when in use.

[0031] Returning to FIG. 1 , the top lid 33 has the functions of holding the fumigant 20 in the container body 31, holding the heating device 10 in the container body 31, and adjusting the amount of smoke emitted. The top lid 33 is disposed within the container body 31 above the fumigant 20. However, in order to ensure a volume for the fumigant 20, the top lid 33 is preferably disposed near the upper end 31e of the container body 31. The top lid 33 has an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the container body 31, and is fitted into the container body 31. The top lid 33 is held in position at the midpoint of the container body 31 in the up-down direction X by a stepped surface provided on the inner wall of the container body 31.

[0032] The upper lid 33 according to this embodiment is composed of an upper member 331 and a lower member 332. The upper member 331 and the lower member 332 are shallow, bottomed cylindrical bodies with slightly different diameters so that they can be nested. The upper member 331 and the lower member 332 are fitted together in a nested manner so that the bottom surface of the upper member 331 becomes the top surface of the upper lid 33, and the bottom surface of the lower member 332 becomes the bottom surface of the upper lid 33.

[0033] 4 is a plan view of the top lid 33. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the lower member 332 of the top lid 33 has a fitting hole 35 approximately in the center of the bottom surface. The heat-generating container 11 of the heating device 10 is fitted into the fitting hole 35. The inner diameter of the fitting hole 35 is larger than the outer diameter of the body of the heat-generating container 11 and smaller than the outer diameter of the flange 15 of the heat-generating container 11. In the heating device 10 fitted into the fitting hole 35 of the top lid 33, the body of the heat-generating container 11 protrudes downward beyond the top lid 33, and at least a portion of the heat-generating container 11 is buried in the fumigant 20.

[0034] The upper member 331 has a recess 38 approximately in the center of the bottom surface, and a water inlet hole 36 approximately in the center of the recess 38. The upper member 331 has a plurality of smoke holes 37 arranged in a circumferential direction around the water inlet hole 36. The lower member 332 has a plurality of smoke holes 37 arranged in a circumferential direction around the fitting hole 35. The smoke holes 37 of the upper member 331 and the smoke holes 37 of the lower member 332 may or may not overlap in the vertical direction X.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the upper cover 39 is disposed above the top lid 33. The upper cover 39 has the function of redirecting the flow of smoke expelled upward from the smoke holes 37 of the top lid 33 from upward to horizontal, and the function of forming a smoke outlet 40 facing the horizontal direction Y between the upper end 31e of the container body 31 and the upper cover 39. The upper cover 39 may be placed on the top lid 33 (see FIG. 1) or on the edge of the opening of the upper end 31e of the container body 31 (see FIG. 5). The upper cover 39 forms two smoke outlets 40 facing the horizontal direction Y between the upper end 31e of the container body 31 and the upper cover 39 in the vertical direction X. Although there are two smoke outlets 40 in this embodiment, the smoking container 30 need only have at least one smoke outlet 40. Furthermore, when the smoking container 30 has a plurality of smoke outlets 40, it is preferable that the plurality of smoke outlets 40 are arranged so that smoke is emitted radially in the lateral direction Y from the container body 31.

[0036] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the upper cover 39. The upper cover 39 illustrated in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6 is an oval or circular sheet folded in half. The sheet is made of paper and is coated with a heat-resistant coating that can withstand the temperature of the smoke (approximately 200°C) at the smoke outlet 40. However, the sheet may also be made of resin or metal. The upper cover 39 is attached to the smoking container 30 so that its vertical cross section is mountain-shaped (i.e., an upside-down V-shape) when the smoking device 1A is in use. However, the upper cover 39 may also be attached to the smoking container 30 so that its vertical cross section is valley-shaped (i.e., a V-shape) when the smoking device 1A is in use. The shape of the upper cover 39 is not particularly limited as long as it can form two or more smoke outlets 40 facing the horizontal direction Y between the upper end 31e of the container body 31 and the upper cover 39 in the vertical direction X. For example, as shown in Fig. 7, the upper cover 39 may be a circular or elliptical sheet that has been folded so as to form a trapezoid when viewed from the lateral direction Y. Also, for example, as shown in Fig. 8, the upper cover 39 may be a circular or elliptical sheet that has been bent so as to form an arc when viewed from the lateral direction Y. In this way, the upper cover 39 may be a sheet that has been folded or bent so as to be convex upward or convex downward.

[0037] <<Smoking method using smoking device 1A>> Here, we will explain a fumigation method in which the fumigation device 1A having the above-mentioned configuration is applied to the underfloor space 50. The underfloor space 50 is an example of a small space in the vertical direction X relative to the horizontal direction Y. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the fumigation device 1A in the underfloor space 50, and Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the state of the fumigation device 1A during fumigation.

[0038] The fumigation method involves the following steps (1) to (7) in order. It is advisable to seal underfloor ventilation holes, gaps in the foundation packing, and gaps connecting the underfloor space to the interior space with tape beforehand. (1) Open the underfloor inspection hatch 53 provided in the floor 51 and place the fumigation device 1A in the underfloor space 50 (see Figure 9). Here, to prevent the fumigation device 1A from tipping over, it is preferable that the fumigation device 1A be placed on flat ground G. (2) Remove outer lid 34 (see FIG. 3) from smoking receptacle 30. When outer lid 34 is removed, upper end 31e of receptacle body 31 of smoking receptacle 30 is opened. (3) Looking into the opening of the container body 31, you can see the moisture-proof film 17 of the heating device 10 exposed inside the water injection hole 36 of the top lid 33. Insert the tip of a rod-shaped object such as a pen or tool into the water injection hole 36 of the top lid 33 to make a hole in the moisture-proof film 17 of the heating device 10. (4) Pour a predetermined amount of water into the recess 38 of the top cover 33. (5) Place the upper cover 39 on the container body 31 (see FIGS. 1 and 5). (6) Close the underfloor inspection hatch 53 with the inspection hatch cover 54, and seal the gap between the inspection hatch cover 54 and the floorboard with tape (see Figure 10). (7) After a predetermined time (e.g., 60 seconds) has elapsed since the water was poured, evaporation of the pest control component begins, and smoke is emitted from the fumigation device 1 A. After a predetermined retention time (e.g., 12 hours or more) has elapsed, the underfloor inspection hatch 53 is opened, the fumigation device 1 A is removed from the underfloor space 50, and the underfloor inspection hatch 53 is closed again with the inspection hatch cover 54.

[0039] In step (4) above, the water poured into the recess 38 flows into the heating device 10 through the water inlet 36 in the top cover 33 and the holes in the moisture-proof film 17. The water that flows into the heating device 10 flows onto the middle plate 12 and drops through the water-passing holes 16 in the middle plate 12 onto the water-permeable sheet 13 arranged below the middle plate 12. The water soaks into the water-permeable sheet 13 and diffuses, and is uniformly supplied to the heat-generating agent 14 in contact with the water-permeable sheet 13. Heat of a chemical reaction is generated by the contact between the heat-generating agent 14 and the water. This heat of the chemical reaction is indirectly transmitted to the fumigant 20 via the heat-generating container 11 of the heating device 10.

[0040] When heat is transferred to the fumigant 20, aerosols containing pest control ingredients are generated from the fumigant 20. The flow of aerosols travels upward through the smoke holes 37 in the upper lid 33, collides with the underside of the upper cover 39, changes direction to the lateral direction Y, and is forcefully ejected in the lateral direction Y from the smoke outlet 40. Because the aerosols are lighter than air, the aerosols ejected in the lateral direction Y from the smoke outlet 40 rise while diffusing in the lateral direction Y. The aerosols then move in the underfloor space 50 along with the air flow in the underfloor space 50. In this way, the pest control ingredients contained in the aerosols are diffused as fine particles into the underfloor space 50 along with the smoke.

[0041] The aerosol (i.e., smoke) generated from the fumigating agent 20 does not rise straight up from the fumigating device 1A, but is expelled from the fumigating device 1A with acceleration in the lateral direction Y, as shown in Figure 10. This prevents the aerosol generated from the fumigating agent 20 from colliding with the underfloor top plate 55 in a high-temperature state. Here, the underfloor top plate 55 also includes the underside of the inspection hatch cover 54. This prevents the underfloor top plate 55 directly above the fumigating device 1A from being altered by heat, and prevents the pest control ingredients from being concentratedly attached to the underfloor top plate 55 directly above the fumigating device 1A.

[0042] [Second embodiment] Next, a description will be given of a fumigation device 1B according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the fumigation device 1B according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, and Fig. 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the fumigation device 1B before use. In the description of the second embodiment, components that are the same as or similar to those in the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals in the drawings, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0043] The smoking device 1B according to the second embodiment differs from the smoking device 1A according to the first embodiment described above only in the configuration of the smoking container 30. Therefore, the configuration of the smoking container 30 of the smoking device 1B will be described in detail, and descriptions of the smoking agent 20 and the heating device 10 will be omitted.

[0044] The smoking container 30 of the smoking device 1B shown in Figure 11 comprises a container body 31 and an upper lid 33. The configuration of the container body 31 is substantially the same as that of the container body 31 of the smoking device 1A according to the first embodiment described above, and the description of the container body 31 of the first embodiment described above will be cited by reference.

[0045] The top lid 33 has the function of holding the fumigant 20 in the container body 31 and the function of holding the heating device 10 in the container body 31. The top lid 33 is disposed within the container body 31 above the fumigant 20. A gap 45 is provided between the top lid 33 and the fumigant 20 in the vertical direction X. The top lid 33 has an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the container body 31, and is fitted into the container body 31. Furthermore, the position of the top lid 33 in the vertical direction X relative to the container body 31 is maintained by a stepped surface provided on the inner wall of the container body 31.

[0046] The top cover 33 is composed of an upper member 331 and a lower member 332. The upper member 331 and the lower member 332 are shallow, bottomed cylindrical bodies with slightly different diameters so that they can be nested inside each other. The top surface of the upper member 331 becomes the top surface of the top cover 33, and the bottom surface of the lower member 332 becomes the bottom surface of the top cover 33.

[0047] The upper member 331 has a recess 38 at approximately the center of its bottom surface, and a water inlet 36 at approximately the center of the recess 38. The lower member 332 has a fitting hole 35 at approximately the center of its bottom surface, overlapping the water inlet 36 in the vertical direction X. The heat-generating container 11 of the heating device 10 is fitted into the fitting hole 35. The inner diameter of the fitting hole 35 is larger than the outer diameter of the body of the heat-generating container 11 and smaller than the outer diameter of the flange 15 of the heat-generating container 11. When the heating device 10 is fitted into the fitting hole 35 of the upper lid 33, the body of the heat-generating container 11 protrudes downward beyond the upper lid 33, and at least a portion of the heat-generating container 11 is buried in the fumigant 20. Note that the upper lid 33 of the fumigating device 1B according to this embodiment does not have a smoke hole, and the upper part of the storage section 32 is blocked by the upper lid 33.

[0048] As shown in Figure 12, in the smoking device 1B before use, the upper end 31e of the container body 31 is sealed with the outer lid 34, and the container body 31 does not have a smoke outlet 41. The smoke outlet 41 of the smoking device 1B is opened in the side wall of the container body 31 immediately before use of the smoking device 1B. A perforating tool 44 is used to open the smoke outlet 41. Figure 13 is a diagram showing the process of opening the smoke outlet 41 in the smoking device 1B. The perforating tool 44 shown in Figure 13 has a tip 44e that acts on the smoke container 30. By applying force to the perforating tool 44, the tip 44e acts on the side wall of the container body 31, opening the smoke outlet 41 in that side wall. The perforating tool 44 is preferably treated as one of the components of the smoking device 1B. However, it is also possible to open a smoke outlet 41 in the smoking container 30 without using a dedicated punching tool 44, in which case a commercially available tool (e.g., a gas vent) capable of punching the side wall of the container body 31 may be used.

[0049] As shown in Figures 12 and 13, in the smoking device 1B, at least one smoke outlet 41 is arranged on the side wall of the container body 31, between the fumigating agent 20 and the top cover 33 in the vertical direction X. The smoke outlet 41 connects the gap 45 between the fumigating agent 20 and the top cover 33 to the outside. The smoke outlets 41 are preferably arranged circumferentially in at least two or more locations around the smoking container 30. The multiple smoke outlets 41 preferably open radially from the center of the smoking container 30 in the horizontal direction Y. However, the multiple smoke outlets 41 may also be arranged biasedly at specific locations around the smoking container 30. The smoke outlet 41 may be a round hole or an elongated hole. It is preferable that a mark indicating a suitable position for the smoke outlet 41 is attached to the outer surface of the container body 31. The user can place the smoke outlet 41 in a suitable position on the smoking container 30 by using the punch 44 to drill the smoke outlet 41 in the container body 31 in accordance with the mark.

[0050] <<Smoking method using smoking device 1B>> Here, we will explain a fumigation method in which the fumigation device 1B having the above-mentioned configuration is applied to the underfloor space 50. The underfloor space 50 is an example of a space that is small in the vertical direction X relative to the horizontal direction Y. Figure 14 shows the state of the fumigation device 1B during fumigation.

[0051] The fumigation method involves the following steps (1) to (7) in order. It is advisable to seal underfloor ventilation holes, gaps in the foundation packing, and gaps connecting the underfloor space to the interior space with tape beforehand. (1) Using a punching tool 44, a plurality of smoke outlets 41 are opened in the smoking container 30 of the smoking apparatus 1B (see Figure 13). (2) Remove the outer lid 34 (see FIG. 12) from the smoking container 30. The outer lid 34 may be removed after the fumigation apparatus 1B is installed in the underfloor space 50. (3) Open the underfloor inspection hatch 53 and place the fumigation device 1B in the underfloor space 50 (see Figure 14). Here, to prevent the fumigation device 1B from tipping over, it is preferable that the fumigation device 1B be placed on flat ground G. (4) Insert the tip of a rod-shaped object such as a pen or tool into the water injection hole 36 of the upper cover 33 to make a hole in the moisture-proof film 17 of the heating device 10. (5) Pour a predetermined amount of water into the recess 38 of the top cover 33. (6) Close the underfloor inspection hatch 53 with the inspection hatch cover 54, and seal the gap between the inspection hatch cover 54 and the floorboards with tape. (7) After a predetermined time (e.g., 60 seconds) has elapsed since the water was poured, evaporation of the pest control component begins, and smoke is emitted from the fumigation device 1B. After a predetermined retention time (e.g., 12 hours or more) has elapsed, the underfloor inspection hatch 53 is opened, the fumigation device 1B is removed from the underfloor space 50, and the underfloor inspection hatch 53 is closed again with the inspection hatch cover 54.

[0052] In step (5) above, the water poured into the recess 38 flows into the heating device 10 through the water inlet 36 in the top cover 33 and the holes in the moisture-proof film 17. The water that flows into the heating device 10 flows onto the middle plate 12 and falls through the water-passing holes 16 in the middle plate 12 onto the water-permeable sheet 13 arranged below the middle plate 12. The water soaks into the water-permeable sheet 13 and diffuses, allowing the water to be supplied more uniformly to the heat-generating agent 14 in contact with the water-permeable sheet 13. Heat of chemical reaction is generated by the contact between the heat-generating agent 14 and the water. This heat of chemical reaction is indirectly transmitted to the fumigant 20 via the heat-generating container 11 of the heating device 10.

[0053] When heat is transferred to the fumigant 20, aerosols containing pest control ingredients are generated from the fumigant 20. The flow of aerosols collides with the underside of the top cover 33, changes direction of travel to the horizontal direction Y, and is forcefully sprayed in the horizontal direction Y from the smoke outlet 41 on the side of the fumigation container 30. Because the aerosols are lighter than air, the aerosols sprayed in the horizontal direction Y from the smoke outlet 41 rise while diffusing in the horizontal direction Y. The aerosols then move in the underfloor space 50 along with the air flow in the underfloor space 50. In this way, the pest control ingredients contained in the aerosols are dispersed as fine particles into the underfloor space 50 along with the smoke.

[0054] The aerosol generated from the fumigating agent 20 does not rise straight up from the fumigating device 1B, but is expelled from the fumigating device 1B with acceleration in the lateral direction Y, as shown in Figure 14. This prevents the aerosol generated from the fumigating agent 20 from colliding with the underfloor top plate 55 in a high temperature state. Here, the underfloor top plate 55 also includes the underside of the inspection hatch cover 54. This prevents the underfloor top plate 55 directly above the fumigating device 1B from being altered by heat, and prevents the pest control ingredients from being concentrated and attached to the underfloor top plate 55 directly above the fumigating device 1B.

[0055] [Summary] The fumigation devices 1A and 1B according to the first item of the present disclosure are fumigation devices 1A and 1B that are applied to a small space in the vertical direction X relative to the horizontal direction Y, 20 fumigants and A heating device 10 for heating a fumigant 20; A smoking container 30 containing a fumigant 20 and a heating device 10 is provided. The smoking container 30 has at least one smoke outlet 40, 41 for ejecting the smoke generated by heating the fumigant 20 from inside the smoking container 30 in the lateral direction Y.

[0056] According to the smoking apparatus 1A, 1B configured as described above, the aerosol (i.e., smoke) generated from the smoking agent 20 does not rise directly upward from the smoking apparatus 1A, 1B, but is instead expelled from the smoke outlets 40, 41 with acceleration in the lateral direction Y. This prevents the aerosol expelled from the smoking apparatus 1A, 1B from colliding with the underfloor top plate 55 in a high-temperature state. This prevents the underfloor top plate 55 directly above the smoking apparatus 1A, 1B from being altered by heat, and prevents concentrated adhesion of pest control ingredients to the underfloor top plate 55 directly above the smoking apparatus 1A, 1B. Thus, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a smoking apparatus 1A, 1B suitable for use when placed in a small space, such as the underfloor space 50, which is small in the vertical direction X relative to the lateral direction Y.

[0057] The smoking devices 1A, 1B according to the second item of the present disclosure are smoking devices 1A, 1B according to the first item, wherein at least one smoke outlet 40, 41 includes a plurality of smoke outlets 40 that radially eject smoke.

[0058] According to the above-mentioned smoking apparatuses 1A and 1B, the smoke is sprayed radially from the center of the smoking apparatuses 1A and 1B, which is suitable for diffusing the smoke in the lateral direction Y.

[0059] The fumigation devices 1A and 1B according to the third item of the present disclosure are the fumigation devices 1A and 1B according to the first or second item, in which the fumigant 20 contains bistrifluron.

[0060] The above-mentioned fumigation devices 1A and 1B contain bistrifluron as a pest control ingredient, and are therefore effective in controlling pests such as termites, pill bugs, centipedes, and cockroaches that inhabit the underfloor space 50. Bistrifluron inhibits the chitin production of the above-mentioned pests and has little effect on humans and pets, making the fumigation devices 1A and 1B suitable as pest control agents for the underfloor spaces of houses where humans and pets live.

[0061] The fumigation device 1A according to the fourth item of the present disclosure is the fumigation device 1A according to any one of the first to third items, wherein the fumigation container 30 has a container body 31 having an opening at an upper end 31e and containing a fumigant 20, and an upper cover 39 covering the opening of the container body 31; At least one smoke outlet 40 is disposed between the upper end 31e of the container body 31 and the upper cover 39 in the vertical direction X.

[0062] According to the above-mentioned smoking device 1A, the aerosol generated from the fumigant 20 rises within the container body 31, abuts against the upper cover 39, changes direction in the horizontal direction Y, and is ejected in the horizontal direction Y from the smoke outlet 40. With this simple configuration, a smoking container 30 that ejects aerosol in the horizontal direction Y can be realized.

[0063] The fumigation device 1A relating to the fifth item of the present disclosure is the fumigation device 1A relating to the fourth item, in which the fumigation container 30 further includes an upper lid 33 that is arranged between the fumigant 20 and the upper cover 39 in the vertical direction X and has at least one smoke hole 37 through which smoke passes in the vertical direction X.

[0064] According to the above-mentioned fumigation device 1A, the upper cover 33 can adjust the amount of the aerosol generated from the fumigant 20 and rectify the flow of the aerosol.

[0065] The fumigation device 1A relating to the sixth item of the present disclosure is a fumigation device 1A relating to the fourth or fifth item, in which the upper cover 39 is a sheet that is folded or bent so as to be convex upward or convex downward.

[0066] According to the above-described smoking device 1A, it is possible to realize a smoking container 30 that sprays aerosols in the lateral direction Y with a simple and inexpensive configuration. In addition, the user can easily attach the upper cover 39 to the container body 31 later.

[0067] The smoking device 1A according to the seventh item of the present disclosure is the smoking device 1A according to the sixth item, wherein the sheet is a paper sheet with a heat-resistant coating.

[0068] According to the above-described smoking apparatus 1A, it is possible to provide an upper cover 39 which is made of paper but can withstand high-temperature fumes and which can be easily disposed of after use.

[0069] The fumigation device 1B according to the eighth item of the present disclosure is the fumigation device 1B according to any one of the first to third items, wherein the fumigation container 30 has a container body 31 having a storage section 32 in which the fumigant 20 is stored, and an upper lid 33 arranged above the fumigant 20 with a gap 45 in the vertical direction X therebetween and closing the top of the storage section 32; At least one smoke outlet 41 is arranged on the side wall of the container body 31 between the fumigant 20 and the upper lid 33 in the vertical direction X, and connects the gap 45 with the interior of the space.

[0070] According to the above-mentioned smoking device 1B, the aerosol generated from the fumigant 20 rises within the container body 31, abuts against the upper lid 33, changes direction in the horizontal direction Y, and is sprayed out in the horizontal direction Y from the smoke outlet 41. With this simple configuration, a smoking container 30 that sprays aerosol in the horizontal direction Y can be realized.

[0071] The fumigation device 1B according to the ninth item of the present disclosure is the fumigation device 1B according to the eighth item, which is provided with a punching device 44 for opening at least one smoke outlet 41 in the side wall of the container body 31.

[0072] According to the above-mentioned smoking device 1B, before using the smoking device 1B, the smoke outlet 41 can be opened using the punching tool 44. Since the smoking device 1B is equipped with the punching tool 44, the smoking process can be carried out without the need for any additional tools.

[0073] The fumigation method according to the tenth item of the present disclosure comprises: A smoking container 30 containing a fumigant 20 is placed in a small space in the vertical direction X relative to the horizontal direction Y, Heat the fumigant 20, The smoke generated from the heated fumigant 20 is sprayed out of the smoking container 30 into the space in the horizontal direction Y, and the active ingredient contained in the fumigant 20 is diffused into the space along with the smoke.

[0074] According to the above-described smoking method, the aerosol generated from the fumigant 20 does not rise directly upward from the smoking container 30, but is expelled from the smoking container 30 with acceleration in the lateral direction Y. This prevents the aerosol expelled from the smoking container 30 from colliding with the underfloor top plate 55 in a high-temperature state. This prevents the underfloor top plate 55 directly above the smoking container 30 from being altered by heat, and prevents the pest control ingredient from being concentratedly attached to the underfloor top plate 55 directly above the smoking container 30. Thus, the present disclosure provides a fumigation method suitable for use in a small space, such as the underfloor space 50, which is small in the vertical direction X relative to the lateral direction Y.

[0075] The foregoing discussion of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the form disclosed herein. For example, in the foregoing detailed description, various features of the present disclosure are grouped into two embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure, but some of the features may also be combined. Furthermore, the features included in the present disclosure may also be combined into alternative embodiments, configurations, or aspects other than those discussed above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1A, 1B: Smoker 10: Heating device 20: Fumigants 30: Smoking container 31: Container body 31e:Top edge 32: Storage section 33: Upper lid 37: Smoke hole 39: Top cover 40,41:Smoke outlet 44: Perforator 45 :Void X: Vertical direction Y: Horizontal direction

Claims

1. A fumigation device that is applied to a small space in the vertical direction relative to the horizontal direction, Fumigants and a heating device for heating the fumigant; a smoking container containing the fumigant and the heating device, The smoking container has at least one smoke outlet for ejecting smoke generated by heating the smoking agent from within the smoking container in the lateral direction. Smoking equipment.

2. the at least one smoke outlet includes a plurality of smoke outlets that emit the aerosol radially; A fumigation device according to claim 1.

3. The fumigant comprises bistrifluron. A fumigation device according to claim 1.

4. The smoking container has a container body having an opening at an upper end and containing the fumigant, and an upper cover covering the opening of the container body, The at least one smoke outlet is disposed between the upper end of the container body and the upper cover in the vertical direction. A fumigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The smoking container further includes an upper lid disposed between the fumigant and the upper cover in the vertical direction, the upper lid having at least one smoke hole through which the smoke passes in the vertical direction. A fumigation device according to claim 4.

6. The upper cover is a sheet folded or bent so as to be convex upward or convex downward. A fumigation device according to claim 4.

7. The sheet is a paper sheet with a heat-resistant coating. A fumigation device according to claim 6.

8. The smoking container has a container body having a storage section in which the fumigant is stored, and an upper lid arranged above the fumigant with a gap in the vertical direction and closing the upper part of the storage section, The at least one smoke outlet is disposed in the side wall of the container body between the fumigant and the upper lid in the vertical direction, and communicates the gap with the interior of the space. A fumigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

9. a piercing tool for drilling the at least one smoke outlet in the side wall of the container body; A fumigation device according to claim 8.

10. A smoking container containing a fumigant is placed in a small space vertically relative to the horizontal direction, Heating the fumigant, The smoke generated from the heated fumigant is ejected from the smoking container into the space in the lateral direction, and the active ingredient contained in the fumigant is diffused into the space together with the smoke. Smoking method.

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