Chemical volatilization device

Abstract

In a drug volatilization device configured to switch between a volatilization state and a non-volatilization state by rotating the container relative to a support, the present invention provides a drug volatilization device that improves the operability when rotating the container relative to the support. [Solution] A drug volatilization device 1A comprises a drug volatilizer 2 for volatilizing a volatile drug, a container 3 for housing the drug volatilizer 2, and a support 4 for rotatably supporting the container 3. The container 3 has a volatilization opening 20 that communicates the inside and outside of the container 3, and the support 4 has a peripheral wall portion 30b formed to surround the container 3 in a plan view, and a housing space 40 capable of housing part or all of the container 3 is formed inside the peripheral wall portion 30b. The device is configured to be switchable between a volatilization state in which at least a part of the volatilization opening 20 is exposed from the housing space 40 and a non-volatilization state in which the volatilization opening 20 is housed in the housing space 40 when the container 3 is rotated relative to the support 4.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a chemical agent volatilizing device including a chemical agent volatilizer for volatilizing a volatile chemical agent, a container for accommodating the chemical agent volatilizer, and a support for rotatably supporting the container.

Background Art

[0002] For example, a chemical agent volatilizing device is used to volatilize volatile chemical agents such as fragrances, deodorants, repellents, and insect repellents (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a chemical agent volatilizing device including a hollow disk-shaped rotating body filled with a vaporizing agent such as a deodorant, and a case member for rotatably supporting the rotating body. A plurality of vaporization holes are formed in the semi-disk portion of the rotating body. The case member has a peripheral wall portion formed so as to cover a part of the rotating body in a plan view, and a fitting chamber capable of accommodating substantially half of the rotating body is formed inside the peripheral wall portion. And, in a state where substantially half of the rotating body is fitted into the fitting chamber of the case member, a pin provided on the rotating body is pivotally supported by a pin bearing provided on the case member.

[0004] In the chemical agent volatilizing device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the state of vaporizing the vaporizing agent is switched by rotating the rotating body so as to expose some or all of the plurality of vaporization holes, and the state of not vaporizing the vaporizing agent is switched by rotating the rotating body so as to accommodate all of the plurality of vaporization holes in the fitting chamber.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In the drug volatilization device disclosed in Patent Document 1, when rotating the rotating body relative to the case member, the rotation operation is performed by touching the semi-disc portion of the rotating body exposed from the fitting chamber of the case member and moving the hand along the circumferential direction of the rotating body so as to apply torque around the pin.

[0007] Incidentally, the peripheral wall portion of the case member is formed to cover a part of the rotating body in a plan view. Therefore, when performing the rotation operation of the rotating body, if the hand is moved towards the side that is closer to the peripheral wall portion that covers a part of the rotating body in a plan view, there is a risk that the hand may interfere with the peripheral wall portion, hindering the rotation operation. Thus, there is room for improvement in terms of operability.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a drug volatilization device that is configured to switch between a volatilization state and a non-volatilization state by rotating the container relative to a support, and which improves the operability when rotating the container relative to a support. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The characteristic configuration of the drug volatilization apparatus according to the present invention, which solves the above problems, is as follows: A drug volatilization apparatus comprising a drug volatilizer for volatilizing a volatile drug, a container for housing the drug volatilizer, and a support that rotatably supports the container, The container has a volatilization opening that connects the inside and outside of the container. The support has a peripheral wall portion formed to surround the container in a plan view, and a storage space capable of accommodating part or all of the container is formed inside the peripheral wall portion. The container is configured to allow switching between a volatilization state, in which at least a portion of the volatilization opening is exposed from the containment space, and a non-volatilization state, in which the volatilization opening is contained within the containment space, when the container is rotated relative to the support.

[0010] According to the drug volatilization device of this configuration, by rotating the container relative to the support, it is possible to switch between a volatilization state in which at least a portion of the volatilization opening is exposed from the containment space and a non-volatilization state in which the volatilization opening is contained within the containment space. When rotating the container relative to the support in this switching between the volatilization and non-volatilization states, the rotation operation is performed by touching the container with a hand and moving the hand along the direction of rotation of the container so as to apply torque around the center of rotation of the container. Here, in the drug volatilization device of this configuration, the peripheral wall portion of the support is formed to surround the container in a plan view, and is not formed to cover a portion of the container in a plan view, as in the drug volatilization device of Patent Document 1. For this reason, the hand does not interfere with the peripheral wall portion of the support during the above rotation operation of the container, and the operability when rotating the container relative to the support can be improved.

[0011] In the drug volatilization device according to the present invention, Preferably, the container is pivotally supported on the support.

[0012] With this configuration of drug volatilization device, the container can be easily rotated by manipulating it in such a way that torque is applied around the part of the container that is pivotally supported by the container's support.

[0013] In the drug volatilization device according to the present invention, The container is formed in a disc shape, Preferably, the support has a container receiving portion that slidably engages with the outer periphery of the container.

[0014] With this configuration of a drug volatilization device, the container can be easily rotated by manipulating it so that torque is applied around the rotation center of the disc-shaped container, causing it to roll along the container support.

[0015] In the drug volatilization device according to the present invention, It is preferable to provide a locking means for locking the container and the support in the relative rotational position of the container and the support when the volatilization state and / or the non-volatilization state are occurring.

[0016] With this configuration of a drug volatilization device, the container and support are locked by the locking means at the relative rotational position of the container and support where volatilization and / or non-volatilization occurs, so that the volatilization and / or non-volatilization states can be stably maintained.

[0017] In the drug volatilization device according to the present invention, It is preferable that a sealing means is provided to prevent the volatile agent from leaking from between the container and the support when the agent is in the non-volatile state.

[0018] With this configuration of a drug volatilization device, when the drug is not volatilizing, leakage of volatile drugs from between the container and the support can be suppressed by the sealing means, thereby reducing the wasteful consumption of volatile drugs.

[0019] In the drug volatilization device according to the present invention, The container has an elliptical shaft portion when cut along the radial direction, Preferably, the support has contact portions that support the lower region of the shaft portion and alternately contact the portion of the shaft portion in the long axis direction and the portion in the short axis direction as the container rotates.

[0020] In this configuration of a drug volatilization device, the height of the center of gravity of the shaft's cross-section is relatively lower when the short-axis portion of the shaft contacts the contact point compared to when the long-axis portion of the shaft contacts the contact point. Therefore, the relative rotation position of the container relative to the support when the short-axis portion of the shaft contacts the contact point is more stable than the relative rotation position of the container relative to the support when the long-axis portion of the shaft contacts the contact point. Consequently, the relative rotation position of the container relative to the support can be easily positioned in 180° increments. Furthermore, by setting the position of the volatilization opening so that the maximum volatilization state and the non-volatilization state can be switched at each 180° relative rotation position of the container relative to the support, the maximum volatilization state and the non-volatilization state can be easily switched by rotating the container in 180° increments.

[0021] In the drug volatilization device according to the present invention, the container has a shaft portion with a polygonal cross-sectional shape when cut along the radial direction, the support preferably has a contact portion that supports the lower region of the shaft portion and alternately contacts the corner portions and side portions of the shaft portion as the container rotates.

[0022] According to the drug volatilization device of this configuration, the height position of the cross-sectional center of gravity of the shaft portion when the side portion of the shaft portion contacts the contact portion is relatively lower than the height position of the cross-sectional center of gravity of the shaft portion when the corner portion of the shaft portion contacts the contact portion. For this reason, the relative rotational position of the container with respect to the support when the side portion of the shaft portion contacts the contact portion is more stable than the relative rotational position of the container with respect to the support when the corner portion of the shaft portion contacts the contact portion. Therefore, when the polygon is an n-sided polygon (n: an integer of 3 or more), the relative rotational position of the container with respect to the support can be easily positioned every 360° / n. And the position where the volatilization opening is provided can be set so that the volatilization state changes at a constant angle of the container with respect to the support. In particular, when n is set to an even number of 4 or more, since it can be changed in multiple stages from the maximum volatilization state (0°) to the non-volatilization state (180°), the volatilization amount of the volatile drug can be finely adjusted.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a drug volatilization device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a structural explanatory diagram of the drug volatilization device of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the relative rotational position of the container with respect to the support changes in the drug volatilization device of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a structural explanatory diagram of the drug volatilization device of the second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a structural explanatory diagram of the drug volatilization device of the third embodiment. [Figure 6]Figure 6 shows the state in which the relative rotational position of the container with respect to the support changes in the drug volatilization device of the third embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the structure of the drug volatilization device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows the state in which the relative rotational position of the container with respect to the support changes in the drug volatilization device of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram of a drug volatilization device according to another embodiment 1. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram of a drug volatilization device according to another embodiment 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments and configurations described below or shown in the drawings.

[0025] [First Embodiment] <Overall Structure> Figure 1 is an external perspective view of a drug volatilization device 1A according to the first embodiment of the present invention. (a) shows the maximum volatilization state, and (b) shows the non-volatilization state. The drug volatilization device 1A shown in Figures 1(a) and (b) is a freestanding volatilization device suitable for use in rooms, entrances, etc. However, the usage form of the drug volatilization device 1 is not limited to this freestanding type, and various types can be adopted, such as a clip-type, a hanging type using a strap, an suction type using a magnet or suction cup, or an anchor type using hook-and-loop fastener.

[0026] <Overall Structure> As shown in Figures 1(a) and (b), the drug volatilization device 1A comprises a drug volatilizer 2 for volatilizing a volatile drug, a container 3 for housing the drug volatilizer 2, and a support 4 for rotatably supporting the container 3. In the drug volatilization device 1A, the container 3 is rotatably supported by the support 4 by pivotal support of the support 4. The container 3 and the support 4 can be manufactured, for example, by known resin molding methods such as injection molding using resin as the material, but are not limited to these methods.

[0027] <Volatile pesticides> Volatile agents are not particularly limited as long as they are volatile, regardless of the degree of volatility, and can be used individually or in combination with other insecticides, fragrances, deodorizers, fungicides, antibacterial agents, etc. For example, when used to exterminate or repel flying insects such as mosquitoes, midges, and drain flies, pyrethroid compounds are preferred as volatile agents, and in particular, room-temperature volatile pyrethroid compounds such as metofluthrin, profluthrin, empenthrin, and transfluthrin, which have high volatility and control effects against flying insects, are preferred. Various optical or geometric isomers exist for these volatile pyrethroid compounds, and any isomer can be used. In addition, various additives containing materials that act by aeration, such as activated carbon, can be used, or they can be used in combination with known poorly volatile agents, etc.

[0028] Examples of usable fragrances include aromatic components such as orange oil, lemon oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, lemon eucalyptus oil, citronella oil, lime oil, yuzu oil, jasmine oil, cypress oil, green tea essential oil, peppermint oil, menthol, menthyl acetate, limonene, α-pinene, linalool, geraniol, phenylethyl alcohol, amyl cinnamic aldehyde, cumin aldehyde, terpineol, and benzyl acetate, as well as fragrance components containing green leaf alcohol or green leaf aldehyde, known as "green scents." These fragrances can be used individually or in combination.

[0029] Examples of usable deodorizers include plant extracts such as green tea extract and persimmon extract, as well as cypress oil, hinoki oil, bamboo extract, mugwort extract, tung oil, and pyruvate esters such as ethyl pyruvate and phenylethyl pyruvate. These deodorizers can be used individually or in combination.

[0030] Examples of usable fungicides include 2-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, 3-methyl-4-isopropylphenol, p-chloro-m-xylenol, o-phenylphenol, N-(fluorodichloromethylthio)-phthalimide, hinokitiol, thymol, tetrahydrolinalool, and carvacrol. These fungicides can be used individually or in combination.

[0031] Examples of usable antimicrobial agents include hinokitiol, tetrahydrolinalool, eugenol, citronellal, allyl isothiocyanate, carvone, pinene, terpene alcohols, 3-methyl-4-isopropylphenol, thymol, and carvacrol. These antimicrobial agents can be used individually or in combination.

[0032] <Volatile chemicals> As the volatile agent 2, for example, a structure that holds a volatile agent in a volatile state by impregnation or kneading can be used. Examples of materials for the volatile agent 2 include paper, pulp, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, resin bodies, resin sheets, inorganic or organic porous bodies, gel-like bodies, etc. As a method of holding the agent in the volatile agent 2, impregnating a resin sheet with the agent is simple, but it is preferable to use a resin into which the volatile agent has been kneaded, as this makes it easier to control the sustained release of the volatile agent during the period of use, stabilizes the amount of agent volatilization, and suppresses the runoff of the agent due to moisture such as condensation, but it is not particularly limited. Examples of resins for the resin body and resin sheet include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-methyl methacrylate copolymer, styrene-butadiene copolymer, etc. The form of the volatile agent 2 is not particularly limited, such as sheet-like, granular, or three-dimensional, but from the viewpoint of improving the volatilization efficiency of volatile agents, for example, a honeycomb structure, a perforated structure, or a planar or three-dimensional mesh structure can be adopted.

[0033] <Container> Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the structure of the first embodiment of the chemical volatilization device 1A. (a) is a front view, (b) is a right side view, and (c) is a top view. The back is the same as the front, and the left side is the same as the right side. As shown in Figures 2(a) to (c), the container 3 is a hollow, disc-shaped rotating body that can rotate around a horizontal axis S. The container 3 has a front portion 11 formed in the shape of a disc with a point on the horizontal axis S as its center, a front side shaft portion 12 protruding from the center of the front portion 11, a back portion 13 formed in the shape of a disc with another point on the horizontal axis S as its center, a back side shaft portion 14 protruding from the center of the back portion 13, and a cylindrical outer peripheral surface portion 15 extending around the horizontal axis S. In the container 3, the front portion 11 is positioned on the front side in the front-rear direction, and the front side shaft portion 12 protrudes forward. The rear portion 13 is positioned at a predetermined distance from the front portion 11 on the rear side in the front-rear direction, with the rear side shaft portion 14 protruding towards the rear. The outer peripheral surface portion 15 is positioned between the front portion 11 and the rear portion 13, connecting the outer peripheral edges of the front portion 11 and the rear portion 13.

[0034] <Volatilization opening> As shown in Figure 2(a), the container 3 has a vaporization opening 20 that connects the inside and outside of the container 3. The vaporization opening 20 is formed only in one of the semi-disc portions when the container 3 is divided into one semi-disc portion (above the horizontal plane containing the horizontal axis S) and the other semi-disc portion (below the horizontal plane containing the horizontal axis S) with respect to a plane containing the rotation center of the container 3 (the axis centers of the front side shaft portion 12 and the rear side shaft portion 14). The vaporization opening 20 includes a plurality (three in this example) of front side vaporization openings 20a, 20b, 20c and a plurality (three in this example) of rear side vaporization openings 20a, 20b, 20c (not shown). The front side vaporization openings 20a, 20b, 20c and the rear side vaporization openings 20a, 20b, 20c consist of semicircular elongated holes with different radii of curvature, and are formed at a predetermined pitch in the radial direction within the semicircular regions of the front portion 11 and the rear portion 13.

[0035] In this embodiment, the container 3 is divided in the front-to-back direction, where the front portion 11 and the rear portion 13 are located, that is, it is divisible into a front container portion 3a which constitutes the front half and a rear container portion 3b which constitutes the rear half (lines indicating the division position are not shown), and is assembled by locking the two container portions 3a and 3b together with a known locking means (not shown) with the drug volatilizer 2 sandwiched between them.

[0036] <Support> The support 4 has a rectangular bottom portion 30a positioned below the container 3, and a peripheral wall portion 30b formed to surround the container 3 without covering it in a plan view (see Figure 2(c)). The peripheral wall portion 30b includes a front side wall portion 31 and a rear side wall portion 32, which are inverted trapezoidal in a front-to-back line view and are positioned to sandwich the front portion 11 and the rear portion 13 of the container 3 from the front-to-back direction, and a left side wall portion 33 and a right side wall portion 34, which are trapezoidal in a left-to-right line view and are positioned to sandwich the outer peripheral surface portion 15 of the container 3 from the left-to-right direction.

[0037] In the support 4, the front side wall 31 and the rear side wall 32, as well as the left side wall 33 and the right side wall 34, are integrally erected from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface 30a, and adjacent wall portions of the front side wall 31, rear side wall 32, left side wall 33, and right side wall 34 are integrally connected to each other. In addition, in the support 4, a storage space 40 capable of accommodating the lower half of the container 3 is formed inside the peripheral wall 30b.

[0038] In this embodiment, the support 4 is shown as being constructed by integral molding. However, it may also be configured to be divisible into two parts in the front-to-back direction where the front side wall portion 31 and the rear side wall portion 32 are arranged, namely a front support portion 4a that constitutes the front half and a rear support portion 4b that constitutes the rear half (lines indicating the division position are not shown), and assembled by locking the container 3 between the two support portions 4a and 4b using known locking means not shown.

[0039] <Support structure> The front side wall portion 31 and the rear side wall portion 32 of the support 4 have a pair of bearing portions 35 that engage with the front side shaft portion 12 and the rear side shaft portion 14. The pair of bearing portions 35 are formed by cutting out U-shaped notches in the front side wall portion 31 and the rear side wall portion 32 in the state in which the lower half of the container 3 is housed in the storage space 40, in the portions corresponding to the front side shaft portion 12 and the rear side shaft portion 14. In this way, the container 3 is pivotally supported by the support 4 through the engagement of the front side shaft portion 12 and the rear side shaft portion 14 with the pair of bearing portions 35, and the container 3 can be easily rotated by operating the container 3 so as to apply torque around the axis of rotation (around the horizontal axis S), with the axis of rotation of the front side shaft portion 12 and the rear side shaft portion 14 as the axis of rotation. Alternatively, a pivot support structure may be provided on the support 4 side, and bearing portions (holes or recesses) that engage with the axis portion are provided on the container 3 side to pivotally support it.

[0040] <Latching means> As shown in Figure 2(c), projections 50 are provided on the upper ends of the front side wall portion 31 and the rear side wall portion 32 of the support 4, facing the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge of the container 3, so as to be slidable in contact with the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge of the container 3. As shown in the partially enlarged and partially broken-section view in Figure 2(c), a locking recess 51 is formed in the projection 50. A locking projection 52 that can engage with the locking recess 51 is provided on the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge of the container 3. The configuration including the locking recess 51 and the locking projection 52 corresponds to the "locking means" of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 3 shows the state in which the relative rotational position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 changes in the drug volatilization device 1A of the first embodiment. Figure 3 shows the state in which the container 3 is rotated counterclockwise by 90° in the order of (a), (b), (c), and (d). In the relative rotational positions of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 as shown in Figures 3(a) to (d), the locking projection 52 is arranged to engage with the locking recess 51 (see Figure 2(c)) provided on the projection 50. Here, the relative rotational position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 shown in Figure 3(a) is the relative rotational position in which the volatilization opening 20 is completely exposed from the containment space 40, resulting in the maximum volatilization state. The relative rotational position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 shown in Figure 3(c) is the relative rotational position in which the volatilization opening 20 is completely contained within the containment space 40, resulting in a non-volatilization state. The relative rotational position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 shown in Figures 3(b) and (d) is the relative rotational position obtained by rotating the container 3 90° forward or backward around the center of rotation (the axis center of the front side shaft portion 12 and the rear side shaft portion 14) from the relative rotational position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 shown in Figures 3(a) and (c).

[0042] <Sealing method> As shown in Figure 2(c), a sealing member 60 (corresponding to the "sealing means" of the present invention), which can be made of any configuration, such as a closed-cell sponge material, can be interposed between the container 3 and the support 4 so as to be in sliding contact with the container 3. The sealing member 60 is fixed to the peripheral wall portion 30b by a fixing means such as adhesive or heat fusion. Note that, considering the readability of the drawings, the sealing member 60 is shown only to the minimum extent necessary (Figures 1(a) and (b), Figure 2(c), Figure 5(c), Figure 7(c)), and is omitted from the drawings as appropriate.

[0043] In the drug volatilization device 1A configured as described above, as shown in Figure 3(c), when the volatilization opening 20 formed in one semi-disc portion is housed in the housing space 40 of the support 4, while the other semi-disc portion, on which the volatilization opening 20 is not formed, is exposed from the housing space 40 of the support 4, the device can be switched from the non-volatilization state shown in Figure 3(c) to the maximum volatilization state shown in Figure 3(a) by performing a rotation operation, such as touching the other semi-disc portion of the container 3 and moving the hand along the rotation direction (circumferential direction) of the container 3 to rotate it 180°, thereby applying torque around the rotation center of the container 3 (the axis centers of the front side shaft portion 12 and the rear side shaft portion 14).

[0044] In the transition from the non-volatilization state shown in Figure 3(c) to the maximum volatilization state shown in Figure 3(a), as shown in Figure 3(b) or Figure 3(d) (volatilization state), a portion of the volatilization opening 20 (approximately half in the example shown in Figure 3(b) or Figure 3(d)) is exposed from the storage space 40, the inside and outside of the container 3 are in communication through a portion of the volatilization opening 20, and the volatile agent is volatilized according to the size of the area (ventilation area) of the volatilization opening 20 exposed from the storage space 40.

[0045] During the transition from the non-volatilization state shown in Figure 3(c) to the maximum volatilization state shown in Figure 3(a), applying torque to the container 3 causes the container 3 to rotate relative to the support 4. While the container 3 rotates relative to the support 4, the dynamic friction force acting between the projection 50 on the support 4 and the vicinity of the outer edge of the container 3 provides appropriate resistance. Therefore, the relative rotational position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 can be easily adjusted steplessly. This allows for easy and stepless adjustment of the ventilation area of ​​the volatilization opening 20. When the torque applied to the container 3 is stopped, the static friction force acting between the projection 50 on the support 4 and the vicinity of the outer edge of the container 3 maintains the ventilation area at the level when the torque was stopped, thus allowing for easy adjustment of the amount of volatile chemicals volatilized.

[0046] Then, as shown in Figure 3(a), at the relative rotation position of the container 3 and support 4 where the volatilization opening 20 is completely exposed from the containment space 40, the locking recess 51 provided on the projection 50 and the locking projection 52 provided on the container 3 engage. As a result, the container 3 and support 4 are locked together by the locking recess 51 and the locking projection 52, and the maximum volatilization state is stably maintained. In this maximum volatilization state, the volatile agent is volatilized to the maximum extent.

[0047] In the maximum volatilization state shown in Figure 3(a), for example, by touching one semi-disc portion of the container 3 and applying torque around the rotation center of the container 3 (the axis centers of the front side shaft portion 12 and the rear side shaft portion 14), and performing a rotation operation such as moving the hand along the rotation direction (circumferential direction) of the container 3 to rotate it 90° forward or backward, the container can be switched from the maximum volatilization state shown in Figure 3(a) to a state where a part of the volatilization opening 20 (approximately half in the example shown in Figure 3(b) or Figure 3(d)) is exposed from the containment space 40 (volatilization state), and then by rotating it 180°, the container can be switched to the non-volatilization state shown in Figure 3(c) where the volatilization opening 20 is completely contained within the containment space 40. At this time, as shown in Figure 3(c), when the drug volatilization device 1A is in a non-volatilizing state, the locking recess 51 provided on the projection 50 and the locking projection 52 provided on the container 3 engage with each other at the relative rotation position of the container 3 and the support 4. As a result, the container 3 and the support 4 are locked together by the locking recess 51 and the locking projection 52, and the non-volatilizing state is stably maintained. In this non-volatilizing state, the inside and outside of the container 3 are separated by the support 4.

[0048] Furthermore, even at the relative rotation position of the container 3 and support 4 where approximately half of the volatilization opening 20 is exposed from the containment space 40, as shown in Figure 3(b) or Figure 3(d), the locking recess 51 provided on the projection 50 and the locking projection 52 provided on the container 3 engage. As a result, the container 3 and support 4 are locked together by the locking recess 51 and the locking projection 52, and the volatilization state shown in Figure 3(b) or Figure 5(d) is stably maintained.

[0049] In the non-volatilization state shown in Figure 3(c), the sealing member 60 (see Figure 2(c)), which is interposed between the container 3 and the support 4 so as to be in sliding contact with each other, can prevent volatile chemicals from leaking from between the container 3 and the support 4 when the chemical volatilization device 1A is in a non-volatilization state, thereby reducing the wasteful consumption of volatile chemicals.

[0050] In the first embodiment of the drug volatilization device 1A, the peripheral wall portion 4b of the support 4 is formed to surround the container 3 in a plan view, and is not formed to cover a part of the container 3 in a plan view, as in the drug volatilization device of Patent Document 1. Therefore, when rotating the container 3 as described above, the hand does not interfere with the peripheral wall portion 4b of the support 4, and the operability when rotating the container 3 relative to the support 4 can be improved.

[0051] [Second Embodiment] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the structure of the second embodiment of the pesticide volatilization device 1B. Figure 4 is a front view, but the rear view is the same. In the second embodiment of the pesticide volatilization device 1B, parts that are the same as or similar to those in the first embodiment of the pesticide volatilization device 1A are simply denoted by the same reference numerals in the figure, and their detailed explanation is omitted. Hereafter, the explanation will focus on parts specific to the second embodiment of the pesticide volatilization device 1B (the same applies to the third and fourth embodiments described later).

[0052] As shown in Figure 4, in the second embodiment of the drug volatilization device 1B, a support member 70 for supporting the container 3 is installed on the support 4 between the left wall portion 33 and the right wall portion 34. The support member 70 includes a semicircular container support portion 70a that slidably engages with the outer circumferential surface of the lower semicircular region when the container 3 is divided into an upper semicircular region and a lower semicircular region with respect to a horizontal plane containing a horizontal axis S passing through the rotation center of the disc-shaped container 3 (center O of the front portion 11 and the back portion 13).

[0053] It goes without saying that the second embodiment of the drug volatilization device 1B, configured as described above, can obtain the same effects and advantages as the first embodiment of the drug volatilization device 1A. In the second embodiment of the drug volatilization device 1B, the container 3 can be easily rotated by rolling it along the container support portion 70a by manipulating the container 3 so as to apply torque around the rotation center of the disc-shaped container 3 (the center O of the front portion 11 and the rear portion 13). Therefore, the second embodiment of the drug volatilization device 1B does not require the shaft support structure consisting of the front shaft portion 12, the rear shaft portion 14, and the pair of bearing portions 35 that are required in the first embodiment of the drug volatilization device 1A, and has the advantage of being able to support the container 3 with the support 4 in a relative rotational manner with a simpler structure compared to the first embodiment of the drug volatilization device 1A.

[0054] [Third Embodiment] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the structure of the third embodiment of the drug volatilization device 1C. (a) is a front view, (b) is a right side view, and (c) is a top view. The back is the same as the front, and the left side is the same as the right side. In the first and second embodiments, examples were shown in which a disc-shaped container 3 was used, but it is not limited to this. In the third embodiment, a triangular trapezoidal container 3 is used. That is, as shown in Figures 5(a) to (c), in the drug volatilization device 1C of the third embodiment, the container 3 is a triangular trapezoidal rotating body that can rotate around a horizontal axis S. In the upright position shown in Figures 5(a) and (b), container 3 has a front section 11 formed in the shape of an equilateral triangle, a front shaft section 12 protruding from the center near the base of the front section 11, a rear section 13 formed in the shape of an equilateral triangle, a rear shaft section 14 protruding from the center near the base of the rear section 13, and a triangular cylindrical outer surface section 15 extending between the front section 11 and the rear section 13. In container 3, the front section 11 is positioned on the front side in the front-rear direction, with the front shaft section 12 protruding forward. The rear section 13 is positioned on the rear side in the front-rear direction, at a predetermined distance from the front section 11, with the rear shaft section 14 protruding backward. The outer surface section 15 connects the outer edges of the front section 11 and the rear section 13.

[0055] <Volatilization opening> As shown in Figure 5(a), the volatilization opening 20 that connects the inside and outside of the container 3 includes a plurality (seven in this example) of front-side volatilization openings 20a to 20g and a plurality (seven in this example) of rear-side volatilization openings 20a to 20g (not shown). The front-side volatilization openings 20a to 20g and the rear-side volatilization openings 20a to 20g consist of linear elongated holes of different lengths and are formed at a predetermined pitch from the bottom edge toward the apex angle in the front portion 11 and the rear portion 13.

[0056] <Sealing method> As shown in Figure 5(c), in the container 3 and the support 4, a sealing member 60 similar to that in the first embodiment (see Figure 2(c)) is interposed between the front portion 11 and the front side wall portion 31, and between the rear portion 13 and the rear side wall portion 32. Furthermore, in the container 3 and the support 4, a sealing member 65 of any configuration (corresponding to the "sealing means" of the present invention) can be interposed between the outer peripheral surface portion 15 and the left side wall portion 33, and a sealing member 66 of any configuration (corresponding to the "sealing means" of the present invention) can be interposed between the outer peripheral surface portion 15 and the right side wall portion 34.

[0057] The sealing member 65 is made of, for example, a flexible rubber plate-like member capable of closing the opening between at least the upper region of the outer peripheral surface 15 of the container 3 and the upper region of the left side wall 33 of the support 4 when the container 3 is in an inverted position (see Figure 6(c)). In the sealing member 65, the end facing the left side wall 33 of the support 4 is fixed to the left side wall 33, while the end facing the outer peripheral surface 15 of the container 3 is positioned to approach or abut against the outer peripheral surface 15 so as to be vertically movable. As a result, the sealing member 65 is able to tilt vertically using the end fixed to the left side wall 33 of the support 4 as a pivot point (see Figure 6(b)).

[0058] The sealing member 66 is paired with the sealing member 65 and is a plate-like member similar to the sealing member 65, capable of closing the opening between at least the upper region of the outer peripheral surface 15 of the container 3 and the upper region of the right side wall 34 of the support 4 when the container 3 is in an inverted position (see Figure 6(c)). Similar to the sealing member 65, the end of the sealing member 66 facing the right side wall 34 of the support 4 is fixed to the right side wall 34, while the end facing the outer peripheral surface 15 of the container 3 is vertically movable, approaching or contacting the outer peripheral surface 15. As a result, the sealing member 66 is capable of tilting vertically using the end fixed to the right side wall 34 of the support 4 as a pivot point (see Figure 6(d)).

[0059] Figure 6 shows the state in which the relative rotational position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 changes in the drug volatilization device 1C of the third embodiment. Figure 6 shows the state in which the container 3 is rotated counterclockwise by 90° in the order of (a), (b), (c), and (d). In the drug volatilization device 1C configured as described above, as shown in Figure 6(c), when the container 3 is in an inverted position and the volatilization opening 20 is completely contained within the storage space 40 of the support 4, in the non-volatilization state, the container 3 can be switched from the non-volatilization state shown in Figure 6(c) to the maximum volatilization state shown in Figure 6(a) by, for example, touching the upper exposed part of the container 3 and performing a rotation operation to apply torque around the rotation center of the container 3 (the axis center of the front side shaft portion 12 and the rear side shaft portion 14).

[0060] In the transition from the non-volatilization state shown in Figure 6(c) to the maximum volatilization state shown in Figure 6(a), as shown in Figure 6(b) or Figure 6(d) (volatilization state), a portion of the volatilization opening 20 (slightly less than half in the example shown in Figure 6(b) or Figure 6(d)) is exposed from the storage space 40, the inside and outside of the container 3 are in communication through a portion of the volatilization opening 20, and the volatile agent is volatilized according to the size of the area (ventilation area) of the volatilization opening 20 exposed from the storage space 40.

[0061] During the transition from the non-volatilization state shown in Figure 6(c) to the maximum volatilization state shown in Figure 6(a), applying torque to the container 3 causes it to rotate relative to the support 4. While the container 3 rotates relative to the support 4, the dynamic friction force acting between the projection 50 on the support 4 and the vicinity of the outer edge of the container 3 provides appropriate resistance. This allows for stepless and easy adjustment of the relative rotational position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4. As a result, the ventilation area of ​​the volatilization opening 20 can be easily adjusted steplessly. When the torque applied to the container 3 is stopped, the static friction force acting between the projection 50 on the support 4 and the vicinity of the outer edge of the container 3 maintains the ventilation area at the level when the torque was stopped, allowing for easy adjustment of the amount of volatile chemicals volatilized.

[0062] Then, as shown in Figure 6(a), at the relative rotation position of the container 3 and the support 4 where the container 3 is in an upright position and the volatilization opening 20 is completely exposed from the containment space 40, the locking recess 51 provided on the projection 50 and the locking projection 52 provided on the container 3 engage. As a result, the container 3 and the support 4 are locked together by the locking recess 51 and the locking projection 52, and the maximum volatilization state is stably maintained. In this maximum volatilization state, the volatile agent is volatilized to the maximum extent.

[0063] In the maximum volatilization state shown in Figure 6(a), for example, by touching the top of the container 3 and applying torque around the rotation center of the container 3 (the axis center of the front side shaft portion 12 and the rear side shaft portion 14), and performing a rotation operation such as moving the hand along the rotation direction of the container 3 to rotate it 90° forward or backward, the device switches from the maximum volatilization state shown in Figure 6(a) to a state where a part of the volatilization opening 20 (slightly less than half in the example shown in Figure 6(b) or Figure 6(d)) is exposed from the containment space 40 (volatilization state), and then to the non-volatilization state shown in Figure 6(c), where the volatilization opening 20 is completely contained within the containment space 40. At this time, as shown in Figure 6(c), at the relative rotation position of the container 3 and support 4 where the drug volatilization device 1 is in the non-volatilization state, the locking recess 51 provided on the projection 50 and the locking projection 52 provided on the container 3 engage. As a result, the container 3 and the support 4 are locked together by the locking recess 51 and the locking projection 52, and a non-volatile state is stably maintained. In this non-volatile state, the inside and outside of the container 3 are separated by the support 4.

[0064] Furthermore, even at relative rotation positions of the container 3 and support 4 where slightly less than half of the volatilization opening 20 is exposed from the containment space 40, as shown in Figure 6(b) or Figure 6(d), the locking recess 51 provided on the projection 50 and the locking projection 52 provided on the container 3 engage. As a result, the container 3 and support 4 are locked together by the locking recess 51 and the locking projection 52, and the volatilization state shown in Figure 6(b) or Figure 6(d) is stably maintained.

[0065] In the non-volatilization state shown in Figure 6(c), the sealing member 60 (see Figure 5(c)) and sealing members 65, 66, which are interposed between the container 3 and the support 4 so as to be in sliding contact with each other, can suppress leakage of volatile chemicals from between the container 3 and the support 4 when the chemical volatilization device 1C is in a non-volatilization state, thereby reducing the wasteful consumption of volatile chemicals.

[0066] In the third embodiment of the drug volatilization device 1C, the peripheral wall portion 4b of the support 4 is formed to surround the container 3 in a plan view, and is not formed to cover a part of the container 3 in a plan view, as in the drug volatilization device of Patent Document 1. Therefore, when rotating the container 3 as described above, the hand does not interfere with the peripheral wall portion 4b of the support 4, and the operability when rotating the container 3 relative to the support 4 can be improved.

[0067] [Fourth Embodiment] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the structure of the drug volatilization device 1D of the fourth embodiment. (a) is a front view, (b) is a right side view, and (c) is a top view. The back is the same as the front, and the left side is the same as the right side. Figure 8 is a diagram showing the state in which the relative rotational position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 changes in the drug volatilization device 1D of the fourth embodiment. Figure 8 shows the state in which the container 3 is rotated counterclockwise by 90° in the order of (a), (b), (c), and (d). In the third embodiment, an example in which a triangular trapezoidal container 3 is used was shown, but as shown in Figures 7 and 8, in the fourth embodiment, a truncated triangular trapezoidal container 3 is used, which is like the container 3 of the third embodiment in an upright position with the top cut off. According to the fourth embodiment of the drug volatilization device 1D, by using a truncated triangular trapezoidal container 3, the rotational region, which is the area surrounding the rotating container 3 in the rotational direction, can be made smaller than when a triangular trapezoidal container 3 is used, and the balance of the capacity of the support 4 with respect to the external size of the container 3 can be improved.

[0068] Although the drug volatilization device of the present invention has been described above based on several embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the above embodiments, and its configuration can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. Specific alternative embodiments are as follows.

[0069] (Another Embodiment 1) Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram of the drug volatilization device 1A of another embodiment 1. Figure 9 shows the state in which the container 3 is rotated counterclockwise by 90° in the order of (a), (b), (c), and (d). In the drug volatilization device 1A of the first embodiment, the container 3 has a front shaft portion 12 and a rear shaft portion 14 with a circular cross-sectional shape when cut along the radial direction, and a pair of bearing portions 35 in the support 4 that engage with the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 have U-shaped notches that support the lower regions of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 and slide in contact with the outer circumferential surfaces of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 as the container 3 rotates. In contrast, in the drug volatilization device 1A of another embodiment 1 shown in Figure 9, the container 3 has a front shaft portion 12 and a rear shaft portion 14 with an elliptical cross-sectional shape when cut along the radial direction, and a pair of bearing portions 35 in the support 4 that engage with the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 support the lower regions of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14, and have contact portions 75 that alternately contact the long axis portion and the short axis portion of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 as the container 3 rotates.

[0070] In the drug volatilization device 1A of the alternative embodiment 1 having the configuration described above, the height position of the cross-sectional centroid of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 when the short-axis portions of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 contact the contact portion 75 is relatively lower than the height position of the cross-sectional centroid of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 when the long-axis portions of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 contact the contact portion 75 (see Figures 9(b) and (d)). Therefore, the relative rotation position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 when the short-axis portions of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 contact the contact portion 75 is more stable than the relative rotation position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 when the long-axis portions of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 contact the contact portion 75. Consequently, the relative rotation position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 can be easily positioned in 180° increments. Furthermore, by setting the position of the volatilization opening 20 so that the maximum volatilization state (see Figure 9(a)) and the non-volatilization state (see Figure 9(c)) can be switched at each 180° relative rotation position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4, the volatilization state and the non-volatilization state can be easily switched by rotating the container 3 at each 180° interval.

[0071] (Another Embodiment 2) Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram of the drug volatilization device 1A of another embodiment 2. Figure 10 shows the state in which the container 3 has been rotated counterclockwise by 90° in the order of (a), (b), (c), and (d). In the drug volatilization device 1A of another embodiment 1 shown in Figure 10, the container 3 has a front shaft portion 12 and a rear shaft portion 14 whose cross-sectional shape when cut along the radial direction is polygonal (square in this example). A pair of bearing portions 35 in the support 4 that engage with the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 support the lower regions of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 and have contact portions 80 that alternately abut the corner portions and side portions of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 as the container 3 rotates.

[0072] In the drug volatilization device 1A of the alternative embodiment 2 having the configuration described above, the height position of the cross-sectional centroid of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 when the edges of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 contact the contact portion 80 is relatively lower than the height position of the cross-sectional centroid of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 when the corners of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 contact the contact portion 80. Therefore, the relative rotation position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 when the edges of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 contact the contact portion 80 is more stable than the relative rotation position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 when the corners of the front shaft portion 12 and the rear shaft portion 14 contact the contact portion 80. Consequently, the relative rotation position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4 can be easily positioned in 90° increments. If the polygon is an n-sided polygon (n: an integer of 3 or more), it can be easily positioned in 360° / n increments. Furthermore, the position of the volatilization opening 20 can be set so that the volatilization state changes at regular intervals of the relative rotation position of the container 3 with respect to the support 4. In particular, when n is set to an even number of 4 or more, it can be changed in multiple stages from the maximum volatilization state (0°) to the non-volatilization state (180°), so the amount of volatilizable agent volatilized can be finely adjusted.

[0073] (Another embodiment 3) In the above embodiments, as well as in the alternative embodiments 1 and 2, examples of stationary volatilization devices 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D were shown. However, it is also possible to use the volatilization device while it is attached to an object. For example, the volatilization device can be attached to the wall of a room or suspended from the ceiling. In other words, the volatilization device may be configured to be attached to an object such as the wall or ceiling of a room. With such an attached type of volatilization device, it is possible to use the volatilization device in the processing space even when there is insufficient space on the floor or a stand to place the volatilization device on.

[0074] The attachment-type chemical vaporization device can be used by attaching it to any component inside a vehicle, for example, and is particularly useful when attached to the sun visor installed inside the vehicle. In other words, the target for attachment of the chemical vaporization device may be the sun visor installed inside the vehicle. In its normal non-use state, the sun visor is located directly below the roof, behind the vehicle's windshield. Therefore, for example, a clip (which may be hook-shaped) can be provided on the support 4, and the chemical vaporization device can be attached by clipping the clip to the sun visor. In this case, the chemical vaporization device can be used as an air freshener or insect repellent for automobiles.

[0075] Thus, mounting the chemical vaporizer on the sun visor, compared to mounting it on the dashboard or elsewhere, prevents direct sunlight from hitting it. This reduces the effects of ultraviolet rays and high temperatures, thereby suppressing the deterioration of the materials constituting the chemical vaporizer and the chemicals contained within it. Furthermore, it also suppresses excessive vaporization of the chemicals. Moreover, it obstructs the driver's view less than mounting it on the dashboard, offering significant safety advantages. [Industrial applicability]

[0076] The chemical volatilization device of the present invention can be used not only as a device for volatilizing fragrances and deodorizers, but also particularly effectively for controlling or repelling flying insects such as mosquitoes, midges, and drain flies, as well as mites and crawling insects. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0077] 1A~1D Chemical volatilization device 2. Volatile pesticide 3 containers 4 Support 12 Front side shaft part 14 Rear side shaft 20 Vaporization opening 30b Peripheral wall part 35 Bearing section 40 storage spaces 51 Locking recess (locking means) 52 Locking protrusion (locking means) 60, 65, 66 Sealing members (sealing means) 70a Container receiving section 75,80 Contact part

Claims

1. A drug volatilization apparatus comprising a drug volatilizer for volatilizing a volatile drug, a container for housing the drug volatilizer, and a support that rotatably supports the container, The container has a volatilization opening that connects the inside and outside of the container. The support has a peripheral wall portion formed to surround the container in a plan view, and a storage space capable of accommodating part or all of the container is formed inside the peripheral wall portion. A drug volatilization device configured to switch between a volatilization state in which at least a portion of the volatilization opening is exposed from the containment space and a non-volatilization state in which the volatilization opening is contained within the containment space, when the container is rotated relative to the support.

2. The drug volatilization device according to claim 1, wherein the container is pivotally supported on the support.

3. The container is formed in a disc shape, The drug volatilization device according to claim 1, wherein the support has a container receiving portion that slidably engages with the outer periphery of the container.

4. A drug volatilization apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising locking means for locking the container and the support in the relative rotation position of the container and the support in the volatilization state and / or the non-volatilization state.

5. The drug volatilization device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a sealing means is provided to prevent the volatile drug from leaking from between the container and the support when the drug is in the non-volatilizing state.

6. The container has an elliptical shaft portion when cut along the radial direction, The drug volatilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support body supports the lower region of the shaft and has contact portions that alternately contact the portion in the long axis direction and the portion in the short axis direction of the shaft as the container rotates.

7. The container has a shaft portion with a polygonal cross-sectional shape when cut along the radial direction, The drug volatilization device according to claim 1, wherein the support body supports the lower region of the shaft portion and has contact portions that alternately abut against the corner portions and side portions of the shaft portion as the container rotates.

Images