spray device

Abstract

To provide a spraying device that is less prone to dripping. [Solution] The spraying device 100 of the present invention includes a piezoelectric element 8 equipped with a diaphragm containing a mesh 8a having a plurality of spray holes, a container 2 containing a liquid medicine Y, a liquid suction wick 3 that draws up the liquid medicine Y, link arms 31 and 32 that movably support a lid 20 equipped with the piezoelectric element 8 between a closed position in which the lower surface of the mesh 8a abuts the upper end 3a of the liquid suction wick 3 and an open position shifted rearward from the closed position, and magnets 14 and 24 that hold the lid 20, when moved to the open position, at a substantially horizontal angle so that the liquid medicine Y accumulated on the upper surface side of the mesh 8a of the piezoelectric element 8 does not drip.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a spraying device that is fitted with a capsule containing a chemical liquid such as an aromatic agent and sprays the chemical liquid, for example.

Background Art

[0002] As a spraying device for spraying a chemical liquid such as an aromatic agent, there is known a type of device in which a capsule containing the chemical liquid is mounted, the capsule is unsealed, the tip of a liquid-absorbing wick disposed inside the capsule is brought into contact with a piezo element, and the piezo element is driven to spray the chemical liquid sucked up by the liquid-absorbing wick.

[0003] In this type of device, the piezo element is provided on a lid body that opens and closes for mounting the capsule, and by the operation of closing the lid body, the capsule is unsealed by the projection on the lid body side, and at the same time, the tip of the liquid-absorbing wick is brought into contact with the piezo element.

[0004] The piezo element includes a vibration plate having a mesh with a plurality of spray holes. When spraying the chemical liquid, the vibration plate is vibrated in a state where the tip of the liquid-absorbing wick immersed in the chemical liquid abuts against the lower surface of the mesh, so that the chemical liquid sucked up by the liquid-absorbing wick is sprayed from the upper surface side through the spray holes of the mesh.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The capsules attached to the aforementioned spraying device contain enough liquid medication to be sprayed for several hours. As the amount of liquid medication remaining in the capsule decreases, the amount of liquid medication sprayed also decreases. When the amount of liquid medication sprayed decreases, the spray force weakens, making it difficult to spray the medication over long distances, and the medication tends to accumulate on the upper surface of the mesh.

[0007] In the spraying device described above, if liquid chemicals accumulate on the upper surface of the mesh, a problem may occur where the accumulated liquid chemicals drip when the lid is opened.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and aims to provide a spraying device that is less prone to dripping. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One aspect of the spraying device of the present invention includes a piezoelectric element equipped with a diaphragm containing a mesh having a plurality of spray holes, a container for containing a liquid medicine, a liquid suction member for drawing up the liquid medicine, a support means for supporting the piezoelectric element so as to be movable between a first position in which the lower surface of the mesh is in contact with the tip of the liquid suction member and a second position spaced apart from the first position, and a holding means for holding the piezoelectric element, when it has moved to the second position, at an angle that prevents the liquid medicine accumulated on the upper surface side of the mesh from dripping. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, a spraying device that is less prone to dripping can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an external perspective view showing a spraying device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main components of the spraying device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the function of the link arm in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the function of the link arm in Figure 2. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram for illustrating the opening and closing operation of the lid body in Figure 2. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram for illustrating the opening and closing operation of the lid body in Figure 2. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view showing a capsule to be mounted on the spraying device of Figure 1. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the capsule before breaking is mounted on the spraying device of Figure 1. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the lid body of Figure 8 is placed at the closed position and the capsule is broken. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state where the lid body of the spraying device according to the second embodiment is placed at the closed position. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing a state where the lid body of the spraying device according to the second embodiment is placed at the closed position. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing a state where the lid body of the spraying device of Figure 10 is placed at the half-open position. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing a state where the lid body of the spraying device of Figure 11 is placed at the half-open position. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing a state where the lid body of the spraying device of Figure 10 is placed at the open position. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram showing a state where the lid body of the spraying device of Figure 11 is placed at the open position. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram showing a state where the lid body of the spraying device according to the third embodiment is placed at the closed position. [Figure 17] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram showing a state where the lid body of the spraying device of Figure 16 is placed at the half-open position. [Figure 18] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram showing a state where the lid body of the spraying device of Figure 16 is placed at the open position. [Figure 19] Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the lid body of the spraying device according to a modified example is placed at the open position. [Figure 20]FIG. 20 is a partially enlarged view showing a partially enlarged main part of the spray device of FIG. 19. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a spray device 100 according to a first embodiment. In the following description, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions are defined when the spray device 100 is viewed from the front. Further, in each drawing, the direction from the rear to the front of the spray device 100 is indicated by arrow X, the direction from the left to the right is indicated by arrow Y, and the direction from the bottom to the top is indicated by arrow Z.

[0013] The spray device 100 includes a rectangular block-shaped main body 10, a rectangular plate-shaped lid body 20, and a decorative frame 30. The cross section of the main body 10 along the XY plane and the cross section of the lid body 20 along the XY plane have substantially the same shape. The lid body 20 is slidably attached to the main body 10 between a closed position (first position; FIGS. 1 and 3) where the lid body 20 overlaps the upper end of the main body 10, and an open position (second position; FIG. 4) where the lid body 20 is displaced rearward from the upper end. The decorative frame 30 is formed of a transparent resin, and is fixed to the main body 10 so as to cover the outer side of the main body 10 (the side surfaces excluding the front surface and the bottom surface). The shape of the decorative frame 30 may be any shape, and may be omitted.

[0014] On the front surface of the main body 10, there are a power button 101, a lighting button 102, and a mode button 103. Above the mode button 103, there are three indicators 104, 105, and 106 representing the currently selected operation mode. The lighting button 102 is a button for lighting an unillustrated illumination lamp. The illumination lamp is used to make the decorative frame 30 emit light.

[0015] The mode button 103 is a button for selecting the number of times the chemical liquid Y is sprayed every predetermined time. For example, when the high mode is selected, the chemical liquid Y is sprayed 3 times at 1-minute intervals (lasting 3 hours). When the middle mode is selected, the chemical liquid Y is sprayed 2 times at 1-minute intervals (lasting 4.5 hours). When the low mode is selected, the chemical liquid Y is sprayed 1 time at 1-minute intervals (lasting 9 hours).

[0016] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the main components of the spraying device 100 in disassembled form. The main body 10 has a capsule holder 11 with a receiving recess 11a for inserting the capsule 1 from above. The capsule holder 11 has two slits 12 and 13 extending in the X direction through which two link arms 31 and 32 are inserted. The capsule holder 11 holds and fixes the magnet 14 and magnetic plate 15 in place. The capsule holder 11 has four shaft holes 18 and 19 (only the two on the right are shown) for connecting the lower ends of the link arms 31 and 32 that are inserted through the slits 12 and 13. Pins 16 and 17 are slidably inserted into cam grooves 33 and 34 provided near the ends of the link arms 31 and 32 on the main body 10 side, and are attached to the shaft holes 18 and 19. The pins 16 and 17 extend in the Y direction and are fixed to the capsule holder 11.

[0017] The lid 20 has a piezo holder 21 and a cover 22. The cover 22 is secured to the piezo holder 21 by four screws 23. The piezo holder 21 holds a spray unit 40 (Figures 8, 9) equipped with a piezo element 8 (not shown here) on its lower side. The spray unit 40 is detachable from the piezo holder 21. The piezo holder 21 holds and fixes a magnet 24 and a magnetic plate 25 in place. The piezo holder 21 has two shaft holes 27 (only the rightmost one is shown) for connecting the upper ends of the link arms 31 and 32. A pin 26 is rotatably inserted into a shaft hole 36 provided near the upper end of the link arms 31 and 32 on the lid 20 side, and is attached to the shaft hole 27. The pin 26 extends in the Y direction and is fixed to the piezo holder 21.

[0018] The two link arms 31 and 32 function as support means that support the lid 20 (piezo element 8) so that it can move between a closed position where it overlaps the upper end of the main body 10 and an open position where it is spaced apart from the upper end. The two link arms 31 and 32 connect the lid 20 to the main body 10 so that it can move between the closed and open positions. The link arms 31 and 32 are movable along a plane parallel to the XZ plane. Since the two link arms 31 and 32 have the same mounting structure, the mounting structure of the link arm 32 on the right in the figure will be described as representative here.

[0019] To install the link arm 32, first insert the lower end of the link arm 32 into the slit 13 of the capsule holder 11, align the cam groove 34 of the link arm 32 with the shaft holes 18 and 19 of the capsule holder 11, and insert the two pins 16 and 17. The two pins 16 and 17 are fixed to the capsule holder 11, respectively. Then, align the shaft hole 36 at the upper end of the link arm 32 with the shaft hole 27 of the piezo holder 21 and insert the pin 26. The pin 26 is fixed to the piezo holder 21.

[0020] Figure 3 shows the position of the link arm 32 when the lid 20 is placed on top of the upper end of the main body 10 (the lid 20 is in the closed position). Figure 4 shows the position of the link arm 32 when the lid 20 is placed in the open position, shifted rearward from the upper end of the main body 10. With the lid 20 in the open position as shown in Figure 4, the upper part of the capsule holder 11 of the main body 10 is greatly opened, making it possible to insert the capsule 1 into the storage recess 11a (Figure 2). Here, the behavior of one of the link arms 32 during the opening and closing operation of the lid 20 will be described representatively.

[0021] For example, when moving the lid 20 from the closed position shown in Figure 3 to the open position shown in Figure 4, the rotation of the link arm 32 is prohibited by the two vertically aligned pins 16 and 17, restricting the movement of the link arm 32 to only upwards, and the lid 20 moves in a direction away from the upper end of the main body 10 vertically upwards. Then, when the lid 20 is positioned in a half-open position above the closed position and the lower pin 17 reaches the bent portion 341 of the cam groove 34, the link arm 32 becomes able to rotate clockwise around the upper pin 16 as the pivot point, and the link arm 32 rotates until the lid 20 moves to the open position shown in Figure 4. When the link arm 32 has rotated to this position, a portion of it comes into contact with the upper surface 111 located behind the rear end of the slit 13 of the capsule holder 11, and its rotation stops. In this state, the lid 20 is positioned in the open position.

[0022] On the other hand, when moving the lid 20 from the open position shown in Figure 4 to the closed position shown in Figure 3, the movement is simply the reverse of the movement described above. Therefore, when moving the lid 20 to the closed position, the lid 20, which has slid forward following an arc-shaped trajectory from the open position, moves vertically downward from the half-open position, which is spaced above the upper end of the main body 10, toward the closed position.

[0023] Furthermore, while moving between the closed and open positions, the lid 20 can freely rotate around the pin 26 provided at the upper ends of the link arms 31 and 32. When moving the lid 20, the user grips and moves the lid 20, making it easy to maintain the angle of the lid 20 horizontally. However, if the user releases their hand from the lid 20 while it is in the open position with the link arm 32 in contact with the upper surface 111 of the capsule holder 11, the lid 20 will attempt to rotate clockwise around the pin 26 due to its own weight. If the lid 20 in the open position rotates and tilts significantly relative to the horizontal plane, and if the liquid Y has adhered to the upper surface of the mesh 8a of the piezoelectric element 8 attached to the lid 20, creating a liquid pool, then the liquid Y will drip down.

[0024] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the spraying device 100 with the lid 20 in the closed position, cut along the XZ plane at the center in the Y direction. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the spraying device 100 with the lid 20 in the open position, cut along the XZ plane at the center in the Y direction. As shown in Figure 5, with the lid 20 in the closed position, the magnetic plate 15 fixed near the front end of the capsule holder 11 and the magnet 24 fixed near the front end of the piezo holder 21 are magnetically attracted to each other, and the magnet 14 fixed near the rear end of the capsule holder 11 and the magnetic plate 25 fixed near the rear end of the piezo holder 21 are magnetically attracted to each other, causing the lid 20 to be magnetically attracted to the upper end of the main body 10.

[0025] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6, with the lid 20 in the open position, the magnet 14 fixed near the rear end of the capsule holder 11 and the magnet 24 fixed near the front end of the piezo holder 21 magnetically attract each other, causing the front end of the lid 20 to be magnetically attracted to the rear end of the main body 10, and preventing the lid 20 from rotating due to its own weight around the two pins 26 mentioned above. The magnet 14 provided near the rear end of the capsule holder 11 and the magnet 24 provided near the front end of the piezo holder 21 are mounted so that when they are in close proximity and facing each other, their magnetic poles are facing each other.

[0026] Thus, the two magnets 14 and 24 and the link arms 31 and 32 function as holding means to horizontally hold the lid 20 (diaphragm of the piezoelectric element 8) when it is positioned in the open position. The two magnets 14 and 24 and the two magnetic plates 15 and 25 are examples of fixing members that hold and fix the diaphragm of the piezoelectric element 8 in a substantially horizontal position.

[0027] The capsule holder 11 has a rectangular block-shaped fitting projection 112 that protrudes upward from the center in the Y direction near its rear end. The magnet 14 is embedded in this fitting projection 112 and is positioned near the protruding end of the fitting projection 112. The piezo holder 21 has a fitting recess 211 that fits the fitting projection 112 of the capsule holder 11 when the lid 20 is in the closed position. The magnetic plate 25 is embedded in the piezo holder 21 close to the bottom of this fitting recess 211.

[0028] In order to engage the fitting projection 112 of the capsule holder 11 with the fitting recess 211 of the piezo holder 21, the lid 20 must be lowered vertically downward from a half-open position spaced above the upper end of the main body 10, and when positioning the lid 20 in the closed position, it must be moved along the aforementioned movement path. The fitting projection 112 and the fitting recess 211 serve to restrict the movement of the lid 20 in the direction along the XY plane when it is in the closed position, thereby positioning it relative to the main body 10. In other words, the fitting projection 112 and the fitting recess 211 prevent unwanted displacement of the lid 20 in the direction along the XY plane when it is in the closed position.

[0029] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of capsule 1. The capsule 1 comprises a container 2 for containing the drug solution Y, a liquid-absorbing core 3 (liquid-absorbing member) whose lower end 3b is immersed in the drug solution Y, a sponge 4 which is immersed in the drug solution Y and placed inside the container 2, a sheet material 5 which covers the surface of the drug solution Y, and a sealing material 6 which seals the opening 2c of the container 2.

[0030] The chemical solution Y mainly consists of a fragrance containing aromatic components, a deodorant containing deodorizing components, and a solvent. In addition, it may also contain surfactants, preservatives, dyes, disinfectants, antibacterial agents, antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, etc. As a deodorant, for example, flavonoid compounds, plant extracts or derivatives thereof such as catechins and polyphenols, cyclodextrin or its derivatives, amine compounds, ionic compound deodorants such as baking soda and citric acid, mineral-based deodorants such as silica gel and zeolite, microporous deodorants such as coconut shell activated carbon, and metal oxides such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide may be used. As a fragrance, for example, natural fragrances or synthetic fragrances may be used.

[0031] Container 2 has a substantially cylindrical circumferential wall 2a and a circular bottom wall 2b that closes the lower end of the circumferential wall 2a. Container 2 has a circular opening 2c on the opposite side of the bottom wall 2b, enclosed by the upper end of the circumferential wall 2a. Container 2 has an annular flange portion 2d on the outside of the opening 2c. The circumferential wall 2a has a tapered shape, with its diameter slightly decreasing from the opening 2c towards the outer circumference of the bottom wall 2b. That is, the diameter of the opening 2c is slightly larger than the diameter of the bottom wall 2b. The flange portion 2d has a horizontal top surface. Container 2 has a flattened shape, where the height of the circumferential wall 2a, i.e., the depth of the container 2, is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bottom wall 2b. Container 2 can be formed from a metal material such as aluminum. Container 2 may also be formed from a resin material such as polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or polyethylene (PE).

[0032] The liquid-absorbing core 3 is formed in an elongated cylindrical shape from a material capable of absorbing the liquid Y, such as a chemical fiber containing at least one selected from the group consisting of polyester fiber, polyurethane fiber, acrylic fiber, melamine fiber, polyimide fiber, polyamide fiber, phenol fiber, epoxy fiber, nylon fiber, vinylon fiber, polyacetal fiber, polyethylene fiber, polypropylene fiber, vinyl chloride fiber, and acetate fiber, a porous material such as pulp, felt, natural fiber bundle, or foamed synthetic resin, or a material made by mixing two or more of these materials. The upper end 3a of the liquid-absorbing core 3 in the axial direction, which is in contact with the mesh 8a (Figures 8 and 9) of the piezoelectric element 8, is rounded into a spherical shape. The upper end 3a of the liquid-absorbing core 3 does not need to be spherical and may be flat if the mesh 8a is flat.

[0033] The sponge 4 is made of urethane, for example, with 5 to 20 cells per square inch, and is molded into a roughly cylindrical shape. The sponge 4 may also be formed from a polyester-based three-dimensional knitted fabric connected by connecting threads. Alternatively, the sponge 4 may be made from a coarse material with a basis weight of 450 or less, provided it is not affected by the chemical solution Y. The sponge 4 has a circular retaining hole 4a that penetrates axially through its center for press-fitting the liquid-absorbing core 3. The diameter of the retaining hole 4a is slightly smaller than the diameter of the liquid-absorbing core 3. The sponge 4 also has an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the container 2. The sponge 4 is inserted into the container 2 by press-fitting while immersed in the chemical solution Y. With the sponge 4 pressed into the container 2, the lower end 3b of the liquid-absorbing core 3 contacts the inner surface of the bottom wall 2b of the container 2.

[0034] The sheet material 5 is made of a nonwoven fabric formed from, for example, PET fibers, nylon fibers, or PP fibers. It is desirable to make it as thin as possible so as not to absorb and retain the chemical solution Y, and it may also be made of a material that does not absorb the chemical solution Y. The thickness of the sheet material 5 is about 1 mm to 3 mm if it is made of a material that absorbs the chemical solution Y. If the sheet material 5 is made of a material that does not absorb the chemical solution Y, the thickness of the sheet material 5 is not particularly limited. The sheet material 5 is a circular sheet having approximately the same outer diameter as the sponge 4, and has a circular insertion hole 5a in its center with approximately the same inner diameter as the holding hole 4a of the sponge 4. The insertion hole 5a is a hole for press-fitting the liquid-absorbing core 3, and has a diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the liquid-absorbing core 3.

[0035] The sheet material 5 is attached to the upper surface of the sponge 4 using an adhesive 7, such as a spiderweb-like polyamide adhesive sheet. The adhesive 7 has through holes 7a for inserting the liquid-absorbing core 3. The spiderweb-like polyamide adhesive sheet is suitable as an adhesive for bonding the sheet material 5, which is made of nonwoven fabric formed from PET, nylon, or PP fibers, to a urethane sponge 4 with approximately 5 to 20 cells per inch. In other words, the sheet material 5 can also be made from a material other than nonwoven fabric, such as a plastic sheet or other material that does not absorb chemicals, as long as a suitable adhesive is used that can provide sufficient adhesion to a urethane sponge 4 with approximately 5 to 20 cells per inch.

[0036] When assembling capsule 1, first, a laminate is prepared by attaching sheet material 5 to the upper end surface 4b of sponge 4 via adhesive 7, and holes are cut to form holding holes 4a, through holes 7a, and insertion holes 5a. Then, an assembly is formed by press-fitting the liquid-absorbing core 3 into the holding holes 4a and insertion holes 5a of the coaxially aligned laminate. Furthermore, a predetermined amount of liquid Y is placed in container 2, and the above assembly is pressed into container 2 with the sponge 4 side facing down, and the opening 2c is sealed with sealing material 6. In this state, at least a portion of the sponge 4 and liquid-absorbing core 3 are immersed in liquid Y. The sealing material 6 is, for example, a circular piece of aluminum foil with a diameter approximately the same as the outer diameter of the flange portion 2d of container 2, and is bonded and fixed to the flange portion 2d via heat-sealing material to seal the opening 2c.

[0037] As shown in Figure 8, capsule 1 is mounted in the capsule holder 11 of the main body 10 of the spraying device 100. The capsule holder 11 has a housing recess 11a that is open at the top to accommodate capsule 1. The housing recess 11a is a substantially cylindrical recess with an inner diameter and depth that is slightly larger than capsule 1. When capsule 1 is mounted in the housing recess 11a, the flange portion 2d fits into the annular stepped portion 11b on the outside of the opening of the housing recess 11a, and the bottom wall 2b of capsule 1 is slightly separated upward from the bottom surface of the housing recess 11a. In this state, the liquid-absorbing wick 3 inside capsule 1 is positioned coaxially with the central axis of the housing recess 11a.

[0038] The shape of the receiving recess 11a should match the shape of the capsule 1. The shape of the capsule 1 (i.e., the container 2, sponge 4, etc.) can be arbitrarily selected and may be, for example, a rectangular prism, a cube, a triangular prism, a hemisphere, etc.

[0039] Incidentally, the amount of liquid Y contained in the capsule 1 is determined so that its liquid level is at least below the sheet material 5. For this reason, the upper end 3a of the liquid-absorbing core 3, which protrudes upward through the insertion hole 5a of the sheet material 5, is located above the liquid level of the liquid Y and is in close contact with the sealing material 6. In other words, a space S is provided between the sheet material 5 and the sealing material 6 to ensure the movement stroke of the push-in projection 41 of the spray unit 40, which will be described later.

[0040] As shown in Figure 8, the spray unit 40 has a case 42 that is detachable from the piezo holder 21. The case 42 is fixed to the piezo holder 21 in a detachable manner, for example, by a snap-fit ​​mechanism. A detailed explanation of the mounting structure of the case 42 to the piezo holder 21 is omitted here.

[0041] The case 42 has a substantially cylindrical housing section 42a that houses a holder 43 that holds the outer edge of the piezoelectric element 8 so as to be slidable vertically, and a substantially cylindrical push-in projection 41 that is coaxially continuous with the lower end of the housing section 42a and has a smaller diameter than the housing section 42a. The spray unit 40 is fixed to the piezo holder 21 with the lid 20 in the closed position such that the centers of the housing section 42a and the push-in projection 41 of the case 42 are aligned with the center of the liquid-absorbing core 3 of the capsule 1.

[0042] The spray unit 40 has an annular spring retainer 44 on the inside of the upper end of the housing cylinder portion 42a. The spray unit 40 has a compression coil spring 45 that is mounted in a compressed state between the spring receiving portion 43b of the holder 43 (described later) and the spring retainer 44. The compression coil spring 45 biases the holder 43 downward along the housing cylinder portion 42a by its restoring force.

[0043] The retainer 43 has a substantially cylindrical retaining cylinder portion 43a, which has an outer diameter smaller than the housing cylinder portion 42a of the case 42 and an outer diameter larger than the indentation projection portion 41; a substantially annular plate-shaped spring receiving portion 43b integrally provided inward from the inner circumferential surface of the retaining cylinder portion 43a; and a substantially cylindrical upper cylinder portion 43c integrally erected upward from the inner circumferential edge of the spring receiving portion 43b. The retaining cylinder portion 43a, the spring receiving portion 43b, and the upper cylinder portion 43c are arranged coaxially. The retainer 43 is attached to the case 42 such that the centers of the retaining cylinder portion 43a, the spring receiving portion 43b, and the upper cylinder portion 43c overlap with the center of the housing cylinder portion 42a. The upper cylinder portion 43c is the part that is inserted into the compression coil spring 45.

[0044] The piezoelectric element 8 has a roughly disc-shaped diaphragm with a mesh 8a (not shown) having multiple spray holes at its center. The diaphragm is made of, for example, a plate-shaped piezoelectric ceramic and has electrodes on both sides. The mesh 8a of the piezoelectric element 8 has a spherical shape that bulges upward. The multiple spray holes in the mesh 8a are fine through holes with a diameter of about 5 to 10 μm. The piezoelectric element 8 vibrates the mesh 8a up and down by applying a predetermined voltage to the electrodes on both sides, thereby spraying the chemical solution Y from the multiple spray holes. Since the piezoelectric element 8 is a well-known type, a detailed explanation of it is omitted here.

[0045] The inner diameter of the indentation projection 41 of the case 42 is larger than the outer diameter of the liquid-absorbing wick 3 placed inside the capsule 1. Also, the mesh 8a of the piezoelectric element 8 bulges spherically upward, following the shape of the upper end 3a of the liquid-absorbing wick 3. If the upper end 3a of the liquid-absorbing wick 3 is flat, then the mesh 8a may also be flat. The piezoelectric element 8 moves integrally with the lid 20 relative to the main body 10.

[0046] The method of using the spraying device 100 described above will be explained below, mainly with reference to Figures 5, 6, 8, and 9. First, with the lid 20 positioned in the open position shown in Figure 6, an unopened, unused capsule 1 is placed in the receiving recess 11a of the capsule holder 11 of the main body 10. Then, the lid 20 is moved from the open position shown in Figure 6 towards the closed position shown in Figure 5. The placement of the capsule 1 and the movement of the lid 20 are performed manually by the user. As the lid 20 moves from the open position to the closed position, it passes through the half-open position shown in Figure 8 when its trajectory changes from an arc shape to a straight line in the vertical direction. The lid 20, positioned in the half-open position shown in Figure 8, then moves straight downwards towards the closed position shown in Figure 9.

[0047] When the lid 20 is lowered from the half-open position shown in Figure 8 to the closed position shown in Figure 9, the magnet 24 attached to the piezo holder 21 of the lid 20 and the magnetic plate 15 attached to the capsule holder 11 of the main body 10 come closer together and are magnetically attracted to each other, and the magnetic plate 25 of the piezo holder 21 and the magnet 14 of the capsule holder 11 also come closer together and are magnetically attracted to each other, causing the lid 20 to be magnetically attracted to the closed position. At this time, the fitting projection 112 of the capsule holder 11 fits into the fitting recess 211 of the piezo holder 21, and the push projection 41 of the spray unit 40 of the lid 20 pierces the sealing material 6 of the capsule 1, causing the capsule 1 to break open.

[0048] As shown in Figure 9, with the lid 20 in the closed position and the capsule 1 broken, the upper end 3a of the liquid-absorbing wick 3 is inserted inside the indentation projection 41 and contacts the lower surface of the mesh 8a of the piezoelectric element 8. The piezoelectric element 8 is pushed up by the upper end 3a of the liquid-absorbing wick 3 against the restoring force of the compression coil spring 45. In this state, the mesh 8a of the piezoelectric element 8 is pressed against the upper end 3a of the liquid-absorbing wick 3 by the restoring force of the compression coil spring 45. Because the mesh 8a bulges spherically upward, the spherical upper end 3a of the liquid-absorbing wick 3 makes stable contact with the mesh 8a over a wide contact area. Therefore, in this state, by energizing the piezoelectric element 8, the liquid Y can be effectively sprayed from multiple spray holes.

[0049] The power supply path to the piezoelectric element 8 includes contacts for electrically connecting a power supply circuit (not shown) located in the main body 10 to the piezoelectric element 8 in the lid 20. The contacts for electrically connecting the main body 10 and the lid 20 consist of two power supply pins 10a and 10b (Figure 2) that are retractable from the upper end surface of the main body 10, and two current-carrying pads (not shown) that are exposed on the lower surface of the case 42 of the spray unit 40 in the lid 20. In other words, when the lid 20 is placed in a closed position overlapping the upper end of the main body 10, the two power supply pins 10a and 10b of the main body 10 are positioned such that they are pressed against the two power supply pads on the lid 20. Therefore, the spraying device 100 described above can supply power to the piezoelectric element 8 when the lid 20 is in the closed position, but it is not possible to drive the piezoelectric element 8 when the lid 20 is moved from the closed position.

[0050] As described above, the spraying device 100 of this embodiment can be started in a short time by simply inserting the capsule 1 and closing the lid 20, and the user's hands will not be contaminated with the liquid medicine Y.

[0051] Furthermore, the spraying device 100 of this embodiment has a structure that makes it difficult for liquid to drip when the lid 20 is opened and closed, even if liquid accumulates on the upper surface side of the mesh 8a of the piezoelectric element 8 attached to the lid 20. The reason for this will be explained below.

[0052] The capsule 1 attached to the spraying device 100 described above contains an amount of liquid medicine that can be sprayed for several hours. As the amount of liquid medicine Y remaining in the capsule 1 decreases, the amount of liquid medicine Y sprayed also decreases. When the amount of liquid medicine Y sprayed decreases, the force of the spray weakens, making it difficult to spray the liquid medicine Y over long distances, and the liquid medicine Y tends to accumulate on the upper surface of the mesh 8a.

[0053] Furthermore, since the multiple spray holes in the mesh 8a of the piezoelectric element 8 are very small, with a diameter of about 5 to 10 μm, and the chemical solution Y is a liquid containing fragrances, solvents, deodorizers, etc., continuous spraying of the chemical solution Y may cause clogging of the spray holes. If clogging occurs in the spray holes of the piezoelectric element 8, the chemical solution Y that passes through the spray holes without being sprayed may form a liquid accumulation on the upper surface of the mesh 8a.

[0054] If liquid accumulates on the upper surface of the mesh 8a, it is possible that the accumulated liquid Y may unintentionally drip when the lid 20 is opened and closed.

[0055] However, according to this embodiment, when moving the lid 20 between the closed position and the half-open position, the two link arms 31 and 32, the fitting projection 112 of the capsule holder 11, and the fitting recess 211 of the piezo holder 21 maintain the lid 20 in a substantially horizontal position, and the position of the diaphragm of the piezo element 8 is maintained in a substantially horizontal position, making it less likely for liquid to drip from the liquid reservoir. Furthermore, when the lid 20 is positioned in the closed position, the lid 20 is magnetically attached to the upper end of the main body 10, so unless the spraying device 100 is tilted significantly, the problem of liquid dripping from the liquid reservoir will not occur.

[0056] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the lid 20 is in the open position, the magnet 14 of the capsule holder 11 and the magnet 24 of the piezo holder 21 magnetically attract each other, preventing the lid 20 from rotating around the pin 26, and allowing the diaphragm of the piezo element 8 to be held in a nearly horizontal position. Therefore, even when the lid 20 is in the open position, it is possible to prevent the drug solution Y accumulated on the upper surface of the mesh 8a of the piezo element 8 from dripping.

[0057] In the spraying device 100 of this embodiment, when moving the lid 20 between the half-open position and the open position, there is no mechanism to stop the rotation of the lid 20, so there is a possibility that the diaphragm of the piezoelectric element 8 may tilt. However, since the lid 20 is held and moved by the user's hand, it is easy to maintain the lid 20 in a horizontal position. In other words, unless the user intentionally tilts the lid 20 while moving it, no liquid dripping will occur.

[0058] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 10 to 15. In the following description, components that function similarly to the spraying device 100 of the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0059] The spraying device 200 according to the second embodiment has four identical link arms 201 (only the two on the right are shown here) that movably connect the lid 20 to the main body 10. In the following description, of the two link arms 201 of the right-side link mechanism of the spraying device 200, the function of the front link arm 201 will be mainly described, and the description of the other three link arms 201 will be omitted.

[0060] As shown in Figure 10, the link arm 201 has a slit 204 near its lower end through which a pin 203 is slidably inserted. The slit 204 is an elongated hole that extends in the Z direction and penetrates the link arm 201 when the lid 20 is in the closed position as shown in Figure 10. The pin 203 extends in the Y direction and is fixed to the capsule holder 11. The link arm 201 also has an axial hole 206 at its upper end through which a pin 205, which extends in the Y direction, is inserted. The pin 205 is fixed to the piezo holder 21. The piezo holder 21 is rotatably attached to the upper end of the link arm 201 via the pin 205. Furthermore, the link arm 201 has a pin 303 protruding from near the slit 204, which extends in the Y direction.

[0061] As shown in Figure 11, the capsule holder 11 includes a cam plate 305 having a slit 304 that slidesly receives the pin 303. The slit 304 has a straight portion 304a extending in the Z direction and a curved portion 304b extending rearward from the upper end of the straight portion 304a. The curved portion 304b is curved in an upwardly bulging arc shape. The link arm 201 movably connects the lid 20 to the main body 10 and can move along a plane parallel to the XZ plane.

[0062] With the lid 20 in the closed position, as shown in Figure 10, the pin 203 fixed to the capsule holder 11 is located at the upper end of the slit 204 of the link arm 201, and as shown in Figure 11, the pin 303 protruding from the link arm 201 is located in the middle of the straight portion 304a of the slit 304 of the cam plate 305. When the user pulls the lid 20, which is in the closed position, upward from this state toward the half-open position, as shown in Figure 12, the slit 204 moves upward relative to the pin 203, and as shown in Figure 13, the pin 303 moves upward along the straight portion 304a of the slit 304, causing the link arm 201 to move upward.

[0063] Then, after raising the lid 20 to a half-open position where pin 203 is located at the lower end of the slit 204 and pin 303 is located at the upper end of the straight portion 304a of the slit 304, the lid 20 can be moved to the open position shown in Figures 14 and 15 by rotating the link arm 201 approximately 90° clockwise around pin 203, as shown in Figure 14. When the lid 20 is placed in the open position in this way, the weight of the lid 20 presses pin 303 against the tip of the curved portion 304b of the slit 304, holding the lid 20 in the open position.

[0064] As described above, according to the second embodiment, by connecting the lid 20 to the main body 10 using four link arms 201 of the same shape, the orientation of the lid 20 during movement can always be kept horizontal. In other words, even if the user releases their hand from the lid 20 during the path in which the lid 20 moves up and down between the closed position and the half-open position, or during the path in which the lid 20 moves back and forth between the half-open position and the open position, the orientation of the lid 20 can always be kept horizontal. For this reason, according to the second embodiment, the problem of the liquid chemical Y accumulated on the upper surface side of the mesh 8a of the piezoelectric element 8 dripping during the opening and closing operation of the lid 20 can be prevented more reliably.

[0065] Hereinafter, a spraying device 400 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 16 to 18. The spraying device 400 has substantially the same structure as the spraying device 200 of the second embodiment described above, except that it has gears 405 and 407 and an idler gear 408 that are rotatably mounted on the cam plate 305 around a pivot axis. Therefore, components that function similarly to those of the second embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals, and their detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0066] The gear 405 assigned to the front link arm 201 has a slit 404 that is provided radially in a straight line from its outer edge toward the center. A pin 303 protruding from the link arm 201 is slidably inserted into the slit 404. The gear 405 is rotatably mounted to the cam plate 305 about a pivot axis. The gear 405 is rotatable along a plane parallel to the XZ plane.

[0067] Gear 407, assigned to another link arm 201 located at the rear, has the same shape as gear 405, is mounted on the cam plate 305 in the same orientation as gear 405, and functions similarly. Between these two gears 405 and 407 is an idler gear 408. The idler gear 408 meshes with both gears 405 and 407, linking the two gears 405 and 407 so that they can be linked in the same direction of rotation.

[0068] With the lid 20 positioned in the closed position shown in Figure 16, the pin 303 protruding from the link arm 201 is located midway through the slit 404 of the gear 405 attached to the cam plate 305. When the user pulls the lid 20 upward from the closed position toward the half-open position, the gear 405 rotates clockwise as shown in the figure, and the pin 303 moves upward while reciprocating through the slit 404 as shown in Figure 17. After raising the lid 20 to the half-open position, the lid 20 can be moved to the open position shown in Figure 18 by further rotating the gear 405 clockwise while rotating the link arm 201 approximately 90° clockwise around the pin 303.

[0069] In the spraying device 400 of this embodiment, when moving the lid 20 between the closed position and the open position as described above, it can be moved manually by the user, as in the first and second embodiments described above. Alternatively, the lid 20 can be opened and closed by connecting a motor to the idler gear 408 and rotating the idler gear 408 electrically.

[0070] As described above, according to the third embodiment, by connecting the lid 20 to the main body 10 using four link arms 201 of the same shape, the posture of the lid 20 during movement can always be kept horizontal. In other words, even if the user releases their hand from the lid 20 during the path in which the lid 20 moves up and down between the closed position and the half-open position, or during the path in which the lid 20 moves back and forth between the half-open position and the open position, the posture of the lid 20 can always be kept horizontal. For this reason, according to the third embodiment, the problem of the liquid Y accumulating on the upper surface side of the mesh 8a of the piezoelectric element 8 dripping during the opening and closing operation of the lid 20 can be prevented more reliably. Furthermore, according to the third embodiment, since the front and rear two link arms 201 can be operated in conjunction, the lid 20 can be opened and closed smoothly without rattling.

[0071] As shown in Figures 19 and 20, the modified spraying device 500 has a structure in which the lid 20 is rotatably connected to the main body 10 via a hinge 501. Figure 19 shows the state in which the lid 20 is held in the open position. The spraying device 500 has the same structure as the spraying device 100 of the first embodiment described above, except that the lid 20 is rotatably connected to the main body 10. Therefore, components that function in the same way as the spraying device 100 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their detailed descriptions are omitted here.

[0072] The main body 10 of the spraying device 500 is equipped with a locking wall 502 on its front upper edge that abuts against a part of the piezo holder 21 of the lid 20 and holds it in the open position. The locking wall 502 is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane. The inclination angle of the locking wall 502 is determined by the angle of the lid 20 when it is positioned in the open position.

[0073] The liquid Y that accumulates on the upper surface of the mesh 8a of the piezoelectric element 8 will drip when the lid 20 is rotated beyond a predetermined angle. In other words, in this modified example, instead of maintaining the lid 20 in a horizontal position as in the embodiment described above, dripping is prevented by making the maximum tilt angle when it is in the open position less than a predetermined angle that does not cause dripping. Actual measurements have shown that no dripping occurs when this predetermined angle is 70°.

[0074] Therefore, in this modified example, the inclination angle of the locking wall 502 of the main body 10 is set such that when the lid 20 is rotated to the open position, the inclination angle of the lid 20 with respect to the horizontal plane becomes 70°.

[0075] Although the present invention has been described above based on several embodiments and modifications, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications and applications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1...Capsule, 2...Container, 3...Absorbent core, 3a...Upper end, 4...Sponge, 5...Sheet material, 6...Sealing material, 7...Adhesive, 8...Piezo element, 8a...Mesh, 10...Main body, 11...Capsule holder, 11a...Receiving recess, 112...Matching protrusion, 11a...Receiving recess, 14...Magnet, 15...Magnetic plate, 20...Lid, 21...Piezo holder, 211...Matching recess, 24...Magnet, 25...Magnetic plate, 31, 32...Link arm, 40...Spray unit, 41...Push-in protrusion, 42...Case, 43...Holder, 45...Compression coil spring, 100...Spraying device, Y...Medicinal liquid.

Claims

1. A piezoelectric element comprising a diaphragm containing a mesh with multiple spray holes, A container holding the chemical solution, A liquid-absorbing member that draws up the aforementioned chemical solution, A support means that supports the piezoelectric element so as to be movable between a first position in which the lower surface of the mesh is in contact with the tip of the liquid-absorbing member and a second position spaced apart from the first position, A holding means for holding the piezoelectric element, which has moved to the second position, at an angle that prevents the liquid chemical accumulated on the upper surface of the mesh from dripping, A spraying device having

2. The holding means includes a fixing member that holds and fixes the diaphragm of the piezoelectric element in a substantially horizontal position. The spraying device according to claim 1.

3. The support means includes a link mechanism that keeps the diaphragm of the piezoelectric element horizontal as it moves between the first and second positions. The spraying device according to claim 1.

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