capsule

Abstract

To provide capsules that prevent the liquid medicine from spilling. [Solution] The capsule 1 of the present invention comprises a container 2 containing a drug solution Y, an absorbent core 3 having a lower end immersed in the drug solution Y and an upper end 3a protruding upward from the liquid surface of the drug solution Y, which draws the drug solution Y up to the upper end 3a, a sponge 4 that holds the absorbent core 3 in an upright position within the container 2, and a sheet material 5 having an insertion hole 5a through which the absorbent core 3 is inserted, and which is placed inside the container 2 so as to cover the liquid surface.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a capsule for containing a chemical liquid such as an aromatic agent, for example. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] As a spraying device for spraying a chemical liquid such as an aromatic agent, for example, a type of device equipped with a capsule containing the chemical liquid is known.

[0003] This type of spraying device breaks the seal of the capsule, brings the tip of a liquid-absorbing wick disposed inside the capsule into contact with a piezo element, and drives the piezo element to spray the chemical liquid.

[0004] A plurality of types of capsules containing chemical liquids with different scents are prepared, so that a user can select the capsule to be mounted on the device according to their preference. PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0005] PATENT DOCUMENT 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2024-139323 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0006] The above-described capsule is intended for users to enjoy scents according to their preferences, is designed for use over several hours, and has a relatively small capacity and a shallow bottom. For this reason, after the capsule is mounted on the device and its seal is broken, if the device is tilted significantly, the chemical liquid is likely to spill out from the broken opening.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide a capsule from which a chemical liquid is less likely to spill. MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0008] One embodiment of the capsule of the present invention comprises a container for holding a drug solution, a liquid-absorbing wick having a lower end immersed in the drug solution and an upper end protruding above the liquid surface of the drug solution, which draws the drug solution up to the upper end, a holding member for holding the liquid-absorbing wick in an upright position within the container, and a spill-preventing member having an insertion hole for inserting the liquid-absorbing wick and positioned within the container to cover the liquid surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a capsule in which the drug solution is less likely to spill. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an external perspective view showing a spraying device equipped with a capsule according to one 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 illustrating the opening and closing operation of the lid shown in Figure 2. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the opening and closing operation of the lid shown in Figure 2. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the capsule to be attached to the spraying device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the capsule from Figure 7, before its seal was broken, mounted on the spraying device. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a capsule with the lid from Figure 8 in the closed position, after it has been broken open. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a first modified example of the capsule to be attached to the spraying device in Figure 1. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a second modified example of the capsule to be attached to the spraying device in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is an external perspective view of a spraying device 100 fitted with a capsule 1 (Figure 8) according to one embodiment. In the following description, the front, rear, left, right, up and down directions are defined when the spraying device 100 is viewed from the front. In each drawing, the direction from the rear to the front of the spraying device 100 is indicated by arrow X, the direction from left to right is indicated by arrow Y, and the direction from bottom to top is indicated by arrow Z.

[0012] The spraying 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 (Figures 1 and 3) where it overlaps the upper end of the main body 10 and an open position (Figure 4) where it 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 (the side surfaces excluding the front surface and the bottom surface) of the main body 10. The shape of the decorative frame 30 may be any shape, and may be omitted.

[0013] 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 that represent the currently selected operation mode. The lighting button 102 is a button for turning on an unillustrated illumination lamp. The illumination lamp is used to make the decorative frame 30 emit light.

[0014] The mode button 103 is a button for selecting the number of times the chemical liquid Y is sprayed at predetermined time intervals. For example, when the high mode is selected, the chemical liquid Y is sprayed 3 times at 1-minute intervals (lasting for 3 hours). When the middle mode is selected, the chemical liquid Y is sprayed 2 times at 1-minute intervals (lasting for 4.5 hours). When the low mode is selected, the chemical liquid Y is sprayed 1 time at 1-minute intervals (lasting for 9 hours).

[0015] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the spraying device 100. The main body 10 has a capsule holder 11 provided with a housing recess 11a into which the capsule 1 is mounted from the upper side thereof. The capsule holder 11 has two slits 12, 13 extending in the X direction, through which the two link arms 31, 32 are inserted. The capsule holder 11 holds and fixes the magnet 14 and the magnetic plate 15 at predetermined positions. The capsule holder 11 has four shaft holes 18, 19 (only the two on the right side are shown) for connecting the lower ends of the link arms 31, 32 inserted through the slits 12, 13. Pins 16, 17 that are slidably inserted into cam grooves 33, 34 provided near the ends of the link arms 31, 32 on the main body 10 side are attached to the shaft holes 18, 19. The pins 16, 17 extend in the Y direction and are fixed to the capsule holder 11.

[0016] The lid body 20 has a piezo holder 21 and a cover 22. The cover 22 is fixed by four screws 23 so as to cover the piezo holder 21. The piezo holder 21 holds, on its lower surface side, a spray unit 40 (Figs. 8 and 9) provided with a piezo element 8 not shown here. The spray unit 40 is detachable from the piezo holder 21. The piezo holder 21 holds and fixes the magnet 24 and the magnetic plate 25 at predetermined positions. The piezo holder 21 has two shaft holes 27 (only the one on the right side is shown) for connecting the upper ends of the link arms 31, 32. A pin 26 that is rotatably inserted into a shaft hole 36 provided near the end of the link arms 31, 32 on the lid body 20 side is attached to the shaft hole 27. The pin 26 extends in the Y direction and is fixed to the piezo holder 21.

[0017] The two link arms 31, 32 connect the lid body 20 to the main body 10 in a state where the lid body 20 can be opened and closed between a closed position overlapping the upper end of the main body 10 and an open position spaced apart from the upper end. The link arms 31, 32 are movable along a plane parallel to the XZ plane. Since the two link arms 31, 32 have the same mounting structure, the mounting structure of the link arm 32 on the right side in the drawing will be representatively described here.

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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 separated from the upper end of the main body 10 (the lid 20 is in the open position). 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 as representative.

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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 magnetically attract 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 magnetically attract each other, causing the lid 20 to be magnetically attracted to the upper end of the main body 10.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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 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.

[0027] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of capsule 1. The capsule 1 comprises a container 2 for containing the drug solution Y, an absorbent core 3 whose lower end 3b is immersed in the drug solution Y, a sponge 4 (holding member) which is immersed in the drug solution Y and positioned inside the container 2, a sheet material 5 (liquid spill prevention member) which covers the surface of the drug solution Y, and a sealing material 6 which seals the opening 2c of the container 2.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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. 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 may 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).

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] Alternatively, if the sheet material 5 can be formed from a sufficiently rigid material and pressed into the inside of the tapered peripheral wall 2a of the container 2, then it is not necessary to bond the sheet material 5 to the sponge 4, and the adhesive 7 is also unnecessary. In other words, the adhesive 7 is not an essential component of the present invention.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] The inner diameter of the indentation projection 41 of the case 42 is larger than the outer diameter of the liquid-absorbing core 3 placed inside the capsule 1. Also, the mesh 8a of the piezoelectric element 8 bulges outwards spherically upward, following the shape of the upper end 3a of the liquid-absorbing core 3. If the upper end 3a of the liquid-absorbing core 3 is flat, then the mesh 8a may also be flat.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the capsule 1 is equipped with a sheet material 5 that covers the surface of the liquid medicine Y, even if the spraying device 100 is tilted significantly with the capsule 1 ruptured, the problem of the liquid medicine Y spilling from the opening 2c of the container 2 can be suppressed. The sheet material 5 is adhesively fixed to the flat upper end surface 4b of the substantially cylindrical sponge 4 and is pressurized into the container 2 together with the sponge 4, so it does not move or tilt inside the container 2 and can be stably positioned to cover the surface of the liquid medicine Y, thereby preventing the liquid medicine Y from spilling. In addition, since the sheet material 5 is pressed down by the indentation projection 41 of the spraying unit 40 in the state shown in Figure 9 with the capsule 1 ruptured, it hardly moves inside the container 2, and even if the spraying device 100 is tilted in this state, the liquid medicine Y hardly spills.

[0051] Furthermore, in order to increase the amount of liquid Y volatilized in the spraying device 100 described above, it is desirable to maximize the amount of liquid Y contained in capsule 1 and minimize the amount of liquid Y remaining in container 2 when the volatilization of liquid Y is complete. Since there is a limit to the amount of liquid Y that can be contained in capsule 1, in order to maximize the amount of liquid Y volatilized, it is necessary to minimize the amount of liquid Y remaining in container 2 after use.

[0052] In this embodiment, the capsule 1 has approximately 5 to 20 cells per square inch of the sponge 4 immersed in the liquid Y. This allows the sponge 4 to absorb almost zero liquid Y, and the liquid-absorbing wick 3 can be stably held in the desired position. If the number of cells per square inch of the sponge 4 is less than 5, the holding force of the liquid-absorbing wick 3 by the holding holes 4a weakens, and the position of the liquid-absorbing wick 3 becomes unstable. Also, if the number of cells per square inch of the sponge 4 is less than 5, the area on which the sheet material 5 is bonded to the upper end surface 4b of the sponge 4 becomes smaller, making adhesion failure more likely. On the other hand, if the number of cells per square inch is more than 20, a large amount of liquid Y absorbed by the sponge 4 remains in the sponge 4 without being absorbed by the liquid-absorbing wick 3, and a large amount of liquid Y remains in the container 2 without being able to volatilize, resulting in waste.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the capsule 1 also has a sheet material 5 for preventing the drug solution Y from spilling, which is made of a material that absorbs even a small amount of the drug solution Y. Therefore, the amount of drug solution Y that is absorbed by the sheet material 5 and remains without volatilizing can be kept to a minimum. Thus, according to this embodiment, almost all of the drug solution Y in the container 2 can be absorbed and volatilized by the absorbent wick 3, and the waste of drug solution Y can be kept to a minimum.

[0054] Hereinafter, modifications of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. In the following description, components that function similarly to the capsule 1 of the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their detailed descriptions will be omitted. As shown in Figure 10, the capsule 50 according to the first modified example has a substantially cylindrical retaining cylinder portion 51 that is integrally projected from the inner surface of the bottom wall 2b of the container 2. The retaining cylinder portion 51 has an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the liquid-absorbing core 3 (liquid-absorbing member), is arranged concentrically with the bottom wall 2b, and protrudes upward from the center of the bottom wall 2b. The retaining cylinder portion 51 functions as a retaining member that press-fits and holds the lower end 3b of the liquid-absorbing core 3.

[0055] Furthermore, the capsule 50 has an annular stepped portion 2e on the inner surface of the peripheral wall 2a of the container 2 that supports the outer edge of the sheet material 52 from below. Since the capsule 50 of this modified example does not have a member corresponding to the sponge 4 of the above-described embodiment, the sheet material 52 is not limited to nonwoven fabric, but may be a resin sheet or the like, as long as it has an insertion hole 52a of a size that allows the liquid-absorbing core 3 to be pressed in. The sheet material 52 functions as a liquid spill prevention member.

[0056] In the first modification, the lower end 3b of the liquid-absorbing core 3 is held by the retaining cylinder portion 51, and the area near the upper end 3a of the liquid-absorbing core 3 is press-fitted into the insertion hole 52a of the sheet material 52, so that the posture of the liquid-absorbing core 3 can be stably maintained in an upright position within the container 2. Furthermore, since the outer edge of the sheet material 52 is supported from below by the stepped portion 2e of the container 2, the sheet material 52 can be fixedly positioned relative to the container 2, and the sheet material 52 can be stably positioned to cover the liquid surface of the liquid Y. For this reason, in the first modification, the problem of the liquid Y spilling from the opening 2c can be prevented even without using the sponge 4.

[0057] Therefore, according to this modified example, compared to the embodiment described above, the sponge 4 can be omitted, the adhesive 7 for bonding the sheet material 5 to the sponge 4 is unnecessary, and the bonding process can be omitted, thereby reducing the number of parts and manufacturing man-hours.

[0058] As shown in Figure 11, the capsule 60 according to the second modified example, like the capsule 50 of the first modified example described above, has an annular stepped portion 2e on the inner surface of the peripheral wall 2a of the container 2 that supports the outer edge of the sheet material 62 from below. Since the capsule 60 of this modified example does not have a member corresponding to the sponge 4 of the embodiment described above, the sheet material 62 is not limited to nonwoven fabric, but may be formed from a resin sheet or the like. The sheet material 62 functions as a liquid spill prevention member.

[0059] The sheet material 62 integrally includes an insertion cylinder portion 61 having an insertion hole 62a of a predetermined length at its center. The insertion hole 62a of the insertion cylinder portion 61 has an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the liquid-absorbing core 3 (liquid-absorbing member), and the liquid-absorbing core 3 is installed by press-fitting it into the insertion cylinder portion 61. By making the axial length of the insertion cylinder portion 61 sufficiently long, the liquid-absorbing core 3 can be held in a straight position in the vertical direction. In other words, the insertion cylinder portion 61 functions as a holding member that holds the liquid-absorbing core 3 inside the container 2.

[0060] In the second modification, the wick 3 is held by the insertion tube portion 61, so the wick 3 can be stably held upright within the container 2. Also, since the outer edge of the sheet material 62 is supported from below by the stepped portion 2e of the container 2, the sheet material 62 can be fixedly positioned relative to the container 2, and the sheet material 62 can be stably positioned to cover the surface of the liquid Y. For this reason, in the second modification, the problem of the liquid Y spilling from the opening 2c can be prevented even without using the sponge 4.

[0061] Therefore, according to this modified example, compared to the embodiment described above, the sponge 4 can be omitted, the adhesive 7 for bonding the sheet material 5 to the sponge 4 is unnecessary, and the bonding process can be omitted, thereby reducing the number of parts and manufacturing man-hours. Furthermore, compared to the first modified example, there is no need to provide a retaining cylinder portion 51 on the bottom wall 2b of the container 2, which further simplifies the structure.

[0062] 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]

[0063] 1...Capsule, 2...Container, 2c...Opening, 2e...Step, 3...Liquid-absorbing wick, 3a...Upper end, 3b...Lower end, 4...Sponge, 4a...Holding hole, 4b...Upper end surface, 5...Sheet material, 5a...Through hole, 6...Sealing material, 7...Adhesive, 8...Piezo element, 8a...Mesh, 10...Main body, 11...Capsule holder, 112...Matching projection, 11a...Receiving recess, 14...Magnet, 15...Magnetic plate, 16, 17...Pins, 20...Lid, 21...Piezo holder, 211...Matching recess, 24...Magnet, 25...Magnetic plate, 26...Pins, 31, 32...Link arms, 33, 34...Cam groove, 40...Spray unit, 41...Push-in projection, 42...Case, 43...Holder, 45...Compression coil spring, 50, 60...Capsule, 51...Holding cylinder, 52, 62...Sheet material, 61...Insertion cylinder, 100...Spraying device, Y...Medicinal liquid.

Claims

1. A container holding the chemical solution, A liquid-absorbing wick having a lower end immersed in the liquid and an upper end protruding above the liquid surface of the liquid, which draws the liquid up to the upper end, A holding member that holds the liquid-absorbing wick in an upright position within the container, A liquid spill prevention member having an insertion hole for inserting the aforementioned liquid-absorbing wick and positioned inside the container so as to cover the liquid surface, A capsule containing [something].

2. The container has a sealing material that seals the opening of the container containing the liquid medicine, the absorbent wick, the holding member, and the spill-preventing member. The capsule according to claim 1.

3. The retaining member is a sponge that has a retaining hole through which the liquid-absorbing core is inserted and held, and is attached to the container by press-fitting. The capsule according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned sponge is made of urethane and has 5 to 20 cells per square inch. The capsule according to claim 3.

5. The liquid spill prevention member is a sheet material positioned in contact with the upper surface of the sponge. The capsule according to claim 4.

6. The aforementioned sheet material is a nonwoven fabric formed from PET fibers, nylon fibers, or PP fibers. The capsule according to claim 5.

7. The sponge has an adhesive material to which the nonwoven fabric is bonded to the upper surface. The capsule according to claim 6.

8. The adhesive is a spiderweb-like polyamide adhesive sheet. The capsule according to claim 7.

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