Gel Composition

Abstract

To provide a gel composition that has an increased surface area and allows a decrease in unused functional agents, making the functional agents exhibit increased effects, and can be used in any container, offering improved usability.SOLUTION: A gel composition 20 is in the form of a slender body 22A. The gel composition 20 contains a volatile solvent and a gelator so that the slender body 22A can take a desired shape. Volatilization of the volatile solvent reduces the slender body 22A in length and cross section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gel composition. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Gel compositions have been known which are prepared by dispersing a functional drug having an active ingredient, such as a deodorant ingredient or a fragrance, in a volatile solvent, such as water or alcohol, and gelling the resulting dispersion with a gelling agent. Gel compositions are widely used as deodorants, air fresheners, insecticides, etc., and when they come into contact with air, the volatile functional chemicals and volatile solvents evaporate, causing them to shrink and gradually reduce in volume, reaching the end of their useful life (see Patent Document 1). Such gel compositions have conventionally been used as a single mass formed by densely packing the interior of the gel composition, and therefore the size of the surface area in contact with air affects the effect of the functional drug. For example, when the functional agent is non-volatile, the greater the surface area of ​​the gel composition in contact with air, the greater the amount of the functional agent in contact with air, and the greater the effect of the functional agent. Furthermore, when the functional agent is volatile, the greater the surface area of ​​the gel composition in contact with air, the more the volatilization of the functional agent is promoted, and the greater the effect of the functional agent is. For this reason, when the gel composition is stored in a container and used, the effect of the functional agent can be enhanced by increasing the surface area in contact with air, regardless of whether the functional agent is non-volatile or volatile.

[0003] Therefore, a volatile substance emitter has been disclosed that, when a gel composition is stored in a container and used, provides a recess in the center of the bottom surface of the gel composition, and further forms irregularities (multi-surface recesses) on the surface of the recess, thereby increasing the surface area that comes into contact with air and enhancing the effect of the functional drug (see Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-164334 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2006-239000 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the volatile substance emitter of Patent Document 2, a recess is provided on the bottom surface of the gel composition to increase the surface area, but the surface area and the volume of the gel composition are inversely proportional to each other. That is, the larger the recess is, in other words, the larger the surface area is, the smaller the volume of the gel composition is. Furthermore, even if recesses are formed to increase the surface area, the functional agent contained inside the gel composition that is not in contact with air cannot exert its effect, and the functional agent will end up being wasted unused, which is a problem. In detail, in the case of a volatile functional drug, it may move inside the gel composition, reach the surface, and volatilize from the surface, but in the case of a non-volatile functional drug such as activated carbon, it cannot move inside the gel composition, and therefore a large amount of the functional drug remains unused. This problem becomes more pronounced when the gel composition is filled into a container, since the gel composition is in close contact with the peripheral walls and bottom surface of the container and cannot come into contact with air. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a gel composition which increases the surface area and reduces unused functional drugs to enhance the effects of the functional drugs, while also allowing the composition to be used without a fixed container, improving convenience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, one embodiment of the present invention is a gel composition comprising a functional drug, a volatile solvent, and a gelling agent, wherein the gel composition is formed into an elongated body, and the volatile solvent and the gelling agent are contained so that the elongated body is formed into a desired shape. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the elongated body is reduced in length and cross section as the volatile solvent volatilizes. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the elongated body has a uniform cross section. Moreover, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a plurality of protrusions or a plurality of recesses are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the elongated body. Moreover, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the elongated body is formed by alternating small cross-sectional area portions and large cross-sectional area portions having a cross-sectional area larger than that of the small cross-sectional area portions in the longitudinal direction. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the desired shape is a three-dimensional structure in which the elongated body is bent while ensuring a gap between a portion of the elongated body and another portion of the elongated body. Moreover, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the three-dimensional structure is a plate-like, hollow plate-like, cylindrical, hollow cylindrical, spherical, or hollow spherical shape. Moreover, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the desired shape is a rod shape in which the elongated body extends linearly. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the functional agent is a non-volatile deodorant. In addition, an embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the functional agent is a volatile deodorant, fragrance, antifungal agent, repellent, insect repellent, or insecticide. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one embodiment of the invention, the entire outer periphery of the strip is a surface in contact with air over the entire longitudinal length of the strip. Therefore, compared to conventional gel compositions having a dense interior, a larger surface area can be ensured and the amount of unused functional drug can be significantly reduced, which is advantageous in dramatically enhancing the effects of the functional drug. Furthermore, since the gel composition can be formed into a desired shape using an elongated body, when the gel composition is placed in a container and distributed on the market, there are no restrictions on the shape of the container, which is advantageous in ensuring great freedom in designing containers according to their intended use. In addition, when the volatile solvent evaporates and the length and cross-section of the elongated body become smaller, the elongated body shrinks while maintaining the desired shape formed by the elongated body, which is advantageous in clearly determining the end of use of the gel composition. Furthermore, forming the elongated body with a uniform cross section in the longitudinal direction makes it easier to form the elongated body, which is advantageous in terms of reducing costs. Furthermore, by providing multiple convex portions or multiple concave portions on the outer peripheral surface of the elongated body, the surface area of ​​the elongated body that comes into contact with air can be further increased, significantly reducing the amount of unused functional drug, which is advantageous in dramatically enhancing the effects of the functional drug. Furthermore, forming the elongated body by alternating small and large cross-sectional area sections is advantageous in ensuring large gaps between the elongated bodies when the elongated body is formed into the desired shape, which is advantageous in increasing the surface area of ​​the gel composition and further enhancing the effect of the functional drug. Furthermore, if the desired shape is formed into a three-dimensional structure in which the elongated body is bent while leaving gaps between parts of the elongated body and other parts, it is advantageous in ensuring a large surface area of ​​the gel composition, reducing unused functional drug, and enhancing the effects of the functional drug. As the three-dimensional structure, a plate shape, a hollow plate shape, a cylinder shape, a hollow cylinder shape, a sphere shape, a hollow sphere shape, or the like can be adopted. Furthermore, by forming the desired shape into a rod-like shape with the elongated body extending in a straight line, the entire outer surface along the longitudinal direction of the elongated body can be made into a surface that is in contact with air, which is advantageous in reducing unused functional drugs and further enhancing the effects of the functional drugs, and also provides a different design that has not been seen before, which is advantageous in promoting sales. Furthermore, if the functional agent is a non-volatile deodorant, it is advantageous in increasing the surface area of ​​the gel composition and reducing the amount of unused functional agent, thereby enhancing the deodorant effect. Furthermore, when the functional agent is a volatile deodorant, fragrance, anti-mold agent, repellent, insect repellent or insecticide, the surface area of ​​the gel composition is increased and the amount of the functional agent that is not used is reduced, thereby increasing the amount of the functional agent that volatilizes, which is advantageous in enhancing the deodorant effect, fragrance effect, anti-mold effect, repellent effect, insect repellent effect or insecticide effect. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a deodorizing device before use in which a gel composition according to an embodiment is contained in a container. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a strip formed from a gel composition, and FIG. 1B is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the strip. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a deodorizing device after use in which a gel composition according to an embodiment is contained in a container. [Figure 4] Graph (A) is a graph showing the removal rate of ammonia, which is a cause of bad odors; graph (B) is a graph showing the removal rate of acetic acid, which is a cause of bad odors; and graph (C) is a graph showing the removal rate of hydrogen sulfide, which is a cause of bad odors. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a deodorizing device in which a gel composition formed into a cylindrical shape is contained in a container. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 shows an example of a gel composition formed into a hollow sphere, where (A) is a perspective view of the gel composition, and (B) is a cross-sectional view of the gel composition shown in (A) taken along line AA, indicated by an imaginary line. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a deodorizing device in which a gel composition formed into a rod shape is contained in a container. [Figure 8] 13A, 13B, 13C, and 13D are cross-sectional views showing examples of elongated bodies formed into other shapes. [Figure 9]13(A) and 13(B) are side views showing an example of an elongated body formed into another shape. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the gel composition is used as a deodorizer that removes and deodorizes malodors released into spaces such as refrigerators, freezers, and vegetable compartments. The gel composition described in this embodiment may be used as a deodorizer that removes and deodorizes odors released not only in refrigerators and freezers, but also in other spaces such as closets, shoeboxes, and trash cans. As shown in FIG. 1, a deodorizing device 10A of the present embodiment comprises a gel composition 20, which contains a deodorizing component that deodorizes bad odors, contained in a resin container 12. The container 12 is composed of a transparent main body 14 and a cap 16 that is removably attached to the top of the main body 14. The main body 14 is composed of an elliptical bottom surface 1402 and a peripheral wall 1404 standing from the periphery of the bottom surface 1402, and has an opening 1406 at the top. The gel composition 20 is contained inside the main body portion 14 . When the deodorizing device 10A is distributed on the market, the opening 1406 of the main body 14 is covered with a non-breathable film, and this non-breathable film is removed when the deodorizing device 10A is used.

[0010] The cap portion 16 is a lid that is attached to cover the opening 1406 of the main body portion 14, and is formed in the shape of a container that is open downward and has an elliptical top surface 1602 and a peripheral wall 1604 that hangs down from the periphery of the top surface 1602. A plurality of elongated ventilation holes 16A are provided in the top surface 1602, and a plurality of rectangular ventilation holes 16B are provided in the peripheral wall 1604 along the peripheral surface. In addition, the deodorizing device 10A in this embodiment is configured so that the gel composition 20 is contained in a container 12 consisting of a main body portion 14 and a cap portion 16 having an air vent, but the shape of the container 12 constituting the deodorizing device 10A is not limited as long as breathability is ensured. Therefore, the container 12 constituting the deodorizing device 10A may be, for example, a spherical or cubic container provided with an air vent. Furthermore, the gel composition 20 of the present invention may be used without using the container 12, by being placed on or contained in a container readily available in the home, such as a plate or bowl with an open top.

[0011] The gel composition 20 contains a functional drug, a volatile solvent, and a gelling agent. The gel composition 20 is prepared by dispersing a functional drug in a volatile solvent and gelling it with a gelling agent, and contains a deodorizing component that serves as a deodorant in this embodiment. The functional agent is a solid, non-volatile agent that physically and chemically adsorbs odors, and examples thereof include activated carbon, binchotan charcoal, silica gel, zeolite, dextrin, and aluminosilicate. Volatile solvents are solvents that allow functional agents to be properly dispersed or that adjust the rate of evaporation to determine the end of the deodorant's use, and examples of such solvents include water, alcohol, ether, glycol, glycol ether, paraffinic hydrocarbons, acetone, toluene, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and methylene chloride. The gelling agent is a substance that turns a functional drug into a gel by dispersing it in a volatile solvent. Examples of the gelling agent include carrageenan, gellan gum, agar, gelatin, xanthan gum, and guar gum. Examples include gum, locust bean gum, cellulose, cellulose nanofiber, and sodium alginate. The gel composition 20 of the present embodiment contains these functional drugs, a volatile solvent, and a gelling agent blended in appropriate ratios. That is, the gel composition 20 contains a volatile solvent and a gelling agent in a ratio such that the gel composition 20 is formed into an elongated strip 22A by injection, and the strip 22A is formed into a desired shape. The desired shape formed by the gel composition 20 is maintained without being broken by vibrations during transportation on an airplane, train, car, motorcycle, or bicycle, or by the weight of the elongated body 22A over time.

[0012] In this embodiment, as described above, a gel composition 20 containing a functional drug, a volatile solvent, and a gelling agent in an appropriate ratio is supplied to an injection device, and the gel composition 20 is extruded from a nozzle having a circular cross section to form an elongated body 22A having an elongated shape such as a thread, string, or strip. The cross section of the elongated body 22A ejected from the circular die is circular as shown in FIG. 2(A). The cross section of the elongated body 22A may be formed in any of various shapes known in the art, such as a square, rectangle, triangle, or ellipse. In the case of gel composition 20 of deodorizing device 10A used in general households, elongated body 22A is formed with a diameter of about 0.1 mm to 10 mm. If the diameter of elongated body 22A becomes too large, the surface area of ​​elongated body 22A that comes into contact with air decreases, and the difference in effect from conventional gel compositions formed with a dense interior becomes small, which is disadvantageous. Furthermore, since the elongated body 22A is extruded from the circular die with a uniform force, the cross section is formed uniformly in the longitudinal direction, as shown in FIG. 2(B). In addition, in this embodiment, the desired shape formed by the elongated body 22A is a three-dimensional structure formed by bending a single elongated body while ensuring gaps between parts of the elongated body and other parts.

[0013] In this embodiment, the elongated body 22A formed by extrusion from the injection device is, for example, irregularly bent inside the container 12 while being contained in the container 12, and as shown in Figure 1, the gel composition 20 is formed into a three-dimensional structure corresponding to the internal space of the container 12. At this time, the elongated body 22A is formed into a three-dimensional structure in the container 12 while ensuring a gap between the surface of the elongated body 22A at one portion and the surface of the elongated body 22A at another portion. Furthermore, since the elongated body 22A is bent inside the container 12, it is not entirely in contact with the bottom surface 1402 or the peripheral wall 1404 of the main body 14, but is formed into a three-dimensional structure while maintaining a gap between the bottom surface 1402 and the peripheral wall 1404.

[0014] The gel composition 20 of the present embodiment thus formed has a significantly larger surface area in contact with air than a conventional deodorant in which a similar amount (volume) of gel composition is poured into the container 12, i.e., compared to a gel composition used as a single mass with its interior densely packed. In detail, the proportion of the surface area per unit volume of the gel composition 20 becomes significantly larger. That is, when a gel composition is poured into the container 12 as in the conventional method, only the upper surface is in contact with air. In contrast, in the gel composition 20 of this embodiment, the entire outer peripheral surface of the elongated body 22A that is not in contact with the bottom surface 1402, the peripheral wall 1404, or other parts of the elongated body 22A of the main body 14 is in contact with air. Therefore, the surface area in contact with air of the gelatinous texture 20 of the present embodiment is significantly larger than that of the conventional gelatinous composition.

[0015] The deodorizing device 10A of the present embodiment manufactured in this manner is placed in a refrigerator, a freezer, or the like when used. The gel composition 20 is contained in a container 12 having ventilation holes 16A, 16B, and thus exerts a deodorizing effect by absorbing and removing malodors such as ammonia, acetic acid, and hydrogen sulfide using functional agents such as activated carbon, binchotan charcoal, silica gel, zeolite, dextrin, and aluminosilicate. At the same time, the gel composition 20 shrinks as the volatile solvents such as water, alcohol, ether, glycol, glycol ether, paraffinic hydrocarbon, acetone, toluene, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and methylene chloride evaporate. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the length and cross section of the elongated body 22A become smaller and the elongated body 22A itself shrinks, so that the gel composition 20 shrinks in an approximately similar shape, although this depends on the shape. This contraction can be observed with the naked eye, and the end of use of the deodorizing device 10A can be clearly ascertained when the gel composition 20 has contracted to a predetermined size.

[0016] Here, an example of a test result of the malodor removal rate by the gel composition 20 of this embodiment will be described. Figure 4 shows the test results for the odor removal rate for ammonia, acetic acid, and hydrogen sulfide, which are components that cause odors. In the test, predetermined concentrations of each malodorous component were placed in two sealed spaces under the same conditions, and a deodorizer consisting of a mass of a conventional gel composition was placed in one space, while a deodorizer consisting of an elongated body 22A formed from the gel composition 20 of this embodiment was placed in the other space, for comparison. FIG. 4 is a graph with time (minutes) on the horizontal axis and odor removal rate (%) on the vertical axis. As shown in FIG. 4(A), in the case of ammonia, the malodor removal rate starts from 0 and gradually increases for both the deodorant of this embodiment and the conventional deodorant. The odor removal rate of the deodorant of this embodiment is approximately 46% after 50 minutes and approximately 62% after 100 minutes, while the odor removal rate of the conventional deodorant is approximately 34% after 50 minutes and approximately 44% after 100 minutes. Therefore, the difference in odor removal rate after 50 minutes is 12%, and the difference in odor removal rate after 100 minutes is 18%, and it can be seen that the difference is also increasing.

[0017] As shown in Figure 4(B), in the case of acetic acid, the malodor removal rate of the deodorizer of the present embodiment starts from 0 and gradually increases, whereas the malodor removal rate of the conventional deodorizer drops from 0 and then gradually increases. The odor removal rate of the deodorant of this embodiment is approximately 45% after 50 minutes and approximately 57% after 100 minutes, while the odor removal rate of the conventional deodorant is approximately 10% after 50 minutes and approximately 35% after 100 minutes. Therefore, the difference in odor removal rate after 50 minutes is 35%, and the difference in odor removal rate after 100 minutes is 22%. As shown in Figure 4 (C), in the case of hydrogen sulfide, the odor removal rate of the deodorizer of the present embodiment starts from 0 and gradually increases, whereas the odor removal rate of the conventional deodorizer drops slightly from 0 and then gradually increases. The odor removal rate of the deodorant of this embodiment is approximately 35% after 50 minutes and approximately 64% after 100 minutes, while the odor removal rate of the conventional deodorant is approximately 17% after 50 minutes and approximately 45% after 100 minutes. Therefore, the difference in odor removal rate after 50 minutes is 18%, and the difference in odor removal rate after 100 minutes is 19%. As can be seen from these results, no matter which graph is referred to, the deodorizer of the present embodiment exerts a deodorizing effect immediately after use begins and the effect gradually increases, and furthermore, the deodorizing effect always exceeds that of conventional deodorizers.

[0018] Thus, according to this embodiment, a gel composition 20 containing a functional drug, a volatile solvent, and a gelling agent is formed into an elongated body 22A, and the elongated body 22A is formed into a desired shape. Therefore, by forming the longitudinal outer peripheral surface of the elongated body 22A into the desired shape as the surface, the surface area of ​​the gel composition 20 that comes into contact with the air can be significantly increased compared to when the gel composition 20 is used as a single densely shaped mass inside, and this is advantageous in reducing the amount of unused functional agent and enhancing the effect of the functional agent. Furthermore, by incorporating a volatile solvent and a gelling agent so that the elongated body 22A can be formed into the desired shape, the gel composition 20 is maintained in the desired shape, which is advantageous in ensuring that the surface area of ​​the gel composition 20 that comes into contact with air is large until the end of its use. In addition, as the volatile solvent evaporates, the length and cross-section of the elongated body 22A become smaller, and the elongated body 22A shrinks while maintaining the desired shape formed by the elongated body 22A, which is advantageous in clearly determining the end of use of the gel-like composition 20.

[0019] In addition, since the gel composition 20 is formed in a three-dimensional structure in which the elongated body 22A is bent while leaving gaps between portions of the elongated body 22A and other portions, this is advantageous in enhancing the effect of the functional drug, and the three-dimensional structure of the elongated body 22A contained in the container 12 is advantageous in enhancing the decorativeness and design of the deodorizing device 10A, which is advantageous in increasing the sales volume of the deodorizing device 10A. Furthermore, since the elongated body 22A has a uniform cross section in the longitudinal direction, this is advantageous in that the elongated body 22A can be easily formed, which is advantageous in reducing the cost of the deodorizing device 10A. Although a three-dimensional structure may be formed using multiple elongated bodies 22A, forming a three-dimensional structure using a single elongated body 22A, as in the present embodiment, simplifies the manufacturing process and is advantageous in reducing the cost of the deodorizing device 10A. Furthermore, since the elongated body 22A can be formed in a three-dimensional structure according to the use of the gel composition 20 and the container in which it is stored, forming the gel composition 20 to fit a plate-shaped container 12 that can be inserted between foods stored in a refrigerator, freezer, etc., is advantageous in reducing the space occupied by the deodorizing device 10A and ensuring large storage space in the refrigerator, freezer, etc.

[0020] (Second embodiment) The difference between the first embodiment and the present embodiment is that the elongated body 22A is formed in a plate shape, whereas the elongated body 22A is formed in a cylindrical shape in the present embodiment. In the following description of the embodiment, the same parts and members as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted, and the description will focus on the parts that are different from the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, a deodorizing device 10B of the second embodiment has a gel composition 24 contained in a container 32 made of resin. The container 32 is composed of a transparent main body 34 and a cap 36 that is removably attached to the top of the main body 34. The main body 34 is composed of a circular bottom surface 3402, a cylindrical peripheral wall 3404 standing from the periphery of the bottom surface 3402, and has an opening 3406 at the top. The gel composition 24 is contained inside the main body portion 34 .

[0021] The cap portion 36 is a lid that is attached to cover the opening 3406 of the main body portion 34 , and is formed by a circular top surface 3602 and a peripheral wall 3604 that hangs down from the periphery of the top surface 3602 . The top surface 3602 is provided with a plurality of circular ventilation openings 36A. When the deodorizing device 10B is distributed on the market, the opening 3406 of the main body 34 is covered with a non-breathable film, and this non-breathable film is removed when the deodorizing device 10B is used. The gel composition 24 uses an elongated body 22A whose ingredients and cross-sectional shape are similar to those of the first embodiment, but in this embodiment, the desired shape is a cylindrical three-dimensional structure in which the elongated body 22A corresponds to the internal space of the main body 24 of the container 32. Such a deodorizing device 10B is used by being placed in, for example, a refrigerator or a freezer.

[0022] As described above, according to the present embodiment, in addition to the same effects as those of the first embodiment, the following effects are achieved. In other words, the gel composition 24 formed into a cylindrical shape in this embodiment is contained in a cylindrical container 32, and therefore can be placed between foods contained in a refrigerator, a freezer, etc., and therefore there is no need to secure a space for the deodorizing device 10B, which is advantageous in terms of securing large storage space in the refrigerator, freezer, etc.

[0023] (Third embodiment) The difference between the first embodiment and the present embodiment is that the elongated body 22A is formed in a plate shape, whereas the elongated body 22A is formed in a hollow sphere. The gel composition 26 of this embodiment uses an elongated body 22A having the same components and cross-sectional shape as the first embodiment, but the elongated body 22A is formed into a three-dimensional structure that is a hollow sphere, as shown in an oblique view in Figure 6(A) and with the outline of the elongated body 22A indicated by an imaginary line in Figure 6(B). When distributed in the market, the gel composition 26 is placed in a transparent non-breathable film bag or box and displayed at the storefront, and the gel composition 26 is removed from the bag or box when used. The gel composition 26 of this embodiment is not contained in a container, and can therefore be used by containing it in a container of the user's choice. For example, the gel composition 26 is placed on a ceramic or glass dish, a rattan basket, or placed in a breathable transparent synthetic resin bag with multiple small holes and hung up for use.

[0024] As described above, according to the present embodiment, in addition to the same effects as those of the first embodiment, the following effects are achieved. The gel composition 26 formed into a hollow sphere in this embodiment can be stored in a desired container such as a dish or a bag and used, making it possible to achieve the deodorizing effect in a form of use that suits the user's preferences.

[0025] (Fourth embodiment) In the first embodiment, the elongated body 22A was formed in a plate shape, whereas in the present embodiment, the elongated body 22A is formed in a rod shape and arranged, and also differs in that multiple gel compositions formed as desired using the elongated body 22A are contained in the container 12. As shown in FIG. 7, a deodorizing device 10C of this embodiment has a gel composition 28 contained in a container 12 similar to that of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the gel composition 28 of the present embodiment uses an elongated body 22A that has the same components and cross-sectional shape as the first embodiment, but the elongated body 22A is formed into a rod shape that extends linearly. As shown in FIG. 7, in the deodorizer 10C, a rectangular resin plate member 18 is placed on the bottom surface 1402 of the main body 14 of the container 12, and a gel composition 28 is attached to the upper surface of the plate member 18 by adhesive or the like. The gel composition 28 of this embodiment is constituted by a plurality of rod-shaped elongated bodies 22A having a predetermined length which are attached to the upper surface of the plate member 18 and extend vertically, with a total of 24 bodies being arranged at predetermined intervals, eight in the longitudinal direction and three in the lateral direction of the plate member 18. In this embodiment, 24 rod-shaped elongated bodies 22A are attached to the plate member 18, but the number of elongated bodies 22A can be any number and can be attached to match the shape of the container to be contained. The fourth embodiment as described above not only achieves the same effects as the first embodiment, but also exhibits a different design not seen before, which is advantageous in promoting sales of the deodorizing tool 10C.

[0026] In the above, in the first to fourth embodiments, plate-like, cylindrical, hollow sphere-like, and rod-like shapes have been described as examples of three-dimensional structures, but the three-dimensional structure includes various conventionally known structures such as cubes, rectangular prisms, spheres, cylinders, and triangular prisms, as well as special structures of any arbitrary shape. That is, for example, the elongated body 22A may be irregularly bent to form a three-dimensional structure such as a hollow plate, a hollow cylinder, or a sphere. Alternatively, the elongated body 22A may be regularly bent to form, for example, a spiral hollow cylinder.

[0027] (Fifth embodiment) In the first embodiment, the case where the elongated body 22A has a uniform circular cross section has been described, but in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the elongated body differs from that of the first embodiment. In the elongated bodies 22B and 22C shown in FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B), a plurality of protrusions are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the elongated body. That is, the elongated body 22B shown in Figure 8 (A) is formed with a uniform cross-section, with a plurality of convex portions 2201A extending along the longitudinal direction of the elongated body 22B on its outer periphery, while the elongated body 22C shown in Figure 8 (B) is formed with a non-uniform cross-section, with a plurality of convex portions 2201B provided at intervals in the circumferential and longitudinal directions of the cylindrical main body portion 2200. In the elongated bodies 22B' and 22C' shown in Figures 8(C) and (D), a plurality of recesses are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the elongated body. That is, the elongated body 22B' shown in Figure 8 (C) is formed with a uniform cross-section in which the cylindrical main body portion 2200 is provided with grooves 2201C as recesses spaced apart in the circumferential direction and extending along the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 2200, while the elongated body 22C' shown in Figure 8 (B) is formed with a non-uniform cross-section in which the cylindrical main body portion 2200 is provided with a plurality of recesses 2201D spaced apart in the circumferential and longitudinal directions. By providing multiple convex portions 2201A, 2201B and concave portions 2201C, 2201D on the outer peripheral surface of the elongated bodies 22B, 22C, 22B', 22C' in this manner, it is possible to ensure an even larger surface area of ​​the elongated bodies 22B, 22C, 22B', 22C' that comes into contact with air, and when the elongated bodies 22B, 22C, 22B', 22C' form a three-dimensional structure such as a plate, cylinder, hollow sphere, rod, etc., as in the first to fourth embodiments, this is advantageous in ensuring large gaps between the elongated bodies 22B, 22C, 22B', 22C'. Therefore, according to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the amount of unused functional agent can be reduced, which is more advantageous in enhancing the effects exerted by the functional agent.

[0028] (Sixth embodiment) In the first embodiment, the longitudinal cross section of the elongated body 22A is formed uniformly, whereas in the present embodiment, small cross-sectional area portions and large cross-sectional area portions having a larger cross-sectional area than the small cross-sectional area portions are formed alternately in the longitudinal direction of the elongated body. For example, the elongated body 22E shown in FIG. 9(A) is formed by alternatingly arranging cylindrical small diameter portions 2202 constituting the small cross-sectional area portion and circular large diameter portions 2204 constituting the large cross-sectional area portion having a diameter larger than that of the small diameter portions 2202 on the same axis. At both ends of the large diameter portion 2204 , an inclined portion 2206 is formed for continuously connecting the outer circumferential surface of the large diameter portion 2204 to the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion 2202 . Also, for example, the elongated body 22F shown in Figure 9 (B) is formed by alternatingly arranging cylindrical small diameter portions 2202 constituting the small cross-sectional area portion and spherical portions 2214 constituting the large cross-sectional area portion having a diameter larger than that of the small diameter portions 2202 on the same axis. According to this embodiment, when the elongated body is formed into a three-dimensional structure such as a plate, a cylinder, a hollow sphere, or a rod, as in the first to fourth embodiments, it is advantageous in ensuring large gaps between the elongated bodies 22A. Therefore, according to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the amount of unused functional agent can be reduced, which is more advantageous in enhancing the effects exerted by the functional agent. The cross sections of the small cross-sectional area portion and the large cross-sectional area portion are not limited to a circle, but may be any shape known in the art, such as a square, rectangle, triangle, or ellipse.

[0029] In the above-described embodiment, the functional drug is described as a deodorizer, but the functional drug is not limited to a deodorizer and may be, for example, a deodorizer, a fragrance, an anti-mold agent, a repellent, an insect repellent, an insecticide, a disinfectant, etc. In addition, although the above-mentioned embodiment has been described as being in the case where the functional agent is non-volatile, the functional agent may be volatile, and in this case too, the surface area of ​​the gel composition can be increased and the amount of functional agent that is not used can be reduced, thereby increasing the amount of functional agent that volatilizes, which is advantageous in enhancing the deodorizing effect, fragrance effect, anti-fungal effect, repellent effect, insect repellent effect, or insecticidal effect, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 10A, 10B, 10C Deodorizer 12, 32 containers 14 Main body 16 Cap part 16A, 16B, 36A Vents 18 Plate members 20, 24, 26, 28 Gel composition 22A, 22B, 22B', 22C, 22C', 22E, 22F Elongated body 2201A, 2201B convex part 2201C, 2201D Recess 2202, 2212 Small area part 2204,214 Large area part 2206 Slope

Claims

1. A gel composition comprising a functional drug, a volatile solvent, and a gelling agent, The gel composition is formed into an elongated string-like body, and contains the volatile solvent and the gelling agent so that the string-like body is formed into a desired shape and the desired shape is maintained; the volatile solvent is an alcohol, an ether, a glycol, a glycol ether, a paraffinic hydrocarbon, acetone, toluene, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate or methylene chloride; The functional agent is a non-volatile deodorant, or the functional agent is a volatile deodorant, fragrance, anti-mold agent, repellent, insect repellent, or insecticide. A gel composition comprising:

2. The length and cross section of the string-like body are reduced by volatilization of the volatile solvent.

2. The gel composition according to claim 1.

3. The string-like body has a uniform cross section.

3. The gel composition according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A plurality of convex portions or a plurality of concave portions are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the string-like body.

3. The gel composition according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The string-like body is formed by alternately arranging small cross-sectional area portions and large cross-sectional area portions having a cross-sectional area larger than that of the small cross-sectional area portions in the longitudinal direction.

3. The gel composition according to claim 1 or 2.

6. the desired shape is a three-dimensional structure formed by bending the string-like body while ensuring a gap between a portion of the string-like body and another portion of the string-like body spaced apart from the portion of the string-like body in the longitudinal direction of the string-like body; The gel composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The three-dimensional structure is a plate-like or hollow plate-like or a cylinder-like or a hollow cylinder-like or a sphere-like or a hollow sphere-like.

7. The gel composition according to claim 6.

8. The desired shape is a shape in which the string-like body extends linearly. The gel composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

Images