Chemical volatilization device

Abstract

To provide a chemical sublimation apparatus which is capable of automatically regulating an amount of sublimation of chemical and also capable of maintaining a concentration of the chemical in a target space at a desired concentration without sublimating an excessive amount of the chemical.SOLUTION: A chemical sublimation apparatus 1 includes a chemical container 100 to accommodates chemical therein, a pump 6 (sublimation means) to sublimate the chemical in the chemical container 100, and a control means 80 for regulating an amount of sublimation of the chemical by controlling an operation of the pump 6 (sublimation means). The control means 80 controls the operation of the pump 6 (sublimation means) so that a certain amount of the chemical is sublimated a plurality of times at certain time intervals.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a drug volatilization device. [Background technology]

[0002] Chemical volatilization devices have been used for various purposes such as fragrance, deodorization, insecticide, and sterilization. Stationary types that continuously volatilize a certain amount of chemical until the chemical is consumed are generally known as chemical volatilization devices. In contrast, Patent Document 1 discloses a chemical volatilization device that can volatilize chemicals when necessary and adjust the strength of chemical volatilization according to the level of odor by using a changeover switch to turn the electricity to the fan on and off or to change the strength. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-155020 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the drug volatilization device of Patent Document 1, although the strength of drug volatilization can be set by a changeover switch, once it is set, the drug continues to volatilize at the set strength, and the strength is not changed midway. Therefore, when the setting is "weak", it takes time to fill the target space with drug because the drug cannot be volatilized quickly, while when the setting is "strong", there is a problem that even after a predetermined amount of drug is filled in the target space and the drug concentration in the target space becomes appropriate, the drug is excessively volatilized in the target space, causing it to overfill, and it is necessary to manually adjust the strength of drug volatilization by the changeover switch each time.

[0005] Therefore, the applicant has proposed a drug volatilization device that, in the initial stage at which volatilization begins, volatilizes a large amount of drug into the target space until the drug concentration in the target space reaches a predetermined amount necessary to maintain the drug concentration in the target space at the desired concentration for a predetermined period of time, and after the amount of drug volatilized has reached the predetermined amount, volatilizes a small amount of drug into the target space in a short cycle, for example, such that it would be lost due to ventilation of the target space, thereby automatically maintaining the drug concentration in the target space at the desired concentration for a certain period of time (Patent Application No. 2017-155894).

[0006] However, even with the drug volatilization device already proposed by the applicant, there are issues that volatilizing a large amount of drug in the initial stage can cause the drug concentration in the target space to suddenly become too high, and that volatilizing small amounts of drug frequently after the initial stage can cause sleep disturbance when used at night, leaving room for improvement.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a drug volatilization device that can automatically adjust the amount of drug volatilization. It also aims to provide a drug volatilization device that can maintain the drug concentration in the target space at a desired concentration without volatilizing an excessive amount of drug. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The drug volatilization device of the present invention comprises a drug container for holding a drug, volatilization means for volatilizing the drug in the drug container, and control means for controlling the operation of the volatilization means to adjust the amount of drug volatilized, and is characterized in that the control means controls the operation of the volatilization means so that a fixed amount of drug is volatilized multiple times at fixed time intervals.

[0009] It is preferable that the drug volatilization device of the present invention further comprises a setting means for setting the amount of drug volatilized, and that the control means controls the operation of the volatilization means so that the amount of drug volatilized each time is changed equally based on the setting by the setting means.

[0010] In addition, in the drug volatilization device of the present invention, preferably, the control means is capable of controlling the operation of the volatilization means so that the amount of drug volatilized each time is changed equally by changing the volatilization time of the drug, and further preferably, the control means is capable of controlling the operation of the volatilization means so that the amount of drug volatilized each time is changed equally by changing the amount of drug volatilized per unit time.

[0011] In addition, in the drug volatilization device of the present invention, it is preferable that the control means has a timing unit that measures elapsed time, and that the timing unit measures the elapsed time from the start of the initial drug volatilization, and controls the operation of the volatilization means so that the volatilization of the drug is terminated when the elapsed time reaches a predetermined time.

[0012] In addition, it is preferable that the drug volatilization device of the present invention further comprises a clock means for measuring time, and the control means acquires time information from the clock means and controls the operation of the volatilization means so that the first volatilization of the drug begins at a predetermined start time.

[0013] In addition, it is preferable that the drug volatilization device of the present invention is provided with a plurality of drug containers each containing different drugs, and a plurality of volatilization means each corresponding to each of the drug containers, and the control means acquires time information from the clock means and controls the operation of the corresponding volatilization means so that the initial volatilization of the drug begins at a different predetermined start time for each of the drug containers.

[0014] In addition, in the drug volatilization device of the present invention, it is preferable that the drug contains an aromatic component.

[0015] In addition, the drug volatilization device of the present invention is preferably used for preventing and improving cognitive dysfunction. In addition, the drug volatilization device of the present invention can also be used for treating other symptoms that are improved by aroma, such as insomnia and depression. Furthermore, the drug volatilization device of the present invention can also be used to induce waking up or going to bed. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the drug volatilization device of the present invention, a fixed amount of drug is automatically volatilized at fixed time intervals, so that the amount of drug volatilized each time is, for example, the amount required to make the drug concentration in the target space a desired concentration, plus the amount of drug lost from the target space during the time interval (until the next time the drug is volatilized), so that the drug concentration in the target space can be stably maintained at a desired concentration or higher, and since an excessive amount of drug is not volatilized, the drug concentration in the target space (especially in the vicinity of the drug volatilization device) can be prevented from becoming too high all at once. In addition, since the drug is not volatilized in the target space in a short cycle, it is possible to prevent sleep disturbance even when used at night. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an oblique view of the drug volatilization device of the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the drug volatilization device of the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1 is a plan view of a drug volatilization device according to this embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an enlarged view of a main part for volatilizing a medicine inside the device body. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the drug volatilization device of the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the passage of time and the volatilization state of the drug. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the relationship between the amount of drug volatilized and the operation time of the pump. [Figure 8] An explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the passage of time and the state of drug volatilization when the setting of the drug volatilization strength is changed. [Figure 9] 1 is a graph showing the relationship between the volatilized concentration of the drug and the passage of time. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figures 1 to 3 show the external configuration of a medicine volatilization device 1 of this embodiment. The medicine volatilization device 1 volatilizes medicine into a target space, and can be used as an aroma diffuser, for example, in a room or a toilet.

[0019] The drug volatilization device 1 includes a device body 10 and a drug container 100 that contains a liquid drug. In this embodiment, the drug volatilization device 1 includes only one drug container 100, but the number of drug containers 100 may be multiple.

[0020] As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the medicine container 100 is composed of a mouth part 101 having an opening at the top, and a body part 102 capable of containing liquid medicine such as an air freshener, a deodorant, or a disinfectant depending on the application. There is no particular limitation on the material of the medicine container 100, and it can be made of, for example, glass or plastic. A liquid suction tube 103 is inserted into the medicine container 100. The liquid suction tube 103 is for sucking up the medicine in the medicine container 100, and can be made of, for example, glass or plastic. The lower end of the liquid suction tube 103 abuts against the bottom surface of the medicine container 100, and the upper end of the liquid suction tube 103 protrudes upward from the mouth part 101 of the medicine container 100. The upper opening of the medicine container 100 is closed by a plug member 104 (or a lid). The stopper member 104 (or lid) has an insertion port for the suction tube 103, and the suction tube 103 is inserted into the insertion port of the stopper member 104 (or lid), thereby being inserted into the drug container 100 and being held upright in the vertical direction within the drug container 100.

[0021] 1, 2 and 4, the device main body 10 includes a cylindrical cartridge member 2 to which a drug container 100 can be detachably attached. The drug container 100 is attached to the cartridge member 2 by inserting an opening 101 of the drug container 100 into the cartridge member 2 from below and fixing it by, for example, fastening with a screw.

[0022] 1 to 3, the device body 10 includes a cover 3 that forms the top surface of the device body 10. Various switches, lamps, and the like are exposed from the cover 3. In this embodiment, a power switch 11, a setting switch 12, an indicator lamp 13, and an operation switch 14 are provided on the device body 10, and are exposed from the cover 3 via through holes.

[0023] The power switch 11 is, for example, a push-type switch provided on the device body 10. Pressing the power switch 11 turns the power of the device on and off.

[0024] The setting switch 12 is provided on the device body 10 in a push-type manner, for example. The setting switch 12 constitutes a setting means for setting the strength of the volatilization of the drug (amount of the drug volatilized). In this embodiment, the device body 10 is provided with a plurality of types of setting switches 12A-12C (for example, three stages of large, medium, and small) according to the total amount of the drug volatilized from the device. It is also possible to provide only one push-type or dial-type setting switch 12 on the device body 10, and change the amount of the drug volatilized from the device to a plurality of stages (for example, three stages of large, medium, and small) by the number of times the setting switch 12 is pressed or by switching the setting switch 12. By changing the amount of the drug volatilized according to the size of the target space from which the drug is volatilized, the drug concentration in the target space can be adjusted to a desired concentration regardless of the size of the target space.

[0025] For example, when the indicator lamp 13 is lit, it indicates that the device is volatilizing the drug, when it flashes, it indicates that the device is in an abnormal state (error), and when it is off, it indicates that the device is stopping volatilizing the drug. For example, a light-emitting diode (LED) can be used as the indicator lamp 13. In this embodiment, indicator lamps 13A to 13C are provided for each of the setting switches 12A to 12C, and the indicator lamps 13A to 13C are lit according to the amount of volatilization of the drug set by the setting switches 12A to 12C.

[0026] The operation switch 14 is, for example, a dial type or a push type, and is provided on the device body 10. As the operation switch 14, for example, an operation switch 14A for setting the drug volatilization time from the start of drug volatilization to the end of drug volatilization, and an operation switch 14B for setting the start time of drug volatilization (for example, setting how many hours after the power is turned on) can be provided on the device body 10. In addition, when the drug volatilization device 1 has multiple drug containers 100, an operation switch (not shown) for setting which drug container 100 the drug is to volatilize can also be provided on the device body 10.

[0027] In addition to the switches and lamps described above, the device body 10 may be provided with switches and lamps that perform other functions as necessary.

[0028] The cover 3 is formed with a volatilization hole 30 for volatilizing the medicine into the target space. The volatilization holes 30 are formed according to the number of medicine containers 100, and in this embodiment, one volatilization hole 30 is formed. The tip opening of the spray nozzle 4 (shown in FIG. 4) arranged below the cover 3 faces the volatilization hole 30, and the medicine in the medicine container 100 is volatilized from the spray nozzle 4 through the volatilization hole 30 of the cover 3 to the outside of the device body 10, as will be described in detail later.

[0029] The device main body 10 has a pump 6 (shown in FIG. 4) therein. The pump 6 constitutes a volatilization means for volatilizing the medicine in the medicine container 100. In this embodiment, the medicine in the medicine container 100 is volatilized by using the Venturi effect. Specifically, a spray nozzle 4 is attached to the upper end of the cartridge member 2 of the device main body 10, and an air passage member 5 arranged so as to be continuous with the spray nozzle 4 is provided inside the cartridge member 2. Also, inside the cartridge member 2, the upper end of a suction tube 103 inserted into the medicine container 100 is located.

[0030] A discharge pipe 60 is connected to the pump 6. The discharge pipe 60 is fixed to the cartridge member 2 so that its tip opening communicates with the internal space of the cartridge member 2. The air passage member 5 is formed in a spiral shape extending upward perpendicular to the plane of rotation while rotating inside the cartridge member 2, and the compressed air supplied from the pump 6 through the discharge pipe 60 to the inside of the cartridge member 2 rises while swirling inside the cartridge member 2 by the air passage member 5 and is discharged from the spray nozzle 4.

[0031] Here, when compressed air from the pump 6 is sent into the inside of the cartridge member 2, the inside of the suction tube 103 becomes negative pressure, so that the suction tube 103 sucks up the medicine in the medicine container 100. The medicine sucked up to the internal space of the cartridge member 2 by the suction tube 103 is atomized by the compressed air from the pump 6. This atomized medicine passes through the air passage member 5 together with the compressed air, and rises while swirling inside the cartridge member 2, and is sprayed from the spray nozzle 4. At this time, the coarse-diameter medicine particles are removed when passing through the air passage member 5, and the fine-diameter medicine particles mainly pass through the air passage member 5 and are sprayed from the spray nozzle 4. In addition, the provision of the air passage member 5 can suppress the spraying sound, and can prevent sleep disturbance when used at night.

[0032] In addition, when the drug volatilization device 1 has multiple drug containers 100, volatilization holes 30 corresponding to the number of drug containers 100 are formed in the cover 3, and pumps 6 and cartridge members 2 (including spray nozzles 4 and air duct members 5) corresponding to the number of drug containers 100 are provided in the device main body 10.

[0033] As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a cord 7 having a power plug 70 at its tip extends from the bottom of the device body 10. The device can be powered by inserting the power plug 70 into a wall outlet at home, office, or the like. It is also possible to provide a power jack at the bottom of the device body 10 and a connection plug at the other end of the cord 7, which can be inserted into the power jack to electrically connect the cord 7 to the device. The power plug and power jack do not necessarily need to be provided at the bottom of the device body 10, and may be provided anywhere on the device body 10 as long as they are capable of supplying power to the device.

[0034] Although not shown in the figure, the drug volatilization device 1 internally comprises a main board 8 (shown in Figure 5) on which a control means 80 that controls the operation of the entire device is mounted, a power supply board 9 (shown in Figure 5) on which a power supply circuit is mounted, a clock means 15 (shown in Figure 5), a gyro sensor 16 (shown in Figure 5), etc.

[0035] 5 shows the electrical configuration of the drug volatilization device 1. The control means 80 is composed of a microcomputer, which includes a processor (CPU) 81 that is the main controller, a read-only memory (ROM) 82 in which a program is stored, a readable and writable memory (RAM) 83 used to read and write data, and a timer (timer) 84 that starts timing when the drug volatilization by the device is started and measures the elapsed time while the drug is volatilized.

[0036] The control means 80 is connected to the power supply board 9, the power switch 11, the setting switches 12A to 12C, the indicator lamps 13A to 13C, the operation switches 14A and 14B, the clock means 15, the gyro sensor 16, the pump drive circuit 17, etc. The pump 6 is connected to the pump drive circuit 17.

[0037] The setting switches 12A to 12C are used to set the strength of the drug volatilization by the device (amount of drug volatilization), and when pressed, etc., output a setting signal to the control means 80. The control means 80 sets the strength of the drug volatilization based on the received setting signal, and controls the pump drive circuit 17, etc. to volatilize the drug at the set strength. The control means 80 also lights up the indicator lamps 13A to 13C according to the strength of the drug volatilization.

[0038] Operation switches 14A and 14B are used to set the start time when the device starts volatilizing the medicine, the volatilization time of the medicine, and the type of medicine to be volatilized when there are multiple medicine containers 100, and when a switching operation is performed, an operation signal is output to control means 80. Based on the received operation signal, control means 80 sets the start time for volatilizing the medicine, the volatilization time of the medicine, and the like, and controls pump drive circuit 17 and the like to volatilize the medicine under predetermined conditions.

[0039] The power supply board 9 converts the AC power supply voltage input from the power plug 70 into a DC voltage and supplies it to the control means 80. When the power switch 11 is selected to ON, power is supplied to the control means 80 and the power supply of the device is turned ON. On the other hand, when the power switch 11 is selected to OFF, the power supply to the control means 80 is stopped and the power supply of the device is turned OFF. The power supply board 9 is also connected to the pump drive circuit 17 and the like to supply power.

[0040] The clock means 15 keeps track of the current time. The clock means 15 is composed of an IC chip dedicated to timekeeping, for example, called a real-time clock (RTC). The RTC has a built-in battery, and can continue to keep track of time even when power is not supplied to the drug volatilization device 1. In this embodiment, the clock means 15 outputs "year", "month", "day", "hour", "minute", and "second" as time information to the control means 80. The clock means 15 may be electrically connected to both the power supply board 9 and the built-in battery, and may be configured to operate by external power supplied from the power supply board 9 when the power supply of the device is ON, and to operate by power from the built-in battery when the power supply of the device is OFF. The clock means 15 is connected to the control means 80, but may be built into the control means 80.

[0041] The gyro sensor 16 detects the inclination of the drug volatilization device 1 and outputs it to the control means. Based on the detected inclination, when the drug volatilization device 1 falls over and the inclination becomes equal to or exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control means 80 controls the pump drive circuit 17 and the like to stop the volatilization of the drug.

[0042] The pump drive circuit 17 operates the pump 6 in accordance with a control signal from the control means 80 .

[0043] Next, a description will be given of a first embodiment of the operation of the medicine volatilization device 1. The CPU 81 of the control means 80 operates according to a program stored in the ROM 82, so that the operation of the medicine volatilization device 1 can be realized.

[0044] In this first embodiment, when the power is turned on, the drug volatilization device 1 starts volatilization of the drug in the drug container 100, and as shown in Fig. 6, for a predetermined volatilization time (for example, 2 hours), volatilizes a certain amount of drug multiple times (for example, 4 times) at regular time intervals, and then ends the volatilization of the drug. The drug volatilization time is set in advance by the operation switch 14A.

[0045] First, when the power supply of the drug volatilization device 1 is ON, the control means 80 measures the time from the start of volatilization using the built-in timer 84, and outputs a control signal to the pump drive circuit 17 to operate the pump 6 corresponding to the drug container 100 from which the drug is to be volatilized, thereby starting the volatilization of the drug. In this embodiment, since there is only one drug container 100, there is no need to select the drug container 100 from which the drug is to be volatilized, but when there are multiple drug containers 100, the type of drug to be volatilized is set in advance by an operation switch (not shown).

[0046] In this first embodiment, the amount of drug evaporated each time from the drug evaporation device 1 is set to, for example, the amount necessary to bring the drug concentration in the target space to the desired concentration M (shown in Figure 9), plus an amount that takes into account the amount of drug lost from the target space until the next time the drug is evaporated (the above-mentioned time interval), thereby making it possible to stably maintain the drug concentration in the target space at or above the desired concentration.

[0047] The pump 6 is controlled by the control means 80 to operate intermittently. Specifically, the pump 6 operates for a predetermined first time t1 (e.g., 3 minutes) and then stops for a predetermined second time T1 (e.g., 27 minutes), repeating a cycle of a predetermined time t1+T1 (e.g., 30 minutes) multiple times (e.g., 4 times). In each volatilization of the drug, the pump 6 operates for the predetermined first time t1 to volatilize a certain amount of the drug, and then stops for the predetermined second time T1 to allow a certain time interval until the next volatilization of the drug.

[0048] The amount of drug evaporated from the drug evaporation device 1 each time can be changed by changing the first time t1 during which the pump 6 operates each time, while keeping the amount m of drug evaporated per unit time the same.

[0049] That is, as shown in FIG. 7, in a cycle of a predetermined time (for example, 30 minutes) where the pump 6 operates only for the first hour and then stops for the second hour, the first hour t1 (for example, 3 minutes) during which the pump 6 operates is extended to t2 (for example, 5 minutes) (t1 < t2), and accordingly, the second hour T1 (for example, 27 minutes) during which the pump 6 stops is shortened to T2 (for example, 25 minutes) (T1 > T2). By doing so, the volatilization amount of the drug each time can be increased by the amount corresponding to the extension of the operation time of the pump 6. In this case, the time interval until the next drug volatilization becomes shorter.

[0050] On the other hand, in this cycle, the first hour t1 (for example, 3 minutes) during which the pump 6 operates is shortened to t3 (for example, 1 minute) (t1 > t3), and accordingly, the second hour T1 (for example, 27 minutes) during which the pump 6 stops is extended to T3 (for example, 29 minutes) (T1 < T3). By doing so, the volatilization amount of the drug each time can be decreased by the amount corresponding to the shortening of the operation time of the pump 6. In this case, the time interval until the next drug volatilization becomes longer.

[0051] In this way, the control means 80 intermittently operates the pump 6 and controls the operation of the pump 6 so that the drug with the volatilization amount based on the setting (strength of drug volatilization) by the setting switches 12A to 12C is volatilized each time, thereby configuring to equally change the volatilization amount of the drug each time. Thereby, the drug concentration in the target space can be adjusted to a desired concentration regardless of the size of the target space. Note that the operation time of the pump 6 each time may be continuous or intermittent. That is, the pump 6 may be continuously operated for a predetermined time each time, or may be intermittently operated so that the total time of each operation is a predetermined operation time.

[0052] Then, the control means 80 determines whether the volatilization time has reached a predetermined time (for example, 2 hours) since the start of the drug volatilization timed by the timer 84. When the drug volatilization time reaches the predetermined time (for example, 2 hours), the pump 6 is stopped and the drug volatilization is terminated.

[0053] In this first embodiment, after the drug begins to volatilize, the drug can be volatilized for a predetermined period of time. Therefore, for example, by volatilizing the drug before going to sleep, sleep can be induced by the effects of the drug, and after sleep is achieved, the drug volatilization can be automatically stopped without the need to operate the power switch 11.

[0054] In the first embodiment, if the setting switches 12A-12C are operated to change the strength of the volatilization of the drug (volatilization amount of the drug) after starting the volatilization of the drug in the first embodiment, the volatilization of the drug is started again at the newly set volatilization strength at the time when the volatilization strength setting of the drug is changed. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, when the volatilization strength of the drug is set to "medium" and the drug is volatilized, if the volatilization strength of the drug is changed to "small" during the stop after the second volatilization of the drug, the volatilization of the drug is performed at the setting of the volatilization amount "small" shown in FIG. 7 from the time when the setting is changed. Specifically, the volatilization amount m of the drug per unit time is the same, and the first time for operating the pump 6 is changed to t3 (for example, 1 minute) to volatilize a certain amount of the drug, and then the pump 6 is stopped for the second time T3 (for example, 29 minutes), and this cycle of a predetermined time t3+T3 (for example, 30 minutes) is repeated a predetermined number of times (for example, 4 times).

[0055] Next, a description will be given of a second embodiment of the operation of the medicine volatilization device 1. The CPU 81 of the control means 80 operates according to a program stored in the ROM 82, so that the medicine volatilization device 1 can realize the operation.

[0056] In this second embodiment, the drug volatilization device 1 is automatically powered on at a predetermined start time to start volatilization of the drug in the drug container 100, and volatilizes a certain amount of drug multiple times (e.g., four times) at regular time intervals for a predetermined volatilization time (e.g., two hours), and then ends the volatilization of the drug. The start time of volatilization of the drug and the volatilization time of the drug are set in advance by the operation switches 14A and 14B. In addition, since there is only one drug container 100 in this embodiment, there is no need to select the drug container 100 from which the drug will volatilize, but if there are multiple drug containers 100, the type of drug to be volatilized is set in advance by the operation switch (not shown).

[0057] In this second embodiment, the control means 80 judges whether the current time is a predetermined time from the start time based on the time information obtained from the clock means 15. Then, when the start time arrives, the control means 80 measures the volatilization time with the built-in timer 84 and outputs a control signal to the pump drive circuit 17 to operate the pump 6 corresponding to the drug container 100 that volatilizes the drug, thereby starting the volatilization of the drug. The subsequent operations are the same as those in the first embodiment described above, and therefore detailed explanations will be omitted here.

[0058] In this second embodiment, a clock means 15 is provided, and the evaporation of the medicine in the medicine container 100 can be started at a predetermined time, and the evaporation of the medicine can be ended at a predetermined time. Therefore, for example, by evaporating the medicine a predetermined time before waking up (for example, two hours before), it is possible to induce waking up by the effect of the medicine.

[0059] In addition, when the drug volatilization device 1 is provided with a plurality of drug containers 100, the drug in the different drug containers 100 can be volatilized at different start times. For example, the drug in one drug container 100 can be volatilized for a predetermined time at a predetermined time in the morning (or afternoon), and the drug in another drug container 100 can be volatilized for a predetermined time at a predetermined time in the evening. In recent years, the physiological functionality of aromas has been gradually elucidated, and research has been published that suggests that cognitive impairment can be prevented and improved by smelling different predetermined aromas in the morning and evening. However, setting up multiple aroma diffusers to smell different aromas every morning and evening is a difficult task for people with cognitive impairment or mild cognitive impairment because they may forget to do so, and there is a risk that the effect will be insufficient. However, according to the second embodiment, different aromas can be automatically volatilized in the morning and evening, so that it can be suitably used for preventing and improving cognitive impairment. In addition to preventing and improving cognitive impairment, it can also be used to treat other symptoms for which aromas have an improving effect, such as insomnia and depression.

[0060] As described above, according to the drug volatilization device 1 of this embodiment, as shown by the solid line in the graph shown in Fig. 9, a fixed amount of drug is automatically volatilized at fixed time intervals, so that the amount of drug volatilized each time is, for example, the amount necessary to make the drug concentration in the target space the desired concentration M, plus the amount of drug lost from the target space during the time interval (until the next time the drug is volatilized), so that the drug concentration in the target space can be stably maintained at or above the desired concentration M. In addition, as shown by the solid line in the graph of Fig. 9, the drug concentration in the target space can be gradually increased, so that it is possible to prevent the nose from becoming accustomed to the scent.

[0061] Moreover, as shown by the dashed line in the graph shown in FIG. 9, in the initial stage of the start of volatilization, a large amount of drug is volatilized into the target space until the drug concentration in the target space reaches a predetermined amount required to maintain the desired concentration M for a predetermined period (for example, 2 hours), and in the stage after the amount of drug volatilization reaches the predetermined amount, for example, if a small amount of drug that is lost due to ventilation of the target space is volatilized into the target space in a short cycle, the drug concentration in the target space will suddenly become too high. In addition, it may become susceptible to environmental influences such as ventilation, and may fall below the desired concentration M. However, according to the drug volatilization device 1 of this embodiment, since an excessive amount of drug is not volatilized, it is possible to prevent the drug concentration in the target space (especially in the vicinity of the drug volatilization device) from suddenly becoming too high. In addition, it is possible to minimize external influences such as ventilation. Furthermore, since the drug is not volatilized into the target space in a short cycle, it is possible to prevent sleep disturbance even if it is used at night.

[0062] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0063] For example, in the above embodiment, the control means 80 controls the operation of the pump 6 (volatilization means) to change the volatilization time of the drug, that is, the operation time (first time) of the pump 6 (volatilization means) when changing the amount of volatilization of the drug each time. However, the control means 80 is not limited to this, and may control the operation of the pump 6 (volatilization means) to change the amount of volatilization of the drug per unit time m, that is, to change the amount of the drug volatilized within the operation time (first time) of the pump 6 each time without changing the operation time (first time) of the pump 6, by increasing or decreasing the power of the pump 6 (volatilization means).

[0064] However, when changing the amount of volatilization of the drug each time, changing the amount of volatilization of the drug per unit time m tends to increase the drug concentration in the vicinity of the drug volatilization device 1. Therefore, it is preferable to change the amount of volatilization of the drug each time by changing the volatilization time of the drug (the operation time of the pump 6 each time (first time)) while keeping the amount of volatilization of the drug per unit time m unchanged.

[0065] In addition, in the above embodiment of the drug volatilization device 1, when a plurality of drug containers 100 are provided, the drug in one of the drug containers 100 is volatilized, but the drugs in the plurality of drug containers 100 may be volatilized simultaneously. By volatilizing a plurality of drugs simultaneously, useful effects can be obtained, such as, for example, the efficacy exhibited by the drug can be enhanced by a synergistic effect, the efficacy of a plurality of types of drugs can be exhibited simultaneously, and a favorite aroma can be enjoyed.

[0066] In addition, in the drug volatilization device 100 of the above embodiment, the pump 6 is used as the volatilization means, and the drug in the drug container 100 is volatilized by the Venturi effect, but the volatilization means is not particularly limited as long as it can volatilize the drug. For example, a liquid-absorbent core material that absorbs the drug by capillary action is inserted into the drug container 100, and the drug absorbed by the liquid-absorbent core material may be ultrasonically vibrated to volatilize the drug, or the drug liquid absorbed by the liquid-absorbent core material may be heated by a heater to volatilize the drug. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 1. Chemical volatilization device 6 Pump (evaporation means) 12 Setting switch (setting means) 15 Clock Means 80 Control Means 84 Timer (timing unit) 100 Drug container

Claims

1. A medicine container for storing a medicine; A vaporization means for vaporizing the drug in the drug container by spraying it; A control means for controlling the operation of the volatilization means to adjust the amount of volatilization of the drug; A setting means for setting the amount of volatilization of the drug; Equipped with The control means controls the operation of the volatilization means by repeatedly spraying the drug at a constant amount of volatilization per unit time and stopping the spraying multiple times, and by keeping the total time of the spraying of the drug and the stopping time of the spraying constant for each time, so that a constant amount of the drug is volatilized each time; The fixed amount of the drug is set by the setting means according to the size of the target space into which the drug is to be evaporated; The control means controls the operation of the volatilization means so that the amount of volatilization of the drug for each time is changed equally by changing the time of spraying the drug based on the setting by the setting means, The control means controls the operation of the volatilization means so that the greater the amount of volatilization of the medicine set by the setting means, the shorter the time for stopping the spray. Drug volatilization device.

2. The drug volatilization device described in claim 1, wherein the control means controls the operation of the volatilization means so that the amount of drug volatilized in each instance is changed equally by changing the amount of drug volatilized per unit time for each instance.

3. The control means has a timing unit that measures elapsed time, measures the elapsed time from the start of the initial volatilization of the drug using the timing unit, and controls the operation of the volatilization means so that volatilization of the drug ends when the elapsed time reaches a predetermined time.A drug volatilization device as described in claim 1 or claim 2.

4. Further comprising a clock means for measuring time, A drug volatilization device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control means acquires time information from the clock means and controls the operation of the volatilization means so that the first volatilization of the drug begins at a predetermined start time.

5. A plurality of the drug containers each containing a different drug are provided, and a plurality of the volatilization means are provided corresponding to each of the drug containers, The drug volatilization device described in claim 4, wherein the control means acquires time information from the clock means and controls the operation of the corresponding volatilization means so that the initial volatilization of the drug begins at different predetermined start times for each drug container.

6. The drug volatilization device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the drug contains an aromatic component.

7. The drug volatilization device according to claim 6, which is used for preventing or improving cognitive impairment.

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