Drug dispersal device

Abstract

To improve the effect of an agent in a fan-type agent diffuser.SOLUTION: An agent diffuser has a fan casing 13 having a first air intake and a second air intake disposed on both sides of a centrifugal fan in the rotation axis direction, a first agent cartridge 20 connected to the first air intake, and a second agent cartridge 30 connected to the second air intake.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a chemical spraying device that sprays, for example, a pest control agent into the air.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example, a chemical spraying device using a fan driven by a motor is known. In the chemical spraying device of Patent Document 1, impregnated bodies impregnated with a volatile chemical are arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side in the air flow direction, respectively. The air flow formed by rotating the fan passes through the upstream impregnated body and contains the chemical, and further contains the chemical when passing through the downstream impregnated body. Thereafter, the chemical can be sprayed by flowing out to the outside.

[0003] Also, the chemical spraying device of Patent Document 2 includes a centrifugal fan. A cylindrical chemical container containing a chemical is connected to the suction side of the centrifugal fan. The air sucked from the outside of the chemical container by the action of the centrifugal fan contains the chemical in the chemical container and can spray the chemical by flowing out to the outside.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, in Patent Document 1, the members constituting each impregnated body are pleated non-woven fabrics. The efficacy of the chemical can be improved by setting the pitch of the pleats of this impregnated body and the separation distance between the impregnated body arranged on the upstream side and the impregnated body arranged on the downstream side to specific values.

[0006] However, when multiple impregnated bodies are arranged in the direction of airflow, the pressure loss increases as the airflow passes through the multiple impregnated bodies sequentially. As a result, the amount of air passing through the impregnated bodies per unit time may decrease. In other words, simply arranging two impregnated bodies does not necessarily increase the amount of chemical released. This requires careful setting of the pleat pitch and the spacing between the impregnated bodies, and it is possible that the two impregnated bodies may not be able to be used effectively.

[0007] Furthermore, while Patent Document 2 uses a long, cylindrical drug container in the direction of air intake, there was a demand to further improve the efficacy of the drug even when using such a shaped drug container.

[0008] This invention has been made in view of the above, and its purpose is to improve the efficacy of the drug in a fan-type drug dispersal device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, the first invention provides a chemical dispersal device comprising a motor-driven fan and a chemical cartridge through which the airflow formed by the fan passes and through which a volatile chemical is contained, wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan and comprises a fan casing having a first air intake port and a second air intake port arranged on both sides of the fan's rotation axis and an outlet port for discharging air drawn in from the first air intake port and the second air intake port, a first chemical cartridge having a first connection port connected to the first air intake port and a first air intake port for drawing in air from the outside, and containing a first chemical holder for holding the chemical, and a second chemical cartridge having a second connection port connected to the second air intake port and a second air intake port for drawing in air from the outside, and containing a second chemical holder for holding the chemical.

[0010] In this configuration, the first and second chemical cartridges are positioned on either side of the fan's rotation axis. When the fan rotates, outside air is drawn in through the first air intake of the first chemical cartridge, providing air containing the chemical held in the first chemical holder. This chemical-containing air is then drawn into the fan casing through the first air intake of the fan casing. When the fan rotates, outside air is also drawn in through the second air intake of the second chemical cartridge, providing air containing the chemical held in the second chemical holder. This chemical-containing air is then drawn into the fan casing through the second air intake of the fan casing.

[0011] The air containing the chemical drawn into the fan casing from the first chemical cartridge and the air containing the chemical drawn into the fan casing from the second chemical cartridge are both discharged to the outside through the outlet of the fan casing. This causes the chemical to be dispersed over a wide area.

[0012] In this configuration, the first and second chemical cartridges are not arranged in series in the direction of airflow, but are connected to the first and second air intake ports of the fan casing, respectively. As a result, the air flowing through each chemical cartridge does not affect each other. This reduces the adverse effects of arranging them in series (e.g., pressure loss), and increases the amount of air discharged per unit time from the fan casing's outlet.

[0013] In the second invention, the first drug holder and the second drug holder are formed in a cylindrical shape, and the axes of the first drug holder and the second drug holder are positioned on the extension of the rotation axis of the fan.

[0014] In other words, one way to increase the amount of drug held is to lengthen the cylindrical drug holder in the axial direction. However, in a configuration where air is drawn in from one end, the other end becomes farther from the fan, and the amount of drug held at the other end volatilized decreases, which may result in the drug's effectiveness not improving significantly.

[0015] In contrast, with this configuration, the first and second drug cartridges can be positioned on both sides of the rotation axis along the extension of the fan's rotation axis. This increases the amount of drug released from each drug holder compared to the case where the axial dimension of one drug cartridge is doubled, thereby improving the efficacy of the drug.

[0016] The third invention is characterized in that the rotation axis of the fan extends horizontally, and the first drug cartridge, the fan, and the second drug cartridge are arranged horizontally.

[0017] In other words, if the first and second chemical cartridges are placed on both sides of the fan's rotation axis, the dimension of the chemical dispersing device in the rotation axis direction will increase. If it is installed in a position where the rotation axis direction extends vertically, the chemical dispersing device may become unstable. With this configuration, the first chemical cartridge, the fan, and the second chemical cartridge are arranged horizontally, so the chemical dispersing device can be stabilized when installed.

[0018] The fourth invention is characterized in that the fan has a plurality of first blades arranged on the first drug cartridge side and a plurality of second blades arranged on the second drug cartridge side, and the second drug cartridge side of the first blades and the first drug cartridge side of the second blades are connected and integrated.

[0019] With this configuration, the first and second blade sections can be integrated and driven by a common motor, thus simplifying the drive structure.

[0020] The fifth invention is a drug-dispensing device, wherein the discharge port of the fan casing is opened in a direction away from the installation surface of the device, and includes a housing that houses the first drug cartridge, the fan, and the second drug cartridge. The housing is formed with a first opening that opens at a portion facing the discharge port and a second opening that opens at a portion closer to the installation surface than the first opening.

[0021] According to this configuration, since the air containing the drug discharged from the discharge port of the fan casing blows out through the first opening of the housing in a direction away from the installation surface, the drug can be efficiently dispersed over a wide range. On the other hand, since air can be sucked in from the second opening located closer to the installation surface than the first opening and supplied to the first air intake port of the first drug cartridge and the second air intake port of the second drug cartridge, the air flow can be separated between the discharge side and the intake side, and the air flow becomes smooth.

[0022] The sixth invention is characterized in that the housing is provided with a battery housing portion for housing a battery for supplying power to the motor, the arrangement direction of the first drug cartridge, the fan, and the second drug cartridge is the width direction of the housing, and the fan and the battery housing portion are arranged side by side in the depth direction of the housing.

[0023] That is, since the first drug cartridge, the fan, and the second drug cartridge are arranged side by side in the width direction of the housing, the width of the housing becomes wider. If the battery housing portion is also arranged side by side in the width direction of the housing, the width of the drug-dispensing device may become too wide, and the degree of freedom during installation may decrease. In contrast, according to this configuration, since the battery housing portion and the fan are arranged side by side in the depth direction of the housing, an increase in the width of the drug-dispensing device can be suppressed, and the degree of freedom during installation can be increased.

[0024] The seventh invention is characterized in that the first drug cartridge includes a cylindrical main body for housing the first drug holder, the axis of the main body is arranged on the extension line of the rotation axis of the fan, the first connection port is formed on one end face in the axial direction of the main body, and a plurality of the first air intake ports are provided on the peripheral wall of the main body at intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0025] According to this configuration, air can be taken in from a wide range of the peripheral wall of the main body of the first drug cartridge, and the drug can be included in the air in the process of flowing the taken-in air in one direction of the axial direction of the main body. Then, the air containing the drug flows into the fan casing from the first connection port and is discharged from the discharge port. Note that the second drug cartridge can be configured in the same manner.

Advantages of the Invention

[0026] According to the present invention, the first drug cartridge and the second drug cartridge are respectively arranged on both sides in the rotation axis direction of the centrifugal fan, and the air containing the drug in each drug cartridge is separately taken into the fan casing and then discharged to the outside. Therefore, the amount of air and the volatilization amount of the drug discharged per unit time from the discharge port can be increased, and the efficacy of the drug can be enhanced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of the drug diffusing device according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from above. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of the drug diffusing device with the cover removed as viewed from above. [Figure 3] It is a plan view of the drug diffusing device with the cover removed. [Figure 4] It is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing a state where the right side plate of the fan casing and the right side drug cartridge are removed. [Figure 5] It is a sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] It is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 3. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The following description of preferred embodiments is essentially illustrative and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0029] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a chemical dispersing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The chemical dispersing device 1 is a device for obtaining the efficacy of a volatile chemical by dispersing it into the air. The location of use of the chemical dispersing device 1 is not particularly limited, but it can be used in various stores, offices, factories, homes, etc., and may also be used outdoors. Examples of chemicals include insecticides, insect repellents, insecticides, fragrances, deodorizers, disinfectants, etc., but any other chemicals that are volatile at room temperature (e.g., 20°C) may also be used.

[0030] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the drug dispersal device 1 comprises a blower unit 10, a right-side drug cartridge (first drug cartridge) 20, a left-side drug cartridge (second drug cartridge) 30, and a housing 40 (shown in Figure 1) that houses these. A battery housing case (battery housing section) 50 is provided inside the housing 40. In each figure, the left-right and depth directions of the drug dispersal device 1 are defined, but this is for the sake of explanation only and does not limit the actual usage conditions or manufacturing orientation. In this specification, the front side may simply be referred to as "front," and the back side as simply "rear."

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, the pesticide dispersal device 1 has an overall shape that is elongated in the left-right direction. That is, the left-right dimension of the pesticide dispersal device 1 is set to be longer than the depth dimension, and also longer than the height dimension. The width direction of the pesticide dispersal device 1 is the left-right direction. Although not shown, the pesticide dispersal device 1 may also have an shape that is elongated in the vertical direction. In this case, the lower pesticide cartridge, the blower unit, and the upper pesticide cartridge would be arranged in the vertical direction in that order.

[0032] The housing 40 comprises a lower member 41 that constitutes the lower part of the housing 40 and a cover 42 that constitutes the upper part of the housing 40. As shown in Figure 4, the lower member 41 comprises a bottom wall portion 41a and a peripheral wall portion 41b that extends upward from the peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 41a, and is open to the top. Multiple right-side lower openings (second openings) 41c are formed on the right side of the bottom wall portion 41a. Multiple left-side lower openings (second openings) are formed on the left side of the bottom wall portion 41a, similar to the right-side lower openings 41c (not shown). The right-side lower openings 41c and the left-side lower openings are formed in a slit shape.

[0033] In Figure 1, the floor is used as the installation surface. That is, it shows the pesticide dispersing device 1 placed on the floor with the cover 42 facing upwards. However, it is not limited to this; the ceiling may be used as the installation surface, and the cover 42 may be fixed to the ceiling with the cover 42 facing downwards (upside down). Similarly, the wall may be used as the installation surface, and the cover 42 may be fixed to the wall so that it protrudes horizontally. Therefore, the terms "up" and "down" used in this specification are for explanatory purposes only and do not limit the actual usage conditions or the orientation during manufacturing. Regardless of the orientation in which the pesticide dispersing device 1 is installed, the lower member 41 is closer to the installation surface than the cover 42.

[0034] Multiple right-side openings (second openings) 41e are formed on the right side of the front portion of the peripheral wall 41b. Multiple left-side openings (second openings) 41f are formed on the left side of the peripheral wall 41b. The right-side openings 41e and the left-side openings 41f are formed in a slit shape that extends in the vertical direction and are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, the cover 42 is a member formed to cover the open portion of the lower member 41 from above. The lower end of the cover 42 is fitted or engaged with the upper end of the lower member 41. The cover 42 can be removed from the lower member 41 when replacing the drug cartridges 20, 30 or the battery 51, which will be described later.

[0036] The shape of the cover 42 is not particularly limited, but for example, it has a shape that bulges upward so that the center in the depth direction is at the top. This is to correspond to the outer shape of the drug cartridges 20 and 30. The right and left ends of the cover 42 both extend in the vertical direction and are located directly above the right and left sides of the peripheral wall portion 41b of the lower member 41. The front end (front end) and rear end (back end) of the cover 42 also both extend in the vertical direction and are located directly above the front and rear sides of the peripheral wall portion 41b of the lower member 41.

[0037] An operation panel 42a is provided on the upper front side of the cover 42. A power switch 42b is provided on the operation panel 42a. Furthermore, an operation indicator light 42c is provided on the operation panel 42a that lights up when the blower unit 10 is operating and turns off when the blower unit 10 is not operating.

[0038] Multiple front openings (first openings) 42d are provided on the front side of the cover 42. The front openings 42d are slit-shaped and elongated in the vertical direction, and are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The front openings 42d are provided only in the left-right central part of the cover 42 and are positioned to correspond to the right side opening 41e and the left side opening 41f.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, the blower unit 10 is located in the center of the housing 40 in the left-right direction and is offset towards the front. As shown in Figure 4, the blower unit 10 includes a motor 11, a centrifugal fan 12 driven by the motor 11, and a fan casing 13 that houses the motor 11 and the fan 12. Note that in Figure 3, the upper part of the fan casing 13 is omitted to make the fan 12 visible.

[0040] The fan 12 is positioned inside the fan casing 13 with its rotation axis extending horizontally (left-right direction), and can be configured as, for example, a sirocco fan. Because the rotation axis of the fan 12 extends horizontally, when the fan 12 rotates, it draws in air from the right and left sides, respectively. The fan 12 then discharges the drawn-in air radially outward.

[0041] The fan casing 13 has a scroll-shaped wall portion 13a that extends to surround the fan 12, a right-side plate 13b provided at the right end of the scroll-shaped wall portion 13a, and a left-side plate 13c provided at the left end of the scroll-shaped wall portion 13a. The right-side plate 13b and the left-side plate 13c are configured to be detachably attached to the scroll-shaped wall portion 13a, but they may also be integrally molded with the scroll-shaped wall portion 13a.

[0042] The scroll-shaped wall portion 13a, the right side plate 13b, and the left side plate 13c form an air passage 13d inside the fan casing 13 where air flowing radially from the fan 12 collects. As shown in Figure 5, the starting point of the air passage 13d is near the nose portion 13e, and in this embodiment, it is located in front of the fan 12, below the top and above the bottom of the fan 12. The air passage 13d is formed to pass sequentially from near the nose portion 13e through the top, rear, and bottom of the fan 12, with the downstream side extending diagonally upward toward the front. The downstream end of the air passage 13d is an outlet 13f that discharges the air drawn into the fan casing 13. That is, the outlet 13f is formed on the front side of the fan casing 13, and the outlet 13f opens upward (i.e., away from the installation surface). The front opening 42d of the housing 40 shown in Figure 1 is located opposite the discharge port 13f, and the air discharged from the discharge port 13f is discharged to the outside through the front opening 42d of the housing 40. Multiple discharge ports 13f may be formed.

[0043] As shown in Figure 3, the fan 12 has a plurality of right-side blades (first blades) 12a located on the right-side chemical cartridge 20 side, and a plurality of left-side blades (second blades) 12b located on the left-side chemical cartridge 30 side. The plurality of right-side blades 12a are shaped to extend in the direction of the rotation axis and are arranged at intervals around the rotation axis. The plurality of left-side blades 12b are also shaped to extend in the direction of the rotation axis and are arranged at intervals around the rotation axis. In Figures 3 to 5, the right-side blades 12a and the left-side blades 12b are the same shape and number, but this is not limited to this, and the shape and number of blades on the left and right sides may differ.

[0044] The left side of the right blade section 12a, which is on the side of the left chemical cartridge 30 (left side), and the right side of the left blade section 12b, which is on the side of the right chemical cartridge 20 (right side), are connected and integrated. Specifically, the right blade section 12a and the left blade section 12b can be integrally molded from, for example, resin. This allows the right blade section 12a and the left blade section 12b to be rotated around the rotation axis by a common motor 11, thus simplifying the drive structure. Alternatively, the right blade section 12a and the left blade section 12b may be constructed from separate materials and then integrated.

[0045] The motor 11 is located inside the fan 12. As shown in Figure 4, the motor casing of the motor 11 is fixed to the left side of the right side plate 13b, and is fixed to the fan casing 13 with the motor casing protruding to the left from the right side plate 13b. The output shaft (not shown) of the motor 11 extends horizontally (left-right direction), and the rotation center of the fan 12 is fixed to this output shaft. Therefore, the fan 12 is rotatably supported relative to the right side plate 13b via the motor 11. The motor 11 may also be fixed to the left side plate 13c.

[0046] As shown in Figure 4, a right-side intake port (first air intake port) 13g is formed near the center of the right-side plate 13b. Also, as shown in Figure 5, a left-side intake port (second air intake port) 13h is formed near the center of the left-side plate 13c. The right-side intake port 13g and the left-side intake port 13h are arranged on the same axis and are located on both sides (right and left) of the fan 12's rotation axis. When the fan 12 rotates, the airflow formed by the right-side blade 12a draws air from outside the fan casing 13 into the fan casing 13 through the right-side intake port 13g, and the airflow formed by the left-side blade 12b draws air from outside the fan casing 13 into the fan casing 13 through the left-side intake port 13h.

[0047] In this embodiment, the opening shapes of the right intake port 13g and the left intake port 13h are slightly different. This is because, in this embodiment, the motor 11 is fixed to the right plate 13b, making the inside of the fan casing 13 asymmetrical. This difference is corrected to compensate for the uneven airflow caused by this asymmetry. However, the right intake port 13g and the left intake port 13h may have the same shape, regardless of these circumstances.

[0048] The right-side chemical cartridge 20 and the left-side chemical cartridge 30 contain volatile chemicals and are through which the airflow formed by the fan 12 passes. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the right-side chemical cartridge 20 is located to the right of the blower unit 10, and the left-side chemical cartridge 30 is located to the left of the blower unit 10. The right-side chemical cartridge 20, the blower unit 10 (fan 12), and the left-side chemical cartridge 30 are arranged horizontally (left-right).

[0049] The right-side drug cartridge 20 comprises a right-side drug holder (first drug holder) 21 for holding the drug and a cylindrical main body 22 for housing the right-side drug holder 21, and is housed in the cartridge housing space to the right of the blower unit 10 in the housing 40. As shown in Figure 6, the right-side drug holder 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape. For example, a cylindrical right-side drug holder 21 can be obtained by forming an impregnable material that can be impregnated with a drug, such as a nonwoven fabric, into a pleated shape and then winding it into a cylindrical shape. Alternatively, the drug may be held by impregnating a breathable foam material with the drug and then forming this foam material into a cylindrical shape. Alternatively, the drug may be held by impregnating or coating a resin mesh member with the drug and then forming this mesh member into a cylindrical shape. The drug holder can also be called a drug-impregnated body.

[0050] The main body 22 has a cylindrical portion 22a into which the right-side drug holder 21 can be inserted, a closing plate portion 22b that closes the right end face of the cylindrical portion 22a, and a left end plate portion 22c (shown in Figure 3) provided at the left end of the cylindrical portion 22a. The cylindrical portion 22a has a plurality of right-side air intake ports (first air intake ports) 22d formed thereon for taking in air from the outside. The plurality of right-side air intake ports 22d are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction and also spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, and are formed over a wide area from near the right end to near the left end of the cylindrical portion 22a. This makes it possible to increase the area in which air can be taken in.

[0051] Although no opening is formed in the closure plate portion 22b, an opening may be formed therein. Also, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 4, a right-side connection port (first connection port) 22e is formed in the left end plate portion 22c, which is connected to the right-side intake port 13g of the fan casing 13. As shown in Figure 2, when the right-side chemical cartridge 20 is placed in a predetermined position, the right-side connection port 22e is connected to the right-side intake port 13g of the fan casing 13. This allows air flowing into the right-side chemical cartridge 20 to flow into the fan casing 13 via the right-side connection port 22e and the right-side intake port 13g.

[0052] Furthermore, the left-side drug cartridge 30 has a symmetrical structure to the right-side drug cartridge 20. For example, the left-side drug cartridge 30 can be flipped horizontally and used as the right-side drug cartridge 20, and vice versa. In other words, the same drug cartridge can be used as both the left-side drug cartridge 30 and the right-side drug cartridge 20.

[0053] The left-side drug cartridge 30 comprises a left-side drug holder (second drug holder) 31 that holds the drug, and a cylindrical main body 32 that houses the left-side drug holder 31. It is housed in the cartridge storage space to the left of the blower unit 10 in the housing 40. Although not shown, the left-side drug holder 31 is formed in a cylindrical shape.

[0054] The main body 32 has a cylindrical portion 32a into which the left drug holder 31 can be inserted, a closing plate portion 32b that closes the left end face of the cylindrical portion 32a, and a right end plate portion 32c (shown in Figure 2) provided at the right end of the cylindrical portion 32a. The cylindrical portion 32a has a plurality of left air intake ports (second air intake ports) 32d formed therein for taking in air from the outside. The plurality of left air intake ports 32d are arranged with intervals between them in the axial direction and also with intervals between them in the circumferential direction, and are formed over a wide area from near the left end to near the right end of the cylindrical portion 32a. This makes it possible to increase the area in which air can be taken in.

[0055] Although no opening is formed in the closure plate portion 32b, an opening may be formed therein. Also, as partially shown in Figure 4, a left-side connection port (second connection port) 32e is formed in the right end plate portion 32c, which is connected to the left-side intake port 13h of the fan casing 13. As shown in Figure 2, when the left-side chemical cartridge 30 is placed in a predetermined position, the left-side connection port 32e is connected to the left-side intake port 13h of the fan casing 13. This allows air flowing into the left-side chemical cartridge 30 to flow into the fan casing 13 via the left-side connection port 32e and the left-side intake port 13h.

[0056] In this embodiment, the right-side chemical cartridge 20 and the left-side chemical cartridge 30 are identical in shape and structure, but this is not necessarily the case. If necessary, the sizes of the right-side chemical cartridge 20 and the left-side chemical cartridge 30 can be different, or different types of chemical holders can be used. Also, the chemicals in the right-side chemical cartridge 20 and the left-side chemical cartridge 30 may be different. If the left and right chemical cartridges 20 and 30 are different in this way, the optimal airflow may differ on the left and right sides. In such cases, the shape and number of blades of the right-side blade section 12a and the left-side blade section 12b of the fan 12 can be made different from each other. Similarly, the opening area and shape of the right-side intake port 13g and the left-side intake port 13h can be made different from each other. In this way, by making the blades of the fan 12 and the shape of the intake ports different on the left and right sides, different airflows can be achieved on the left and right sides with a single fan 12, so that optimal chemical dispersal can be achieved even when the left and right chemical cartridges are different. Furthermore, if the left and right agents are different, the fan 12 can be driven to mix and create a multiphase flow of the left and right agents before discharging them from the discharge port 13f, which is expected to create new effects.

[0057] When the right-side chemical cartridge 20 and the left-side chemical cartridge 30 are housed in the cartridge storage spaces within the housing 40, the axes of the right-side chemical holder 21 and the left-side chemical holder 31 are positioned on the extension of the rotation axis of the fan 12. This makes it easier for air from inside the right-side chemical cartridge 20 and the left-side chemical cartridge 30 to flow into the fan casing 13.

[0058] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, a battery housing section 50 is provided at the rear of the housing 40, which houses multiple batteries 51 for supplying power to the motor 11. The fan 12 is located in front of the battery housing section 50, and therefore the fan 12 and the battery housing section 50 are aligned in the depth direction of the housing 40.

[0059] Multiple batteries 51 are arranged in the left-right direction within the housing 40. Corresponding to this arrangement of batteries 51, the battery housing 50 is elongated in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the longitudinal direction of each battery 51 is vertical within the battery housing 50.

[0060] (Operation of drug dispersal device 1) When the power switch 42b is pressed, power is supplied from the battery 51 to the motor 11, causing the motor 11 to rotate, and power is also supplied to the operation indicator light 42c, causing the operation indicator light 42c to light up. When the motor 11 drives the fan 12, an airflow is formed inside the fan casing 13, and this airflow generates negative pressure near the right intake port 13g and the left intake port 13h. As a result, since the right chemical cartridge 20 is connected to the right intake port 13g of the fan casing 13 via the right connection port 22e, negative pressure also acts inside the right chemical cartridge 20. This causes air to be drawn into the right chemical cartridge 20 from the right air intake port 22d. This air is mainly air that has flowed into the housing 40 from the right lower opening 41c and the right side opening 41e of the housing 40.

[0061] Air drawn into the right-side chemical cartridge 20 passes through the right-side chemical holder 21. As the air passes through the right-side chemical holder 21, the chemical is incorporated into the air. The air containing the chemical passes through the right-side connection port 22e and the right-side intake port 13g of the fan casing 13, through the air passage 13d inside the fan casing 13, and is discharged from the discharge port 13f.

[0062] Furthermore, since the left-side chemical cartridge 30 is connected to the left-side intake port 13h of the fan casing 13 via the left-side connection port 32e, negative pressure also acts inside the left-side chemical cartridge 30. As a result, air is drawn into the left-side chemical cartridge 30 from the left-side air intake port 32d. This air is mainly air that flows into the housing 40 from the left-side lower opening of the housing 40 (symmetrical position to the aforementioned 41c: not shown in the figure) and the left-side opening 41f.

[0063] Air drawn into the left-side chemical cartridge 30 passes through the left-side chemical holder 31. As the air passes through the left-side chemical holder 31, the chemical is incorporated into the air. The air containing the chemical passes through the left-side connection port 32e and the left-side intake port 13h of the fan casing 13, through the air passage 13d inside the fan casing 13, and is discharged from the discharge port 13f.

[0064] Since the front opening 42d of the housing 40 is positioned opposite the discharge port 13f, the air containing the chemical flows out from the front opening 42d and diffuses over a wide area. At this time, the airflow can be separated between the discharge side and the intake side, resulting in a smoother airflow.

[0065] (Regarding the airflow through each of the left and right medication cartridges) As described above, in this embodiment, since intake ports 13g and 13h are provided on both sides of the rotation axis of the centrifugal fan 12, two chemical cartridges 20 and 30 can be arranged for one fan 13. When the fan 12 is driven, air flows into the chemical cartridges 20 and 30 on both sides, causing the chemical to volatilize. At this time, the air passing through the right chemical cartridge 20 does not pass through the left chemical cartridge 30, and the air passing through the left chemical cartridge 30 does not pass through the right chemical cartridge 20, so the airflow through both chemical cartridges 20 and 30 does not affect each other. In this respect, in the conventional technique, such as in Patent Document 1, where multiple impregnating bodies are arranged in the direction of airflow for one fan, the air that has passed through one impregnating body also passes through another impregnating body, which has an adverse effect on the amount of volatilization due to increased pressure loss, etc., but in this embodiment, there is no such adverse effect.

[0066] Since these effects can be obtained regardless of the shape of the drug cartridge or the type of impregnating material, the efficacy can be improved by arranging various types of drug cartridges on both sides of the centrifugal fan 12, not limited to drug cartridges 20 and 30 having a cylindrical drug holder as in this embodiment, but including drug cartridges having an impregnating material such as those described in Patent Document 1.

[0067] (Regarding the effectiveness of cylindrical drug cartridges) Next, based on test results, we will specifically explain the effect of arranging the drug cartridges 20 and 30, which have cylindrical drug holders as in this embodiment, on both sides of the fan 12.

[0068] First, to confirm the difference in the amount of drug volatilization along the axial direction of the cylindrical drug cartridge, the drug holder 21 contained within the right-side drug cartridge 20 is divided in half at the center in the left-right direction, resulting in a drug holder located on the left side of the right-side drug cartridge 20 and a drug holder located on the right side of the right-side drug cartridge 20. Similarly, the drug holder 31 contained within the left-side drug cartridge 30 is divided in half at the center in the left-right direction, resulting in a drug holder located on the right side of the left-side drug cartridge 30 and a drug holder located on the left side of the left-side drug cartridge 30. This results in a total of four drug holders, and each of these drug holders is coated with 3g (initial amount) of metofluthrin as a volatile drug to impregnate it.

[0069] Subsequently, the right-side chemical cartridge 20 and the left-side chemical cartridge 30 are installed in their designated positions in the housing 40, and the fan 12 is rotated to volatilize the chemical for a certain period of time. The fan 12 rotates at approximately 100 rpm. After a certain period of time, the remaining amount of metofluthrin in the four chemical containers is measured, and the amount of volatilization is calculated by subtracting the remaining amount from the initial amount. The ambient temperature is 25°C ± 2°C, and the above-mentioned certain period of time is approximately 110 hours. The method for measuring the remaining amount of metofluthrin in the chemical containers is not particularly limited, but for example, one method is to immerse the chemical containers in acetone to extract metofluthrin, analyze the extract by gas chromatography, and quantify the remaining amount of metofluthrin.

[0070] The results of measurements using the above method showed that the volatilization rate on the left side (closer to fan 12) of the right-side drug cartridge 20 was 5.49 mg / hr, while the volatilization rate on the right side (further from fan 12) was 0.52 mg / hr. Similarly, the volatilization rate on the right side (closer to fan 12) of the left-side drug cartridge 30 was 2.86 mg / hr, while the volatilization rate on the left side (further from fan 12) was 0.81 mg / hr. These values ​​are the average of three measurements.

[0071] In other words, the amount of drug vaporized on the side farther from the fan 12 is overwhelmingly less than on the side closer to it. From this, it can be seen that even if the axial dimension of the drug holder is increased, only the portion farther from the fan 12 (i.e., the portion with low vaporization) increases, and the efficacy of the drug does not improve significantly. To put it another way, even if two drug cartridges 20 and 30 are connected axially and placed on one side of the fan 12, little improvement in the efficacy of the drug can be expected compared to the case where there is only one drug cartridge. In contrast, as in this embodiment, by setting the axial dimension of the drug holder to a certain size or less and placing drug cartridges 20 and 30 on both the left and right sides of the fan 12, the efficacy of the drug can be reliably improved compared to the case where there is only one drug cartridge.

[0072] In actual drug cartridges 20 and 30, the drug on the side furthest from fan 12 is thought to gradually move toward the side closer to fan 12 according to the concentration gradient, and then volatilize there. Therefore, the drug on the side furthest from fan 12 is not wasted. Incidentally, although there is a difference in the amount of volatilization between the left and right drug cartridges in the above test, this is thought to be due to a slight left-right asymmetry in the structure of the drug dispersal device 1. (Drug emission test) Next, we will describe an actual volatilization test using the pesticide dispersal device 1 of this embodiment. The sample size is 40 g / m². 2 or 60g / m 2Nonwoven fabric was formed into a pleated shape to create drug holders 21 and 31, and each was coated with 12 g (initial amount) of metofluthrin as a volatile drug to impregnate it. These drug holders 21 and 31 were then rolled into cylindrical shapes and placed in drug cartridges 20 and 30, respectively.

[0073] Subsequently, the right-side drug cartridge 20 and the left-side drug cartridge 30 are installed in their designated positions in the housing 40, and the fan 12 is rotated for a certain period of time. After this time, the remaining amount of metofluthrin in the drug holder is measured, and the amount of volatilization is calculated by subtracting the remaining amount from the initial amount. The ambient temperature is 25°C ± 2°C, and the above-mentioned period of time is 48 hours. The method for measuring the remaining amount of metofluthrin in the drug holder is not particularly limited, but for example, one method is to immerse the drug holder in acetone to extract metofluthrin, analyze the extract by gas chromatography, and quantify the remaining amount of metofluthrin.

[0074] As a result, the basis weight was 40g / m². 2 When using nonwoven fabric, the total volatilization amount from the two chemical cartridges (20 and 30) was 25.09 mg / hr. The basis weight was 60 g / m². 2 When using the nonwoven fabric, the combined volatilization amount of the two drug cartridges 20 and 30 was 21.16 mg / hr. This value is the average of three measurements.

[0075] Next, as a comparative example, the same test was conducted when only one chemical cartridge was used, that is, when only the right-side chemical cartridge 20 was installed on the centrifugal fan 12 (with the left-side intake port 13h blocked). As a result, the basis weight was 40 g / m². 2 When using the nonwoven fabric, the volatilization rate of the drug cartridge 20 was 10.56 mg / hr. Also, the basis weight was 60 g / m². 2 When using the nonwoven fabric, the volatilization rate of the drug cartridge 20 was 16.62 mg / hr. This value is the average of three measurements.

[0076] Thus, it was confirmed that by arranging the drug cartridges 20 and 30 on both sides of the rotation axis of the centrifugal fan 12, the amount of volatilization improved compared to when there was only one drug cartridge.

[0077] (Effects of the embodiment) As described above, according to this embodiment, the right-side chemical cartridge 20 and the left-side chemical cartridge 30 are arranged on both sides of the rotation axis of the centrifugal fan 12, respectively, and the air containing the chemicals in each chemical cartridge 20 and 30 is separately taken into the fan casing 13 before being discharged to the outside. This increases the amount of air discharged per unit time from the discharge port 13f, thereby enhancing the efficacy of the chemicals.

[0078] Furthermore, since the right-side chemical cartridge 20 and the left-side chemical cartridge 30 are positioned on both sides along the extension of the rotation axis of the fan 12, the amount of chemical released from each chemical holder 21 and 31 increases compared to the case where the axial dimension of a single chemical cartridge is doubled, and as a result, the efficacy of the chemical can be improved.

[0079] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be interpreted restrictively. Furthermore, any modifications or changes that fall within the equivalent scope of the claims are all within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0080] As described above, the drug dispersal device according to the present invention can be used in various stores, offices, factories, homes, etc. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0081] 1. Drug dispersal device 10 Blower Unit 11 Motor 12 Fans 12a Right-side wing section (first wing section) 12b Left wing section (second wing section) 13. Fan casing 13g Right-side intake port (First air intake port) 13h Left side intake port (second air intake port) 13f outlet 20 Right-side drug cartridge (first drug cartridge) 21 Right-side drug holder (first drug holder) 22 Main body 22d Right-side air intake (first air intake) 22e Right-side connection port (1st connection port) 30 Left-side drug cartridge (second drug cartridge) 31 Left-side drug holder (second drug holder) 32 Main body 32d Left-side air intake (second air intake) 32e Left-side connection port (second connection port) 40 cabinets 41e Right side opening (second opening) 41f Left side opening (second opening) 42d Front opening (first opening) 50 Battery housing case (battery compartment) 51 Batteries

Claims

1. A fan driven by a motor, In a chemical dispersal device comprising a chemical cartridge containing a volatile chemical, through which an airflow formed by the aforementioned fan passes, The aforementioned fan is a centrifugal fan. The fan casing comprises a first air intake port and a second air intake port, respectively, arranged on one side and the other side of the fan's rotation axis, and a discharge port that mixes the air drawn in from the first air intake port and the air drawn in from the second air intake port before discharging it. The aforementioned chemical cartridge includes a first chemical cartridge connected to the first air intake port and a second chemical cartridge connected to the second air intake port. The fan has a plurality of first blades arranged on the first drug cartridge side and a plurality of second blades arranged on the second drug cartridge side. A drug dispersing device characterized in that the second drug cartridge side of the first blade portion and the first drug cartridge side of the second blade portion are connected and integrated.

2. The drug dispersal device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drug in the first drug cartridge and the drug in the second drug cartridge are different.

3. The drug dispersing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first blade portion and the second blade portion are different.

4. The drug dispersal device according to claim 1, characterized in that the shape of the first air intake port and the shape of the second air intake port are different.

5. The first blade portion is shaped to extend in the direction of the rotation axis and is arranged in multiples at intervals around the rotation axis. The second blade portion is shaped to extend in the direction of the rotation axis and is arranged in multiples at intervals around the rotation axis. The drug dispersal device according to claim 3, characterized in that the motor that drives the fan is located inside the fan.

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