Ingestible device and ingestible device information acquisition system

Abstract

Provided are an ingestible device with which it is possible to improve the sound pressure of transmitted ultrasonic signals, and an ingestible device information acquisition system comprising the aforementioned ingestible device.　An ingestible device (10A) for transmitting information due to vibration of the device (10A) comprises a housing (30), and a piezoelectric element (20) and a set of first vibration-transmitting members (41a, 41b) that are housed in the housing (30). One end part (41a1, 41b1) of each of the set of first vibration-transmitting members (41a, 41b) is connected to a first portion (21) of the piezoelectric element (20). The other end parts (41a2, 41b2) of the set of first vibration-transmitting members (41a, 41b) are respectively connected to a pair of mutually opposing inner wall parts (31a, 31b) of the housing (30). The vibration of the piezoelectric element (20) is transmitted to the housing (30) via at least one set of the first vibration-transmitting members (41a, 41b).

Description

Administered device and administered device information acquisition system

[0001] The present invention relates to a medication device and an information acquisition system for a medication device.

[0002] There is a need for a method to confirm whether a patient has taken the prescribed medication, and a method to confirm what biological reactions occur when a patient takes a medication. For this reason, development of medication devices that transmit signals from inside the body to outside the body after being ingested along with medication is underway.

[0003] Patent document 1 describes a swallowing sensor device that includes sensors including a sensor and a device for wirelessly transmitting information detected by the sensor, and a group of substrates formed by stacking multiple rigid substrates.

[0004] Patent No. 6914567

[0005] However, the swallowing sensor device described in Patent Document 1 communicates using radio waves, so signals are transmitted omnidirectionally, both inside and outside the body, and there is a possibility that they may be obtained by a third party, posing a security issue.

[0006] In response to this, it is conceivable to use an ingestible device equipped with a piezoelectric element that emits an ultrasonic signal, and receive the ultrasonic signal emitted from the piezoelectric element of the ingested device with, for example, a receiver attached to the surface of the user's body. With this method, the ultrasonic signal emitted from the piezoelectric element basically propagates within the user's body, but is reflected at the interface between the body and the air, so it hardly leaks into the air, reducing the possibility of it being obtained by a third party.

[0007] However, medication devices are required to be small, and if the size of the piezoelectric element is reduced to meet this requirement, the sound pressure of the ultrasonic signal emitted from the piezoelectric element will decrease depending on the size, and the desired sound pressure may not be obtained.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a medication device that can improve the sound pressure of the emitted ultrasonic signal, and an information acquisition system for medication devices that includes the medication device.

[0009] The medication device of the present invention is a medication device that transmits information by vibrating the device itself, and comprises a housing, and a piezoelectric element and a set of first vibration transmission members housed within the housing, one end of each of the set of first vibration transmission members being connected to a first portion of the piezoelectric element, and the other end of each of the set of first vibration transmission members being connected to a pair of opposing inner wall portions of the housing, respectively, and the vibration of the piezoelectric element being transmitted to the housing via at least the set of first vibration transmission members.

[0010] The information acquisition system for a medication device of the present invention comprises a medication device of the present invention, a processing device, and a receiver that acquires information from the medication device by receiving an ultrasonic signal emitted from the piezoelectric element and transmits the acquired information to the processing device.

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a medication device capable of improving the sound pressure of an emitted ultrasonic signal, and an information acquisition system for a medication device that includes the medication device.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a ingested device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view schematically showing an example of a cross section of the ingested device shown in FIG. 1 taken along a line segment A1-A1. FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing an example of a cross section of the ingested device shown in FIG. 2 taken along a line segment B1-B1. FIG. 4 is a view schematically showing an example of a cross section of the ingested device shown in FIG. 2 taken along a line segment B2-B2. FIG. 5 is a view schematically showing an example of a cross section of a first modified example of the ingested device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a view schematically showing an example of a cross section of a second modified example of the ingested device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a view schematically showing an example of a cross section of a third modified example of the ingested device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a ingested device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a view schematically showing an example of a cross section of the ingested device shown in FIG. 8 taken along a line segment C1-C1. FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a first modified example of the ingested device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 11 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of modified example 2 of the taken device according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. Fig. 12 is a view schematically showing an example of a side surface of the taken device shown in Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of modified example 3 of the taken device according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a taken device according to embodiment 3 of the present invention. Fig. 15 is a block diagram schematically showing an example of an information acquisition system for a taken device according to embodiment 4 of the present invention.

[0013] The following describes the medication device and medication device information acquisition system of the present invention. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following configurations and may be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. In addition, a combination of multiple individual preferred configurations described below also constitutes the present invention.

[0014] The following embodiments are merely examples, and it goes without saying that partial substitution or combination of the configurations shown in different embodiments is possible. From the second embodiment onwards, descriptions of matters common to the first embodiment will be omitted, and differences will be mainly described. In particular, similar effects resulting from similar configurations will not be mentioned one after the other for each embodiment.

[0015] In the following description, unless otherwise specified, each embodiment will be referred to simply as the "medication device of the present invention."

[0016] In this specification, terms indicating the relationship between elements (e.g., "perpendicular," "parallel," "orthogonal," etc.) and terms indicating the shape of elements are not expressions that only express a strict meaning, but are expressions that also include a range of substantial equivalence, for example, a difference of about a few percent.

[0017] The drawings shown below are schematic diagrams, and the dimensions, aspect ratio, scale, etc. may differ from those of the actual product.

[0018] [Embodiment 1] Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a medication device according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a cross section of the medication device shown in Fig. 1 taken along line segment A1-A1. Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a cross section of the medication device shown in Fig. 2 taken along line segment B1-B1. Fig. 4 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a cross section of the medication device shown in Fig. 2 taken along line segment B2-B2. In each of these figures, the X-axis direction is the longitudinal direction of the medication device, and the Z-axis direction is the lateral direction of the medication device. The Y-axis is an axis perpendicular to each of the X-axis and Z-axis.

[0019] The ingested device 10A shown in FIG. 1 can transmit information by vibrating the device 10A itself. The ingested device 10A is administered to a person or animal (e.g., a dog, cat, cow, horse, etc.) with or without a drug. The ingested device 10A may be administered by itself. The information transmitted from the ingested device 10A is not particularly limited and may be a signal. Specific examples include a signal indicating that a drug has been taken or administered with the ingested device 10A, and biometric information acquired within the body. The drug that can be administered with the ingested device 10A is any drug. Specifically, the drug may be taken by a person who has difficulty recognizing the act of taking a drug. In this case, the drug intake rate of such people can be improved. Furthermore, the burden on caregivers for such people can be reduced. In this specification, "transmission" is synonymous with "transmission" unless otherwise specified.

[0020] 2 to 4, the medication device 10A includes a Mooney-type actuator, a piezoelectric element 20, a housing 30, a set of first vibration transmission members 41 a and 41 b, and a set of second vibration transmission members 42 a and 42 b. The piezoelectric element 20, the set of first vibration transmission members 41 a and 41 b, and the set of second vibration transmission members 42 a and 42 b are housed in and disposed within the housing 30.

[0021] The housing 30 is made of, for example, a biocompatible resin or a resin whose surface is coated with a biocompatible material. An example of a biocompatible resin is epoxy resin. It is preferable that the material used for the housing 30 be one that will not dissolve in stomach acid or the like after the ingestible device 10A is taken into the body and will be excreted from the body.

[0022] Substantially all of the outer surface of the medication device 10A may be made up of the outer surface of the housing 30.

[0023] 1 to 4 show a so-called capsule-shaped, more specifically, cylindrical housing 30 with hemispherical ends in the longitudinal direction, but the external shapes of the oral device 10A and the housing 30 are not particularly limited as long as they do not interfere with administration, and may be spherical, ellipsoidal, disc-shaped, cylindrical, tablet-shaped, polygonal columnar with rounded corners, etc. The ellipsoidal shape may be an oblate spheroid or an oblate spheroid.

[0024] The housing 30 may also be made up of multiple, for example, two separate housings.

[0025] The ingested device 10A drives the piezoelectric element 20 to generate an ultrasonic signal from the piezoelectric element 20. The ultrasonic signal generated from the piezoelectric element 20 propagates through a medium inside the ingested device 10A and is ultimately transmitted to the outside of the ingested device 10A. That is, the ultrasonic signal generated from the piezoelectric element 20 also vibrates the ingested device 10A itself, and information is transmitted as an ultrasonic signal to the outside of the ingested device 10A, specifically to the inside of the body.

[0026] The piezoelectric element 20 functions as an ultrasonic oscillator that emits ultrasonic waves, and vibrates the piezoelectric element 20 to generate ultrasonic waves. The piezoelectric element 20 is also called a piezoelectric vibrator. The ultrasonic waves emitted from the piezoelectric element 20 are directional in the direction of vibration of the vibration surface of the piezoelectric element 20. Materials such as PZT (lead zirconate titanate), BT (barium titanate), and KNN (potassium sodium niobate) can be used for the piezoelectric element 20. In this case, the oral device 10A includes an IC (not shown), which controls the piezoelectric element 20. The ultrasonic signal emitted from the piezoelectric element 20 is received by a receiver attached to the user's body surface, such as the torso, neck, or wrist, using a fastener such as a belt. The receiver is attached so as to directly contact the body surface or so as to contact the body surface via an intervening material such as gel.

[0027] 2 to 4 show a rectangular parallelepiped piezoelectric element 20 whose vibration mode is longitudinal extension vibration, but the shape and vibration mode (vibration state) of the piezoelectric element 20 are not particularly limited. Examples of the shape of the piezoelectric element 20 include a cube, a rectangular parallelepiped, a disk, a columnar shape, and a square plate shape. The vibration mode (vibration state) of the piezoelectric element 20 is also not particularly limited, but radial vibration, longitudinal extension vibration, or thickness shear vibration is preferred. In particular, radial vibration can be expected to generate greater displacement and stress than longitudinal extension vibration. However, the vibration mode of the piezoelectric element 20 may also be longitudinal vibration or thickness longitudinal vibration.

[0028] One end 41a1 and 41b1 of each of the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b is connected to the first part 21 of the piezoelectric element 20, and one end 42a1 and 42b1 of each of the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b is connected to the second part 22 of the piezoelectric element 20.

[0029] Both the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 of the piezoelectric element 20 are portions that are displaced (vibrated) when the piezoelectric element 20 is driven. Therefore, when the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates, the ends 41a1 and 41b1 of the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b are displaced in the same direction at the same timing in synchronization with the displacement of the first portion 21. Furthermore, when the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates, the ends 42a1 and 42b1 of the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b are displaced in the same direction at the same timing in synchronization with the displacement of the second portion 22.

[0030] The vibration periods of the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 are substantially the same, but the displacement directions of the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 are opposite to each other. In other words, when the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates, the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 are displaced in opposite directions at the same timing.

[0031] Although the specific positions of the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 are not particularly limited, they are preferably located on both sides of a point where the piezoelectric element 20 does not displace even when driven. In other words, it is preferable that a point where the displacement is zero is located between the first portion 21 and the second portion 22.

[0032] Furthermore, the first portion 21 is preferably an end portion of the piezoelectric element 20. This maximizes the displacement of the first portion 21, thereby further improving the sound pressure of the ultrasonic signal emitted from the oral device 10A.

[0033] From the same viewpoint, the second portion 22 is preferably an end portion of the piezoelectric element 20. That is, the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 are preferably one end portion and the other end portion of the piezoelectric element 20, respectively.

[0034] Furthermore, the vibration displacement amounts of the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 may be different from each other, but are preferably substantially the same. In the latter case, the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 may be located at points that are approximately symmetrical with respect to a point where the displacement is zero.

[0035] The other ends 41a2 and 41b2 of the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b are respectively connected to a pair of opposing inner wall portions 31a and 31b of the housing 30. Similarly to the ends 41a2 and 41b2 of the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b, the other ends 42a2 and 42b2 of the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b are respectively connected to the pair of inner wall portions 31a and 31b.

[0036] Typically, the amount of vibration displacement of a piezoelectric element is proportional to the size of the piezoelectric element in the vibration direction, and the sound pressure of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the piezoelectric element is proportional to the size of the vibration surface of the piezoelectric element. Therefore, in an oral device, it is preferable to vibrate a piezoelectric element whose size is close to the maximum dimension of the housing in that dimension and transmit the vibration to an area that expands in that dimension. This makes it possible to vibrate a piezoelectric element that is large in the vibration direction and emit ultrasonic waves from a large vibration surface.

[0037] In the oral administration device 10A, as described above, the piezoelectric element 20 is connected to the pair of inner wall portions 31a and 31b of the housing 30 via the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b and the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b, respectively, so that the vibrations of the piezoelectric element 20 are transmitted to the housing 30 via the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b, and the vibrations of the piezoelectric element 20 are transmitted to the housing 30 via the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b. Therefore, when the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates, the ends 41a1 and 41b1 of the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b and the ends 42a1 and 42b1 of the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b are displaced along the vibration direction (e.g., the X-axis direction). As a result, the ends 41a2 and 41b2 of the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b and the ends 42a2 and 42b2 of the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b are displaced in the direction in which the pair of inner wall portions 31a and 31b face each other (for example, the Y-axis direction), and as a result, the pair of inner wall portions 31a and 31b also vibrate in that direction.

[0038] Therefore, in the oral device 10A, as shown in Figure 2, the piezoelectric element 20 is arranged in the direction of the maximum dimension of the housing 30, and a pair of inner wall portions 31a and 31b of the housing 30 are set within a pair of regions 11a and 11b extending in the direction of the maximum dimension. The piezoelectric element 20 is connected to the inner wall portions 31a and 31b via first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b and second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b. This allows the size of the vibration surface of the oral device 10A, i.e., the size of regions 11a and 11b, to be expanded while expanding the size of the piezoelectric element 20 in the vibration direction. As a result, the sound pressure of the ultrasonic signal emitted from the oral device 10A can be improved. Furthermore, even when a high-hardness material is used for the housing 30, the housing 30 can be vibrated with low power.

[0039] Thus, in this embodiment, the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates at least in the longitudinal direction of the housing 30, and the pair of inner wall portions 31a and 31b are aligned along the longitudinal direction of the housing 30, and when the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates, it is preferable that the pair of inner wall portions 31a and 31b vibrate in the short direction of the housing 30.

[0040] 2, in the case of a capsule-shaped housing 30, it is preferable to arrange the piezoelectric element 20 having a dimension close to the major axis of the housing 30 in the major axis direction of the housing 30, which is the longitudinal direction of the housing 30, and to set a pair of inner wall portions 31a and 31b in a pair of regions 11a and 11b facing each other in the minor axis direction of the housing 30, which is the lateral direction of the housing 30. In the case of the capsule-shaped housing 30, the pair of regions 11a and 11b and the pair of inner wall portions 31a and 31b are located in the cylindrical portion that constitutes the housing 30.

[0041] Furthermore, in the case of the capsule-shaped housing 30, the pair of regions 11a and 11b and the pair of inner wall portions 31a and 31b are preferably located at the center in the longitudinal direction of the housing 30. This allows the housing 30 to vibrate more effectively.

[0042] In this specification, the "vibration direction of the piezoelectric element" means the direction in which the amount of displacement is greatest at the frequency at which the piezoelectric element is to be driven.

[0043] The first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b and the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b will be further described below.

[0044] Although the medication device of the present invention may be provided with at least one pair of vibration transmission members, it is preferable to provide two or more pairs of vibration transmission members in order to more efficiently transmit the vibration of the piezoelectric element to the housing and further improve the sound pressure of the ultrasonic signal.

[0045] As described above, the set of first vibration transmission members 41 a and 41 b and the set of second vibration transmission members 42 a and 42 b are members for transmitting the vibration of the piezoelectric element 20 to the housing 30, and for vibrating the housing 30 in a direction different from the vibration direction of the piezoelectric element 20, specifically in a direction perpendicular to the vibration direction of the piezoelectric element 20. In other words, the set of first vibration transmission members 41 a and 41 b and the set of second vibration transmission members 42 a and 42 b transmit the vibration of the piezoelectric element 20 to the housing 30 while changing the vibration direction by 90°.

[0046] The first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b and the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b are both beam-shaped structures having one end connected and fixed to the first part 21 or the second part 22 of the piezoelectric element 20 and the other end connected and fixed to a pair of inner wall parts 31a or 31b of the housing 30, and are preferably made of a linear rigid body.

[0047] The materials of the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b and the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b are not particularly limited, but are preferably highly rigid, resistant to deformation, and lightweight, such as aluminum.

[0048] The first vibration transmission members 41 a and 41 b are arranged to form a Λ shape together, and similarly, the second vibration transmission members 42 a and 42 b are also arranged to form a Λ shape together. Furthermore, the first vibration transmission members 41 a and 41 b and the second vibration transmission members 42 a and 42 b are arranged in the same plane.

[0049] The medication device of the present invention may have each set of vibration transmission members directly connected to a pair of inner wall portions of the housing, but it is preferable that the medication device has a pair of vibration members provided relative to a pair of inner wall portions.

[0050] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the medication device 10A also preferably further includes a pair of vibration members 51a and 51b. The vibration members 51a and 51b are housed within the housing 30 and are made of a different material from the housing 30. The pair of vibration members 51a and 51b are fixed to a pair of inner wall portions 31a and 31b of the housing 30, respectively. Furthermore, the other ends 41a2 and 41b2 of the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b are connected to the pair of vibration members 51a and 51b of the housing 30, respectively. As a result, the vibration of the piezoelectric element 20 is transmitted to the housing 30 via at least the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b and the pair of vibration members 51a and 51b. As a result, even if the housing 30 is made of a material with low rigidity, such as a biocompatible resin, the strength of the vibration surface of the oral device 10A can be reinforced by the vibration members 51a and 51b while the size of the vibration surface can be increased, thereby further improving the ultrasonic signal emitted from the oral device 10A.

[0051] From a similar viewpoint, it is preferable that the other ends 42a2 and 42b2 of the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b are also connected to the pair of vibration members 51a and 51b of the housing 30, respectively. As a result, the vibration of the piezoelectric element 20 is transmitted to the housing 30 via at least the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b, the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b, and the pair of vibration members 51a and 51b.

[0052] The housing 30 and the pair of vibrating members 51a and 51b are preferably made of different materials, so that the housing 30 and the vibrating members 51a and 51b can be made of suitable materials.

[0053] Specifically, the housing 30 is made of a first resin, and the pair of vibrating members 51 a and 51 b are made of a second resin, and the elastic modulus of the first resin may be smaller than the elastic modulus of the second resin. A resin material with a small elastic modulus is suitable for the housing 30, which requires biocompatibility, and a resin material with a large elastic modulus is suitable for the vibrating members 51 a and 51 b, which require high rigidity.

[0054] The elastic modulus of the first resin and the second resin compared here may be either the flexural modulus or the tensile modulus.

[0055] In this case, the first resin constituting the housing 30 can be, for example, epoxy resin, and the second resin constituting the pair of vibration members 51a and 51b can be, for example, super engineering plastics such as PEEK (polyether ether ketone) and PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), engineering plastics such as polyacetal resin, general-purpose plastics such as ABS resin, and fluorine-based resins such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).

[0056] Alternatively, the housing 30 may be made of resin, and the pair of vibrating members 51 a and 51 b may be made of metal. Resin materials are suitable for the housing 30, which requires biocompatibility, while metal materials are suitable for the vibrating members 51 a and 51 b, which require high rigidity.

[0057] In this case, the resin that constitutes the housing 30 can be, for example, epoxy resin, and the metal resin that constitutes the pair of vibration members 51a and 51b is preferably one that is highly rigid, difficult to deform, and lightweight, such as aluminum.

[0058] The pair of vibration members 51a and 51b are structures extending in the longitudinal direction of the housing 30 along the pair of inner wall portions 31a and 31b, respectively, and are preferably made of a linear rigid body.

[0059] In the case of a capsule-shaped housing 30, the pair of vibrating members 51a and 51b are preferably located at the center in the longitudinal direction of the housing 30. This allows the housing 30 to vibrate more effectively.

[0060] The medication device of the present invention may further comprise a vibration pressure receiving member provided for each set of vibration transmitting members, which supports the piezoelectric element and connects each set of vibration transmitting members to the piezoelectric element.

[0061] 2 and 4, the medication device 10A may include a vibration pressure receiving member 55a provided for the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b and a vibration pressure receiving member 55b provided for the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b. The vibration pressure receiving members 55a and 55b are housed in the housing 30.

[0062] A first portion 21, preferably one end, of the piezoelectric element 20 is fixed to the vibration pressure receiving member 55a, and a second portion 22, preferably the other end, of the piezoelectric element 20 is fixed to the vibration pressure receiving member 55b. One ends 41a1 and 41b1 of the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b are connected to the vibration pressure receiving member 55a, and one ends 42a1 and 42b1 of the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b are connected to the vibration pressure receiving member 55b. That is, the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b are connected to the piezoelectric element 20 via the vibration pressure receiving member 55a, and the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b are connected to the piezoelectric element 20 via the vibration pressure receiving member 55b. As a result, when the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates, the vibration pressure receiving members 55a and 55b also vibrate, and the vibration is transmitted to the housing 30 via the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b, the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b, and the vibrating members 51a and 51b.

[0063] The material of the vibration pressure receiving members 55a and 55b is not particularly limited, but is preferably a highly rigid, non-deformable, and lightweight material, such as aluminum.

[0064] In the oral device of the present invention, when the piezoelectric element vibrates, the components to which the vibration is transmitted do not necessarily have to resonate with the piezoelectric element, but preferably do so, which increases the displacement of each vibrating element and further improves the sound pressure of the ultrasonic signal emitted from the oral device 10A.

[0065] In the medication device 10A, when the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates, it is preferable that the piezoelectric element 20, the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b, the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b, the pair of vibration members 51a and 51b, the vibration pressure receiving members 55a and 55b, and the housing 30 resonate.

[0066] The resonant frequency at this time is determined by the resonant frequency of the piezoelectric element 20 and the physical properties of the vibration transmitting member, the vibrating member, and the vibration pressure receiving member. Therefore, the resonant frequency can be simulated based on a design that includes these members and the housing 30, and the piezoelectric element 20 can be driven at that frequency to resonate the oral device 10A.

[0067] In the dosage device of the present invention, each component, such as the vibration transmission component interposed between the piezoelectric element and the housing, is preferably made of MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems), which allows these components to be precisely designed and formed.

[0068] In the medication device 10A, it is preferable that the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b, the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b, the pair of vibrating members 51a and 51b, and the vibration pressure receiving members 55a and 55b are made of MEMS.

[0069] As described above, in the medication device of the present invention, it is preferable that each member, such as the vibration transmission member, interposed between the piezoelectric element and the housing is integrally formed.

[0070] Furthermore, the first vibration transmission members 41 a and 41 b, the second vibration transmission members 42 a and 42 b, the pair of vibrating members 51 a and 51 b, and the vibration pressure receiving members 55 a and 55 b are integrally formed, and no joints exist between the respective members, but the respective members may be joined to one another. For example, adjacent members may be connected by hinges.

[0071] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the medication device 10A may include a substrate 60.

[0072] The substrate 60 is disposed inside the housing 30. There may be one or more substrates 60. The substrate 60 may be made of, for example, glass epoxy resin, FR-4, or the like.

[0073] The substrate 60 is arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the medication device 10A. That is, the substrate 60 is arranged perpendicular to the short side direction of the medication device 10A. The longitudinal direction of the medication device 10A is synonymous with the longitudinal direction of the housing 30, and the short side direction of the medication device 10A is synonymous with the short side direction of the housing 30.

[0074] Although not shown in the figures, the oral device 10A may include a battery, a receiving coil, a biometric information acquisition unit, an A / D converter, electronic components, etc.

[0075] The battery is, for example, a secondary battery that can be charged with power received by the power receiving coil. In this case, the battery is not particularly limited as long as it is a rechargeable battery, and may be, for example, an all-solid-state battery having a solid electrolyte. All-solid-state batteries are suitable for the ingestion device 10A because they do not leak. Furthermore, the battery may be a primary battery as long as it is configured so that current flows through the ingestion device 10A immediately before ingestion. The battery is, for example, provided on the substrate 60.

[0076] The receiving coil is paired with the transmitting coil to perform wireless power supply, and is provided on the substrate 60. The receiving coil is made of, for example, copper. Wireless power supply can be performed using electromagnetic induction technology or magnetic resonance technology. Note that magnetic resonance is a type of electromagnetic induction, as current flows in the receiving coil in response to changes in the magnetic field created by the transmitting coil. The receiving coil is connected to a battery. The receiving coil is provided, for example, on the substrate on which the battery is provided. However, the location where the receiving coil is provided is not particularly limited to the substrate on which the battery is provided.

[0077] The biological information acquisition unit acquires biological information such as the internal position of the ingested ingested device 10A, internal body temperature, stomach and / or intestinal pH, and vital signs such as intestinal activity. The internal body temperature may be core body temperature. For example, the biological information acquisition unit has a timekeeping means capable of measuring time, measures the time elapsed since the ingested device 10A was taken into the body, and estimates the internal position of the ingested device 10A based on the measured time. As another example, the biological information acquisition unit includes sensors such as a temperature sensor, a pH sensor, and an acceleration sensor, and detects internal body temperature, stomach and / or intestinal pH, intestinal activity, and other vital signs. The temperature sensor may include, for example, a thermistor. Note that biological information includes any information related to a living organism, and the biological information acquisition unit can be configured to acquire any biological information. The biological information acquisition unit is controlled by an IC.

[0078] When the biometric information acquisition unit acquires biometric information, the frequency of the ultrasound waves oscillated from the piezoelectric element 20 may be changed for each type of biometric information to be acquired.

[0079] Under the control of the IC, the A / D converter converts the analog biometric information acquired by the biometric information acquisition unit into digital information and outputs the digital biometric information to the piezoelectric element 20. The digital biometric information converted by the A / D converter is then transmitted by the piezoelectric element 20 as an ultrasonic signal.

[0080] The electronic components may be, for example, passive components such as diodes, capacitors, coils, and resistors, or active components such as transistors, regulators, and DC-DC converters.

[0081] The piezoelectric element 20, the biometric information acquisition unit, the A / D converter, the electronic components, and the IC are supplied with power from a battery. The locations where the biometric information acquisition unit, the A / D converter, the electronic components, and the IC are provided are not particularly limited to the substrate 60.

[0082] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section of a modified example 1 of the oral device of embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section of a modified example 2 of the oral device of embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figs. 5 and 6 correspond to the cross section of Fig. 2.

[0083] In Figure 2, an example is shown in which the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b and the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b are arranged in a diamond shape, and are line-symmetrical with respect to the X-axis and the Y-axis, but the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b and the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b may also be arranged asymmetrically.

[0084] For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the lengths of the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b and the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b may be made different, so that they are symmetrical with respect to the X-axis direction and asymmetrical with respect to the Y-axis direction.

[0085] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, by making the lengths of the first vibration transmission member 41a and the second vibration transmission member 42a different from those of the first vibration transmission member 41b and the second vibration transmission member 42b, the vibration transmission members can be made symmetrical with respect to the Y-axis while being asymmetrical with respect to the X-axis.

[0086] 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a cross section of the third modified example of the oral administration device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Note that FIG. 7 corresponds to the cross section of FIG.

[0087] 7, the oral device 10A may have only the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b without the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b, which also improves the ultrasonic signal emitted from the oral device 10A.

[0088] In this case, the end 20 a of the piezoelectric element 20 to which the first vibration transmission members 41 a and 41 b are not connected may be directly fixed to the inner wall 31 c of the housing 30 .

[0089] The medication device 10A can be manufactured by the following method.

[0090] First, the first vibration transmitting members 41 a and 41 b , the second vibration transmitting members 42 a and 42 b , the pair of vibrating members 51 a and 51 b , and the vibration pressure receiving members 55 a and 55 b are fixed to the piezoelectric element 20 .

[0091] Next, the housing 30 is opened in half to prepare two divided housings, and one of the divided housings is placed in place. Note that the boards, power supply, etc. may be mounted on this divided housing in advance.

[0092] Next, a pair of vibration members 51a and 51b, to which a piezoelectric element 20 is fixed via first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b, second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b, and vibration pressure receiving members 55a and 55b, are fixed to this divided housing.

[0093] Then, by joining the other divided housing to this divided housing, each member inside the housing 30 is sealed.

[0094] As a result of the above, a medication device 10A can be obtained.

[0095] [Embodiment 2] Figure 8 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a medication device according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 9 is a view schematically showing an example of a cross section of the medication device shown in Figure 8 taken along line segment C1-C1. In Figures 8 and 9, the X-axis direction and Y-axis direction are in-plane directions of the medication device, and the Z-axis direction is the thickness direction of the medication device. The Y-axis is an axis perpendicular to each of the X-axis and Z-axis.

[0096] The medication device 10B shown in Fig. 8 is a so-called tablet-shaped device and includes a disk-shaped housing 130. The housing 130 has an outer surface including a pair of main surface portions 132a and 132b and a side surface portion 133. The main surface portions 132a and 132b are both circular and face each other. The side surface portion 133 is cylindrical and connects the circumferential portions of the main surface portions 132a and 132b to each other.

[0097] The main surface portions 132a and 132b may be flat as shown in FIG. 8, or may be slightly bulged outward.

[0098] As shown in Figure 9, similar to embodiment 1, the housing 130 contains a piezoelectric element 20, first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b, second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b, a pair of vibration members 51a and 51b, and vibration pressure receiving members 55a and 55b, and is arranged inside the housing 130.

[0099] Therefore, in the oral administration device 10B, the vibration of the piezoelectric element 20 is transmitted to the housing 130 via the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b, and the vibration of the piezoelectric element 20 is transmitted to the housing 130 via the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b.

[0100] In the medication device 10B, the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates along a pair of main surface portions 132a and 132b. The piezoelectric element 20 may vibrate in a direction parallel to at least the main surface portions 132a and 132b.

[0101] In the oral administration device 10B, the pair of inner wall portions 131a and 131b, which connect the ends 41a2 and 41b2 of the first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b and the ends 42a2 and 42b2 of the second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b, are located on the pair of main surface portions 132a and 132b, respectively. Therefore, when the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates, the pair of main surface portions 132a and 132b vibrate.

[0102] Thus, in this embodiment, the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates along the pair of main surface portions 132a and 132b, and the pair of inner wall portions 131a and 131b are located inside the pair of main surface portions 132a and 132b, respectively, and when the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates, it is preferable that the pair of inner wall portions 131a and 131b vibrate in a direction perpendicular to the pair of main surface portions 132a and 132b.

[0103] FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of a first modified example of the oral administration device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0104] 10, the oral device 10B may include a disk-shaped piezoelectric element 120 whose vibration mode is radial vibration. In this case, the oral device 10B may include multiple sets of vibration transmission members, a pair of vibration members 151a and 151b, and a vibration pressure receiving member 155, and these members may be housed in the housing 130 together with the piezoelectric element 120.

[0105] In Figure 10, multiple sets of vibration transmission members are provided, including a set of first vibration transmission members 141a and 141b, a set of second vibration transmission members 142a and 142b, a set of third vibration transmission members 143a and 143b, a set of fourth vibration transmission members 144a and 144b, a set of fifth vibration transmission members 145a and 145b, and a set of sixth vibration transmission members 146a and 146b.

[0106] The plurality of sets of vibration transmission members are connected at equal intervals to the periphery of the piezoelectric element 120, and for example, a set of first vibration transmission members 141a and 141b and a set of second vibration transmission members 142a and 142b are connected to a pair of opposing portions 121 and 122 of the periphery of the piezoelectric element 120. The portions 121 and 122 correspond to the first and second portions of the piezoelectric element 120. In other words, the two sets of vibration transmission members are connected to a pair of opposing portions of the periphery of the piezoelectric element 120, and the two sets of vibration transmission members are displaced in opposite directions in accordance with the vibration of the piezoelectric element 120.

[0107] The vibration pressure receiving member 155 has the same shape as the peripheral edge of the piezoelectric element 120, i.e., a circular ring shape, and is fixed to the peripheral edge of the piezoelectric element 120. The pair of vibration members 151a and 151b are smaller than the piezoelectric element 120 and have a similar shape to the piezoelectric element 120, i.e., a circular shape, and are fixed to the inner wall portions of a pair of main surface portions 132a and 132b (see FIG. 8) of the housing 130 of the oral device 10B. One end of each pair of vibration transmission members is connected to the vibration pressure receiving member 155, and the other end of each pair of vibration transmission members is connected to the vibration member 151a or 151b.

[0108] In the oral device 10B shown in Figure 10, when the piezoelectric element 120 vibrates in its radial direction, the vibration is transmitted to a pair of vibration members 151a and 151b via each set of vibration transmission members, and a pair of inner wall portions of the housing 130 to which the pair of vibration members 151a and 151b are fixed, i.e., a pair of main surface portions 132a and 132b, vibrate in the thickness direction of the oral device 10B.

[0109] FIG. 11 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of a modified example 2 of the oral administration device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0110] The example shown in FIG. 11 differs from the example shown in FIG. 10 in that a plate-shaped vibration transmission member 147 is further provided as the vibration transmission member in addition to the rod-shaped vibration transmission members 141a to 146a and 141b to 146.

[0111] 11, the vibration transmission members may not be configured solely by the frames of the vibration transmission members 141a-146a and 141b-146b, but plate-shaped vibration transmission members 147 may be provided in each region between adjacent vibration transmission members. This allows the multiple vibration transmission members 147 to be connected to the peripheral edge of the piezoelectric element 120, thereby efficiently transmitting the displacement of the piezoelectric element 120 and the stress caused by the piezoelectric element 120 to the housing 130. Furthermore, since the entire periphery of the piezoelectric element 120 is covered by multiple vibration transmission members 147, even if some of the vibration transmission members 147 are damaged, the other vibration transmission members 147 can compensate, improving the reliability of the oral device 10B.

[0112] The vibration transmission member 147 is a thin plate-like member, and may be flat as shown in FIG. 11, or may have a shape that conforms to the outer shape of the housing 130 .

[0113] The material of the plate-shaped vibration transmission member 147 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a highly rigid, non-deformable, and lightweight material, such as aluminum.

[0114] FIG. 12 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a side surface of the medication device shown in FIG. 11 .

[0115] As shown in Figure 12, in the example shown in Figure 11, as in the example shown in Figure 10, when the piezoelectric element 120 vibrates in its radial direction, the vibration is transmitted to a pair of vibration members 151a and 151b via each set of vibration transmission members and each plate-shaped vibration transmission member 147, causing the oral device 10B to vibrate in the thickness direction.

[0116] In the oral device 10B, the shape of the piezoelectric element 120 whose vibration mode is radial vibration is not particularly limited, and may be square, hexagonal, octagonal, or the like.

[0117] FIG. 13 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of a third modified example of the oral administration device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0118] As shown in Fig. 13, the square plate-shaped piezoelectric element 120 whose vibration mode is radial vibration may also be a square plate. In this case, the oral device 10B may include multiple sets of vibration transmission members, i.e., four sets of vibration transmission members, provided at each corner of the piezoelectric element 120. In Fig. 13, the four sets of vibration transmission members include a set of first vibration transmission members 141a and 141b, a set of second vibration transmission members 142a and 142b, a set of third vibration transmission members 143a and 143b, and a set of fourth vibration transmission members 144a and 144b.

[0119] The plurality of sets of vibration transmission members are respectively connected to the four corners of the piezoelectric element 120, and the opposing corners of each set correspond to a first portion and a second portion of the piezoelectric element 120. Therefore, the two sets of vibration transmission members connected to a pair of opposing corners are displaced in opposite directions in accordance with the vibration of the piezoelectric element 120.

[0120] 13, the vibration pressure receiving member 155 has a square ring shape that is the same shape as the peripheral edge of the piezoelectric element 120, and the pair of vibrating members 151a and 151b have a square shape that is similar to the shape of the piezoelectric element 120. As in the example shown in Fig. 10, one end of each pair of vibration transmitting members is connected to the vibration pressure receiving member 155, and the other end of each pair of vibration transmitting members is connected to the vibrating member 151a or 151b.

[0121] In the administered device 10B shown in FIG. 13, vibrations in the planar direction of the piezoelectric element 120 are also converted into vibrations in the thickness direction of the administered device 10B.

[0122] In the example shown in FIG. 13, similarly to the example shown in FIG. 11, plate-shaped vibration transmission members may be provided in the regions between adjacent vibration transmission members.

[0123] [Embodiment 3] Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of an oral device according to embodiment 3 of the present invention. Fig. 14 corresponds to the cross-sectional view of Fig. 2 .

[0124] The medication device 10C shown in Figure 14 differs from the medication device 10A shown in Figure 1 in that the orientation of the arrangement of the piezoelectric element 20, the set of first vibration transmission members 41a and 41b, the set of second vibration transmission members 42a and 42b, the pair of vibration members 51a and 51b, and the vibration pressure receiving members 55a and 55b is different by 90°.

[0125] In the medication device 10C, when the piezoelectric element 20 vibrates, both ends of the housing 30 vibrate in the longitudinal direction of the housing 30.

[0126] [Fourth Embodiment] Fig. 15 is a block diagram showing an example of an information acquisition system for a medication device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0127] The information acquisition system 200 for a taken device shown in FIG. 15 is a system for acquiring information from a taken device 210, and includes the taken device 210, a processing device 220, and a receiver 230.

[0128] The ingested device 210, like the ingested device 10A described above, includes a piezoelectric element 211, a battery 212, a biological information acquisition unit 213, and an A / D converter 214. The ingested device 210 also includes a control unit 215 that controls the timing of acquiring biological information, processes the acquired information, and controls transmission of the information to the receiving unit of the receiver 230.

[0129] The medication device 210 may be provided with a storage unit 216, and for example, the biometric information acquired by the biometric information acquisition unit 213 may be stored in the storage unit 216.

[0130] The receiver 230 acquires information from the ingested device 210 by receiving ultrasonic signals emitted from the piezoelectric element 211 of the ingested device 210, and transmits the acquired information to the processing device 220. The receiver 230 is used by being attached to the body surface of the user, such as the torso, neck, or wrist, using a fastener such as a belt. The receiver 230 is attached so as to come into direct contact with the body surface or so as to come into contact with the body surface via an intervening object such as gel.

[0131] The receiver 230 includes, for example, a receiving unit 231 , a transmitting unit 232 , a battery 233 , and a display unit 234 .

[0132] The receiving unit 231 receives the ultrasonic signal emitted from the piezoelectric element 211 of the ingested device 210. As a result, the receiver 230 acquires information, such as biological information, from the ingested device 210.

[0133] The receiving unit 231 is composed of an ultrasonic receiver that receives ultrasonic waves. The principle of ultrasonic wave reception by the ultrasonic receiver is not particularly limited, but the ultrasonic receiver preferably includes a piezoelectric element that generates a voltage when receiving ultrasonic waves. The piezoelectric element included in the receiving unit 231 is also called a piezoelectric vibrator. Materials that can be used for the piezoelectric element include PZT (lead zirconate titanate), BT (barium titanate), and KNN (potassium sodium niobate).

[0134] The transmitting unit 232 transmits information acquired from the medication device 210 to the processing device 220 via wireless communication. Wireless communication is, for example, communication using a data communication line using radio waves from a mobile phone, an Internet line, Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc. Note that communication between the transmitting unit 232 and the processing device 220 is not limited to wireless communication, and may be communication via a wired connection such as a USB cable connection, an Ethernet cable connection, or a serial cable connection.

[0135] The battery 233 supplies power to each component of the receiver 230 and may be a rechargeable secondary battery. The specific type of the battery 233 is not particularly limited.

[0136] The display unit 234 is configured to be able to display, for example, information acquired from the medication device 210. The display unit 234 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display.

[0137] The processing device 220 acquires information transmitted from the transmission unit 232 of the receiver 230, i.e., information from the ingested device 210. The processing device 220 performs various data processing and data management based on the acquired information. Specifically, for example, the processing device 220 manages and analyzes biological information acquired from the ingested device 210, manages medications taken together with the ingested device 210, and so on.

[0138] The medication device information acquisition system 200 confirms whether the patient has taken the prescribed medication, for example, by the following method.

[0139] First, the oral device 210 is configured to automatically turn on when it is removed from its sealed container, and when the oral device 210 is turned on, it continues to emit ultrasonic signals of a constant frequency from the piezoelectric element 211.

[0140] At the same time, the receiver 230 continues to receive the ultrasonic signal transmitted from the ingested device 210. When the ingested device 210 is ingested by a patient together with a drug, the frequency of the ultrasonic signal received by the receiver 230 changes as the ingested device 210 enters the body. By detecting this change in frequency, it is possible to detect that the drug has been ingested along with the ingested device 210.

[0141] When the receiver 230 detects that the drug and medication device 210 have been taken, it transmits information indicating this to the processing device 220, and the processing device 220 that receives the information manages whether the drug has been taken, the time of taking the drug, etc.

[0142] The present specification discloses the following:

[0143] <1> A medication device that transmits information by vibrating itself, comprising: a housing; and a piezoelectric element and a set of first vibration transmission members housed within the housing, wherein one end of each of the set of first vibration transmission members is connected to a first portion of the piezoelectric element, and the other end of each of the set of first vibration transmission members is connected to a pair of opposing inner wall portions of the housing, respectively, and wherein vibrations of the piezoelectric element are transmitted to the housing via at least the set of first vibration transmission members.

[0144] <2> The medication device described in <1>, wherein the housing is capsule-shaped, the piezoelectric element vibrates at least in the longitudinal direction of the housing, the pair of inner wall portions are aligned with the longitudinal direction of the housing, and when the piezoelectric element vibrates, the pair of inner wall portions vibrate in the lateral direction of the housing.

[0145] <3> The medication device described in <1>, wherein the housing is in the shape of a tablet having a pair of main surface portions on its outer surface, the piezoelectric element vibrates along the pair of main surface portions, the pair of inner wall portions are each located inside the pair of main surface portions, and when the piezoelectric element vibrates, the pair of inner wall portions vibrate in a direction perpendicular to the pair of main surface portions.

[0146] <4> The medication device according to any one of <1> to <3>, wherein the first portion is an end portion of the piezoelectric element.

[0147] <5> The medication device according to any one of <1> to <4>, further comprising a pair of vibration members housed within the housing and made of a material different from that of the housing, wherein the pair of vibration members are fixed to the pair of inner wall portions, respectively, the other end of each of the set of first vibration transmission members is connected to the pair of vibration members, respectively, and vibration of the piezoelectric element is transmitted to the housing via at least the set of first vibration transmission members and the pair of vibration members.

[0148] <6> The dosage device described in <5>, wherein the housing and the pair of vibration members are made of different materials.

[0149] <7> The medication device described in <6>, wherein the housing is made of a first resin, the pair of vibration members are made of a second resin, and the elastic modulus of the first resin is smaller than the elastic modulus of the second resin.

[0150] <8> The medication device described in <6>, wherein the housing is made of resin, and the pair of vibration members are made of metal.

[0151] <9> The medication device according to any one of <1> to <8>, further comprising a set of second vibration transmission members housed in the housing, wherein one end of each of the set of second vibration transmission members is connected to a second portion of the piezoelectric element, and the other end of each of the set of second vibration transmission members is connected to the pair of inner wall portions, respectively, and when the piezoelectric element vibrates, the first portion and the second portion of the piezoelectric element are displaced in opposite directions at the same time, and the vibration of the piezoelectric element is transmitted to the housing via at least the set of first vibration transmission members and the set of second vibration transmission members.

[0152] <10> A medication device described in any one of <1> to <9>, wherein when the piezoelectric element vibrates, at least the piezoelectric element, the set of first vibration transmission members, and the housing resonate.

[0153] <11> The medication device according to any one of <1> to <10>, wherein at least one of the first vibration transmission members is composed of a MEMS.

[0154] <12> An information acquisition system for a ingested device, comprising: a ingested device according to any one of <1> to <11>; a processing device; and a receiver that acquires information from the ingested device by receiving an ultrasonic signal oscillated from the piezoelectric element and transmits the acquired information to the processing device.

[0155] 10A, 10B, 10C, 210 Ingestion device 11a, 11b Pair of regions 20, 120 Piezoelectric element 20a End of piezoelectric element 21 First portion of piezoelectric element 22 Second portion of piezoelectric element 30, 130 Housing 31a, 31b, 131a, 131b Pair of inner wall portions of housing 31c Inner wall portion of housing 41a, 41b, 141a, 141b First vibration transmission member 41a1, 41b1 One end portion of first vibration transmission member 41a2, 41b2 The other end portion of first vibration transmission member 42a, 42b, 142a, 142b Second vibration transmission member 42a1, 42b1 One end portion of second vibration transmission member 42a2, 42b2 The other end portion of second vibration transmission member 51a, 51b, 151a, 151b Pair of vibration members 55a, 55b, 155 Vibration pressure receiving member 60 Substrate 121, 122 Peripheral edge portion of piezoelectric element 132a, 132b Pair of main surface portions of housing 133 Side portion of housing 143a, 143b Third vibration transmission member 144a, 144b Fourth vibration transmission member 145a, 145b Fifth vibration transmission member 146a, 146b Sixth vibration transmission member 147 Plate-shaped vibration transmission member 212, 233 Battery 213 Biometric information acquisition unit 214 A / D converter 200 Information acquisition system 215 Control unit 216 Memory unit 220 Processing device 230 Receiver 231 Receiving unit 232 Transmitting unit 234 Display unit

Claims

1. A medication device that transmits information by vibrating itself, comprising: a housing; and a piezoelectric element and a set of first vibration transmission members housed within the housing, wherein one end of each of the set of first vibration transmission members is connected to a first portion of the piezoelectric element, and the other end of each of the set of first vibration transmission members is connected to a pair of opposing inner wall portions of the housing, respectively, and wherein vibrations of the piezoelectric element are transmitted to the housing via at least the set of first vibration transmission members.

2. The medication device of claim 1, wherein the housing is capsule-shaped, the piezoelectric element vibrates at least in the longitudinal direction of the housing, the pair of inner wall portions are aligned with the longitudinal direction of the housing, and when the piezoelectric element vibrates, the pair of inner wall portions vibrate in the lateral direction of the housing.

3. The medication device of claim 1, wherein the housing is tablet-shaped and has a pair of main surface portions on its outer surface, the piezoelectric element vibrates along the pair of main surface portions, the pair of inner wall portions are each located inside the pair of main surface portions, and when the piezoelectric element vibrates, the pair of inner wall portions vibrate in a direction perpendicular to the pair of main surface portions.

4. A dosage device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first portion is an end of the piezoelectric element.

5. A medication device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a pair of vibration members housed within the housing and made of a material different from that of the housing, the pair of vibration members being fixed to the pair of inner wall portions respectively, the other end of each of the set of first vibration transmission members being connected to the pair of vibration members, and the vibration of the piezoelectric element being transmitted to the housing via at least the set of first vibration transmission members and the pair of vibration members.

6. The medication device of claim 5, wherein the housing and the pair of vibration members are made of different materials.

7. The medication device according to claim 6, wherein the housing is made of a first resin, the pair of vibration members are made of a second resin, and the elastic modulus of the first resin is smaller than the elastic modulus of the second resin.

8. The medication device according to claim 6, wherein the housing is made of resin, and the pair of vibration members are made of metal.

9. A medication device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a set of second vibration transmission members housed within the housing, wherein one end of each of the set of second vibration transmission members is connected to a second portion of the piezoelectric element, and the other end of each of the set of second vibration transmission members is connected to the pair of inner wall portions, respectively, and when the piezoelectric element vibrates, the first portion and the second portion of the piezoelectric element are displaced in opposite directions at the same time, and the vibration of the piezoelectric element is transmitted to the housing via at least the set of first vibration transmission members and the set of second vibration transmission members.

10. A medication device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein when the piezoelectric element vibrates, at least the piezoelectric element, the set of first vibration transmission members, and the housing resonate.

11. A dosing device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein at least the first set of vibration transmission members is made of MEMS.

12. An information acquisition system for a ingested device, comprising: a ingested device according to any one of claims 1 to 11; a processing device; and a receiver that acquires information from the ingested device by receiving an ultrasonic signal emitted from the piezoelectric element and transmits the acquired information to the processing device.

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