JP7565863B2 - Medicine container and medicine volatilizer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a chemical container that contains a volatile chemical such as an air freshener or an insect repellent, and a chemical volatilizer that contains this chemical container.

Conventionally, a drug container containing a volatile drug such as a fragrance or an insect repellent is composed of a container body made of a transparent material and having an outer peripheral flange and a recess inside it, a closing sheet attached to the outer peripheral flange and forming a drug storage space between the closing sheet and the recess, a release film removably attached to the closing sheet, and a volatile liquid drug contained in the drug storage space (Patent Document 1).
There is also provided a medicine volatilizer including such a medicine container and a case that contains the medicine container in a manner that allows it to be stored and removed (Patent Document 2).

JP 2003-19193 A JP 2009-125406 A

In such a medicine container, when the volatile medicine is liquid and the container body is bottle-shaped, the medicine can be injected until the medicine-containing space inside the bottle is nearly full.
However, for volatile chemicals such as fragrances and insect repellents, the chemical storage space is formed by the container body and a sealing sheet attached to the container body, and the depth of the container body relative to the sealing sheet is not large.
Therefore, it is difficult to inject the drug into the container body at high speed on the production line until it is filled to capacity. Also, after the drug is injected into the container body, it is moved at high speed to a process in which a sealing sheet is attached to the container body, so currently only about 70% of the container body's capacity can be injected with the drug.
Therefore, when the container body is used by extending it vertically, the purchaser may feel that the liquid level of the medicine is low and that there is not enough medicine contained, which may be an unpleasant experience.
In addition, as the amount of drug decreases with use of the product, the area of contact between the drug and the sealing sheet decreases, and the amount of drug that evaporates also decreases, resulting in a problem in that the drug effect becomes smaller when the amount of drug is reduced.
The present invention has been devised in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a drug container and a drug volatilizer which can increase the liquid level of the drug when the product is purchased, without causing discomfort to the purchaser, and which can ensure the effectiveness of the drug even if the amount of drug becomes low when the product is used.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a drug container comprising a drug storage space formed by a container body and a sealing sheet attached to the container body, a liquid and volatile drug stored in the drug storage space, and a release film removably attached to the sealing sheet, wherein the container body and the release film are formed of a material that is impermeable to gas and the drug, and the sealing sheet is formed of a material that allows the drug to pass through, and at least a portion of the drug storage space is formed so that the volume of the upper part is larger than the volume of the lower part when the drug container is in use.
The present invention also provides a drug volatilizer comprising a drug container and a case, the drug container including a drug storage space formed by a container body and a sealing sheet attached to the container body, a liquid, volatile drug stored in the drug storage space, and a release film removably attached to the sealing sheet, the case having a storage chamber for removably storing the drug container, the container body and the release film being formed of a material that is impermeable to gas and the drug, and the sealing sheet being formed of a material that allows the drug to pass through, and at least a portion of the drug storage space is formed such that the volume of the upper part is larger than the volume of the lower part when the drug volatilizer is in use.

In the present invention, a portion of the medicine-containing space is formed so that the volume of the upper portion is larger than the volume of the lower portion when the medicine container or the medicine volatilizer is in use.
Therefore, when the medicine container or the medicine volatilizer is in use, the height of the liquid level of the medicine can be increased compared to when the volume of the medicine containing space is formed uniformly from the bottom to the top.
This is advantageous in eliminating the unpleasant feeling of a product purchaser that there is not enough medicine when purchasing or starting to use the medicine container or medicine volatilizer.
Furthermore, even if the amount of medicine is reduced by using the medicine volatilizer, the height of the medicine liquid level can be increased compared to when the volume of the medicine containing space is made uniform from the bottom to the top, which is advantageous in ensuring the effectiveness of the medicine.

This is an oblique view of the front of the medicine volatilization device. This is an oblique view of the back of the medicine volatilization device. This is a side view of a medicine volatilization device, in which the medicine container is shown in solid lines and the case is shown in imaginary lines. 1A is a perspective view of the medicine container as viewed from above, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the medicine container as viewed from below. 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 4A, and FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in FIG. 4A. 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD of FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE of FIG. 4A, and FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF of FIG. 4A. 1A is a plan view of the medicine container, FIG. 1B is a front view of the same, FIG. 1C is a side view of the same, and FIG. 1D is a perspective view of the back of the medicine container. (A) is a cross-sectional view of the drug container in the initial state of use of the drug volatilization device, (B) is a cross-sectional view of the drug container when the amount of volatile drug has decreased while the drug volatilization device is being used, and (C) is a view viewed from the arrow C in (B). 1A is a perspective view of the surface of a front divided body that constitutes a medicine volatilizing device, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the inner surface of the same front divided body. 1A is a perspective view of the surface of a rear divided body that constitutes a medicine volatilizing device, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the inner surface of the same rear divided body. FIG. 11 is a view taken along the arrow C in FIG. (A) and (B) are figures showing the height of the liquid level of the drug in the drug container of this embodiment when it is initially used, where (A) is a front view of the drug container and (B) is a cross-sectional side view of the same, and (C) and (D) are figures showing the height of the liquid level of the drug when there is no portion in the drug container space where the upper volume is larger than the lower volume, as in this embodiment, where (C) is a front view of the drug container and (D) is a cross-sectional side view of the same.

Next, an embodiment of the medicine volatilizing device 10 and the medicine container 12 of the present invention will be described.
A medicine volatilizer 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 includes a medicine container 12 and a case 14 .
A volatile drug 16 (see FIG. 8) is accommodated in drug accommodation space 28 of drug accommodation body 12, and drug accommodation body 12 is accommodated in accommodation chamber 18 of case 14 in a removably manner.
First, the medicine container 12 will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 8. In Figures 5 and 6, in order to clarify the structure of the medicine container 12, the contained medicine 16 is omitted, and the medicine 16 is depicted in Figure 8.
As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the medicine container 12 includes a container body 22, a sealing sheet 24, a release film 26, and the medicine 16 shown in FIG.
A sealing sheet 24 is attached to the container body 22 to form a drug-containing space 28 therebetween.

The container body 22 is formed of a transparent material that is impermeable to gas (air) and the drug 16. The material varies depending on the type of volatile drug to be contained, but various conventionally known materials such as polypropylene, polyester, and polyvinyl chloride can be used.
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the container body 22 includes an outer peripheral flange 2202 extending in a rectangular frame shape on the same plane, a recess 2204 provided on the inside of the outer peripheral flange 2202, and a gripping piece 2206.
In this embodiment, the recess 2204 is provided in a rectangular shape when viewed from above, and the outer peripheral flange 2202 is provided in a rectangular frame shape.
As shown in FIG. 7D, the recess 2204 has a bottom surface 2204A that is rectangular in plan view, and four side surfaces 2204B that rise from the periphery of the bottom surface 2204A and connect to the outer peripheral flange 2202.

7A, bottom surface 2204A has a width and length corresponding to width W and length L of medicine containing space 28, which will be described later. In this embodiment, width W and length L are approximately equal.
As shown in Figures 5 to 8, when the medicine volatilizer 10 is in use, a protrusion 2220 that protrudes in a direction away from the sealing sheet 24 is provided at the lower part at the center of the width of the bottom surface 2204A.
Protrusion 2220 is formed in a cylindrical shape, the inside of the base of protrusion 2220 is open and forms part of drug containing space 28 described later, and top surface 2220A of protrusion 2220 is formed in a spherical surface.
The state of use of the medicine volatilizer 10 is also the state of use of the medicine container 12 .
The top surface 2220A of the protrusion 2220 not only functions as an indicator for visually checking the remaining amount of the drug 16 as described below, but also serves to increase the volume of the drug containing space 28 and the volume of the contained drug 16. Furthermore, the protrusion 2220 also serves to regulate the positions of the case 14 and the container body 22.

When the drug volatilization device 10 is in use, the portion of the bottom surface 2204A above the protrusion 2220 has a width approximately the same as the outer diameter of the protrusion 2220, and is formed as a central flat surface 2230 extending in the longitudinal direction of the bottom surface 2204 approximately parallel to the sealing sheet 24, as shown in Figures 4 (A), 5 (A), 6 (E), (F), and 7 (A).
In addition, the portions of the bottom surface 2204A located on both sides of the protrusion 2220 and the central flat surface 2230 in the width direction are formed as inclined surfaces 2240 that gradually move away from the sealing sheet 24 as they move from the bottom to the top when the drug volatilization device 10 is in use, and therefore a pair of inclined surfaces 2240 are provided.
Each inclined surface 2240 has a constant width and extends in the longitudinal direction of the bottom surface 2204, and therefore the portion of the drug containing space 28 in which the pair of inclined surfaces 2240 are provided is formed with a larger upper volume than the lower volume.

Further, a thin and long protrusion 2210 is provided at the center of each inclined surface 2240 in the width direction.
The protrusion 2210 has a certain width and protrudes toward the sealing sheet 24, extending from the lower part to the upper part of the inclined surface 2240. Since a pair of inclined surfaces 2240 is provided, a pair of protrusions 2210 is also provided.
As shown in FIG. 5(C), the protruding length of the protrusion 2210 from the inclined surface 2240 gradually increases from the bottom to the top, but the top surface 2210A of the protrusion 2210 at the tip of the protrusion 2210 in the protruding direction over the entire length of the protrusion 2210 is located at a certain distance from the sealing sheet 24, and the top surface 2210A of the protrusion 2210 is approximately parallel to the sealing sheet 24.
As shown in Figures 3 and 8 (A), when the drug volatilizer 10 is in use, the storage chamber 18 of the case 14 is formed so that the length L direction of the drug storage space 28 faces approximately in the vertical direction. In other words, the protrusion 2210 is formed so that its extension direction faces approximately in the vertical direction, and the protrusion 2210 extends from the lower part to the upper part of the drug storage space 28.
The protruding length of the protrusion 2210 from the inclined surface 2240, i.e., the distance between the top surface 2210A of the protrusion 2210 and the sealing sheet 24, is appropriately determined depending on the thickness of the drug containing space 28 in a direction perpendicular to the sealing sheet 24, the properties of the drug 16, the elasticity of the sealing sheet 24, the amount of the drug 16 to be contained in the drug containing space 28, etc.
As shown in FIG. 6 , the top surface 2210 A of the protrusion 2210 is formed as a flat surface parallel to the sealing sheet 24 or as a gently curved surface that is convex in a direction away from the inclined surface 2240 .
As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7D, the gripping piece 2206 protrudes from the outer peripheral flange 2202 .
In this embodiment, the tab 2206 protrudes from one side of the outer circumferential flange 2202 away from the protruding portion 2220 .

The sealing sheet 24 has its outer periphery attached to the outer peripheral flange 2202 of the container body 22, and when the drug volatilization device 10 is first used, it is formed of a flat surface extending on a plane passing through the outer surface of the outer peripheral flange 2202 of the container body 22, as shown in Figures 5 and 6.
The sealing sheet 24 forms a drug-containing space 28 between itself and the recess 2204 of the container body 22 inside the outer peripheral flange 2202 .
The sealing sheet 24 is formed of a stretchable material that allows the drug 16 to pass through.
In this embodiment, the sealing sheet 24 is formed of a material that has elasticity that allows the passage of the drug 16 and has breathability that allows the passage of gas (air), but as the drug volatilizer 10 is used, the low-volatility flavor component of the drug gradually clogs the holes, reducing the breathability, and as described below, the pressure in the drug containing space 28 decreases (the drug containing space 28 is depressurized), causing the sealing sheet 24 to stretch and come into contact with the top surface 2210B of the protrusion 2210. Note that a material that does not allow the passage of gas (air) but has elasticity that allows the passage of the drug 16 can also be used as the sealing sheet 24.
The material constituting such a sealing sheet varies depending on the type of volatile chemical to be contained, but various conventionally known materials can be used, such as polyethylene, polyurethane, EVA, EVOH, multilayer elastomers containing these, films in which these materials are mixed with fillers such as finely ground silica, clay, zeolite, or a combination of these materials.
As shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8A, in the initial state when the drug 16 is contained in the drug-containing space 28, the sealing sheet 24 extends on the same plane as the outer circumferential flange 2202.

As shown in Figure 4 (A), the sealing sheet 24 has a rectangular portion 2402 attached to the outer peripheral flange 2202 and forming a drug containing space 28 between it and the container body 22, and a gripping piece 2404 protruding from the rectangular portion 2402.
The outer peripheral flange 2202 of the container body 22 and the rectangular portion 2402 of the sealing sheet 24 are formed with the same contour, and the gripping piece 2206 of the container body 22 and the gripping piece 2404 of the sealing sheet 24 are formed at a position where they match each other, and the gripping pieces 2206, 2404 are attached to each other and integrated.
As shown in FIG. 4A, a cut line 2406 is provided at the base of the gripping pieces 2206, 2404 so that the gripping pieces 2206, 2404 can be cut away from the outer peripheral flange 2202 and the rectangular portion 2402, respectively.

Release film 26 is releasably attached to the surface of sealing sheet 24 opposite to the surface on which drug-containing space 28 is located.
The release film 26 is made of a material that is impermeable to gas (air) and the drug 16. The material varies depending on the type of volatile drug to be contained, but various conventionally known materials can be used, such as polypropylene, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, films in which metal vapor deposition such as aluminum or metal foil is laminated to these materials, or laminates of these materials.
As shown in FIG. 4B , the release film 26 has a rectangular portion 2602 having the same shape as the rectangular portion 2402 of the sealing sheet 24, and a gripping piece 2604 having the same shape as the gripping piece 2404 of the sealing sheet 24, and these gripping pieces 2404, 2206 are attached and integrated.

The drug 16 is in a liquid state and has volatility.
In this embodiment, the chemical 16 is a fragrance, but the chemical 16 may be, for example, an insecticide, a fungicide, a bactericide, an insect repellent, a deodorant, a repellent, etc., and the chemical 16 is not limited to a fragrance.
As shown in Figure 8 (A), the drug 16 is contained in an amount of approximately half the length L of the drug containing space 28 in the position of the drug containing body 12 with the length L of the drug containing space 28 facing up and down and the protrusion 2220 positioned downward.

Next, the case 14 for removably housing the medicine container 12 will be described.
The case 14 is composed of a front section 32 shown in FIG. 9 and a rear section 34 shown in FIGS.
The front section 32 and the rear section 34 are connected to be able to swing, and swing between a connected state in which the front section 32 and the rear section 34 are joined together as shown by the imaginary line (A) in Figure 3, and an open state in which the front section 32 and the rear section 34 are open as shown by the imaginary line (B).
It is optional to configure the front divided body 32 and the rear divided body 34 to be detachable, but if the front divided body 32 and the rear divided body 34 are connected to be swingable as in this embodiment, it is advantageous for easily storing and removing the medicine container 12.
When the front partition 32 and the rear partition 34 are joined together, a storage chamber 18 for storing the drug container 12 is formed therein, and the case 14 is provided with a drug container regulating section 36 for preventing the drug container 12 contained in the storage chamber 18 from moving.

As shown in Figure 3, when the drug volatilizer 10 is in use, the storage chamber 18 is formed so that the length L of the drug storage space 28 contained in the storage chamber 18 faces in the vertical direction; in other words, the extension direction of the protrusion 2210 faces in the vertical direction.
In this embodiment, the storage chamber 18 is formed so that when the drug volatilizer 10 is in use, i.e., when the case 14 is placed on a shelf or floor, the drug storage space 28 faces in the up-down direction at a slight angle to the vertical direction; in other words, the protrusion 2210 is formed so that it extends in the up-down direction at a slight angle to the vertical direction.
In addition, when the medicine volatilizer 10 is placed on a shelf or floor, the front surface 14A of the case 14 is configured to face obliquely upward.
It is to be noted that the case 14 may be arbitrarily designed to be hung on a wall or the like instead of being placed on a surface.
For ease of explanation, when the drug volatilizer 10 is in use, the case 14 is placed on a shelf or floor so that the drug storage space 28 faces up and down, and therefore in the following explanation, the upper and lower parts refer to the upper and lower parts of the case 14 when it is placed on a shelf or floor.

The front partition 32 is a member that constitutes the front of the drug volatilizer 10, i.e., the front surface 14A of the case 14 (see Figure 1), and the planar shape of the front partition 32 is formed into a rectangle with an outline that is slightly larger than the outer peripheral flange 2202 of the container body 22 so that the drug container 12 can be contained in the container chamber 18.
As shown in Figures 9 (A) and (B), the front section 32 includes a front wall portion 3202, an engaging inner wall portion 3204, a pressing portion 3206, a pair of front section side hinge portions 3208, and a front section side engaging portion 3210.
The front wall portion 3202 has a rectangular central surface portion 3202A made of a flat surface and whose four corners are formed by arcs, and a rectangular frame-like outer peripheral surface portion 3202B provided on the outer periphery of the central surface portion 3202A and whose four corners are formed by arcs.
The outer peripheral surface portion 3202B is formed as a curved surface that displaces toward the rear section 34 as it moves away from the central surface portion 3202A, and the tip of the outer peripheral surface portion 3202B is formed as an end surface 3202C facing the rear section 34 side.

A circular window 3202D is formed in the center of the lower side that extends linearly below the central surface portion 3202A so that the outer periphery of the window 3202D overlaps with the lower side. The window 3202D exposes the top surface 2220A of the protruding portion 2220 of the container main body 22.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, when the drug volatilization device 10 is in use, the tip portion including the top surface 2220A of the protrusion 2220 is positioned inside the window 3202D, and in this state, an annular gap 3202D-1 is secured between the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 2220 and the inner peripheral surface of the window 3202D.
The engaging inner wall portion 3204 is a portion that engages with an engaging outer wall portion 3402B of the rear partition body 34, which will be described later.
The engaging inner wall portions 3204 are provided at three locations on the end surface 3202C of the outer circumferential surface portion 3202B.
As shown in Figure 9 (B) , two of the three engaging inner wall portions 3204A protrude from end faces 3202C forming arc portions on both sides of the lower side located at the lower part of the outer circumferential surface portion 3202B, and each extend in an arc shape along the end faces 3202C.
In addition, the remaining engaging inner wall portion 3204B protrudes from an end face 3202C of the upper edge located at the upper part of the outer circumferential surface portion 3202B and extends in a straight line along this upper edge, and also protrudes from the arc-shaped end faces 3202C on both sides of this side and extends in an arc shape.

Two pressing portions 3206 are provided in the center of the inner surface of the front wall portion 3202 in the width direction, aligned with the window 3202D.
Each pressing portion 3206 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and its tip is formed with dimensions that are close to or in contact with the central flat surface 2230 between the two inclined surfaces 2240 of the container main body 22 contained inside the case 14.
The pair of front partition side hinge portions 3208 are composed of flanges 3208A protruding from the inner surface on both sides of the lower edge located at the lower part of the outer peripheral surface portion 3202B, and a support shaft insertion hole 3208B formed in the flanges 3208A.
The front partition side engagement portion 3210 is the portion that engages with the rear partition side engagement portion 3408 described later, and is composed of a leg wall portion 3210A protruding from the center in the extension direction of the engagement inner wall portion 3204B located at the upper part of the front wall portion 3202, and an engagement protrusion 3210B provided at the tip of this leg wall portion 3210A.

The rear section 34 is a member that constitutes the side surface 14B and the rear surface 14C of the case 14, as shown in FIGS.
As shown in Figures 10 (A) and (B), the rear partition 34 is composed of a rectangular cylindrical side portion 3402 that constitutes the side 14B of the case 14, a rear portion 3404 that is connected to the side portion 3402 and constitutes the rear surface 14C of the case 14, a pair of rear partition side hinge portions 3406, and a rear partition side engagement portion 3408.
The side portion 3402 has a rectangular cylindrical shape with the four corners connected by arc portions, and is formed with a slope such that the distance between the upper and lower side surfaces gradually decreases as it approaches the rear portion 3404, and the distance between the left and right side surfaces also decreases.

The end of the side surface portion 3402 located opposite the rear surface portion 3404 is formed as an end surface 3402A and an engaging outer wall portion 3402B.
The end faces 3402A are provided at the ends of the side surface portion 3402 located on the left and right sides and at the end of the side surface portion 3402 located at the lower part.
The engaging outer wall portions 3402B are portions which engage with the engaging inner wall portions 3204 of the front section 32, and are provided at three locations on the end portion of the side surface portion 3402.
The engaging outer wall portions 3402B at two of the three locations are provided at the ends of the arcuate portions on both sides of the side surface portion 3402 located at the lower portion, and extend in an arcuate shape.
The remaining engaging outer wall portion 3402B is provided at an end of the side surface portion 3402 located at the upper portion, and extends linearly with arcuate extensions on both sides thereof.
Furthermore, on the inner surfaces of the three engaging outer wall portions 3402B, abutting end surfaces 3402B-1 with which the tips of the engaging inner wall portions 3204 of the front divided body 32 abut are formed.
When the front section 32 and the rear section 34 are joined, the tip of the engaging inner wall portion 3204 of the front section 32 abuts against the abutment end surface 3402B-1 of the rear section 34, and the outer surface of the engaging inner wall portion 3204 engages with the inner surface of the engaging outer wall portion 3402B.
Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 10B and 11, a stopper wall 3410 is provided to protrude from the end of the side surface portion 3402 located at the lower part.
When the front partition 32 and the rear partition 34 are in an open state, the stopper wall 3410 abuts against the outer peripheral surface portion 3202B between a pair of front partition side hinge portions 3208 of the front partition 32, determining the limit opening angle between the front partition 32 and the rear partition 34 in the open state, making it easier to remove and store the drug container 12.

The pair of rear partition side hinge portions 3406 are composed of a pair of flanges 3406A protruding from the ends of the side portion 3402 that is located at the bottom when the drug volatilizer 10 is in use, and a support shaft 3406B protruding from the flanges 3406A and inserted into the support shaft insertion hole 3208B of the front partition side hinge portion 3208.
The front section 32 and the rear section 34 are coupled to each other so as to be able to swing when the shafts 3406B of the pair of rear section side hinge portions 3406 are inserted into the shaft insertion holes 3208B of the pair of front section side hinge portions 3208.

If the direction in which the front partition 32 and the rear partition 34 are joined is defined as the front-to-rear direction, the front-to-rear dimension of the side portion 3402 is formed to be a uniform dimension except for the lower portion 3402C of the side portion 3402, and the lower portion 3402C gradually protrudes rearward as it is displaced downward; in other words, the front-to-rear dimension of the side portion 3402 is configured so that it gradually becomes larger as it reaches the bottom at the lower portion 3402C.
11, the side surface 3402 that faces downward when the medicine volatilizer 10 is in use is provided with protrusions 40A at three mutually spaced positions on the side surface 3402 for stably placing the medicine volatilizer 10 on a shelf or floor surface. Therefore, the protrusions 40A form the placement portion 40 on which the case 14 is placed on the floor or shelf surface.
In addition, a rear divided body side engaging portion 3408 that engages with the front divided body side engaging portion 3210 is provided on the side surface portion 3402 that is directed upward when the medicine volatilizer 10 is in use.
The rear partition side engagement portion 3408 is composed of an engagement hole 3408A into which the engagement protrusion 3210B engages, and the front partition 32 and the rear partition 34 are maintained in a joined state by the engagement protrusion 3210B engaging with the engagement hole 3408A.
In addition, when the engaging protrusion 3210B is pressed with a finger to remove it from the engaging hole 3408A, the joined state in which the front division body 32 and the rear division body 34 are joined is released, and the front division body 32 and the rear division body 34 become capable of swinging around the support shaft 3406B.

The rear surface portion 3404 is connected to an end of the side surface portion 3402 located opposite the end surface 3402A, and the rear surface portion 3404 is formed in a lattice shape with a plurality of openings 3404A.
The lattice-shaped back portion 3404 having multiple openings 3404A constitutes the left and right side surfaces 14B and the upper side surface 14B of the case 14 together with the side surface portion 3402, except for the lower portion 3402C of the side surface portion 3402. Therefore, the multiple openings 3404A are located not only on the back surface 14C of the case 14, but also on the side surfaces 14B of the case 14, ensuring the dissipation and diffusion of the drug 16 outside the case 14.

The drug container 12 is contained in the storage chamber 18 with the release film 26 facing the rear portion 3404, and support walls 3412 protrude from two locations on both sides of the upper end of the inner surface of the rear portion 3404, two locations on the upper parts of both the left and right sides of the inner surface of the rear portion 3404, and two locations on the lower parts of both the left and right sides of the inner surface of the rear portion 3404, which can abut against the outer peripheral flange 2202 of the drug container 12 via the release film 26 and sealing sheet 24.
In addition, the inner surface of the side portion 3402 is formed with an outline slightly larger than the outline of the outer peripheral flange 2202 of the drug container 12, and the inner surface of the side portion 3402 is positioned around the outer peripheral flange 2202 of the drug container 12 contained in the storage chamber 18, so that the drug container 12 is positioned so as to be immovable in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction of the drug volatilization device 10.
When the front divided body 32 and the rear divided body 34 are joined together, the tip of the pressing portion 3206 of the front divided body 32 approaches or abuts against the central flat surface 2230 between the two protrusions 2210, so that the six support walls 3412, the inner surface of the side portion 3402, and the two pressing portions 3206 form a medicine container restricting portion 36 that holds the medicine container 12 immovably within the storage chamber 18. The medicine container restricting portion 36 also functions in the same manner when the medicine volatilizing device 10 is used after the release film 26 has been peeled off from the sealing sheet 24.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, when the drug container 12 is contained in the storage chamber 18 of the case 14 and is immovably contained by the drug container regulating portion 36, the outer peripheral flange 2202 of the drug container 12 and the central flat surface 2230 of the bottom surface 2204A of the recess 2204 are located on a plane parallel to the front surface 14A and back surface 14C of the case 14.

When the front partition 32 and the rear partition 34 are joined, there are areas at the boundaries between the outer peripheral surface portions 3202B on both the left and right sides and the side surface portions 3402 on both the left and right sides where the engaging inner wall portions 3204 and the engaging outer wall portions 3402B are not provided, and these areas are formed by the end faces 3202C of the outer peripheral surface portions 3202B and the end faces 3402A of the side surface portions 3402 facing each other, as shown in Figure 3, to form elongated openings 38 on the top and bottom.
The opening 38 is located at a position displaced toward the front surface 14 A from the outer peripheral flange 2202 and the sealing sheet 24 of the medicine container 12 contained in the container chamber 18 .

When the drug volatilization device 10 is shipped, the drug container 12 is inserted into the storage chamber 18 with the tabs 2206, 2404, and 2604 folded from the cutting line 2406 onto the release film 26, and is contained within the storage chamber 18 by the drug container regulating section 36 so that it cannot move, and is shipped stored, for example, in a packaging bag or packaging box.
In this case, the bent tabs 2206, 2404, 2604 are provided at locations that do not interfere with the support wall 3412, so that the medicine container 12 can be smoothly accommodated.

Next, the function and effect of the medicine volatilizer 10 and the medicine container 12 will be described.
When using the medicine volatilizer 10, the user removes the engaging protrusion 3210B from the engaging hole 3408A to open the front partition 32 and the rear partition 34, removes the medicine container 12, and peels the release film 26 from the sealing sheet 24 by pinching the knobs 2206, 2404, and 2604.
Then, the drug container 12 is placed in the storage chamber 18 with the sealing sheet 24 facing the rear surface 14C, the front partition 32 and the rear partition 34 are closed, the engaging protrusion 3210B is engaged with the engaging hole 3408A to join them, and the mounting portion 40 is placed on the surface of a floor or shelf for use.
When the case 14 is placed on the floor or the surface of a shelf, a front surface 14A of the case 14 faces obliquely upward.

According to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the bottom surface 2204A of the recess 2204 of the container main body 22 is formed with an inclined surface 2240 that gradually becomes more distant from the sealing sheet 24 from the bottom to the top.
Therefore, a portion of the medicine containing space 28 located inside the inclined surface 2240 is formed so that the volume of the upper portion is larger than the volume of the lower portion when the medicine volatilizer 10 is in use.
Therefore, as shown in Figures 12 (C) and (D), the inclined surfaces 2240 on both sides of the protrusion 2210 are formed by a plane 2240A parallel to the sealing sheet 24, and a portion of the drug containing space 28 located inside the plane 2240A is formed with a uniform volume from bottom to top when the drug volatilizer 10 is in use. Compared to this, in the drug container 12 of this embodiment shown in Figures 12 (A) and (B), the liquid level of the drug 16 can be raised from H1 to H2.
Therefore, according to the drug volatilization device 10 and drug container 12 of this embodiment, it is possible to eliminate the unpleasant feeling that the amount of drug 16 is small when the product purchaser purchases or starts using the drug container 12 or drug volatilization device 10.
Also, a part of the medicine containing space 28 may be formed so that the volume gradually changes so that the upper part has a larger volume than the lower part when the medicine volatilizing device 10 is in use. However, the medicine containing body 12 in which the medicine 16 is enclosed is also sold alone on the market as a replacement for the medicine volatilizing device 10, and in this case, the medicine containing body 12 can be visually recognized by the purchaser. Therefore, forming a part of the medicine containing space 28 so that the volume gradually changes from the lower part to the upper part, as in the present embodiment, improves the appearance of the medicine containing body 12, increases the purchasing desire of the product, and is advantageous in increasing sales of the replacement medicine containing body 12 in which the medicine 16 is enclosed.
If the volume of the drug containing space 28 is to be continuously changed so that it gradually increases from the bottom to the top, this can be easily achieved by utilizing an inclined surface 2240, and providing multiple such inclined surfaces 2240 is advantageous in further raising the liquid level of the drug 16.

In addition, as shown in Figure 8 (A), the amount of volatilization of the drug 16 is significantly greater when the drug 16 comes into direct contact with the sealing sheet 24, penetrates the sealing sheet 24, and volatilizes from the surface of the sealing sheet 24 than when the drug 16 volatilizes into the upper space of the drug containing space 28 and penetrates the sealing sheet 24 from the upper space.
Therefore, although the amount of drug 16 gradually decreases and the liquid level of drug 16 drops as the drug volatilizer 10 is used, a portion of the drug containment space 28 located inside the inclined surface 2240 is formed so that the upper volume is larger than the lower volume of the drug containment space 28 when the drug volatilizer 10 is in use, so that the liquid level of drug 16 can be raised and the area of drug 16 in contact with the sealing sheet 24 can be increased compared to drug container 12A in which the drug containment space 28 is formed with a uniform volume from bottom to top.
Therefore, even if the amount of the drug 16 decreases, the height of the liquid surface of the drug 16 can be increased, which is advantageous in ensuring the drug's effectiveness.

Furthermore, when the drug volatilizer 10 is in use, providing a pair of inclined surfaces 2240 on both sides of the protrusion 2220 and providing protrusions 2210 on these inclined surfaces 2240 is advantageous in further raising the liquid level of the drug 16, and the shape of the container body 22 is symmetrical about the center line passing through the center of the protrusion 2220, which improves the appearance of the drug container 12, increases purchasing desire for the product, and is advantageous in increasing sales of the drug container 12 in which the drug 16 is sealed.
Furthermore, the effect of raising the liquid level of the drug 16 in the drug container 12 and eliminating the unpleasant feeling that the product purchaser has when purchasing or starting to use the drug container 12 or drug volatilizer 10 that there is not enough drug 16 can be achieved even if the sealing sheet does not have the properties of being gas impermeable and elastic.

In addition, at the beginning of use, the amount of drug 16 contained in the drug containing space 28 is approximately half the length L direction as shown in Figure 8 (A), and the amount of drug 16 gradually decreases as the drug volatilizer 10 is used.
As the amount of the drug 16 decreases, the area of the drug 16 in contact with the sealing sheet 24 decreases, and when the area of the drug 16 in contact with the sealing sheet 24 decreases, the amount of the drug 16 that volatilizes decreases.
As the amount of drug 16 decreases, the pressure in the drug containing space 28 decreases, causing the sealing sheet 24 to stretch and displace from its original flat surface toward the drug containing space 28, and as shown in Figure 8 (B), the sealing sheet 24 comes into contact with the top surface 2210B of the protrusion 2210.
In detail, as the pressure in the drug containing space 28 decreases, the sealing sheet 24 comes into contact with the top surface 2210B of the protrusion 2210 from the upper part of the drug containing space 28 where the drug 16 is not located, and when the pressure in the drug containing space 28 drops to a certain value, as shown in Figure 8 (B), the sealing sheet 24 comes into contact with the top surface 2210B over the entire length of the extension direction of the protrusion 2210.
When the sealing sheet 24 comes into contact with the protrusion 2210, capillary action causes the drug 16 to rise through the gap between the sealing sheet 24 and the top surface 2210B of the protrusion 2210, increasing the area of the drug 16 in contact with the sealing sheet 24, making it possible to ensure an amount of evaporation of the drug 16 similar to that at the beginning of use of the drug 16 container.
Therefore, according to the drug volatilization device 10 and drug container 12 of this embodiment, as the amount of drug 16 decreases, the area of contact between the drug 16 and the sealing sheet 24 decreases, as occurs with conventional drug containers, and therefore the amount of volatilized drug 16 also decreases, eliminating the problem of the drug effect becoming smaller when the amount of drug 16 decreases.Even if the amount of drug 16 becomes small, the drug effect is not reduced, which is advantageous in ensuring the drug effect.

Furthermore, when the drug volatilizer 10 is in use, the protrusions 2210 extend continuously from the bottom to the top of the drug containing space 28, thereby ensuring a large height to which the drug 16 rises due to capillary action, thereby increasing the area of the drug 16 in contact with the sealing sheet 24, which is advantageous in ensuring the effectiveness of the drug even when the amount of drug 16 is reduced.
Furthermore, top surface 2210A forming the tip of protrusion 2210 is formed as a plane parallel to bottom surface 2204A, or as a gently curved surface that is convex in the direction away from bottom surface 2204A. Therefore, by ensuring a large contact area between top surface 2210A and sealing sheet 24, capillary action is effectively generated, and at the same time, the area of drug 16 in contact with sealing sheet 24 can be increased, which is advantageous in ensuring the effectiveness of the drug even when the amount of drug 16 is reduced.
Furthermore, since the protrusions 2210 are provided at intervals in the width W direction of the drug containing space 28, even when the width W direction of the drug containing space 28 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, i.e., when the case 14 is placed on the inclined surface 2240, this is advantageous for causing a large amount of drug 16 to rise by capillary action and increasing the area of drug 16 in contact with the sealing sheet 24, and is advantageous for ensuring the effectiveness of the drug even when the amount of drug 16 is reduced.
Furthermore, even when the amount of drug 16 becomes small, the effect of the drug container 12, which is advantageous in ensuring the effectiveness of the drug, is exerted regardless of the presence or absence of the inclined surface 2240, and the above-mentioned effect is exerted by a drug container 12 having the following configuration.
That is, a drug container 12 is provided with a drug storage space 28 formed by a container body 22 and a sealing sheet 24 attached to the container body 22, a liquid and volatile drug 16 stored in the drug storage space 28, and a release film 26 removably attached to the sealing sheet 24, wherein the container body 22 and the release film 26 are formed of a material that does not allow gas and the drug to pass through, and the sealing sheet 24 is formed of a material that allows the drug 16 to pass through, and the sealing sheet 24 is formed of a material having elasticity that allows the drug 16 to pass through, and the drug container 12 has a protrusion 2210 formed on the container body 22 that protrudes into the drug storage space 28 at a height that does not contact the sealing sheet 24 and extends in the vertical direction when the drug container 12 is in use, so that even when the amount of the drug 16 becomes small, this has the advantage of ensuring the effect of the drug.

In addition, when the drug volatilizer 10 is in use, the top surface 2220A of the protrusion 2220 protruding from the lower part of the drug storage space 28 is exposed from the window 3202D on the front side of the case 14, so that the user can easily determine the remaining amount of drug 16 contained in the drug storage body 12 by looking at the top surface 2220A, which is advantageous in improving the usability of the drug volatilizer 10 and in increasing sales of the drug volatilizer 10.
In this embodiment, when the drug volatilization device 10 is placed on a shelf or floor, the front surface 14A of the case 14, the window 3202D, and the top surface 2220A of the protrusion 2220 face diagonally upward, making the top surface 2220A of the protrusion 2220 easy to see, which is more advantageous in easily determining the remaining amount of drug 16 contained in the drug container 12.

In addition, when the drug volatilizer 10 is in use, the storage chamber 18 inside the case 14 is divided into two areas by the outer peripheral flange 2202 of the drug container 12 and the sealing sheet 24, one located on the front side 14A and the other located on the back side 14C.
However, the portion of the storage chamber 18 located on the front surface 14A side is also connected to the outside via an annular gap 3202D-1 between the front surface 14A and the side surface 14B, the openings 38 on the left and right side surfaces 14B, the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 2220, and the inner peripheral surface of the window 3202D.
Therefore, the portion of the storage chamber 18 located on the back surface 14C side is connected to the outside through the portion of the storage chamber 18 located on the front surface 14A side via the gap between the outer periphery of the sealing sheet 24 and the inner surface of the side portion 3402.
Therefore, the area located on the back surface 14C side of the storage chamber 18 connects the back surface 14C and side surface 14B of the case 14 to the outside through the multiple openings 3404A, and also connects to the outside through the gap between the outer periphery of the outer flange 2202, the outer periphery of the sealing sheet 24, and the inner surface of the side surface portion 3402, which is advantageous for quickly dissipating and diffusing the volatilized drug 16 that has permeated the sealing sheet 24 to the outside of the case 14 and is advantageous for ensuring the effectiveness of the drug.

In addition, since the drug volatilizer 10 is sold on the market with the tabs 2206, 2404, and 2604 folded and stored in the case 14, when a user opens the front partition 32 and the rear partition 34 and removes the drug container 12, the user immediately sees the tabs 2206, 2404, and 2604 and can instantly determine that it is necessary to peel off the release film 26 from the tabs 2206, 2404, and 2604, which is advantageous in improving the usability of the drug volatilizer 10 and in increasing sales of the drug volatilizer 10.
In addition, the case 14 is provided with a drug container regulating section 36 that stores the drug container 12 in the storage chamber 18 so that the drug container 12 cannot move. Therefore, even if the drug volatilizer 10 collides with something during use and is blown away or falls over, the position of the drug container 12 in the case 14 is maintained.
Therefore, the user does not need to open the case 14 to correct the position of the medicine container 12, but can simply place the case 14 again, which is advantageous in improving the usability of the medicine volatilizer 10 and in increasing sales of the medicine volatilizer 10.

10 Drug volatilizer 12 Drug container 14 Case 14A Front 14B Side 14C Back 16 Drug 18 Storage chamber 22 Container body 2202 Outer peripheral flange 2204 Recess 2204A Bottom surface 2204B Side 2206 Handle piece 2210 Protrusion 2210A Top surface 2220 Protruding portion 2220A Top surface 2230 Central flat surface 2240 Inclined surface 24 Sealing sheet 2404 Handle piece 2406 Cutting line 26 Release film 2604 Handle piece 28 Drug container space 32 Front divided body 3202D Window 3206 Pressing portion 34 Back divided body 3402 Side portion 3404 Back portion 3404A Opening 3412 Support wall 36 Drug container regulating portion 38 Opening

Claims (15)

The container has a medicine-containing space formed by a container body and a sealing sheet attached to the container body, a liquid and volatile medicine contained in the medicine-containing space, and a release film releasably attached to the sealing sheet,
The container body and the release film are formed of a material that is impermeable to gas and the drug,
The sealing sheet is a drug container formed of a material that allows the drug to pass through,
In a state where the medicine container is in use, the medicine container space has a length extending in a vertical direction, a width in a direction perpendicular to the length direction, and a thickness in a direction perpendicular to the length direction and the width direction,
At least a portion of the medicine containing space is formed such that an upper volume is larger than a lower volume when the medicine containing body is in use,
The sealing sheet is formed of a material having elasticity,
The container body has a plurality of protrusions protruding into the medicine containing space in the thickness direction and extending in the vertical direction in the use state at intervals in the width direction at a height not in contact with the sealing sheet.
A medicine container characterized by the above. The container has a medicine-containing space formed by a container body and a sealing sheet attached to the container body, a liquid and volatile medicine contained in the medicine-containing space, and a release film releasably attached to the sealing sheet,
The container body and the release film are formed of a material that is impermeable to gas and the drug,
The sealing sheet is a drug container formed of a material that allows the drug to pass through,
In a state where the medicine container is in use, the medicine container space has a length extending in a vertical direction, a width in a direction perpendicular to the length direction, and a thickness in a direction perpendicular to the length direction and the width direction,
At least a portion of the medicine containing space is formed such that an upper volume is larger than a lower volume when the medicine containing body is in use,
The sealing sheet is formed of a material having elasticity,
The container body has a protrusion protruding into the medicine-containing space in the thickness direction and extending in the vertical direction in the usage state, the protrusion not contacting the sealing sheet at the initial stage of usage, and extending to a height such that the sealing sheet comes into contact with a top surface forming a tip of the protrusion when the pressure in the medicine-containing space decreases as the medicine decreases during usage.
A medicine container characterized by the above. The drug container includes a drug container and a case.
The medicine container includes a medicine container space formed by a container body and a sealing sheet attached to the container body, a liquid volatile medicine contained in the medicine container space, and a release film releasably attached to the sealing sheet,
The case has a storage chamber for removably storing the medicine container,
The container body and the release film are formed of a material that is impermeable to gas and the drug,
The sealing sheet is a drug volatilizer formed of a material that allows the drug to pass through,
When the medicine volatilizer is in use, the medicine containing space has a length extending in a vertical direction, a width in a direction perpendicular to the length direction, and a thickness in a direction perpendicular to the length direction and the width direction,
At least a portion of the medicine containing space is formed such that an upper volume is larger than a lower volume when the medicine volatilizer is in use,
The sealing sheet is formed of a material having elasticity,
The container body has a plurality of protrusions protruding into the medicine containing space in the thickness direction and extending in the vertical direction in the use state at intervals in the width direction at a height not in contact with the sealing sheet.
A drug volatilization device characterized by the above. The drug container includes a drug container and a case.
The medicine container includes a medicine container space formed by a container body and a sealing sheet attached to the container body, a liquid volatile medicine contained in the medicine container space, and a release film releasably attached to the sealing sheet,
The case has a storage chamber for removably storing the medicine container,
The container body and the release film are formed of a material that is impermeable to gas and the drug,
The sealing sheet is a drug volatilizer formed of a material that allows the drug to pass through,
In a state where the medicine volatilizer is in use, the medicine containing space has a length extending in a vertical direction, a width in a direction perpendicular to the length direction, and a thickness in a direction perpendicular to the length direction and the width direction,
At least a portion of the medicine containing space is formed such that an upper volume is larger than a lower volume when the medicine volatilizer is in use,
The sealing sheet is formed of a material having elasticity,
The container body has a protrusion protruding into the medicine-containing space in the thickness direction and extending in the vertical direction in the use state, the protrusion does not contact the sealing sheet at the initial stage of use, and extends to a height such that the sealing sheet comes into contact with a top surface forming a tip of the protrusion when the pressure in the medicine-containing space decreases as the medicine decreases during use.
A drug volatilization device characterized by the above. The protrusions are provided in a plurality at intervals in the width direction.
The medicine container according to claim 2 or the medicine volatilizer according to claim 4. When the medicine container or the medicine volatilizer is in use, the protrusion extends from the lower part to the upper part of the medicine container space.
A medicine container or a medicine volatilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . The medicine container has an outer peripheral flange and a recess formed inside the outer peripheral flange,
The sealing sheet is attached to the peripheral flange,
The medicine-containing space is formed between the sealing sheet and the recess,
The recess includes a bottom surface facing the sealing sheet and a side surface rising from a periphery of the bottom surface and connecting to the outer peripheral flange,
The protrusion is provided on the bottom surface,
a tip of the protrusion away from the bottom surface is formed with a top surface consisting of a flat surface parallel to the bottom surface or a top surface consisting of a gently curved surface convex in a direction away from the bottom surface;
A medicine container or a medicine volatilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . The case has a front surface, a rear surface, and a side surface connecting the front surface and the rear surface,
The medicine container is accommodated in the accommodation chamber with the container body facing the front and the sealing sheet and the release film facing the back,
When the medicine volatilizer is in use, a cylindrical protrusion that protrudes in a direction away from the sealing sheet and is open to the medicine containing space is provided at a portion of the bottom surface located at a lower portion of the medicine containing space,
A window is formed on the front surface of the case to expose the top surface of the tip of the protrusion to the outside of the case.
A drug volatilization device as described in claim 7 which cites claim 3 or 4, or a drug volatilization device as described in claim 7 which depends on claim 5 which cites claim 4, or a drug volatilization device as described in claim 7 which depends on claim 6 which cites claim 3 or 4 . A slope is provided at the bottom surface, which gradually moves away from the sealing sheet from the bottom to the top when the medicine container or the medicine volatilizer is in use, and the volume of the medicine container space gradually increases from the bottom to the top.
At least a portion of the medicine-containing space is between the inclined surface and the sealing sheet.
The medicine container or medicine volatilizer according to claim 7 or the medicine volatilizer according to claim 8. The inclined surfaces are provided at intervals in a width direction of the medicine containing space perpendicular to the up-down direction when the medicine containing body or the medicine volatilizer is in use.
10. The medicine container or medicine volatilizer according to claim 9. The inclined surfaces are provided in pairs at the bottom surfaces of both sides of the protrusion, with a width perpendicular to the up-down direction when the medicine container or the medicine volatilizer is in use,
The protrusions are provided at intermediate portions of the pair of inclined surfaces in the width direction,
A medicine container or a medicine volatilizing device according to claim 9 which depends on claim 8, or a medicine container or a medicine volatilizing device according to claim 10 which depends on claim 9 which depends on claim 8 . When the medicine volatilizer is in use, the case is placed in an appropriate location,
When the case is placed, the front surface, the window, and the top surface of the protrusion face obliquely upward.
A drug volatilization device as described in claim 8, or a drug volatilization device as described in claim 9 that cites claim 8, or a drug volatilization device as described in claim 10 or 11 that is dependent on claim 9 that cites claim 8. the case includes a front section that configures the front surface, and a rear section that is releasably coupled to the front section,
The back surface partition body has a side portion constituting the side surface and a back surface portion constituting the back surface and facing the release film,
The rear surface portion is provided with a plurality of openings,
A plurality of openings are provided in the side surface portion located on the front side of the release film,
An annular gap is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the window and the protruding portion.
A drug volatilization device as described in claim 8, or a drug volatilization device as described in claim 9 or 12 which cites claim 8, or a drug volatilization device as described in claim 10 or 11 which is dependent on claim 9 which cites claim 8. When the medicine container is viewed in plan view, the container body, the sealing sheet, and the release film have the same contour,
The contour has a first contour along an outer periphery of the medicine-containing space and a second contour protruding from the first contour,
A cut line that can be cut is formed at a portion of the container body and the sealing sheet that is located at a boundary between the first contour and the second contour,
The container body, the sealing sheet, and the release film are integrally attached to each other at the second contour to form a tab,
The tab is folded from the cut line onto the second contour and accommodated in the accommodation chamber.
A drug volatilizing device according to any one of claims 3 to 13. The case is provided with a medicine container regulating portion that stores the medicine container in an immovable manner within the storage chamber.
A drug volatilizing device according to any one of claims 3 to 14.

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