JPH11276370A - Method for filling chemical to cartridge for chemical supply shower and cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To fill a chemical into a cartridge without causing the mixing of air. SOLUTION: A liquid injection hole 17 is provided on the upper part of a cartridge case 12, the prescribed amount of chemical powder is put inside the case 12 and then, the case 12 is immersed in a solution inside a vacuum deaeration tank 22. In the state, by tentatively turning the inside of the vacuum deaeration tank 22 to a vacuum state and then returning it to an atmospheric pressure, the air inside the case 12 and the solution inside the vacuum deaeration tank 22 are replaced through the liquid injection hole 17. Finally, the case is taken out from the liquid of the vacuum deaeration tank 22 and the liquid injection hole 17 is sealed with a sealing agent.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for filling a cartridge used for a chemical supply shower with a drug such as a dechlorinating agent, and a cartridge suitable for using the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been proposed a medicine supply shower in which a cartridge filled with a medicine such as a dechlorinating agent is incorporated in a shower head so that the medicine is eluted into supply water when the shower is used.

In this shower, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a medicine is filled in a case 3 of a cartridge 2 loaded in a shower head 1, and a window 5 is provided on the lower surface of the cartridge case 3. The window 5 has a structure in which an exuding film 6 that elutes the medicine in the cartridge case 3 is attached. The exudation membrane 6 is formed of a filter membrane that can withstand the weight head of the medicine, and exudes the medicine in the cartridge case 3 only when receiving the dynamic pressure of the supply water when using the shower. In the case of this shower, the supply water does not pass through the inside of the cartridge case 3, but elutes a drug in an amount corresponding to the dynamic pressure from the exudation membrane 6 and then flows around the outer periphery of the cartridge case 3. It is discharged from the sprinkling unit 7.

The cartridge 2 used for this shower is usually filled with a drug solution by the following method.

That is, on the upper part of the cartridge case 3,
As shown in FIG. 5, an injection port 8 is formed in advance, and a predetermined amount of drug powder 9 is put through the injection port 8, and then a solution 4 such as water is filled under atmospheric pressure. 8
When filled up to the top, a rubber stopper 10
Is to be adhered.

[0006]

However, in the above-described conventional method of filling a medicine, the entire process from the injection of the solution into the cartridge case 3 to the attachment of the rubber stopper 10 is performed under atmospheric pressure. Thus, air bubbles a may remain inside the manufactured cartridge 2. That is, in the above-described method, the air entering between the drug powders 9 and the dissolved air in the solution cannot be completely removed, and the air easily enters when the rubber stopper 10 is attached to the injection port 8. It is considered that these factors combine to cause the bubbles a to remain.

When the air bubbles a enter the cartridge 2 as described above, the drug solution in the cartridge 2 is pushed out of the cartridge 2 to an unnecessary amount by the expansion and contraction of the air, and the life of the cartridge 2 is shortened. . That is,
If air is mixed in the cartridge 2, for example, when the air in the cartridge 2 is compressed by receiving the dynamic pressure of the supply water during use of the shower, and the compression of the air is suddenly released by the subsequent stop of water, When the temperature of the atmosphere rises when the shower is not used, for example, the drug is unnecessarily pushed out of the exuding membrane by the expansion action of the air.

Therefore, the present invention provides a method for filling a medicine into a cartridge for a shower for supplying medicine, which can surely fill the inside of the cartridge without introducing air.
It is intended to provide a cartridge suitable for using the method.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of filling a medicine supply shower cartridge with a liquid injection hole provided in an upper portion of the cartridge. After a predetermined amount of drug powder is put in the cartridge, the cartridge is immersed in a solution in a vacuum degassing tank, and in this state, the inside of the vacuum degassing tank is once evacuated and then returned to the atmospheric pressure, whereby the liquid The air in the cartridge was replaced with the solution in the vacuum degassing tank through the injection hole, and finally the cartridge was taken out of the liquid in the vacuum degassing tank, and the liquid injection hole was sealed with a sealant.

In the present invention, when the inside of the tank is evacuated while the cartridge is immersed in the vacuum degassing tank, the air in the cartridge is discharged and the dissolved air in the solution is removed. When the inside of the vacuum degassing tank is returned to the atmospheric pressure from this state, the solution from which the dissolved air has been removed is completely filled into the cartridge through the liquid injection hole. Then, when the liquid injection hole is sealed with a sealant in this state, the solution is filled in the cartridge without air mixing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a medicine supply shower cartridge filled with a medicine by the method of the first aspect is configured as follows.

That is, a liquid injection hole is formed in the upper wall of the cartridge case so as to penetrate the upper wall up and down, and a surface of the upper wall facing the inside of the cartridge case is recessed above the lower end of the liquid injection hole. An upper recess was provided, and a filter member was fitted into the liquid injection hole, so that the upper portion of the liquid injection hole was sealed together with the filter member with a sealant.

When filling a cartridge according to the present invention with a drug, a drug powder is placed in a cartridge case without sealing the liquid injection hole with a sealant, and the cartridge case is placed in a solution in a vacuum degassing tank. Soak in.
If the inside of the vacuum degassing tank is once evacuated and then returned to the atmospheric pressure, the solution is filled into the cartridge case through the filter member in the liquid injection hole. Since it is captured by the member, it does not flow out of the liquid injection hole to the outside. Also,
When the cartridge case is subsequently taken out of the liquid in the vacuum degassing tank, if there is a slight gap in the lower part of the cartridge case, the liquid level in the liquid injection hole tends to decrease. Increases the flow resistance of the solution, and prevents the solution in the upper depression from staying in the upper depression to prevent the liquid level in the liquid injection hole from lowering.
Therefore, the upper part of the liquid injection hole can be sealed with the sealant without air entering thereafter.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, a concave portion is provided above the liquid injection hole, and a sealant for sealing the upper portion of the liquid injection hole is disposed in the concave portion.

In the case of the present invention, the solution can be captured in the concave portion when the cartridge case is taken out of the vacuum degassing tank, so that the upper portion of the liquid injection hole is sealed without any air entering the liquid injection hole. It can be reliably sealed with an agent.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second or third aspect, the filter member is constituted by a felt rod formed so that a fiber direction extends along the liquid injection hole.

[0017] In this case, when replacing the air with the solution, the air and the solution are surely circulated along the felt fiber.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 shows a medicine supply shower cartridge 11 according to the present invention. This cartridge 11 is obtained by welding a cylindrical case body 11a having a bottom and an upper cover 11b formed of resin. A cartridge case 12 is configured. In the case of this embodiment, the cartridge case 12 is filled with a supersaturated aqueous solution of ascorbic acid as a dechlorinating agent having a strong chlorine reducing action, and this ascorbic acid is eluted in a shower head (not shown). This removes residual chlorine in tap water.

The cartridge case 12 (case body 11)
A substantially elliptical window 13 is formed at the center of the bottom of a). The window 13 receives the dynamic pressure of the supply liquid introduced into the shower head to elute the drug in the cartridge case 12. An exudate membrane 14 is attached. The exuding membrane 14 is formed, for example, by a filter membrane in which polyester is laminated on top and bottom of cellulose acetate, and is designed to withstand at least the weight head pressure of the medicine in the cartridge case 12 when the shower is not used (leak does not occur). Has become.

A recess 16 is formed in the upper surface of the upper wall 15 of the cartridge case 12 (upper cover 11a). A liquid injection hole 17 penetrating the upper wall 15 vertically through the center of the recess 16 is formed. Are formed. On the other hand, on the lower surface side of the upper wall 15 of the cartridge case 12, an upper depression 18 which is depressed above the lower end of the liquid injection hole 17 is formed in an annular shape around the liquid injection hole 17. The upper wall 15
Is set to a sufficient thickness, and the axial length of the liquid injection hole 17 is ensured by the thickness.

A felt rod 19 is pressed into the liquid injection hole 17 as a filter member. In this state, the upper portion of the liquid injection hole 17 is sealed with a sealant 20. The felt rod 19 has a fiber direction corresponding to the liquid injection hole 17.
The liquid and the gas can flow relatively easily before the upper end of the liquid sealing hole 17 is sealed. Further, as the sealant 20, a so-called wet-temperature-curable silicone sealant that cures under appropriate humidity and temperature is used.

The cartridge 11 configured as described above is filled with a medicine as follows by using the method according to the present invention.

That is, first, the medicine powder 21 (ascorbic acid powder) is added to the case body 11a of the cartridge case 12.
Into the case body 11a in this state.
1b, and a felt rod 19 is pressed into the liquid injection hole 17 of the upper wall 15 of the cartridge case 12 (upper cover 11b).

Subsequently, as shown in FIG.
The cartridge case 12 is immersed in a vacuum degassing tank 22 filled with 25, and in this state, the valve 23 on the atmosphere side is closed,
The tank 22 is opened by opening the valve 24 on the vacuum pump P side.
Vacuum the inside. As a result, the air in the tank 22 and the air in the cartridge case 12 are completely removed, and at this time, the dissolved air in the solution in the tank 22 and the air entering between the drug powders 21 are also removed.

Next, after a certain period of time, the valve 24 on the vacuum pump P side is closed and the valve 23 on the atmosphere side is opened to return the inside of the vacuum degassing tank 22 to the atmospheric pressure at a stretch. As a result, the solution is introduced into the cartridge case 12 that has been in a vacuum state through the liquid injection hole 17, and the cartridge case 12 is completely filled with the solution 25.
At this time, the liquid injection hole 17 is provided in the cartridge case 12.
The solution is rapidly introduced through the liquid injection hole 17.
The dissolved medicine does not flow out of the tank 22 through the liquid injection hole 17.

Thereafter, the cartridge case 12 is taken out of the vacuum degassing tank 22 with the liquid injection hole 17 facing upward, and the solution is captured in the recess 16 of the cartridge case 12 as shown in FIG. The upper end of the liquid injection hole 17 in the recess 16 is sealed with a sealant 20 (see FIG. 2). Therefore, at this time, the liquid injection hole 17 is sealed by the sealant 20 without incurring air.

If there is a small gap at the lower end of the cartridge case 12, the liquid level in the liquid injection hole 17 tends to decrease after the cartridge case 12 is removed from the vacuum degassing tank 22. However, in the case of this cartridge, the felt rod 19 press-fitted into the liquid injection hole 17 gives a large flow resistance to the solution, and the solution filled in the upper recess 18 in the cartridge case 12 remains in the recess 18. As a result, a sudden drop in the liquid level in the liquid injection hole 17 is prevented by these synergistic effects. Therefore, in combination with the provision of the concave portion 16 capable of capturing the liquid at the upper portion of the liquid injection hole 17, the liquid level of the solution is securely held until the sealing with the sealant 20 is completed, and The entry of air into the case 12 can be prevented.

Further, even when there is no leakage of the solution from the cartridge case 12, when it takes a long time to seal the liquid injection hole 17, the solution may evaporate from the liquid injection hole 17. Since the solution evaporating from the liquid injection hole 17 can be supplemented by the solution in the upper recess 18, the liquid level of the liquid injection hole 17 due to the evaporation of the solution can be delayed.

[0030]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, as a method of filling a medicine into a medicine supply shower cartridge, a liquid injection hole is provided at an upper portion of the cartridge, and a predetermined amount of medicine powder is filled inside the cartridge. After being put, the cartridge is immersed in the solution in the vacuum degassing tank, and in that state, the inside of the vacuum degassing tank is once evacuated and then returned to the atmospheric pressure, thereby allowing the air in the cartridge to pass through the liquid injection hole. The solution in the vacuum degassing tank was replaced, and finally the cartridge was taken out of the liquid in the vacuum degassing tank and the liquid injection hole was sealed with a sealant. The medicine can be filled into the cartridge without any gap in a state in which the air dissolved in the cartridge is completely removed. Therefore, according to the present invention, air can be completely prevented from entering the cartridge.
Unnecessary leakage of the drug solution due to the mixed air is reliably prevented, and the life of the cartridge can be extended.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a liquid injection hole is formed in the upper wall of the cartridge case so as to vertically penetrate the upper wall, and the upper wall faces the inside of the cartridge case from the lower end of the liquid injection hole. Also provide an upper recess that is recessed on the upper side,
A filter member is fitted in the liquid injection hole so that the upper portion of the liquid injection hole is sealed together with the filter member with a sealant. In addition to being able to reliably prevent the liquid from flowing out from the filter member, the filter member prevents the liquid level of the solution from dropping between the time when the cartridge case is removed from the vacuum degassing tank and the time when the liquid injection hole is sealed with the sealant. And the action of the upper dent can be reliably prevented.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, a concave portion is provided above the liquid injection hole, and a sealant for sealing the upper portion of the liquid injection hole is arranged in the concave portion. When the cartridge case is taken out of the vacuum degassing tank, the solution is captured in the concave portion, and it is possible to more reliably prevent air from entering the sealing portion of the upper part of the liquid injection hole formed by the sealant.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second or third aspect, the filter member is constituted by a felt rod formed so that a fiber direction extends along the liquid injection hole. And the replacement of the air with the solution in the step can be performed more reliably.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional technique.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the same technology.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 ... Cartridge case 14 ... Exudation film 15 ... Upper wall 16 ... Recess 17 ... Liquid injection hole 18 ... Upward depression 19 ... Felt rod 20 ... Seal agent 21 ... Drug powder 22 ... Vacuum deaeration tank

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method for filling a cartridge loaded in a shower head and eluted with an internal drug solution from an exudate membrane at a lower end upon receiving a dynamic pressure of supply water, wherein a liquid injection hole is provided at an upper portion of the cartridge. After a predetermined amount of drug powder is put in the cartridge, the cartridge is immersed in the solution in the vacuum degassing tank, and in this state, the inside of the vacuum degassing tank is once evacuated and then returned to the atmospheric pressure. By replacing the air in the cartridge with the solution in the vacuum degassing tank through the liquid injection hole, finally taking out the cartridge from the liquid in the vacuum degassing tank and sealing the liquid injection hole with a sealant. A method for filling a medicine into a cartridge for a medicine supply shower. 2. A medicine supply shower cartridge filled with a medicine by the method according to claim 1, wherein a liquid injection hole vertically penetrating the upper wall is formed in an upper wall of the cartridge case. The upper wall is provided with an upper recess that is recessed above the lower end of the liquid injection hole on the surface facing the inside of the cartridge case, a filter member is fitted into the liquid injection hole, and the upper portion of the liquid injection hole is together with the filter member. A drug supply shower cartridge characterized by being sealed with a sealant. 3. The drug supply according to claim 2, wherein a concave portion is provided above the liquid injection hole, and a sealant for sealing the upper portion of the liquid injection hole is arranged in the concave portion. Shower cartridge. 4. The cartridge for a drug supply shower according to claim 2, wherein the filter member is constituted by a felt rod formed so that a fiber direction is along a liquid injection hole.