JP2000070165A - Cartridge for sustained-releasing of chemical - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cartridge wherein the interior thereof is held at a low pressure before the cartridge is used and a user can fill water into the cartridge when it is used without taking much time so that stable sustained-releasing characteristics can be obtained in a short period of time. SOLUTION: In a cartridge which includes contents composed of chemicals and water when in use, in order to prevent any problems from occurring when the cartridge is preserved for a long period of time, a cartridge 10 comprising a container 101 made of a hard material, chemicals 102, an aperture 103, an aperture seal plug 104, and a cartridge plug 105 is set in a cartridge making device 1 to create a vacuum in the cartridge beforehand. Thereon, the cartridge is exhausted to produce a vacuum in the cartridge and then the cartridge is sealed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a cartridge for adding a drug such as ascorbic acid to running water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a shower head with a sustained drug release function is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-187681. Here, a cartridge filled with a water-soluble drug represented by ascorbic acid and a saturated aqueous solution thereof and made of a hard material not containing an air layer is installed in the flow path of the shower head, and covers the opening of the cartridge. The drug is stably and gradually released in flowing water through the porous membrane.

[0003]

It is conceivable that a cartridge may pass a certain storage period from the time it is created until it is used. When a cartridge as in the prior art is stored for a long period of time before use, the water inside the cartridge evaporates from the opening and gas is mixed in, and an air layer containing gas components is formed in the cartridge. In order to avoid this, it was necessary to seal the porous film portion that was the opening.

However, since the aqueous solution is present in the hard material cartridge, if the temperature of the cartridge changes during storage, the volume of the aqueous solution as the content changes, and the hard material may be damaged due to excessive pressure. was there. In addition, during storage, the drug reacts with water or the like to change its quality, thereby generating gas components, which may accumulate in the cartridge and generate an air layer.

[0005] In addition, when the user fills the inside of the cartridge with a drug and water before using the cartridge and plugs the cartridge so as not to form an air layer, it takes a great deal of time, and the air layer due to spillage of the drug and inadvertent care is taken. There were concerns such as remaining.

[0006] When using a cartridge, the cartridge is installed in a drug sustained-release device in which a user adds a drug into running water. By passing water through the drug sustained release device in which the cartridge is installed, the cartridge receives running water at the opening thereof, and releases a small amount of the water-soluble drug stably, that is, gradually releases.

[0007] During the use of the cartridge, if an air layer is present inside the cartridge, the pressure fluctuation of the running water causes the air layer to expand and compress, and this causes a pump effect to act and the sustained release amount of the drug becomes unstable. was there.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. Before use, the inside is stored in a low pressure state, and the user fills the inside with water without much trouble at the start of use. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cartridge capable of exhibiting stable sustained release characteristics in a short time.

[0009]

According to one aspect of the present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, before use, the cartridge has an opening for slowly releasing a drug, and the opening is used for this purpose. The cartridge was provided with an opening stopper for hermetic sealing, a drug was provided inside the cartridge, and the space inside the cartridge was reduced to an atmospheric pressure or lower.

The drug is water-soluble. The higher the degree of vacuum is, the better the space inside the cartridge at or below atmospheric pressure is better, but in the industrial production process, the pressure is preferably -500 mmHg or less.

As a result, during storage before use, damage to the cartridge due to volume expansion of the liquid when the aqueous solution is contained therein is eliminated, and gas components accumulate due to the reaction between the drug and water to form an air layer. Concerns are gone.

In another aspect of the cartridge according to the present invention, before use, the cartridge has an opening for gradually releasing a drug, an opening sealing plug for sealing the opening, and a large space inside the cartridge. Atmospheric pressure or less, furthermore, the inside of the cartridge is composed of two compartments, one having a drug in one of the first compartments in contact with the opening, and having a gas-permeable and non-water-permeable boundary with another second compartment A partition wall was arranged.

[0013] When the user uses the cartridge, the water is introduced into the cartridge by the atmospheric pressure and the dynamic pressure of the running water by removing the plug at the opening of the cartridge in still water or running water. The running water that has entered the cartridge fills the first compartment where the drug is present. Although the inside of the cartridge is in a state of being less than the atmospheric pressure which is close to a vacuum in advance, it is difficult to make a complete vacuum state, and a trace amount of a gas component remains. This remaining gas component is permeated and contained in the second compartment separated by the compartment wall after intrusion of water.
Water does not penetrate the partition walls. That is, no air layer is generated in the first compartment involved in the release of the drug, and thus the cartridge can perform its original function,
Stable sustained release performance is ensured.

[0014] Also, the volume of the second compartment is determined so that the pressure is still lower than the atmospheric pressure even after the intrusion of water. Therefore, an air layer generated in the first section due to some factor during use is also guided to the second section, and a state in which no air layer exists at all times during use can be maintained.

In another aspect of the cartridge according to the present invention, before use, the cartridge has an opening for gradually releasing a drug, an opening sealing plug for sealing the opening, and the inside of the cartridge has two compartments. It has a drug in one of the first compartments in contact with the opening, the internal space of the cartridge in the sealed state is below atmospheric pressure, near the boundary between the first compartment and another second compartment A separating material for separating the compartments by swelling with water was disposed.

The user removes the opening plug underwater when using the cartridge. The flowing water that has entered the inside of the cartridge fills the first compartment where the drug is present and fills the second compartment separated by the separating material. Although the inside of the cartridge is in a state of being less than the atmospheric pressure close to a vacuum in advance, a trace amount of a gas component remaining is guided into the second compartment.

On the other hand, the separating material contains the inflowing water and gradually swells to form a wall for separating the first section and the second section.
Therefore, the air layer is confined in the second section, and the first section, that is, the portion related to the sustained release of the drug, has no air layer at all, and stable sustained release performance is secured.

[0018] In another embodiment of the sustained-release drug cartridge according to the present invention, the opening stopper is formed of a water-soluble and non-breathable sealing material.

The user installs the cartridge in still water or running water. The water contacts the encapsulant sealing the opening and dissolves the encapsulant, so that the opening is exposed to the water. Water penetrates through the opening into the inside of the cartridge, which is close to vacuum and below atmospheric pressure, and fills the cartridge while dissolving the drug inside the cartridge.

Accordingly, the user does not have to remove the sealing plug in the water by himself / herself before using the cartridge.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0022]

(Embodiment 1) FIGS. 1 and 2 show Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a method of manufacturing a cartridge according to the present invention.
Comprises a cartridge 10, a vacuum suction device 11, a cartridge stopper fitting 12, and a vacuum pump 13. The cartridge 10 includes a container 101 made of a hard material, ascorbic acid 102 as a drug, a porous membrane 103 as an opening, a candy-like polysaccharide 10 as an opening sealing plug and a sealing material.
4. Consists of a cartridge stopper 105.

FIG. 2 shows a drug sustained-release device for slowly releasing a drug into running water using a cartridge. The drug sustained-release device 2 comprises a mounted cartridge 10, a cartridge mounting portion 20, and a running water inlet. A section 21 and a running water deriving section 22 are provided.

The method of producing the cartridge and its operation will be described below. After bonding the porous membrane 103 to the opening of the container 101, the candy-like polysaccharide 104 is heated and dissolved, and the porous membrane 1
03 is completely coated, cooled and solidified. After that, ascorbic acid 102 is put in the container 101 and is set in the vacuum suction device 11. The air in the container 101 is sufficiently removed by the vacuum pump 13, and then the cartridge stopper fitting 12 is pushed to push the cartridge stopper 105 into the container 101 to seal it.

The sealing material, which is an opening stopper, is a solid, water-soluble, non-breathable candy-like polysaccharide at room temperature, for example, palatinit, xylit, sorbit, erythritol,
Sanmalto S, reduced maltose, and the like, and a mixture thereof are preferable, and citric acid or the like may be mixed with these. In addition, surfactants such as polyethylene glycol and fatty acid esters may be used.

Table 1 shows the properties of various saccharides in a binary composition. Here, ○ indicates good impact resistance and good shape stability. Δ indicates that the impact resistance and shape stability are slightly inferior. X: Poor impact resistance and shape stability.

[0027]

[Table 1]

By manipulating this composition, a desired hardness can be obtained in a dry environment at 0 ° C. to 60 ° C. In unexpected situations such as dropping a cartridge,
It is desirable that the material has such a tenacity that it is not destroyed by the impact and that it is not easily deformed by gravity or unexpected load.

Although the degree of vacuum in the container 101 is equal to or lower than the atmospheric pressure, practically, it is preferably equal to or lower than -500 mmHg in view of the process. In order to maintain the degree of vacuum in the cartridge 10, the cartridge stopper 105 is bonded with an adhesive,
Ultrasonic welding and heat welding may be performed. Further, when the cartridge 10 after the preparation is put in a bag having no air permeability and vacuum-packed, a long-term maintenance of the degree of vacuum in the container 101 can be expected.

When using the drug sustained release device 2, the user only needs to install the cartridge 10 in the cartridge mounting portion 20 and pass water through. The drug release device is a running water introduction unit 2
1 is connected to a tap water faucet (not shown), and a running water outlet 22 is connected to a spout (not shown). The tap water flowing from the flowing water introduction section 22 reaches the candy-like polysaccharide 104, and the tap water dissolves the same, exposing the porous membrane 103 to the tap water. Most of the tap water flows out of the flowing water outlet 22 as it is, but a part of the tap water permeates through the porous membrane 103 and enters the container 101, and the ascorbic acid 102
Is filled into the container 101 while dissolving. The inside of the container 101 is filled with ascorbic acid 102 and a saturated aqueous solution thereof. By the dynamic pressure of the flowing tap water, the saturated aqueous solution is stably released from the porous membrane 103 into the tap water and mixed with the tap water. As a result, ascorbic acid-mixed water having a desired concentration can be obtained from the flowing water outlet 22.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a cartridge according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
Are a container 31 made of a hard material, ascorbic acid 32 as a drug, a porous film 33 as an opening, a candy-like polysaccharide 34 as an opening and a sealing material, and a cartridge stopper 3
5. It is composed of a gas permeable membrane 36 which is a partition wall and has air permeability and no water permeability. The gas permeable membrane 36 separates the first compartment 37 and the second compartment 38 in which ascorbic acid is present. The candy-like polysaccharide 34 used was a mixture of palatinit at 83.3% and xylit at 16.7% by weight.

The operation of the cartridge 30 having the above configuration will be described below. The cartridge 30 installed in the drug sustained release device having the same configuration as that shown in Embodiment 1 receives running water to dissolve the candy-like polysaccharide 34, Is filled in the first section 37 in which. When hot water at 40 degrees was passed at a flow rate of 10 liters per minute, it took 18 seconds for the candy-like polysaccharide 34 to dissolve. It took 20 seconds to fill the first section 37. Although the inside of the container 31 is in a state of being less than the atmospheric pressure which is close to a vacuum in advance, it is difficult to make a complete vacuum state, and a trace amount of a gas component remains. A small amount of gaseous components remaining in the first compartment 37 permeates and is accommodated in the second compartment 38 separated by the gas permeable membrane 36 as water enters. The running water is a ventilation membrane 3
6 does not pass through. Therefore, the first compartment 37 is occupied entirely by ascorbic acid and its saturated solution, and the second compartment 38
Is occupied by low-pressure gas. The air layer generated in the first compartment 37 for some reason during use of the cartridge is
To the second section 38, and the inside of the first section 37 can always be maintained in a state where no air layer exists.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a cartridge according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
Is a container 41 made of a hard material, ascorbic acid 42 as a drug, a porous membrane 43 as an opening, a candy-like polysaccharide 44 as a sealing material as an opening, and a cartridge stopper 4
5. It is composed of a separating material 46 that swells by being hydrated. Separation material 46
Separates the first compartment 47 and the second compartment 48 in which the ascorbic acid 42 is present.

The operation of the cartridge 40 having the above configuration will be described below. The cartridge 40 installed in the drug sustained-release device having the same configuration as that shown in Embodiment 1 receives running water to dissolve the candy-like polysaccharide 44, Is filled in the first section 47 where there is, and further enters the second section 48. Although the inside of the container 41 is in a state of not more than an atmospheric pressure close to a vacuum in advance,
The gas component remaining in a small amount is reduced in volume while being pressurized to the atmospheric pressure, and is contained in the second section 48.

On the other hand, the separating material 46 contains the inflowing water and gradually swells and comes into contact with the wall surface of the container 41, forming a wall for separating the first section 47 and the second section 48. For this reason, the remaining gas components are confined in the second section 48 and become an air layer in the second section 48, and the first section 47, ie, the drug 42
The part involved in the sustained release of the compound has no air layer at all.

In this embodiment, a crosslinked polyethylene oxide absorbing resin is used as the separating material 46, but an acrylic oxygen absorbing resin may be used. Further, the above resin may be mixed with a resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS, polystyrene, vinyl chloride, and polycarbonate to adjust the volume expansion coefficient due to water absorption.
Further, a material having excellent sealing properties, such as silicone rubber, and having no water permeability or air permeability may be used for a portion of the separating material that contacts the container wall surface.

[0037]

As described above, when the cartridge according to the present invention is used, the cartridge does not break due to volume expansion of the contents of the cartridge during long-term storage.
An air layer is not generated in the cartridge due to deterioration of the contents of the cartridge. In addition, the cartridge user can install and use the cartridge without much trouble when starting use.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cartridge creation method according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the drug sustained release device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a cartridge according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a cartridge according to a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cartridge preparation apparatus 2 Drug sustained release apparatus 10, 30, 40 cartridge 11 Vacuum suction apparatus 12 Cartridge stopper fitting 13 Vacuum pump 101 Container 102 Ascorbic acid (drug) 103 Porous membrane (opening) 104 Candy polysaccharide (opening) Part sealing plug, sealing material) 105 Cartridge stopper

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A cartridge for adding a water-soluble drug to running water, wherein the cartridge has an opening for slowly releasing the drug, and has an opening for closing the opening.
A cartridge having a medicine inside the cartridge, wherein a space inside the cartridge is set to an atmospheric pressure or less. 2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein in the cartridge, the interior of the cartridge is constituted by two or more sections, and a boundary between these sections has a partition wall which is permeable and has no water permeability. cartridge. 3. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the interior of the cartridge is composed of two or more sections, and a separating material that separates the sections by absorbing water and swelling is disposed near a boundary between these sections. A cartridge according to claim 1. 4. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the sealing plug is a water-soluble and non-permeable sealing material.