JP2838057B2 - Drug inhaler - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a drug inhaler used by asthmatics and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the treatment of reversible airway obstruction in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, inhalation therapy with a large therapeutic effect and few side effects has been performed. In this inhalation therapy, a drug inhaler such as a pressurized injection inhaler, a powder inhaler, and a nebulizer is used. However, since the pressurized injection inhaler is inconvenient to carry and the nebulizer uses Freon gas, inhalation therapy using a powder inhaler has recently been attracting attention.

[0003] The powder inhaler is provided with a breathing port, an outside air suction port, and a drug storage section, and the breathing port and the outside air suction port communicate with each other via the drug storage section. Further, a powdery medicine is stored in the medicine storage part. Then, when the patient puts his / her mouth on the respiratory port and inhales, the outside air passes through the medicine storage section via the outside air suction port, and the medicine stored in the medicine storage section is scattered by the outside air. As a result, the medicament is mixed with air to generate an aerosol containing the medicament, and the aerosol is inhaled into the lungs of the patient through the breathing port.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned powder inhaler, unless the flow velocity of the air flowing from the outside air intake port to the respiration port is increased, it is not possible to efficiently disperse the medicine and generate an aerosol. . Therefore, in the case of a patient or the like having a weak inhaling force, the flow rate of the air becomes slow and it is not possible to efficiently generate an aerosol, and it becomes difficult to efficiently inhale the aerosol into the lungs of the patient. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a first object of the present invention is to allow a drug to be inhaled into a body without using Freon gas. A second object is to increase the flow rate of air to efficiently scatter the medicine.

A third object is to make it difficult for the medicine stored in the storage section to be blown off when the patient exhales. A fourth object is to prevent the medicine stored in the storage unit from getting wet.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in particular, an outside air intake port is formed in a main body, and a first passage communicating between the outside air intake port and the breathing port. Is provided, and the first passage passes through the first passage.
Many small holes are formed so that the flow velocity of air
Agent providing the air passage member to be placed.

[0008] In the invention 請 Motomeko 2, wherein the body is formed exhalation port is provided with a second passage for communicating the exhalation port to a first passage between the air passage member and respiratory port, The second passage is provided with a check member that allows air to flow only from the first passage side to the exhalation port side, and the air passage member has an air flow resistance greater than the air flow resistance of the check member. And

In other words, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when a patient inhales by putting the respiratory port of the medicine inhaler against the mouth, a negative pressure is generated in the first passage to the outside of the medicine inhaler, and the negative pressure is generated. Air outside the medicine inhaler is sucked into the first passage from the outside air inlet by the pressure. Air sucked into the first passage from the outside air inlet flows through the first passage toward the breathing port,
The air sequentially passes through the air passage member provided in the first passage and the reservoir. When the air passes through the air passage member, the flow velocity of the air increases, and the medicine stored in the storage section is entrained in the air having the increased flow velocity and scatters. As a result, the medicine is mixed with the air that has passed through the air passage member, and air containing the medicine is efficiently generated. Further, the air containing the medicine is inhaled into the patient through the breathing port from the first passage.

[0010] When a patient exhales with the breathing port of the drug respirator in contact with the mouth, air inside the patient's body is first discharged from the breathing port.
Through the passage to the reservoir. Then, a part of the medicine stored in the storage part is scattered by the air, and the scattered medicine hits a portion other than the many small holes in the air passing member.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the operation of the first aspect, the patient breathes by putting his / her mouth on the respiratory port of the drug inhaler. Then, at the time of inspiration of the patient, the medicine is mixed into the air that is sucked into the first passage from the outside air suction port and passes through the air passage member, and the air containing the medicine is sucked into the patient's body through the breathing port. You. Also, when the patient exhales, the air inside the patient's body is sent out from the breathing port into the first passage, and the air is passed through the first passage, the second passage, and the check member to the outside of the drug inhaler. Is discharged.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 12 of the medicine inhaler 11 is formed in a T-shape,
The main body 12 includes a first cylindrical body 13 extending in the left-right direction of FIG.
And a second cylinder 14 protruding downward from the longitudinal center of the first cylinder 13. The base end of a mouthpiece 15 formed in a cylindrical shape is fitted into the right end opening of the first cylindrical body 13, and the opening at the distal end of the mouthpiece 15 is a breathing opening 16. Also, the first cylindrical body 13
The opening at the left end is an exhalation opening 17. Further, the base end of the drug supply pipe 18 is detachably fitted into the lower end opening of the second cylindrical body 14, and the distal end opening of the drug supply pipe 18 is an outside air suction port 19. The medicine supply pipe 18
Is provided as a storage unit.

The first cylinder 13 and the second cylinder 1
4. Inside the mouthpiece 15 and the drug supply pipe 18,
A first passage 20 which is bent and extended in an inverted L-shape so as to communicate the breathing port 16 and the outside air suction port 19 is provided. Further, a second passage 21 is provided inside the first cylindrical body 13 so as to communicate the first passage 20 with the expiration port 17. The expiration port 17 is provided with a check valve 22 as a check member. The check valve 22 prevents air outside the medicine inhaler 11 from entering the second passage 21 from the expiration port 17. ing.

As shown in FIG. 2, the check valve 22 has a valve body 23 formed in a cylindrical shape, and the base end of the valve body 23 is fitted inside the exhalation opening 17 shown in FIG. . A valve seat 24 protruding toward the axis of the valve main body 23 and extending along the inner peripheral surface is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the base end opening of the valve main body 23. A disc-shaped valve 25 having a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the valve seat 24 and a coil spring 26 are sequentially inserted from the distal end opening of the valve body 23. Further, a disc-shaped stopper piece 27 is fitted inside the distal end opening of the valve body 23 so as to compress the coil spring 26, and the compressed coil spring 26 causes the valve 25 to move toward the valve seat 24. Is to be energized. The stopper piece 27 has a plurality of through holes 27a.

When air flows from the second passage 21 toward the exhalation opening 17, the air pressure causes the valve 25 to move so as to tilt against the urging force of the coil spring 26. Then, the air passes between the valve 25 and the valve seat 24, and further passes through the through hole 27 provided in the stopper piece 27.
a to be discharged to the outside of the medicine inhaler 11. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, a net 28 as an air passage member is attached to the outside air suction port 19 of the medicine supply pipe 18, and a large number of meshes 29 shown in FIG. I have. Then, the air outside the medicine inhaler 11 passes through the large number of meshes 29 and passes through the outside air inlet 19.
From the first passage 20.
The air flow resistance when air passes through the net 28 is set to be larger than the air flow resistance when air passes through the check valve 22. Further, the mesh 2 of the mesh 28
The fineness of 9 is set to a value such that even when a powdery medicine is placed on the net 28, the medicine does not spill downward through the mesh 29.

Next, the operation of the medicine inhaler 11 configured as described above will be described. When the medicine inhaler 11 is used, the base end of the medicine supply pipe 18 is removed from the lower end opening of the second cylindrical body 14, and a powdery medicine is injected into the medicine supply pipe 18 from the base end. Then, the base end of the medicine supply pipe 18 is fitted into the lower end opening of the second cylinder 14 again. The patient holds the medicine inhaler 11 by hand so that the medicine supply pipe 18 is projected downward, and the breathing port 1 of the first cylinder 13 is held.
Mouth to 6. At this time, since the medicine supply pipe 18 projects downward, the medicine in the medicine supply pipe 18 is placed on the net 28. Further, since the first passage 20 communicating the breathing port 16 and the outside air suction port 19 is bent and extended in an inverted L-shape, the patient bends the neck even when the medicine supply pipe 18 is projected downward. It is possible to put the mouth on the breathing mouth 16 without the need.

In this state, the patient holding the breathing port 16 breathes. Then, when the patient inhales, the air pressure inside the first and second passages 20 and 21 becomes lower than the outside air pressure, so that the air outside the medicine inhaler 11 passes through a large number of meshes 29 formed in the mesh 28. Then, the air is sucked into the first passage 20 from the outside air suction port 19. When the air passes through a large number of meshes 29 formed in the mesh 28, the flow area of the air becomes small, so that the flow velocity of the air passing through each mesh 29 increases.
As a result, the powdery medicine placed on the mesh 28 is caught in the air passing through each mesh 29, and the medicine scatters efficiently into the first passage 20. Then, the scattered medicine is mixed with the air that has passed through each mesh 29, and an aerosol containing the medicine is generated in the first passage 20. Then, the aerosol passes through the first passage 20 and is inhaled from the breathing port 16 of the mouthpiece 15 into the lungs of the patient.

The drug contained in the aerosol inhaled into the patient's lungs is absorbed by the patient's body. The aerosol in the patient's lungs is delivered from the lungs to the first passageway 20 through the breathing port 16 when the patient exhales. Then, since the air pressure in the first and second passages 20 and 21 becomes higher than the external air pressure, the valve 25 is moved so as to be inclined against the urging force of the coil spring 26. In addition, since the flow resistance when the air flows through the net 28 is larger than the flow resistance when the air passes through the check valve 22, the aerosol sent out from the patient's lung into the first passage 20 is Is discharged from the through-hole 27a of the check valve 22 to the outside of the medicine inhaler 11 through the second passage 21. Then, the above operation is repeated in response to the patient's breathing.

As described in detail above, in this embodiment, the network 2
Since the medicine is scattered by the air passing through 9 to generate an aerosol containing the medicine, the medicine can be inhaled into the lungs of the patient without using Freon gas.

Furthermore, since the air that has passed through the net 29 has a high flow velocity, the air can efficiently scatter the medicine in the reservoir. As a result, the medicine can be easily scattered and mixed with the air, and the aerosol containing the medicine can be efficiently generated and the aerosol can be efficiently inhaled into the lungs of the patient.

Further, the medicine is scattered by air passing through a large number of meshes 29 formed on the mesh 28,
Drugs can be efficiently scattered. In the present embodiment, a second passage 21 that communicates the exhalation opening 17 with the first passage 20 is provided, and the air flows only through the exhalation opening 17 from the second passage 21 to the outside of the medicine inhaler 11. A check valve 22 is provided. Therefore, when the patient inhales, the air can be reliably circulated from the outside air intake port 19 to the breathing port 16 via the first passage 20. Also, when the patient exhales, the aerosol can be reliably circulated from the breathing port 16 to the expiratory port 17 via the first and second passages 20 and 21. Therefore, since the patient can repeat breathing while keeping the mouth on the breathing port 16, the aerosol containing the drug is inhaled into the lungs of the patient multiple times,
The aerosol can be efficiently inhaled into the lungs.

Furthermore, the aerosol discharged from the lungs of the patient is discharged from the expiration port 17 to the outside of the drug inhaler 11, so that the aerosol containing water in the lungs of the patient is added to the drug in the reservoir. It becomes difficult to contact. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the medicine in the reservoir from becoming wet, and it is possible to efficiently scatter the medicine.

In this embodiment, since the first passage 20 communicating the breathing port 16 and the outside air suction port 19 is bent and extended so as to form an inverted L-shape, the patient may bend his neck. Even if the mouth is put on the breathing port 16, the medicine supply pipe 18 is in a state of protruding downward. Then, the medicine is placed on the net 28 by projecting the medicine supply pipe 18 downward, so that the medicine can be efficiently scattered by the air passing through the net 28. Therefore, by scattering the medicine efficiently, the medicine can be easily mixed with the air.

Further, in the present embodiment, a net 28 having a mesh 29 corresponding to the particle size of the drug is attached to the drug inhaler 11, so that various types of drugs having different particle sizes can be inhaled into the lungs of the patient. Can be.

The present invention can be embodied with the following modifications, for example. (1) In the present embodiment, instead of providing the net 28, a small-diameter portion having a smaller air flow area than the first passage 20 may be provided in the medicine supply pipe 18 as an air passage member. Also in this case, since the flow velocity of the air passing through the small diameter portion is increased,
The drug can be scattered and mixed with the air.

(2) In this embodiment, instead of providing the net 28, a plate or the like having a large number of small holes may be provided as an air passage member. Also in this case, since the flow velocity of the air passing through the many small holes is increased, the medicine can be scattered and mixed with the air. Further, the plate member or the like may be formed integrally with the medicine supply pipe 18.

(3) In this embodiment, a plurality of networks 28
May be provided on the medicine supply pipe 18 so as to overlap. In this case, even if the mesh 29 of the net 28 is large enough to allow the medicine to pass through, the medicine can be made hard to spill from the medicine supply pipe 18.

(4) In this embodiment, the first passage 2
0 may be formed in a straight line instead of being bent in an inverted L-shape. In this case, the same effect as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

(5) In this embodiment, if the opening directions of the mesh 29 and the breathing opening 16 are not the same direction, the first passage 20 may be bent to a shape other than the inverted L-shape. Good. Also in this case, the medicine can be easily mixed with the air.

(6) In the present embodiment, the exhalation opening 17,
The second passage 21 and the check valve 22 may be omitted. In this case, the patient may put his / her mouth on the breathing port 16 during inhalation and release the mouth from the breathing port 16 during exhalation. With this configuration, the configuration of the medicine inhaler 11 can be simplified. Further, the medicine inhaler 11 may be further configured as in the above (4) and (5).

(7) In the case of the above (6), the breathing port 16 may be kept in contact with the patient when the patient exhales. In this case, the medicine in the reservoir is scattered by the aerosol discharged from the lungs of the patient.
No. 8 hits a part other than the mesh 29. Therefore, it is possible to make it difficult for the medicine in the storage section to be blown off by the aerosol.

(8) In the present embodiment, the drug supply pipe 1
8 may be bent substantially L-shaped or substantially U-shaped. In this case, the medicine supplied to the medicine supply pipe 18 is not placed on the net 28, so that even if the mesh 29 of the net 28 allows the medicine to pass through, it is ensured that the medicine spills from the medicine supply pipe 18. Can be prevented.

(9) In this embodiment, instead of the check valve 22, a reed valve or the like may be provided as a check member. With such a configuration, the same effect as in the above embodiment can be obtained. (10) In the present embodiment, the mouthpiece 15 and the valve main body 23 are formed separately from the main body 12, but they may be formed integrally with the main body 12. In this case, the labor for attaching the mouthpiece 15 and the valve main body 23 to the main body 12 can be omitted.

(11) As shown in FIG. 4, the second cylinder 1
Instead of fitting the drug supply pipe 18 to the base 4, the base end of the connection pipe 30 is fitted, and the base end of the inhalation aid 31 formed into a tubular shape having a larger diameter than the connection pipe 30 is fitted to the tip of the connection pipe 30. Fit it. This inhalation aid 31 serves as a spacer. Then, the proximal end of the drug supply tube 18 may be removably fitted to the distal end of the inhalation aid 31. In this case, the inside of the connection pipe 30 and the inhalation aid 31 also serves as the first passage 20, and the inside of the inhalation aid 31 serves as a mixing section for mixing the medicine so as to be uniformly distributed in the air. And
When air flows into the first passage 20 from the outside air suction port 19 through the net 28, the medicine placed on the net 28 is scattered by the air and mixed with the air to generate an aerosol. Further, the aerosol containing the drug is used as an inhalation aid 31.
When the aerosol flows into the inhalation aid, it flows freely in the inhalation aid 31 regardless of the direction. As a result, the medicine contained in the aerosol is agitated and uniformly distributed with respect to the aerosol, so that the aerosol in which the medicine is uniformly distributed can be inhaled into the lungs of the patient.

Next, technical ideas other than the claims that can be grasped from the above embodiment will be described below together with their effects. (1) The drug inhaler according to claim 1 , wherein the first passage is bent and extended so that the opening direction of the small hole of the air passage member and the opening of the breathing port are not in the same direction. In this case, the medicine can be efficiently scattered, and the medicine can be easily mixed with the air.

(2) The drug inhaler according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein a mixing portion having a larger air flow area in the first passage between the air passage member and the breathing port is provided than the first passage. Inhaler. In this case, air in which the medicine is uniformly distributed can be inhaled into the body.

[0037]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the medicine is scattered by the air passing through the air passage member to generate air containing the medicine, so that the medicine can be inhaled into the body without using Freon gas. Further, air passing through the <br/> air passage member drug is placed since the flow speed becomes faster, it is possible to scatter efficiently agent by air passing through the air passage member. Therefore, the air containing the drug can be efficiently generated, and the air can be efficiently inhaled into the patient's body.

Further, even if the medicine in the reservoir is scattered by the air discharged from the body of the patient, the medicine collides with a portion other than the many small holes in the air passing member. Therefore,
At the time of exhalation of the patient, it is possible to make it difficult for the medicine stored in the storage part to be blown off.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, the air in the patient's body is discharged to the outside of the medicine inhaler without passing through the storage part, so that the air is stored in the storage part. It is possible to prevent the applied medicine from becoming wet.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a medicine inhaler of the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a check valve.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a mesh of the net;

FIG. 4 is a cutaway side view showing a state where an inhalation aid (spacer) is attached to the medicine inhaler.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 drug inhaler, 12 body, 16 breathing port, 17
Expiration port, 18: drug supply pipe as storage unit, 19: outside air suction port, 20: first passage, 21 ... second passage, 22 ...
A check valve as a check member, 28 a net as an air passage member, 29 a mesh as a small hole.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A61M 11/00 A61M 15/00 A61M 15/06

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A breathing port (1) formed in a main body (12).
6) A medicine inhaler in which air containing a medicine is inhaled into the body by breathing by applying the air to the mouth. The first connecting the mouth (19) and the breathing port (16)
Passage (20) provided in the further first said to passage (20)
The flow velocity of the air passing through the first passage (20) increases.
A medicine inhaler having a large number of small holes (29) and an air passage member (28 ) on which a medicine is placed . 2. An exhalation opening (17) is formed in the main body (12), and the exhalation opening (17) is connected to an air passage member (28).
A second passageway (21) communicating with the first passageway (20) between the first passageway (20) and the second passageway (2);
1) is provided with a check member (22) for allowing air to flow only from the first passage (20) side to the exhalation opening (17) side, and the air passage member (28) has an air flow resistance of the reverse. 2. The drug inhaler according to claim 1, wherein the air flow resistance is greater than the air flow resistance of the stop member.