JPS6357060A - Inhalator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to an inhaler that can automatically control the atomization effect in accordance with the exhalation and inhalation cycles.

(B) Prior Art Conventional inhalers are equipped with, for example, an atomizing means including an ultrasonic vibrator, a drug bottle for storing a drug solution to be atomized, a nozzle for guiding the drug solution in the drug bottle to the atomizer, and the like, and are equipped with a power switch. There are some ultrasonic inhalers that perform continuous atomization with the atomization means when turned on.

On the other hand, there is an intermittent positive pressure breathing apparatus (IPPB apparatus) that performs atomization in accordance with breathing. This IPPB device operates in response to the patient's voluntary inspiration and intention, and provides assisted breathing by applying positive pressure during inspiration, and can also be used in conjunction with a nebulizer to perform aerosol therapy. It is possible.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention The conventional ultrasonic inhaler etc. performs atomization continuously when the power switch is turned on, so it does not matter whether the device is exhaling or inhaling. Since atomization is performed, there is a problem in that the atomization during exhalation is scattered into the atmosphere, and about half of the atomized drug solution is wasted.

On the other hand, it is possible to perform atomization in synchronization with breathing using an IPPB device, but in this case, the human body and the IPPB container must be connected using a mask, mouthpiece, etc. It is necessary to prevent air from leaking from the inhaler, and there is a problem in that it is difficult to use it as an inhaler for home use.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a simple inhaler that can automatically perform atomization in accordance with breathing action.

(d) Means and operation for solving the problems In order to solve the above problems, the inhaler of the present invention includes an atomizing means for atomizing a liquid or a fixed substance, and a breathing detection means for detecting breathing. , an expiration/intake discrimination means for discriminating whether expiration or inspiration is based on the output of the breath detection means, and atomization control means for controlling the operation of the atomization means based on the output of the expiration/intake discrimination means.

According to this inhaler, when the inhaler starts to operate, the breathing action of exhalation and inspiration is detected by the breathing detection means, and the exhalation/inhalation discrimination means determines whether it is exhalation or inspiration based on the output of the breathing detection means. Then, the operation of the atomization means is controlled based on the output for determining the state of expiration and intake, that is, only during intake.
The atomization action is performed in synchronization with the intake action. This results in
Atomization is not performed during exhalation, allowing efficient atomization and avoiding wasteful consumption of drug solution.

(e) Examples Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to Examples.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway sectional view of an ultrasonic inhaler according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This ultrasonic inhaler is equipped with a metal horn-type ultrasonic vibrator 2 above a substantially cylindrical main body 1, and an atomization surface (vibration surface) 2a of this ultrasonic vibrator 2. A chemical liquid 4 is supplied from a liquid bottle 3 arranged above through a nozzle 5.
The ultrasonic transducer 2 is driven by a drive circuit (not shown) on a circuit board 11 connected by a lead wire. When the ultrasonic vibrator 2 is driven, the atomizing surface 2a vibrates, the medicinal solution supplied to the atomizing surface 2a is atomized, and the atomized liquid is released through the opening 7 of the suction cap 6. It is now possible to do so.

A power switch button 10 is provided on the side surface of the main body 1, and the power is turned on/off by operating the power switch button 10.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a respiration detection sensor 12 is provided on the inner wall in front of the opening 7 of the inhalation camp 6, and is connected to the circuit board 11 by a lead wire 13. This breathing detection sensor 12 is composed of a thermistor,
The temperature changes due to exhalation or inhalation when performing an inhalation action, and in response to this temperature change at the opening 7, the respiration action consisting of exhalation and inhalation is detected. This breath detection sensor 12 may be provided anywhere on the suction cap 6.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the internal circuit of the ultrasonic inhaler according to the embodiment.

This ultrasonic inhaler includes a power supply circuit 22, a respiration detection sensor 12 that detects the temperature of exhaled and inhaled air, and detects the action of respiration, and an expiration/inhalation sensor that distinguishes between exhalation and inspiration based on the signal from this respiration detection sensor 12. A determination circuit 24, a drive control circuit 25 which is turned on/off in response to the determination output of the expiration/intake determination circuit 24, and a drive side? '[11 circuit 25
Atomization circuit 2 that oscillates and stops depending on the on/off signal of
6, when the atomization circuit 26 oscillates or stops, the atomization surface 2a of the ultrasonic vibrator 2 vibrates to perform an atomization action, and when the operation of the atomization circuit 26 stops, The vibration of the vibration surface 2a of the ultrasonic transducer 2 is also stopped.

The power supply circuit 22 may be operated by a built-in battery or the like, but it may also include a circuit that rectifies the AC power 21 inputted from the outside.

The resistance value of the breathing detection sensor 12 changes depending on exhalation and inspiration. As shown in FIG. 4(b), during exhalation, the resistance value of the respiration detection sensor 12 provided at the opening 7 of the inhalation cap 6 decreases due to the temperature rise due to the exhalation temperature. The fall of this resistance value is detected by the expiration/inspiration discrimination circuit 24 and outputs an exhalation discrimination signal. An off signal is sent to the drive control circuit 25 by the expiration discrimination signal of the expiration/intake discrimination circuit 24, and as shown in FIG. 4 (a+), the atomization circuit 26 is turned off and the atomization action is stopped. During inspiration, the resistance value, which had previously been reduced due to the exhalation temperature during expiration, becomes larger due to the temperature drop due to the intake air [Figure 4 (bl'l), the rising point of this resistance value is detected and the expiration/intake discrimination circuit 24 is
Intake is determined and an on signal is input to the drive control circuit 25. The drive control circuit 25 turns on the atomization circuit 26 through this ON signal (see FIG. 4 (al)). The atomization circuit 26 is activated and
Then, the vibration of the vibration surface 2a of the ultrasonic transducer 2 and the operation stop are repeated. In other words, the atomization action is repeated intermittently, as shown in FIG. 4, in synchronization with the breathing action of exhalation and inspiration.

When performing an inhalation action using such an ultrasonic inhaler, the user simply places his or her mouth on the inhalation cap 6, turns on the power switch button 10, and then performs the inhalation action by himself/herself. The respiration detection sensor 12 detects the exhalation and inhalation of this respiratory action, and the exhalation/intake discrimination circuit 24 discriminates between exhalation and inspiration based on the temperature change, and sends an ON signal to the drive control circuit 25 only during inspiration. , only during inspiration,
Since the atomization circuit 26 is activated to perform the atomization action, the user inhales the atomized liquid from the vibrating surface 2a where the atomization action is automatically performed without any special operation. be able to.

As described above, in this embodiment of the ultrasonic inhaler, the atomization action and stop are automatically repeated in accordance with its own breathing cycle, and the inhalation action and atomization action are performed in synchronization. The inhaler can be operated only during inhalation without any operation by the user, and the inhaler can be used effectively.

In the above embodiment, the case where a thermistor (temperature sensor) is used as the respiration detection sensor 12 has been described as an example, but the respiration detection sensor of the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a microphone may be attached to the throat. Alternatively, changes in the chest due to breathing may be detected.

Furthermore, although the above embodiments have been described using an ultrasonic inhaler as an example, the present invention is of course not limited to ultrasonic inhalers (and can also be applied to compressor types, etc.).

Furthermore, although the object to be atomized was explained using liquid as an example,
It may also be an atomized substance such as granules.

(f) Effects of the Invention According to this invention, the atomizing action of the atomizing means is performed intermittently, and the intermittent cycle is detected by the respiration detection means to distinguish between exhalation and inspiration. Since the atomizing means automatically performs the atomizing action only when the user uses the atomizing means, the user can automatically perform the atomizing action in accordance with his/her own breathing pattern, and therefore, the atomized drug solution can be effectively used. It can be done without waste. Furthermore, since the user does not need to perform any special operations, handling is very easy.

Furthermore, it does not require the use of an inhalation mask or mouthpiece, so it has the advantage of being very easy to use.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an electronic circuit of an ultrasonic inhaler according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway sectional view of the ultrasonic inhaler, and Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the electronic circuit of an ultrasonic inhaler according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the suction cap of FIG. 4, which is a time chart 1 for explaining the operation of the ultrasonic inhaler. 2: Ultrasonic transducer, 12: Breathing detection sensor, 24;
Expiration/inhalation discrimination circuit, 25: Drive control circuit, 26: Atomization circuit. Patent applicant Tateishi Electric Co., Ltd. (and 1 others)
Name) Agent: Patent Attorney Shigeru Nakamura (Figure 2, Figure 3)

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) An atomizing means for atomizing a liquid or a fixed substance, a breathing detecting means for detecting breathing, an exhalation/inhalation discrimination means for discriminating between exhalation or inspiration based on the output of the breath detection means, and an exhalation/inhalation discriminating means and atomization control means for controlling the operation of the atomization means based on the output of the inhaler.