BRPI0714933A2 - remedy ejection device - Google Patents

Abstract

REMEDY EJECT DEVICE. In a medicine ejection device for administering a medicine to the throat, bronchi, or lungs, the airflow path in which the trapped medicine must be kept in a clean state in a simple setting. The medicine ejection device that ejects a medicine to be inhaled by a user via a suction port, including a flow path element in the suction port and capable of forming an air flow path in which the medicine is guided by the user inhalation to the suction port, and a constituent element of the inner wall face which is for forming the inner wall of the air flow path and allows detachable engagement with the flow path element.

Description

"MEDICINE EJECT DEVICE" TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a medicine ejection device for ejecting a medicine to be inhaled by a user. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Medicine ejection devices disclosed in international publication W095 / 01137 and international publication W002 / 04043 are performing user treatments using information databases including electronic medical records in combination. Such drug ejection devices have a memory unit for storing personal information about users, including information about their medical records and prescriptions. These medicine ejection devices are also portable terminals that also serve as inhalers to have medicines inhaled by their users. They also have a sprinkler control unit that controls inhalers according to each user's inhalation profile and blasts a medicine so that it can inhale the medicine according to prescription information.

Within a medicine ejection device such as this there is usually a passageway in which atomized medicine is charged (hereinafter referred to as an "air flow path") from the point where the medicine is in the device until it is administered into the body. from the portion that ejects a medicine into the device. In this process, part of the ejected drug may conceptually adhere to the inner wall face of the air flow path. Leaving it intact may be an invitation to multiply various germs on the inner wall of the airflow path where the medicine stuck, and would be undesirable from a health standpoint. Thus, conventional drug ejection devices involve an insoluble problem that because the inner wall of the airflow path in the device becomes dirty when the patient inhales, the airflow path element itself must be removed. and washed or replaced with a new element.

An object of the present invention, in view of the above insoluble problem, is to provide a medicine ejection device that enables prompt repair of airflow path contamination in the medicine ejection device. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

In view of the above problem, a medicine ejection device according to the invention is a medicine ejection device that ejects a medicine to be inhaled by a user via a suction port, comprising:

a flow path element attached to the suction port and capable of forming an air flow path in which the medicament is guided by inhalation by the user into the suction port; and

a constituent member of the inner wall face for forming the inner wall of the air flow path and allowing detachable engagement with the flow path element.

Also in view of the above problem, another medicine ejection device according to the invention is a medicine ejection device that ejects a medicine to be inhaled by a user via a suction port, comprising:

a flow path element attached to the suction port and capable of forming an air flow path in which the medicament is guided by inhalation by the user into the suction port;

a medicine ejection portion that ejects the medicine into the air flow path formed in the flow path element; and

a removal unit for removing the dispensed medicine from the medicine ejection portion and adhering to the inner wall of the air flow path. In a medicine ejection device according to the invention, as it is provided with a detachable inner wall face member which can form a new internal face within the air flow path, the trapped medicine can be easily removed, if the user detaches the constituent element from the inner wall face after inhalation. As a result, the air flow path can be kept clean.

In another medicine ejection device according to the invention, as it allows the removal of medicine stuck in the air flow path after use of the medicine ejection device, the air flow path within the device may be maintained. sanitized. Also, the problem of washing and replacing the element forming the air flow path each time can be reduced.

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Figure 1 shows an external view of an inhaler in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of

of the inhaler shown in figure 1;

Figure 3 is a flow chart showing inhaler operation;

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of an inhaler in a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 shows a section of the inhaler shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 shows a modified version of the inhaler shown in Fig. 4, illustrating a section of the inhaler in which a film 12 is disposed in the area of a suction port 2;

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of an inhaler in a third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 shows a section of the inhaler shown in Figure 7;

Fig. 9 illustrates the inhaler shown in Fig. 7 seen from an air inlet 4 in a state where the foil 15 is refolded;

Figure 10 shows a proximity section of an airflow path in an inhaler in a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 11 shows a modified version of the inhaler shown in Figure 10;

Figure 12 shows a perspective view of an inhaler in a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 13 illustrates an inhaler shown in Fig. 12 viewed from the side of the suction port 2;

Fig. 14 shows an enlarged view of the retracted position for a scraper 25 shown in Fig. 13; and

Figure 15 is a block diagram illustrating the electrical configuration of the inhaler shown in Figure 12, including a stepper motor 27. BEST WAY TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION

A mode for carrying out the invention conceived in a medicine ejection device will be described with reference to an inhaler, an example made portable to its user. Figure 1 shows the inhaler configuration in one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the electrical configuration of the inhaler shown in Figure 1. The inhaler has a configuration in which the flow path element 3 and the suction port (nozzle) 2 to be mounted in the mouth or nose. mounted on the body of a device 1. At one end of the flow path element 3, an opening (air inlet 4) is provided to generate an air flow in the flow path element 3 when the the user inhales through the suction port 2. The other end of the flow path element 3 is connected to the suction port 2. When the user inhales, an air flow is generated from the air inlet 4 towards the suction port 2. Then ejecting a medicine into the air flow path into the flow path element 3 causes the medicine to be loaded towards the suction port 2 and then into the user's mouth.

It should be noted here that the "flow path element" in this specification means an element that constitutes the air flow path, which is the passage of the medicine from the point where the medicine is ejected into the medicine ejection device to suction hole. Thus, a space formed in the flow path element constitutes the "air flow path".

However, some of the medicine ejected into the airflow path will likely remain stuck in the inner wall of the airflow path. If the flow path element 3 and suction port 2 are detachable from the device body, the element may be washed each time. However, this inhaler has a mechanism that removes any medicine stuck to the inner wall of the air flow path, and thus the flow path element 3 need not be washed each time. The material for forming the flow path element 3 is not subject to any particular limitation, but may be selected as desired according to the specification of the medicine ejection device. Typical examples include plastic, metal or rubber elements. Incidentally, the flow path element and suction port may be configured as either mutually separable separate elements or as an integrated body.

A controller 8 shown in figure 2 arranged within the

device body 1 is a CPU that controls the operations of the entire inhaler, including a drive of an ejection head 6a. When an inhalation detection signal is generated by a pressure sensor 7 to detect a negative pressure generated in the airflow path by user inhalation, the controller 8 transmits a drive signal to the ejection head 6a to begin dispensing. remedy in sync with the detection signal. In addition, a display unit 9 to enable the user to visually recognize any desired information about inhaler operation, ejection conditions and the like may also be arranged. Reference number 10 denotes a power switch and 11 an LED power indicator that lights when the inhaler power supply is on.

According to the invention, the medicine ejection portion (ejection head) has an ejection pressure generating element of any desired type. Conceivable examples of the ejection pressure generator element include an electrothermal transducer that provides thermal energy to the drug or an electromechanical transducer that provides mechanical energy to it. Typical examples of the medicine ejection method include a method by which the medicine is assigned with thermal energy by means of an ejection nozzle electrothermal transducer (heat jet system) and another method by which the medicine is ejected from the nozzle of ejection using the vibration pressure of an electromechanical transducer (eg piezoelectric element) that provides mechanical energy to the medicine. The ejection method can be selected according to the type of medicine and other factors.

When the heat jet system is used, the eject nozzle bore, the calorific value of the thermal pulse used for ejection, and the accuracy and reproducibility of the size of a microheater such as the electrothermal transducer can be increased for each liquid ejection unit. individual. For this reason, a narrow distribution of droplet diameters can be achieved. The head production cost is low, and this improves applicability in small units that require frequent head replacement. Therefore, especially where the medicine ejection device has to be portable and manual, a heat jet ejection device may be used. In this invention, the ejection head can be configured as either a medicine ejection cartridge integrated with a reservoir to accommodate the medicine or as a separate reservoir item. Although the medicine ejection cartridge is integrated with a constituent element of the inner wall face 5, to be described in more detail hereinafter in the illustration in figure 1, usually a locking portion that allows the cartridge to be mounted on the device body The ejection head is directed to the airflow path so that it can eject the medicine into the airflow path. The concept of the remedy in this context of the invention is not

limited to remedies that are pharmaceutical compounds that manifest pharmacological and physiological actions, but also covers, in addition to pharmaceutical compounds, contents intended as components for flavoring and flavoring, dyes and pigments. The remedy can be either liquid or powder.

The medicine for use in this invention is a liquid medicine or a liquid medium containing a medicine. The liquid medicine may contain any desired additive. The state of the medicine in the liquid may be dissolved, dispersed, emulsified, suspended or pasted, more preferably uniform in the liquid.

When a liquid medicine is to be used as the medicine, it is preferable that the main medium of the liquid be water or an organic substance, and water as the main medium is more preferable in view of the circumstance where it is intended for administration in the living body. The mechanism for removing the medicine stuck in the path of

Air flow, which is a characteristic aspect of the invention, can be either of the following propositions. One is the formation of a new inner wall face over the inner wall face of the air flow path in which the medicine remains trapped after the medicine is ejected. Another is to have a scraping unit to clean the inner wall face of the air flow path to which the medicine remains trapped after the medicine is ejected.

The inside wall face of the airflow path must be hygienic because it comes in contact with the airflow that carries the medicine, and these arrangements allow the medicine to be ejected into the airflow path that will remain clean in the next time it is used. In addition, since flow path element 3 does not need to be replaced or detached and cleaned each time, they are intuitive and easy to use.

Specific modalities will be described below.

(Mode 1)

As shown in Figure 1, the inhaler in this embodiment has a device body 1, flow path member 3 and nozzle 2 supported by device body 1, and the inner wall face member 5 detachably mounted to the device. flow path element 3.

The constituent element of the inner wall face 5 is formed to be detachable from the flow path element 3 and the nozzle 2, and the nozzle 2 is formed to be detachable from the device body 1. As at least a portion of the constituent element of the flow path Inner wall face 5 is made of a flexible material, this element can be easily attached or detached to the flow path element 3 and the nozzle 2.

It should be noted here that the "constituent element of the inner wall face" in this specification may be anything that has an action capable of preventing the medicine from sticking directly to the inner wall of the flow path element and, in particular, where it is present. is configured to be detachable from the flow path element, that is, an element that forms the inner wall of the air flow path when it is mounted to the flow path element. Thus, as is apparent from Figure 1, while part of the surface of the flow path element 3 constitutes "the inner wall of the air flow path" when the constituent element of the inner wall face 5 is not mounted, when the constituent element of the face of the inner wall 5 is mounted, this element constitutes the inner wall of the air flow path. Incidentally, while it is preferable for the inner wall face member to cover the entire inner wall face of the flow path element, it need not completely cover the entire face, depending on the extent of contamination, but may cover only a part.

Using an inhaler like this, the user can inhale the medicine three times a day, for example. And the constituent element of the inner wall face 5 is changed at each inhalation. Additionally, the flow path element 3 and the nozzle 2 are supposed to be changed for once daily use, for example.

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It is preferable that the material of the constituent element of the inner wall face 5 be, without limitation, what can be easily attached and detached to the flow path element 3 and does not react chemically with the medicine even if the medicine adheres therein. Typically, conceivably it may be a plastic material or a rubber material. A hollow cylindrical element as illustrated would be easy to fabricate by resin molding or otherwise.

Changing the constituent element of the inner wall face 5 at each inhalation occasion would allow the medicine to be ejected in a clean air flow path each time.

It is preferable that the ejection head 6a and reservoir 6b constituting the medicine ejection portion are integrally configured with the constituent element of the inner wall face 5 shown in figure 1. The reason is that in the case of the ejection head and the reservoir being discarded at all times, the ejection head and other replaceable elements can be removed in a single procedure while removing the constituent element from the face of the inner wall 5.

The shape of the air flow path to be formed within the flow path element 3 or the constituent element of the inner wall face 5, although shown cylindrically in Figure 1, is not limited to this, but may be prismatic or other way.

Figure 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the

inhaler.

First the user joins flow path element 3

and the nozzle 2 on the device body 1. Additionally, the user joins the ejection head 6a and the inner wall face member 5 with the reservoir 6b embedded therein into the nozzle 2.

The power switch is pressed by the user (step S001) and an ON state is reached (step S002). Activating the power supply causes the LED power indicator 11 to light. Controller 8 performs initial adjustment of the device's internal functions (step S003). Thereafter, it is detected whether or not the constituent element of the inner wall face 5 is mounted according to an electrical signal (step S004). If no constituent element of inner wall face 5 can be detected, it is determined to mean NO, and processing shifts to step S007 to automatically turn off the power supply and ends at step S008.

If any constituent element of the inner wall face 5 is detected, it means YES, and processing changes to step S005. In step S005, the patient inhalation action is detected with pressure sensor 7. If no patient inhalation action can be detected, this means NO, and processing returns to step S005. If an inhalation action by the patient can be detected this means YES, and processing changes to step S006. In step S006, "ejecting" is indicated on the display unit 9, and control is thus performed to eject a prescribed dose of the drug accommodated in reservoir 6b from the eject head 6a, followed by a change to step S007 . At step S007, controller 8 turns off the device power supply, and processing ends at step S008. As the device power supply is turned off, the LDE power indicator goes off, and each indication on the LCD monitor is also turned off. After the end of inhalation, the user detaches the ejection head 6a and the constituent member of the inner wall face 5 with the reservoir 6b embedded therein from the nozzle 2 and the device body 1. Also, after three rounds of inhalation per day For example, the user removes the nozzle 2 from the body of device 1 to complete the operation. (Mode 2)

A perspective view of an inhaler in a second

embodiment of the present invention is shown in figure 4. Figure 5 shows a section of the inhaler shown in figure 4.

In this embodiment, the constituent element of the inner wall face 5 referred to in embodiment 1 is replaced by a thin film 12. The film 12 which serves as the constituent element of the inner wall face is in immediate contact with the inner wall face of the pathway. air flow that forms part of the surface of the flow path element 3, and therefore rarely affects the shape of the air flow path. Thus, regardless of whether or not the air flow path is provided with the film 12, the air flow generated by the inhalation does not vary, but a similar inhalation state can be obtained. After inhalation is over, when the user detaches the film 12 to which the medicine has adhered, the stuck medicine may be removed from the airflow path, and a new inner wall face of the airflow path is formed after the film is highlighted. It is more preferable here that a plurality of layers of film 12 are pre-stacked. By detaching a film layer after each inhalation occasion, the frequency of exchange of flow path element 3 and nozzle 2 may be reduced.

As shown in figure 4, the inhaler in this embodiment

has the inhaler body 1, the flow path element 3 supported by the device body and the film 12 in immediate contact with the inner wall face of the flow path element 3 to serve as the constituent element of the inner wall face . The ejection head 6a and reservoir 6b (together constituting a medicine ejection cartridge 6) are mounted on the body of the device 1, and the ejection head 6a is oriented to eject the medicine into the air flow path.

An air flow is generated within the flow path element 3 by inhalation of the user. The film 12 is wound as shown in figure 4 and is

in direct contact with the inner wall face of the air flow path which forms part of the surface of the flow path element 3 in a plurality of layers (two layers are shown in figure 4). So that the user can detach one film layer at a time, each film layer 12 is provided with a film grip handle 14. The user detaches an equivalent length of film for one round of the inner wall face of the flow path. of air by pulling the film handle handle 14 after the end of inhalation. In this way, it is possible to eject the drug on a clean air flow path at the next inhalation occasion. It is advisable to make a cut 13 to facilitate detachment of one layer at a time.

And, when the final part of the film has been soiled by inhalation, the flow path element 3 is replaced. Simply replace the medicine eject cartridge 6 with an eject head 6a and the reservoir 6b built into it once a week if the amount of the weekly consumption medicine is stored in the reservoir 6b. For example, if inhalation had to be done three times a day, storing 21 layers of film would allow flow path element 3 and medicine ejection cartridge 6 to be changed at the same time.

The description of the inhaler electrical configuration and device operating sequence will be omitted as they are the same as mode 1.

There is no particular limitation on the passage of the movie. It may be continuous to form a roll by means of the cut 13 shown in figure 4, or the film layers may be separated from each other. The position of the film grip handle 14 can also be freely selected. Although it is arranged on the side of the suction port 2 in the arrangement illustrated in Figure 4, it may also be provided on the air inlet side 4. This is a more preferred arrangement because the film handle strap 14 does not obstruct the inhalation.

On the other hand, it is also possible to extend the film 12 in immediate contact with the inner wall face of the air flow path to the area of the suction port 2. An inhaler section in such an embodiment is shown in Figure 6. Since film 12 is present even where the user's mouth is touched and the film is detached after use, the suction port can be kept clean. In this case, for easier peel-off views, a plurality of handle handles may be provided for each layer (film handle handles 14 and 14 '). (Mode 3)

A perspective view of an inhaler in a third embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 7. Figure 8 shows a section of the inhaler shown in Figure 7.

The configuration in this embodiment does not involve detachment of the film 12 as in embodiment 2, but is a refolding of a sheet 15 which serves as the constituent element of the inner wall face in the air flow path after inhalation. A soft-grade plastic sheet that allows for easy manual folding can be used as sheet 15. Sheet 15 is in immediate contact with the inner wall face of the air flow path and hardly affects the shape of the flow path. of air. Therefore, regardless of whether or not the air flow path is provided with the sheet 15, the air flow generated by the inhalation cannot vary, but a similar state of inhalation can be realized. After inhalation is over, when the user lifts a handle 16 from the sheet 16, the sheet 15 is folded along a cut 17, and the faces that formed the inner wall face of the air flow path during inhalation enter. in touch. As a result, the trapped medicine is removed from the inner wall surface of the air flow path, and a new inner wall face of the air flow path is formed. The airflow that carries the medicine on the next inhalation occurs on the clean inner wall face without the medicine adhering.

Figure 9 illustrates the inhaler viewed from the air inlet 4 in a state in which the foil 15 is refolded. Cuts are made at two opposite positions in the air flow path to allow the sheet 15 to be bent in the opposite direction in one pull if lifted with a force no less than a prescribed level.

Although not shown in the figure, if not only the leaf handle 16 on the air inlet side 4, but also another, is disposed on the suction port side 2 and both handle handles are raised, the sheet 15 can be folded more easily. An adhesive 18 may be applied in half in advance.

top of the inner wall of the air flow path above the cut-off 17. In this case, the sheets 15 are stacked together to prevent the problem of the sheet 15 being unfolded by an erroneous action after inhalation without being noticed. The material of the adhesive 18, while not particularly required to be so, may preferably not be viscous so as to allow it to stick to a finger that may contact it. Something like glue on the back of a postage stamp made of polyvinyl alcohol could conveniently be applied beforehand. This material, which is made adhesive by contact with liquid, is non-adhesive prior to inhalation, and is convenient because adherence of the ejected liquid medicament to the foil 15 gives it an adhesive force.

A plurality of leaf layers 15 may be provided and refolded repeatedly. In this case each sheet needs to be provided with a handle handle. (Mode 4)

Mode 2 and mode 3 use a method whereby a grip handle is used to detach or refold the film or the like, but a setting that allows the user to automatically detach the film by a simple action can be equally adopted.

A method of winding the film into a roll form will be described as an example of such an inhaler.

Figure 10 shows a portion of the inhaler section viewed from the air inlet 4 with the device body 1 being excluded. The pickup roller 19 and a roller chamber 20 are connected to the flow path element 3. The used film is wound onto the roll 19 by the inside of the air flow path. The transfer of the film from within the air flow path to the roll chamber 20 is performed as follows. In the air flow path, a support plate 22 turns to propel the film for transfer. Roll 19 has an advance film 21, and the advance film 21 is maintained in contact with the support plate 22 beforehand; rotation of the backing plate 22 moves the film used to be joined with the advance film. By pressing a pin 23, a claw provided on pin 23 is forced to release the used film from its stacked state, and the used film is joined by the support to the advance film on the support plate. Conveniently, a bonding agent may be provided near one end of the film to facilitate bonding of the film then used with the advancing film. The bonding agent may be any adhesive, or the bonding may also be performed by an electrostatic action.

The passageway for pin 23 is provided in advance on the outer circumferential face of the flow path element 3. This allows the rotation of the roll 19 to rotate the locking support plate 22 and additionally the used transfer film locked to be wound by the roll. 19. The arrangement is such that pin 23 then moves out of the film by means of a block 24 and returns to its starting position as it rotates. When a series of repeated actions occurs, the previous used movie serves as the advance movie for the next round.

The user himself may control the roller 19, or a rotary mechanism such as a motor may be provided to automatically control it by means of a controller according to a program. Roll 19 is provided with a lever to control rotation when the user has to operate it, and the lever is rotated to rotate roller 19, resulting in the above operation being performed.

A winding system in the flow path element 3 is shown in Fig. 11 as an example of winding system. As in the case of Figure 10, the used film is released by pin 23 of the stacked film, and the used film is transferred by pin 23 along the outer circumference of the support plate 22. The passage of similarly configured pin 23 and block 24 would allow pin 23 to return to its starting position.

This allows the used film to be transferred to the outer circumferential face of the backing plate 22, and the repeated action series causes the used films to be stacked on the outer circumferential face of the backing plate 22. This operation, too, can be performed automatically by a rotary mechanism such as a motor or a gear rail by means of a controller according to a program.

The film winding system in the flow path element 3 may also have a double lane structure in which a guide rail or guide element 23 is provided in a clearance about one and a half around the outer circumferential face of the flow element. Flow path 3 and a half turn can be changed in a zigzag manner. This allows the film used to transfer a full turn to be replaced by a new face only half a turn from pin 23 by shifting along the outer circumferential face of the flow path element 3. (Mode 5)

A section of an inhaler of a fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 12. The inhaler in this embodiment has a scraper 25, in contact with the inner wall face of the flow path, as a unit for removing the medicine trapped in the face. of the inner wall of the air flow path formed by the flow path element 3. The medicine stuck on the inner wall face of the air flow path is scraped with the scraper 25. There is no particular limitation on the scraper configuration 25, that just need to have the ability to scrape the medicine. The scraper 25 may have an absorber capable of sucking the medicine. Or it may have a blade-like structure provided with a separate drug collection mechanism.

Incidentally, a suction tube with a suction pump may be used in place of scraper 25. Scraper 25 is supported by a support rod of the

scraper 26. The scraper support rod 26 has a spring mechanism, which is the angled portion in figure 12, and is driven so that the scraper 25 is in constant contact with the inner wall face of the air flow path. . Incidentally, in Figure 12, the state in which the scraper 25 and the scraper support rod 26 are represented by full lines is a state of contact with the inner wall face of the flow path, and the state in which they are represented. dashed lines is a accommodated state in the retracted position to be described hereinafter with reference to figure 13. When the user has finished inhaling and ejecting the drug stops, the controller 8 transmits an operating signal to a stepper motor 27 supported by the engine support posts 28. The scraper 25 is driven by the stepping motor 27 rotating along the inner wall face of the full-swinging airflow path to scrape off the trapped medicine. (Figure 13 shows a block diagram of the inhaler electrical configuration in this embodiment, including the stepper motor 27).

Figure 13 illustrates the inhaler shown in Figure 12 viewed from the side of the suction port 2. Part of the flow path element 3 and the suction port 2 is a partially cut-off structure to accommodate the scraper 25, and a sliding cap 29 is positioned there. While the user is inhaling, the scraper 25 is accommodated in a space close to the slide cap 29 (figure 14).

The controller 8 thus controls the revolution of the stepper motor 27 so that the scraper 25 makes a complete counterclockwise rotation in figure 13, while scraping the inner wall face of the airflow path from of the scraper 25 shown in figure 14 (the retracted position). This, thereby controlling the scraper 25, scrapes the medicine trapped on the face of the inner wall of the flow path and returns to the retracted position. Repeating the rotary operation of the scraper 25 each time

The end distribution allows the inner wall face of the airflow path to be kept in a clean state.

And, after three rounds of inhalation per day, for example, the user holds a slide knob 30 and slides the slide cap 29 toward the suction port 2. The user scrapes scraper 25 with a towel or the like through an opening made on the flow path element, and additionally clean it by washing with alcohol or the like. Thereafter, the user returns the slide cap 29 to its original position, this allows the scraper 25 to be returned to a clean state.

Since the scraper 25 is intended to scrape off the trapped medicine, it is convenient that the scraper is arranged so that it can scrape the furthest area toward the suction port 2 than the ejection head 6a. However, if it is too large to be able to scrape the eject head 6a as shown in Figure 12, it will be more favorable because the ejection head face of the ejection head can be scraped at the same time as the scraping of the inner wall face of the airflow path. Thus, it is preferable that the scraper 25 is as long as the distance from the position of the ejection head 6a to the suction port 2 in the flow path element 3.

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed. The scope of the following claims should be in accordance with the broader interpretation to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application 2006-196327, filed July 19, 2006, and 2007-150303, filed June 6, 2007, which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by references.

Claims (11)

1. A medicine ejection device which ejects a medicine to be inhaled by a user via a suction port, characterized in that it comprises: a flow path element connected to the suction port and capable of forming a flow path air in which the drug is guided by inhalation by the user into the suction port; and a constituent element of the inner wall face which is for forming the inner wall of the air flow path and which allows detachable engagement with the flow path element. Medicine ejection device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: a medicine ejection portion ejecting the medicine in the air flow path formed in the flow path element. Remedy ejection device according to Claim 2, characterized in that: the remedy ejection portion is integrally formed with the constituent element of the inner wall face. Medicine ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: the constituent element of the inner wall face is flexible. Medicine ejection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: the constituent element of the inner wall face has a film which may be hermetically in contact with the inside of the flow path element. . A medicine ejection device according to claim 5, characterized in that: the film in a state of being stacked in a plurality of layers comes in airtight contact with the inside of the flow path element. Medicine ejection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: the constituent element of the inner wall face has a sheet which can be refolded in the air flow path. 8. A medicine ejection device which ejects a medicine to be inhaled by a user via a suction port, characterized in that it comprises: a flow path element connected to the suction port and capable of forming a flow path air in which the drug is guided by inhalation by the user into the suction port; a medicine ejection portion that ejects the medicine into the air flow path formed in the flow path element; and a removal unit for removing the medicine ejected from the medicine ejection portion and stuck to the inner wall of the air flow path. Remedy ejection device according to Claim 8, characterized in that: the removal unit is a scraping unit that cleans the inner wall of the air flow path after ejection of the medicine. Medicine ejection device according to claim 9, characterized in that: the scraping unit also scrapes the ejection nozzle face of the medicine ejection portion while cleaning the inner wall of the flow path. of air. Remedy ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: the remedy ejection portion has an electrothermal transducer providing thermal energy to the remedy or an electromechanical transducer providing mechanical energy to the remedy. .