JP5488195B2 - Suction port cover and inhaler provided with the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a suction port cover and an inhaler including the same.

  A general inhaler has a built-in boiler tank. A water supply / drainage cup is detachably attached to the front side of the inhaler body. A suction port is disposed outside the main body of the inhaler, and a suction port cover is detachably attached to the suction port from the viewpoint of hygiene.

  When water is poured into the boiler tank, a measuring cup prepared separately from the inhaler is used. The measuring cup is smaller than a general beverage cup and is made of a transparent resin and is easily lost. After the measuring cup is lost, water may be poured into the boiler tank using a water supply / drainage cup or cup. If the measuring cup is lost, the user is inconvenient.

  Further, it is not limited to the inconvenience for the user, and it is desirable that the loss of the measuring cup is avoided from the viewpoint of obtaining desired performance as an inhaler. When water is poured into a boiler tank using a water supply / drainage cup, etc., the water level inside the boiler tank is caused by the fact that sufficient light does not reach the inside of the boiler tank due to the positional relationship between the inhaler and indoor lighting equipment. May be difficult to see. In this case, not only is it difficult to pour an appropriate amount of water, but water may overflow from the boiler tank due to excessive water injection. In other words, it is desired that an appropriate amount of water is reliably poured into the boiler tank every time by using the attached measuring cup without using a water supply / drainage cup or the like.

  The inhaler in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-10309 (Patent Document 1) allows the measuring cup to be accommodated in the water supply / drainage cup. According to the document, it is said that the loss of the measuring cup can be prevented. However, even in the inhaler according to the same document, since the measuring cup is transparent, the inhaler may be used in a state where the measuring cup remains in the water supply / drainage cup. The inhaler in this document is inconvenient for the user because the measuring cup needs to be reliably removed from the water supply / drainage cup every time.

  Moreover, a general measuring cup is smaller than a general drinking cup or the like as described above. The capacity of the measuring cup is, for example, only about 40 ml, and the measuring cup is designed to be small to satisfy this capacity. For this reason, after water is stored in the measuring cup, the measuring cup may fall over while opening the lid of the boiler tank or performing other necessary work. The stored water flows out on a table or the like by the falling of the measuring cup. That is, since a general measuring cup is easy to fall, the user is inconvenient.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-10309

  An object of this invention is to provide the inlet cover which can improve the convenience of the user regarding a measuring cup, and an inhaler provided with the same.

  The suction port cover according to the first aspect of the present invention is a suction port cover attached to a cylindrical suction port disposed outside the main body of the inhaler. The suction port cover is continuous with the bottomed cylindrical cup portion and the upper end of the cup portion, and is provided so as to hang outside the side wall of the cup portion from the upper end toward the lower end side of the cup portion. A skirt portion; and a ground contact portion positioned at a lower end of the skirt portion. The suction port cover is attached to the suction port such that the skirt portion is positioned inside the suction port.

  In the suction port cover according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the suction port cover is placed on a predetermined placement surface with the grounding portion facing down, the lower end of the cup portion is the placement surface described above. The height in the up-down direction of the skirt portion is higher than the height in the up-down direction of the cup portion so that the skirt portion does not touch the top.

  In the suction port cover according to the third aspect of the present invention, the shape of the outer surface of the skirt portion corresponds to the shape of the inner surface of the suction port.

  In the suction port cover according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the grounding portion has a flat portion extending from the lower end of the skirt portion toward the outside of the skirt portion, and the cup as viewed from the flat portion. On the back surface of the flat portion located on the upper end side of the portion, a fitting groove is provided for fitting to the peripheral edge on the tip side of the suction port when the suction port cover is attached to the suction port.

  In the suction port cover according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the grounding portion has a circular shape in plan view.

  In the suction port cover according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, each cross-sectional shape of the cup portion is elliptical in a plane direction orthogonal to the up-down direction of the cup portion.

  An inhaler according to the present invention includes a main body that generates steam therein, a cylindrical suction port that is disposed outside the main body and communicates with the interior, and is attached to the suction port. And an inlet cover according to any one of the above aspects.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the suction port cover which can improve the user's convenience regarding a measuring cup, and an inhaler provided with the same can be obtained.

It is a side view showing an inhaler and an inlet cover in an embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the inhaler and suction inlet cover in embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the lower surface side of the suction inlet cover in embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the upper surface side of the suction inlet cover in embodiment. It is the bottom view which looked at the inlet cover in embodiment from the arrow V direction in FIG. It is the top view which looked at the inlet cover in embodiment from the arrow VI direction in FIG.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS An inlet cover and an inhaler having the same according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, when referring to the number, amount, and the like, the scope of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the number, amount, and the like unless otherwise specified. In the embodiments described below, the same parts and corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description may not be repeated.

  With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the inhaler 100 in embodiment is demonstrated. FIG. 1 is a side view showing the inhaler 100, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the inhaler 100. The inhaler 100 includes a main body 10, an upper case 11, a lower case 12, a water supply / drainage cup 13, a suction port 15, a switch 16, a power cord 17, an operation unit 18, a suction port cover 20, a suction tube 14 (see FIG. 2), And a boiler tank 1 (see FIG. 2).

  The main body 10 includes an upper case 11 and a lower case 12. The upper case 11 is detachably attached to the lower case 12. The cylindrical suction port 15 is disposed on the front side of the upper case 11 (outside the main body 10) and communicates with the inside of the main body 10. An opening 15 </ b> H is provided on the side wall of the suction port 15. A part of the steam generated inside the main body 10 is discharged to the outside through the opening 15H. Depending on the size, position, and shape of the opening 15H, the temperature and amount of steam when the steam generated inside the main body 10 is sprayed to the user are set.

  The switch 16 between the suction port 15 and the upper case 11 switches the flow direction of the steam passing through the suction port 15 by rotating around the cylindrical axis of the suction port 15. By the rotation of the switch 16, for example, a state in which the nasal cavity is to be sprayed with steam and a state in which the throat is to be sprayed with steam are switched. The water supply / drainage cup 13 is detachably attached to the front of the lower case 12.

  Referring to FIG. 2, the boiler tank 1 is built in the main body 10. The boiler tank 1 includes a storage part 2, a lid member 3, openings 4 and 5, a heating chamber 6, a heater 7, an ejection nozzle 8, and a scattering member 9. The upper part of the storage part 2 is opened and sealed by the lid member 3.

  A heating chamber 6 is disposed adjacent to the lower side surface (right side of the sheet) of the storage unit 2. Openings 4 and 5 are provided on the side surface between the storage unit 2 and the heating chamber 6. Through the opening 4, the reservoir 2 and the lower side of the heating chamber 6 communicate with each other. The storage 5 and the upper side of the heating chamber 6 communicate with each other through the opening 5. A heater 7 is disposed on the opposite side of the storage portion 2 across the heating chamber 6. Electric power is supplied to the heater 7 through a power cord 17.

  The ejection nozzle 8 extends toward the suction port 15 located obliquely above the storage unit 2 and communicates with the storage unit 2. A scattering member 9 is attached to the tip end side of the ejection nozzle 8. The scattering member 9 is disposed so as to substantially intersect the steam ejected from the ejection nozzle 8. A suction tube 14 is attached to the scattering member 9 so as to hang down from the scattering member 9. The suction tube 14 extends to the vicinity of the bottom of the water supply / drainage cup 13.

(Suction port cover 20)
The suction port cover 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a side view of the suction port cover 20, and FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the suction port cover 20. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the lower surface side of the suction port cover 20, and shows a part of the suction port cover 20 (the right front side on the paper surface) in a cutaway manner. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the upper surface side of the suction port cover 20, and shows a part of the suction port cover 20 (right front side on the paper surface) in a cutaway manner. FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the suction port cover 20 viewed from the direction of arrow V in FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the suction port cover 20 viewed from the direction of the arrow VI in FIG.

  Referring mainly to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the suction port cover 20 has a cup portion 22, a skirt portion 24, and a grounding portion 26. The cup part 22 has a bottomed cylindrical shape and can be used as a measuring cup. On the inner peripheral surface of the cup portion 22, there is provided a scale line 22 s that can be used so that an appropriate amount of water is poured.

  The skirt portion 24 is continuous with the upper end 23 of the cup portion 22 and is provided so as to hang outward from the side wall of the cup portion 22 from the upper end 23 toward the lower end 21 side of the cup portion. The shape of the skirt portion 24 is tapered such that the diameter gradually increases from the upper end 23 side of the cup portion 22 toward the lower end 21 side of the cup portion 22. The grounding portion 26 is located at the lower end 25 of the skirt portion 24. The grounding portion 26 has a flat portion 27 (see FIG. 5) that extends from the lower end 25 of the skirt portion 24 toward the outside of the skirt portion 24.

  Referring to FIG. 2, the height H24 of the skirt portion 24 in the vertical direction (the direction connecting the upper portion and the lower portion of the suction port cover 20) is the vertical direction of the cup portion 22 (the upper portion and the lower portion of the suction port cover 20). It is preferable that the height is higher than the height H22 in the connecting direction. Note that the above-described height H24 may be slightly lower than the above-described height H22 when a stable placement state is obtained by the shape of the lower end 21 of the cup portion 22 (or when the fall can be prevented) ( Small)

  When the above-described height H24 is higher than the above-described height H22, when the suction port cover 20 is placed on a predetermined placement surface with the grounding portion 26 (flat portion 27) down (for example, The state shown in FIG. 4), the lower end 21 of the cup portion 22 does not come into contact with this placement surface. The suction port cover 20 can be stably placed on a predetermined placement surface by the configuration.

  The diameter of the grounding portion 26 is larger than the diameter (bottom area) of the lower end 21 of the cup portion 22. The suction port cover 20 can be placed on the placement surface more stably than when a general measuring cup is placed on the placement surface using its bottom.

  The user can pour water into the cup portion 22 of the suction port cover 20 from the opening on the upper end 23 side. Water can be poured in an appropriate amount by the scale line 22 s provided on the inner peripheral surface of the cup portion 22. Even after water is poured into the suction port cover 20 as a measuring cup, the suction port cover 20 is stably placed using the grounding portion 26 and is not easily overturned. After water is poured into the cup portion 22 of the suction port cover 20, the suction port cover 20 is prepared during preparation (such as opening the lid member 3 of the boiler tank 1) on the main body 10 side of the inhaler 100. Does not fall and water spills from the cup portion 22.

  In addition to the function as a measuring cup, the suction port cover 20 can also function as a sanitary maintenance cover that closes the suction port 15. The suction port cover 20 is detachably attached to the suction port 15 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The suction port cover 20 is attached to the suction port 15 so that the skirt portion 24 is positioned inside the suction port 15.

  A fitting groove 29 (see FIG. 6) is provided on the back surface 28 of the flat portion 27 located on the upper end 23 side of the cup portion 22 when viewed from the flat portion 27. When the suction port cover 20 is attached to the suction port 15, the fitting groove 29 is fitted to the peripheral edge 15 </ b> T on the distal end side of the suction port 15. By this fitting, the front end side of the suction port 15 is blocked by the suction port cover 20 in a substantially liquid-tight manner.

  Further, the shape of the outer surface 24s of the skirt portion 24 corresponds to the shape of the inner surface 15s (see FIG. 2) of the suction port 15. By attaching the suction port cover 20 to the suction port 15, the opening 15 </ b> H of the suction port 15 is closed in a substantially liquid-tight state by the outer surface 24 s of the skirt portion 24. By attaching the suction port cover 20 to the suction port 15, dust or the like may enter the inside of the main body 10 from the distal end side of the suction port 15 and the opening 15 </ b> H of the suction port 15 when the inhaler 100 is not used. Is prevented.

(Operation)
The operation of the inhaler 100 will be described with reference to FIG. At the start of use of the inhaler 100, the suction port cover 20 is removed from the suction port 15. The user can easily remove the suction port cover 20 from the suction port 15 by holding the bottom side (lower end 21) of the cup portion 22 of the suction port cover 20 with a fingertip. The upper case 11 is removed from the lower case 12 and the lid member 3 is removed from the boiler tank 1. Water is stored in the cup portion 22 of the suction port cover 20.

  Note that the upper case 11 may be removed from the lower case 12 and the lid member 3 may be removed from the boiler tank 1 after water is stored in the cup portion 22 of the suction port cover 20. Water W <b> 1 is poured into the boiler tank 1 using the suction port cover 20. After a predetermined amount of water is poured into the boiler tank 1, the lid member 3 is attached to the boiler tank 1. The upper case 11 is attached to the lower case 12.

  A small amount of water W <b> 1 is supplied to the heating chamber 6 through the opening 4. By operating the operation unit 18 (see FIG. 1) to turn on the power of the inhaler 100, the heater 7 is driven. The heater 7 heats the water W <b> 1 supplied into the heating chamber 6. Steam is generated inside the heating chamber 6 by the heater 7.

  The steam passes through the opening 5 and reaches the upper part of the reservoir 2. The steam is ejected from the ejection nozzle 8 toward the scattering member 9. When the steam is ejected from the ejection nozzle 8 toward the scattering member 9, a vapor pressure (negative pressure) is generated in the vicinity of the scattering member 9.

  On the other hand, the water W2 is stored in advance in the water supply / drainage cup 13. The suction tube 14 sucks up the water W2 from the water supply / drainage cup 13 using the vapor pressure generated in the vicinity of the scattering member 9 (Venturi effect). The water W2 is discharged from the suction port 15 together with the steam ejected from the ejection nozzle 8.

  After all the water W1 in the boiler tank 1 becomes steam and is ejected from the suction port 15, the operation unit 18 is operated, and the power of the inhaler 100 is turned off. Even after the power of the inhaler 100 is turned off, a slight amount of steam continues to be generated from the boiler tank 1. At this time, there is a case where the suction port cover 20 is attached to the suction port 15 while waiting for cooling of the equipment such as the boiler tank 1.

  In this case, if the suction port cover 20 is made of a transparent resin or the like, it is possible to visually recognize whether or not the generation of steam from the boiler tank 1 is completed. In order to prevent the inlet cover 20 from being damaged by the steam continuously generated from the boiler tank 1, the inlet cover 20 may be made of a heat-resistant member. After steam is no longer generated from the boiler tank 1, the water supply / drainage cup 13, the suction port 15, the suction port cover 20, etc. are removed from the main body 10 and cleaned. After the water supply / drainage cup 13 and the like are assembled again, the suction port cover 20 is attached to the suction port 15.

(effect)
In the inhaler 100 according to the present embodiment, the suction port cover 20 has both a function as a sanitary maintenance cover that covers the suction port 15 and a function as a measuring cup. The suction port cover 20 can also be used as a hygiene holding cover and a measuring cup.

  When the suction port cover 20 is viewed as a measuring cup, the suction port cover 20 is larger than a general measuring cup and is not easily lost. It is contemplated that an appropriate amount of water W1 is always poured into the boiler tank 1 using the cup portion 22 of the inlet cover 20. That is, the convenience of the user regarding the measuring cup is improved by the suction port cover 20. When an appropriate amount of water is poured into the boiler tank 1, the inhaler 100 can perform its original function.

  Conventionally, the user has had to clean both the measuring cup and the hygiene holding cover. However, according to the inhaler 100, only one of the inlet cover 20 needs to be cleaned. Also in this point, the convenience of the user regarding the measuring cup is improved by the suction port cover 20. In addition, the manufacturing cost of the inhaler 100 is reduced by reducing the number of parts.

  In the inhaler 100, steam is not discharged from the suction port 15 unless the suction port cover 20 is removed from the suction port 15. In the inhaler disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-10309 (Patent Document 1) at the beginning, even if the measuring cup is housed in another device such as the water supply / drainage cup 13 (because the suction port is not blocked). To be used). According to the inhaler 100 in the present embodiment, the measuring cup is not used in such a misplaced state, and the original function is exhibited by removing the suction port cover 20 at the time of use. It becomes possible to do.

[Other forms of embodiment]
With reference to FIG. 2, in the above-described embodiment, the shape of the outer surface 24 s of the skirt portion 24 corresponds to the shape of the inner surface 15 s of the suction port 15. The shape of the outer surface 24s of the skirt portion 24 may be other shapes as long as the opening 15H is closed by the outer surface 24s.

  Referring to FIG. 5, in the above-described embodiment, grounding portion 26 has flat portion 27, and fitting groove 29 is provided on back surface 28 of flat portion 27. The grounding portion 26 does not have the flat portion 27, and the fitting groove 29 may not be provided on the back surface 28 of the flat portion 27. In this case, the shape of the outer surface 24 s of the skirt portion 24 is the shape of the inner surface 15 s of the suction port 15 so that the suction port cover 20 is not fitted more than necessary toward the inside (main body side) of the suction port 15. It should be compatible.

  With reference to FIG. 2, the shape of the ground contact portion 26 may be circular in plan view. The circular shape mentioned here includes a perfect circular shape and an elliptical shape. In this case, the shape of the suction port 15 may be a cylindrical shape. The cylindrical shape mentioned here includes a regular cylindrical shape and an elliptical cylindrical diameter shape.

  Here, when the shape of the suction port 15 is cylindrical, the following effects can be obtained. When the shape of the suction port 15 is a cylindrical shape, the suction port 15 and the user's face are compared with the user compared to the case where the suction port 15 is formed with a concave portion that applies, for example, the user's nose. It is possible to positively encourage the use of the inhaler 100 with a gap between them. In addition, if the concave part that applies the nose to the suction port is formed, the user tends to closely contact the face with the suction port, and the interval between the user's face and the suction port is set according to the spray temperature. It is easy to make adjustments.

  Further, when the grounding portion 26 has a round shape and the suction port 15 has a right cylindrical shape, the user does not consider the directionality of the suction port cover 20 when attaching the suction port cover 20 to the suction port 15. May be. The user can easily attach the suction port cover 20 to the suction port 15.

  A fitting convex portion extending in the circumferential direction may be provided on a part of the surface of the suction port cover 20, and a fitting concave portion corresponding to the fitting convex portion may be provided on a part of the surface of the suction port 15. In this case, after the suction port cover 20 is attached to the suction port 15, the suction port cover 20 is rotated in the circumferential direction with respect to the suction port 15 so that the fitting convex portion is engaged with the fitting concave portion. Configure. With this configuration, it is possible to further prevent the suction port cover 20 from being unexpectedly detached from the suction port 15 when the inhaler 100 is transported.

  3 and 4, in the above-described embodiment, cup portion 22 may have an elliptical shape in plan view. In other words, in the cup part 22, each cross-sectional shape of the cup part 22 is preferably elliptical in a plane direction (on the plane) orthogonal to the vertical direction (direction connecting the upper part and the lower part of the suction port cover 20). When the user pours water into the boiler tank 1 using the cup portion 22 of the suction port cover 20, the user can use the edge portion of the cup portion 22 that has an elliptical shape in plan view and has a small radius.

  As mentioned above, although the form for implementing invention of this invention was demonstrated, it should be thought that the form disclosed this time is an illustration and restrictive at no points. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Boiler tank, 2 Storage part, 3 Cover member, 4,5,15H Opening part, 6 Heating chamber, 7 Heater, 8 Injection nozzle, 9 Scattering member, 10 Main body, 11 Upper case, 12 Lower case, 13 Water supply / drainage cup, 14 Suction tube, 15 Suction port, 15s Inner surface, 16 Switch, 17 Power cord, 18 Operation part, 20 Suction port cover, 21, 25 Lower end, 22 Cup part, 22s Scale line, 23 Upper end, 24 Skirt part, 24s Outer surface, 26 Grounding portion, 27 Flat portion, 28 Back surface, 29 Fitting groove, 100 Inhaler, V, VI arrow, W1, W2 Water.

Claims (7)

A suction port cover attached to a cylindrical suction port disposed outside the main body of the inhaler,
A bottomed cylindrical cup part,
A skirt portion that is continuous with the upper end of the cup portion and is provided so as to hang outward from the side wall of the cup portion from the upper end toward the lower end side of the cup portion;
A grounding portion located at a lower end of the skirt portion;
With
The suction port cover is attached to the suction port such that the skirt portion is located inside the suction port.
Suction cover. When the suction port cover is placed on a predetermined placement surface with the grounding portion facing down, the height in the vertical direction of the skirt portion is such that the lower end of the cup portion does not contact the placement surface. Is higher than the height in the vertical direction of the cup part,
The inlet cover according to claim 1. The shape of the outer surface of the skirt portion corresponds to the shape of the inner surface of the suction port.
The inlet cover according to claim 1 or 2. The grounding portion has a flat portion extending from the lower end of the skirt portion toward the outside of the skirt portion,
On the back surface of the flat portion located on the upper end side of the cup portion when viewed from the flat portion, when the suction port cover is attached to the suction port, the fitting is fitted to the peripheral edge on the tip side of the suction port. A groove is provided,
The inlet cover according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The shape of the grounding portion is a circular shape in plan view.
The inlet cover according to any one of claims 1 to 4. In the plane direction orthogonal to the vertical direction of the cup part, each cross-sectional shape of the cup part is an ellipse.
The inlet cover according to any one of claims 1 to 5. A body that generates steam inside;
A cylindrical suction port disposed outside the main body and communicating with the interior;
An inlet cover according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which is attached to the inlet.
Inhaler.

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