JP7662302B2 - Vaginal douche and method for manufacturing same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vaginal cleansing device that supplies a fluid for vaginal cleansing and a method for manufacturing the vaginal cleansing device.

Patent Document 1 describes a conventional fluid supplying device. The extrusion-type injection ointment container described in Patent Document 1 includes a hollow injection container body and a cylindrical injection container injection part that protrudes from the center of the injection container body in the thickness direction.

The extrusion-type injection ointment container is made of a flexible material. When a user applies external force to the injection container body of the extrusion-type injection ointment container, the injection container body deforms, the internal pressure of the ointment increases, and the ointment stored inside the injection container body comes out from the injection part of the injection container.

JP 2003-235937 A

However, in the extrusion-type injection ointment container described in Patent Document 1, the injection container body is formed in a bulging shape, so the user intuitively applies force to any part of the injection container body.

However, when a user applies force to the injection container body, if the place where the force is applied differs for each extrusion-type injection ointment container, the manner in which the injection container body deforms differs for each extrusion-type injection ointment container, which creates the problem that variation is likely to occur in the amount of ointment dispensed from the injection part of the injection container.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vaginal cleanser that can reduce variation in the amount of fluid dispensed from a plurality of different vaginal cleansers serving as fluid dispensers , and a method for manufacturing such a vaginal cleanser .

A vaginal cleansing device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a cylindrical storage main body portion with a bottom and formed in a hollow shape to store a fluid and having an opening on its upper surface, a pushing portion which closes the opening and deforms when an external force is applied to the pushing portion, and a storage portion which is a portion in which a fluid for vaginal cleansing is stored, the storage main body portion and the pushing portion having a folding origin portion which breaks when an external force is applied to the pushing portion, and a supply portion which is provided in the storage portion and has a supply port for discharging the fluid and a supply path which connects the supply port with the inside of the storage portion, the supply portion being provided in the storage portion and configured to be insertable into a vagina, the storage main body portion having a bottom portion, a side portion, and a middle portion, the side portion being configured to be inserted into the vagina and configured to be inserted into the ... the supply path is connected to the intermediate portion, the intermediate portion is formed around the entire circumference of the side portion and extends inward from the end of the side portion on the pressing portion side, the fold origin is provided between the intermediate portion and the pressing portion, the pressing portion is formed in a dome shape, the pressing portion has a mark portion which is partially formed on the surface of the pressing portion at a position furthest from the bottom portion facing the pressing portion and which indicates that this is the portion in the storage portion to which the external force is applied , the portion of the pressing portion other than the mark portion is formed to be 0.65 mm or more and 0.9 mm or less, and the mark portion is formed to be 0.25 mm or more and 0.35 mm or less .

In the vaginal cleansing device , it is preferable that the mark portion is a flat portion partially formed on the surface of the pushing portion.

In the vaginal cleansing device , it is preferable that the marker portion is a recess formed partially on the surface of the pushing portion.

A method for producing a vaginal cleansing device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a method for producing the vaginal cleansing device by direct blow molding using a mold having a first molding surface that forms a surface including the pushing portion, and a second molding surface that faces the first molding surface and forms a surface including a bottom portion of the storage portion that faces the pushing portion.

The vaginal cleansing device and the method for manufacturing the vaginal cleansing device according to the above aspects of the present invention have the advantage that variation in the amount of fluid dispensed can be reduced among a plurality of different vaginal cleansing devices.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vaginal cleansing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view of the vaginal cleansing device. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway side view of the vaginal cleansing device when an external force is applied to the pushing portion. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the vaginal cleansing device. Fig. 6(a) is a schematic diagram of a first step in the method for manufacturing the vaginal cleansing device of the same embodiment, Fig. 6(b) is a schematic diagram of a second step in the method for manufacturing the vaginal cleansing device of the same embodiment, Fig. 6(c) is a schematic diagram of a third step in the method for manufacturing the vaginal cleansing device of the same embodiment, and Fig. 6(d) is a schematic diagram of a fourth step in the method for manufacturing the vaginal cleansing device of the same embodiment.

(1) Embodiment (1.1) Overview The vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment is a container that stores a fluid for vaginal cleansing and can supply the stored fluid to the body. As shown in Figure 1, the vaginal cleansing device 1 includes a storage section 2 and a supply section 6.

As shown in FIG. 2, the storage section 2 is formed in a hollow shape to store the fluid. The storage section 2 has a pushing section 5 that deforms when an external force is applied. The supply section 6 is provided in the storage section 2. The supply section 6 has a supply port 62 for discharging the fluid, and a supply path 61 that connects the supply port 62 to the inside of the storage section 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the pushing section 5 has a marking section 51 that indicates that this is the section in the storage section 2 where external force is applied.

Therefore, the user can visually and/or tactilely confirm the marker portion 51 and apply an external force to the marker portion 51, thereby applying substantially the same force to the storage portion 2. This allows the pushing portion 5 to be deformed in the same manner in a number of different vaginal cleansers 1, thereby reducing variation in the amount of fluid supplied.

(1.2) Details The vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment will be described in detail below.

The vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment is a medical device that supplies a fluid for vaginal cleansing to the body, as shown in Figure 1. The vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment can supply a cleansing agent to the vagina with the supply part 6 inserted into the vaginal opening .

The vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment cleans the inside of the vagina by supplying a cleaning agent as a fluid to the inside of the vagina. Examples of the cleaning agent supplied to the vagina include purified water, ion-exchanged water, ultrapure water, pure water, distilled water, tap water, medicine, etc. The cleaning agent includes low-viscosity fluids such as liquids, and high-viscosity fluids such as ointments, creams, gels, etc.

However, the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to the present disclosure does not have to be intended only for cleaning , and may also supply a fluid for the purpose of, for example, applying a medicinal liquid to an area affected by inflammation or wounds, supplying a lubricant, etc. The fluid may be, for example, a high-viscosity fluid such as an ointment, cream, gel, lotion, etc., or a low-viscosity fluid such as a liquid, water, etc.

The vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment is made of synthetic resin. As will be described in detail in "(1.4) Manufacturing method" below, the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment is molded by direct blow molding. The vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment is made of polyethylene. Examples of synthetic resins used in direct blow molding include polyethylene and polypropylene. Examples of synthetic resins used in other molding methods include silicone rubber and soft polyvinyl chloride in addition to the above. As shown in FIG. 1, the vaginal cleansing device 1 includes a storage section 2 and a supply section 6.

Here, for ease of explanation, as shown in Figure 1, the direction in which the storage section 2 and the supply section 6 are lined up is defined as the "front-to-rear direction", the direction from the storage section 2 toward the supply section 6 is defined as the "forward direction", and the opposite direction is defined as the "rear direction". Additionally, the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1 is defined as the "up-down direction", and the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction and the up-down direction is defined as the left-to-right direction. However, these definitions are provided merely for ease of explanation and are not intended to specify the manner of use.

(1.2.1) Storage Section The storage section 2 is a hollow section formed to store a fluid. At least a part of the storage section 2 according to this embodiment (here, the pressing section 5) has flexibility, and is deformed when an external force is applied to this part. The "external force" referred to in this disclosure is a unidirectional force from the outside to the inside of the storage section 2, and means a force that a user can apply with his/her finger. As an example, the external force according to this embodiment is a downward force applied to the pressing section 5. As shown in FIG. 2, the storage section 2 includes a storage main body section 3, a folding start section 4, and a pressing section 5.

(1.2.1.1) Storage Main Body The storage main body 3 is a part that constitutes the main part of the storage section 2. The storage main body 3 according to this embodiment is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape having an opening surface 34 on the upper surface. However, the opening surface 34 of the storage main body 3 is closed by the pushing section 5, and in this state, the storage main body 3 holds the pushing section 5. As shown in FIG. 2, the storage main body 3 includes a bottom section 31, a side section 32, and a middle section 33.

The bottom 31 is a portion that constitutes the lower end of the storage section 2. The bottom 31 according to this embodiment is formed in a position that faces the pushing section 5. The lower surface of the bottom 31 (in other words, the lower surface of the storage section 2) is a surface that faces downward. Here, the "surface that faces downward" refers to a surface in which the downward component force is greater than the horizontal component force when the normal vector of the lower surface of the bottom 31 is resolved into the vertical and horizontal directions.

The bottom 31 according to this embodiment is formed in a dome shape that bulges downward. To explain in more detail, the bottom 31 is formed in a dome shape that goes downward as it approaches the intersection of the straight line D1 and the bottom 31. Here, the "straight line D1" is parallel to the direction of the external force applied to the pressing part 5 and passes through the center of the pressing part 5. In this embodiment, the "intersection of the straight line D1 and the bottom 31" corresponds to the central part of the bottom 31 as viewed from above (hereinafter, in a plan view), and the "center of the bottom 31" means the centroid of the bottom 31 in a plan view. In other words, the bottom 31 according to this embodiment is formed in a dome shape that goes downward (i.e., the opposite side to the pressing part 5) as it approaches the center of the bottom 31 in a plan view.

In addition, the term "dome-shaped" in this disclosure means a curved surface that forms an arc shape in both a cross section perpendicular to the front-rear direction and a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction. Therefore, the bottom 31 formed in a dome shape according to this disclosure also includes bottoms 31 that are hemispherical, toroidal, or the like. The toroidal surface here refers to a curved surface in which the curvature of the lower surface of the bottom 31 in a cross section perpendicular to the front-rear direction is different from the curvature of the lower surface of the bottom 31 in a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction. The bottom 31 according to this embodiment is formed in a toroidal surface shape, but the bottom 31 according to this disclosure may be formed in a dome shape, for example, a flat surface, a cylindrical surface, or the like.

In a plan view, the side portion 32 is a portion that surrounds the bottom portion 31 and the pressing portion 5. The surface of the side portion 32 according to this embodiment is a surface that faces the horizontal direction. Here, the "surface that faces the horizontal direction" refers to a surface in which the horizontal component force is greater than the vertical component force when the normal vector of the surface of the side portion 32 is resolved into the vertical and horizontal directions. The side portion 32 and the bottom portion 31 may be separated by a ridge line, or may be continuous with no boundary between them.

The side portion 32 according to this embodiment rises from the periphery of the bottom portion 31. The side portion 32 has an opening 321 penetrating the side portion 32 in the front-to-rear direction. The opening 321 is connected to the supply path 61 of the supply portion 6 described below, i.e., the supply port 62. Therefore, the fluid stored in the storage portion 2 passes through the opening 321 and the supply path 61 and exits from the supply port 62.

2, the center of the opening 321 is shifted downward with respect to the virtual plane 35. The virtual plane 35 is perpendicular to the direction in which the pushing part 5 is pushed (here, downward), and passes through the center of the storage part 2 in the direction in which the pushing part 5 is pushed. The entire opening 321 according to this embodiment is located below the virtual plane 35. Here, the "center of the opening 321" in this disclosure means the centroid of the opening surface of the opening 321 facing the storage part 2. Therefore, for example, when the opening 321 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane so as to go upward as it goes forward, it is sufficient that the centroid of the opening surface of the opening 321 facing the storage part 2 is shifted downward with respect to the virtual plane 35. In addition, the opening surface of the opening 321 according to this embodiment is approximately circular, but in this disclosure, it is not limited to a circle, and may be, for example, a polygon, an ellipse, a star, a cross, etc.

The virtual plane 35 according to this embodiment is parallel to the horizontal plane, but the virtual plane 35 according to this disclosure is not limited to being parallel to the horizontal plane. For example, if the direction in which the push portion 5 is pushed is inclined relative to the vertical plane, the virtual plane 35 will also be inclined relative to the horizontal plane.

The intermediate portion 33 is a portion provided between the side portion 32 and the pushing portion 5. The provision of the intermediate portion 33 provides a rib effect on the side portion 32, thereby increasing the rigidity of the side portion 32. As a result, even if an external force is applied to the pushing portion 5, deformation of the storage main body portion 3 can be suppressed, and only the pushing portion 5 can be deformed. The intermediate portion 33 according to this embodiment extends from the upper end of the side portion 32 toward the center of the storage main body portion 3 in a plan view. The intermediate portion 33 is formed integrally with the side portion 32, and is formed to be approximately the same thickness as the side portion 32.

As shown in FIG. 3, the intermediate portion 33 according to this embodiment intersects with the side portion 32, and more specifically, the intermediate portion 33 is substantially perpendicular to the side portion 32. The intermediate portion 33 according to this embodiment is formed around the entire circumference of the side portion 32, in other words, around the entire outer circumference of the pressing portion 5.

In FIG. 3, the boundaries of the side portion 32, the middle portion 33, and the pressing portion 5 are indicated by imaginary lines 36 and 37. The imaginary line 36 is the boundary line between the side portion 32 and the middle portion 33, and the imaginary line 37 is the boundary line between the middle portion 33 and the pressing portion 5. The width dimension H1 of the middle portion 33 (here, the width dimension of the plane perpendicular to the surface of the side portion 32) is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less, and more preferably 1.0 mm or more and 3 mm or less. Note that the imaginary lines 36 and 37 shown in FIG. 3 do not appear in the actual product.

(1.2.1.2) Folding origin The folding origin 4 is located between the middle portion 33 and the pushing portion 5, and is the portion that breaks when an external force is applied to the pushing portion 5. As a result, when an external force is applied to the pushing portion 5 in a plurality of different vaginal cleansers 1, all of the vaginal cleansers 1 will commonly break at the folding origin 4, as shown in Figure 4, so that the amount of fluid dispensed from the supply port 62 of the supply unit 6 can be made approximately constant. In short, according to the vaginal cleanser 1 of this embodiment, the amount of fluid dispensed can be made approximately uniform in a plurality of different vaginal cleansers 1.

In this disclosure, "break" means that when an external force is applied to the pressing portion 5, the break point 4 undergoes plastic deformation and does not elastically return to its original state even when the force applied to the pressing portion 5 is removed.

The folding start portion 4 according to this embodiment is the boundary between the middle portion 33 and the pushing portion 5, and is formed to be thin. As shown in Figure 3, the folding start portion 4 has the same thickness as or is thinner than the side portions 32 and the middle portion 33. When an external force is applied to the pushing portion 5, as shown in Figure 4, the pushing portion 5 is displaced downward and the folding start portion 4 breaks. At this time, the shape of the middle portion 33 is maintained. When the folding start portion 4 breaks, the pushing portion 5 is maintained in its displaced state, so it is easy to tell that the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment is a used vaginal cleansing device 1.

As shown in FIG. 3, the thickness dimension H2 of the break point 4 is preferably 1 mm or less, and more preferably 0.9 mm or less. By making the break point 4 thinner, the ease of folding at the break point 4 can be improved, but from the viewpoint of the strength of the storage section 2 and the ease of folding at the break point 4, it is preferable that the thickness dimension of the break point 4 be set to 0.6 mm or more and 1 mm or less.

The break point 4 according to this embodiment is formed to be thin, but in the present disclosure, it may have any structure that is easy to break when an external force is applied to the pushing portion 5, and may be configured, for example, by a step, a groove, a V-notch, etc. In addition, the break point 4 does not have to be continuous over the entire length in the longitudinal direction, and may be, for example, intermittent.

(1.2.1.3) Pushing section The pushing section 5 is a section that is pushed by a user in order to send the fluid stored in the storage section 2 to the supply section 6 and the supply port 62. The pushing section 5 is deformed when an external force is applied to it. The pushing section 5 according to this embodiment has a surface that faces upward, and an external force is applied in a downward direction to this upward surface.

The "surface facing upward" here means a surface where the upward component of force is greater than the horizontal component of force when the normal vector of the surface of the pushing part 5 is resolved into the vertical and horizontal directions.

As shown in FIG. 2, the push portion 5 is formed in a dome shape. The push portion 5 according to this embodiment is formed in a dome shape that increases in the upward direction toward the center of the storage portion 2 in a plan view. However, like the bottom portion 31, the push portion 5 according to the present disclosure may be formed in a dome shape or, for example, a flat surface or a cylindrical surface.

The pressing portion 5 according to this embodiment is formed so as to become thinner as it approaches the portion furthest from the bottom 31 (here, the upper end). The pressing portion 5 according to this embodiment is formed so as to become continuously thinner as it approaches the upper end, but in the present disclosure, it may be formed so as to become thinner in stages as it approaches the upper end.

The upper end of the pushing portion 5 is formed in a flat shape and is approximately parallel to the opening surface 34 of the storage body portion 3. The thickness dimension of the end of the pushing portion 5 on the storage body portion 3 side is preferably formed to be 0.5 mm or more and 1 mm or less, and more preferably, 0.65 mm or more and 0.9 mm or less.

The thickness dimension of the portion of the pressing part 5 to which the user directly applies force (here, the upper end) is preferably formed to be 0.1 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less, and more preferably 0.25 mm or more and 0.35 mm or less. By forming the thickness dimension of the portion of the pressing part 5 to which the user directly applies force to be 0.1 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less, when the user applies an external force to the pressing part 5, the portion elastically stretches and is more likely to come into contact with the bottom part 31. In the pressing part 5 according to the present disclosure, the entire pressing part 5 may be formed to be 0.1 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less.

In the storage section 2 according to this embodiment, the thickness dimension of the storage main body section 3 is formed to be 0.65 mm or more and 1 mm or less, and is formed to be of a substantially uniform thickness. The thickness of the fold origin section 4 is the same as or thinner than the thickness of the storage main body section 3. In this embodiment, the pressing section 5 is formed to become thinner from the fold origin section 4 toward the upper end section. Therefore, the pressing section 5 according to this embodiment is formed to be thinner than the portion of the storage section 2 other than the pressing section 5 (in this embodiment, the storage main body section 3 and the fold origin section 4). Here, "the pressing section 5 is thinner than the portion other than the pressing section 5" means that the average value of the thickness dimension of the pressing section 5 is thinner than the average value of the thickness dimension of the portion other than the pressing section 5.

As a result, when an external force is applied to the pusher 5 with a finger (e.g., the first finger) while the storage main body 3 is supported with fingers (e.g., the second to fifth fingers), the pusher 5 can be deformed while maintaining the shape of the storage main body 3. As a result, when an external force is applied to the pusher 5, the pusher 5 is likely to deform along the surface facing the pusher 5 (the upper surface of the bottom 31), and the fluid can be effectively sent from the storage section 2 to the supply section 6, and the amount of fluid remaining in the storage section 2 can be reduced as much as possible.

In order to promote deformation of the pressing portion 5 and folding at the folding start portion 4 when an external force is applied to the pressing portion 5, it is preferable that the angle α between the pressing portion 5 and the intermediate portion 33 is set to 90° or more and less than 180° as shown in FIG. 3. In this embodiment, the angle α between the pressing portion 5 and the intermediate portion 33 is set to 115°±10°. Here, the "angle α between the pressing portion 5 and the intermediate portion 33" means the angle between the surface of the end of the pressing portion 5 on the intermediate portion 33 side and the surface of the intermediate portion 33, and when the surface of the pressing portion 5 is configured as a curved surface such as a dome shape, it means the angle between the tangent to the surface of the end of the pressing portion 5 on the intermediate portion 33 side and the surface of the intermediate portion 33.

By setting the angle between the pressing portion 5 and the middle portion 33 to be greater than or equal to 90° and less than 180°, when an external force is applied to the pressing portion 5, the pressing portion 5 is likely to deform and displace downward, and the folding start portion 4 is likely to break.

5, the pushing part 5 according to this embodiment has a marking part 51 which indicates that this is the part of the storage part 2 to which an external force is applied. By pressing the marking part 51, the user can properly apply an external force to the storage part 2, and can also properly cause the pushing part 5 to deform and fold at the folding starting point part 4. As a result, according to the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment, the amount of fluid supplied can be made substantially uniform among a plurality of different vaginal cleansing devices 1.

The mark portion 51 according to this embodiment is a flat portion 511, as shown in FIG. 5. The flat portion 511 is partially formed on the surface of the pressing portion 5. The flat portion 511 is formed in a generally elliptical shape in a plan view, but there is no limitation on the shape, and it may be, for example, a perfect circle or a polygon. The flat portion 511 is formed on the upper end portion of the pressing portion 5, in other words, it is formed at the position in the pressing portion 5 that is farthest from the bottom portion 31. The flat portion 511 according to this embodiment is formed perpendicular to the direction of the external force applied to the pressing portion 5 and approximately parallel to the opening 321.

Therefore, when applying an external force to the pushing part 5, the user can be informed in advance of the part of the pushing part 5 where the stroke will be the longest. As a result, the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment allows the user to know the appropriate position in the storage part 2 to apply an external force.

The mark portion 51 according to the present disclosure is not limited to the flat portion 511, and may be configured, for example, by a recess, one or more protrusions, a textured surface having fine irregularities, or the like. A mark portion 51 configured by a shape such as a recess has the advantage that when a user presses the pressing portion 5, the user's finger can easily catch on the mark portion 51, thereby preventing the finger from slipping. However, the mark portion 51 is not limited to one based on shape, and may be one that utilizes, for example, printing, painting, light, or the like.

(1.2.2) Supply Unit The supply unit 6 is provided in the storage unit 2, and discharges the fluid stored in the storage unit 2. The supply unit 6 according to this embodiment is a tubular (cylindrical here) nozzle, and is inserted into the vagina. As shown in FIG. 2, the supply unit 6 includes a supply path 61 and a supply port 62.

The supply path 61 connects the opening 321 of the storage section 2 with the supply port 62. The supply path 61 is formed along the central axis of the supply section 6 (nozzle). Since the supply section 6 in this embodiment is formed in a straight line, the supply path 61 is also formed in a straight line. However, the supply section 6 and the supply path 61 may be formed in a curved line.

The supply port 62 is formed at the tip of the supply unit 6. The supply port 62 according to this embodiment is an opening surface of the tip surface of the supply unit 6, and faces forward. However, the supply port 62 according to the present disclosure may be open in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of the supply path 61 (i.e., in the radial direction of the supply unit 6). In this case, multiple supply ports 62 may be formed at intervals around the central axis. In addition, the location where the supply port 62 is formed is preferably the tip of the supply unit 6, but multiple supply ports 62 may be formed at regular intervals along the longitudinal direction of the supply unit 6, for example.

In this embodiment, the central axis of the supply unit 6 is parallel to the front-rear direction and perpendicular to the direction (one direction) of the external force applied to the pushing unit 5. This makes it easier for the user to push the pushing unit 5 with their finger while the supply unit 6 is inserted into the vagina. "Perpendicular" here means essentially "perpendicular" and includes not only "perpendicular" in the strict sense but also an error of several degrees. As for "perpendicular" here, as long as it has the effect of making it easier for the user to push the pushing unit 5 with their finger while the supply unit 6 is inserted into the vagina, an error of, for example, about 90°±10° falls within the category of "perpendicular."

The supply unit 6 protrudes forward from the side portion 32 and is fixed to the side portion 32. The supply unit 6 according to this embodiment is formed with a circular cross section, and is essentially a cylindrical nozzle. The supply unit 6 includes a small diameter portion 63 and a large diameter portion 64. The large diameter portion 64 is a portion having a larger outer shape than the small diameter portion 63, and is formed further forward than the small diameter portion 63.

As shown in Figure 1, the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment has a cap 7. The cap 7 is removably attached to the tip of the supply part 6. When the cap 7 is attached to the supply part 6, it can close the supply port 62.

(1.3) Example of Use The vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment is used, for example, as follows: The user holds the vaginal cleansing device 1 containing the cleansing body so that the front-to-rear direction is along the horizontal plane and the up-down direction is approximately perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The user keeps the orientation of the vaginal cleansing device 1 the same and moves it forward in parallel to insert the supply part 6 into the vagina.

The user then presses the marker portion 51 of the pressing portion 5 downward with the first finger, applying an external force to the pressing portion 5. This causes the pressing portion 5 to be displaced downward, the break point portion 4 to break, and the cleaning body in the storage portion 2 to come out from the supply port 62. The cleaning body coming out from the supply port 62 is supplied into the vagina, allowing the inside of the vagina to be cleaned.

Thereafter, the vaginal cleansing device 1 is translated backward and the supply part 6 is removed from the vagina. In this state, the pushing part 5 remains displaced downward, so it is clear at a glance that the vaginal cleansing device 1 has been used.

In the above example, the external force was applied in a downward direction, but the direction may be either left or right, or may be inclined relative to a vertical or horizontal plane.

(1.4) Manufacturing Method Next, a manufacturing method for the vaginal irrigation device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The vaginal irrigation device 1 according to this embodiment is molded by direct blow molding. For direct blow molding according to this embodiment, an extruder 81, a mold 9, and a blow molding machine 82 are used, as shown in Figures 6(a) to (d).

The extruder 81 is a device that extrudes molten resin material. The extruder 81 extrudes the resin material to form a parison 100. The parison 100 refers to a pipe-shaped resin material. The parison 100 extruded by the extruder 81 is supplied to the mold 9.

The mold 9 sandwiches the parison 100 and blows air into it from the blow molding machine 82, thereby molding the parison 100 into a molded product. The mold 9 according to this embodiment includes a first mold 91 having a first molding surface 911 and a second mold 92 having a second molding surface 921.

The first shaped surface 911 forms one side of the vaginal cleansing device 1 which includes the pushing part 5. The second shaped surface 921 forms the other side which includes the bottom part 31. The first shaped surface 911 and the second shaped surface 921 form the outer surface of the vaginal cleansing device 1.

When the first mold 91 and the second mold 92 are closed, a cavity is formed between the first molding surface 911 and the second molding surface 921. As shown in Fig. 6(b) , a parison 100 is placed in the cavity, and air is blown into it from the blow molding machine 82 to form a molded product.

The blow molding machine 82 is a device that blows air into the parison 100 placed in the mold 9. The blow molding machine 82 has an outlet nozzle 821 that ejects air.

The vaginal cleansing device 1 is manufactured as follows. In the first step, a parison 100 is formed as shown in Fig. 6(a). In this embodiment, a resin material is melted using an extruder 81, and the resin material is extruded from a die 811. At this time, the extruded resin material forms the parison 100 formed in a pipe shape.

Next, in the second step, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the first mold 91 and the second mold 92 are closed with the parison 100 placed between them. When the first mold 91 and the second mold 92 are closed, both longitudinal ends of the parison 100 are sandwiched between the first mold 91 and the second mold 92.

Next, in the third step, as shown in FIG. 6(c), air is blown into the parison 100 from the discharge nozzle 821 of the blow molding machine 82. This causes the parison 100 to expand along the molding surface of the mold 9, forming a molded product.

Next, in the fourth step, the molded product is cooled and hardened, the mold is opened, and then unnecessary portions 93 (e.g., burrs, etc.) are cut off as shown in Figure 6(d), thereby obtaining the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to this embodiment.

According to this manufacturing method, the thickness is thin at the location far from the center of the parison 100, i.e., the upper end of the pushing section 5, and thick at the location close to the center of the parison 100, i.e., the reservoir main body section 3. Therefore, according to the manufacturing method of this embodiment, it is possible to suitably manufacture a vaginal cleansing device 1 in which the pushing section 5 and the reservoir main body section 3 have different thicknesses.

(2) Aspects As described above, the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to the first aspect comprises the storage section 2 formed in a hollow shape for storing a fluid for vaginal cleansing, and the supply section 6 provided in the storage section 2. The storage section 2 has a dome-shaped pushing section 5 that deforms when an external force is applied. The supply section 6 can be inserted into the vagina and has a supply port 62 for expelling the fluid, and a supply path 61 that connects the supply port 62 with the inside of the storage section 2. The pushing section 5 has a marker section 51 that indicates that this is the part of the storage section 2 where an external force is applied.

According to this embodiment, the user can visually and/or tactilely confirm the marker portion 51 and apply an external force to the marker portion 51, thereby applying substantially the same force to the storage portion 2. As a result, according to this embodiment of the vaginal cleanser 1, the pushing portion 5 can be deformed in the same manner in a plurality of different vaginal cleansers 1, thereby reducing variation in the amount of fluid supplied.

In the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to the second aspect, the mark portion 51 in the first aspect is a flat portion 511 partially formed on the surface of the pushing portion 5.

According to this embodiment, the mark portion 51 can be realized by its shape, so that the mark portion 51 can be recognized by touch with a finger or the like and by sight.

In the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to the third aspect, in the first or second aspect , the mark portion 51 is a recess partially formed on the surface of the pushing portion 5.

According to this embodiment, the mark portion 51 can be realized by its shape, so that the mark portion 51 can be recognized by touch and sight with a finger or the like, and further, when a finger or the like is placed on the mark portion 51, the finger or the like is unlikely to slip off the mark portion 51.

In the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to the fourth aspect, in any one of the first to third aspects, the storage section 2 has a bottom section 31 that faces the pushing section 5. The marker section 51 is located at a position on the pushing section 5 that is furthest from the bottom section 31.

According to this embodiment, the user can apply an external force to the point where the stroke is the longest, so that the fluid stored in the storage section 2 can be effectively sent to the supply section 6.

The manufacturing method of the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to the fifth aspect is the manufacturing method of the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to any one of the first to fourth aspects. In the manufacturing method of the vaginal cleansing device 1, a mold 9 is used to mold the device by direct blow molding. The mold 9 has a first molding surface 911 and a second molding surface 921 opposed to the first molding surface 911. The first molding surface 911 forms the surface of the vaginal cleansing device 1 that includes the pushing portion 5. The second molding surface 921 molds the surface of the vaginal cleansing device 1 that includes the bottom portion 31.

According to this aspect, the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to the above aspect can be manufactured with good productivity.

The configurations according to the second to fourth aspects are not essential to the vaginal cleansing device 1 and may be omitted as appropriate.

(3) Modifications The above embodiment is merely one of various embodiments of the present disclosure. Various modifications of the embodiment are possible depending on the design, etc., as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. For example , in the above embodiment, the downward direction is described as an example of the direction in which an external force is applied to the pressing portion 5, but the direction in which the external force is applied can be set appropriately depending on the position of the pressing portion 5. For example, when the main surface of the pressing portion 5 faces downward, the direction in which the external force is applied is upward. In addition, the main surface of the pressing portion 5 may be configured to face backward.

In the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the supply unit 6 was a nozzle. However, in the vaginal cleansing device 1 according to the present disclosure, the supply unit 6 may be, for example, a flexible tube, a needle, a shower head, etc.

In the above embodiment, the entire pushing portion 5 was formed thinner than the storage main body portion 3, but in the present disclosure, only the end of the pushing portion 5 facing the storage main body portion 3 may be formed thinner than the storage main body portion 3.

In this disclosure, expressions that include "approximately", such as "approximately parallel" or "approximately perpendicular", may be used. For example, "approximately parallel" means that the state is essentially "parallel", and includes not only a strictly "parallel" state, but also an error of a few degrees. The same applies to other expressions that include "approximately".

In addition, in this disclosure, expressions that distinguish between "end" and "end", such as "front end" and "front end", are used. For example, "front end" means a part having a certain range that includes the "front end". The same applies to other expressions that include "end".

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Vaginal cleansing device 2 Storage section 31 Bottom section 5 Push section 51 Mark section 511 Flat section 6 Supply section 61 Supply channel 62 Supply port 9 Mold 91 First mold 911 First molding surface 92 Second mold 921 Second molding surface

Claims (4)

a hollow cylindrical reservoir body having an opening on its upper surface for storing a fluid, a pushing part which closes the opening and deforms when an external force is applied to the pushing part , and a storage part which is provided between the reservoir body body and the pushing part and has a folding start part which folds when an external force is applied to the pushing part, and which is a part in which a fluid for vaginal washing is stored ;
A supply unit that has a supply port for discharging the fluid and a supply path that connects the supply port with the inside of the storage unit, and is provided in the storage unit and configured to be insertable into a vagina ;
Equipped with
The storage body includes a bottom portion, a side portion, and a middle portion,
The side portion rises from the periphery of the bottom portion toward the pressing portion, and the supply path is connected to the side portion.
The intermediate portion is formed around the entire periphery of the side portion and extends inward from an end portion of the side portion on the pressing portion side,
The folding start portion is provided between the middle portion and the pressing portion,
The pressing portion is formed in a dome shape,
the pressing portion has a mark portion partially formed on a surface of the pressing portion at a position farthest from the bottom portion facing the pressing portion and indicating that the mark portion is a portion to which the external force is applied in the storage portion,
The portion of the pressing portion other than the mark portion is formed to be 0.65 mm or more and 0.9 mm or less, and the mark portion is formed to be 0.25 mm or more and 0.35 mm or less.
Vaginal douche . The mark portion is a flat portion partially formed on the surface of the pressing portion.
The vaginal cleansing device according to claim 1. The mark portion is a recess partially formed on the surface of the pressing portion.
The vaginal cleansing device according to claim 1. A method for producing the vaginal cleansing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , comprising the steps of:
The mold is formed by direct blow molding using a mold having a first molding surface that forms a surface including the pushing portion, and a second molding surface that faces the first molding surface and forms a surface including a bottom portion that faces the pushing portion in the storage portion.
A method for manufacturing a vaginal douche .

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