JPH0817816B2 - Inhaler - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an inhaler used for heating water to form steam, which is sprayed from a nozzle together with an inhalation liquid and inhaled into a throat or the like. Regarding

(B) Conventional Technology Conventionally, as an inhaler using steam, one shown in FIG. 2 is known. This conventional inhaler 21 has a case 22
The suction liquid tank 23, the suction liquid nozzle 24, the steam tank 25,
The steam nozzle 26 and the heater 27 are provided.

The suction liquid tank 23 is detachably attached to the case 22 and stores the suction liquid 23a. A suction liquid pipe 24a hangs in the suction liquid tank 23. Inhalation liquid pipe 2
A suction liquid nozzle 24 is provided at the upper end of 4a.

A vapor nozzle 26 is provided opposite to the suction liquid nozzle 24. The steam nozzle 26 is connected to the steam tank 25, and a heater 27 is arranged on the bottom surface of the steam tank 25 to heat the water w contained in the steam tank 25. Incidentally, 28 is a cap of the steam tank 25.

When the heater 27 is energized and generates heat, the water w in the steam tank 25 is heated and steam v is generated. The vapor v will be ejected from the vapor nozzle 26, but at this time, the suction liquid 23a is sucked up by the Venturi effect, and the suction nozzle 24
Squirts more. Then, a mixture of the vapor and the suction liquid is sprayed from the air outlet 22a of the case 22.

In this conventional inhaler 21, the water w in the steam tank 25
It is often set to 30 to 70 ml, but it takes a time of 2 to 3 minutes from when the heater 27 is energized until the steam v is generated.

Therefore, as an inhaler configured to generate steam more quickly, the one described in JP-A-61-238249 is known. In this inhaler, this water supply tank (water storage tank) is provided separately from the steam tank (evaporation chamber), and the water from the water supply tank is configured to drip into the steam tank through the water supply hole. Since the water dropped in the steam tank is heated by the heater and immediately evaporated, steam can be generated earlier than the inhaler shown in FIG.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the inhaler described in JP-A-61-238249, good results are obtained unless the amount of water dropped from the water supply tank to the steam tank is properly controlled. Absent. Therefore, a waterway switch is provided, but it is difficult to set the diameter of the water supply hole, and if it is too large, the amount of water supply will be large, water will accumulate in the steam tank, and it will take time to boil,
On the contrary, if it is too small, there is a problem that the water supply amount becomes small and the steam pressure does not rise.

This invention is. The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide an inhaler that can obtain an appropriate amount of water supply and that takes a short time to generate steam.

(D) Means for Solving the Problems The structure of the inhaler of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 corresponding to the embodiment. An inhalation liquid tank 5 containing an inhalation liquid 5a and an inhalation liquid tank 5 The suction liquid nozzle 6 for sucking up and spraying the suction liquid 5a, the steam nozzle 16 provided to face the suction liquid nozzle 6, the steam tank 11 for supplying the steam v to the steam nozzle 16, and the bottom surface of the steam tank 11 are heated. Heater 12
And a water supply tank 7 for supplying water w to the steam tank 11, the steam tank 11 and the water supply tank 7
And a communication passage 15 for communicating steam from the steam tank 11 into the water supply tank 7 and the heater 12, one end 14b of which is connected to the bottom of the water supply tank 7 via the check valve 10. The other end 14a is characteristically provided with the water supply passage 14 of the steam tank 11 which opens at a position higher than the water surface of the water supply tank 7.

(E) Action The action of the inhaler of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 which also corresponds to the embodiment. First, water is supplied from the water supply tank 7 to the water supply passage 14. This water is heated by the heater 12 and boiled to become a mixture of water and steam. This water does not flow backward into the water supply tank 7 due to the check valve 10, and the open end 14
It is put into the steam tank 11 from a and touches the heater 12 to be completely vaporized. For this reason, the time required to generate steam is shortened.

On the other hand, since the water supply passage opening end 14a is higher than the water surface in the water supply tank 7, the amount of water in the water supply passage 14 is as high as the water surface in the water supply tank 7. Therefore, the amount of water in the water supply passage 14 can be made substantially constant although it slightly changes with the change in the amount of water in the water supply tank 7.
The amount of water dropped in 11 can be set appropriately.

Further, the flow passage 15 allows the steam v in the steam tank 11 to
Since the water flows into the water supply tank 7, the water is smoothly supplied from the water supply tank 7 to the water supply passage 14.

(F) Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the inhaler 1 of the embodiment.
Reference numeral 2 denotes a case, and an upper portion of the case 2 is covered with a detachable cover 3. In this cover 3,
The air outlet 3a is formed. On the other hand, at the bottom of case 2,
A case base 4 is attached.

A recess 2a is formed on the front surface of the case 2, and a suction liquid tank 5 is detachably mounted in the recess 2a. The inhalation liquid tank 5 contains an inhalation liquid 5a containing medicinal components.
Is housed.

A suction liquid pipe 6a hangs in the suction liquid tank 5. An upper end of the suction liquid pipe 6a is supported by a metal fitting 17, which will be described later, and the upper end serves as a suction liquid nozzle 6.

A water supply tank 7 and a steam tank 11 are mounted in the case 2. The water supply tank 7 is mounted on the rib 2b of the case 2. A cap 8 is screwed into the upper opening 7a of the water supply tank 7 to seal it. 9 is a packing of the cap 8.

A check valve 10 is inserted into the lower opening 7b of the water supply tank 7. This check valve 10 includes a ball 10a and this ball 1
It has a coil spring 10b for urging 0a upward. With this check valve 10, from a water supply pipe (water supply passage) 14 described later,
Backflow into the water supply tank 7 is prevented.

On the other hand, the vapor tank 11 has a base portion 11a and an evaporation chamber 11b whose bottom surface is open. In the steam tank 11 base 11a,
The heater 12 is attached, and the opening 11c of the evaporation chamber 11b is closed by the upper surface of the heater 12 via the packing 13.

A groove 11d is further formed on the bottom surface of the base 11a. The groove 11d is provided in contact with the heater 12 and surrounds the opening 11c.

14 is a water supply pipe. The water supply pipe 14 is routed inside the groove 11d, and one end 14a thereof is opened to the upper part of the evaporation chamber 11b, and its position is higher than the water surface in the water supply tank 7. On the other hand, the other end 14b of the water supply pipe is connected to the check valve 1
Connected to 0.

The evaporation chamber 11b and the inside of the water supply tank 7 are connected by a distribution pipe (communication passage) 15. On the other hand, the evaporation pipe 16a is connected to the upper part of the evaporation chamber 11b. Evaporation pipe 16a
The tip of is a steam nozzle 16, and this steam nozzle 16
It faces the suction liquid nozzle 6. The steam nozzle 16
The metal fitting 17 is attached to the suction liquid nozzle 6 as described above.
Is supported.

 Next, the operation of the inhaler 1 of the embodiment will be described.

First, as a preparation, the suction liquid 5a is stored in the suction liquid tank 5. Then, remove the cap 8 into the water tank 7,
Water w is injected. The water w is supplied from the check valve 10 to the water supply pipe 14
And the water surface ws ₂ thereof has the same height as the water surface ws ₁ of the water supply tank 7.

When the cap 8 is closed and the heater 12 is energized, the water in the water supply pipe 14 is heated by the heater 12 and boils, so that steam and water are mixed (hereinafter referred to as hot water) and the pressure increases. . This hot water does not flow back into the water supply tank 7 because of the check valve 10, and from the water supply pipe one end 14a,
Drop into the evaporation chamber 11b.

The dropped hot water is completely vaporized on the upper surface of the heater 12. The high-pressure steam thus generated passes through the steam pipe 16a and is ejected from the steam nozzle 16. Due to the Venturi effect of the jetted vapor, the suction liquid 5a is sucked up by the suction pipe 6a and sprayed from the suction liquid nozzle 6. The mixture of the fog droplets of the suction liquid and the steam is blown out forward from the outlet 3a. It takes several tens of seconds to generate steam after the heater 12 is energized.

On the other hand, when the amount of water in the water supply pipe 14 decreases due to the above-mentioned drip, the check valve 10 opens and the water w in the water supply tank 7 is replenished. At this time, since the water supply tank 7 and the evaporation chamber 11b communicate with each other through the distribution pipe 15, steam flows into the water supply tank 7 and water is smoothly supplied from the water supply tank 7 to the water supply pipe 14.

The shapes and arrangements of the water supply tank 7 and the steam tank 11 are not limited to those in the above-mentioned embodiment, and the design can be changed appropriately.

(G) Effects of the Invention As described above, the inhaler of the present invention is arranged along the heater, and the communication passage that connects the steam tank and the water supply tank to allow steam to flow from the steam tank to the water supply tank.
One end is connected to the bottom of the water supply tank via a check valve, and the other end is provided with a water supply passage that opens at a position higher than the water surface of the water supply tank of the steam tank. It has an advantage that the time can be shortened and an amount of water supplied to the steam tank can be optimized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an inhaler according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a conventional inhaler. 5: suction liquid tank, 6: suction liquid nozzle, 7: water supply tank, 10: check valve, 11: steam tank, 12: heater, 14: water supply pipe, 15: distribution pipe, 16: steam nozzle.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A suction liquid tank for storing the suction liquid, a suction liquid nozzle for sucking and spraying the suction liquid from the suction liquid tank, a steam nozzle provided to face the suction liquid nozzle, and a steam for the steam nozzle. A steam tank for supplying the steam tank, a heater for heating the bottom surface of the steam tank, and a water supply tank for supplying water to the steam tank, wherein the steam tank and the water supply tank are communicated with each other, A communication passage for allowing steam to flow from the tank to the water supply tank, and the heater is arranged along the heater, one end of which is connected to the bottom of the water supply tank, and the other end of which is higher than the water surface of the water supply tank in the steam tank. An inhaler comprising a water supply channel that opens.