JP2024146932A - Disorder relief equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a disorder ameliorating tool for ameliorating disorders caused by air pressure reduction.SOLUTION: A disorder ameliorating tool includes a pair of left and right heating parts, and a fixing part. The pair of left and right heating parts heat-insulate or heat at least one site among left and right pinnas, the peripheries of the left and right pinnas, and left and right sides of the neck. The fixing part fixes the pair of left and right heating parts so as to locate the pair of left and right heating parts in at least one site among the left and right pinnas, the peripheries of the left and right pinnas, and the left and right sides of the neck. Disorders caused by air pressure reduction are ameliorated by heat-insulating or heating at least one site among the left and right pinnas, the peripheries of the left and right pinnas, and the left and right sides of the neck by the pair of left and right heating parts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4A

Description

The present invention relates to a device for improving symptoms caused by a drop in air pressure.

Patent Document 1 discloses a preparation that improves illness caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure (symptoms of meteorological illness). Meteorological illness is a disease in which symptoms such as fatigue, headache, dizziness, neuralgia, pain from old injuries, depression, and irritability appear or worsen due to changes in meteorological conditions such as atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, and rain. In particular, in recent years, there has been a trend for an increasing number of people to feel fatigued due to the drop in atmospheric pressure during the rainy season and on rainy days. Patent Document 1 has discovered that goreisan is effective against fatigue caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure, and aims to improve the quality of life of people whose constitutions are affected by meteorological conditions.

JP 2021-024851 A

However, if there are circumstances such as pregnancy or breastfeeding, the use of not only the formulation disclosed in Patent Document 1 but also all formulations may be restricted. For this reason, other approaches to alleviate symptoms caused by low air pressure are desired.

The present invention aims to provide a device that improves symptoms caused by a drop in air pressure.

The inventors have conducted intensive research to address the above-mentioned issues, and have found that by keeping the auricle and/or the area around the auricle warm or heating it, discomfort caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure, particularly headache symptoms, can be alleviated. The present invention was completed through further research based on this knowledge, and provides the following aspects of the invention:

The device for improving an illness according to the first aspect includes a pair of left and right heating parts and a fixing part. The pair of left and right heating parts warm or heat at least one of the left and right auricles, the areas around the left and right auricles, and the left and right sides of the neck. The fixing part fixes the pair of left and right heating parts so that the pair of left and right heating parts are positioned at at least one of the left and right auricles, the areas around the left and right auricles, and the left and right sides of the neck. The pair of left and right heating parts warm or heat at least one of the left and right auricles, the areas around the left and right auricles, and the left and right sides of the neck, thereby improving an illness caused by a drop in air pressure.

The disorder amelioration device according to the second aspect is the disorder amelioration device according to the first aspect, and each of the pair of left and right heating parts holds a heating element capable of generating heat.

The disorder ameliorating device according to the third aspect is the disorder ameliorating device according to the second aspect, and the fixing part fixes the pair of left and right heating parts so that the pair of left and right heating parts are positioned on the left and right auricles, around the auricles, or on the left and right sides of the neck.

The fourth aspect of the disorder improvement device is a disorder improvement device according to any one of the first to third aspects, in which the heat generating element has a heat generating composition, the heating part forms a space for accommodating the heat generating composition and has a first surface configured to face the areas around the left and right auricles or the left and right sides of the neck, the fixing part is an adhesive layer formed on the first surface, and the first surface bulges outward from the space.

The fifth aspect of the present invention is a device for improving an illness according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, in which the maximum temperature of the first surface achieved by the heat generation of the exothermic composition is 39°C or higher and 54°C or lower.

The sixth aspect of the method for improving an illness is the fifth aspect of the device for improving an illness, in which the skin surface temperature around the left and right auricles or the left and right sides of the neck reached by the heat generated by the exothermic composition is 37°C or higher and 48°C or lower.

The seventh aspect of the method for improving an illness is the device for improving an illness according to the fifth or sixth aspect, in which the time during which the skin surface temperature remains at 37°C or higher due to heat generated by the exothermic composition is sustained for 30 minutes or more.

According to the present invention, it is possible to improve symptoms caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure, regardless of the formulation.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the discomfort improving device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of the symptom relief device of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the symptom improving device of FIG. 1 is used. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a discomfort improving device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a side view of the discomfort improving device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 4B is a diagram showing the condition of the symptom improvement device of FIG. 4A in use. 4B is a diagram showing another state of use of the symptom improving device of FIG. 4A. FIG. 11 is a plan view of a symptom improving device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a symptom improving device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 6B is a diagram showing the condition of the symptom improving device of FIG. 6A in use. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a malfunction improvement device according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which the symptom improving device of FIG. 8 is used. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a malfunction improvement device according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the condition of the discomfort improving device of FIG. 10 in use.

Below, we will explain some embodiments of the device for improving symptoms of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

1. First embodiment
FIG. 1 is a top view of the disorder improvement device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of the disorder improvement device 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the disorder improvement device 1 in use. The disorder improvement device 1 includes a pair of disorder improvement devices 1A and 1B separated from each other. The pair of disorder improvement devices 1A and 1B are used by being attached to the left and right auricles E of a user U, respectively. The pair of disorder improvement devices 1A and 1B may be configured to be identical except that their shapes are mirror-symmetrical to each other, or may be configured to be the same shape without any particular distinction between left and right. The pair of disorder improvement devices 1A and 1B according to this embodiment have the same configuration without any distinction between left and right. In other words, either of the disorder improvement devices 1A and 1B may be attached to the left auricle, or either of them may be attached to the right auricle. Therefore, for the sake of convenience, only the configuration of the disorder improvement device 1A will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 2, the symptom improvement device 1A includes a heating section 10 having a substantially truncated cone shape and a fixing section 11 connected to the heating section 10. The heating section 10 includes a heating element 100 capable of generating heat and a holding section 101 for holding the heating element, and uses the heat generated by the heating element 100 to heat the auricle E. The heating element 100 according to this embodiment includes a heat-generating composition. The heat-generating composition is a powder containing metal powder such as iron powder, water, and a water-retaining agent, and is molded (compressed) into a substantially truncated cone shape to be contained inside an exterior body molded into a substantially truncated cone shape. The exterior body is made of a material that allows air to pass through, such as a nonwoven fabric. In other words, the heating element 100 and the exterior body constitute a disposable warmer. Before use, the disposable warmer is sealed in a film bag (not shown) that blocks air, and when it is removed from the film bag, the metal powder of the heating element 100 undergoes an oxidation reaction and generates heat.

The holding portion 101 has a generally truncated cone shape and is configured to removably hold a disposable warmer. The holding portion 101 includes a contact surface portion 1010 and a side wall portion 1011. The contact surface portion 1010 is formed at the end of the generally truncated cone shape with a smaller diameter, and has a generally circular contact surface that contacts a predetermined position on the auricle E when the disorder improvement device 1A is attached to the auricle E. The contact surface preferably contacts the concha of the auricle E, and in the disorder improvement device 1A according to this embodiment, the majority of the contact surface is configured to contact the inner wall surface of the concha cavity.

The side wall portion 1011 rises from the periphery of the contact surface portion 1010 in the opposite direction to the direction of the contact surface, expanding in diameter as it extends, forming a side peripheral surface of an approximately truncated cone. The end of the approximately truncated cone with the larger diameter is open, so that the side wall portion 1011 and the contact surface portion 1010 form a space S1 that is open on one side. The space S1 is formed to be roughly the same size as or slightly larger than the size of a disposable warmer, and the disposable warmer can be fitted in through the opening on one side. When the disposable warmer is fitted in the space S1, most of it is covered by the holding portion 101, and it is housed in the holding portion 101.

In this embodiment, the holding part 101 is made of a flexible material and can be deformed when attaching or detaching the disposable warmer. This makes it easy for the user U of the discomfort improvement device 1A to replace the disposable warmer. In addition, because the holding part 101 fits the shape of the disposable warmer, the disposable warmer fitted in the space S1 is less likely to fall off the holding part 101.

The material constituting the holding part 101 is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include rubber, elastomer, synthetic resin including soft resin and hard resin, etc. More specifically, examples include polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), elastomer, etc. In terms of efficiently transferring heat from the heating element 100 to the auricle E, the material constituting the holding part 101 may be a material with high thermal conductivity. Examples of such materials include materials in which a material with high thermal conductivity such as metal or carbon is mixed into a base material such as rubber, elastomer, or synthetic resin to increase thermal conductivity, and thermally conductive resin, etc.

The fixing part 11 is connected to the holding part 101, and fixes the heating part 10 so that the heating part 10 is positioned on the auricle E, mainly the concha. The fixing part 11 according to this embodiment includes an insertion part 110. The insertion part 110 is made of a flexible material, and is configured to deform to fit the inner wall surface of the ear canal when inserted into the ear canal, and to adhere closely to the inner wall surface of the ear canal. The inside of the insertion part 110 according to this embodiment is solid and does not communicate with the space S1. Therefore, the insertion part 110 is configured to block the ear canal and block external sound. In other words, the disorder improvement device 1A according to this embodiment also functions as an earplug.

According to the illness improvement device 1, the heat of the heating element 100 is transmitted via the heating section 10 to the auricle E and the area around the auricle E, where the autonomic nerves are concentrated. This allows the parasympathetic nerves to become dominant, improving blood circulation in the auricle E and the inner ear. This in turn improves illnesses caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure, particularly headache symptoms.

<2. Second embodiment>
FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the disorder improvement device 2 according to the second embodiment, FIG. 4B is a side view of the disorder improvement device 2, and FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are diagrams showing the state of use of the disorder improvement device 2. The disorder improvement device 2 includes a pair of disorder improvement devices 2A and 2B separated from each other. The pair of disorder improvement devices 2A and 2B are used by being attached to the left and right auricles E of the user U, the periphery of the left and right auricles E, or the left and right side neck, respectively. The pair of disorder improvement devices 2A and 2B may be configured to be identical except that their shapes are mirror-symmetrical to each other, or may be configured to be the same shape without any particular distinction between left and right. The pair of disorder improvement devices 2A and 2B according to this embodiment have the same configuration without any distinction between left and right. In other words, either of the disorder improvement devices 2A and 2B may be attached to the left auricle or its periphery, or the left side neck, and either of them may be attached to the right auricle or its periphery, or the right side neck. Therefore, for the sake of convenience, the configuration of the malfunction improving device 2A will be described below, and a description of the configuration of the malfunction improving device 2B will be omitted.

The discomfort relief device 2A comprises a heating section 20 having a generally truncated cone shape with a flange, and a fixing section 21 for fixing the heating section 20 to the auricle E, the area around the auricle E, or the skin on the side of the neck of the user U.

The heating section 20 has a first part 20a and a second part 20b, each of which is made of a material that allows air to pass through, such as nonwoven fabric. The first part 20a is a part that is approximately a truncated cone shape that opens at the large diameter end side and includes a flange that extends radially outward from the periphery of the opening, and defines a space S2 that is approximately a truncated cone shape. The second part 20b is a part that is approximately a disk shape, is fixed to the flange, and closes the space S2. The heating section 20 accommodates and holds a heat generating element 200 that can generate heat in the space S2, and heats the skin of the user U using the heat generated by the heat generating element 200. The heat generating element 200 has a heat generating composition, similar to the heat generating element 100. The heat generating composition of the heat generating element 200 is a powder that includes metal powder, water, salt, a water retention agent, a stabilizer, and the like. The metal powder includes, for example, iron powder. The water retention agent includes, for example, activated carbon, water absorbent resin, and vermiculite. The stabilizer includes, for example, sodium thiosulfate anhydrous. The exothermic composition is molded (compressed) into an approximately truncated cone shape to be contained in the space S2. However, unlike the exothermic body 100, the exothermic composition of the exothermic body 200 is molded so that at least the bottom surface of the large diameter side of the approximately truncated cone shape bulges outward from the space S2. That is, the bottom surface of the large diameter side is convex in side view. The heating section 20 holds the exothermic body 200 so that the bottom surface of the large diameter side is located on the second section 20b side. That is, the first section 20a and the second section 20b constitute an exterior body that contains the exothermic composition, and the exothermic body 200, together with the heating section 20, constitute a disposable warmer.

The second portion 20b has a first surface 201 configured to face the auricle E, the area around the auricle E, or the side of the neck of the user U when the discomfort improvement device 2A is used. The first surface 201 bulges outward toward the outside of the space S2, similar to the bottom surface of the large diameter side of the heating element 200. That is, the first surface 201 is convex in a side view. An adhesive layer having adhesiveness is formed on the first surface 201 as the fixing portion 21. Hereinafter, the adhesive layer is also given the same reference numeral as the fixing portion 21. The adhesive layer 21 adheres to the skin of the auricle E, the area around the auricle E, or the side of the neck of the user U, thereby fixing the heating portion 20 so that the heating portion 20 is located at least in one of the auricle E, the area around the auricle E, and the side of the neck. Since the first surface 201 bulges out to be convex as described above, it is particularly easy to fit into the recess behind the earlobe of the auricle E and the recess in the side of the neck. This allows the heat of the heating element 200 to be transferred to the skin of the user U more efficiently, and makes it easier to fix the thermal unit 20 to the depression behind the earlobe of the auricle E or to the depression in the side of the neck. In addition, the size of the first surface 201 is small, and as a result the area of the adhesive layer 21 that fixes the thermal unit 20 is also small, making it difficult for hair to get caught in the adhesive layer 21, reducing the tension and pain caused by hair getting caught. Furthermore, because the area of the adhesive layer 21 that fixes the thermal unit 20 is small compared to the area of the side of the neck, the effect of neck movement can be reduced, and the discomfort improvement device can be prevented from coming off during use.

The discomfort improvement device 2 preferably maintains the state where the skin surface temperature of the user U is 37°C or higher for at least 30 minutes, more preferably maintains the state where the skin surface temperature is 39°C or higher for at least 30 minutes, and even more preferably maintains the state where the skin surface temperature is 40°C or higher for at least 30 minutes. The skin surface temperature is the temperature measured when the discomfort improvement device 2 is attached to the skin of the user U with the terminals of the temperature data logger sandwiched between the first surface 201 (more precisely, the adhesive layer 21) and the skin of the user U.

From the viewpoint of exerting the above-mentioned performance, the maximum temperature that the discomfort improvement device 2 reaches is preferably 39°C or more and 54°C or less, more preferably 40°C or more and 50°C or less, and even more preferably 43°C or more and 48°C or less. By setting the above-mentioned maximum temperature to 39°C or more, the user U can feel the improvement of the discomfort caused by the drop in air pressure. On the other hand, by setting the above-mentioned maximum temperature to 54°C or less, the user U is less likely to feel pain due to heat, and a comfortable feeling of use can be maintained. Note that the above-mentioned maximum temperature is the maximum value of the temperature measured in an environment of room temperature 25°C, with the terminals of the temperature data logger sandwiched between the first surface 201 (more precisely, the adhesive layer 21) and a paper placed on a wire mesh, and the air flow around the discomfort improvement device 2 being blocked.

In addition, according to the inventor's research, from the viewpoint of mitigating general discomforts caused by a drop in air pressure, the duration during which the surface temperature of the first surface 21a remains at 39°C or higher is preferably 30 minutes or more and 3 hours or less, more preferably 1 hour or more and 3 hours or less, and even more preferably 2 hours or more and 3 hours or less.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned heat generating performance, the heat generating composition of the heat generating element 200 of this embodiment contains 40% by mass or more and 55% by mass or less of iron powder, 12% by mass or more and 16% by mass or less of activated carbon, water absorbent resin, and vermiculite combined, 1% by mass or more and 3% by mass or less of salt, and 0.05% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less of sodium thiosulfate anhydride (the remaining components are water), when the entire heat generating composition is taken as 100% by mass. In addition, the air flow rate of the nonwoven fabric constituting the heating part 20 of this embodiment is 15 ml/min or more and 25 ml/min or less. The air flow rate is a value measured by a breathability tester according to the method described in JIS L1913:2010 "General nonwoven fabric test method".

Before use, the disorder improvement tool 2A is sealed in a film bag (not shown) that blocks air. In addition, before use, the adhesive layer 21 is covered with a peel-off sheet 210. When the disorder improvement tool 2A is taken out of the film bag, the metal powder of the heating element 200 undergoes an oxidation reaction and generates heat. In addition, the user U peels off the peel-off sheet 210 from the adhesive layer 21 and attaches the adhesive layer 21 to the user U's skin, so that the heating part 20 is fixed to the user U's skin. The part to which the heating part 20 is fixed is not particularly limited as long as it is the auricle E, the area around the auricle E, or the side of the neck. Examples of the area around the auricle E include areas centered on acupressure points around the auricle E, such as the auricle, hearing palace, hearing ... Among these, from the viewpoint of improving discomfort caused by a drop in air pressure, it is more preferable to fix the heating unit 20 to the area behind the earlobe, and even more preferable is a region centered on the cervical vein and aorta, in other words, a region centered on the mastoid process. Also, from the viewpoint of alleviating discomfort caused by a drop in air pressure, the lateral neck area is also preferable, as is the region centered on the mastoid process, and even more preferable is a position on the lateral neck area where the vertebral artery passes.

With the illness improvement device 2, the heat of the heating element 200 is transmitted to the auricle E and the area around the auricle E, where the autonomic nerves are concentrated. This allows the parasympathetic nerves to predominate, improving blood circulation in the auricle E and the inner ear. Alternatively, the heat of the heating element 200 is transmitted to the vertebral artery, which efficiently improves blood circulation in the vertebral artery. This in turn improves illnesses caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure, particularly headache symptoms.

<3. Third embodiment>
6A is a plan view of the disorder improving device 3 according to the third embodiment, FIG. 6B is a B-B cross-sectional view of the disorder improving device 3, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the state of use of the disorder improving device 3. The disorder improving device 3 includes a pair of disorder improving devices 3A and 3B separated from each other, similar to the disorder improving device 2. The disorder improving device 3A is configured to be worn on the left auricle E of the user U, around the left auricle E, or on the left side of the neck, and the disorder improving device 3B is configured to be worn on the right auricle E of the user U, around the right auricle E, or on the right side of the neck. The pair of disorder improving devices 3A and 3B are configured to be identical except that their shapes are mirror images of each other. For this reason, for the sake of convenience, the configuration of the disorder improving device 3A will be described below, and the configuration of the disorder improving device 3B will be omitted.

The disorder improving device 3A includes a heating section 30 and a fixing section 31. The heating section 30 has a first section 30a and a second section 30b, each of which is made of a material that allows air to pass through, such as nonwoven fabric. The first section 30a and the second section 30b have an approximately rice grain shape in plan view, which is a combination of a concave curve that is concave toward the center of the figure and a convex curve that is convex toward the outside from the center of the figure. In other words, the first section 30a and the second section 30b have the same shape, and the peripheral sections are fixed to each other to form a space S3 for accommodating the heating element 300. Hereinafter, the portion of the heating section 30 formed by the concave curved section is referred to as the recessed section 301. The recessed section 301 is curved to follow the area behind the earlobe, and the heating section 30 fits particularly to the area centered on the mastoid process. This configuration also reduces hair getting caught in the adhesive layer 21 (described below), and reduces the tightness and pain caused by hair getting caught. Furthermore, because the overall shape of the disorder improvement device 3A is a rounded curve with no corners, it is possible to prevent the device from getting caught on clothing or hair, or coming off during use due to friction with these.

Heat generating element 300 has the same heat generating composition as heat generating element 200. This heat generating composition is the same as the heat generating composition of heat generating element 200, except that it is not formed into an approximately truncated cone shape. For this reason, a repeated explanation will be omitted.

On the outer surface of the second portion 30b, an adhesive layer having adhesive properties is formed as the fixing portion 31. Hereinafter, the adhesive layer will be given the same reference numeral as the fixing portion 31. Like the adhesive layer 21, the adhesive layer 31 adheres to the skin of the auricle E, the area around the auricle E, or the side of the neck of the user U, thereby fixing the heating portion 30 so that the heating portion 30 is located at least in one of the auricle E, the area around the auricle E, and the side of the neck. The adhesive layer 31 is covered with a release sheet (not shown) before using the discomfort improvement device 3A.

As can be seen from the above explanation, the configuration of the disorder improvement device 3 is the same as that of the disorder improvement device 2 except for the shape, so a repeated explanation will be omitted.

<4. Fourth embodiment>
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the disorder improvement device 4 according to the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the disorder improvement device 4 in use. The disorder improvement device 4 includes a pair of disorder improvement devices 4A and 4B separated from each other. The pair of disorder improvement devices 4A and 4B are used by being attached to the left and right auricles E and the periphery of the auricles E of the user U, respectively. The pair of disorder improvement devices 4A and 4B may be configured to be identical except that their shapes are mirror-symmetrical to each other, or may be configured to be the same shape without any particular distinction between left and right. The pair of disorder improvement devices 4A and 4B according to this embodiment have the same configuration without any distinction between left and right. That is, either of the disorder improvement devices 4A and 4B may be attached to the left auricle or its periphery, and either of them may be attached to the right auricle or its periphery. Therefore, for the sake of convenience, the configuration of the disorder improvement device 4A will be described below, and the configuration of the disorder improvement device 4B will be omitted.

The discomfort improvement device 4A includes a heating section 40. The heating section 40 is a bag-shaped member with an opening formed therein, and has a space S4 for accommodating the auricle E. When the user U places the entire auricle E into the space S4 through the opening, the peripheral portion 400 of the opening hooks onto the base of the auricle E, and the heating section 40 is fixed to cover the auricle E of the user U. In other words, the peripheral portion 400 functions as a fixing portion for fixing the heating section 40. A ring-shaped rubber band or the like may be sewn into the peripheral portion 400 to increase the stability of the fixing to the base of the auricle E.

The heating section 40 suppresses the dissipation of heat emitted from the user U's auricle when the disorder improvement device 4A is in use, i.e., when the user U's auricle is housed in the space S4, and keeps the user U's auricle warm. For this reason, it is preferable that the heating section 40 is mainly made of a material that does not easily transmit heat, such as cloth or wool. The heating section 40 may also be made of different materials for its outer surface 401 and inner surface 402. The outer surface 401 is the surface that faces the external space when the disorder improvement device 4A is in use, and the inner surface 402 is the surface that faces the user U's auricle E when the disorder improvement device 4A is in use.

The heating unit 40 may further hold a heating element (not shown) capable of generating heat. When the heating unit 40 holds a heating element, the heating element can be disposed, for example, in the space between the outer surface 401 and the inner surface 402. Heating elements include those constituting disposable hand warmers, as with heating elements 100 and 200, and known electric heaters. The electric heater can be rechargeable or disposable battery-powered.

According to the discomfort relief device 4, the heating section 40 keeps the auricle E and the area around the auricle E, where the autonomic nerves are concentrated, warm, or the heat from the heating element is transmitted to the auricle E and the area around the auricle E via the heating section 40. This allows the parasympathetic nerves to take over, improving blood circulation in the auricle E and the inner ear. This in turn improves discomfort caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure, particularly headache symptoms.

<5. Fifth embodiment>
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the malfunction improving tool 5 according to the fifth embodiment, and FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the malfunction improving tool 5 in use. The malfunction improving tool 5 includes a pair of left and right heating parts 50A, 50B, and a fixing part 51 connected to the pair of left and right heating parts 50A, 50B. The pair of left and right heating parts 50A, 50B may be configured to be the same except that their shapes are mirror-symmetrical to each other, or may be configured to be the same shape without any distinction between left and right. The pair of left and right heating parts 50A, 50B according to this embodiment have the same configuration without any distinction between left and right. Therefore, for the sake of convenience, the configuration of the heating part 50A will be described below, and the configuration of the heating part 50B will be omitted.

The heating section 50A is a section that covers the entire auricle E from the outside, and has an outer surface 501 and an inner surface 502. The outer surface 501 is the surface that faces the external space when the disorder amelioration device 5 is in use, and the inner surface 502 is the surface that faces the auricle E of the user U when the disorder amelioration device 5 is in use. The outer surface 501 and the inner surface 502 are primarily made of, for example, wool or cloth. The outer surface 501 and the inner surface 502 may each be made of a different material.

The heating section 50A holds a heat generating element 500 between an outer surface 501 and an inner surface 502. The heat generating element 500 is a known electric heater, and can be rechargeable or battery-powered.

The fixing part 51 is a part that fixes the thermal parts 50A, 50B so that the thermal parts 50A, 50B cover the left and right auricles E, respectively. The outer surface of the fixing part 51 in this embodiment is made of the same material as the thermal parts 50A, 50B, and is formed integrally with the thermal parts 50A, 50B. The fixing part 51 has an elastically deformable framework 510 inside. The framework 510 deforms along the back of the user U's head while exerting a restoring force that tends to curve inward, thereby fixing the thermal parts 50A, 50B to the user U's head. The framework 510 can be made of, for example, hard plastic, metal, etc.

With the illness improvement device 5, the heat of the heating element 500 is transmitted via the heating sections 50A and 50B to the auricle E and the area around the auricle E, where the autonomic nerves are concentrated. This allows the parasympathetic nerves to take over, improving blood circulation in the auricle E and the inner ear. This in turn improves illnesses caused by a drop in air pressure, particularly headache symptoms.

6. Modifications
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the following modifications are possible. In addition, the gist of the following modifications can be combined as appropriate.

(1) The shapes of the heating part 10 and the fixing part 11 of the discomfort ameliorating device 1 may be changed as appropriate. For example, the fixing part 11 may not include the insertion part 110 and may be configured to fix the heating part 10 by being hooked onto the auricular cartilage. In addition, the discomfort ameliorating device 1 may not have the function of an earplug.

(2) The heating element in the first to sixth embodiments is not limited to that in the above embodiments. The heating element may be, for example, a hand warmer that utilizes the supercooling reaction of an aqueous sodium acetate solution. The heating element may also contain a material with excellent heat storage properties, and may be configured to be used after being heated in a hot water bath or a microwave oven, or may be configured to be used after being heated by the resistance heat of an electric current. Furthermore, the heating element in the first to fourth embodiments was a disposable hand warmer, but it may also be an electric heater. Furthermore, the heating element in the fifth embodiment was an electric heater, but it may also be a disposable hand warmer.

(3) The outer surface of the fixing part 51 in the fifth embodiment does not have to be made of the same material as the thermal parts 50A, 50B, and the framework 510 may be exposed to the outside. Also, the fixing part 51 is configured to fit along the back of the head of the user U, but it may be configured to fit along the top of the head of the user U. Furthermore, the fixing part 51 in the fifth embodiment may be configured so that the thermal parts 50A and 50B fit along the back of the head, top of the head, or back of the neck of the user U, so that the thermal parts 50A and 50B are located on the left and right sides of the neck, respectively.

(4) The shape of the heating section 30 in the third embodiment in plan view is not limited to the roughly rice grain shape of the above embodiment, as long as it has a concave portion 301 defined by a concave curve that is concave toward the centroid. For example, it may be a kidney shape having a concave portion 301 so that the overall shape is more line symmetrical than the roughly rice grain shape.

The following describes examples of the present invention. However, the following examples are merely illustrative of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following.

[Experiment 1]
<Experimental Method>
Four subjects who were aware of headache symptoms caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure were asked to use the disorder improvement devices according to Examples 1 to 4 for one hour when they had a headache caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure, and were asked to evaluate the intensity of their headache before and after using the disorder improvement device. The configuration of the disorder improvement device used by each subject and the area that was primarily heated by the heating section are shown in Table 1 below.

In addition, the headache intensity before and after use was rated as "10," with a headache intensity of "10" after use being rated as "C (no improvement)," a headache intensity of "6-9" being rated as "B (improvement was felt)," and a headache intensity of "5 or less" being rated as "A (strong improvement was felt)."

<Experimental Results>
The evaluations by each subject are shown in Table 2 below. As shown in Table 2, the subject who used the malfunction improvement device according to Example 1 strongly felt the improvement of headaches caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure. Also, the subject who used the malfunction improvement device according to Examples 2 to 4 felt the improvement of headaches caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure. This confirmed that the malfunction improvement device according to the present invention has an improvement effect on malfunctions caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure.

[Experiment 2]
<Experimental Method>
Three subjects (men and women in their 20s and 30s) who were aware of symptoms of illness (headache, dizziness, fatigue, irritability) caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure were allowed to rest for 15 minutes in an air pressure controlled room (Osaka Industrial Technology Research Institute, a local independent administrative institution) set at a temperature of 23°C, humidity of 45%, and air pressure of 1013 hPa. The air pressure controlled room was then set at a temperature of 20°C, humidity of 45%, and air pressure of 960 hPa, and the temperature and air pressure were lowered. The subjects were asked to use the illness improvement devices according to Examples 5 to 8 and the heating devices according to Comparative Examples 1 to 3 at the time when the illness symptoms appeared, and the degree of the illness symptoms was evaluated every 5 minutes for 3 consecutive hours. After that, the subjects rested outside the air pressure controlled room for 1 hour.

The subjects were asked to evaluate warmth (5-point scale), relaxation (5-point scale), promotion of blood flow, headache (11-point scale), dizziness (5-point scale), fatigue (5-point scale), and irritability (5-point scale), as well as general ailments caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure (a 5-point scale combining headache, dizziness, fatigue, and irritability). Warmth was rated as 1 being "lukewarm," 3 being "just right," and 5 being "too hot." Relaxation was rated as 1 being "relaxed" and 5 being "did not relax." These ratings were the average of the three subjects. For all other ratings, if an improvement in the ratings (alleviation of ailments) was confirmed before and after using the ailment improvement device or heating tool for all subjects, and there was no recurrence of ailments thereafter, the rating was given as "A." Furthermore, if some subjects saw an improvement in their evaluation before and after using the discomfort relief device or heating tool and others did not, or if the discomfort symptoms that were alleviated 30 minutes after starting to use the discomfort relief device or heating tool reoccurred, the evaluation was given as "B." If no improvement in evaluation (alleviation of discomfort symptoms) was observed for all subjects before and after using the discomfort relief device or heating tool, the evaluation was given as "C." Furthermore, the PI (%) before and after using the discomfort relief device or heating tool was measured using the same method as in Experiment 3 described below, and an increase in PI was observed in three subjects (promotion of blood flow was confirmed) was given an evaluation of "A," an increase in PI was observed in one or two subjects was given an evaluation of "B," and a case in which no increase in PI was observed in three subjects was given an evaluation of "C."

The discomfort relief devices according to Examples 5 to 8 and the heating devices according to Comparative Examples 1 and 2 have the same configuration as the discomfort relief device 3 of the third embodiment, and were fixed behind the earlobes on the left and right (around the mastoid process) or on the left and right sides of the neck, respectively. These discomfort relief devices and heating devices have the same configuration as the discomfort relief device 3, but by changing the amount of exothermic composition and the air flow rate of the nonwoven fabric constituting the heating part, the maximum temperature reached and the duration of the state in which the surface temperature is 39°C or higher were different. The heating device according to Comparative Example 3 was made by molding the same composition and amount of exothermic composition as in Example 8 into a thin rectangle and placing it in nonwoven fabric made of the same material as in Example 8, and was fixed to the back of the neck with the same adhesive layer as in the discomfort relief device 3. The locations where the discomfort relief devices and heating devices were fixed, the air flow rate, the maximum temperature, and the duration of the state in which the temperature is 39°C or higher are all shown in Table 3. It took about 10 minutes for the discomfort relief device and heating device to reach their respective maximum temperatures, and 30 minutes after use, the temperature remained close to their respective maximum temperatures. Furthermore, when the discomfort relief device and heating device are at about 45°C, the skin surface temperature can be raised to about 40°C.

<Experimental Results>
The results are shown in Table 3 below.

As can be seen from Table 3, in Examples 5 to 8, in which the maximum temperature of the device for improving the condition was within the range of 43°C to 48°C and the duration of the state at or above 39°C was 2 hours or more, the warmth was evaluated as "just right" and the mood was evaluated as being relaxed. In addition, a certain degree of improvement in the symptoms of the condition was confirmed. On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 1 and 2, the warmth was either "lukewarm" or "too hot" and the mood was evaluated as not being relaxed. In Comparative Example 1, blood flow was not promoted and the symptoms of the condition were not improved. In Comparative Example 2, blood flow was promoted, but the symptoms of the condition were not improved. In Comparative Example 3, the warmth was evaluated as "just right", but blood flow was not promoted and the symptoms of the condition were not improved. From Examples 5 and 6, it can be seen that when the device for improving the condition was fixed around the mastoid process, the symptoms of the condition were felt to be improved earlier. Examples 7 and 8 were rated better than Examples 5 and 6 in terms of relaxation. Furthermore, it appears that in Examples 7 and 8, the improvement in symptoms was felt to be greater than in Examples 5 and 6. This is thought to be because the combination of the amount of heat-generating composition and the airflow rate in Examples 7 and 8 maintained the skin surface temperature at an optimal temperature (37°C to 48°C) for a longer period of time.

[Experiment 3]
<Experimental Method>
The blood flow change of the vertebral artery was measured when one subject (woman in her 20s) without any disease used the malfunction improving device according to Example 9. The malfunction improving device according to Example 9 has the same configuration as the malfunction improving device 2 according to the second embodiment, and the diameter of the heating element was about 28 mm. After the subject was allowed to rest in a supine position for 5 minutes in a room with a temperature of 23°C and a humidity of 45%, the probe of an ultrasound diagnostic device (ARIETTA 750, manufactured by Fujifilm Corporation) was placed on the vertebral artery of the lateral neck, and the average of the ratio of the pulsatile component to the non-pulsatile component measured by the probe for 60 seconds was calculated, and this value was taken as the initial PI (%). Next, the malfunction improving device according to Example 9 was fixed to the subject in the supine position, and the PI (%) after 30 minutes and the PI (%) after 60 minutes were calculated in the same manner as the initial PI. During the use of the malfunction improving device, the skin surface temperature was 40°C to 43°C.

<Experimental Results>
The PI (%) and standard deviation of the PI calculation data before, 30 minutes after, and 60 minutes after use of the symptom improving device of Example 9 are as shown in Table 4 below.

As can be seen from Table 4, 30 minutes and 60 minutes after using the device for improving symptoms according to Example 9, the PI increased from before use, confirming that blood flow in the vertebral artery had improved.

1 to 5, 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B Disorder improvement device 10, 20, 30, 40, 50A, 50B Heating section 11, 21, 31, 41 Fixing section 101 Holding section 110 Insertion section 400 Peripheral part (fixed part)
E Auricle U User

Claims (7)

A pair of left and right heating parts for keeping warm or heating at least one of the left and right auricles, the left and right auricle surroundings, and the left and right side neck areas;
a fixing portion for fixing the pair of left and right thermal parts so that the pair of left and right thermal parts are located at least in one of the left and right auricles, the left and right auricle surroundings, and the left and right side of the neck;
The pair of left and right thermal parts warm or heat at least one of the left and right auricles, the left and right auricle surroundings, and the left and right side of the neck, thereby improving discomfort caused by a drop in atmospheric pressure.
Disorder relief tool. The pair of left and right thermal sections each hold a heat generating element capable of generating heat.
The device for improving a condition according to claim 1. The fixing unit fixes the pair of left and right thermal parts so that the pair of left and right thermal parts are positioned on the left and right auricles, around the auricles, or on the left and right side neck areas.
The device for improving a condition according to claim 2. The heating element has an exothermic composition,
The thermal section has a first surface that forms a space for accommodating the exothermic composition and is configured to face the periphery of the left and right auricles or the left and right side of the neck,
the fixing portion is an adhesive layer formed on the first surface,
The first surface bulges outward from the space.
The device for improving a condition according to claim 3. The maximum temperature of the first surface reached by the heat generation of the exothermic composition is 39° C. or more and 54° C. or less.
The device for improving a condition according to claim 4. The skin surface temperature around the left and right auricles or the left and right sides of the neck reached by the heat generated by the exothermic composition is 37° C. or higher and 48° C. or lower.
The device for improving a condition according to claim 5. the time during which the skin surface temperature is maintained at 37° C. or higher due to heat generated by the exothermic composition is sustained for 30 minutes or more;
The device for improving an illness according to claim 5 or 6.