US-12622807-B2 - Auricle heating device

US12622807B2US 12622807 B2US12622807 B2US 12622807B2US-12622807-B2

Abstract

An auricle heating device according to one aspect of the present invention, including a pair of left and right heating devices that are to be respectively worn in a left and right ear, wherein each heating device includes: a heating body; a holding portion configured to hold the heating body; and a fixing portion. The fixing portion is connected to the holding portion and configured to be worn in an auricle so as to fix the holding portion so as to be in contact with an inner side of the auricle. The left and right heating devices are separate from each other.

Inventors

Ryota ASANO
Yuji Sekido
Yoshihiro UJIHARA

Assignees

KOBAYASHI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20210615
Priority Date: 20200630

Claims (19)

1 . An auricle heating device comprising a pair of left and right heating devices that are to be respectively worn in a left and right ear, wherein each heating device includes: a heating body; a holding portion configured to hold the heating body; and a fixing portion that is connected to the holding portion and configured to be worn in an auricle so as to fix the holding portion so as to be in contact with an inner side of the auricle at a predetermined position, wherein the left and right heating devices are separate from each other, and wherein, in each heating device, the fixing portion includes an insertion portion configured to be inserted to a shallow portion of an external acoustic meatus hole while being in intimate contact with an inner wall surface of the external acoustic meatus hole, and the insertion portion is configured to close off the external acoustic meatus hole and block out external audio.
2 . The auricle heating device according to claim 1 , wherein, in each heating device, the fixing portion is worn in the auricle such that the holding portion is fixed so as to be in contact with an inner wall surface near a cavum conchae.
3 . The auricle heating device according to claim 2 , wherein, in each heating device, the holding portion includes a supporting portion configured to come in contact with the inner wall surface of the cavum conchae located near an antitragus, and support fixing realized by the fixing portion.
4 . The auricle heating device according to claim 1 , wherein, in each heating device, the holding portion includes a contact surface portion that includes a contact surface configured to come into contact with the inner side of the auricle at a predetermined position, and a side wall portion that stands upright from a circumferential edge of the contact surface portion, and the heating body is fitted into the side wall portion from a back surface side of the contact surface and held by the heating body.
5 . The auricle heating device according to claim 3 , wherein, in each heating device, the fixing portion includes a first extension portion that extends from the holding portion and is configured to reach an inner wall surface of a cymba conchae, and the first extension portion and the supporting portion are configured to press against the inner side of the auricle while the first extension portion uses the inner wall surface of the cymba conchae as a support portion and the supporting portion uses the inner wall surface of the cavum conchae located near the antitragus as a support portion.
6 . The auricle heating device according to claim 1 , wherein, in each heating device, the fixing portion includes a second extension portion that extends from the holding portion and is configured to reach a first position that is on an inner wall surface of a cavum conchae and that is located inward of an antihelix, and the insertion portion and the second extension portion are configured to press against the inner side of the auricle while the insertion portion uses the inner wall surface of the external acoustic meatus hole as a support portion and the second extension portion uses the first position as a support portion.
7 . The auricle heating device according to claim 1 , wherein, in each heating device, the fixing portion includes a hooking portion that is to be hooked to an intertragic notch.
8 . The auricle heating device according to claim 1 , wherein, in each heating device, the heating body generates heat using a chemical reaction.
9 . The auricle heating device according to claim 8 , wherein, in each heating device, the chemical reaction includes a metal oxidation reaction.
10 . The auricle heating device according to claim 1 , wherein, in each heating device, the heating body is a disposable component.
11 . The auricle heating device according to claim 1 , wherein, in each heating device, at least one of the holding portion and the fixing portion is made of at least one of rubber, elastomer, and a synthetic resin.
12 . The auricle heating device according to claim 1 , wherein, in each heating device, at least one of the holding portion and the fixing portion is made of at least one of rubber mixed with a metal, rubber mixed with carbon, an elastomer mixed with a metal, an elastomer mixed with carbon, a synthetic resin mixed with a metal, a synthetic resin mixed with carbon, and a thermally conductive resin.
13 . The auricle heating device according to claim 2 , wherein, in each heating device, the holding portion includes a contact surface portion that includes a contact surface configured to come into contact with the inner side of the auricle at a predetermined position, and a side wall portion that stands upright from a circumferential edge of the contact surface portion, and the heating body is fitted into the side wall portion from a back surface side of the contact surface and held by the heating body.
14 . The auricle heating device according to claim 2 , wherein, in each heating device, the fixing portion includes an insertion portion configured to be inserted to a shallow portion of an external acoustic meatus hole while being in intimate contact with an inner wall surface of the external acoustic meatus hole.
15 . The auricle heating device according to claim 2 , wherein, in each heating device, the heating body generates heat using a chemical reaction.
16 . The auricle heating device according to claim 15 , wherein, in each heating device, the chemical reaction includes a metal oxidation reaction.
17 . The auricle heating device according to claim 2 , wherein, in each heating device, the heating body is a disposable component.
18 . The auricle heating device according to claim 2 , wherein, in each heating device, at least one of the holding portion and the fixing portion is made of at least one of rubber, elastomer, and a synthetic resin.
19 . An auricle heating device comprising a pair of left and right heating devices that are to be respectively worn in a left and right ear, wherein each heating device includes: a heating body; a holding portion configured to hold the heating body; and a fixing portion that is connected to the holding portion and configured to be worn in an auricle so as to fix the holding portion so as to be in contact with an inner side of the auricle at a predetermined position, and the left and right heating devices are separate from each other, the holding portion is made of a flexible material and includes a space into which the heating body is fitted, and the heating body is held within by deformation of the space.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an auricle heating device. BACKGROUND ART Patent Literature 1 discloses an ear heating device that is shaped as a pouch having an opening for insertion of the ear, has a heat generating function, and covers a portion or the entirety of the ear. Patent Literature 2 discloses an ear canal temperature adjustment device that is provided with an ear canal insertion portion that is to be inserted into an ear canal, and a temperature adjustment portion, and the ear insertion portion includes a detachable heat storing portion and an insertion portion main body. The user of the of the ear canal temperature adjustment device can detach the heat storing portion from the insertion portion main body, heat or cool the heat storing portion with use of the temperature adjustment portion, and then attach the heat storing portion to the insertion portion main body for usage. CITATION LIST Patent Literature Patent Literature 1: JP 2018-086202APatent Literature 2: JP 2014-076159A SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem The ear heating device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is worn so as to cover the ear with the intention of heating surrounding portions of the ear including the base portion of the ear. Thus, there may be cases where it is difficult to adjust the position of the portion including the heat generating function depending on the posture of the user. Also, the ear canal temperature adjustment device disclosed in Patent Literature 2 is configured such that a pair of ear canal insertion portions are connected by a connection portion, and the ear canal insertion portions are respectively inserted into two ears with the connection portion placed on the back of the neck. Thus, the posture of the user during usage is limited. An object of the present invention is to provide an auricle heating device that has excellent fixability to a user's auricle, and can be used in a wide-range of postures taken by the user. Solution to Problem An auricle heating device according to one aspect of the present invention, including a pair of left and right heating devices that are to be respectively worn in a left and right ear, wherein each heating device includes: a heating body; a holding portion configured to hold the heating body; and a fixing portion. The fixing portion is connected to the holding portion and configured to be worn in an auricle so as to fix the holding portion so as to be in contact with an inner side of the auricle at a predetermined position. The left and right heating devices are separate from each other. The auricle heating device according to the one aspect, wherein, in each heating device, the fixing portion may be worn in the auricle such that the holding portion is fixed so as to be in contact with an inner wall surface near a cavum conchae. The auricle heating device according to the one aspect, wherein, in each heating device, the holding portion may include a supporting portion configured to come in contact with the inner wall surface of the cavum conchae located near an antitragus, and support fixing realized by the fixing portion. The auricle heating device according to the one aspect, wherein, in each heating device, the holding portion may include a contact surface portion that includes a contact surface configured to come into contact with the inner side of the auricle at a predetermined position, and a side wall portion that stands upright from a circumferential edge of the contact surface portion, and the heating body may be fitted into the side wall portion from a back surface side of the contact surface and held by the heating body. The auricle heating device according to the one aspect, wherein, in each heating device, the fixing portion may include an insertion portion configured to be inserted to a shallow portion of an external acoustic meatus hole while being in intimate contact with an inner wall surface of the external acoustic meatus hole. The auricle heating device according to the one aspect, wherein, in each heating device, the insertion portion may be configured to close off the external acoustic meatus hole and block out external audio. The auricle heating device according to the one aspect, wherein, in each heating device, the fixing portion may include a first extension portion that extends from the holding portion and is configured to reach an inner wall surface of a cymba conchae, and the first extension portion and the supporting portion may be configured to press against the inner side of the auricle while the first extension portion uses the inner wall surface of the cymba conchae as a support portion and the supporting portion uses the inner wall surface of the cavum conchae located near the antitragus as a support portion. The auricle heating device according to the one aspect, wherein, in each heating device, the fixing portion may include a second extension portion that extends from the holding portion and is configured to r