Patent Application
20060293641
The present invention relate to a housing body for deglutition of a shaped solid for oral ingestion, a container for use in the housing body, and a swallowing method. The housing body of the present invention contains the shaped solid for oral ingestion, such as powders (including fine granules), granules, capsules, tablets, or pills in a drinking straw-like cylindrical envelope thereof in a storage state. Thus, as when drinking water or the like through a drinking straw, the shaped solid can be swallowed with water in a glass after immersing the tip of the cylindrical envelope into the water in the glass. For example, a relatively large capsule or tablet can be swallowed very easily.
When a capsule or tablet is ingested, in general, the capsule or tablet is first held in the mouth, water is then taken in from a glass or cup, and the capsule or tablet is swallowed together with the water without chewing. Nevertheless, many patients feel repulsion and pain when taking a relatively large medical drug, such as a capsule or tablet, and many patients cannot take a capsule or tablet without taking in a large quantity of water.
Further, for patients suffering from a renal or cardiac disease, an amount of water that may be taken in is limited. Such patients are requested to minimize the amount of water taken in when ingesting a capsule or tablet. Therefore, patients who essentially need a large quantity of water when taking a capsule or tablet feel an intense pain upon doing so. Furthermore, it may be difficult for an aged person or a child to swallow a capsule or tablet, and other formulations are highly desired.
As mentioned below, the inventors of the present invention have found that a drinking straw can eliminate such pain. Thus, prior art utilizing a drinking straw will first be described.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-104541 (patent reference 1) discloses a manner wherein powders, granules, syrup or the like stored in an elongated sachet having a water-resistance and strength are introduced into a vessel such as a cup, and then the emptied sachet is used as a stirrer and a drinking straw. In this prior art, water readily-soluble or readily-dispersible powders or granules are encapsulated in the straw, and immediately before use, is dropped down into water in a glass and dissolved or dispersed, and the resulting drinkable liquid is sucked in through the straw.
Japanese Translation Publication (Kohyo) No. 2001-502173 (patent reference 2) discloses an embodiment similar to that disclosed in patent reference 1. Further, patent reference 2 also discloses an embodiment wherein beverage is sucked through a straw containing a flavouring agent coated on a surface of an inner wall of the straw, and an embodiment wherein beverage is sucked through a straw containing a flavouring agent between filters installed at the both ends thereof, while the flavouring agent is being dissolved.
Patent reference 1 and patent reference 2, however, cover only a beverage prepared by dissolving or dispersing a water readily-soluble or readily-dispersible powder or granule in water. In the case of the dispersed beverage, granules having a very small particle size are taken into consideration, but fine granules or granules having a rather larger size are not taken into consideration.
A powdery or granular medical drug for oral administration is generally supplied in the form of a dividedly wrapping heat-sealed film, or an elongated sachet. For example, Japanese Translation Publication (Kohyo) No. 2002-528483 (patent reference 3) discloses a straw-like container having therein granular drugs, and Japanese Patent No. 2607422 (patent reference 4) discloses a separately packaged container of an adsorbent for oral administration. In these cases, however, powdery or granular medical drugs are generally taken in the powdery or granular form. Persons, i.e., patients, who must take the powdery or granular medical drugs hold them in their mouth, and then swallow them down with water supplemented from a glass or the like. When a large amount of the powdery or granular drugs is to be taken, they sometimes are inserted into mouth after being wrapped with a wafer sheet.
When a large number of capsules or tablets are taken as a single unit dose, the total single unit is often divided several times, each taken with water. Thus, a larger amount of water becomes necessary. Under the circumstances, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 11-124342 (patent reference 5) discloses an oral jelly for aiding a swallowing of medical drugs.
Nevertheless, there were disadvantages in the manner of the conventional oral administration. For example, powdery or granular medical drugs are liable to be spilled when inserting from a package to the mouth, or transferring from a package to a wafer sheet. When the wafer sheet or the oral jelly is used, procedures prior to actual use are cumbersome. Further, the powdery or granular medical drugs may choke a person, i.e., a patient, taking the same, when inserted into the mouth, and be spilled out therefrom.
[patent reference 1]
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
As above, for a water readily-soluble or readily-dispersible powder or granule, various techniques for supplying a drinkable form after conversion to a drinkable liquid have been proposed. For a water practically insoluble or insoluble powder or granule, however, a means for a convenient ingestion thereof has not been proposed, even with water. Further, for a capsule or tablet to be taken in a larger amount as a single unit dose, a means for a convenient ingestion thereof has not been proposed, even with water.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a means for easily taking a water practically insoluble or insoluble powder (including fine granule), granule, capsule, tablet, or pill together with water.
Means for Solving the Problems
The present invention relates to a housing body for deglutition of a shaped solid for oral ingestion which is stored therein, comprising
The present invention also relates to a method for swallowing a shaped solid for oral ingestion, characterized in that
Further, the present invention relates to a container for use in a housing body for deglutition of a shaped solid for oral ingestion, comprising
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for swallowing a shaped solid for oral ingestion, characterized in that
Still further, the present invention relates to a container for use in a housing body for deglutition of a shaped solid for oral ingestion, comprising
Still further, the present invention relates to a method for swallowing a shaped solid for oral ingestion, characterized in that
According to the present invention, a means for easily ingesting a water practically insoluble or insoluble powder (including fine granule), granule, capsule, tablet, or pill together with water is provided. An aged person or a child can also ingest the same without a change in the formulations.
The housing body of the present invention contains therein the shaped solid for oral ingestion, such as capsules or tablets in a straw-like cylindrical envelope in a stored state. When the shaped solid for oral ingestion is to be taken, the unsealable structure part of the opening-side end part is removed to form an opening part, and the tip of the shielding-side end part is dipped into water in a cup. Then, when water or the like is drunk through a straw, the shaped solid can be drunk or swallowed together with water. Therefore, a large number of water practically insoluble or insoluble powders including fine granules can be easily swallowed, and capsules, tablets or pills having a relatively larger size can be easily drunk or swallowed together with a small amount of water.
In the conventional manner, capsules or tablets are first inserted into a cavitas oris and then water is added from a glass or the like to thereby enable them to be swallowed. In this case, when the capsules or tablets are inserted into a cavitas oris, the throat acts to block the conveying of the capsules or tablet to the esophagus. Further, the capsules or tablets are randomly placed in different directions in the cavitas oris, and thus are liable to choke the throat when swallowed together with water. In the case of the water practically insoluble or insoluble powders (including fine granules) and granules, these spread throughout the mouth and produce a problem of an uncomfortable feel remaining.
In the present invention, on the contrary, a person taking drugs will drink water through a straw as though no shaped solid exists in the cavitas oris. Thus, the throat acts to positively convey water to the esophagus. At the same time, the water practically insoluble or insoluble powders (including fine granules), granules, capsules, tablets, pills, etc. are guided toward the esophagus. When the capsules, tablets or the like are arranged in the straw in such a direction that they are easily swallowed, they pass through the cavitas oris and the throat along the water stream while maintaining their arranged directions, and thus, they can be very smoothly swallowed, and an amount of water taken in becomes remarkably small, as demonstrated in working Examples as mentioned below. Further, as the capsules, tablets or the like can be taken without directly observing same, there is little feeling of repulsion.
Specific embodiments of the housing body of the present invention will be described hereinafter, referring to affixed drawings.
The opening-side end part A has an unsealable structure part 2. An opening part 22 can be formed by removing the unsealable structure part 2. The unsealable structure part 2 preferably has a removing-aiding means such as a groove 21. The opening part 22 can be formed by cutting the tip off along the groove 21. Therefore, the opening-side end part A is closed before the groove 21 is cut off along the groove 21. The groove 21 may be set continuously on, discontinuously (i.e., in a perforated form) on, or in a part of the circumference of the side wall of the tubular envelope 1. Depending on the properties (such as hygroscopic property) of the shaped solid 5 for oral ingestion stored in the storage chamber 6, the opening-side end part A is preferably airtight when closed. If an airtight closure is not necessary, through-holes can be set, instead of the groove 21, discontinuously (i.e., in a perforated form) on the circumference of the side wall of the tubular envelope 1, or a detachable cap may be used.
The other end opposite to the opening-side end part A in the tubular envelope 1 is the shielding-side end part B. The shielding-side end part B contains a means for preventing the shaped solid for oral ingestion from release, that is, allowing liquid to pass therethrough but not allowing the shaped solid for oral ingestion to pass therethrough. The means for preventing the shaped solid for oral ingestion from release may be, for example, a net 32 covering a whole cross-sectional area of the tubular envelope 1, as shown in
In the net-type housing body 10 of the present invention as shown in
The net-type housing body 10 of the present invention as shown in
When the net-type housing body 10 of the present invention as shown in
After the unsealable structure part 2 is opened, or optionally the protective cap 46 of the shielding-side end part B is taken off, and the unsealable structure part 4 is opened, as shown in
Subsequently, as shown in
As shown in
The shielding-side end part B of the housing body 10 of the present invention may contain a narrow passage portion composed of a single or plural protrusions projecting towards an inner space of the tubular envelope 1 as a means for preventing the shaped solid for oral ingestion from release. The housing body according to the present invention containing such a narrow passage portion will be hereinafter referred to as a narrow passage-type housing body.
Another embodiment of the shielding-side end part B in the narrow passage-type housing body 10 is illustrated in
A simple narrow passage portion can be formed at an intermediate part of the tubular water-resistant envelope. For example, the Harrow passage 42d composed of the protrusions 71a, 71b shown in
The housing body of the present invention 10, in the case of either the net-type housing body or the narrow passage-type housing body, may contain the backflow preventing means at the outside of the net 32 or the narrow passage portion placed in the shielding-side end part B.
When the net-type housing body 10 having the backflow preventing cap 9 is used as shown in
A shape of the tubular envelope is not limited in the present invention, so long as the object of the present invention is achieved. An essential sectional shape is similar to a straw used for drinking, and preferably is cylindrical or elliptically cylindrical. A method for forming such a shape is not limited. A flow passage is not limited to the linear from one end to the other, but may be spiral or curved from one end to the other end. Further, the tubular water-resistant envelope may be a linear envelope having a spiral or curved portion, or a portion transformable to a curved form, as a part thereof.
In the unsealed housing body 11B containing the accordion-folding portion D, the accordion-folding portion D might obstruct a smooth passage of the shaped solid 5 for oral ingestion, depending on the shape of the shaped solid 5 for oral ingestion. For example, when the shaped solids 5 for oral ingestion are large solids, such as tablets or capsules, some solids might not pass through the accordion-folding portion D. When the shaped solids 5 for oral ingestion are powders (including fine granules) or granules, some of them might be trapped by the accordion-folding portion D and remain thereat. To avoid such a non-passing or remaining, it is preferable to store in advance the shaped solid 5 for oral ingestion at a position between the accordion-folding portion D and the opening-side end part A, as shown in
As mentioned, in the embodiment containing the accordion-folding portion in the tubular water-resistant envelope, the accordion-folding portion can be used as the means for preventing the shaped solid for oral ingestion from release, for a large shaped solid such as a tablet or a capsule. In this case, the accordion-folding portion can be placed at any position in the tubular water-resistant envelope. When used, a longer side having a longer distance between the end of the tubular water-resistant envelope and the accordion-folding portion may be dipped into water in a vessel such as a cup, or a shorter side having a shorter distance between the end of the tubular water-resistant envelope and the accordion-folding portion may be dipped into water in a vessel such as a cup.
In the unsealed housing body 11B shown in
Even if the opening-side end part A in the housing body containing the accordion-folding portion is closed, for example, with the unsealable structure part 2 as in the embodiment shown in
The portion of the shielding-side end part in the housing body of the present invention may be relatively extended. The unsealed housing body 11 of such an embodiment is illustrated in
A size, such as a length or an inner diameter, of the tubular envelope in the present invention is not limited, so long as the purpose of the present invention can be achieved. The length when liquid is sucked, that is, a length from the opening part formed after opening the unsealable structure part to the net, has a distance such that the shaped solid for oral ingestion can be sucked together with the liquid (such as water) in a vessel (such as a cup) by holding the opening part between the lips while the net is dipped in the liquid in the vessel. An essential size is same as that of a conventional straw used for drinking. In a preferable embodiment of the housing body of the present invention, a single unit dose of the shaped solid for oral ingestion is stored. In this case, the housing body preferably has a size capable of storing the single unit dose. The single unit dose may be composed of plural tablets or capsules, or of one tablet or capsule. The size of the housing body of the present invention is not limited, but for example, the length of the unsealed housing body is about 50 to 300 mm. The cross-sectional inner diameter is, for example, about 3 to 30 mm, preferably 5 to 15 mm. Further, the thickness of the tubular envelope 1 is, for example, about 0.1 to 5 mm.
The housing body of the present invention is intended not only for packaging, but also for sucking a liquid (in particular water) as a drinking straw while being dipped into the liquid. Therefore, it is made from a material having a strength and resistance to water. When the shaped solid for oral ingestion has hygroscopicity, and an airtight package is required, it is preferably made from an airtight material. Further, it is preferable to overwrap the housing body with a high barrier packaging material or the like, or put the housing body in an airtight bottle. Furthermore, the housing body is used for sucking as a drinking straw, and thus is preferably atoxic.
As a material for the housing body, for example, polyolefin resin, such as polypropylene resin, polyethylene resin, polyester resin, acrylic resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, or polyvinylidene chloride resin, waterproof paper, glass, pottery, or metal may be used. Depending on a method for producing the same, an appropriate sealant layer may be applied.
When the shaped solid for oral ingestion stored in the storage chamber of the housing body has an appearance physiologically unacceptable for oral administration, an opaque housing body may be used to minimize any discomfort of a person taking the shaped solid. On the contrary, when such a discomfort of a person taking the shaped solid can be reduced if the shaped solid can be observed from the outside, a transparent housing body may be used.
Any means may be used as a means for opening the unsealable structure part. For example, it is preferable to use a means such as the groove which does not require a tool, but can be easily opened by hand. Particularly, a method for a manually tearable cover, or opening a lid such as a cap is preferable. The net is not limited, so long as it has a sieve that does not allow the shaped solid for oral ingestion stored in the storage chamber of the unsealed housing body to pass therethrough, but allows liquid to pass therethrough when the liquid is sucked up.
The shaped solid for oral ingestion is stored in the storage chamber of the housing body. The term “shaped solid for oral ingestion” as used herein means, for example, medicines, supplments, foods, beverages or the like, as will be mentioned, and as a shape, for example, of the medicine, powders (including fine granules), granules, capsules, tablets, or pills which are described in the 14th Revised Japanese Pharmacopoeia, and is not limited so long as it has a size capable of being taken by sucking in as through a drinking straw. Specifically, the shaped solid for oral ingestion having a size of about 0.01 to 30 mm can be stored. In particular, the powder means that, in a formulation size test, a total amount can pass a No. 18 sieve (850 μm), and 5% or less of the total amount cannot pass a No. 30 sieve (500 μm). The fine granule means that it satisfies the requirement of the powder and 10% or less of the total amount can pass a No. 200 sieve (75 μm). The granule means that, in a formulation size test, a total amount can pass a No. 10 sieve (1700 μm), 5% or less of the total amount cannot pass a No. 12 sieve (1400 μm), and 15% or less of the total amount can pass a No. 42 sieve (355 μm). The capsule means that it has a major axis of 10 to 25 mm (No. 0 to No. 5), and the tablet means that it has a diameter of 3 to 30 mm. In the conventional method, the shaped solid for oral ingestion alone was inserted into the mouth, and then water taken from a cup or the like to swallow the same. Therefore, if many capsules or tablets must be taken as a single unit dose, pain or a difficulty was caused. It is preferable to apply the present invention to the formulations under such circumstances.
The shaped solid for oral ingestion is not limited, so long as it is a solid capable of being orally taken, and has a shape, but is for example, medicines, supplements, foods, beverages, or the like. Specifically, it means a shaped solid to be swallowed without manducating while the shape is maintained, that is, to be drunk down without biting. In other words, it means a shaped solid difficult to be swallowed by itself, and thus to be swallowed with water. When the present invention is applied to a large capsule or tablet, a remarkably advantageous effect can be recognized. However, the present invention can be applied to a small granule. Further, when the present invention is applied to a water practically insoluble or insoluble shaped solid, an advantageous effect can be recognized. However, the present invention man be applied to a water soluble or water dispersible shaped solid. Furthermore, when the present invention is applied to a shaped solid which is not destroyed in a short period of time when inserted into the mouth in the conventional method, an advantageous effect can be recognized. The present invention may be applied to an easily-destroyed shaped solid which can substantially maintain its shape for at least 10 seconds after being brought into contact with water. In the present specification, the term “can substantially maintain its shape” in a short period of time after being brought into contact with water means that 80% or more of the shape is maintained after being brought into contact with water.
There may be mentioned as the medicine, for example, powders (including fine granules), granules, capsules, tablets, pills, or the like. Particularly, water practically insoluble or insoluble powders (including fine granules) or granules are, for example, an adsorbent for oral administration or the like.
Any drinking liquid may be used as the liquid for taking the shaped solid for oral ingestion stored in the storage chamber of the unsealed housing body. Most preferably, water is used, but tea, milk, jelly liquid, juice or the like may be used.
The present invention also relates to a container for use in the housing body for deglutition of the shaped solid for oral ingestion. More particularly, the vacant container which does not contain the shaped solid for oral ingestion is supplied to a person taking the shaped solid for oral ingestion. When the person is to take the solid, the person can charge the shaped solid for oral ingestion in the storage chamber, and then suck in and swallow the same.
The container according to the present invention has the same embodiment as that of the present housing body, except that it does not store the shaped solid for oral ingestion therein. Because the container does not store the shaped solid for oral ingestion, it is not necessary to install the unsealable structure part in the opening-side end part. However, it is preferable to install the unsealable structure part in the opening-side end part, to keep the vacant storage chamber clean.
The housing body of the present invention may be used not only by dipping the unsealed housing body into water in a cup, but also by attaching it to a drinking aperture of a jug. In this case, the unsealed housing body of the present invention having a shape attachable to the tip of the drinking aperture of a jug is attached to the tip of the drinking aperture of the jug, and the shaped solid for oral ingestion stored in the unsealed housing body can be swallowed using water in the jug.
The present invention now will be further illustrated by, but is by no means limited to, the following Examples.
(1) Production of a Container for a Net-Type Housing Body
A container for the net-type housing body 10 as shown in
(2) Filling of Capsules
The polypropylene straw, that is, the container produced in the above item (1) for the net-type housing body 10 was vertically set up while the shielding-side end part B was directed downward. Ten capsules in a dry state were charged thereto from the opening part 22 at the top of the opening-side end part A. The capsule used was prepared by filling 250 mg of granular crystalline cellulose (particle size=300 μm to 500 μm; Celphere CP305; Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp.) into No. 1 capsule of Sionogi Qualicaps, using a capsule filling machine (LZ64, Zanasi). The opening-side end part A was heat-sealed by a heat-sealer (Fuji Impulse) so that the capsules could not be discharged. The No. 1 capsule used had a major axis diameter of 19.7 mm, and a minor axis diameter of 6.7 mm.
The procedures described in Example 1 (1) and (2) were repeated except that 2 g of granular crystalline cellulose (Celphere CP305; Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp.; particle size=300 to 500 μm) was used instead of the capsules.
The procedures described in Example 1 (1) and (2) were repeated except that 2 g of spherical activated carbons (Kureha-A-BAC; Kureha Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.; particle size=850 to 1190 μm) was used instead of the capsules.
The procedures described in Example 1 (1) and (2) were repeated except that five tablets were used instead of the five capsules used in Example 1.
The tablets used were prepared by forming tablets (diameter=7 mm; thickness=3 mm) from a mixture of 99% by weight of lactose and 1% by weight of talc by a rotary tableting machine (HT-9; Hata Tekkojo), and coating the product with a film of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose 2910 (TC-5; Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.).
<<Tests for Swallowing Ability>>
The housing body 10 produced in Example 1 was used as the housing body 10 of the present invention and compared with a case (Comparative Example 1) wherein ten capsules were taken as in the conventional manner without inserting them into the housing body 10 produced in Example 1.
Specifically, an evaluation was made by ten healthy volunteers. That is, an evaluation of ease of taking was made by comparing the case (Comparative Example 1) wherein they held ten capsules in their mouths, and thereafter took the capsules with water, and the case (Example 1) wherein they dipped the housing body 10 produced in Example 1 in water in a glass, and sucked in the capsules together with the water. The volunteers gave points in accordance with the criteria shown in Table 1, and an amount consumed when taking was recorded. The results are shown in Table 2.
As apparent from the results shown in Table 2, the average score was 1.7 and the average amount of water consumed was 73 mL, in the conventional formulation, whereas the average score was 4.0 and the average amount of water consumed was 35 mL when taken from the housing body 10 of the present invention produced in Example 1. That is, the ease of taking drugs, i.e., the swallowing ability, was improved for all of the ten volunteers.
The housing body 10 produced in Example 2 was used as the housing body 10 of the present invention and compared with a case (Comparative Example 2) wherein 2 g of the fine granules used in Example 2 was wrapped in a sachet (4 cm×7 cm) and taken together with water in the conventional manner.
Specifically, an evaluation was made by ten healthy volunteers. That is, an evaluation of ease of taking was made by comparing the conventional method (Comparative Example 2) wherein they took the fine granules wrapped with the sachet together with water, and the case (Example 2) wherein they dipped the housing body 10 produced in Example 2 in water in a glass, and sucked in the granules together with the water. The volunteers gave points in accordance with the criteria shown in Table 3, and an amount consumed when taking was recorded. The results are shown in Table 4.
As apparent from the results shown in Table 4, the average score was 2.2 and the average amount of water consumed was 56 mL, in the conventional taking method, whereas the average score was 2.8 and the average amount of water consumed was 47 mL when taken from the housing body 10 of the present invention produced in Example 2. That is, the average score was improved, the amount of consumed was reduced, and the ease of taking drugs, i.e., the swallowing ability, was improved.
The housing body 10 produced in Example 3 was used as the housing body 10 of the present invention and compared with a case (Comparative Example 3) wherein 2 g of the granules used in Example 3 was wrapped in a sachet (4 cm×7 cm) and taken together with water in the conventional manner.
Specifically, an evaluation was made by ten healthy volunteers. That is, an evaluation of ease of taking was made by comparing the conventional method (Comparative Example 3) wherein they took the granules wrapped with the sachet together with water, and the case (Example 3) wherein they dipped the housing body 10 produced in Example 3 in water in glass, and sucked in the granules together with the water. The volunteers gave points in accordance with the criteria shown in Table 3, and an amount consumed when taking was recorded. The results are shown in Table 5.
As apparent from the results shown in Table 5, the average score was 2.4 and the average amount of water consumed was 55 mL, in the conventional taking method, whereas the average score was 2.8 and the average amount of water consumed was 45 mL when taken from the housing body 10 of the present invention produced in Example 3. That is, the average score was improved, the amount of water consumed was reduced, and the ease of taking drugs, i.e., the swallowing ability, was improved.
The housing body 10 produced in Example 4 was used as the housing body 10 of the present invention and compared with a case (Comparative Example 4) wherein five capsules and five tablets used in Example 4 were taken together with water as in the conventional manner.
Specifically, an evaluation was made by ten healthy volunteers. That is, an evaluation of ease of taking was made by comparing the case (Comparative Example 4) wherein they took five capsules and five tablets together with water according to the conventional method, and the case (Example 4) wherein they dipped the housing body 10 produced in Example 4 in water in a glass, and sucked in the capsules and tablets together with the water. The volunteers gave points in accordance with the criteria shown in Table 1, and an amount consumed when taking was recorded. The results are shown in Table 6.
As apparent from the results shown in Table 6, the average score was 2.0 and the average amount of water consumed was 69 mL, in the conventional taking method, whereas the average score was 4.0 and the average amount of water consumed was 37 mL when taken from the housing body 10 of the present invention produced in Example 4. That is, the score in the present invention was full marks for all of the ten volunteers, the amount of water consumed was reduced to half the amount, and the ease of taking drugs, i.e., the swallowing ability, was improved.
The housing body for deglutition according to the present invention stores the shaped solid for oral ingestion, such as capsules or tablets in a drinking straw-like cylindrical envelope. Thus, as water or the like is drunk through a drinking straw, the shaped solid can be drunk down (i.e., swallowed) together with water after the tip of the cylindrical envelope is dipped in water in a glass. Therefore, a relatively large capsule or tablet can be very easily drunk, i.e., swallowed.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, various changes and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art are possible without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-135841 | May 2003 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP04/06544 | 5/14/2004 | WO | 11/14/2005 |
