An inhalant medicator comprises a medicator body having a granular medicine accommodation chamber and an inhalant port, and air passageways disposed in the medicator body and communicating the inhalant port via the granular medicine accommodation chamber to the atmosphere for supplying granular medicines into the inhalant port. Also provided is a granular medicine diffusion means located downstream of the granular medicine accommodation chamber for efficiently diffusing the granular medicines. A cylindrical adapter 10 is detachably installed in the inhalant port 9. The granular medicine diffusion means comprises a granular medicine diffusion chamber 11 formed in the adapter, an adapter inlet passageway tangentially radially extending from the circumference of the diffusion chamber 11 for creating turbulent flow in the diffusion chamber, and an adapter outlet passageway intercommunicating the diffusion chamber and the inhalant port and having a diametrically-enlarged outlet passage portion, for good dispersion of the granulated medicines flowing out of the diffusion chamber into the inhalant port.

TECHNICAL FIELD
 The invention relates to an inhalant medicator suitable to prescribe
 granulated medicines toward within lungs of a patient by way of breathing
 action of the patient.
 BACKGROUND ART
 Generally, there are two typical medications of prescribing granulated
 medicines toward within lungs of an asthmatic patient, that is, one being
 a medication that the granulated medicines are inhaled by way of a liquid
 aerosol atomizer, and the other being an inhalation treatment that very
 fine granular medicines encapsulated in a granular-medicine accommodation
 chamber or a capsule, such as granules each having a particle diameter
 ranging from 5 .mu.m to 10 .mu.m, are inhaled by breaking through the
 granular-medicine accommodation chamber or the capsule. Of these
 medications for an asthmatic patient, an inhalant medicator, used for the
 latter inhalation treatment where encapsulated granulated medicines are
 inhaled, has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No.
 7-313599.
 The conventional inhalant medicator disclosed in the Japanese Patent
 Provisional Publication No. 7-313599 is generally comprised of a medicator
 body equipped at one axial end with a capsule housing hole (a granular
 medicine accommodation chamber) and at the other axial end with an
 inhalant port used for inhalation of granular medicines, an inflow air
 passageway having an axial inflow passage extending in the axial direction
 of the medicator body and a pin insertion hole extending in a radial
 direction of the medicator body for communicating the capsule housing hole
 with the atmosphere, an outflow air passageway having an outflow passage
 extending in the axial direction of the medicator body and a pin insertion
 hole extending in the radial direction of the medicator body for
 communicating the capsule housing hole with the inhalant port, and a
 pricking tool having pins insertable toward the capsule through the
 respective pin insertion holes for breaking through the capsule
 accommodated in the capsule housing hole. The inflow and outflow air
 passageways are provided for supplying the granular medicines encapsulated
 in the capsule into the inhalant port, while dispersing the granular
 medicines in the capsule by air flow flowing through the interior of the
 capsule.
 In conventional inhalant medicators, when prescribing granulated medicines
 into the lungs of a patient, a capsule filled with the granulated
 medicines is, first of all, installed in a capsule housing hole. Then,
 through holes are pricked in the capsule by means of a pricking tool, with
 the result that the inflow side of the medicator body is communicated
 through the through holes pricked in the capsule with the outflow side,
 that is, the outflow air passageway and the inhalant port. Under this
 condition, when the patient draws his or her breath while taking the
 inhalant port in his or her mouth, the granular medicines stored in the
 capsule housing hole can be discharged into the inhalant port by way of
 the air flow sucked in the atmosphere side and then flowing through the
 inflow air passageway. In this manner, the granular medicines, flowing out
 of the capsule, could be inhaled into the lungs of the patient.
 As discussed above, in the conventional inhalant medicators, granular
 medicines, stored in a capsule housing hole, are diffused or agitated by
 way of fluid flow of air flowing via the inflow air passageway into the
 capsule housing hole. However, during medication with a granular medicine
 having a strong condensation property (bad dispersion), or a powdered
 medicine having a greatly increased tendency to be charged with static
 electricity, or a powdered medicine containing oil content, or the like,
 there is a problem of unstable dispersion of the granular or powdered
 medicine from being inhaled toward within the lungs of the patient stably
 and satisfactorily at all times where medications are repeatedly made with
 medicines of different physical properties. In case of the use of granular
 or powdered medicines having the physical properties set out above, there
 is a possibility that a lump of granular or powdered medicines tend to be
 dropped in the oral cavity or the mouth of the patient during the
 inhalation without sufficient dispersion, thus preventing medical
 prescription of a specified amount of granulated or powdered medicines
 into the patient' lungs. This lowers medical benefits of the granulated or
 powdered medicines.
 It is, therefore, in view of the previously-described disadvantages of the
 prior art, an object of the present invention to provide an inhalant
 medicator which is capable of prescribing a specified amount of granular
 or powdered medicines stored in a capsule or a medicator body toward
 within lungs of a patient by widely dispersing and micronizing the
 granular or powdered medicines.
 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
 In order to accomplish the aforementioned and other objects, according to
 the invention as claimed in claim 1, an inhalant medicator comprises a
 medicator body formed at one axial end with a granular medicine
 accommodation chamber and at another axial end with an inhalant port for
 inhalation of granular medicines, air passageways disposed in the
 medicator body and intercommunicating an atmosphere side and the inhalant
 port via the granular medicine accommodation chamber for supplying the
 granular medicines stored in the granular medicine accommodation chamber
 of the medicator body into the inhalant port, and a granular medicine
 diffusion means disposed in the medicator body and located downstream of
 the granular medicine accommodation chamber for diffusing the granular
 medicines, flowing out of the granular medicine accommodation chamber
 through the air passageways into the inhalant port. In the inhalant
 medicator made according to the invention defined in claim 1, when a
 patient draws his or her breath via the inhalant port, the granular
 medicines, flowing out of the granular medicine accommodation chamber
 through the air passageways, can be efficiently diffused by the granular
 medicine diffusion means, and whereby more efficiently micronized granular
 medicines can be flowed out into the inhalant port, and thus a specified
 amount of granular medicines can be reliably prescribed into lungs of the
 patient. This enhances medical virtue or benefits of the granular or
 powdered medicines, thus enhancing the reliability of the inhalant
 medicator.
 According to the invention as claimed in claim 2, the medicator body has an
 adapter which is detachably installed in the inhalant port. The granular
 medicine diffusion means comprises a granular medicine diffusion chamber
 formed in the adapter and extending in an axial direction of the adapter,
 an adapter inlet passageway fluidly disposed between the granular medicine
 diffusion chamber and the air passageways for creating turbulent flow in
 the granular medicine diffusion chamber, and an adapter outlet passageway
 intercommunicating the granular medicine diffusion chamber and the
 inhalant port. In the inhalant medicator made according to the invention
 defined in claim 2, when the granular medicines flow into the granular
 medicine diffusion chamber through the adapter inlet passage, the granular
 medicines can be efficiently diffused and micronized by means of the
 turbulent flow created by the adapter inlet passage, and whereby the
 micronized granular medicines flow into the inhalant port via the adapter
 outlet passage. Various sorts of adapters having granular medicine
 diffusion chambers different from each other in shape, adapter inlet
 passages different from each other in shape, and/or adapter outlet
 passages different from each other in shape can be prepared, and one of
 the different sorts of adapters can be selectively installed on the
 medicator body. Therefore, a more proper adapter is selectable from the
 different sorts of adapters, depending upon physical properties of
 granular medicines, a vital capacity of a patient, or a weak chest or a
 strong chest. This highly enhances an efficiency of inhalation of granular
 medicines.
 According to the invention as claimed in claim 3, the adapter inlet
 passageway of the granular medicine diffusion means comprises an inlet
 passage offsetting with respect to a central axis of the granular medicine
 diffusion chamber and extending radially tangentially from the
 circumference of the granular medicine diffusion chamber, and opening to
 the granular medicine diffusion chamber at an innermost end of the inlet
 passage. In the inhalant medicator made according to the invention defined
 in claim 3, air, entering through the adapter inlet passageway into the
 granular medicine diffusion chamber together with the granular medicines,
 effectively create turbulent flow in the granular medicine diffusion
 chamber. The turbulent flow efficiently diffuse and micronize the granular
 medicines. The radially tangentially extending adapter inlet passage is
 very simple, and thus the total construction of the inhalant medicator as
 well as the granular medicine diffusion means can be simplified. This
 enables easy cleaning of the inhalant medicator after medication.
 According to the invention as claimed in claim 4, the adapter outlet
 passageway of the granular medicine diffusion means comprises a
 diametrically-enlarged outlet passage portion diametrically enlarged from
 the granular medicine diffusion chamber toward the inhalant port to an
 extent substantially identical to a size of opening of the inhalant port.
 Therefore, the granular medicines, flowing from the granular medicine
 diffusion chamber toward the inhalant port, can be effectively widely
 dispersed by means of the diametrically-enlarged outlet passage portion,
 and the widely dispersed granular medicines can be discharged into the
 inhalant port, and whereby the granular medicines can be more efficiently
 inhaled into the lungs of the patient.
 According to the invention as claimed in claim 5, the air passageways
 comprise an inflow air passageway having an inflow passage extending in an
 axial direction of the medicator body and a radial bore extending in a
 radial direction of the medicator body for communicating the granular
 medicine accommodation chamber with the atmosphere, and an outflow air
 passageway having an outflow passage extending in the axial direction of
 the medicator body and a second radial bore extending in the radial
 direction of the medicator body for communicating the granular medicine
 accommodation chamber with the adapter inlet passageway. The adapter inlet
 passageway is fluidly disposed between the granular medicine diffusion
 chamber and the outflow air passageway. With the arrangement as recited in
 claim 5, the adapter inlet passageway can produce the turbulent flow in
 the granular medicine diffusion chamber.
 According to the invention as claimed in claim 6, the adapter inlet
 passageway comprises a plurality of circumferentially-equidistant spaced
 inlet passages offsetting with respect to a central axis of the granular
 medicine diffusion chamber and extending radially tangentially from the
 circumference of the granular medicine diffusion chamber, and opening to
 the granular medicine diffusion chamber at their innermost ends. In the
 inhalant medicator made according to claim 6, entering through the adapter
 inlet passageway into the granular medicine diffusion chamber together
 with the granular medicines, more effectively create turbulent air flow in
 the granular medicine diffusion chamber, thus ensuring sufficient
 micronization of the granular medicines during medication. The radially
 tangentially extending adapter inlet passages are very simple in
 construction, thus enabling easy washing of the inhalant medicator after
 the medication.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 The present invention will be hereinbelow described in detail in reference
 to the drawings (FIGS. 1 through 3) attached hereto.
 Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 3, reference sign 1 denotes a medicator
 body constructing an essential part of the inhalant medicator. The
 medicator body 1 is comprised of a capsule holder accommodating portion 2,
 a capsule holder 4, a capsule housing chamber 5, an inhalant port 9, and
 an adapter 10. The capsule holder accommodating portion 2 is substantially
 cylindrical in shape. The holder accommodating portion 2 located in one
 half (the right-hand half) of the medicator body 1. The holder
 accommodating portion 2 is integrally formed with a cylindrical guide
 portion 3 on its outer periphery, such that the cylindrical guide portion
 3 is projected radially outwardly from the outer periphery of the holder
 accommodating portion 2. As fully described later, the cylindrical guide
 portion 3 is provided to movably guide and support a pin support portion
 15 of a pricking tool 14. As seen in FIG. 1, the holder accommodating
 portion 2 is also formed at another axial end with a female screw-threaded
 portion 2A with which a male screw-threaded portion of the inhalant port 9
 is detachably threadably engaged. The capsule holder 4, installed in the
 holder accommodating portion 2, is cylindrical in shape. The capsule
 holder 4 is formed at its axial portion with the capsule housing chamber
 or hole 5, serving as a granular medicine accommodation chamber. A capsule
 K, which will be described later, is stored or accommodated in the capsule
 housing chamber 5. Reference signs 6, 6 denote two inflow air passageways
 formed in one axial end of the capsule holder 4. Each of the inflow air
 passageways 6, 6 are arranged around the capsule housing chamber 5. Each
 of the inflow air passageways 6, 6 comprises an axial inflow passage 6B
 arranged around the capsule housing chamber 5 and opening to the
 atmosphere through the opening end of the capsule holder 4, and a first
 radial pin insertion hole 6A communicating with the associated axial
 inflow passage 6B and extending radially in a manner so as to open to the
 capsule housing chamber 5. The first pin insertion hole 6A radially
 penetrates the capsule holder 4. The pin 16 of the pricking tool 14 is
 inserted into the capsule holder through the first pin insertion hole 6A,
 for pricking holes in the capsule K installed in the capsule housing
 chamber. The inflow passage 6B is formed in the capsule holder in such a
 manner as to open to the atmosphere, extending from the middle of the pin
 insertion hole 6A in one axial direction of the capsule holder. Reference
 signs 7, 7 denote two outflow air passageways formed in the other axial
 end of the capsule holder 4. Each of the outflow air passageways 7, 7 are
 arranged around the capsule housing chamber 5 to communicate with an
 adapter inlet passageway 12, which will be fully described later. Each of
 the outflow air passageways 7, 7 comprises an outflow passage 7B extending
 in the axial direction of the capsule holder, and a second radial pin
 insertion hole 7A communicating with the associated outflow passage 7B and
 extending radially in a manner so as to open to the capsule housing
 chamber 5. The second pin insertion hole 7A radially penetrates the
 capsule holder 4. The pin 16 of the pricking tool 14 is inserted into the
 capsule holder through the second pin insertion hole 7A, for pricking
 holes in the capsule K installed in the capsule housing chamber. The
 outflow passage 7B is formed in the capsule holder in such a manner as to
 open to an axial passage 12A of the adapter 10, extending from the middle
 of the pin insertion hole 7A in the other axial direction of the capsule
 holder. Reference signs 8, 8 denote two auxiliary air passages (in FIG. 1,
 only one auxiliary air passage is illustrated) arranged around the capsule
 housing chamber 5 and axially bored in the capsule holder 4 in a manner as
 to axially penetrate the capsule holder. As best seen in FIG. 1, each of
 the auxiliary air passages 8, 8 is formed in such a manner as to extend in
 the axial direction of the capsule holder at an angular position rotated
 by 90 degrees with respect to the respective inflow passage or to the
 respective outflow passage. The downstream ends of the auxiliary air
 passages 8 and 8 communicate the adapter inlet passageway 12 of the
 adapter 10. Reference sign 9 denotes the inhalant port located at and
 fitted to the left-hand end of the holder accommodating portion 2. The
 inhalant port 9 is substantially cylindrical in shape. The inhalant port 9
 is formed at its joint end with a male screw-threaded portion 9A onto
 which a female screw-threaded portion 2A of the holder accommodating
 portion 2 is threadably received. The free end (the left-hand end) of the
 inhalant port 9 is gradually diametrically diminished for the purpose of
 easily holding the inhalant port in his or her mouth. The inhalant port 9
 is formed with a substantially cylindrical two-stepped internal space. As
 seen in FIG. 1, the adapter 10 is installed in the substantially
 cylindrical two-stepped internal space of the inhalant port 9 so that the
 left-hand end of the adapter is fitted to the stepped portion 9B of the
 two-stepped internal space of the inhalant port 9. The adapter 10 is
 substantially cylindrical in shape. Almost all of the adapter 10 is
 accommodated in the cylindrical two-stepped internal space of the inhalant
 port 9, whereas part of the right-hand end of the adapter 10 is located in
 the holder accommodating portion 2 such that the right-hand end of the
 adapter 10 abuts the capsule holder 4. Reference sign 11 denotes the
 granular medicine diffusion chamber formed along the central axis of the
 adapter 10. The granular medicine diffusion chamber 11 is formed as an
 axially-extending cylindrical space, for the purpose of creating whirling
 flow or vortex flow in the granular medicine diffusion chamber 11 by means
 of air flow flowing through each of adapter inlet passageways 12 into the
 granular medicine diffusion chamber 11. In the shown embodiment, four
 adapter inlet passageways 12, 12, 12, 12 are formed in the right-hand end
 of the adapter 10. As appreciated from the cross section shown in FIG. 2,
 the four adapter inlet passageways 12, 12, 12, 12 are comprised of four
 axial passages 12A, 12A, 12A, 12A which are circumferentially
 90.degree.-spaced each other and axially bored in the right-hand end of
 the adapter and coaxially located with respect to the axis of the adapter
 10, and four radial passages 12B, 12B, 12B, 12B which are radially bored
 in the right-hand end of the adapter and offsetting with respect to the
 central axis of the granular medicine diffusion chamber, and extend
 radially tangentially from the circumference of the granular medicine
 diffusion chamber, and open to or communicate with the granular medicine
 diffusion chamber at their innermost end and communicate with the
 respective axial passages 12A, 12A, 12A, 12A. In more detail, the central
 axial line of one of the radial passages 12B, 12B, 12B, 12B is slightly
 inclined from a line radially drawn through the axis of the granular
 medicine diffusion chamber 11 and passing through the center of the
 outermost end of the one radial passage 12B, in such a manner as to extend
 tangentially from the circumference of the granular medicine diffusion
 chamber 11 and opens to the granular medicine diffusion chamber 11 at the
 innermost end thereof. Of these axial passages 12A, 12A, 12A, 12A, a first
 diametrically-opposing pair of axial passages (corresponding to upper and
 lower axial passages 12B and 12B in FIGS. 1 and 2), point-symmetrical with
 respect to the axis of the adapter 10, are axially bored in the adapter in
 a manner so as to communicate with the respective axial outflow passages
 7B and 7B of the outflow air passageways 7 and 7. On the other hand, a
 second diametrically-opposing pair of axial passages (corresponding to
 left and right axial passages 12B and 12B in FIG. 2), point-symmetrical
 with respect to the axis of the adapter 10, are axially bored in the
 adapter in a manner so as to communicate with the respective
 axially-extending auxiliary air passageways 8 and 8. As best seen in FIG.
 3, when the air flow entering into the axial passages 12A, are introduced
 through the radial passages 12B into the granular medicine diffusion
 chamber 11 owing to the breathing action of the patient during medication,
 the respective adapter inlet passageways 12 create whirling air flow
 (turbulent flow) within the granular medicine diffusion chamber 11, and
 thereby efficiently diffuse the granular medicines supplied into the
 inhalant port by virtue of the air flow. Reference sign 13 denotes an
 axially-extending adapter outlet passageway formed at the downstream end
 (the left-hand end) of the adapter 10. The adapter outlet passageway 13
 comprises an axially-extending small-diameter outlet passage (simply a
 small-diameter passage) 13A communicating with the downstream end of the
 granular medicine diffusion chamber 11 having an inside diameter less than
 an inside diameter of the granular cylindrical medicine diffusion chamber
 11, and an axially-extending diametrically-enlarged passage (simply a
 diametrically-enlarged passage) 13B diametrically enlarged and bored in
 the left-hand end of the adapter 10 from the small-diameter passage 13A
 toward the opening end of the inhalant port 9. As seen in FIG. 1, the
 diametrically-enlarged passage 13B is rapidly diametrically enlarged and
 formed in the left-hand end of the adapter 10, so that the inside diameter
 of the diametrically-enlarged passage 13B is rapidly increased in the
 direction of the opening end of the inhalant port 9 up to approximately
 the same inside diameter as the opening end of the inhalant port 9. Thus,
 the rapidly, diametrically-enlarged passage 13B serves to widely
 efficiently disperse the granular medicines flowing out of the granular
 medicine diffusion chamber 11 into the inhalant port 9. As discussed
 above, a granular medicine diffusion means is constructed by the granular
 medicine diffusion chamber, each of the adapter inlet passageways 12, and
 the adapter outlet passageway 13. With the previously-described
 arrangement, when the air flow incoming through the outflow air
 passageways 7 and 7, and the auxiliary air passageways 8 and 8, flows via
 the adapter inlet passageways 12, 12, 12, 12 into the granular medicine
 diffusion chamber 11, the granular medicine diffusion means acts to create
 whirling flow or turbulent flow within the granular medicine diffusion
 chamber 11 owing to slight inclination of each of the radial passages 12B,
 12B, 12B, 12B, and whereby the granular medicines supplied through the
 adapter inlet passageways 12 communicating the outflow air passageways 7
 and 7 can be more efficiently diffused and micronized. Furthermore, when
 the micronized granular medicines flow through the small-diameter passage
 13A and the diametrically-enlarged passage 13B included in the adapter
 outlet passageway 13 toward the opening end of the inhalant port 9, the
 micronized granular medicines can be more efficiently widely dispersed by
 way of the small-diameter passage 13A plus the diametrically-enlarged
 passage 13B. Thus, the granular medicines can be carried toward the
 opening end of the inhalant port 9 in a state of the granular medicines
 widely dispersed. In FIGS. 1 and 3, reference sign 14 denotes a pricking
 tool used for pricking holes (through openings) H in the capsule K
 accommodated in the capsule housing chamber 5. The pricking tool 14
 comprises a pin support portion 15 movably supported within the
 cylindrical guide portion 3, two pins 16 and 16 fixedly connected at their
 bottom ends to the pin support portion 15 and located or fitted at their
 tips into the respective pin insertion holes 6A and 7A formed in the
 capsule holder 5, and a return spring 17 operably disposed between the pin
 support portion 15 and the holder accommodating portion 2. The return
 spring 17 permanently biases the pin support portion 15 in a direction
 that the pins 16 and 16 move apart from the capsule K, in order to return
 the pins to their initial positions after pricking the holes H in the
 capsule K. In order to make four through holes (or four through openings)
 H in the capsule K, the pin support portion 15 of the pricking tool 14 is
 first pushed into the cylindrical guide portion 3 against the bias of the
 return spring 17, and thus the tips of the pins 16 and 16 are inserted
 into the respective pin insertion holes 6A and 7A and thus penetrate the
 capsule K accommodated in the capsule housing chamber 5. In this manner
 the four through holes H can be formed in the capsule K by way of one push
 of the pin support portion 15. Thereafter, upon removal of the pushing
 force applied to the pin support portion 15 and the pins 16 and 16 are
 returned to their initial positions by way of the bias of the spring 17.
 Hereinbelow described in detail the preparatory operation of the inhalant
 medication through which the patient inhales the granular medicines, and
 the flow of air and granular medicines during inhalation.
 As regards the preparatory operation of the inhalant medication, first of
 all, a capsule K is inserted into and accommodated in the capsule housing
 chamber 5 from the opening end of the capsule holder 4. With the capsule K
 enclosed in the capsule housing chamber 5, when the pin support portion 15
 of the pricking tool 14 is pushed into the cylindrical guide portion 3
 along the inner peripheral wall of the guide portion 3, the pins 16, 16
 are radially inwardly inserted along the respective pin insertion holes 6A
 and 7A, thus pricking four through holes H in the capsule K with the pins
 16, 16. After the formation of the four through holes H in the capsule K,
 the pin support portion 15 and the pins 16, 16 can be returned to their
 initial positions by means of the return spring 17.
 Hereunder discussed by reference to FIG. 3 is the detailed flow of air and
 granular medicines carried through the internal space or the internal flow
 passages of the inhalant medicator when the patient inhales the granular
 medicines. The patient draws his or her breath while taking the tapered
 end (the left-hand side opening end) of the inhalant port 9, and whereby
 the air flows from the inflow air passageways 6, 6 (including the axial
 inflow passages 6B, 6B and the first radial pin insertion holes 6A, 6A)
 through the right-hand side through holes H, H into the capsule K, thus
 diffusing granular medicines in the capsule K. The air containing the
 granular medicines flows out of the capsule K via the left-hand side
 through holes H and H into the outflow air passageways 7 and 7 (including
 the second radial pin insertion holes 7A, 7A and the axial outflow
 passages 7B, 7B). At this time, several insufficiently-diffused massive
 granular medicines 18, 18, . . . , 18 are often contained in the granular
 medicines flowing out of the capsule K into the outflow air passageway 7
 and 7. Thereafter, the air flow containing the granular medicines, flowing
 into the outflow air passageways 7 and 7, enters via the axial passages
 12A of the adapter inlet passageways 12 and the radial passages 12B into
 the granular medicine diffusion chamber 11. As previously described, when
 the air containing the granular medicines passes through the granular
 medicine diffusion chamber 11, the massive granular medicines 18 contained
 in the air flow can be further diffused and micronized owing to whirling
 flow (turbulent flow) created by the radial passages 12B. Additionally, a
 more strong whirling air flow can be created within the granular medicine
 diffusion chamber 11 by virtue of auxiliary air flow drawn into the
 granular medicine diffusion chamber 11 through the auxiliary air
 passageways 8 and 8 formed in the capsule holder 4 and via the associated
 adapter inlet passageways 12 and 12. Then, the granular medicines,
 diffused and micronized within the granular medicine diffusion chamber 11,
 flow out into the diametrically-enlarged passage 13B through the
 small-diameter passage 13A. As a result, the micronized granular medicines
 can be efficiently and widely dispersed by means of the
 diametrically-enlarged passage 13B combined with the small-diameter
 passage 13A. Thus, the granular medicines are carried into the inhalant
 port 9 in a state of the granular medicines widely satisfactorily
 dispersed, and then the sufficiently dispersed granular medicines are
 efficiently inhaled from the inhalant port 9 via the oral cavity of the
 patient into the lungs.
 As set out above, in the inhalant medicator of the embodiment, the granular
 medicine diffusion chamber 11 is disposed and located downstream of the
 capsule housing chamber 5, and also whirling flow or turbulent flow can be
 created within the granular medicine diffusion chamber 11 by way of air
 flow flowing out of the adapter inlet passageways 12. Thus, the granular
 medicines flowing out of the capsule K together with the air flow passing
 through the interior of the capsule K can be further diffused by way of
 the whirling flow occurring in the granular medicine diffusion chamber 11,
 thereby more effectively micronizing massive granular medicines 18, and
 thus ensuring and facilitating medical prescription of a specified amount
 of granular medicines into the lungs of the patient. Additionally, the
 adapter 10 is detachably disposed in the cylindrical internal space of the
 inhalant port 9, and also the adapter 10 is formed with the granular
 medicine diffusion chamber 11, the adapter inlet passageways 12, and the
 adapter outlet passageway 13, constructing the granular medicine diffusion
 means. Various sorts of adapters having granular medicine diffusion
 chambers different from each other in shape, adapter inlet passages
 different from each other in shape, and/or adapter outlet passages
 different from each other in shape can be prepared, and one of the
 different sorts of adapters can be selectively installed on the medicator
 body, and therefore, a more proper adapter is selectable from the
 different sorts of adapters, depending upon physical properties of
 granular medicines used, a vital capacity of a patient (the subject of
 medication), or a weak chest or a strong chest. This highly enhances an
 efficiency of inhalation of granular medicines. Also, the radial passage
 12B of the adapter inlet passageway 12 is slightly inclined in the
 tangential direction in order to create whirling flow or turbulent flow
 within the granular medicine diffusion chamber 11 during breathing action
 of the patient. Therefore, the granular medicine diffusion means is
 relatively simple in construction, thereby enabling easy cleaning of the
 medicator body of the inhalant medicator. Furthermore, in the shown
 embodiment, the adapter outlet passageway 13 comprises the
 diametrically-enlarged passage 13B, and the diametrically-enlarged passage
 13B is rapidly enlarged in the direction of the opening end of the
 inhalant port 9. Thus, the granular medicines, flowing out of the granular
 medicine diffusion chamber 11 together with the air flow, can be widely
 dispersed in the inhalant port 9. This insures a more effective inhalation
 of granular medicines into the lungs of the patient.
 In the inhalant medicator of the embodiment, a particular case where there
 is a one-to-one correspondence between the four adapter inlet passageways
 12, 12, 12, 12 and the two outflow air passageways 7, 7 and the two
 auxiliary air passageways 8, 8 is exemplified. Alternatively, one of the
 two auxiliary air passageways 8 and 8 may be deleted to provide only one
 auxiliary air passageway 8, and additionally three adapter inlet
 passageways 12, 12, 12 may be formed in the adapter 10 in a manner so as
 to respectively communicate with the two outflow air passageways 7, 7 and
 the sole auxiliary air passageway 8. In case of a patient having a strong
 chest, the two auxiliary air passageways 8 and 8 may be all deleted, since
 there is no necessity of auxiliary air passages, and therefore only two
 adapter inlet passageways 12, 12 may be formed in the adapter 10 in a
 manner so as to respectively communicate with the two outflow air
 passageways 7, 7. In the embodiment, the granular medicine diffusion
 chamber 11 is formed in the adapter 10 at the confluent portion of the
 downstream ends of the radial passages 12B of the adapter inlet
 passageways 12. In lieu thereof, an intermediate portion of each of the
 outflow air passageways 7 and 7, or an intermediate portion of each of the
 adapter inlet passageways 12, 12, 12, and 12 may be formed as an enlarged
 volumetric-capacity chamber serving as a granular medicine diffusion
 chamber. Moreover, in the embodiment, the capsule holder 4 and the holder
 accommodating portion 2 are integrally connected and are detachable with
 each other. The capsule housing chamber 5 is defined capsule holder 4. A
 capsule K, filled with granular medicines, is accommodated in the capsule
 housing chamber 5. Alternatively, the capsule holder 4 may be deleted, and
 in lieu thereof a granular medicine accommodation chamber is formed
 directly in the medicator body. In this case, granular medicines can be
 charged directly into the granular medicine accommodation chamber and
 inhaled without any pricking work. This eliminates the necessity of the
 capsule K and the pricking tool 14.
 While the foregoing is a description of the preferred embodiments carried
 out the invention, it will be understood that the invention is not limited
 to the particular embodiments shown and described herein, but that various
 changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope or
 spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.
 INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
 As set forth above, an inhalant medicator made according to the invention
 is useful for the purpose of efficiently prescribing a specified amount of
 granular or powdered medicines toward within lungs of a patient, while
 widely dispersing and micronizing the granular or powdered medicines.
 Also, the inhalant medicator of the invention is useful for the purpose of
 efficiently prescribing granular or powdered medicines toward within lungs
 of a patient during medication, irrespective of physical properties of the
 granular medicines and/or the difference of vital capacity between an
 adult and a child (or weak or strong chests).