Abstract:
An inhalation device is provided with a simple structure which is capable of easily separating a base sheet and a lid sheet. The inhalation device is capable of tearing off a lid sheet from a base sheet of a medicine holding sheet. The inhalation device includes a base spool on which the base sheet is wound, a lid spool on which the lid sheet is wound and an air piece which is provided at a position opposing a blister of the base sheet from which the lid sheet has been separated and which has an inlet through which medicine passes. The air piece has a wedge portion which is inserted between the base sheet and the lid sheet at a separation point where the lid sheet separates from the base sheet.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a medicinal inhalation device. Specifically, the medicinal inhalation device according to the present invention is adapted for oral administration of a powdered medicine to a patient, for example, and the patient can inhale the medicine via the present device. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    Conventionally are known devices adapted to let a patient inhale a medicine suppressing airway inflammation or accelerating bronchial dilatation, for example (Patent Literature 1, Patent Literature 2, and the like). Since each of such devices is adapted to directly administer a powdered medicine to an airway or a lung which is an affected area of inflammation with use of the patient&#39;s own sucking force, even a small amount of medicine can be applied to the affected area in a focused manner, and the device has advantages of enabling to suppress generation of a side effect and quickly exerting an effect. 
         [0003]    As illustrated in Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2, a general inhalation device has a strip-like medicinal carrier encapsulating a medicine housed therein in a rolled state. The strip-like medicinal carrier is formed by attaching inside surfaces of elongated base sheet and lid sheet to each other, and this base sheet is provided with a plurality of blisters each forming a space to encapsulate the medicine to be spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction thereof. Each blister of the base sheet encapsulates the desired medicine as much as appropriate for a dose, and at the time of administration, the lid sheet is peeled from the base sheet to expose an appropriate amount of medicine. 
         [0004]    The general inhalation device also includes a spool adapted to roll up the base sheet and a spool adapted to roll up the lid sheet and rotates these spools in association with each other to give tensile forces to the base sheet and the lid sheet. When the tensile forces are applied to the base sheet and the lid sheet in mutually opposite directions, these sheets are peeled at a separation point, and the medicine encapsulated in the blister is exposed. The inhalation device is provided in the vicinity of the separation point of the sheets with an opening for medicinal inhalation. The patient can inhale the medicine through the opening of the device. 
       CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
       [0000]    
       
         Patent Literature 1: JP 2004-512147 W 
         Patent Literature 2: JP 2005-506164 W 
       
     
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
       [0007]    However, in the conventional inhalation device, the base sheet and the lid sheet are separated only by rotating forces of the spool adapted to roll up the base sheet and the spool adapted to roll up the lid sheet. Hence, when the lid sheet is peeled from the base sheet, a relatively strong force is required, and a mechanism for generating the force is complicated. For example, in the conventional inhalation device, since both the base sheet and the lid sheet are pulled to generate a force to separate the sheets, at least a mechanism for rotating both the spool adapted to roll up the base sheet and the spool adapted to roll up the lid sheet is required. Such a complicated structure of the inhalation device causes not only a problem of an increase in manufacturing cost but also a problem of high potentiality for a device failure. 
         [0008]    For this reason, there is currently a demand for an inhalation device having a simple structure that can separate the base sheet and the lid sheet easily even with a weak force. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0009]    As the result of concerted study directed towards solving the aforementioned conventional problem, the present inventors have discovered that providing an air piece having an inhalation opening for a medicine with a wedge portion to be inserted between a base sheet and a lid sheet enables the base sheet and the lid sheet to be separated easily even with a weak force. The present inventors have arrived at the present invention that, since forming the wedge portion can help separation of the lid sheet from the base sheet, only a mechanism of rotating a spool for rolling up the lid sheet has to be provided, for example, and a structure of an inhalation device can further be simplified. 
         [0010]    More specifically, the present invention is configured as below. 
         [0011]    The present invention relates to an inhalation device  20 . 
         [0012]    The inhalation device  20  according to the present invention has housed therein a medicinal holding sheet  10 . This medicinal holding sheet  10  includes an elongated base sheet  11  having a plurality of blisters  11   a  encapsulating a medicine and an elongated lid sheet  12  attached to the base sheet  11 . The inhalation device  20  can peel the lid sheet  12  from the base sheet  11 . 
         [0013]    The inhalation device  20  includes a base spool  30 , a lid spool  40 , and an air piece  50 . 
         [0014]    The base sheet  11  is wound around the base spool  30 . The lid sheet  12  is wound around the lid spool  40 . Both the base spool  30  and the lid spool  40  do not necessarily have to be driven to be rotated, and only the lid spool  40  may have a rotary driving mechanism, for example. 
         [0015]    The air piece  50  is provided at a position opposed to the blister  11   a  of the base sheet  11  from which the lid sheet  12  is separated and has an inhalation opening through which the medicine passes. 
         [0016]    In the present invention, the air piece  50  has a wedge portion  51  to be inserted between the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  at a separation point  60  at which the lid sheet  12  is separated from the base sheet  11 . Meanwhile, the separation point  60  means a position at which the lid sheet  12  is separated from the base sheet  11 . 
         [0017]    Also, the wedge portion  51  extends from a main body of the air piece  50  to a position at which a tip end thereof reaches the separation point  60 . 
         [0018]    As in the above configuration, by providing the air piece  50  with the wedge portion  51  and inserting this wedge portion  51  between the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12 , the sheets are separated easily. Also, by providing the air piece  50  with the wedge portion  51 , the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  are separated in the vicinity of the air piece  50  having the inhalation opening for the medicine, and thus the medicine encapsulated in the blister  11   a  of the base sheet  11  can be prevented from dropping. Further, according to the present invention, since the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  are separated easily even with a weak force, both the base spool  30  and the lid spool  40  do not necessarily have to be driven to be rotated, and separation of the sheets can be achieved by providing only the lid spool  40  with a rotary driving mechanism, for example. Accordingly, the structure of the inhalation device can be simplified. 
         [0019]    The inhalation device according to the present invention preferably further includes an indexing wheel  70  which rotates in a state in which the medicinal holding sheet  10  abuts on a circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel. In this case, the wedge portion  51  of the air piece  50  is preferably formed at a position at which the separation point  60  is formed on the circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70 . 
         [0020]    As in the above configuration, when the medicinal holding sheet  10  is separated into the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12 , by interposing the base sheet between the tip end of the wedge portion  51  and the circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70 , for example, the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  are separated more easily. 
         [0021]    The inhalation device according to the present invention preferably further includes a guide portion  80  on which an outer surface of the lid sheet  12  abuts when the lid sheet  12  is peeled from the base sheet  11  at the separation point  60  and advances in an opposite direction of the base sheet  12 . In this case, the tip end of the wedge portion  51  is preferably located between the indexing wheel  70  and the guide portion  80 . 
         [0022]    As in the above configuration, the indexing wheel  70  and the guide portion  80  are arranged at positions opposed to each other with the medicinal holding sheet  10  interposed therebetween. At this time, an outer surface of the base sheet  12  abuts on the circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70  while the outer surface of the lid sheet  12  abuts on the guide portion  80 . By locating the tip end of the wedge portion  51  in a space generated between the indexing wheel  70  and the guide portion  80 , the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  are separated more easily. 
         [0023]    In the present invention, an angle of the mutually separated base sheet  11  and lid sheet  12  with the separation point  60  serving as a vertex is preferably 1 or more and less than 90 degrees. 
         [0024]    As in the above configuration, the angle of the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  with the separation point  60  serving as the vertex is less than 90 degrees to cause the sheets to be separated easily even when a force to be applied to the sheets is weak. That is, in a case in which the angle with the separation point  60  serving as the vertex is 90 or more degrees in separating the lid sheet  12  from the base sheet  11 , both the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  need to be pulled and rolled up, in which case relatively large tensile forces must be applied to both the sheets. Conversely, by employing the above configuration in which the tip end of the wedge portion  51  is located between the indexing wheel  70  and the guide portion  80 , the angle of the base sheet  11  and lid sheet  12  with the separation point  60  serving as the vertex can be less than 90 degrees, and this enables both the sheets to be separated easily. 
         [0025]    In the present invention, at least the wedge portion  51  out of the air piece  50  is preferably made of a flexible material. 
         [0026]    As in the above configuration, the wedge portion  51  is made of the flexible material to cause the wedge portion  51  to be inserted between the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  effectively. 
         [0027]    In the present invention, at least the wedge portion  51  out of the air piece  50  preferably contains an antistatic material. 
         [0028]    As in the above configuration, the wedge portion  51  contains the antistatic material to enable to prevent the powdered medicine from attaching to the wedge portion  51  due to the effect of static electricity. Accordingly, it is possible to let a patient inhale an appropriate dose of medicine in an appropriate manner and to prevent leakage of the powdered medicine. 
         [0029]    The inhalation device according to the present invention preferably further includes a holding sheet housing chamber  90  in which the medicinal holding sheet  10  is housed in a rolled state and a base sheet housing chamber  100  in which the base sheet  11  wound around the base spool  30 , centering on the base spool  30 , is housed. In this case, no partition wall for partitioning a space into the respective housing chambers preferably exists between the holding sheet housing chamber  90  and the base sheet housing chamber  100 . In a state in which all of the blisters  11   a  are unopened, the rolled medicinal holding sheet  10  is preferably partially located in the base sheet housing chamber  100 . In a state in which all of the blisters  11   a  are opened, the base sheet  11  wound around the base spool  30  is preferably partially located in the holding sheet housing chamber  90 . 
         [0030]    As in the above configuration, by omitting a partition wall between the holding sheet housing chamber  90  and the base sheet housing chamber  100 , a distance between the holding sheet housing chamber  90  and the base sheet housing chamber  100  can be shortened. Accordingly, the structure of the inhalation device can be compact. 
         [0031]    In the inhalation device according to the present invention, the air piece  50  is preferably replaceable. 
         [0032]    As in the above configuration, since the air piece  50  having the inhalation opening is replaceable, the air pieces having different inhalation dispersion characteristics can be selectively used for respective patients. For example, by preparing multiple kinds of air piece such as an air piece having a screw-shaped inhalation opening and air pieces having mesh structures with different aperture dimensions, the dispersion characteristics of the powdered medicine can be controlled in accordance with the patient. 
       Advantageous Effects of Invention 
       [0033]    The present invention can provide an inhalation device having a simple structure that can separate a base sheet and a lid sheet easily even with a weak force. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0034]      FIG. 1  illustrates an overview of a medicinal holding sheet housed in an inhalation device. 
           [0035]      FIG. 2  illustrates an overview of an internal structure of the inhalation device. 
           [0036]      FIG. 3  illustrates the overview of the internal structure of the inhalation device. 
           [0037]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a structure around an air piece and an indexing wheel. 
           [0038]      FIG. 5  illustrates comparison between a state in which the medicinal holding sheet in an unused state is located in a holding sheet housing chamber and a state in which a base sheet in a used state is located in a base sheet housing chamber. 
           [0039]      FIGS. 6(   a ) to  6 ( c ) are perspective views illustrating an example of appearance of an inhalation device. 
           [0040]      FIGS. 7(   a ) to  7 ( c ) are perspective views illustrating an example of a gear mechanism of the inhalation device. 
           [0041]      FIGS. 8(   a ) to  8 ( d ) are perspective views illustrating an example of a lock mechanism of the inhalation device. 
           [0042]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view illustrating an example of an association mechanism of a counter dial in the inhalation device. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0043]    Hereinbelow, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below and includes appropriate modifications of the following embodiments within the scope apparent to those skilled in the art. 
         [0044]    It is to be noted that, in the present description, “A to B” means “A or more and B or less.” 
         [0045]    (1. Medicinal Holding Sheet) 
         [0046]      FIG. 1  illustrates an overview of a medicinal holding sheet  10  housed in an inhalation device according to the present invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the medicinal holding sheet  10  is elongated and formed in a strip shape. The medicinal holding sheet  10  is formed at least by attaching inside surfaces of a base sheet  11  and a lid sheet  12  to each other. The base sheet  11  has a plurality of blisters  11   a  which are raised to encapsulate medicines. The blisters  11   a  are provided at regular intervals along a longitudinal direction of the base sheet  11 . Each blister  11   a  is preferably formed to extend in a direction (shorter direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the base sheet  11 . This blister  11   a  has encapsulated therein an appropriate dose of medicine for single inhalation. Meanwhile, the base sheet  11  may have at a tip end thereof an idle area provided with no blisters  11   a . Also, the lid sheet  12  is attached to an area of the base sheet  11  with no blisters  11   a  so as to be separable from each other. By doing so, the blisters  11   a  of the base sheet  11  are sealed by the lid sheet  12 . Meanwhile, in a case in which the base sheet  11  has the idle area provided with no blisters  11   a , the lid sheet  12  does not need to be attached to this idle area. Each of the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  is preferably made of a plastic material, an aluminum material, or a laminated body thereof. As an attaching method of the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12 , heat-sealed adhesion can suitably be employed. 
         [0047]    It is preferable to encapsulate a powdered medicine in the blister  11   a  of the medicinal holding sheet  10 . However, a liquid medicine, a solid medicine, or the like can be encapsulated in the blister  11   a . The inhalation device according to the present invention can suitably be used for oral administration to a patient of a medicine especially for treatment of respiratory diseases such as asthma, a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, and a chest infection. As for the medicine, known one may be used. For example, as the medicine to be encapsulated in the medicinal holding sheet  10 , one or more kinds can be selected from among analgesics such as codeine, dihydromorphine, ergotamine, fentanyl, and morphine; anti-anginal medicines such as diltiazem, anti-allergic medicines such as a cromoglicic acid compound, ketotifen, and nedocromil; anti-infective medicines such as cephalosporins and penicillins; antihistamine medicines such as methapyrilene; anti-inflammatory agents such as beclomethasone, fluticasone, and flunisolide; antitussive medicines such as noscapine; and bronchodilators such as albuterol, salmeterol, ephedrine, adrenaline, and fenoterol. 
         [0048]    (2. Internal Structure of Inhalation Device) 
         [0049]      FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate an overview of an internal structure of an inhalation device  20 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the aforementioned medicinal holding sheet  10  is housed in the inhalation device  20 .  FIG. 2  illustrates a state in which the medicinal holding sheet  10  is unused while  FIG. 3  illustrates a state after the medicinal holding sheet  10  has started to be used. Meanwhile, in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , illustration of the blisters  11   a  of the base sheet  11  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is omitted. 
         [0050]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the inhalation device  20  includes an external wall consisting of a bottom plate  21 , a ceiling plate (illustration thereof is omitted) facing the bottom plate  21 , and a side plate  23  connecting the bottom plate  21  with the ceiling plate. Meanwhile, in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the inhalation device  20  is drawn with illustration of the ceiling plate omitted to show the internal structure of the inhalation device  20 . The external wall of the inhalation device  20  defines an internal space in which the medicinal holding sheet  10  can be housed. The external wall of the inhalation device  20  may be provided with a hole adapted to exhaust the medicine that the patient cannot inhale up to prevent clogging caused by the medicine. For example, the exhaust hole for the medicine is provided on an opposite side of an inhalation opening for the medicine. 
         [0051]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in the present embodiment, the internal space of the inhalation device  20  is partitioned into a holding sheet housing chamber  90 , a base sheet housing chamber  100 , a lid sheet housing chamber  110 , and an indexing wheel housing chamber  120 . The holding sheet housing chamber  90 , the base sheet housing chamber  100 , the lid sheet  110 , and the indexing wheel housing chamber  120  are provided adjacent to each other. More specifically, in the present embodiment, the lid sheet housing chamber  110  is defined by being surrounded by the external wall and a first internal wall  24  provided to extend from this external wall to partition the internal space except a passage of the lid sheet  12 . Also, the indexing wheel housing chamber  120  is defined by being surrounded by the external wall, the first internal wall  24 , and a second internal wall  25  partitioning the internal space without being connected with the external wall except an entrance of the medicinal holding sheet  10  and an exit of the base sheet  11 . On the other hand, the internal space except the aforementioned lid sheet housing chamber  110  and indexing wheel housing chamber  120  is the holding sheet housing chamber  90  and the base sheet housing chamber  100  except a passage of the sheets. That is, no internal wall for partitioning the space exists between the holding sheet housing chamber  90  and the base sheet housing chamber  100 . Thus, the rolled medicinal holding sheet  10  is housed in the holding sheet housing chamber  90  for the most part, but in a state in which all of the blisters  11   a  are unopened, the medicinal holding sheet  10  is partially located in the base sheet housing chamber  100  as well. Also, the base sheet  11  wound around a base spool  30  is housed in the base sheet housing chamber  100  for the most part, but in a state in which all of the blisters  11   a  are opened, the base sheet  11  is partially located in the holding sheet housing chamber  90  as well. In this manner, by providing no internal wall between the holding sheet housing chamber  90  and the base sheet housing chamber  100  to shorten a distance therebetween, the entire device is configured to be compact. This will be described below in detail. 
         [0052]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the medicinal holding sheet  10  is first housed in the holding sheet housing space  90 . That is, in the holding sheet housing chamber  90 , the medicinal holding sheet  10  before being separated into the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  is housed in a rolled state. It is to be noted that, although illustration of the blisters  11   a  of the base sheet  11  is omitted in  FIG. 2 , the medicinal holding sheet  10  is rolled as firmly as to prevent these blisters  11   a  from crushing under pressure and is housed in the holding sheet housing chamber  90 . The tip end of the medicinal holding sheet  10  is pulled out and is guided to the indexing wheel housing chamber  120 . The medicinal holding sheet  10  is separated into the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  at the indexing wheel housing chamber  120 . The indexing wheel housing chamber  120  is provided with a rotatable indexing wheel  70 , and the separated base sheet  11  advances along with rotation of the indexing wheel  70  and is guided to the base sheet housing chamber  100 . On the other hand, the lid sheet housing chamber  110  is provided with a lid spool  40  for rolling up the lid sheet  12 , and the separated lid sheet  12  is rolled up in the lid spool  40  to advance in an opposite direction of the base sheet  11  and is guided to the lid sheet housing chamber  110 . 
         [0053]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the base sheet housing chamber  100  is provided with the base spool  30 . The base spool  30  is erected on the bottom plate  21  or the ceiling plate and stands vertically to a plane of the bottom plate  21  or the ceiling plate. In the present embodiment, the base spool  30  is formed approximately in a cylindrical shape and is provided at a center thereof with a slit from an upper portion to a lower portion thereof. In this slit, a tip end of the base sheet  11  can be inserted and stop in an engaged state. In this manner, the base sheet  11  is wound around the base spool  30 . The base spool  30  may be coupled with a base spool gear (described below) for rotary drive. Hence, the base spool  30  is rotated in a circumferential direction, centering on a rotation shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to the bottom plate  21 . As a rotary driving mechanism for rotating the base spool  30 , a known one can be employed. For example, as the rotary driving mechanism, a ratchet mechanism, in which the lid spool  40  is rotated in one direction but is restricted to be rotated in an opposite direction thereof, may be employed. Also, the base spool gear coupled with the base spool  30  is in association with a center gear (described below), for example, so that the base spool  30  may be rotated as much as a predetermined amount along with turning of the center gear. However, in the present embodiment, the base spool  30  does not need to be rotated, and the rotary driving mechanism for the base spool  30  can be omitted. 
         [0054]    Also, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the lid sheet housing chamber  110  is provided with the lid spool  40 . The lid spool  40  is erected on the bottom plate  21  or the ceiling plate and stands vertically to the plane of the bottom plate  21  or the ceiling plate in a similar manner to the aforementioned base spool  30 . In the present embodiment, the lid spool  40  is formed approximately in a cylindrical shape, and a tip end of the lid sheet  12  can be attached to a circumferential surface of the lid spool  40  by adhesive or the like. Alternatively, the lid spool  40  may be provided with a slit, and the tip end of the lid sheet  12  may be inserted in the slit of the lid spool  40 . In this manner, the base sheet  12  is wound around the base spool  40 . In the present embodiment, the base spool  40  includes a mechanism for rolling up the base sheet  12 . That is, the lid spool  40  is coupled with a lid spool gear (described below) for rotary drive. Hence, the lid spool  40  is rotated in a circumferential direction, centering on a rotation shaft extending in the direction perpendicular to the bottom plate  21 . As a rotary driving mechanism for rotating the lid spool  40 , a known one can be employed. For example, as the rotary driving mechanism, the ratchet mechanism, in which the lid spool  40  is rotated in one direction but is restricted to be rotated in an opposite direction thereof, may be employed. Also, the lid spool gear coupled with the lid spool  40  is in association the center gear (described below), for example, so that the lid spool  40  may be rotated as much as a predetermined amount along with turning of the center gear. For example, a turning range of the center gear is limited by a stopper (illustration thereof is omitted) or the like, which causes the rotating amount of the lid spool  40  at a time to be controlled. Also, this center gear may mesh not only with the lid spool gear coupled with the lid spool  40  but also with the aforementioned base spool gear coupled with the base spool  30  to rotate the lid spool gear and the base spool gear at the same time. In this manner, the lid spool  40  is rotated as much as to roll up the lid sheet  12 , peel the lid sheet  12  from the base sheet  11 , and open one blister  11   a . Accordingly, the patient can open one blister  11   a  with one action of turning the center gear and prepare an appropriate amount of medicine. Also, a gear (described below) for rotating the center gear may be attached to a cover lever (described below) for opening/closing the inhalation opening provided in a below-mentioned air piece  50 . In this case, at the same time as the cover lever is opened to open the inhalation opening, the center gear turns, the lid spool  40  is rotated as much as the predetermined amount in association with this, and the lid sheet  12  is rolled up. Accordingly, the patient can easily prepare the medicine for inhalation only with one action of opening the lid member. 
         [0055]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the indexing wheel housing chamber  120  is provided with the indexing wheel  70 . The indexing wheel  70  functions to support the medicinal holding sheet  10  when the blisters  11   a  of the medicinal holding sheet  10  are opened one by one. That is, the indexing wheel  70  is formed approximately in a cylindrical shape and is rotated in a circumferential direction, centering on a rotation shaft extending in the direction perpendicular to the bottom plate  21 . On a circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70 , an outer surface of the base sheet  11  in the medicinal holding sheet  10  abuts. As illustrated in the figures, the circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70  is provided with a plurality of pocket portions  81  at regular intervals along the circumferential direction of the indexing wheel  70 . Each pocket portion  81  is an inwardly recessed part of the indexing wheel  70  and one blister  11   a  (refer to  FIG. 1 ) of the base sheet  11  fits therein. Thus, the interval to form the blisters  11   a  in the base sheet  11  and the interval to form the pocket portions  71  in the indexing wheel  70  correspond to each other. The indexing wheel  70  may be coupled with a known gear and be driven to be rotated or may be rotated freely along with advance of the base sheet  11 . Also, for example, the gear that drives the indexing wheel  70  may mesh with the aforementioned gear that drives the lid spool  40 , and the indexing wheel  70  may be driven to be rotated in association with the lid spool  40 . As the lid spool  40  and the indexing wheel  70  are rotated in association with each other, the medicinal holding sheet  10  advances in a state of abutting on the circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70  while the lid sheet  12  is rolled up in the lid spool  40 . The base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  constituting the medicinal holding sheet  10  are separated at a separation point  60  on the circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70  and are guided in directions away from each other. Meanwhile, the phrase “the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  are “separated on the circumferential side surface” of the indexing wheel  70 ” means that the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  are separated when the medicinal holding sheet  10  is in a state of abutting on the circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70 . 
         [0056]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the indexing wheel housing chamber  120  is defined by being surrounded by the external wall, the first internal wall  24 , and the second internal wall  25  except the entrance and the exit of the sheets, and the air piece  50  is fitted in the external wall defining this indexing wheel housing chamber  120  to constitute a part of the external wall. The air piece  50  has the inhalation opening through which the patient inhales the medicine encapsulated in the medicinal holding sheet  10 . The shape of the inhalation opening is not particularly limited as long as it is designed in consideration with dispersion characteristics of the powdered medicine. Multiple kinds of the air piece  50  can be prepared for powdered medicines having different dispersion characteristics. The air piece  50  has the inhalation opening at a position opposed to the blister  11   a  after the medicinal holding sheet  10  is separated into the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  to cause the blister  11   a  to be opened. The indexing wheel  70  is rotated as much as a predetermined amount by a rotary driving mechanism in a state in which the blister  11   a  of the base sheet  11  is fitted in the pocket portion  81  and temporarily stops when the blister  11   a  reaches a position opposed to the inhalation opening of the air piece  50 . In this manner, the medicine encapsulated in the blister  11   a  is prepared at a position at which the patient can inhale the medicine. 
         [0057]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a structure around the air piece  50  and the indexing wheel  70 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , in the present invention, the air piece  50  having the inhalation opening has a wedge portion  51  to be inserted between the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12 . Forming the wedge portion  51  in the air piece  50  in this manner is one of characteristics of the present invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the air piece  50  is provided with the wedge portion  51  at a position closest to the separation point  60  at which the medicinal holding sheet  10  is separated into the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12 . The wedge portion  51  extends from a main body of the air piece  50  to a position at which a tip end thereof reaches the separation point  60 . In the present embodiment, the wedge portion  51  is in a gradually tapered shape from the main body of the air piece  50  toward the separation point  60 , and the tip end of the wedge portion  51  forms an acute angle. Locating the tip end of the wedge portion  51  at the separation point  60  of the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  in this manner enables the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  to be separated easily. Since the wedge portion  51  is inserted between the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12 , the sheets are separated easily only by rotary-driving the lid spool  40  to roll up the lid sheet  12  without rotating the base spool  30  to roll up the base sheet  11 , for example. 
         [0058]    More specifically, the tip end of the wedge portion  51  of the air piece  50  forms the acute angle and is tapered. The angle of the tip end of the wedge portion  51  is preferably 10 to 80 degrees or 20 to 60 degrees, and more preferably 30 to 45 degrees, for example. 
         [0059]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the wedge portion  51  of the air piece  50  is arranged with the base sheet  11  of the medicinal holding sheet  10  interposed between the tip end thereof and a surface of the circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70 . In other words, the base sheet  11   a  of the medicinal holding sheet  10  passes between the tip end of the wedge portion  51  and the surface of the indexing wheel  70 . Thus, in a case in which a thickness of an area in the base sheet  11   a  in which no blisters  11   a  are formed is T 1 , a distance between the tip end of the wedge portion  51  and the surface of the indexing wheel  70  is preferably T 1  to 10T 1  or 2T 1  to 5T 1 , for example. In this manner, the wedge portion  51  is inserted between the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  in a state in which the base sheet  11  contacts the surface of the indexing wheel  70  to enable the sheets to be separated more easily. 
         [0060]    Also, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the first internal wall  24  dividing the lid sheet housing chamber  110  from the indexing wheel housing chamber  120  is provided at an entrance part at which the lid sheet  12  is guided to the lid sheet housing chamber  110  with a guide portion  80  for guiding the lid sheet  12 . That is, the entrance in the lid sheet housing chamber  110  is formed by a space between this guide portion  80  and the external wall. In the present embodiment, the guide portion  80  is integrally formed as a part of the first internal wall  24 . When the lid sheet  12  is peeled from the base sheet  11  at the separation point  60  and advances in the opposite direction of the base sheet  12 , an outer surface of the lid sheet  12  abuts on the guide portion  80 . A part of the guide portion  80  on which the lid sheet  12  abuts is rounded so that the outer surface of the lid sheet  12  may slide on the guide portion  80  smoothly. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least the tip end of the wedge portion  51  of the air piece  50  is located between the surface of the circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70  and the guide portion  80 . Thus, at a stage at which the medicinal holding sheet  10  is in a state of abutting on the circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70  and is located in a space between the indexing wheel  70  and the guide portion  80 , the wedge portion  51  is inserted between the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12 , and the sheets are separated. Accordingly, the wedge portion  51  of the air piece  50  has the base sheet  11  interposed between the tip end thereof and the surface of the circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70  and has the lid sheet  12  interposed between the tip end thereof and the guide portion  80 . In a case in which a thickness of the lid sheet  12  is T 2 , a distance between the tip end of the wedge portion  51  and the guide portion  80  is preferably T 2  to 10T 2  or 2T 2  to 5T 2 , for example. In this manner, the wedge portion  51  is inserted between the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  in a state in which the lid sheet  12  contacts the guide portion  80  to enable the sheets to be separated more reliably. 
         [0061]    As described above, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tip end of the wedge portion  51  is located between the indexing wheel  70  and the guide portion  80  to form the separation point  60  of the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12 . Thus, an angle □ of the mutually separated base sheet  11  and lid sheet  12  with the separation point  60  serving as a vertex is 1 or more and less than 90 degrees (1°≦□&lt;90°). This angle □ is preferably 10 to 80 degrees or 20 to 60 degrees, and more preferably 30 to 45 degrees. In a conventional inhalation device, in general, the angle with the separation point serving as the vertex is 90 or more degrees in separating the lid sheet from the base sheet. In the case in which the angle with the separation point serving as the vertex is 90 or more degrees, both the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  need to be pulled and rolled up, in which case relatively large tensile forces must be applied to both the sheets. In this respect, in the device according to the present invention, by employing a configuration in which the tip end of the wedge portion  51  is located between the indexing wheel  70  and the guide portion  80 , the angle of the base sheet  11  and lid sheet  12  with the separation point  60  serving as the vertex can be less than 90 degrees, and this enables both the sheets to be separated easily. 
         [0062]    Also, the wedge portion  51  of the air piece  50  is preferably made of a flexible material. The main body of the air piece  50  and the wedge portion  51  may be made of the flexible material integrally, or the main body of the air piece  50  and the wedge portion  51  may be made of different materials, and only the wedge portion  51  may be made of the flexible material. Examples of the flexible material to be used for the wedge portion  51  are polyacetal, polyamide, polycarbonate, a styrene-butadiene copolymer, flexible polyethylene, and flexible polypropylene. The wedge portion  51  is made of the flexible material to enable the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  to be separated smoothly by the wedge portion  51 . 
         [0063]    Also, the wedge portion  51  of the air piece may contain an antistatic material. The main body of the air piece  50  and the wedge portion  51  may contain the antistatic material, or the main body of the air piece  50  and the wedge portion  51  may be made of different materials, and only the wedge portion  51  may contain the antistatic material. The antistatic material is one mixed into a material constituting the wedge portion  51  so that surface resistivity of the wedge portion  51  may be 10 12  □ or less, for example, in order to efficiently eliminate static electricity to be generated by friction between the base sheet  11  and the wedge portion  51  and to prevent the powdered medicine from attaching to the wedge portion  51 . Examples of such an antistatic material are a wetting material, surfactant (nonionic surfactant, anionic surfactant, and the like), and a conductive material. 
         [0064]    Also, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the air piece  50  is formed separately from the external wall of the inhalation device. The external wall of the inhalation device is provided with cut-outs  26 , and the air piece  50  is provided with projections  52  to be fitted in the cut-outs  26  of the external wall. The two cut-outs  26  of the external wall are provided at positions at which they are opposed with the air piece  50  interposed therebetween, and the two projections  52  of the air piece  50  are provided at positions corresponding to the cut-outs  26 . By doing so, the air piece  50  is detachable from the external wall. In this manner, the air piece  50  is preferably replaceable. In the case in which the air piece  50  is replaceable, only the air piece  50  can be detached from the external wall and be cleaned, for example. Also, even in a case in which the air piece  50  is exhausted, the inhalation device  20  can be recycled by replacement of only the air piece  50 . Further, for example, by preparing multiple kinds of air piece such as an air piece having a screw-shaped inhalation opening and air pieces having mesh structures with different aperture dimensions, the dispersion characteristics of the powdered medicine can be controlled in accordance with the patient. It is to be noted that a configuration making the air piece  50  replaceable is not limited to one described above. For example, the air piece  50  can be provided with a cut-out, and the external wall of the inhalation device  20  can be provided with a projection to be fitted in the cut-out of the air piece  50 . 
         [0065]    As in the above configuration, the medicinal holding sheet  10 , which is in a state in which the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  are attached to each other, is housed in the holding sheet housing space  90  in a rolled state. As for the medicinal holding sheet  10 , the idle area provided at the tip end of the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  is separated. The idle area at the tip end of the base sheet  11  is guided to the indexing wheel housing chamber  120 , passes between the indexing wheel  70  and the wedge portion  51 , is guided to the base sheet housing chamber  100 , and is rolled up in the base spool  30 . Also, the idle area at the tip end of the lid sheet  12  is guided to the indexing wheel housing chamber  120 , passes between the guide portion  80  of the first internal wall  24  and the wedge portion  51 , is guided to the lid sheet housing chamber  110 , and is rolled up in the lid spool  40 . In this manner, preparation for inhalation of the medicine with use of the inhalation device  20  is completed. 
         [0066]    When the preparation for inhalation is completed, the patient performs an action of turning the base spool  30  and the lid spool  40 , for example. For example, when the patient opens the cover lever (described below) covering the opening of the air piece  50 , the base spool  30  and the lid spool  40  are rotated as much as predetermined amounts in predetermined directions via a gear mechanism. Through rotation of the base spool  30  and the lid spool  40 , the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  are rolled up, and the entire medicinal holding sheet  10  advances. Along with the advance of the medicinal holding sheet  10 , the indexing wheel  70  is rotated. As a result, the blisters  11   a  of the base sheet  11  are fitted in the pocket portions  71  of the indexing wheel  70 , and the base sheet  11  is fed to the base sheet housing chamber  110  along with rotation of the indexing wheel  70 . The base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  of the medicinal holding sheet  10  advance in a state of abutting on the circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70 , and the wedge portion  51  formed in the air piece  50  is inserted between the sheets  11  and  12 . The wedge portion  51  is inserted to cause the separation point  60  of the base sheet  11  and the lid sheet  12  to be formed on the circumferential side surface of the indexing wheel  70 . The separated lid sheet  12  passes between the wedge portion  51  and the guide portion  80 , is guided by the guide portion  80 , and is fed to the lid sheet housing chamber  110 . Also, the separated base sheet  11  is guided by the indexing wheel  70 , advances, and temporarily stops at the position at which the blister  11   a  is opposed to the inhalation opening of the air piece  50 . By doing so, the patient can inhale the medicine encapsulated in the blister  11   a  of the base sheet  11  via the inhalation opening by holding the air piece  50  in his/her mouth and sucking By repeating the above procedure, the blisters  11   a  of the medicinal holding sheet  10  can be opened one by one. As the procedure of opening the blisters  11   a  progresses, a roll diameter of the base sheet  11  rolled up in the base spool  30  and a roll diameter of the lid sheet  12  rolled up in the lid spool  40  are enlarged. That is, the state gradually changes from the state illustrated in  FIG. 2  to the state illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0067]      FIG. 5  illustrates comparison between a state in which the medicinal holding sheet  10  in the unused state is located in the holding sheet housing chamber  90  and a state in which the base sheet  11  in the used state is located in the base sheet housing chamber  100 . In  FIG. 5 , the medicinal holding sheet  10  in the unused state is shown with the dashed line while the base sheet  11  in the used state is shown with the solid line. Here, “the unused state” means a state in which all of the blisters  11   a  are unopened while “the used state” means a state in which all of the blisters  11   a  are opened. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , in the unused state, in which all of the blisters  11   a  are unopened, the rolled medicinal holding sheet  10  is partially located in the base sheet housing chamber  100 . Conversely, in the used state, in which all of the blisters  11   a  are opened, the base sheet  11  wound around the base spool  30  is partially located in the holding sheet housing chamber  90 . That is, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , when the medicinal holding sheet  10  in the unused state and the base sheet  11  in the used state are compared, they partially overlap with each other. As the procedure of opening the blisters  11   a  progresses, a roll diameter of the medicinal holding sheet  10  housed in the holding sheet housing chamber  90  gradually decreases while the roll diameter of the base sheet  11  housed in the base sheet housing chamber  100  gradually increases. Thus, a distance between a center of the holding sheet housing chamber  90  and a center of the base sheet housing chamber  100  can be shortened to the extent that the housing chambers partially overlap with each other. By shortening the distance between the center of the holding sheet housing chamber  90  and the center of the base sheet housing chamber  100  in this manner, the entire inhalation device can be configured to be compact. 
         [0068]    More specifically, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , in a case in which the longest medicinal holding sheet  10  that can be housed in the holding sheet housing chamber  90  is wound in a rolled state, a radius of a largest circle diameter defined by the roll is referred to as R 1 , and a center point of the largest circle diameter is referred to as C 1 . Also, in a case in which the longest medicinal holding sheet  10  that can be housed in the holding sheet housing chamber  90  is used, and in which the base sheet  11  is guided to the base sheet housing chamber  100  and is wound in a rolled state, a radius of a largest circle diameter defined by the roll is referred to as R 2 , and a center point of the largest circle diameter is referred to as C 2 . At this time, a value for a linear distance D from the center point C 1  to the center point C 2  is smaller than a sum of the radius R 1  and the radius R 2  (D&lt;R 1 +R 2 ). For example, in a case in which a value for R 1 +R 2  is 100%, the value for the linear distance D is preferably 10% to 95%, 15% to 70%, or 20% to 50%. By shortening the distance between the center of the holding sheet housing chamber  90  and the center of the base sheet housing chamber  100  in this manner, the entire inhalation device can be configured to be compact. 
         [0069]    (3. Roll-Up Mechanism of Inhalation Device) 
         [0070]    Next, referring to  FIGS. 6(   a ) to  9 , a roll-up mechanism for the medicinal holding sheet included in the inhalation device will be described. It is to be noted that the inhalation device according to the present invention is not limited to one including a roll-up mechanism described below. In the inhalation device according to the present invention, the medicinal holding sheet can arbitrarily be rolled up by a known roll-up mechanism. 
         [0071]      FIG. 6(   a ) is a perspective view illustrating appearance of an inhalation device  200 . In  FIG. 6(   a ), the inhalation device  200  is seen from a side of the bottom plate  21  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6(   a ), the inhalation device  200  includes an exterior case  210  and a cover lever  220 . The exterior case  210  is a chassis housing the internal structure illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Also, the cover lever  220  is a lid member for opening/closing the inhalation opening for the medicine. The exterior case  210  and the cover lever  220  collectively constitute an outer shell of the inhalation device  200 . 
         [0072]      FIG. 6(   b ) is a perspective view illustrating the appearance in a state of opening the cover lever  220 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6(   b ), by opening the cover lever  220 , a mouthpiece  230  is exposed. The mouthpiece  230  has an inhalation opening  231  for the medicine. The inhalation opening  231  of the mouthpiece  230  is linked with the opening of the air piece  50  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Thus, the patient can inhale the medicine encapsulated in the medicinal holding sheet by sucking via the inhalation opening  231  of the air piece  50 . The mouthpiece  230  is attached to the exterior case  210 . The mouthpiece  230  is preferably detachable from the exterior case  210  so that the mouthpiece  230  can be cleaned. 
         [0073]      FIG. 6(   c ) is a perspective view illustrating a state in which only the cover lever  220  is seen from a rear side. As illustrated in  FIG. 6(   c ), a concave-convex lever gear  221  is formed on a rear side of a turning pivot point of the cover lever  220 . This lever gear  221  meshes with a below-mentioned center gear. Thus, the cover lever  220  is opened with the lever gear  221  serving as the turning pivot point to cause the center gear to be rotated along with rotation of the cover lever  220 . 
         [0074]      FIG. 7(   a ) is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the aforementioned cover lever  220  has been detached. As illustrated in  FIG. 7(   a ), a center gear  240  is provided at a position facing the lever gear  221  of the cover lever  220  illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The center gear  240  has an outer convexity-and-concavity  241 . As described above, the outer convexity-and-concavity  241  of the center gear  240  meshes with the lever gear  221  included in the cover lever  220 . Thus, by opening the cover lever  220 , a roll-up force thereof is transmitted to the center gear  240 . Also, the outer convexity-and-concavity  241  formed on the center gear  240  is a so-called one-way clutch. That is, when the cover lever  220  is opened, the lever gear  221  and the outer convexity-and-concavity  241  of the center gear  240  mesh with each other, and the center gear  240  is rotated together with the lever gear  221 . However, when the over lever  220  is closed, the lever gear  221  and the outer convexity-and-concavity  241  of the center gear  240  do not mesh with each other, and the center gear  240  is not rotated. Meanwhile, the exterior case  210  is provided with an opening at a part thereof at which the center gear  240  is located so that the lever gear  221  and the center gear  240  can mesh with each other. 
         [0075]    Also,  FIG. 7(   a ) illustrates a roll-up stop pawl  250  engaged with the center gear  240  to stop rotation of the center gear  240 . The roll-up stop pawl  250  is engaged with a side convexity-and-concavity  242  provided on a circumferential side surface of the center gear  240  when the cover lever  220  is opened to stop rotation of the center gear  240 . Thereafter, when the cover lever  220  is closed, the engagement of the roll-up stop pawl  250  with the center gear  240  is released. Providing the roll-up stop pawl  250  in this manner enables the patient to be prevented from rolling up the center gear  240  without closing the cover lever  220  once after he/she opens the cover lever  220  and inhales the medicine. This prevents the patient from inhaling the medicine consecutively by mistake. 
         [0076]      FIG. 7(   b ) illustrates a state in which a rotary driving mechanism for rotating the base spool  30  and the lid spool  40  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  is exposed by detaching a bottom-side case of the exterior case  210 . Also,  FIG. 7(   c ) illustrates a state in which the center gear  240  illustrated in  FIG. 7(   b ) is seen from a rear side. As illustrated in  FIG. 7(   b ), the rotary driving mechanism includes the center gear  240 , a base spool gear  260 , and a lid spool gear  270 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7(   c ), the center gear  240  includes an inner convexity-and-concavity  243  on an opposite surface of the outer convexity-and-concavity  241  as well as the outer convexity-and-concavity  241  meshing with the lever gear  221  of the cover lever  220  and the side convexity-and-concavity  242  engaged with the roll-up stop pawl  250 . The inner convexity-and-concavity  243  of the center gear  240  meshes with the base spool gear  260  and the lid spool gear  270 . The base spool gear  260  is coupled with the base spool  30  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and rotates the base spool  30 . The lid spool gear  270  is coupled with the lid spool  40  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and rotates the lid spool  40 . Thus, a roll-up force generated by rotation of the center gear  240  is transmitted via the inner convexity-and-concavity  243  to the base spool gear  260  and the lid spool gear  270  and rotates the base spool  30  and the lid spool  40 . Also, the bottom plate  21  arranged in the exterior case  210  is provided with a reverse rotation preventing pawl  21   a  engaged with the side convexity-and-concavity  242  of the center gear  240  to prevent reverse rotation of the center gear  240 . 
         [0077]    Also, the inhalation device includes a lock mechanism for stopping rotation of the center gear  240 . The lock mechanism includes the roll-up stop pawl  250  engaged with the side convexity-and-concavity  242  of the center gear  240  and a rocker arm  280  biasing the roll-up stop pawl  250  in a direction of the center gear  240 .  FIGS. 8(   a ) to  8 ( d ) are perspective views illustrating a state in which the bottom plate  21  arranged in the exterior case  210  has been detached. Specifically,  FIG. 8(   a ) illustrates a state in which the center gear  240  is locked by the roll-up stop pawl  250 . Also,  FIG. 8(   b ) illustrates a state in which the rocker arm  280  is seen from a rear side. Further,  FIG. 8(   c ) illustrates the indexing wheel  70  solely extracted. Still further,  FIG. 8(   d ) illustrates a state in which lock of the center gear  240  by the roll-up stop pawl  250  is released. 
         [0078]    As illustrated in  FIG. 8(   a ), the roll-up stop pawl  250  is located between the rocker arm  280  and the center gear  240 . A pawl tip of the roll-up stop pawl  250  is engaged with the side convexity-and-concavity  242  of the center gear  240  in a state of being biased by the rocker arm  280 . Accordingly, the roll-up stop pawl  250  can stop rotation of the center gear  240 . 
         [0079]    Also, as illustrated in  FIG. 8(   b ), the rocker arm  280  includes a pressing portion  281 , a projecting portion  282 , a spring portion  283 , and a lever portion  284  and is a member into which these elements are integrated. The pressing portion  281  abuts on the roll-up stop pawl  250  to apply a pressing force to the roll-up stop pawl  250 . The projecting portion  282  is provided on a rear side of the pressing portion  281  and is fitted in a below-mentioned lock groove  72  of the indexing wheel  70 . The spring portion  283  generates a biasing force for biasing the pressing portion  281  in a direction of the roll-up stop pawl  250 . The lever portion  284  retracts the pressing portion  281  when the cover lever  220  is closed to release pressing toward the roll-up stop pawl  250 . 
         [0080]    Also, as illustrated in  FIG. 8(   c ), the indexing wheel  70  is provided along a rotating direction thereof with the plurality of lock grooves  72  in which the projecting portion  282  of the rocker arm  280  is fitted, as well as the pocket portions  71  in which the blisters  11   a  of the base sheet  11  are fitted. 
         [0081]    Here, operations of the lock mechanism will be described. First, when the patient opens the cover lever  220 , the lock mechanism is in a locked state. As illustrated in  FIG. 8(   a ), in the locked state, the projecting portion  282  of the rocker arm  280  is fitted in the lock groove  72  of the indexing wheel  70 , and the pressing portion  281  presses the roll-up stop pawl  250 , receiving the biasing force of the spring portion  283 . The roll-up stop pawl  250  is pressed to cause the pawl tip to be engaged with the side convexity-and-concavity  242  of the center gear  240  so as to lock rotation of the center gear  240 . 
         [0082]    The patient inhales the medicine in a state in which the center gear  240  is locked. The patient thereafter closes the cover lever  220 . 
         [0083]    When the cover lever  220  is closed, the lever portion  284  of the rocker arm  280  is pressed in an arrow direction illustrated in  FIG. 8(   d ) by the cover lever  220  (refer to  FIG. 8) . As illustrated in  FIG. 8(   d ), the projecting portion  282  of the rocker arm  280  then goes out of the lock groove  72  of the indexing wheel  70 , and the pressing portion  281  is retracted, to release pressing toward the roll-up stop pawl  250 . Also, as the pressing portion  281  is retracted, the roll-up stop pawl  250  moves away from the side convexity-and-concavity  242  of the center gear  240 . As a result, the center gear  240  is in a turnable state. The patient thereafter opens the cover lever  220  again to cause the center gear  240  to be rotated, which enables the medicinal holding sheet to be rolled up via a gear rotating mechanism. 
         [0084]      FIG. 9  illustrates an association mechanism of a counter dial in the inhalation device  200 .  FIG. 9  is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the internal structure of the inhalation device is seen from a side of the ceiling plate. As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the inhalation device is equipped therein with a ring-like counter dial  290 . “Numbers” or the like each representing the number of times of use are written on a surface of the counter  290  although illustration thereof is omitted. Also, convexity-and-concavity is formed on an inner circumferential side of the counter dial  290 . On the other hand, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the indexing wheel  70  includes a counter gear  73  meshing with the convexity-and-concavity of the counter dial  290 . Thus, the counter dial  290  is rotated in association with rotation of the indexing wheel  70 . In this manner, since the counter dial  290  is rotated as much as a predetermined amount along with a predetermined amount of rotation of the indexing wheel  70 , the numbers written on the counter  290  move. For example, by providing a ceiling surface side of the inhalation device with a window through which the patient looks into the number on the counter dial  290 , the patient can look at the number on the counter dial  290  and check the number of times of use of the medicinal holding sheet and the number of remaining medicines. 
         [0085]    In the present description, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings to express the content of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and includes modified or improved embodiments apparent to those skilled in the art based on the matters described in the present description. 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0086]    The present invention relates to a medicinal inhalation device. Accordingly, the present invention can be applied in a pharmaceutical industry, for example. 
       REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       [0000]    
       
           10  . . . medicinal holding sheet,  11  . . . base sheet,  11   a  . . . blister,  12  . . . lid sheet 
           20  . . . inhalation device,  21  . . . bottom plate,  23  . . . side plate,  24  . . . first internal wall,  25  . . . second internal wall,  26  . . . cut-out,  30  . . . base spool,  40  . . . lid spool,  60  . . . separation point,  50  . . . air piece,  51  . . . wedge portion,  52  . . . projection,  70  . . . indexing wheel,  71  . . . pocket portion,  72  . . . lock groove,  73  . . . counter gear,  80  . . . guide portion,  90  . . . holding sheet housing chamber,  100  . . . base sheet housing chamber,  110  . . . lid sheet housing chamber,  120  . . . indexing wheel housing chamber 
           200  . . . inhalation device,  210  . . . exterior case,  220  . . . cover lever,  221  . . . lever gear,  230  . . . mouthpiece,  231  . . . inhalation opening,  240  . . . center gear,  241  . . . outer convexity-and-concavity,  242  . . . side convexity-and-concavity,  243  . . . inner convexity-and-concavity,  250  . . . roll-up stop pawl,  260  . . . base spool gear,  270  . . . lid spool gear,  280  . . . rocker arm,  281  . . . pressing portion,  282  . . . projecting portion,  283  . . . spring portion,  284  . . . lever portion