Adjustable Air Passage Dry Powder Inhaler for Particle Size Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dry powder inhalers are limited in their ability to efficiently deliver medicinal substances with specific particle size distributions, requiring multiple devices for different medications and struggling to adapt to varying patient resistance levels, leading to suboptimal deposition of medicinal particles in the airways.
Innovation Solution
A universal single-dose dry powder inhaler with an adjustable air passage system and modular design, featuring interchangeable components that allow for adaptation to different medications and resistance levels, ensuring effective de-aggregation of particles into fractions smaller than 10 µm, regardless of patient resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a fixed-design inhaler is used for a specific medication, then the particle size distribution can be optimized for that medication, but the device cannot be adapted to other medications with different physical properties
Solution Approach 1:
The inhaler incorporates adjustable air passage components that can be modified to change the resistance characteristics of the device. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the same inhaler to be optimized for different medications with varying physical properties, resolving the contradiction between fixed optimization and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables changing the resistance parameter of the inhaler by adjusting the air passage cross-sectional area. This parameter modification allows the device to adapt to different medications while maintaining optimal particle size distribution, addressing both the precision and versatility requirements.
2Ease of operation
If the air passage cross-sectional area is increased to reduce resistance for patients with low breathing force, then particle de-aggregation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The inhaler allows adjustment of the air passage cross-sectional area as a variable parameter. This enables optimization of the resistance level according to the patient's breathing capability, while maintaining sufficient de-aggregation efficiency by finding the appropriate parameter setting for each case.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable air passage design creates a dynamic system where the resistance can be modified to match patient needs. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and productivity by allowing optimization for each specific usage scenario.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple specialized inhalers are produced for different medications, then each device can be optimized for its specific medication, but the overall device complexity and number of devices required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inhaler is designed as a universal device with adjustable air passages that can accommodate different medications. This multi-functionality allows a single device to replace multiple specialized inhalers, reducing device complexity while maintaining medication-specific optimization through parameter adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable components of the inhaler can be modularly configured for different medications. This segmentation approach allows the same base device to be adapted to different medications, reducing the need for multiple complete devices while maintaining optimization for each specific use case.
4Productivity
If the air passage cross-sectional area is decreased to increase resistance for better particle de-aggregation, then patients with low breathing force cannot effectively use the device
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable air passage design creates a dynamic resistance level that can be adapted to patient capability. This resolves the contradiction by allowing high resistance for de-aggregation when needed, while providing lower resistance options for patients with limited breathing force.
Solution Approach 2:
The air passage cross-sectional area can be adjusted as a variable parameter to balance de-aggregation efficiency and ease of operation. This parameter change capability allows optimization for each patient's breathing force, resolving the contradiction between productivity and ease of operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The inhaler achieves efficient delivery of medicinal substances with a high percentage of particles smaller than 10 µm, adaptable to various medications and resistance levels, reducing the need for multiple devices and improving therapeutic efficacy by optimizing particle deposition in the airways.
Implementation Method 1
The air passage system with adapted design parameters enables administration of different kinds of active substances... ensuring appropriate distribution, so-called 'de-aggregation' of a medication into particles smaller than 10 μm
Implementation Method 2
The effectiveness of the process of breaking down the particles of a medicinal product depends on the forces created as a result of a patient's inspiration
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a single-dose dry powder inhaler comprising a base assembly comprising a chamber (14) configured for receiving a medication; and a mouthpiece assembly comprising air intake passages (25) for supplying air to the inhaler, a rotation chamber (26) for generating an aerosol of a medication, wherein the rotation chamber (26) is in air communication with the air intake passages (25), a tube (21C) comprising an internal passage in air communication with the rotation chamber (26) for discharging an aerosol of a medication and for administering said aerosol to a patient; wherein the base assembly and the mouthpiece assembly are configured such that the inhaler is capable of assuming an open configuration, in which access to the chamber (14) of the base assembly is provided for inserting therein a medication, and a closed configuration, in which the chamber (14) of the base assembly is in air communication with the rotation chamber (16) of the mouthpiece assembly for transferring a medication from the chamber (14) to the rotation chamber (16) for forming out of it an aerosol of the medication, and wherein at least one of the air intake passages (25) and the tube (21C) of the mouthpiece assembly is selectable, and in that the air intake passages (25) have a ratio of one of the transverse dimensions (H, W) to the other of the transverse dimensions (H, W) in the range from 1: 1 to 1:0.10 and the tube (21C) comprises a constriction (27) arranged in the internal passage of the tube such that the coverage of the passage is in the range from 0% to 95%. The present invention relates also to a method for adjusting a single-dose dry powder inhaler for administering a specific medication.