Unit Dose Aseptic Misting Device With Deformable Membrane
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spray and misting devices, especially those using expensive sonic generators and ultrasonic components, face contamination issues and require careful cleaning or disposal, making them costly and inefficient for delivering controlled unit doses and particle/droplet size aerosol mists.
Innovation Solution
A handheld sonic misting device employing a deformable membrane in a unit dose capsule that isolates the sonic generator from the liquid reservoir, allowing for aseptic atomization and easy replacement of capsules, with the membrane maintaining integrity throughout use to prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If expensive sonic generators and ultrasonic components are used to generate aerosol mist, then the quality of aerosol generation is improved, but the risk of contamination and need for cleaning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate modules: a reusable sonic generator and disposable unit dose capsules. This segmentation allows the expensive sonic components to be isolated from the liquid reservoir, preventing contamination while maintaining aerosol generation quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable unit dose capsules that contain the liquid reservoir and nozzle assembly. These single-use capsules are discarded after one use, eliminating the need to clean or maintain the liquid-contact components, thus preventing contamination of the expensive sonic generator.
2Ease of operation
If replaceable liquid reservoir and nozzle are used, then ease of replacement is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The unit dose capsule merges multiple components (liquid reservoir, deformable membrane, nozzle assembly) into a single integrated disposable unit. This consolidation simplifies the replacement process to a single action while reducing the overall complexity compared to separate replaceable components.
3Reliability
If deformable membrane is used to isolate reservoir from sonic horn, then aseptic delivery is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a deformable membrane as a flexible barrier between the liquid reservoir and the sonic horn. This thin film allows ultrasonic energy transmission while maintaining physical isolation, preventing liquid contact with the horn and ensuring aseptic delivery. The membrane's flexibility enables it to withstand the ultrasonic vibrations without rupturing.
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 device provides a cost-effective, sanitary method for generating controlled aerosol mists with precise droplet sizes, maintaining the integrity of the sonic components and ensuring aseptic delivery of medications and solutions.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting sonic energy through the deformable membrane to the liquid composition
Implementation Method 2
ultrasonically atomizing a liquid through submillimeter-sized nozzles
Implementation Method 3
maintains the integrity of the membrane throughout the use to enable aseptic atomization by preventing the liquid encapsulated in the reservoir-membrane assembly from touching the ultrasonic horn
Implementation Method 4
generating controlled aerosol mists with precise droplet sizes
Data Source
AI summary
A unit dose capsule for use with a sonic generator includes a deformable membrane adapted to releasably engage the distal end of the elongate horn, a nozzle including at least one delivery opening; a nozzle including at least one delivery opening; and a reservoir containing a liquid composition disposed therebetween. When the unit dose capsule is engaged to the distal end of the elongate horn, the nozzle is disposed in an outwardly facing orientation, and the reservoir is in liquid communication with the at least one nozzle. The unit dose capsule can be included in a kit with a handheld misting device comprising a housing having a dispensing window arranged and configured to contain a sonic generator and a power source.