Breakable Locking Element for Aerosol Fluid Reservoir

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aerosol generation devices face challenges in preventing accidental reuse of fluid reservoirs, which can lead to contamination and reduced effectiveness or health risks in therapeutic aerosol treatments.

Innovation Solution

A fluid reservoir with a breakable locking element that securely attaches to the aerosol generation device, ensuring it cannot be reused once detached, featuring a tamper-evident design to prevent accidental reattachment and ensure fluid integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a fluid reservoir is made detachable for cleaning and reuse, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to risk of accidental reuse and contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of cleaningVSAvoidrisk of contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a disposable fluid reservoir that is intended for single use only. After use, the entire reservoir is discarded rather than cleaned and reused. This eliminates the risk of contamination from accidental reuse while maintaining ease of operation, as users simply replace the reservoir rather than attempting to clean it.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The reservoir is pre-sealed with a breakable seal that is destroyed during the first attachment to the aerosol generation device. This preliminary action (breaking the seal) prevents any subsequent reattachment, as the broken seal cannot provide a proper seal. This ensures reliability by making accidental reuse physically impossible while allowing easy initial attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If a locking element is made breakable to enable detachment, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability worsens due to potential for reattachment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of detachmentVSAvoidrisk of reattachment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The breakable seal is designed to be destroyed during the initial attachment process. Once broken, the seal cannot be restored, making reattachment physically impossible. This preliminary destruction of the sealing mechanism ensures that while detachment is easy (the reservoir can be removed), reattachment is prevented, thus maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing function is extracted from a reusable component and made into a single-use feature. The breakable seal is designed to be consumed during first use, separating the sealing function from any potential reuse scenario. This extraction ensures that the sealing capability is permanently lost after first attachment, preventing reattachment while allowing easy detachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If thorough cleaning procedures are implemented for reuse, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complex cleaning requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepurity of aerosolVSAvoidcomplexity of cleaning procedure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of implementing complex cleaning procedures, the patent adopts a disposable reservoir approach. The reservoir is designed for single use and is discarded after one use, eliminating the need for any cleaning procedures. This maintains aerosol purity (reliability) while keeping operation simple (ease of operation), as users simply replace rather than clean the reservoir.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS10245391B2Fluid reservoir for an aerosol generation device, combination of fluid reservoir and primary fluid package, and aerosol generation device for use with the fluid reservoir

Publication Date: 2019.04.02 PARI PHARMA GMBH

AI summary

A fluid reservoir is attachable to an aerosol generation device for guiding a fluid from a fluid container to the aerosol generation device. The fluid reservoir has an interface portion arranged at the fluid reservoir for attaching the fluid reservoir to the aerosol generation device. The interface portion has a locking element configured to non-detachably lock the fluid reservoir to the aerosol generation device after attachment of the fluid reservoir to the aerosol generation device. The locking element is breakable to enable detachment of the fluid reservoir from the aerosol generation device. A combination includes the fluid reservoir and a primary fluid package, wherein the primary fluid package has at least one chamber containing a fluid therein. An aerosol generation device is configured for use with the fluid reservoir has an attachment portion for receiving the interface portion of the fluid reservoir.