Collapsible Spacer With Zig-Zag Panel for MDI
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collapsible and disposable spacers for metered dose inhalers rely on valve arrangements, which are costly, complex, and prone to medicament particle deposition and bacterial contamination, reducing their performance.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible and expandable spacer design that eliminates the need for valves by using a zig-zag panel configuration with an off-set aperture, allowing for efficient medicament delivery without valved apertures, formed from a single punched sheet of foldable material like paperboard or plastic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If valve arrangements are used in collapsible disposable spacers, then medicament delivery control is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the valve component entirely from the spacer design. The collapsible body itself performs the function of controlling medicament flow through its structural design, eliminating the need for separate valve mechanisms while maintaining reliable medicament delivery control.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible body structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it contains the medicament, controls the flow of medicament to the patient, and provides the structural framework for the entire device. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate valve components.
2Reliability
If valve arrangements are used in collapsible disposable spacers, then medicament delivery control is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the valve component from the design, the patent reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured and assembled. The collapsible body is formed as a single integrated structure, significantly reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of the valve and the spacer body into a single integrated collapsible structure. This consolidation reduces the number of manufacturing steps, assembly operations, and associated costs.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If traditional reusable spacers are used, then durability is improved, but cleaning requirements and bacterial contamination risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a disposable collapsible spacer that is used once and then discarded. This eliminates the need for cleaning and reuse, thereby completely preventing bacterial contamination while maintaining adequate durability for single-use applications.
4Volume of moving object
If collapsible design is used for storage, then storage space is reduced, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer body is designed to be dynamically collapsible, transitioning from an expanded configuration during use to a compressed configuration for storage. This dynamic structure reduces storage volume without requiring complex additional components, as the collapsibility is integrated into the basic body structure.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a collapsible/expandable and disposable spacer for use with a metered dose inhaler (‘MDI’). One embodiment of the invention is a spacer collapsible into a substantially flat configuration for storage and expandable into a spacer volume for use with a metered dose inhaler (MDI) wherein the spacer comprises: (a) a collapsible and expandable panel arrangement internally located within the spacer volume to divide the spacer volume into a MDI medicament delivery chamber and an inhalation/exhalation chamber when the spacer is in an expanded configuration; (b) a medicament delivery opening adapted to receive a MDI in a MDI medication delivery end of the MDI medicament delivery chamber; (c) an inhalation opening in a mouthpiece end of the inhalation/exhalation chamber; (d) an exhalation opening in the inhalation/exhalation chamber; and further wherein the panel arrangement comprises an aperture off-set from the medicament delivery opening with the proviso that the aperture is not a valved aperture.