Compact Aerosol Therapy Device Motor and Adjustable Nozzle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aerosol therapy devices are bulky, consume high power, and have limitations in selecting particle size for effective treatment of different respiratory tract areas, leading to inefficiencies in medication delivery and residual medication issues.
Innovation Solution
The aerosol therapy device features a compact electric motor with a reduced laminated core thickness and fewer turns in the winding, combined with a larger ampule volume and adjustable nozzle design, allowing for precise particle size selection and reduced power consumption, along with a nebulizer system that enhances medication delivery and reduces residual medication through the Venturi effect and capillary action.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the electric motor uses more turns in the winding and thicker copper wire to generate sufficient magnetic field, then the motor can produce required compression pressure, but the device becomes bulkier and consumes more power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical parameters of the motor by reducing the number of turns in the winding (from conventional 1800+ turns to fewer turns) and using thinner copper wire (less than 0.35 mm diameter). This parameter change reduces the motor's power consumption and size while maintaining compression capability through optimized electromagnetic design and increased operating frequency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic action by increasing the operating frequency of the motor-compressor system. The motor operates at higher frequencies with reduced turns, creating rapid cyclic compression movements that maintain effective pressure generation while reducing overall power consumption and thermal load
2Quantity of substance
If the ampoule volume is increased to reduce residual medication, then more medication can be delivered, but the device becomes bulkier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the chimney height adjustable rather than fixed. The chimney can be positioned at different heights within the ampoule to optimize the nebulization process for different medication volumes and treatment requirements, allowing efficient delivery of larger quantities without permanently increasing device volume
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the ampoule into distinct functional zones: the medication reservoir, the nebulization chamber with adjustable chimney, and the delivery system. This segmentation allows optimized space utilization and efficient medication delivery without requiring excessive overall volume
3Measurement precision
If the chimney height is increased to select smaller particles for lower respiratory tract, then particle size control is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the chimney height dynamically adjustable rather than fixed, allowing the chimney to be positioned at different heights to control particle size selection. This dynamic adjustment enables precise particle size control for different respiratory targets without requiring multiple separate devices
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable chimney design provides multi-functionality, allowing a single device to treat both upper and lower respiratory tracts by simply adjusting chimney height. This universal design eliminates the need for multiple specialized devices, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining precise particle size control
4Volume of moving object
If the motor-compressor group is reduced in size to make the device more compact, then the device becomes more portable, but the compression pressure output decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes key motor parameters including reducing the number of winding turns, using thinner copper wire, and operating at higher frequencies. These parameter changes allow a smaller motor-compressor group to generate sufficient compression pressure through optimized electromagnetic efficiency and rapid cyclic operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the pneumatic system including the nozzle geometry, Venturi effect utilization, and air-medication mixing efficiency. These pneumatic optimizations ensure that the reduced-size motor-compressor group can generate adequate compression pressure for effective nebulization despite its smaller dimensions
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 solution results in a more compact, energy-efficient aerosol therapy device that effectively delivers medication with improved particle size control, reducing residual medication and maintaining treatment efficacy while allowing for flexible chimney lengths and enhanced nebulization.
Implementation Method 1
a nozzle having a delivery hole for the compressed air coming from the compressor member. A nozzle-cover, also called a 'pisper' or 'impactor', is fitted on the nozzle so as to form with the nozzle at least one channel for sucking the medication towards the delivery hole by means of the Venturi effect
Implementation Method 2
The nozzle-cover is provided with a nebulizer element positioned in front of and coaxially to the delivery hole to nebulize the air-medication mixture exiting from the delivery hole
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~2a
Figure 3
AI summary
An aerosol therapy device comprises an aerosol body wherein is housed a motor-compressor group and an ampoule for the treatment of the respiratory tract. The motor- compressor group comprises an electric motor and a compressor member. The ampoule comprises a cup-shaped ampoule body defining a chamber for housing a medication and wherein is provided a nozzle having a compressed air delivery hole from the compressor member, and a nozzle- cover suitable to be fitted on the nozzle. The electric motor comprises a stator comprising a laminated core having a thickness of less than 18 mm and an electric winding having a number of turns between 1900 and 2500 and a diameter of the copper wire of the turns of less than 0.35 mm.