Disposable Foil Barrier Delivery Device for Dry Powder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drug delivery methods, such as inhalation of dry powder medicaments, face challenges in ensuring the drug is protected from contamination and degradation and delivered in a metered and predictable manner, often resulting in incomplete or ineffective dosing due to clumping of particles.
Innovation Solution
The development of a delivery device with a primary air pathway and a dose chamber, where a moisture barrier is broken by a cutter or cover mechanism to establish fluid communication, allowing air to entrain the medicament in a metered manner, preventing clumping and ensuring complete delivery by recirculating air through the chamber to break up larger particles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a moisture barrier is used to protect the drug from contamination and degradation, then the drug is protected, but the barrier must be broken to deliver the dose which adds complexity to the device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a disposable foil barrier that is broken during the first inhalation and not replaced. This resolves the contradiction by using a low-cost, single-use barrier that protects the drug during storage and transport, then is discarded after serving its protective function, avoiding the need for complex replacement mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier is pre-positioned over the dose chamber opening before the device is used. The cutter is pre-configured to break the barrier at the appropriate moment. This preliminary arrangement eliminates the need for complex in-use barrier breaking mechanisms while ensuring protection is in place before contamination can occur.
2Reliability
If the dose chamber is sealed to ensure predictable delivery, then the dose is protected, but the seal must be broken to allow air flow which complicates the delivery mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a disposable foil seal that is broken during the first use and not replaced. This simple, single-use seal ensures predictable delivery by maintaining the sealed state during storage and transport, then is discarded after breaking to allow air flow during the actual dosing event.
Solution Approach 2:
The foil seal is pre-positioned over the dose chamber opening and the cutter is pre-configured to break it at the moment of delivery. This preliminary setup ensures the seal remains intact during storage for predictable delivery, then breaks automatically when needed without requiring complex control mechanisms.
3Productivity
If air is recirculated through the chamber to break up particles, then complete delivery is achieved, but the air pathway becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs curved surfaces within the dose chamber that guide air flow in a recirculating pattern. These curved geometries naturally direct air to break up particles and resuspend the drug, achieving complete delivery through elegant use of curvature rather than complex mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pneumatic principles by utilizing the user's inhalation breath to drive air recirculation through the dose chamber. The breath itself provides the force needed to move air along curved pathways, break up particles, and ensure complete drug delivery without requiring additional pneumatic components.
4Ease of operation
If the cutter protrudes into the air pathway to divert air, then air flow is controlled, but the cutter occupies space and may interfere with particle flow
Solution Approach 1:
The cutter is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be positioned out of the way during normal operation and moved into position only when needed to divert air flow. This dynamic positioning minimizes the cutter's impact on particle flow while maintaining the ability to control air direction when required.
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
This solution ensures predictable and complete delivery of the drug, enhancing therapeutic effectiveness, safety, and reducing waste by dispersing and fluidizing the medicament into fine particles, thereby improving the delivery process.
Implementation Method 1
A first portion of the curved interior surface is positioned to receive air from the air pathway and a second portion of the curved interior surface is positioned to direct air toward the air pathway from the dose chamber
Implementation Method 2
The devices, systems and methods may include features that allow the drug to be protected (e.g., from contamination and/or degradation) prior to use, and to be delivered in a metered manner
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery device that includes a cutter for opening a barrier layer to provide fluid access to a dose chamber, and a diverting structure for direct air flow toward the dose chamber.