Disposable Capsule Nebuliser for Vibrating Mesh Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current nebuliser devices with vibrating meshes require complex cleaning and disinfection, and patients often inaccurately prepare medication doses, leading to incorrect treatments due to design limitations and self-preparation of medication.
Innovation Solution
A nebuliser device featuring a disposable medicament capsule with attachment means for easy coupling and decoupling, a reusable nebuliser with a vibrating mesh actuated by a piezoelectric device, and a punch for accessing the medicament, allowing for efficient administration and minimizing user handling and cleaning responsibilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a vibrating mesh nebuliser device is used to administer medicaments via inhalation, then suitable particle size and portability are achieved, but complex cleaning and disinfection of internal areas is required
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into a reusable nebuliser unit and a disposable capsule containing the medicament. The disposable capsule includes all internal areas that would require cleaning (chamber, nozzle, mesh interface), separating these from the reusable unit. This segmentation eliminates the need for patients to clean internal areas while maintaining the portable vibrating mesh nebuliser design.
Solution Approach 2:
The problematic internal areas (chamber, nozzle, mesh interface) are extracted into a separate disposable capsule that is discarded after use. This removes the cleaning burden from the reusable unit while preserving the therapeutic function of the vibrating mesh nebuliser.
2Adaptability or versatility
If patients prepare medication doses themselves at home, then treatment flexibility is improved, but dosing accuracy deteriorates due to potential mistakes
Solution Approach 1:
The medicament is pre-filled into sealed capsules with precise dosing prepared in advance by manufacturers or healthcare professionals. Patients receive ready-to-use capsules containing the exact prescribed dose, eliminating preparation errors while maintaining treatment flexibility through capsule selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable capsule acts as an intermediary between the medication preparation process and the patient. It encapsulates the precisely measured medicament, serving as a reliable medium that ensures accurate dosing delivery without requiring patient involvement in the measurement process.
3Device complexity
If the chamber design does not provide full medicament delivery, then device simplicity is maintained, but treatment efficacy deteriorates due to insufficient dosing
Solution Approach 1:
A disposable capsule is used to contain the medicament, ensuring that each capsule is designed to deliver the full prescribed dose. The capsule is discarded after single use, guaranteeing complete medicament delivery without requiring complex chamber designs or multiple-dose management systems in the reusable unit.
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 enables precise and efficient medicament delivery with reduced user error and maintenance, as the disposable capsule ensures accurate dosing and the reusable nebuliser simplifies cleaning and disinfection, improving treatment efficacy and user convenience.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoelectric device (7) and a mesh (8)
Implementation Method 2
a nebuliser that comprises a vibrating mesh inside it
Data Source
AI summary
A nebuliser device with a vibrating mesh, for administering medicaments, includes a casing, a nozzle, a nebuliser and a chamber that houses a medicament. The chamber housing a medicament is a disposable capsule forming an independent body that can be extracted from the casing of the device. The disposable capsule includes a connector for attaching to the nebuliser and to the casing. The connector allow the disposable capsule to be coupled to the nebuliser device or uncoupled therefrom.