Disposable Inhaler with Rigid Housing and Piercing Needles

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Inhalers for powdered medicines face contamination issues due to varying bacterial loads on oral mucous membranes, requiring inconsistent patient cleaning, and residual drug deposits can lead to dosing problems if not properly cleaned.

Innovation Solution

A single-use inhaler design with a rigidly connected housing and mouthpiece, pre-filled with a precisely dosed drug, eliminating the need for user interaction and cleaning, and featuring needles for capsule piercing to ensure consistent drug delivery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the mouthpiece is made detachable for cleaning purposes, then ease of cleaning is improved, but device complexity increases and reliability decreases due to potential contamination during assembly/disassembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of cleaningVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The inhaler is designed as a single-use disposable device, eliminating the need for cleaning the mouthpiece and housing. The entire device is discarded after one use, ensuring no contamination risk from repeated assembly/disassembly while maintaining ease of operation for the patient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The mouthpiece is rigidly connected to the housing as an integrated unit, eliminating the separate cleaning step. The housing and mouthpiece are manufactured as a single piece or permanently bonded, so no disassembly is needed for cleaning purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the housing is made openable for refilling, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase and reliability decreases due to potential drug residue contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverefilling capabilityVSAvoiddrug residue control

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The inhaler is designed as a single-use device with pre-loaded medication. The housing is not designed to be opened for refilling; instead, a new inhaler is used for each dose, eliminating drug residue contamination risks entirely.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The medication is pre-loaded into the housing during manufacturing in a controlled environment. The capsule is inserted and sealed before the device reaches the patient, ensuring no contamination can occur during use. The housing contains precise dosing mechanisms that are calibrated during manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If cleaning procedures are made mandatory for patients, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation worsens and loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontamination controlVSAvoidpatient handling

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The inhaler is designed as a single-use disposable device that requires no cleaning by the patient. The entire device is discarded after one use, eliminating the cleaning step entirely and simplifying patient handling while maintaining contamination control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The device provides its own contamination protection through its single-use design. The packaging and device structure are designed to maintain sterility until use, and the single-use nature ensures automatic decontamination through disposal, without requiring patient action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Loss of substance

If the inhaler is designed for multiple uses, then loss of substance is reduced, but device complexity increases and reliability decreases due to cleaning requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrug wasteVSAvoidcleaning mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The inhaler is designed as a single-use device, accepting that the entire device is discarded after one use. This simplifies the design by eliminating cleaning mechanisms, seals, and reusable components, while the low cost of the disposable device makes the approach economically viable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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

Simplifies handling, reduces contamination risks, and ensures consistent drug delivery without the need for user cleaning, enhancing user safety and dosing accuracy.

Implementation Method 1

a compression spring (9), which is supported on the one hand on the housing (1) and on the other hand on an actuating element (10) connected to the needles (8)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

When breathing in or inhaling through the mouthpiece, the air entering the interior through the air inlet opening is charged with the drug

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir flow: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP2007458B1Inhaler

Publication Date: 2018.05.02 BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM INT GMBH

Figure 1~3

AI summary

An inhaler for administration of a medicament in the form of inhalable substances, substance formulations or mixtures comprises a housing (1), which has an interior for receiving the medicament and which is coupled to a mouthpiece (2). The housing (1) is connected rigidly to the mouthpiece (2).