Dry-Powder Inhaler with Elastic Trigger for Dose Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dry-powder inhalers face issues with dose accuracy, reproducibility, and the risk of overdosing or underdosing due to improper handling and synchronization of inhalation and dose expulsion, leading to potential loss of medication and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A dry-powder inhaler design featuring a body with a dispenser orifice, movable support means, reservoir-opening mechanisms, and inhalation trigger means that utilize an elastically-deformable stressing element and airflow modification to ensure precise dose delivery only during inhalation, preventing accidental discharge and ensuring sealing integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the dose is loaded into the expulsion duct before inhalation, then the device can be simple in structure, but the user risks losing the dose through accidental manipulation, shaking, or dropping between loading and inhalation
Solution Approach 1:
The device prepares the dose in advance by loading it into the reservoir and sealing it with a closure layer before use. The dose is pre-positioned and protected, ready for immediate controlled expulsion upon inhalation, eliminating the need for last-minute loading operations that could cause accidental loss
Solution Approach 2:
The closure layer acts as a protective barrier that safeguards the dose against accidental loss during manipulation, shaking, or dropping. This protective element is in place before any potential harmful events occur, preventing dose loss without requiring complex protective mechanisms
2Ease of operation
If the closure layer is peeled off or unstuck, then the reservoir can be opened, but it is difficult to control the forces applied to guarantee complete opening without opening the next reservoir
Solution Approach 1:
The closure layer is divided into multiple separable portions that can be individually removed. Each portion corresponds to a specific reservoir, allowing controlled access to individual doses without affecting adjacent reservoirs. The segmentation enables precise force application localized to one closure portion at a time
Solution Approach 2:
The closure layer portions are designed to be completely extracted or removed from the reservoir opening rather than peeled back. This extraction mechanism ensures complete opening of the current reservoir while leaving the closure integrity of subsequent reservoirs undisturbed, preventing accidental opening of the next reservoir
3Ease of operation
If the closure layer is perforated, then the reservoir can be opened, but the cut wall-portions risk retaining a fraction of the dose inside the reservoir
Solution Approach 1:
The closure layer portions are designed as disposable elements that are completely removed after a single use. Rather than attempting to preserve or reuse the perforated closure, the system uses a fresh, intact closure layer for each reservoir opening, ensuring complete dose delivery without retention in wall portions
4Volume of moving object
If the device is made compact by loading capsules just before use, then the appliance size is reduced, but the inhaler becomes more difficult to use as the user must load a capsule before each use
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple doses are pre-loaded into individual sealed reservoirs that are stored within the compact appliance. The reservoirs are prepared in advance and ready for immediate use, eliminating the need for manual capsule loading before each actuation. The user simply activates the device to expel the pre-prepared dose
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 device achieves high metering accuracy and reproducibility, minimizing the risk of overdosing or underdosing while ensuring a substantial fraction of the dose reaches the lungs, maintaining compactness and ease of use, with an emptying factor of at least 90% and dose reproducibility variation of less than 10% across successive actuations.
Implementation Method 1
stressing means for urging said movable support means towards said dispensing position, said stressing means including an elastically-deformable stressing element
Implementation Method 2
inhalation trigger means for releasing said blocking means and for enabling said movable support means, together with a reservoir, to be displaced towards said dispensing position at the time a user inhales
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid dispenser device including a body provided with a dispenser orifice; at least one reservoir containing a dose of fluid, such as pharmaceutical powder; a movable support mechanism that receives at least one reservoir, and that is displaceable between a non-dispensing position and a dispensing position. A reservoir-opening mechanism opens a reservoir when actuated and a stressing mechanism that includes an elastically-deformable stressing element, urges the movable support mechanism towards a dispensing position. An inhalation trigger releases a blocking element and which enables the movable support mechanism, together with a reservoir, to be displaced towards the dispensing position at the time a user inhales.