Foam Ear Applicator With Multi-Directional Nozzle
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ear drop delivery methods are inefficient and difficult to use, especially for animals and small children, as they require tilting the head and can lead to incomplete medication delivery due to movement and anatomical challenges, and existing devices risk bruising or puncturing the eardrum.
Innovation Solution
A foam dispensing apparatus with a flexible container and an elongated application tube featuring a delivery end with multiple openings arranged in a radial and circular pattern, preventing deep insertion and ensuring medication reaches both vertical and horizontal ear canals effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ear drops are administered by tilting the head and injecting drops into the ear, then direct contact treatment is achieved, but incomplete medication delivery occurs due to subject movement and anatomical challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the medication from liquid to foam. The foam state allows the medication to be delivered reliably into the ear canal without requiring precise head positioning, as the foam expands and distributes throughout the ear canal anatomy regardless of orientation. This resolves the contradiction by making delivery reliable (foam expands to fill spaces) while reducing operation difficulty (no need for precise tilting and positioning).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a foam-forming mechanism as an intermediary between the liquid medication and the ear canal. The liquid medication is converted to foam through a dispensing device that incorporates air or gas, creating a foam intermediary that can be delivered reliably without requiring the subject to maintain specific head positions. This intermediary foam state solves the problem of incomplete delivery caused by movement and anatomical variations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single opening delivery device is used, then device simplicity is maintained, but medication can only be delivered in one direction limiting effectiveness in animal ear canals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single delivery opening into multiple openings arranged in different directions on the delivery end. Instead of one central opening, the device has multiple openings that can deliver foam in radial or multi-directional patterns. This segmentation allows the medication to reach different parts of the ear canal (vertical and horizontal sections in animals) simultaneously, improving adaptability while the overall device structure remains relatively simple.
3Reliability
If the application tube is inserted deeply into the ear canal, then medication reaches the affected area, but risk of eardrum bruising or puncturing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses foam as the delivery medium, which allows for partial insertion of the application tube. The foam expands after delivery, providing excessive coverage that ensures the affected areas are reached even with shallower insertion. This eliminates the need for deep tube insertion, thereby reducing eardrum damage risk while maintaining or improving medication delivery effectiveness through the expanding foam's ability to reach distant areas.
4Reliability
If cotton plugs are inserted into the ear after injecting ear drops, then medication leakage is prevented, but plugs can become pushed inside the ear canal and difficult to remove
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the medication state from liquid to foam, which fundamentally alters how the medication is retained. The foam structure itself provides retention through its expanded, space-filling properties and adherence to ear canal surfaces, eliminating the need for cotton plugs. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining medication retention (foom stays in place through expansion and adhesion) while completely avoiding the plug removal difficulty issue.
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 apparatus allows for easy and reliable delivery of foam medication into the ear canal, reducing the risk of eardrum damage and ensuring comprehensive coverage, making it suitable for both humans and animals.
Implementation Method 1
The base end opening may be configured to provide a specific flowpath that encourages the production of foam
Data Source
AI summary
A device for dispensing a foam medication into a human or animal ear includes a supply of foamable medicine held within a container. The medicine is advanced through a delivery tube that is configured to engage an ear without entering the ear canal to an extent that it contacts the eardrum. The delivery tube has an enlarged end portion that prevents the device from being inserted too far into an ear, and the enlarged end portion has a series of openings oriented in two different directions to deliver foam into the ear forward of the device and around the circumference of the delivery tube.