Hopper Sieve Dispensing Deagglomeration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing powder dispensing systems face challenges with materials that tend to agglomerate, leading to inconsistent and variable dispensing due to occlusion of sieve holes by larger agglomerates, resulting in longer dispensing times and potential over-dispensing issues, especially with micronized particles.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a hopper with a sieve and a support system that allows controlled vertical movement and optional rotational movement, utilizing a clamp and biasing device to deagglomerate particles, ensuring consistent dispensing by breaking up agglomerates and preventing their formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a sieve with holes is used to dispense powder, then dispensing precision is improved, but sieve holes become occluded by agglomerates leading to inconsistent dispensing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by deagglomerating the powder in the feed hopper before it reaches the sieve. This is achieved through mechanical agitation (shaking or rotating the hopper) and/or fluidization (introducing gas to fluidize the powder). By breaking up agglomerates beforehand, the powder flows more uniformly through the sieve holes, preventing occlusion and ensuring consistent dispensing across multiple doses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the deagglomeration function from the dispensing process itself and performs it separately in the feed hopper. This separation allows the sieve to focus solely on precise metering while the feed hopper handles particle size uniformity, resolving the conflict between precision and consistency.
2Ease of operation
If tapping is used to dispense powder through sieve holes, then dispensing control is improved, but dispensing time increases due to agglomerate occlusion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs deagglomeration in advance in the feed hopper, so that when tapping occurs, the powder is already in a deagglomerated state and flows more freely through the sieve. This reduces the number of taps needed and decreases overall dispensing time while maintaining control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces continuous or periodic agitation/fluidization in the feed hopper to maintain powder flowability throughout the dispensing process. This continuous preparation ensures that powder remains deagglomerated and ready for rapid dispensing, improving productivity without sacrificing control.
3Reliability
If micronized particles are used to improve drug dissolution, then therapeutic effectiveness is improved, but agglomeration tendency increases leading to over-dispensing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary deagglomeration treatment to micronized particles in the feed hopper using mechanical agitation and/or fluidization. This breaks up agglomerates before metering, ensuring that the fine particles are distributed uniformly through the sieve holes, thereby maintaining dispensing accuracy while preserving the therapeutic benefits of micronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces gas flow as an intermediary medium to fluidize the micronized particles in the feed hopper. This gas mediation separates the particles and prevents agglomeration during storage and dispensing, allowing micronized powder to maintain both its therapeutic effectiveness and dispensing precision.
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 approach results in a more homogeneous particle distribution, enabling accurate and consistent dispensing of target weights with reduced over-dispensing and even dispensing times, effectively addressing the agglomeration issues in powder dispensing systems.
Implementation Method 1
at least one actuator for delivering impact energy to the hopper for causing powder to be dispensed through the sieve
Implementation Method 2
an element which is adapted to permit controlled vertical movement of the hopper relative to the support... breaking up agglomerates and preventing their formation
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for dispensing small quantities of particles, the apparatus comprising a hopper (20) provided with a sieve at a bottom portion thereof, the hopper defining a powder-containing zone above the sieve which in use contains powder to be dispensed therefrom through the sieve, a support (25) for the hopper, the support holding a portion of the hopper so that the hopper can in use be held above a container into which the dispensed powder is to be received, at least one actuator (30) for delivering impact energy to the hopper for causing powder to be dispensed through the sieve when the hopper receives the impact energy, and an element which is adapted to permit controlled vertical movement of the hopper relative to the support.