Breath-Actuated Inhaler Adaptor with Parallel Conduits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Breath-actuated dry powder inhalers face challenges in reducing flow rate dependence and achieving uniform dose delivery due to the formation of agglomerates and variations in airflow, which affect the consistency of medicament delivery to different patient groups.
Innovation Solution
An airflow adaptor with a conduit system that allows air to flow independently of the main airflow when a breath-induced low pressure is applied, reducing linear flow rate and improving dose delivery uniformity by controlling medicament spread through secondary airflow pathways.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional single conduit airflow adaptor is used, then the structure is simple, but the delivered dose uniformity is poor due to flow rate dependence
Solution Approach 1:
The airflow adaptor is divided into multiple independent conduits (first conduit, second conduit, third conduit) that can be configured in parallel or series arrangements. Each conduit has specific flow resistance characteristics that collectively reduce overall flow rate dependence, improving delivered dose uniformity across different patient groups while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent varies the flow resistance parameters of individual conduits to optimize performance. By adjusting conduit dimensions, lengths, and configurations, the system achieves reduced flow rate dependence without excessive complexity, balancing manufacturing precision requirements with device simplicity
2Reliability
If the linear flow rate through the conduit is reduced, then the flow rate dependence is reduced, but the medicament delivery efficiency may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple conduits work in parallel to provide alternative airflow pathways. The segmentation of flow paths ensures that reducing linear flow rate in one conduit does not significantly impact overall medicament delivery efficiency, as other conduits compensate to maintain total airflow while reducing flow rate dependence
Solution Approach 2:
The airflow adaptor acts as an intermediary device between the deagglomerator and the patient. It mediates the relationship between breath-induced pressure variations and actual medicament delivery by distributing airflow through multiple conduits with different resistance characteristics, thereby reducing flow rate dependence while maintaining delivery efficiency
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 airflow adaptor reduces flow rate dependence and enhances dose delivery uniformity by limiting medicament spread and reducing secondary vortices, leading to improved performance of both the inhaler and deagglomerator systems.
Implementation Method 1
when a breath induced low pressure is applied to the distal end of the airflow adaptor
Implementation Method 2
means for allowing air to flow from a proximal end of the adaptor to a distal end of the adaptor independently of the airflow in the conduit
Data Source
AI summary
An airflow adaptor for a breath-actuated dry powder inhaler. The airflow adaptor includes a conduit having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end allows fluid communication from a deagglomerator outlet port to the distal end of the conduit, and wherein the airflow adaptor further includes provisions for allowing air to flow from a proximal end of the adaptor to a distal end of the adaptor independently of the airflow in the conduit when a breath induced low pressure is applied to the distal end of the airflow adaptor.