Dry Powder Inhaler Cover Coupling to Prevent Accidental Dosing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Inhalers with rotatable mouthpiece covers are prone to unintentional actuation and contamination due to accidental movement, leading to poor dosing consistency and increased risk of component damage, especially when the mouthpiece cover is not fully closed.
Innovation Solution
A dry powder inhaler design with a mouthpiece cover that rotates sequentially from a fully covered to fully uncovered position, with actuation only occurring when the cover reaches the fully uncovered state, and incorporating a non-linear gear mechanism to smoothly transition force requirements, preventing accidental actuation and reducing contamination risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the mouthpiece cover is made rotatable for easy cleaning access, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unintentional actuation and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation path of the mouthpiece cover is segmented into distinct zones: a first zone (0-45 degrees) where the cover is partially open and a second zone (45-90 degrees) where the cover is fully open. The dispensing mechanism is designed to remain inactive in the first zone and only activate in the second zone, creating a segmented operational response that prevents accidental actuation while maintaining ease of cleaning access.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediate angular position (45 degrees) is introduced as a transition zone between the closed and fully open positions. This intermediate position serves as a buffer that prevents direct coupling between casual rotation and dispensing actuation, requiring deliberate user action to reach the activation threshold while still allowing easy access for cleaning purposes.
2Ease of operation
If the mouthpiece cover can be partially opened for access, then ease of operation is improved, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
Visual indicators (such as color-coded zones or markings) are implemented to show users when the mouthpiece cover is in the safe partial-open position versus the active fully-open position. This visual feedback system helps users understand the current state and prevents inadvertent contamination by making the operational zones clearly distinguishable.
3Device complexity
If the dispensing mechanism is directly coupled to mouthpiece cover rotation, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability worsens due to accidental activation
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling between the mouthpiece cover and dispensing mechanism is made dynamic rather than static. The connection is designed to be disengaged during the first 45 degrees of rotation and only engaged when the cover reaches the 45-90 degree range. This dynamic coupling allows the system to adapt its connectivity based on the rotation angle, preventing accidental activation while maintaining mechanical simplicity.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
Provided is a dry powder inhaler for delivering medicament from at least one medicament carrier having a plurality of spaced-apart medicament doses. The inhaler comprises: a housing having regions for accommodating unused and used portions of the medicament carrier; a mouthpiece component extending from the housing and through which a user is able to inhale; a manifold arranged in the housing and defining at least part of an air flow path extending from an air inlet to the mouthpiece, the manifold further defining a dispensing position for the medicament carrier; a dispensing mechanism arranged in the housing for moving a medicament dose of the medicament carrier to the dispensing position and for placing the medicament dose in fluid communication with the air flow path ready for inhalation by the user; and a mouthpiece cover being rotatably connected to the housing for sequential movement about a rotation axis from a first position to a second position, and from the second position to a third position in which the mouthpiece component is completely uncovered. The invention provides arrangements in which the coupling of the mouthpiece cover to the dispensing mechanism is arranged to be non-linear, such that movement of the mouthpiece cover from the first position to the second position causes the medicament dose to be moved with a first movement ratio, and movement of the mouthpiece cover from the second position to the third position causes the medicament dose to be moved with a second movement ratio which is different to the first movement ratio.