Inhaler Dosing Mechanism Locking Supports to Prevent Jamming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for dispensing unitary doses of dry powder inhalers often jam due to unexpected changes in component positioning, especially after being dropped, leading to misalignment and loss of functional movement.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a changeover mechanism that locks the stationary support in place during each dispensing state, preventing unintended movement and ensuring accurate switching between states to maintain proper component alignment and prevent jamming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the device allows movable supports to be changed during operation, then the productivity is improved by enabling sequential dispensing from multiple carriers, but the reliability deteriorates due to unexpected component positioning changes causing jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism performs preliminary action by securing the stationary support in place before the changeover operation begins. This prevents unexpected positioning changes during the switching process, thereby maintaining reliability while enabling productivity improvement through sequential carrier dispensing
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism acts as an intermediary element between the movable supports and the device casing. It mediates the changeover process by temporarily constraining the stationary support, allowing controlled transition between carriers while preventing harmful unintended movements that would cause jamming
2Ease of operation
If the stationary support is allowed to move during changeover, then the ease of operation is improved by enabling support switching, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to misalignment of components
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism performs preliminary action by securing the stationary support in its precisely aligned position before changeover begins. This maintains manufacturing precision during the operation, while still allowing the movable support to be switched easily through the indexing mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism applies local quality by selectively constraining only the stationary support while leaving the movable support free to be indexed. This localized constraint maintains alignment precision where needed without interfering with the ease of operation for support switching
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments relate to a device for dispensing a plurality of unitary doses of dry powder. The device includes: a casing; first and second supports respectively for two carriers each having a plurality of housings for respective unitary doses adapted to be connected to the mouthpiece for inhalation of the dose, the first and second supports being moveably mounted within the casing for sequentially connecting the housings to the mouthpiece; an indexing mechanism adapted to engage and move the first and second supports; and a changeover mechanism adapted to cause the device to pass from a first dispensing state to a second dispensing state and lock the second support in its stationary position while the device is in the first dispensing state, and to lock the first support in its stationary position while the device is in the second dispensing state.