Rotatable Mouthpiece Button for Dry Powder Inhaler
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inhalation devices for delivering dry powder medicaments face challenges in ensuring accurate and controlled dosing, as well as preventing accidental actuation and uncontrolled medicament spillage, which can lead to underdosing or overdosing, particularly in children, and may result in ineffective treatment or adverse side effects.
Innovation Solution
The design of an inhalation device with a gear mechanism and stopper system that ensures precise positioning and opening of blister packages, featuring a rotatable mouthpiece cover and drive gear, which allows for controlled dosing by indexing the blister package and preventing accidental actuation, ensuring the correct amount of medicament is inhaled with each use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple inhalation device design is used, then ease of operation is improved, but dosing accuracy and prevention of accidental actuation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The mouthpiece cover is designed to be rotatable rather than fixed, allowing dynamic positioning between a first position (covering the mouthpiece) and a second position (exposing the mouthpiece). This dynamic mechanism enables controlled access to the mouthpiece while maintaining safety through the stopper system that prevents accidental actuation during rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper system acts as an intermediary between the mouthpiece cover rotation and the blister package opening. The pawl and pressing button mechanism mediates the interaction, ensuring that the mouthpiece cover must be deliberately positioned to the second position and pressed to trigger the gear mechanism and open the blister package, thereby preventing accidental actuation.
2Reliability
If a stopper system with pawl and pressing button is added, then prevention of accidental actuation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper system combines multiple functions into a single integrated mechanism. The pawl and pressing button are merged with the mouthpiece cover rotation mechanism, allowing the same structural element to serve both as a cover and as part of the safety stopper system. This merging reduces the need for separate, independent safety mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The mouthpiece cover serves multiple functions: it protects the mouthpiece when in the first position, enables controlled access when rotated to the second position, and integrates with the stopper system to prevent accidental actuation. This multi-functionality reduces the overall component count and simplifies the device design despite the added safety features.
3Measurement precision
If gear mechanism for indexing blister package is implemented, then dosing accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gear mechanism is designed to automatically index the blister package through rotation of the mouthpiece cover. The drive gear engages with the indexing wheel, which in turn indexes the blister package without requiring additional actuators or complex control systems. The mechanism self-regulates the dosing process through mechanical engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces electronic or computational dosing control with a purely mechanical gear-based indexing system. The drive gear, indexing wheel, and blister package indexing mechanism form a mechanical chain that translates the rotation of the mouthpiece cover into precise positioning of the blister package, eliminating the need for electronic sensors or microprocessors.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an inhaler comprising blister package which is appropriate for effective and safe delivery of the medicament in dry powder form used in the treatment of respiratory diseases, particularly in asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and allergic rhinitis by the inhalation route.