Dry Powder Inhaler with Movable Dividing Wall and Arcuate Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inhalation devices for dry powder medicaments require frequent handling and opening of blister strips, which can be inconvenient and expose the medicament to environmental factors that affect delivery characteristics.
Innovation Solution
The inhaler design incorporates a housing with a movable dividing wall that separates compartments for unopened and opened blister strips, allowing for sequential actuation and retention of used blister strips within the device, while an arcuate supporting surface optimizes the compactness of the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the inhaler retains used blister strips within the housing, then the number of handling operations is reduced and environmental protection is maintained, but the internal space required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The used blister strip is coiled within the housing like a nested structure, with the strip winding around itself to occupy minimal space. The strip is fed through a guide and coiled around a support surface, creating a compact nested arrangement that retains the used strip without significantly increasing housing volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from a linear arrangement to a three-dimensional coiled structure. By guiding the used strip through a curved path and coiling it around an arcuate support surface, the strip occupies space efficiently in multiple dimensions rather than extending linearly, thereby reducing the overall housing volume required.
2Strength
If the diameter of the first coil is maximized, then the arcuate supporting surface can be optimized for structural support, but the overall device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting surface is designed with an arcuate curvature that matches the coil geometry. This curved support provides optimal structural reinforcement for the coiled strip while maintaining a compact profile. The arcuate shape distributes mechanical loads efficiently along the curve, providing strength without requiring excessive length or diameter.
Data Source
AI summary
A dry powder inhaler (10) having a chamber (26) divided into first and second blister compartments (28, 30) for storing unused and used portions (34, 36) of a blister strip (12) is provided. A moveable dividing wall (32) separates the first and second blister compartments. One or more arcuate supporting surfaces (38, 40, 42) are disposed in either the first and/or the second blister compartments and these surfaces support the used or unused blister strip during successive actuations of the inhaler. Use of the arcuate supporting surfaces facilities compact coils of unused and used portions of blister strip, thereby reducing the size of the chamber required for the inhaler.