Inhaler Relief-Valve Sequencing for Smooth Reservoir Refilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inhalers face challenges in smoothly filling the reservoir with inhalable composition due to residual gas remaining from previous uses, which hinders the refilling process.
Innovation Solution
The inhaler incorporates a relief valve and lever mechanism that discharges residual gas from the reservoir before filling by controlling the opening and closing of the canister and relief valve through a two-step operation of the lever, ensuring smooth filling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the reservoir is filled directly with inhalable composition, then the refilling process is simple, but residual gas from previous uses hinders smooth filling
Solution Approach 1:
The relief valve is opened before the canister is opened to discharge residual gas from the reservoir before filling begins. This preliminary action removes the obstacle (residual gas) that would hinder smooth filling, allowing the subsequent refilling operation to proceed without interruption or difficulty.
2Reliability
If the relief valve is opened before filling, then residual gas is discharged and filling becomes smooth, but the device operation becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The relief valve opening operation is merged with the existing lever mechanism used for canister opening. The same lever that opens the canister is also used to open the relief valve, combining two functions into a single operational element. This reduces the need for separate controls and minimizes the increase in device complexity while achieving smooth filling.
Solution Approach 2:
The relief valve is designed to open automatically or be opened first in the sequence when the lever is actuated, before the canister opens. This preliminary action discharges residual gas proactively, ensuring smooth filling without requiring additional complex control mechanisms or user actions.
3Reliability
If a two-step lever operation is implemented to control valve opening, then residual gas is effectively removed, but the operating procedure becomes more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The two-step lever operation is designed so that the first movement of the lever automatically opens the relief valve to discharge residual gas before the canister opens in the second step. This preliminary gas discharge action ensures effective removal of obstacles to filling, while the automated sequence reduces the cognitive burden on the user compared to manual separate operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever mechanism is designed to automatically sequence the opening of the relief valve followed by the canister opening. The system performs the gas discharge function automatically as part of the refilling operation, reducing the need for user judgment or additional actions. The mechanism serves itself by managing the valve sequence internally.
Data Source
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AI summary
An inhaler includes: a housing having one surface, the other surface opposite to the one surface, and a plurality of side surfaces connecting the one surface and the other surface; a reservoir which is disposed inside the housing and stores an inhalable composition; a canister which accommodates the inhalable composition to be stored in the reservoir and is connected to the reservoir to be opened or closed; a relief valve which is disposed to be spaced apart from the canister and provided to open and close the reservoir to the outside; and a lever which controls an opening and closing operation of at least one of the canister or the relief valve, and the lever controls the canister to be opened after the relief valve is opened.