Dry Powder Inhaler Strip Advancement and Blister Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dry powder inhalers face issues with dosage precision and reproducibility, risk of overdose, and inefficient delivery of medication to the lungs, along with complexities in design and storage of used blister strips, which can lead to blockages and improper winding.
Innovation Solution
A dry powder inhaler design featuring an elongated flexible strip with individually sealed reservoirs, where each actuation advances the strip and opens a reservoir using a needle triggered by inhalation, ensuring precise dosing and efficient delivery, while the used strip is stored and wound independently to prevent blockages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual reservoirs are opened by peeling or peeling off the closing layer, then the sealing of the powder is improved, but the control of forces applied to open the reservoir becomes difficult and may risk opening the next reservoir
Solution Approach 1:
The closing layer is segmented into individual blisters, each sealed independently. The piercing means targets specific weakened zones in the closing layer of each blister, allowing controlled opening of one reservoir at a time without affecting adjacent reservoirs. This segmentation enables reliable sealing while maintaining precise control over the opening process.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing layer is pre-formed with weakened zones at predetermined locations before the device is used. These weakened zones are created during manufacturing, so that when the piercing means applies force, the opening occurs exactly at the intended location with minimal force, eliminating the need to control complex forces during operation.
2Reliability
If a strip of blisters is used with movement and storage mechanisms, then individual doses can be sealed until use, but the strip may become blocked or fail to wind properly during actuation
Solution Approach 1:
The strip is divided into individual blister segments separated by score lines or weakened zones. This segmentation allows each blister to be opened independently and prevents the entire strip from becoming blocked if one blister is accessed. The separated segments can move and wind without interfering with each other.
Solution Approach 2:
The piercing and opening mechanism extracts only the specific blister needed for dosing, leaving the rest of the strip intact and sealed. The piercing means targets and opens individual blisters without requiring movement or manipulation of the entire strip, eliminating blockage risks associated with strip advancement mechanisms.
3Device complexity
If the dose is loaded into the expulsion duct before inhalation, then the device structure is simplified, but the user risks losing the dose through shaking or tampering between dose loading and inhalation
Solution Approach 1:
The dose is pre-loaded into individual sealed reservoirs on the strip during manufacturing, but remains sealed until the moment of use. The piercing means activates just before inhalation to open the specific blister, and the powder is directly delivered to the expulsion duct. This preliminary sealing maintains simplicity while preventing dose loss through tampering.
Solution Approach 2:
The individual blister acts as an intermediary between the stored powder and the expulsion duct. The piercing means penetrates the blister to release the powder directly into the duct at the moment of activation, eliminating the risk of dose loss during handling while maintaining a simple device structure without complex loading mechanisms.
4Productivity
If the front end of the flexible strip is fixed to a receiving element that exerts pulling force, then the strip advancement is improved, but the device requires additional rotating components that increase complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving element is merged with the housing structure, and the pulling force mechanism is integrated into the piercing means assembly. The same component that pierces the blister also advances the strip by exerting pulling force on the front end, eliminating the need for separate rotating advancement mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The piercing means serves multiple functions: it pierces the blister to open the reservoir, advances the flexible strip by pulling on the front end, and controls the timing of dose release. This multi-functionality improves productivity while reducing device complexity by eliminating dedicated strip advancement components.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a fluid product dispensing device that comprises a body (10), said device further including an elongated flexible strap (20) holding a plurality of tanks (21) each containing a dose of a fluid or powdery product, a tank opening means (30) for opening a respective tank upon each actuation, a first movement means (40) for advancing said flexible strip (20) before and/or during and/or after each actuation in order to urge a full tank opposite said tank opening means, and a second movement means (45) for moving a full tank (21) against said opening means (30) upon each actuation of the device, the front end (25) of said flexible strap (20) in the advancing direction thereof being attached to a reception member (50) rotatingly mounted relative to said body (10), said reception member (50) being adapted to apply a traction force on said elongated strap (20), said traction force being independent from said first movement means (40), said traction force being applied on said strap when said second movement means (45) move the empty tank (21) away from said opening means (30) after each actuation.