Dry Powder Inhaler Wing Turbulence Vortex Aerosolization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dry powder inhalers are inadequate for delivering nicotine to the lungs without creating secondhand smoke and have complex mechanisms, fail to deagglomerate powder effectively, and are not suitable for multiple inhalations, especially when using dry powder formulations in capsules or blister packs.
Innovation Solution
A dry powder inhaler engine with a housing and penetrating member featuring wings that generate turbulence within the storage chamber, creating a vortex airflow pattern to lift and aerosolize powder, allowing for efficient delivery through inhalation without the need for complex mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If air currents flow directly through the medicament to deliver it, then the medicament is delivered to the lungs, but some medicament travels at high speed and impacts undesired portions of the airway
Solution Approach 1:
The device introduces a radial dimension to the airflow by using a radially oriented array of apertures in the diaphragm. Instead of linear flow through the medicament, air flows radially outward from the central depression, creating a more uniform velocity distribution that reduces high-speed impacts on specific airway portions while maintaining delivery efficiency.
2Productivity
If propellers or rotating mechanisms are used to expel powder, then powder can be delivered, but the device becomes complicated and difficult to use
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex rotating or sliding mechanisms from the system and replaces them with a simple diaphragm-based pressure differential system. The medicament is delivered through controlled air pressure changes across the diaphragm with its apertures, eliminating the need for propellers, capsules, or blister packs while maintaining effective powder delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The device replaces mechanical rotating or sliding mechanisms with a pneumatic system based on pressure differentials. Air is drawn through the diaphragm with radially oriented apertures, creating flow that delivers medicament without requiring complex mechanical components, thereby simplifying the overall device structure.
3Duration of action of moving object
If a single inhalation delivers the medicament, then immediate delivery is achieved, but the device is not suitable for medicaments delivered over several inhalations
Solution Approach 1:
The device is pre-loaded with a reservoir containing the medicament powder before use. This preliminary preparation allows the device to be used for multiple inhalations sequentially, as the powder reservoir can supply medicament over an extended period rather than requiring immediate single-dose delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates a reservoir and diaphragm system that can dynamically control medicament delivery over time. The diaphragm with radially oriented apertures can be actuated multiple times, allowing flexible dosing regimens including both single and multiple inhalation protocols, thereby adapting to different therapeutic requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The inhaler engine effectively increases powder pickup and delivery into the airways by generating significant turbulence, ensuring efficient deagglomeration and aerosolization of dry powder formulations, suitable for multiple inhalations and various storage forms like capsules and blister packs.
Implementation Method 1
The inhaler engine effectively increases powder pickup and delivery into the airways by generating significant turbulence
Implementation Method 2
creating a vortex airflow pattern to lift and aerosolize powder
Implementation Method 3
aerosolize powder, allowing for efficient delivery through inhalation
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
A device for accessing dry powder within a sealed chamber is described. The device includes a hollow housing having a proximal end opening, a primary distal end opening and a secondary distal end opening, at least one wing structure extending from the outer surface of the housing that is positioned distally from the primary distal opening. Also described is a dry powder inhaler having a housing, a penetrating component for accessing dry powder within a sealed chamber, and a mouthpiece, where the mouthpiece is connected to the proximal end opening of the penetrating component, and wherein the at least a portion of the distal end of the penetrating component is positioned within the inhaler housing.