Multi-Chamber Dosing Apparatus for Mastitis Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for dosing cows to treat or prevent mastitis are labor-intensive, prone to bacterial contamination, and require multiple syringes, which increases the risk of infection and time consumption.
Innovation Solution
A dosing apparatus comprising a stack of cartridges with a nozzle and a recess for sealing, a dispenser with a magazine and spring to load and bias cartridges, and a plunger system that automatically expels products from each cartridge, minimizing manual handling and contamination risks, and allowing for dual product formulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a new dosing syringe is obtained and manipulated for each cow, then the dosing process can be performed, but the time consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple syringes are combined into a single multi-chamber cartridge system. The cartridge contains multiple cavities, each holding a different product (antibiotic paste, teat sealant), allowing farmers to administer multiple treatments in sequence without changing syringes between cows.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser device is designed to accommodate multiple product types within a single cartridge. The system can dispense different formulations (antibiotics, sealants) through the same nozzle and dispenser mechanism, eliminating the need for multiple specialized syringes.
2Ease of operation
If the cover cap is removed by hand each time a cow is dosed, then the syringe can be used, but the risk of bacterial contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover cap is pre-attached to the nozzle in a sealed position. The nozzle remains covered and protected until the moment of use, when the cap is automatically removed or pushed off, preventing hand contact and bacterial contamination throughout storage and handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed so that the nozzle cover is automatically removed during the dispensing operation itself, rather than requiring manual removal beforehand. The mechanical action of loading or activating the dispenser automatically exposes the nozzle, eliminating the need for hand manipulation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple syringes are used to administer antibiotic paste and teat sealant, then both products can be delivered, but the number of syringes and contamination risks multiply
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple product chambers are merged into a single cartridge body. The cartridge contains separate cavities for antibiotic paste and teat sealant, along with individual nozzles for each product, all integrated into one replaceable unit that fits the dispenser.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge structure nests multiple product containers within a single outer shell. Each product cavity is contained within the cartridge body, with individual nozzles nested within the dispenser nozzle assembly, creating a compact multi-product system.
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 solution reduces labor and contamination risks by automating the dosing process, minimizing manual handling of syringes, and efficiently delivering multiple products with a single dispenser, while maintaining hygiene and reducing the need for multiple syringes.
Implementation Method 1
The magazine may include a spring to bias the stack of cartridges towards a breach of the dispenser
Implementation Method 2
The plunger is arranged to push the product from the cavity of one cartridge, before the piston of another cartridge
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
Figure 5
AI summary
Dosing apparatus comprising a cartridge (11), the cartridge having: • a body (13) with a cavity holding at least one product to be dosed, • a nozzle (17) which is in communication with the cavity and which is configured for channelling the product to an orifice of an animal, and • a recess (21) which is adapted to, or actually does, receive and provide a cover for the nozzle of an identical or similar cartridge.