Metered Dose Inhaler Pressurizer for Large Dose Aerosolization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Metered dose inhalers (MDIs) face limitations in efficiently aerosolizing large quantities of pharmaceutical formulations and lack reproducibility in delivering consistent doses, particularly due to the dissipation of propellant pressure during aerosolization.
Innovation Solution
An aerosolization device with a metering chamber and pressurizer that applies additional pressure to maintain efficient aerosolization, allowing for the delivery of at least 2 mg of active agent per inhalation, using a container with a pharmaceutical formulation and propellant, and a valve system that ensures consistent metering and pressure application during aerosolization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional metered dose inhalers are used, then the device structure is simple and cost is low, but the quantity of pharmaceutical formulation that can be aerosolized is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional segments: a reservoir for storing the pharmaceutical formulation, a metering chamber for precise dosing, and a separate pressurizer mechanism for controlled aerosolization. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling larger quantities of formulation to be aerosolized while maintaining structural clarity and manufacturing feasibility.
2Productivity
If conventional metered dose inhalers are used, then the device is inexpensive to manufacture, but the efficiency of aerosolizing large quantities of pharmaceutical formulation is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The pharmaceutical formulation is pre-loaded into a reservoir in larger quantities than conventional MDIs can handle, and the metering chamber is pre-configured with precise geometric dimensions for optimal aerosolization. This preliminary preparation enables efficient aerosolization of large quantities without requiring complex real-time adjustment mechanisms, thereby maintaining manufacturing simplicity while improving productivity.
3Reliability
If conventional metered dose inhalers are used, then the valve mechanism is simple, but the reproducibility of aerosolization is variable
Solution Approach 1:
The metering chamber is designed with specific geometric parameters (volume, orifice size, chamber shape) that are precisely controlled during manufacturing. These parameter changes ensure consistent metering of the pharmaceutical formulation with each actuation, significantly improving reproducibility. The pressurizer mechanism introduces controlled pressure variations to maintain consistent aerosolization performance across multiple doses.
4Quantity of substance
If the metering chamber volume is increased to deliver larger doses, then the quantity of active agent delivered increases, but the control over aerosolization efficiency becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The metering chamber serves as an intermediary between the large-volume reservoir and the aerosolization orifice. It receives larger quantities of pharmaceutical formulation from the reservoir, meters them into precise doses through its controlled geometry, and delivers them via the orifice. This intermediary structure enables large dose delivery while maintaining precise control over aerosolization efficiency.
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 device enables efficient and reproducible aerosolization of pharmaceutical formulations, overcoming the limitations of traditional MDIs by ensuring larger and more uniform doses can be aerosolized with improved particle size distribution, enhancing delivery efficiency and consistency.
Implementation Method 1
a pressurizer that applies pressure to the pharmaceutical formulation in the metering chamber while the pharmaceutical formulation is being released from the metering chamber
Implementation Method 2
a pharmaceutical formulation and a propellant are stored in a canister... a valve may be actuated so that a metered amount, or dose, of the pharmaceutical formulation is aerosolized
Data Source
AI summary
An aerosolization apparatus comprises a container containing a pharmaceutical formulation, the pharmaceutical formulation comprising an active agent and a propellant. The aerosolization apparatus further comprises a metering chamber in communication with the container, the metering chamber adapted to hold a metered amount of the pharmaceutical formulation, a valve to allow the metered amount of the pharmaceutical formulation to be released from the metering chamber when the valve is actuated, and a pressurizer that applies pressure to the pharmaceutical formulation in the metering chamber while the pharmaceutical formulation is being released from the metering chamber. In one version, the metering chamber is sized so that at least 2 mg, and preferably at least 5 mg, of the active agent is be aerosolized for delivery to a user during inhalation.