Medication Metering Device with Piston and One-Way Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional nebulizer systems deliver medication continuously, leading to inefficiency as 60% of the medication is wasted during expiration, and existing metering methods, such as syringes, are cumbersome and pose safety risks for patients with poor dexterity.
Innovation Solution
A medication delivery apparatus with a metering device comprising an upper and lower chamber, a piston, and a one-way valve, allowing precise control over medication dosage by selectively opening fluid communication between the chambers, enabling efficient delivery of medication only during inhalation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a syringe is used to draw and transfer medication, then precise dosage control is achieved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to additional parts and difficulty for patients with poor dexterity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the metering function from the syringe and integrates it directly into the nebulizer device. The chamber and piston mechanism are built-in, eliminating the need for external syringes while maintaining precise dosage control through the piston's controlled movement and one-way valve system.
Solution Approach 2:
The device enables self-service medication administration by integrating all metering functions into the nebulizer itself. Patients can directly load medication into the chamber and use the built-in piston mechanism without requiring separate syringes or complex external metering equipment.
2Measurement precision
If a syringe is used for medication transfer, then dosage precision is improved, but safety deteriorates due to needle-stick injuries and sharps disposal requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the syringe and needle components entirely from the medication administration process. The chamber and piston mechanism provides a needle-free method for precise medication transfer, eliminating all associated safety hazards while maintaining dosage accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a disposable chamber that is discarded after a single use, eliminating the need for cleaning and sterilization of reusable components. This disposable approach reduces safety risks associated with contamination and makes the device safer for patients while maintaining precise dosage delivery.
3Ease of operation
If continuous aerosol delivery is used, then simplicity of operation is maintained, but loss of substance increases as 60% of medication is wasted during expiration
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs periodic action by controlling the piston to deliver medication in discrete pulses that correspond to the patient's inhalation cycles. The one-way valve system ensures medication is released only during inhalation phases, synchronizing drug delivery with respiratory patterns to eliminate waste during expiration while maintaining simple operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates feedback mechanisms that respond to the patient's breathing pattern. The one-way valve system and pressure-sensitive mechanisms detect inhalation events and trigger medication release accordingly, ensuring drug is delivered only when the patient is inhaling and automatically stopping delivery during expiration to prevent waste.
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 apparatus ensures precise and efficient delivery of medication, reducing waste and improving usability for patients by allowing controlled dosing without the need for syringes, enhancing safety and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
a valve, the valve providing selective fluid communication between the lower chamber and the reservoir in response to movement of the piston
Implementation Method 2
a piezoelectric transducer (such as a piezoelectric crystal), which vibrates and generates ultrasonic waves in response to an applied electric field
Implementation Method 3
they will produce capillary waves that oscillate at the frequency of the ultrasonic waves
Implementation Method 4
the liquid that is to be converted into an aerosol is forced through a mesh (thereby creating liquid droplets) by the vibration of a piezoelectric crystal acting upon a horn
Data Source
AI summary
A medication delivery apparatus (5) includes a reservoir for holding a liquid medication and a metering device (25) coupled to the reservoir for supplying a dose of the liquid medication to the reservoir. The metering device includes an upper chamber, a lower chamber coupled to the upper chamber, a piston selectively moveable within the upper chamber and the lower chamber and a valve providing selective fluid communication between the lower chamber and the reservoir in response to movement of the piston.