Metered Inhaler Vaporizer With Isolated Liquid Receiving Structure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inhalers lack precise control over the amount of liquid vaporized, leading to inconsistent aerosol delivery, particularly in medical applications.
Innovation Solution
An inhaler design with a vaporizer having a receiving structure of predetermined volume, fluidically separated from the liquid container, and a control unit to manage the vaporization process, using a heating element and a PTC thermistor to regulate temperature and power supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the receiving structure is fluidically connected to the container during vaporization, then liquid supply is continuous, but the amount of vaporized liquid cannot be precisely controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two distinct states: a filling state where the receiving structure is fluidically connected to the container for liquid transfer, and a vaporization state where they are fluidically separated. This segmentation allows precise control over the amount of liquid available for vaporization by isolating the receiving structure's predetermined volume from the container during the vaporization process.
2Quantity of substance
If the receiving structure has a large volume, then more liquid can be stored, but the aerosol delivery consistency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the liquid storage function into a separate container that is fluidically disconnected from the receiving structure during vaporization. The receiving structure is given a predetermined, relatively small volume that ensures complete and consistent vaporization, while the container serves as a reservoir that can be refilled. This separation allows the receiving structure to maintain small, consistent vaporization quantities for reliable aerosol delivery.
3Productivity
If the vaporizer operates continuously, then productivity is high, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system operates in periodic cycles alternating between a filling state and a vaporization state. During the vaporization state, the receiving structure is heated to vaporize the liquid and generate aerosol. During the filling state, the receiving structure is fluidically connected to the container to replenish liquid. This periodic operation allows the vaporizer to maintain high productivity during the vaporization phase while reducing energy consumption during the filling phase when heating is not required.
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
Enables precise control over the amount of vaporized liquid, ensuring consistent aerosol delivery and efficient energy use, suitable for medical applications.
Implementation Method 1
an electric vaporizer for evaporating the liquid and thus generating the aerosol
Implementation Method 2
The evaporator is suitably designed such that, when electrically supplied, it generates heat to evaporate the liquid contained in the receiving structure
Implementation Method 3
using a heating element and a PTC thermistor to regulate temperature and power supply
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to an inhaler (1) for inhaling an aerosol, said inhaler having a container (3) for storing a liquid and an evaporator device (2) for evaporating the liquid. An improved monitoring of the produced aerosol is achieved in that the evaporator device (4) has a receiving structure (7) with a defined total volume for receiving the liquid, wherein the receiving structure (7) is filled with liquid from the container (3) in a filling state (23) of the inhaler (1), and the liquid received in the receiving structure (7) is evaporated in an evaporating state (24), in which the receiving structure (7) is fluidically separated from the container (3). The invention additionally relates to a unit (25) for such an inhaler (1), said unit comprising the container (3) and the evaporator device (2).