Nasal Fluid Delivery with Air-Actuated Dose Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing nasal fluid product delivery devices face issues with dosing accuracy, environmental harm from compressed propellant gases, complexity in recycling, and high manufacturing costs, while failing to ensure complete expulsion and targeted deposition of fluid products.

Innovation Solution

A nasal fluid product delivery device using a compressed gas flow generation system that does not contact the fluid product, featuring a movable or deformable part in the reservoir to expel the fluid, and a mechanism to generate a compressed air flow without propellant gas, ensuring complete dose expulsion and targeted deposition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If compressed propellant gas is used to propel fluid product, then the fluid product can be dispensed, but dosing accuracy deteriorates due to mixing with gas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid product dispensingVSAvoiddosing accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The device separates the gas propulsion system from the fluid product reservoir. The air jet system with movable shutter and air piston operates independently, while the reservoir with its movable or deformable part expels fluid product separately. This segmentation prevents mixing of gas and fluid, maintaining dosing accuracy while enabling product dispensing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediate part connecting the reservoir to the compressed gas flow generation system. This intermediate structure allows the gas flow to actuate the movable or deformable part of the reservoir without directly contacting the fluid product, serving as a mediator that transmits force while preventing contamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If compressed propellant gas reservoir is used, then fluid product can be propelled, but environmental harm increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid product propulsionVSAvoidenvironmental harm
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts potentially harmful compressed propellant gas into beneficial compressed air. By using an air jet system that draws in ambient air and compresses it using a movable shutter and air piston mechanism, the device eliminates environmental harm while maintaining the propulsion function needed to expel the fluid product.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Ease of operation

If metal and plastic components are used in device, then device functionality is achieved, but recycling complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice functionalityVSAvoidrecycling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the device with recyclability in mind by minimizing mixed materials. The reservoir with its movable or deformable part can be designed for easy disassembly and material separation, allowing metal and plastic components to be recovered and recycled separately rather than discarded together as complex composite waste.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

4Productivity

If compressed propellant gas is used, then fluid product can be dispensed, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid product dispensingVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive compressed propellant gas reservoirs with a simpler air jet system using ambient air. The movable shutter and air piston mechanism can be manufactured more economically than sealed gas reservoirs, reducing material costs and simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining dispensing functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 achieves precise dosing, complete expulsion of the fluid product, targets deposition in distant nasal areas, and avoids environmental harm, with simplified manufacturing and use.

Implementation Method 1

a compressed gas flow generation system formed by an air jet comprising an air chamber in which an air piston slides, loading means being provided to move said air piston in said air chamber to compress the air contained in said air chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 2

said compressed gas flow generated upon actuation, such that said compressed gas flow does not come into contact with said fluid product. said compressed gas flow generation system being formed by an air jet comprising an air chamber in which an air piston slides

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas pressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentEP4444392B1Device for nasal delivery of fluid product
Publication Date: 2025.11.12 APTAR FRANCE SAS
  • EP4444392B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP4444392B1 patent drawingFigure 5~8

AI summary

Device for delivery of fluid product, comprising a reservoir (10) containing a dose of fluid product, a system (20) for generating a flow of compressed gas, suitable for generating a flow of compressed gas upon actuation, and an intermediate part (30) connecting the reservoir (10) to the system (20) for generating a flow of compressed gas, and having actuation means (35) for actuating the device, the reservoir (10) comprising a movable or deformable part (104, 106) suitable for expelling the fluid product out of the reservoir (10), the movable or deformable part (104, 106) being actuated by the flow of compressed gas generated upon the actuation, in such a way that the flow of compressed gas does not come into contact with the fluid product.