Nasal Valve Assembly for Precise Air-Assisted Drug Dosing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nasal delivery devices lack simplicity and reliability for delivering substances to the nasal cavity, particularly for conditions requiring accurate and individualized dosing, especially for potent drugs with narrow therapeutic windows and serious adverse effects.
Innovation Solution
A manually-actuatable nasal delivery device with a nosepiece, mouthpiece, and a valve assembly that allows simultaneous air flow and substance delivery through manual displacement, featuring a valve element that moves between closed and open configurations to provide a burst of air flow and substance delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing nasal delivery devices are used, then substance delivery to nasal cavity is achieved, but the devices lack simplicity and reliability for accurate and individualized dosing
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional segments: a reservoir for substance storage, a valve assembly with movable valve element for controlled release, and a nosepiece for nasal delivery. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall simplicity and reliability for accurate dosing.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve element is pre-positioned in a closed configuration within the valve assembly before use. This preliminary positioning ensures that the substance remains sealed in the reservoir until intentional actuation, preventing accidental delivery and ensuring accurate, individualized dosing when the user intentionally opens the valve.
2Reliability
If manual actuation is used to control substance delivery, then reliable dosing is achieved, but the device requires user operation
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs a self-contained valve assembly where the movable valve element is directly actuated by user input through the nosepiece. This design allows the user to control substance delivery independently without requiring external power sources, complex mechanical linkages, or assistance from operators, achieving reliable dosing through simple self-service operation.
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 ensures efficient and reliable delivery of substances with high post-actuation efficiency, rapid onset of action, and precise dosing, suitable for systemic and topical administration of pharmaceuticals, including vaccines and biotechnological substances, while avoiding the blood-brain barrier.
Implementation Method 1
a valve element which is movably disposed to the body element between closed and open configurations by manual displacement of the actuation part of the delivery unit to provide for an air flow through the nosepiece
Implementation Method 2
the high blood flow and large surface area of the nasal mucosa advantageously provides for rapid systemic uptake
Data Source
AI summary
A nasal delivery device for and method of delivering substance to a nasal airway of a subject, the delivery device comprising: a nosepiece for fitting to a nasal cavity of a subject; a mouthpiece into which the subject in use exhales; a delivery unit, which comprises an actuation part which is manually displaceable to actuate the delivery unit to deliver substance from the nosepiece; and a valve assembly which is fluidly connected to the nosepiece and the mouthpiece, wherein the valve assembly comprises a body element and a valve element which is movably disposed to the body element between closed and open configurations by manual displacement of the actuation part of the delivery unit to provide for an air flow through the nosepiece simultaneously with delivery of substance.