Nebulizer Nozzle Assembly Pressure Sensor Integration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional nebulizers fail to adapt to individual patients' respiratory rates, leading to low bioavailability of drugs and inconvenience due to continuous atomization without considering respiratory rate and vital capacity, and embedding sensors in nebulizers can be costly and prone to moisture damage.
Innovation Solution
A nebulizer with a nozzle assembly that includes a main conduit and an air pressure duct with a sensor to detect pressure changes, allowing the nebulizer to automatically control atomization based on inhalation, with the sensor located inside the nebulizer to avoid moisture issues and cost concerns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional nebulizer continuously atomizes medication with identical atomization quantity, then the atomization process is simple and reliable, but the amount of medication the patient inhales is affected and bioavailability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The nebulizer employs a pressure sensor to detect inhalation pressure changes and provides feedback to the controller, which then adjusts the atomization quantity accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables the nebulizer to adapt to varying respiratory rates while maintaining reliable atomization operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The atomization quantity is made dynamic rather than fixed. The controller adjusts the atomization quantity in real-time based on the detected pressure changes from inhalation, allowing the nebulizer to adapt to different respiratory rates and patient needs while maintaining operational reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a pressure sensor is embedded in the nebulizer to detect inhalation, then the nebulizer can adapt to respiratory rate, but the cost increases and the sensor is prone to moisture damage
Solution Approach 1:
An air pressure duct is introduced as an intermediary component between the inhalation environment and the pressure sensor. The duct transmits pressure changes from the inhalation side to the sensor located in the protected interior of the nebulizer, enabling adaptability while protecting the sensor from moisture damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional zones: the inhalation side with the air pressure duct for detecting pressure changes, and the protected interior side with the pressure sensor. This segmentation allows the sensor to be isolated from moisture-prone environments while still detecting inhalation-related pressure variations.
3Measurement precision
If the pressure sensor is located in the mouthpiece, then the sensor is close to the atomizing opening for direct detection, but the sensor is exposed to moisture and cleaning difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The air pressure duct serves as a mediator that transmits pressure information from the mouthpiece area to the sensor located in the protected interior. This allows the sensor to be positioned away from moisture and cleaning difficulties while maintaining precise pressure detection capability through the duct.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing the sensor directly in the mouthpiece (zero-dimensional contact), the system uses the air pressure duct to transmit pressure changes from the mouthpiece area to the sensor in the interior. This dimensional transition allows the sensor to be physically separated from the moisture-prone environment while still detecting the same pressure variations.
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 solution enables precise administration of medication based on respiratory rate, improving bioavailability and making the nebulizer more affordable, reliable, and easy to clean by automatically controlling atomization in response to inhalation pressure changes.
Implementation Method 1
an air pressure duct (2) having a connecting opening (22) connected to the sensor (S) and a detecting opening (21) exposed and adjacent to the atomizing opening (11)... the sensor (S) determines a pressure change of the atomizing opening (11) via a pressure of the detecting opening (21)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A nebulizer utilizing a nozzle assembly includes a main conduit and an air pressure duct. The main conduit is disposed on the nebulizer and has an inner surface and an outer surface. The main conduit has an atomizing opening. The air pressure duct is disposed on one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the main conduit, and has a connecting opening connected to the sensor and a detecting opening that is exposed and adjacent to the atomizing opening. The sensor is disposed inside the nebulizer and determines a pressure change of the atomizing opening by detecting the pressure of the detecting opening. The nebulizer includes an atomizing module and a controlling module electrically connected to the atomizing module and the sensor, and the controlling module determines whether the atomizing module should be turned on based on the pressure change of the atomizing opening detected by the sensor.