Oral Administration Device with Dissolving Substrate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current oral medication administration methods, both solid and liquid forms, face challenges such as solubility issues, stability problems, and taste concerns, particularly for children and the elderly, with liquid forms being unsatisfactory due to volume control difficulties and recrystallization issues, and solid forms like effervescent tablets being unsuitable for all patients.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring an elongated tubular body with a non-return valve and substrates composed of a neutral insoluble support coated with a soluble layer containing an active ingredient that changes color upon dissolution, ensuring precise and reproducible medication delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If liquid pharmaceutical forms are used, then ease of administration is improved, but stability and solubility control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the medication delivery process by separating the solid substrate containing active ingredients from the liquid medium. The substrate is designed to dissolve progressively in the liquid, allowing controlled release of medication while maintaining stability during storage. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling easy liquid administration while preserving stability through the solid substrate structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state parameter of the medication from solid (tablets) or unstable liquid to a controlled dissolution system where solid substrate transforms into liquid solution during administration. The substrate is designed with specific solubility characteristics that allow it to dissolve at controlled rates, transforming the medication from stable solid form to easily administrable liquid form only when needed.
2Measurement precision
If small volumes of solute are used, then dosage precision is improved, but dissolution control and taste deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs dynamic dissolution where the substrate progressively dissolves in the liquid medium during the administration process. The dissolution rate is controlled by the substrate's physical and chemical properties, allowing precise dosage delivery. The dynamic nature of the dissolution process ensures complete release of active ingredients while maintaining acceptable taste through controlled interaction with the liquid.
3Stability of the object's composition
If effervescent tablets are used, then stability is improved, but dissolution time and sodium content deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the effervescent mechanism (carbonate/bicarbonate systems) from the medication formulation and replaces it with a simpler soluble substrate system. This extraction eliminates the need for high sodium content while maintaining stability. The substrate dissolves directly in the liquid medium without requiring effervescent reactions, significantly reducing dissolution time while preserving the stability benefits of solid pharmaceutical forms.
4Ease of operation
If soluble substrates are used in straws, then ease of administration is improved, but product loss and dosing accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses a substrate that is designed to dissolve partially or completely during the administration process, with the dissolution extent controlled by the substrate's solubility characteristics. The substrate provides a reservoir of active ingredients that dissolves as the patient consumes the liquid, ensuring complete dosage delivery without loss. The insoluble or partially soluble nature of the substrate prevents product loss while maintaining ease of administration.
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 allows for exact and reproducible medication administration, preventing leakage and ensuring the patient ingests the correct dose, with the color change indicating complete medication absorption, addressing the limitations of existing forms.
Implementation Method 1
an external coating layer (22) colored and soluble containing at least one active principle and having a coloring different from that of the neutral support (20)
Implementation Method 2
capable of changing color when all of the active principle has been effectively dissolved and absorbed
Implementation Method 3
a non-return valve (16) at one of the two ends
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The subject of the invention is a device (10) for the oral administration of medicaments, taking the form of an elongate tubular body comprising means (12, 14) capable of taking in or expelling a liquid at each end, a non-return valve (16) at one of the two ends, and at least one substrate (18) formed by at least one inert supporting member (20) and a soluble coating layer (22) having a different colour from that of the inert supporting member and containing at least one active principle.