Piezoelectric Ejector Mechanism for Precision Eye Drop Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current eye drop delivery devices are inefficient and inaccurate, often requiring awkward positions, risking eye damage, and failing to ensure proper medication deposition and compliance, especially for children, elderly, and stroke victims, due to lack of precise dosing and contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
A piezoelectric actuated ejector device that generates a controlled stream of droplets with specific size and velocity for targeted delivery, minimizing airflow and ensuring repeatable dosing, with features like a housing, reservoir, and a mechanism comprising an ejector plate coupled to a generator plate with openings, allowing for precise fluid delivery to the eye.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If gravity-based dropper delivery is used, then the device is simple to manufacture, but the dosing precision and delivery accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the gravity-based mechanical dropper system with a piezoelectric actuator-driven ejector mechanism. The piezoelectric actuator converts electrical signals to precise mechanical vibrations, enabling controlled droplet ejection through an ejector plate with precisely positioned openings. This substitution eliminates gravitational dependency and enables programmable, repeatable dosing with high precision while maintaining relatively simple device construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces dynamic control through the piezoelectric actuator that can vary vibration frequency, amplitude, and timing to optimize droplet formation and ejection. The system transitions from static gravity-driven flow to dynamic, electronically controlled droplet generation, allowing precise adjustment of dosing parameters while keeping the physical device structure simple.
2Device complexity
If traditional eye dropper design is used, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability and safety deteriorate due to contamination risks and eye damage potential
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the dropper tip from direct contact with the medication reservoir, replacing it with a non-contact ultrasonic vibration-based droplet generation system. The piezoelectric actuator vibrates the ejector plate to form and eject droplets without the need for a physical dropper tip that could contact the eye or become contaminated. This separation eliminates the primary contamination pathway while maintaining low device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ejector plate with precisely positioned openings serves as an intermediary between the medication reservoir and the eye. It generates droplets through ultrasonic vibration without requiring direct contact between the medication bottle and the eye, thereby preventing bacterial contamination while maintaining simple device architecture.
3Ease of manufacture
If gravity-based delivery requiring head tilting is used, then the manufacturing cost is low, but the ease of operation deteriorates for children, elderly, and stroke victims
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the gravity-dependent mechanical delivery system with a piezoelectric-driven ejector that can deliver droplets horizontally or at various angles without requiring the user to tilt their head. The piezoelectric actuator provides active propulsion force to eject droplets against gravity, enabling operation in any orientation and making the device accessible to children, elderly, and stroke victims who cannot perform complex positioning maneuvers.
4Ease of operation
If large volume droplet delivery is used, then the device is simple to operate, but the manufacturing precision and dosing accuracy deteriorate due to washout and poor deposition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the medication delivery into precisely controlled individual droplets of specific sizes (e.g., 50-200 microns) rather than delivering large undifferentiated volumes. The ejector plate with precisely positioned openings and the piezoelectric actuator work together to generate uniform, size-controlled droplets that optimize deposition on the eye surface while minimizing washout, achieving both ease of operation and high manufacturing precision.
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 provides safe, repeatable, and accurate dosing with high deposition efficiency, reducing waste and contamination risks, and includes features for compliance monitoring and user-friendly operation.
Implementation Method 1
an ejector mechanism configured to eject a stream of droplets... an ejector plate coupled to a generator plate and a piezoelectric actuator; the piezoelectric actuator being operable to oscillate the ejector plate, and thereby the generator plate, at a frequency and generate a directed stream of droplets
Data Source
AI summary
An ejector device and method of delivering safe, suitable, and repeatable dosages to a subject for topical, oral, nasal, or pulmonary use is disclosed. The ejector device includes a housing, a reservoir disposed within the housing for receiving a volume of fluid, and an ejector mechanism in fluid communication with the reservoir and configured to eject a stream of droplets, the ejector mechanism comprising an ejector plate coupled to a generator plate and a piezoelectric actuator; the piezoelectric actuator being operable to oscillate the ejector plate, and thereby the generator plate, at a frequency and generate a directed stream of droplets.