Planetary Mixer Adapter for Cap-and-Body Container Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pharmaceutical compounding methods face challenges such as cross-contamination, inconsistent API concentrations, high shearing forces leading to thermal degradation, air entrainment, and the need for device-specific containers, which affect the quality and efficiency of compounded pharmaceutical compositions.
Innovation Solution
A compounding method using superimposed revolution and rotation movements in a container to disperse API in a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient or diluent, achieving ≤6% relative standard deviation (RSD) in API concentration across layers and maintaining specific gravity within 20% of the excipient's, while minimizing thermal degradation and air entrainment, using a device like a planetary mixer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual mixing is used for pharmaceutical compounding, then flexibility in preparing personalized compositions is maintained, but cross-contamination risk increases and API concentration consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a planetary mixer as an intermediary device between manual mixing and automated systems. This device provides consistent, reproducible mixing action through its planetary motion mechanism while still allowing pharmacists to select different containers and recipes, thus maintaining adaptability while improving reliability of API concentration consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional manual mechanical mixing action with a controlled planetary mixing mechanism. This substitution eliminates the variability and contamination risks associated with manual mixing while preserving the ability to prepare personalized compositions through programmed mixing parameters and container selection.
2Productivity
If blade mixing is used to achieve homogeneous API distribution, then mixing efficiency is improved, but thermal degradation of labile API increases due to high shearing forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful high-shear blade mixing action from the mixing process. Instead, it employs a planetary mixing mechanism that achieves homogeneous API distribution through a different mechanical action that generates minimal heat, thereby maintaining productivity while eliminating thermal degradation of labile API.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mixing parameters from high-shear blade action to planetary motion with controlled speed and trajectory. This parameter change maintains mixing efficiency for achieving homogeneous API distribution while reducing the thermal energy input that causes degradation of thermally labile active pharmaceutical ingredients.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional mixing devices are used to achieve homogeneous mixing, then API distribution is improved, but air entrainment increases forming bubbles that alter specific gravity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a planetary mixer as an intermediary mixing mechanism that achieves homogeneous API distribution without the air-entraining action of conventional devices. The planetary motion pattern provides gentle yet effective mixing that eliminates bubbles while maintaining precise API distribution homogeneity.
4Manufacturing precision
If device-specific containers are used for mixing, then mixing control is improved, but the need for multiple containers and cleaning procedures increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the planetary mixer to accommodate multiple container types and sizes through a standardized interface. This allows the same mixing device to perform multiple functions with different containers, reducing the need for dedicated single-use containers and simplifying cleaning procedures while maintaining precise mixing control.
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 method ensures consistent API concentrations, reduces thermal degradation, and eliminates air bubbles, enhancing the quality and efficiency of pharmaceutical compositions, allowing for personalized dosages tailored to individual patient needs.
Implementation Method 1
A compounding method using superimposed revolution and rotation movements in a container to disperse API in a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient or diluent
Implementation Method 2
high shearing forces leading to thermal degradation
Implementation Method 3
many mixing devices often entrain air into the composition being mixed. The entrained air forms air bubbles in the composition
Data Source
AI summary
A dispensing container and adapter system for use with a planetary mixer is disclosed. The dispensing container has a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis. The dispensing container may include a nozzle and a removable cap to cover the nozzle. The removable cap may have a first width dimension measured along the transverse axis. The dispensing container may include a body having a second width dimension measured along the transverse axis. An adapter may receive the dispensing container. The adapter may include a cavity to receive the removable cap. The cavity may have a cavity width that exceeds the first width dimension. The adapter may also include a recess for receiving a portion of the dispensing container. The recess may extend from the cavity. At least a portion of the recess may have a width dimension smaller than both the first width dimension and the second width dimension.