Dry Powder Inhaler with Tangential Air Inlets and Movable Balls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dry powder inhalers face challenges with precision and reproducibility of dosage, efficiency of delivery to the lungs, and complexity and cost in manufacturing and assembly, particularly when synchronizing powder expulsion with inhalation.
Innovation Solution
A dry powder inhaler design featuring a body with pre-dosed reservoirs, a dispersion chamber with tangential air inlets, and movable balls to deagglomerate powder, along with a peeling mechanism for reservoir opening, allowing for efficient air and powder flow and distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If synchronization of powder expulsion with inhalation is implemented, then lung delivery efficiency is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The inhaler utilizes the patient's own inhalation action to automatically trigger powder expulsion. The mechanical linkage between the inhalation movement and the dosing mechanism eliminates the need for external synchronization devices, allowing the system to self-regulate based on user input without adding complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs pneumatic principles by using air flow generated during inhalation to drive the powder expulsion mechanism. The airflow through channels and around balls creates the necessary force to release powder doses, replacing complex mechanical synchronization systems with fluid-dynamic control
2Volume of moving object
If individual reservoirs are used, then device size is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates due to manual capsule loading
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple powder reservoirs are pre-loaded into the inhaler device during manufacturing, eliminating the need for users to load individual capsules. The reservoirs are arranged in a strip that automatically feeds new doses as used reservoirs are discarded, providing preliminary preparation that simplifies user operation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the reservoir loading function from user operation by implementing an automatic reservoir advancement mechanism. The strip of reservoirs is mechanically advanced through the device body, separating the storage function (pre-loaded) from the operation function (automatic dosing), thereby reducing device size while maintaining ease of use
3Ease of operation
If all doses are stored inside the device, then ease of operation is improved, but device volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The powder storage is segmented into multiple individual reservoirs arranged in a strip, allowing the device to store multiple doses without requiring a single large storage compartment. This modular arrangement enables compact packaging while maintaining the ability to provide multiple doses, balancing storage capacity with device volume
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 design ensures reliable, precise, and reproducible dosing with improved lung delivery efficiency, while being simpler and less expensive to manufacture and assemble.
Implementation Method 1
at least one ball movable on a ball path in said dispersion chamber
Implementation Method 2
at least one air inlet approximately tangential with respect to said ball path
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~8
AI summary
The invention relates to a powder inhaling device comprising a body (10) provided with a distribution opening (15), a plurality of pre-dosed receptacles (21), each one containing a dose of powder to be distributed, and receptacle-opening means (30; 50; 18) for opening a receptacle (21) each time the device is actuated. Said device also comprises a dispersion chamber (70) having an inlet (710) connected to an open receptacle (21) during the inhalation and receiving the flow of air and powder from the open receptacle via a supply channel (60), and an outlet (720) connected to said distribution opening (15) via a distribution channel (80). Said dispersion chamber (70) comprises at least one ball (71) movable along a ball path (75) in the dispersion chamber, said dispersion chamber (70) comprising at least one air inlet (72) that is approximately tangential to said ball path (75), the supply and distribution channels (60) extending in the same essentially perpendicular direction to the ball path (75) and to the at least one tangential air inlet (72).