Inhalation Therapy Pressure Membrane for Sensor Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inhalation therapy devices face issues such as increased therapy duration, loss of aerosol due to rainout, and contamination of sensors affecting the precision of aerosol generation, leading to reduced user adherence and therapeutic efficacy.
Innovation Solution
An inhalation therapy device with a flow path, measurement passage, and pressure-transmitting member that separates the sensor from the flow path, using a pressure-transmitting member to protect the sensor from liquids and contaminants while maintaining precise pressure detection, allowing the device to remain in contact with the user during inhalation and exhalation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the sensor is placed directly in the flow path to detect pressure, then the measurement precision is improved, but the sensor becomes contaminated by liquids and aerosols reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
A pressure-transmitting member (membrane) is introduced as an intermediary between the flow path and the sensor. This membrane transmits pressure fluctuations from the inhalation/exhalation flow to the sensor while blocking direct contact between the sensor and aerosol/liquid contaminants, thus maintaining both measurement precision and sensor reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The device is segmented into a flow path section and a sensor section, separated by the pressure-transmitting membrane. This segmentation allows the sensor to remain isolated from contaminants while still detecting pressure changes transmitted through the membrane, resolving the contradiction between exposure for measurement and isolation for reliability
2Reliability
If the device is removed from the user during exhalation to prevent contamination, then the sensor protection is improved, but the therapy duration increases reducing user adherence
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure-transmitting membrane serves as a protective intermediary that allows the device to remain in contact with the user during both inhalation and exhalation without contaminating the sensor. This eliminates the need to remove the device during exhalation, reducing therapy duration while maintaining sensor protection
Solution Approach 2:
The device maintains continuous contact with the user throughout the entire breathing cycle (inhalation and exhalation), enabling uninterrupted aerosol delivery and pressure monitoring. The pressure-transmitting membrane enables this continuous action without compromising sensor integrity
3Quantity of substance
If aerosol is generated continuously to maintain effective concentration, then the therapeutic efficacy is improved, but aerosol loss due to rainout increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor detects user inhalation/exhalation patterns and provides feedback to control the aerosol generator. The generator operates continuously at low power but modulates intensity based on detected breathing phases, maintaining effective aerosol concentration during inhalation while reducing generation during exhalation to minimize rainout loss
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 ensures consistent and reliable drug delivery by reducing aerosol loss and sensor contamination, enabling shorter therapy times and improved user adherence.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure-transmitting member (17, 18) which closes said measurement passage (15) and transmits a pressure generatable by inhalation and/or exhalation through the inhalation therapy device (1) to the sensor (14)
Implementation Method 2
The pressure-transmitting member is constituted in such a manner that it is impermeable to liquids
Implementation Method 3
an actuator that is directly or indirectly, via a support plate supporting the aerosol-generating membrane, coupled to the same for vibrating the aerosol-generating membrane
Implementation Method 4
an aerosol-generating membrane having a plurality of apertures... upon vibrating the same. The fluid or liquid (i.e., the medicament) passes through the apertures from the first side and an aerosol is generated at a second side
Implementation Method 5
upon the application of a suction force by the user's breathing, especially his or her inhalation, through the inhalation therapy device the aerosol is at least partially transported (by the suction force) from the interior of the inhalation therapy device to the user's respiratory tract
Implementation Method 6
The fluid or liquid may be in contact with a first side of the aerosol-generating membrane via gravitational force
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an inhalation therapy device. The inhalation therapy device comprises a housing, an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol from a liquid, a flow path, a measurement passage connecting the flow path and a sensor, as well as a pressure-transmitting member. The flow path is defined in the housing and comprises a first opening to the outside of the housing at one end and a second opening to the outside of the housing at another end, so that at least an inhalation flow from the second opening to the first opening is generatable in the flow path upon inhalation of a patient at the first opening for entraining and delivering the generated aerosol. The sensor is positioned outside the flow path and is configured to detect a pressure in the flow path via the measurement passage. The pressure-transmitting member is suitable to transmit the pressure in the flow path to the sensor, wherein the pressure-transmitting member closes the measurement passage and is impermeable to liquids.