Riser Pipe Seal Structure for Low-Contamination Inhalers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inhalation devices suffer from contamination of the liquid due to abrasive particles generated from the gap between the piston and the pumping chamber, leading to clogging and increased costs due to the need for high-quality materials and complex manufacturing to minimize this gap.
Innovation Solution
An inhalation device with a seal fixed to the riser pipe that moves relative to the pumping chamber, bridging the gap and redirecting abrasive particles away from the liquid during high-pressure emission, allowing for lower surface quality and simpler assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the gap between the piston and pumping chamber is minimized to reduce pressure loss, then pressure efficiency is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to the need for high-quality materials and complex processing
Solution Approach 1:
A seal element is introduced as an intermediary component between the piston and pumping chamber. This seal bridges the gap, maintaining pressure efficiency without requiring the piston and chamber to be in direct contact, thereby eliminating the need for high-quality surface finishes and complex manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is separated from the structural components (piston and pumping chamber). Instead of requiring the main components to have precision surfaces, the sealing function is assigned to a dedicated seal element, allowing the piston and chamber to be manufactured with lower precision and lower cost.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the gap between the piston and pumping chamber is reduced to prevent particle generation, then liquid purity is improved, but device complexity increases due to complex gap minimization measures
Solution Approach 1:
The seal acts as an intermediary that prevents direct contact and friction between the piston and pumping chamber walls. This eliminates the generation of abrasive particles that would contaminate the liquid, while the seal itself is designed to be simple in structure and easy to install.
3Reliability
If high-quality piston material and surface finish are used to minimize wear, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal serves as a protective intermediary between the piston and pumping chamber, bearing the wear and friction instead of the expensive piston material. This allows the piston to be made from lower-cost materials with simpler surface finishes while maintaining system reliability through the durable seal element.
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
Reduces liquid contamination by abrasive particles, lowers manufacturing costs, and simplifies assembly by eliminating the need for high-quality surfaces and complex gap minimization measures.
Implementation Method 1
a gap being bridged by a seal for minimizing pressure loss when a pressure is generated inside said pumping chamber
Implementation Method 2
small particles can be abraded from the outside of the piston as well as from the seal surface region which slides along the outside wall of the piston
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the field of inhalation devices for liquids. In particular, the invention relates to an improved seal construction for an inhalation device having a nebulizing nozzle and a piston which moves relative to a pumping chamber in order to generate pumping pressure and to an inhalation device comprising such seal. 5 An inhalation device for medically active liquids (F) for generation of an aerosol comprises a housing (1), an impingement-type nozzle (6) for generating the nebulised aerosol by collision of at least two liquid jets, the nozzle (6) being firmly affixed to the user-facing side of the housing (1) such as to be immobile relative to the housing (1), inside the housing (1) the inhalation device comprises a reservoir (2) for storing a liquid (F), 10 a pumping device with a pumping chamber (3) for generation of a pressure inside said pumping chamber (3), wherein the pumping chamber (3) is fluidically connected with the reservoir (2), a riser pipe (5) which can be received with at least one reservoir-facing, interior end (5A) in said pumping chamber (3), and said nozzle (6) which is connected liquid-tight to an exterior end (5B) of the riser pipe (5), wherein the interior 15 volume of the pumping chamber (3) is changeable by means of relative motion of the pumping chamber to the riser pipe (5) or vice versa. A gap (10) can be present between an outside of said riser pipe (5) and an inside of said pumping chamber (3), and a seal (9) bridging said gap (10) in order to minimize pressure loss when a pressure is generated inside said pumping chamber (3). 20 Said seal (9) can be fixed to said outside of said riser pipe (5), and be moveable with respect to said inside of said pumping chamber (3).