Spatial Particle Arrangement in Drinking Device for Oral Drug Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Oral dosage forms often pose swallowing difficulties for various populations, including children and the elderly, and can be unpalatable, leading to non-compliance due to their solid or bitter taste, which existing alternatives have not adequately addressed.
Innovation Solution
A plurality of particles with specific physical properties, such as low flow resistance, high tensile strength, and controlled friability, are spatially arranged in a drinking device to release pharmaceutically active agents as fluid flows through, ensuring easy administration and effective delivery of medications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If solid dosage forms (tablets, capsules) are used for oral administration, then the pharmaceutical can be delivered effectively, but patients with swallowing difficulties cannot ingest them
Solution Approach 1:
The pharmaceutical is divided into multiple small particles (e.g., sand-like particles) that can be easily suspended in liquid and ingested, eliminating the swallowing difficulty associated with solid tablets and capsules while maintaining effective drug delivery through controlled dissolution in the gastrointestinal tract
2Ease of operation
If liquid formulations (syrups, elixirs) are used to improve swallowability, then ease of ingestion is improved, but the formulations become complex and may not provide adequate drug delivery control
Solution Approach 1:
A simple liquid carrier (water, juice, or other acceptable liquids) is used as an intermediary to suspend the pharmaceutical particles, providing ease of ingestion without requiring complex syrup or elixir formulations. The particles themselves serve as the drug delivery mechanism, eliminating the need for complex liquid formulation chemistry
3Ease of operation
If particles are made small enough to be easily ingested, then ease of ingestion is improved, but the particles may have insufficient mechanical strength and may fragment
Solution Approach 1:
The particle properties are optimized by controlling parameters such as size (e.g., 1-500 micrometers), density, surface characteristics, and mechanical strength to achieve a balance where particles are small enough for easy ingestion but sufficiently strong to maintain integrity during handling and dissolution. The particles are designed to dissolve at a controlled rate in the gastrointestinal environment
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 solution enables the accurate and efficient oral delivery of pharmaceuticals to subjects with swallowing difficulties, improving compliance by ensuring the particles dissolve or disperse within a controlled timeframe, releasing the active agents effectively without requiring swallowing of a solid tablet or capsule.
Implementation Method 1
the particles dissolve or disperse within a controlled timeframe, releasing the active agents effectively
Implementation Method 2
as fluid flows over the plurality of particles
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to spatially arranging a plurality of particles in a device for the oral delivery of a pharmaceutical. In particular, the plurality of particles is utilized for the oral delivery of a pharmaceutical to a subject via the drinking device.