Steam-Mixed Powder Inhaler for Lung Delivery Without Drug Loss

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional powder inhalers fail to ensure that a sufficient amount of particulate drug reaches the lungs of patients with asthma or coronavirus, often causing drug loss within the device and excessive inhalation.

Innovation Solution

A drug vaporization and inhalation device that mixes particulate drugs with vaporized steam using a vaporization container, inducing material, fine particle vaporizer, and a cap with blades to ensure the drug reaches the lungs without loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional powder inhalers spray out powdered drug, then the device structure is simple, but the drug cannot sufficiently arrive at patient's lungs causing drug loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrug delivery efficiencyVSAvoiddevice structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the drug delivery system from solid powder to vapor phase by heating the inhalation powder in a vaporization chamber. The heated powder undergoes phase transition to form vapor that is then delivered to the patient's lungs through a mouthpiece, ensuring complete drug delivery without residue loss in the device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the conventional mechanical spray mechanism with a thermal vaporization system. Instead of using mechanical force to spray powder, the system uses heat to vaporize the powder, eliminating the need for complex spray nozzles and mechanical actuators while improving drug delivery reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional inhalers use excipient to dilute active material, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the excipient influences the characteristics of inhalation powder

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing processVSAvoidinhalation powder characteristics

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the excipient component from the inhalation powder formulation. By using pure active material without diluents, the system eliminates the manufacturing complexity associated with selecting and controlling excipient particle sizes while maintaining ease of manufacture through direct vaporization of the active substance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Loss of substance

If conventional inhalers allow powder to remain in the device, then the device structure is simple, but infected patients may excessively inhale the drug

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrug lossVSAvoiddevice structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The vaporization process ensures complete drug delivery by transforming the powder to vapor phase, which is then fully inhaled by the patient. This phase transition eliminates drug residue in the device chamber, preventing both drug loss and subsequent excessive inhalation from remaining powder.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

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 effectively delivers the particulate drug to the lungs by mixing it with vaporized steam, preventing drug loss and excessive inhalation.

Implementation Method 1

an inducing material disposed under the vaporization container to be inserted into the first storage space to induce the vaporization promoting composition stored in the first storage space to be discharged by means of a capillary action

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

a fine particle vaporizer heated when power is supplied thereto to vaporize the vaporization promoting composition induced by the inducing material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVaporization: Evaporation

Implementation Method 3

blades protruding downward from the inner bottom thereof to incise the capsule placed in the capsule accommodation portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical incision: Fracture Mechanics

Implementation Method 4

so that the vaporized steam or the powdered drug discharged from the capsule and mixed with the vaporized steam guided by the second guide paths is inhaled through the inhalation pipe

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAerosol formation: Aerosol

Data Source

PatentUS12594386B2Drug vaporization and inhalation device

Publication Date: 2026.04.07 JD COSPHARMA CO LTD

AI summary

Provided is a drug vaporization and inhalation device. The drug vaporization and inhalation device is configured such that when a user inhales a particulate drug, the drug is contained in vaporized steam, and therefore, the drug can sufficiently arrive at the lungs of the user, without loss, thereby preventing a given amount of the drug from remaining in an inhalation container and improving the drug inhalation efficiency of the user along with prevention of excessive inhalation of the drug.