Multi-Serving Supplement Cartridge for Accurate Liquid Dosing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional dietary supplements in pill or capsule form are difficult to swallow, digest, and absorb, often containing fillers and binding agents that reduce active ingredient absorption, and pose challenges in accurate dosing due to their size and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A granulated nutritional supplement dispensing machine that mixes powdered supplements with water in measured doses, using a multi-serving cartridge system with a computer-controlled mechanism to ensure precise delivery and easy consumption, reducing the need for fillers and binding agents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If dietary supplements are manufactured in pill or capsule form, then they have acceptable shelf life and solid structure, but they require fillers and binding agents that reduce active ingredient absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state of the supplement from solid pill/capsule form to liquid form. This parameter change eliminates the need for fillers and binding agents required in solid formulations, thereby improving active ingredient absorption while maintaining stability through proper liquid formulation and storage
2Quantity of substance
If pills are made larger to contain more active ingredient, then the content increases, but they become difficult to swallow and digest
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the form from solid pills to liquid supplements, eliminating the swallowability problem entirely. The liquid form allows for high active ingredient content without the size and swallowing difficulties associated with large pills
3Strength
If fillers and binding agents are used to create solid tablets, then the tablet structure is stable, but digestion and absorption are resisted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from solid tablet form to liquid form, eliminating the need for structural fillers and binding agents. This parameter change improves absorption rate by removing substances that resist digestion, while liquid stability is maintained through proper formulation
4Quantity of substance
If consumers take multiple pills to ensure adequate dosing, then the dosage coverage increases, but the risk of over-dosing or under-dosing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the total monthly dosage into individual daily liquid servings stored in separate compartments within a single cartridge. This segmentation allows consumers to take exactly one calibrated dose per day, improving dosing accuracy and eliminating the risks of over-dosing or under-dosing associated with taking multiple pills
5Ease of operation
If a single monthly pill is taken, then the convenience increases, but the dosing precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides a month's supply into multiple individual daily liquid servings in separate compartments. Each compartment contains a precisely measured single-day dose, providing both the convenience of a single monthly cartridge and the precision of individually calibrated doses
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 system allows for easy and efficient absorption of nutritional supplements, minimizing the risk of over- or under-dosing and providing a convenient method for consuming dietary supplements, suitable for various age groups and pets, while ensuring high absorption rates of active ingredients.
Implementation Method 1
A fluid level monitor is operatively associated with the water tank for measuring the water level in the water tank
Implementation Method 2
A flow control valve is operatively associated with the conduit, and can be selectively actuated between open and closed positions to regulate the flow of water from the exit end of the conduit
Implementation Method 3
The computer control system enables a precise delivery of liquid to be mixed with a granulated or powdered form of nutritional supplement regardless of the water level in the tank
Data Source
AI summary
A granulated nutritional supplement dispensing machine extracts single-serving doses from a multi-serving supplements cartridge for delivery as a drinkable solution. A lead serving chamber is pierced so that its powered contents drain into a mixing cup together with a metered quantity of water from an integrated water tank. A vibrator unit assists drainage of the granulated materials from the lead serving chamber. The mixing cup is rotated at high speed to blend the water and supplements into a slurry. The supplements cartridge is indexed after (or before) use so that an unopened serving chamber is presented each time for extracting its supplements. This enables partially-used supplements cartridges to be used in the machine, as is conducive in multiple-user households. The supplements cartridge is configured with read-write data capability to indicate whether or not the contents of each serving chamber have been emptied.