Troche Mold Assembly with Flexible Buttons for Accurate Dosing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing troche mold technologies are inefficient in preparing and dispensing troche medications, requiring individual filling of each cell and lacking features for easy handling and accurate dosing, which can lead to discomfort and inefficiency for both pharmacists and patients.
Innovation Solution
A troche mold assembly comprising a cover and a tray with features such as flexible buttons, score ribs, and engagement features that allow for easy filling, accurate dosing, and comfortable dispensing, including a child-resistant mechanism, to facilitate the preparation and dispensing of troche medications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If individual filling of each cell is required, then manufacturing precision can be maintained, but productivity decreases and loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is divided into multiple cavities that can be filled simultaneously, with each cavity acting as an independent unit for precise dosing. The partition walls between cavities ensure that each troche receives the exact required amount of medication while allowing bulk filling of the entire mold.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold includes pre-formed cavities with precise dimensions and volumes designed to hold specific dosages. The partition walls and cavity structures are prepared in advance to ensure accurate dosing without requiring individual measurement during the filling process.
2Device complexity
If traditional mold design is used, then device complexity is minimized, but ease of operation worsens due to lack of handling features
Solution Approach 1:
The mold includes localized ergonomic features such as grip surfaces on specific portions of the mold body, positioned exactly where hands will contact during handling. These features improve ease of operation without adding complex mechanisms to the overall simple mold structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple mold design is used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability decreases due to lack of secure tray positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The mold includes localized retention features such as recesses, protrusions, or friction-fit surfaces positioned at specific locations on the tray and mold body. These features securely hold the tray in the correct position during filling and processing while maintaining the overall simplicity and ease of manufacture of the mold design.
Data Source
AI summary
A troche mold assembly includes a cover defining a receiving area and a tray removably positioned in the receiving area. The tray includes a frame having a top side and a bottom side opposite from the top side. The frame defines a plurality of cells, and each cell is configured to receive a medicament. The tray also includes a plurality of buttons. Each button is within a corresponding cell and is between the top side and the bottom side of the frame. In some aspects, wherein each button includes a center portion, a first hinge line adjacent to the cell wall, and a second hinge line between the first hinge line and the center portion. In various aspects, the cover includes a locating rib, and the tray is removably positioned within the receiving area such that the locating rib contacts the top side of the frame.