Vortex Chamber Liquid Medication Processor for Alveoli Penetration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current inhalers produce particle sizes that are too large to pass through the alveoli membranes in the lungs, resulting in inefficient delivery of liquid medications directly into the bloodstream, with much of the medication impinging on the mouth or throat rather than being deeply inhaled.
Innovation Solution
A device that introduces liquid medication into a vortex chamber, where it is broken down to particle sizes of 20 μm or smaller, using a pressurized air supply and a biased needle valve to create a high-speed vortex, allowing for inhalation of finely homogenized medication that can pass through alveoli membranes into the bloodstream.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If typical aerosol inhalers use a diverging nozzle to vaporize liquid medication, then the liquid is converted to droplet form for inhalation, but the resulting particle size is approximately 50 μm which is too large to pass through alveoli membranes effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the vaporization process by using ultrasonic vibration frequencies (20-100 kHz) and controlling temperature (37°C to 47°C) to produce particles of 1-3 μm diameter, which are small enough to pass through alveoli membranes. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by achieving both precise particle size control and effective medication delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies ultrasonic mechanical vibration to the liquid medication to break it down into fine particles. The ultrasonic vibrations cause cavitation and mechanical disruption of the liquid, producing particles in the 1-3 μm range that can effectively pass through alveoli membranes, thereby resolving the particle size issue.
2Ease of operation
If typical inhalers produce a wide range of particle droplet sizes, then some particles can be inhaled, but much of the metered medication impinges on the mouth or back of the throat rather than being deeply inhaled
Solution Approach 1:
By precisely controlling the ultrasonic vibration parameters and temperature, the system produces a narrow particle size distribution centered at 1-3 μm. This eliminates the wide size distribution of conventional inhalers, ensuring that nearly all particles are small enough to reach the lungs and pass through alveoli membranes, thereby reducing medication waste and improving delivery efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If conventional inhalers deliver medication to the lungs, then direct lung treatment is achieved, but particles of 50 μm cannot pass through the very thin alveoli membranes into the bloodstream
Solution Approach 1:
Ultrasonic mechanical vibration is used to break down liquid medication into particles of 1-3 μm diameter. This particle size is specifically targeted to be small enough to pass through the thin alveoli membranes into the bloodstream, enabling both effective lung treatment and direct bloodstream delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition from liquid to aerosol particles through ultrasonic vaporization. By controlling the phase transition process with ultrasonic vibration and temperature control, particles of the precise size needed for alveoli penetration (1-3 μm) are produced, resolving the contradiction between drug delivery capability and particle size precision.
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 breaks down liquid medication into particles small enough to pass through alveoli membranes, ensuring a higher percentage of medication is delivered directly into the bloodstream, improving the efficiency of lung treatments and reducing waste.
Implementation Method 1
introducing a supply of liquid into a vortex, and breaking down the supply of liquid to a particle size of approximately 20 μm in diameter or smaller
Implementation Method 2
breaking down the supply of liquid to a particle size of approximately 10 μm in diameter or smaller
Implementation Method 3
heated air stream passing through the vortex chamber vaporizes the liquid
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments and aspects presented herein provide methods and apparatus for vaporizing and/or mixing medication with air or other gases for oral delivery to a patient. Some methods and apparatus may include breaking liquid medications down to particle sizes no larger than about 1.0 to 3.0 micrometers in diameter. Such small particle diameters can be introduced directly to a patient's bloodstream via the lungs by crossing the alveoli membranes.