Nasal appliance
AssigneeBsa, LLC
InventorMark Pinter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An appliance adapted to engage and expand nasal passages of a nose and prevent their collapse is disclosed. The appliance includes angularly oriented first and second legs having distal ends insertable into the nasal passageways. A bridge member connects proximal ends of the legs to one another. Third and fourth legs are connected to the first and second legs and have distal ends that engage opposite outer surfaces of the nose. The first and second legs are adjustable in both the coronal and sagittal planes to accommodate noses of various sizes and shapes. Porous substrates and soluble compounds may be attached to the first and second legs and deliver medicaments or other compounds. A method of expanding the nasal passageways by inserting and biasing the appliance into the nose is also disclosed.
Claims27
An appliance adapted to engage and expand nasal passages of a nose and prevent collapse thereof upon inhalation of air therethrough, said appliance comprising:
- first and second legs arranged in spaced apart relation substantially co-planar with one another, said first and second legs being oriented angularly to one another, each of said first and second legs having a proximal end, and a distal end insertable within a respective nasal passage, said distal ends being spaced farther apart than said proximal ends for biasing said nasal passages outwardly into an open configuration;
- a bridge member connecting said proximal ends of said first and second legs to one another;
- and
- third and fourth legs arranged in spaced apart relation substantially co-planar with one another, said third and fourth legs each having a proximal end attached to said proximal end of a respective one of said first and second legs, and a distal end engageable with an outer surface of said nose for holding said appliance thereon.
An appliance adapted to engage the nasal passages of a nose, said appliance comprising:
- a first pair of legs, each having proximal ends attached to one another, and distal ends in spaced relation to one another, said distal ends being respectively insertable within said nasal passages for biasing them outwardly into an open configuration;
- and
- a second pair of legs, each having a proximal end attached to a proximal end of one of said first pair of legs, each leg of said second pair having a distal end projecting inwardly toward said distal ends of said first pair of legs, said distal ends of said second pair being engageable with said nose on opposite sides thereof for holding said appliance thereon.
A method of expanding the nasal passages of a nose in an open configuration, said method comprising:
- inserting a distal end of a first and a second leg into respective nasal passages;
- biasing said distal ends of said first and second legs outwardly away from one another, each said leg thereby engaging a sidewall of said respective nasal passages;
- engaging a distal end of a third and a fourth leg with respective outer surfaces of said nose on opposite sides thereof;
- and
- biasing said distal ends of said third and fourth legs inwardly against said respective outer surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.