High Flow Volume Nasal Irrigation Device and Method for Alternating Pulsatile and Continuous Fluid Flow

A high flow volume nasal irrigation device, comprising:

• a) a squeeze bottle configured to elastically deform in response to a manually applied pressure on the bottle and thus pressurize the liquid and chamber therein, the squeeze bottle comprising an open end and an interior;
• b) a removable cap disposed on the squeeze bottle open end, the cap comprising a nipple configured to a typical user's nostril, a nipple orifice and a nipple extension coaxial with the orifice;
• c) a tube configured to convey a liquid from a reservoir in a chamber under an elevated chamber pressure to a lower pressure outside the chamber, the tube comprising a free end and a housing at a second end adjoined to a cap with a coaxial cap nipple;
• d) a valve assembly proximal the tube inside the housing, the assembly comprising a disk-like valve and a plurality of housing standoffs configured to stop the valve but allow a fluid flow in the housing and out the nipple, an outer periphery of the valve and the housing forming an area for the fluid flow;
• e) a cylindrical elastic valve seat adjoined to the cap nipple and forming a gap with the valve on the standoffs, the valve seat having an inside diameter smaller than the valve and a restoring force in opposition to a force applied by the valve on the seat in response to a fluid pressure;
• and
• f) a spring configured to oppose the valve moving toward the valve seat from the standoffs and assist in returning the valve from the seat to the standoffs and thus with the valve seat create a periodic pulsatile fluid flow in the nipple in response to a chamber pressure which exceeds a critical chamber threshold.

A method of ejecting a high flow volume nasal irrigation rinse by squeezing a deformable bottle containing a fluid and thereby creating a chamber pressure urging a fluid flow through a dip tube and out a bottle cap orifice placed adjacent at least one of a user's nostrils, comprising:

• a) stopping fluid flow by compressing a disk-like valve against a cylindrical elastic valve seat and a coaxial spring in response to a compressing force generated by a fluid pressure;
• b) restarting fluid flow in response to a rebounding of the valve seat and spring and thus propelling the valve away from the seat toward a plurality of standoffs;
• and
• c) providing a pulsatile fluid flow through the cap orifice, the pulsatile flow in response to the fluid flow stopping and restarting in a period related to a pressure threshold constant.