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US 5,787,884 AGranted
Nasal and oral filters
AssigneeThe University of Sydney
InventorEuan R. Tovey
Life of this patent
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AssigneeThe University of Sydney
InventorEuan R. Tovey
Estimating the term…
A nasal device for sampling inhaled particulate matter in the nose of a person to allow identification of aeroallergens in the inhaled matter or to prevent disease states mediated by such aeroallergens. The nasal device has a body adapted to fit within a person's nostril and to resiliently engage its inside wall. A passage extends through the body to allow air to be inhaled by the person through the nasal device. The passage has a non-linear path and includes a sample collection zone placed in the passage so that, during inhalation, air is drawn firstly towards and then secondly around the collection zone so that a sample of any particulate matter in the inhaled air will be caused to impact against the collection zone due to the non-linearity of the passage and to be retained on the collection zone, the sample collection zone being removable from the nasal device to allow analysis of the matter impacted thereon.
Particle entrapment means for the sampling of particles in an inhaled, or an exhaled, air stream to allow identification of one or more components of the air stream, the particle entrapment means comprising a body having a portion adapted to fit within the mouth or at least one nostril of a human, or other mammalian animal, in sealing engagement with the edges of that orifice, and a passage through the body to allow air to be inhaled by, or to be exhaled by, the animal through the particle entrapment means, the passage having a non-linear path and including a sample collection means placed in the passage so that, during inhalation, air is drawn firstly towards and then secondly around the collection means so that a sample of any particles in the inhaled air by the animal will be caused to impact against the collection means due to the non-linearity of the passage and to be retained on the collection means, said sample collection means being removable from the entrapment means to allow analysis of the particles impacted thereon.
A nasal device for sampling inhaled particulate matter to allow identification of one or more components of the inhaled matter, the nasal device comprising a body adapted to fit within in nostril of a human, or other mammalian animal, means to cause an outer surface of the body to resiliently engage an adjacent surface of a nostril into which the nasal device is positioned so as to retain the nasal device in the nostril, and a passage through the body to allow air to be inhaled by the animal through the nasal device, the passage having a non-linear path and including a sample collection means placed in the passage so that, during inhalation, air is drawn firstly towards and then secondly around the collection means so that a sample of any particulate matter in the inhaled air will be caused to impact against the collection means due to the non-linearity of the passage and to be retained on the collection means, said sample collection means being removable from the nasal device to allow analysis of the matter impacted thereon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.