Nostril guard

Abstract

This invention relates to a nostril guard and in particular to a nostril guard which can filter some or all of the air inhaled through the nose. The nostril guard has a tubular portion configured for insertion into a nostril and a head portion connected to the tubular portion which is of larger dimension than the tubular portion. There is a continuous air flow passage through the tubular portion and the head portion and a filter mounted to the head portion.

Description

[0001] NOSTRIL GUARD

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] This invention relates to a nostril guard and in particular to a nostril guard which can filter some or all of the air inhaled through the nose.

[0004] BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0005] It is known to provide nose clips, which are used for example whilst swimming. The nose clip has a pair of pads which are connected by a resilient bridge. The nose clip is placed onto the nose and the bridge causes the pads to clamp the nostrils against the septum whereby to prevent the ingress of water into the nostrils. The nose clip also prevents inhalation and exhalation through the nose.

[0006] It is also known to provide nostril plugs which are used to prevent air flow into and out of the nose, the plugs comprising a flexible material which can be compressed or shaped to fit into a nostril. Such plugs are used for example in dusty environments where it is desired to breathe only through the mouth.

[0007] It is also known to provide nostril dilators which are used to maintain or maximise air flow through the nostrils. One form of nostril dilator operates somewhat in reverse to the nose clip described above, and has pads which are adhered to the skin of the nose and a bridge which seeks to bias the nostrils open. Another form of nostril dilator has a pair of tubes which can be inserted into the nostrils. The tubes are open at both ends and air can therefore pass through the tubes into and out of the nostrils. A flexible bridge is typically connected to both of the tubes so that the tubes and bridge form an integrated structure. Nostril dilators are often claimed to prevent or reduce snoring.

[0008] Face masks are also known and which comprise a porous filter material which is fitted over the nose and mouth. Face masks are intended to capture harmful or unpleasant substances which are present in the air in order to prevent those substances from being breathed in through the nose or mouth. Face masks are often used in industrial premises for the purpose of capturing dust and the like and prevent the inhalation of the captured dust. Face masks are also often used in hospitals and the like for the purpose of capturing bacteria and viruses, and were widely used during the Covid-19 pandemic.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide a nostril guard which can replace or supplement a face mask and thereby provide additional protection against harmful or unpleasant substances being breathed in through the nose.

[0011] It is another object of the invention to provide a nostril guard which enables inhalation and exhalation through the nose. A user of the invention can thereby continue to breathe substantially normally through the nose. The nostril guard is therefore distinguished from the known nostril plugs which act to prevent inhalation and exhalation through the nose.

[0012] It will be understood that a large proportion of the air which is inhaled passes through the nostrils. Thus, whilst it is possible to inhale and exhale through the mouth, in most situations it is usual to breathe in and out predominantly through the nose. A nostril guard which enables the continued breathing through the nose and yet which can reduce the likelihood of inhalation of harmful or unpleasant substances is expected to provide significant benefits.

[0013] According to the invention there is provided a nostril guard having: a tubular portion configured for insertion into a nostril; a head portion connected to the tubular portion and of larger dimension than the tubular portion; a continuous air flow passage through the tubular portion and the head portion; a filter mounted to the head portion. Preferably the filter covers all of the air flow passage. Accordingly, air flowing to or from the air flow passage through the head portion must pass through the filter.

[0014] Desirably the filter covers all of the head portion.

[0015] The filter is air permeable but is configured to capture substances which would be harmful or unpleasant to the user. The filter can for example be made of the same material as a face mask, for example the material of the FFP2 NR face marks as widely used during the Covid-19 pandemic. Alternatively, the filter can be of a material used in less protective face masks, but nevertheless provide valuable additional protection by capturing a large proportion of bacteria for example. In one application the nostril guard is used by hayfever sufferers and the filter is configured to capture pollen.

[0016] The filter may be permanently mounted to the head portion. In such embodiments the nostril guard including the filter can be designed to be washable for re-use, or disposable after use.

[0017] Alternatively, the filter is removably mounted to the head portion. In such embodiments the filter can be designed to be washable for re-use when removed from the head portion, or can be disposable and replaceable by a new filter.

[0018] A washable nostril guard will preferably be made of a plastics material. A disposable nostril guard will preferably be made of a paper-based material such as cardboard.

[0019] The larger dimension of the head portion enables the head portion to act as a flange or the like, to limit the insertion of the nostril guard into the nostril. In use therefore, it is intended that the nostril guard is inserted into the nostril sufficiently for the head portion to engage the end of the nostril. Preferably, the tubular portion has a side wall and there is at least one opening through the side wall in communication with the air flow passage. The opening(s) can allow for additional air flow through the nostril guard.

[0020] It is a feature of a nostril guard with one or more openings in the side wall adjacent to the head portion that the nostril guard can be partially inserted into the nostril, i.e. with at least part of the opening(s) beyond the end of the nostril. In such uses part of the air flow through the nostril guard will be by way of the opening(s) bypassing the filter. Notwithstanding that there will be no filtration of the air passing through the opening(s) this method of use is likely to increase the air flow through the nostril guard. If the user wishes to obtain the full benefit of a filtered air flow the nostril guard can be fully inserted into the nostril whereupon the opening(s) will be totally (or at least largely) blocked.

[0021] It is a feature of a nostril guard with one or more openings in the side wall adjacent to the free end (i.e. the end opposed to the head portion) that air can enter the nostril by way of the openings in the side wall as well as by way of the free end. This is expected to increase the flow of (filtered) air into the nostril, especially if part of the free end is blocked.

[0022] Preferably, the tubular portion is of substantially uniform outer diameter along its length. Preferably also, the tubular portion has a substantially uniform wall thickness along its length. Alternatively, at least a part of the tubular portion is tapered. A tapered tubular portion can facilitate insertion of the nostril guard into the nostril, and can help to retain the nostril guard in place in the nostril.

[0023] Desirably, at least the tubular portion is of flexible material, and is ideally resilient. The flexibility of the tubular portion enables it to deform to match the interior of the user’s nostril. Preferably, however, the cross-sectional dimension of the tubular portion closely matches the interior cross-section of the nostril so that the required deformation is small and there is no likelihood of closing off the air flow passage by collapsing the tubular portion. The resilience of the tubular portion enables the tubular portion to provide a friction fit in the user’s nostril.

[0024] Desirably, a nostril guard set is provided comprising two nostril guards as defined herein interconnected by a flexible bridge or link. The flexible link can reduce the likelihood of one nostril guard becoming lost. The flexible link is preferably short, perhaps around 2cm long, so as to reduce the likelihood that the nostril guards and link will become tangled when not in use.

[0025] It will be understood that a pair of nostril guards (or a nostril guard set) can be used alone. Alternatively, the nostril guards or nostril guard set can be used together with a face mask. In this respect it is recognised that face masks are often poorly fitted which allows air to pass around the edge of the face mask and bypass the filter material; providing the nostril guards in addition to the face mask can significantly reduce or eliminate the likelihood of unfiltered air being inhaled or exhaled.

[0026] In addition, it is expected that a pair of nostril guards and a face mask can be used together, for example on an aeroplane, with the face mask being removed to consume food or drink but the nostril guards remaining in place so as to provide protection for the user and others against inhalation or exhalation of bacteria and viruses.

[0027] The nostril guard can be used with a modified face mask if desired, for example a face mask of reduced size which can cover only the wearer’s mouth.

[0028] It is also expected that if nostril guards are used together with a face mask then the nostril guards will reduce the amount of condensation in a face mask, which is expected to extend the period for which the face mask will continue to capture harmful or unpleasant substances.

[0029] The filter can if desired be impregnated with a scent, fragrance or other material.

[0030] The nostril guard can thereby prevent the wearer from experiencing bad smells when desired. The scent can also be intended to relax a user and thereby act as an aid for sleep for example.

[0031] If desired the filter can be impregnated with a substance such as menthol which can help to alleviate a blocked nose caused by a common cold. For example, a user may add a chosen number of drops of menthol or the like to the filter before use.

[0032] As an alternative to impregnating the filter, a scent or fragrance patch can be provided for mounting to the filter or adjacent to the filter.

[0033] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show:

[0035] Fig.1 a side sectional view of a first embodiment of nostril guard according to the invention; and

[0036] Fig.2 a side sectional view of a second embodiment of nostril guard.

[0037] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The nostril guard 10 shown in Fig.1 has a tubular portion 12 and a head portion 14. The tubular portion 12 is configured for insertion into a user’s nostril (not shown). The tubular portion 12 is circular in cross-section, but in other embodiments is oval in cross-section. A circular cross-section is preferred as this enables the nostril guard to be inserted into the nostril in any orientation, i.e. it is not necessary to correctly orient the nostril guard before insertion. The nostril guard 10 has a continuous air flow passage 16 through the tubular portion 12 and the head portion 14.

[0039] In the embodiment of Fig.1 the cross-sectional dimension D of the outer surface of the tubular portion 12 is uniform along the length of the tubular portion. Also, the thickness of the wall of the tubular portion 12 is uniform along its length. Accordingly, the cross-sectional dimension of the air flow passage 16 is uniform along its length.

[0040] As seen in Fig.1 , the head portion 14 has a cross-sectional dimension H which is larger than the dimension D. The head portion 14 effectively provides a flange surrounding one end of the tubular portion 12.

[0041] It is intended that the tubular portion 12 will comfortably fit into the nostril of a user. The dimension D in this embodiment is approx. 12mm which is expected to comfortably fit into the nostril of many adults. Nostril guards can be provided in a range of sizes, for example with dimension D of 8mm, 10mm, 12mm and 14mm for example, the smaller size(s) being suited to children.

[0042] In preferred embodiments the tubular portion 12 and the head portion 14 have circular peripheries so that the dimensions D and H are diameters.

[0043] It is also intended that the tubular portion 12 can be fully inserted into the user’s nostril. In this embodiment the tubular portion has a length L of approx. 16mm. Again, nostril guards can be provided in a range of sizes, for example with a dimension L of 12mm, 14mm, 16mm and 18mm, the smaller size(s) being suited to children.

[0044] The head portion 14 is designed to be too large to fit into the user’s nostril. In this embodiment the dimension H is approx. 18mm. The tubular portion 12 is permanently connected to the head portion 14, and in this embodiment the tubular portion 12 and the head portion 14 are integrally formed (as by moulding).

[0045] A filter 20 is mounted to the head portion 14. In this embodiment the filter is permanently connected to the head portion, suitably by adhesive. In other embodiments the filter is removably connected to the head portion, for example by way of a releasable fastening means such as a hook and loop fastener.

[0046] The filter 20 covers all of the head portion and thereby also covers all of the air flow passage 16. In other embodiments the filter portion can be larger than or smaller than the head portion, provided that the air flow passage is covered. It is therefore necessary that air must pass through the filter 20 before passing through the head portion 14 (and vice versa).

[0047] The filter is air permeable and is configured to capture substances which would be harmful or unpleasant to the user. The filter can for example be a paper-based filter material or a textile-based filter material with pore sizes suited to capture the desired substances. Ideally, the filter is made of the same material as an FFP2 NR face mask of the type widely used during the Covid-19 pandemic and which is suitable for capturing a large proportion of bacteria and viruses.

[0048] As seen in the drawing, the free end 24 of the tubular portion 12 (i.e. the end opposed to the head portion 14) is curved to aid comfort, especially during insertion of the nostril guard.

[0049] In use the tubular portion 12 of the nostril guard 10 will be inserted into the user’s nostril with the free end leading. The nostril guard is preferably inserted until the head portion 14 engages the user’s nose around the nostril.

[0050] It is preferably arranged that the tubular portion 12 is a comfortable but interference fit in the user’s nostril, i.e. the tubular portion must be pushed into the nostril, albeit with only a very small force. The nostril guard 10 can thereby be held in the nostril by friction and no additional means to secure the nostril guard 10 is required. In this respect it is intended that the nostril guard is used only whilst the user is awake, for example to protect the user against inhaling harmful substances whilst in a public place, or to protect the user against inhaling dust or the like at industrial premises. It is not intended that the nostril guard is used whilst a person is sleeping, although such use is not excluded. It is therefore not expected to be necessary that the nostril guard is a sufficiently secure fit to prevent it falling out during several hours of sleep.

[0051] To increase the user’s comfort and to facilitate the retention of the nostril guard 10, at least the tubular portion is flexible and resilient. It is therefore possible to compress or otherwise deform the tubular portion 12. Some deformation will often be necessary for the user to insert the tubular portion into a nostril which is slightly smaller than the tubular portion. Some deformation will also often be necessary to insert a circular tubular portion into a non-circular nostril. The resilience of the tubular portion 12 will enhance the friction fit in the nostril.

[0052] An opening 22 is provided in the wall of the tubular portion 12. In this embodiment there is only one opening 22 but it will be understood that more than one opening can be provided if desired, spread around (and preferably equally-spaced around) the tubular portion 12. Also, in this embodiment the opening 22 is oblong but the invention is not limited by the shape of the opening (nor the size of the opening).

[0053] The opening 22 allows for additional air flow through the nostril guard 10, especially if the nostril guard is not fully inserted into the nostril. Thus, a particular user, in a particular situation, may wish to insert the nostril guard 10 only partially into the nostril. In that circumstance, a part of the opening 22 will lie beyond the end of the nostril and air can flow through the opening 22 and into the tubular portion 14, bypassing the filter 20. It can be arranged, for example, that a proportion of the inhaled air passes through the filter 20 and the remainder passes through the opening 22; this will reduce the degree of filtration but can increase the air flow which might be desired in some circumstances. If the user wishes for all of the inhaled air to be filtered the nostril guard 10 can be fully inserted into the nostril which will cause all of the air flow to pass through the filter 20.

[0054] The alternative nostril guard 110 of Fig.2 differs somewhat from the first embodiment of Fig.1. Firstly, a part of the side wall of the tubular portion 1 12 is tapered, with the larger dimension adjacent to the head portion 114. The larger cross-section of the tubular portion 1 12 immediately adjacent to the head portion 1 14 increases the area of the filter 120 through which air can pass into and out of the tubular portion. Since it is expected that the greatest restriction to air flow will be the filter 120, increasing the effective area of the filter is expected to increase the air flow.

[0055] In the embodiment of Fig.2 the thickness of the side wall of the tubular portion 112 is substantially uniform along its length so that the inner and outer walls of the tubular portion have corresponding tapers. That is not necessarily the case and in other embodiments the inner wall tapers to a different degree than the outer wall.

[0056] In a further alternative embodiment the taper is continuous from the head portion 1 14 to the free end 124.

[0057] Secondly, Fig.2 differs in the location of the optional opening 122. The opening 122 is provided for a slightly different purpose than the opening 22 of Fig.1 , and specifically allows (filtered) air flow through the side wall of the tubular portion in the event that some or all of the free end becomes blocked.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A nostril guard having: a tubular portion configured for insertion into a nostril; a head portion connected to the tubular portion and of larger dimension than the tubular portion; a continuous air flow passage through the tubular portion and the head portion; a filter mounted to the head portion.

2. The nostril guard according to claim 1 in which the filter covers all of the air flow passage.

3. The nostril guard according to claim 2 in which the filter covers all of the head portion.

4. The nostril guard according to any one of claims 1 -3 in which the filter is permanently mounted to the head portion.

5. The nostril guard according to claim 4 which is washable for re-use.

6. The nostril guard according to claim 5 made of plastics material(s).

7. The nostril guard according to claim 4 made of paper-based material(s).

8. The nostril guard according to any one of claims 1 -3 in which the filter is removably mounted to the head portion.

9. The nostril guard according to any one of claims 1 -8 in which the tubular portion has a side wall and there is at least one opening through the side wall in communication with the air flow passage.

10. The nostril guard according to claim 9 in which the at least one opening is located adjacent to the head portion.1 1. The nostril guard according to claim 9 in which the at least one opening is adjacent to the free end of the tubular portion.

12. The nostril guard according to any one of claims 1 -11 in which the tubular portion has a substantially uniform wall thickness along its length.

13. The nostril guard according to any one of claims 1 -12 in which the tubular portion is of substantially uniform outer diameter along its length.

14. The nostril guard according to any one of claims 1 -12 in which at least a part of the tubular portion is tapered.

15. The nostril guard according to any one of claims 1 -14 in which at least the tubular portion is of flexible material.

16. The nostril guard according to claim 15 in which at least the tubular portion is resilient.

17. The nostril guard according to any one of claims 1 -16 in which the filter is impregnated with a fragrant or therapeutic substance.

18. A nostril guard set comprising two nostril guards according to any one of claims 1 -17 interconnected by a flexible link.

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