Adjustable Nasal Dilator With Movable Legs for Custom Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Millions of individuals experience nasal air passage restrictions due to sinus irritations and barometric pressure changes, leading to poor air filtration, disrupted sleep, and health issues like snoring and dry mouth.
Innovation Solution
A nasal dilator with adjustable legs and support members that expand nasal passages by gripping the nostril ala, allowing for customizable fit and pressure adjustment to enhance airflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed nasal dilator is used, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate different nostril sizes and shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The nasal dilator employs movable legs that can be adjusted between multiple positions, allowing the device to adapt to different nostril sizes and shapes. The legs are connected via a hinge mechanism that enables dynamic reconfiguration of the dilator's geometry to match various nasal anatomies.
Solution Approach 2:
The dilator is divided into multiple independent legs (first leg and second leg) that can be adjusted separately. Each leg can be positioned independently to match the user's nostril contours, providing customized fit while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Reliability
If the legs are made rigid for stable gripping, then the gripping stability is improved, but the comfort and ease of insertion are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The legs are constructed with flexible materials that allow bending and conforming during insertion. This flexibility enables comfortable passage through the nostril opening while the legs maintain sufficient rigidity once positioned to provide stable gripping of the nostril ala.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge connection between legs allows dynamic adjustment during insertion to accommodate varying nasal geometries, while maintaining stable gripping once the desired position is achieved. The movable joints enable the legs to adapt to individual anatomical variations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the support members extend beyond the legs, then the clearance for receiving nostril ala is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support members are integrally formed with the legs as a single piece, combining the structural function of the leg with the support function. This integration provides the necessary clearance for receiving the nostril ala while avoiding the complexity of separate adjustable support components.
Data Source
AI summary
A nasal dilator includes a first leg and a second leg. The second leg is movable relative to the first leg between a first position and a second position. The second leg is arranged at an angle relative to the first leg in both the first position and the second position. A first support member extends from the first leg such that a first clearance configured to receive a first nostril ala is formed between the first leg and the first support member. A second support member extends from the second leg such that a second clearance configured to receive a second nostril ala is formed between the second leg and the second support member. An adjustment mechanism is operable to move the second leg between the first position and the second position.