Nasal Breathing Assist Device with Conic-Frustum Tubular Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current devices for nasal congestion and obstruction relief, as well as snoring and sinusitis treatment, are often cumbersome, uncomfortable, or ineffective for individuals with significant anatomical deformities, and existing treatments for chronic sinusitis often fail to address the root cause or cause side effects.
Innovation Solution
The development of dual or single tube nasal breathing assist devices with conic-frustum shaped tubular elements and coupler elements that maintain the tubes in a parallel relationship, along with resilient or non-resilient tabs and filters, which are designed to be inserted into the nostrils to keep nasal passages open and can include therapeutic agents for enhanced treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid and metal spring like products are used to treat nasal valve collapse, then the nasal passages can be kept open, but the devices cause discomfort or metal taste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from rigid/metal to soft silicone, fundamentally altering the device properties to eliminate metal taste and discomfort while maintaining the functional capability of keeping nasal passages open during sleep
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction with a soft silicone outer layer providing comfort and a internal spring mechanism providing structural support, combining the benefits of both softness and rigidity in a single device
2Ease of operation
If adhesive nasal strips are applied externally to dilate nasal passages, then the passages may open to a small degree, but they do not work well in patients with significant anatomical deformities
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying support from the outside like adhesive strips, the patent inserts a device from the inside of the nasal passage, allowing direct support of the collapsed nasal valve and passage from the internal structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a custom-fitted nasal implant as an intermediary structure that directly supports the nasal valve and passage, providing more reliable support than external strips for patients with anatomical deformities
3Productivity
If air masks force pressurized air into the mouth and lungs, then breathing can be assisted, but the devices are cumbersome, unsightly, painful, or expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the breathing assistance function from complex external air masks and concentrates it into a simple, small nasal implant that fits inside the nose, eliminating the need for large external components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the breathing assistance function locally at the nasal passage rather than through a full-face mask, providing targeted support exactly where it is needed without the bulkiness of external devices
4Reliability
If surgery is performed to remove anatomical obstructions, then nasal airflow can be improved, but the procedures are invasive and have limited success rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides a non-surgical preliminary treatment option that can be inserted and removed without incisions or anesthesia, offering a less invasive alternative to surgery for patients with mild to moderate nasal obstruction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent offers a removable, non-permanent solution that can be inserted and removed without surgery, providing a temporary but effective alternative to permanent surgical modification
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
These devices effectively increase airflow through the nasal passages, providing relief from nasal congestion and snoring, while also treating chronic sinusitis by maintaining open airways and delivering medications directly to the nasal passages, thus improving breathing and reducing symptoms of sinusitis.
Implementation Method 1
The coupler element is a resilient, nominally curved strut lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the tube axes, permitting relative angular motion of the tube elements about an axis perpendicular to the tube axes
Implementation Method 2
The tubular elements are preferably conic-frustum shaped along a tube axis, having a relatively large first end and a relatively smaller second end, and tapering from the first end to the second end along the tube axis
Implementation Method 3
The filter includes a filter medium, preferably but not necessarily, a composite filter of manmade or natural materials, i.e., paper, metal or plastic with or without a coating of absorbent materials
Implementation Method 4
The device can be used to deliver medications, for example, decongestants, antihistamine, and antibiotic, directly to the nasal passages so as to treat sinusitis or other nasal diseases
Data Source
AI summary
A nasal breathing assist device includes one or two open-ended tubular elements each extending along a central tube axis between a relatively large first end and a relatively small second end, and at least one non-resilient tab extends from the first end toward the second end of the tubular element. In embodiments with two tubular elements, a coupler element extends between the first ends of the tubular elements. Each tubular element may further include a liner-shaped filter having a liner portion extending along a central axis between a relatively large end and a relatively small end, and a filter medium spanning at least one of the relatively large end and the relatively small end. The filter is adapted to snap-fit in the tubular element. The tubular element may further include at least one stiffening element affixed to the tubular element.