CA1113331A - Nasal protective splint - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Nasal protection for the nostrils comprising a U-shaped wire spring having an ellipsoidal-like nub fastened to each end for pressing the nostrils.

Description

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~escri~tion of Invention This invention relates to an irnprovement in nasal protectors and has f~r its object the protection of the mucous membranes of the nasal passa~es. To this end inhaLation of airborne irritants into t~e nasal passages are trapped or minimized, and reactions to a stimulus (which are manifested by sneezing) are inhibited.
Toward thls objectiv2 (1) the nasal passages of the individual are closed to a degree suff~cient to trap or mini~
mi~e inhalation of airborne irritants into the nose and insuf-ficient to block breathing and watery secretions therefrom;
and (2) the explosive actions o~ sneezin~ are inhibited by con-trol o~ voluntary muscles of the nose, thus precluding or abating the inflammatory process, whereby the att~ndant evils there~rom are arrested or alleviated.
The means employed of carrying out this invention include a small U-shaped nasal splint comprising a small resil-ient and ad~ustable wire spring (ranging in diameter 0~035 of an inch) each end portion o~ which is positioned within a solid (called a nub) generated by revolving an elliptic-like plane section through 180 de~rees and holding the same by friction.
The nubs are preferably of plastic having the legs of the spring positioned therein in an o~f-center position, thus adapting the splint to a nose of wider shape without having to increase the thickness of the nubs thereby resu~ing in a saving of material and improving its appearance when in use.
During the fall, winter and spring seasons partic-ularly, the nasal mucous membranes of the individual are sub-jected to attack by countless airborne irritants whic~ are constantly being breathed into the nosej so~e of which are often infectious.
Many of these agents, after entering the ~l--~q nose, are conveyed by the mucous blanket back to the throat where they are swallowed and rendered harmless. But unfor-tunately, some succeed in escaping this movement to the throat and instead land in and attack the membranes. Irritatlon then begins and evils generate and develop. When this condition is reached, the individual soon succ~bs to the explosive actions of sneezing - and as sneezing is well known to irritate the nasal mucous membranes - the problem then becomes compounded~, `causing a rapid development of the inflammatory process which results in nasal blockage and in other complications. When an irritating agent attacks the nasal mucosa, irritation therefrom ensues. Two things then promptlv occur, (1) the small vessels of the nasal membranes dilate and watery secretions therefrom are increased, and (2) nature reacts to this irritation by sneez-ing which ap~ears to be nature's way of removing the agent thatis causing the irritation. If the causative agent is non-infectious, sneezing will often dislodge it and the secreti-ons, whlch are part of nature's de~ense cycle, can wash it back in the -throat to be swallowed. However, the non-infectious invader ~ ;
can often become so entrenched in the nasal mucosa that sneez-ing will fail to dislodge it, and along with its continued irritation coupled with that from sneezing, complications can surely be expected to follow. I~ on the other hand, the irritation is being caused by an infectious agent, a different situation develops, that is, the agent has succeeded in gain-ing entry to a living cell from which it gains protection from being dislodqed by sneezing. So here again, an invader is inflicting irritation and setting the stage for complications ~ i`

to follow, which in this case are perhaps more serious. In both of these cases, irritation of the nasal passages causes the ,.... .

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infLammatory process to developg resulting in nasal blocka~e and other disordersg but when the in~lammatory process is caused by an infectious agent~ favorable conditions are thereby created under which this in~ectious a~ent may multiply and produce results that are injurious.
An ob~ect of this invention is first o~ all to bar or reduce to a minimum the inhalation o~ irritating agents into the nose~ and secondly, to inhibit the react~ons to thes~
irritants which escape the mucous blanket and initiate irri-tation in the nasal mucosa. In the performance o~ the~e ~unc- ;
tions, the nasal splint is employed and as ~ts wire spring is both resilient and flexible, the adaptability ko any shape and size of nose is provided. It is well known khat lndividuals tend to hold and pinch the nose in an effort to stop sneezing but have little or no success. All that is achieved is recovery o~ the nasal discharge. This practice is insu~ficient to over~
come sneezing. I have discovered from actual experience that to successfully inhibit those explosive actions, not only must a firm pressure be exerted on the nasal septum for two to three minutes, but also at the same time forceful attempts to inhale through the nose must be exercised. This dual process proved to be the key to controlling the voluntary muscles of the nose.
Hence, when repeated spells o~ sneezing occur~ the nasal splint should be ad~usted to exert a firm pressure on the nasaL septum, and while holding this positlon ~or two or three minutes, ~orceful attempts to inhale through the nose shoul~ be exer~ised. At the end of the period when sneezlng most likely will have been overcome, adjust the splint to a de~ree only su~icient to breathe com~ortab~y t~rough the nose ~l333:~L

yet retain a degree of constriction in the nasal passa~es. In this adjusted position of the nasal splint, it wilL trap or min-imize inhaLation of irritants into the nose, and it can be worn as long as desired with safety and little or no discomfort.
I-t should be noted that when the nasal m~cous membranes are under attac~, watery secretivns of the nose occur. By actual experience, I have discovered that blotting these secre tlons rather than blowin~ the nose has proved most helpful toward achieving the ob~ective o~ the invention. Furthermore3 use of -this nasal splint will operate as a deterrent to nosc blowing.
Prior art shows various devices to be worn on the nose for multiple purposesg none of which teaches the use of this invention, and in their operation a health hazard is in-volved either by clamping or sealing the nose especially from the outside atmosphere for prolonged periods o~ time. In fact, it is well known that blocka~e of the nose for prolonged periods tends to infect the accessory sinuses.
This invention resides not merely in using a nasal clip~ but in making a nasal protective splint adaptable ~or a new and inventive use or method The prime o~ject of the inven-tion is to fulfill a health need long desired but never attained which fact is manifested by its absence of availability for public benefit. My invention is novel since it is out of t~e ordinary and unobvious because it is insufficiently evldent as to arrest attention.
The nasal splint has striking properties over con- ;
ventional nasal protective devices, namely, ~1) practicability (more acceptable for public use); (2) less unsightly to wear;
~3~ comf3rtable to wear; (4) no health hazard; (5) manufactur~
ing costs will be at a minimum since it comprises only two ~3~3~

simple parts; (6) a lower price level can be created by makina vo]ume production easier.
In this application the Pollowing drawin~s are filed:
Figure 1 illustrates a nasal splint in use.
Figure 2 is a cross section illustrating open nasal passages prior to applying the nasal splint.
Figure 3 is a cross section illustrating the nasaL
splint positioned on the nose for long periods in use with the nas31 passages closed to the degree as set forth in the speci-fication.
Figure 4 shows a cross section iLlustrating the splint positioned on the nose completely closin~ the nasal passa~es and exerting firm pressure on the nasal septum as set forth in the specification.
Figure 5 shows a front elevation of a nasal splint.
Figure 1 illustrates the wire spring 2 and the nasal nub 3, which are fastened by insertion of spring end por-tion into nub.
Figures 2~ 3 and 4 show septum 1. `~
The wire spring 2~ an inverted U in shape~ has the end portion of the arms of its lnverted U positioned within the top po~
tio~ of the ellipsoid-like nub at points slightly outside the central vertical axis of the ellipsoidal cross-section in each case. The gap between the inner faces of the nubs will range from 0.3 to 0.4 of an inch when not in use, The combination of these two is shown in Fi~ure 5.

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Claims

1. A new particular nasal splint for helping the human nose maintain its mucous membranes in good condition, said splint comprising a U-shaped wire spring for straddling the nose and having two nubs each of circular outline with two convex side faces, each leg of the U-shaped spring being positioned in a different one of the nubs to hold same by friction, and said spring of the splint pressing the nubs in on the sides of the nose in the area just above the alae, this being done to a degree sufficient to trap or minimize inhalation of airborne irritants entering the nose, but insufficient to block breathing and watery secretions there-from .