CA2618242A1

CA2618242A1 - Breathing aid device that reduces incidence of snoring

Info

Publication number: CA2618242A1
Application number: CA002618242A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Laurence E. Howard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-01-04
Filing date: 2008-01-03
Publication date: 2008-07-04
Anticipated expiration: 2028-01-03
Also published as: CA2618242C

Abstract

An improved, preferably plastic, universal breathing aid device for insertion into the nasal passages having a first pair of septum-engaging and gripping arms, from which are cantilevered a pair of curved, spring-action nostril-expanding arm that keep the nasal passages open. The septum--engaging arms are supported by a base member in the form of an open loop that includes a living hinge to provide flexibility and accommodation to varying sizes of nasal septums. The flexibility of both sets of arms promotes user comfort. The living hinge urges the septum arms together to provide grip yet comfort via the flexibility of the hinge. The nostril-expanding arms act in the opposite direction, opening the airway. The contours of the arm and tip cross sections may be varied for comfort, and device may range from generally planar to three-dimensional.
The inventive device is unobtrusive and easily kept sanitary.

Claims

1. A universal breathing aid device for compressing the nasal septum while dilating the nostrils to assist in maintaining the nasal passages open and to reduce the incidence of obstructed nasal passage-induced snoring, comprising in operative combination:
a) a clip assembly for engaging and gripping the nasal septum that is generally symmetric along a longitudinal center line, comprising:
i. a base assembly having a pair of generally C-shaped members oriented facing each other in mirror symmetry along a longitudinal center line, said C-shaped members being joined only at their bottom segments by a living hinge, said joined C-shaped members together forming an open loop, and said living hinge being oriented to provide resistive force urging the open top segments of said C-shaped members toward each other; and ii. a pair of septum-engaging arms, each joined to and extending longitudinally from a top segment of each C-shaped member, said septum-engaging arms being oriented parallel to and spaced from said center line a distance sufficient to grip and compress said septum upon closure force provided by said living hinge;
b) a pair of curved, flexible, springy nostril-expanding arms, one each mounted to and oriented medially of the length of a septum-engaging arm, said nostril-expanding arms extending laterally from said septum-engaging arms, and the curve of said arms is oriented concave toward said center line; and c) said base member providing a handle for manual insertion of said clip in a user's nasal passage, said living hinge permitting said assembly to be sprung open to assist in insertion beyond the external web of said septum, and placed in said nasal passages with said septum-engaging arms gripping and gently compressing the septum, and the spring force of said nostril-expanding arms resisting compressive force of said nostrils while engaging the inner surfaces of said nostrils thereby to maintain them open.

2. A breathing aid device as in claim 1 wherein the distal ends of each of said septum-engaging and said nostril-expanding arms terminates in a rounded element selected from a ball, a pad and a flared foot in order to spread pressure and reduce discomfort.

3. A breathing aid device as in claim 2 wherein at least a longitudinal portion of the cross-section of said septum-engaging arms is selected from round, oval and flattened with chamfered edges, and the long axis of said oval and said flattened cross-section being oriented generally parallel to the septum wall.

4. A breathing aid device as in claim 2 wherein at least a portion of the longitudinal cross section of the cross-section of said nostril-expanding arms is selected from round, oval and flattened with chamfered edges, and the long axis of said oval and said flattened cross-section is oriented generally parallel to the inner wall of said nostril that it engages.

5. A breathing aid device as in claim 4 wherein said axis of said oval and flattened cross-sections of said nostril-expanding arms is selected from an orientation generally parallel to the plane of said septum and canted with respect to said septum plane, so that upon inversion of said device a somewhat different expansion contact is made with the interior surface of said nostrils.

6. A breathing aid device as in claim 1 wherein said device structure is generally planar.

7. A breathing aid device as in claim 1 wherein said C-shaped base members are angled downwardly with respect to said living hinge to follow the contour of the upper lip on each side of the philtrum.

8. A breathing aid device as in claim 1 wherein said nostril-expanding arms are mounted at the ends of cross-bars extending laterally from said septum-engaging arms.

9. A breathing aid device as in claim 8 wherein said nostril-expanding arms have a compound curve in at least a portion thereof, said curve extending both laterally outward from said center line and upward, downward or both upward and downward from a plane defined by said septum-engaging arms.

10. A breathing aid device as in claim 1 wherein the material of construction is selected from plastic and stainless steel.

11. A breathing aid device as in claim 1 which includes an auxiliary resilient member disposed between said septum-engaging arm and said nostril-expanding arm to assist in expanding said nostril.

12. A breathing aid device as in claim 11 wherein said auxiliary resilient member is a compressive-type member that provides a force laterally outward from said center line.

13. A breathing aid device as in claim 12 wherein said compressive-type member is a wishbone hinge assembly.