US2883983A - Device for producing positive and negative pressures - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1959 I J. B. BIEDERMAN 3,

DEVICE FOR PRODUCING POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PRESSURES Filed May 14, 1956 IN V EN TOR.

g '7, Jose/ H B. B/EDERMA/V United States Patent DEVICE FOR PRODUCING PosmvE AND NEGATIVE PRESSURES Joseph B. Biedermau, Cincinnati, Ohio Application May 14, 1956, Serial No. 584,640

Claims. (Cl. 128-198) This invention relates to a device for producing positive and negative pressures inside body openings and for supplying or pumping a liquid into a body opening.

An object of this invention is to provide a small and inexpensive device which a person can handle readily to produce positive and negative pressures inside body openings such as the nostril openings to, permit fluid to enter a body cavity in communication with the body opening.

A further object of this invention is to provide a container which can be squeezed to give a positive pressure and which, when released, produces a negative pressure, together with a head member for closing the container which is formed of thin-walled, yieldable and resilient material which can conform to the shape of the body opening to form a seal at the body openings.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this type in which a tube extends from the tip of the head member into liquid in the container in which the tube is connected to the tip of the head member by a skirt member inside the head member which is spaced from the side Walls of the head member so that the side walls can readily be deformed to follow the contours of the body opening without interfering with the skirt or the tube.

A further objectof this invention is to provide a device of this type having a cap provided with a pair of portions which can be inserted into both nostril openings at the same time to provide positive and negative pressures inside the sinus cavities and cause flow of fluid into the sinus cavities.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains from the following detailed description, and the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section of a device constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, with a closure cap in place thereon;

Fig. 2 is a view in section taken on the line IIII in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a person holding the device;

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section showing the upper portion of a device constructed in accordance with another embodiment of this invention;

"-Fig. 5 is a view in section taken on the line V-V in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation showing a device constructed in accordance with a further embodiment of this invention; and

Fig. 7 is a view in section taken on the line VII-VII in Fig. 6.

In the following detailed description, and the drawing, like reference characters indicate like parts.

The device illustrated in Figs. 1-3 inclusive includes a main or bottle portion 10 having an open mouth 12. The bottle portion is formed of yieldable material such as polyethylene, of the type commonly used in so-called squeeze bottles. The open mouth of the bottle por- 2,883,983 Patented Apr. 28, 1959 ice tion 10 is closed by a head member 13 having a skirt 14. which fits inside the neck of the bottle portion. A shoulder 16 on the skirt engages the mouth of the bottle. The upper end of the head member includes a dome-shaped outer wall 17 provided with a central opening 18. The

wardly into liquid 22 in the bottle portion, which may contain appropriate medication.

The head member may be formed of resilient, yield able material, such as polyethylene. The dome-shaped outer wall of the head member is substantially thinner than the wall of the bottle portion, and the outer wall of the head portion can conform to the shape of the inside of a body opening, such as that of a nostril 24, as shown in Fig. 3. When the head portion is inserted into the nostril, it forms a substantial seal at the nostril. As shown in Fig. 1, the skirt 19 is spaced from the outer wall of the head portion so that the skirt does not interfere wit-h yielding or flexing of the outer wall of the head member when it engages the interior of the nostril opening. The wall of the head member may be relato drive a portion of the liquid 22 into the nose. Whena portion of the liquid has been pumped or forced into the nose, the pressure on the bottle portion may be released to induce a negative pressure or suction on the interior of the nostril and body cavities, such as sinuses, in connection therewith. Thereafter, the bottle portion can be squeezed again to induce a positive pressure inside the nose to cause the liquid to be drawn into the sinuses.

When the device is not in use, the head member and the upper end of the bottle portion are closed and covered by a hollow cap 25. As shown, the lower end of the cap 25 is threaded to the bottle to hold the cap in place. As shown, the extreme diameter of the head member is less than that of the threaded portion of the cap and bottle portions so that the cap can be readily mounted without deforming. The cap may be made of polyethylene plastic or other suitable material. As shown in Fig. 1, a lug 26 mounted in the center of the cap engages the head member at the edges of the opening 18 to close and seal the opening. The cap may be formed of polyethylene plastic material and may be slightly stretched when in place to hold the lug 26 firmly in engagement with the head member.

In Figs. 4 and 5 is shown a device which is generally similar to that shown in Figs. 1-3 inclusive, except that the device of Figs. 4 and 5 includes a head member 27- having an outer wall 28, which, as shown in Fig. 5, is generally elliptical in shape so that it can readily conform to the interior of a body opening such as a nostril. In other details, the device of Figs. 4 and 5 may be similar to that already described.

In Figs. 6 and 7 is shown a device which includes a tions 33 and 34 can be inserted into both nostrils of a person to seal or close off both the nostrils at one time. Inside portion 33 is provided a skirt 36, and inside portion.34 is provided a skirt 37.. The skirts snrroundopenings 38 and 39, respectively. A. Y-shaped tube 11 terminates at. its upper end in branches 42 and 43 which are received inside skirts 36 and 37, respectively.

When the bottle portion 31 is squeezed, liquid may be propelled through the tube 41 to be discharged through,

both openings 38 and 39 at the same time. When the portions 33 and 34 are disposed in the nostril openings, squeezing of the bottle portion 31 causes a positive pressure inside the nose. Then, when pressure on the bottle portion 31 is released, a negative pressure or suction is induced inside the nose to reduce the pressure inside the sinuses. Then, when the bottle portion is squeezed again, the pressure permits the liquid to penetrate into the sinus cavities.

The device of Figs. 6 and. 7 is closed. by a cap 44 when not in use. The cap 44 has a skirt portion 46 threaded to the bottle portion 31. An annular rib 47 on the interior of the cap 44 engages and seals the openings 38 and 39. The cap 44, the bottle portion 31, and the head member 32 may all be formed of polyethylene plastic material. When the device is capped, the rib 47 firmly engages the dome-shaped portions of the head member and closes the openings thereof.

The devices described above and illustrated in the drawings, have been described particularly with relation to use in connection with penetration of medication into the sinuses in communication with nostril openings. However, the device of Figs. 1-5 inclusive may also be used in connection with other body openings, such as the ear opening, and other openings, wherein it may be desirable to cause a positive and negative pressure.

The devices illustrated in the drawing and described above are subject to structural modification, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for inducing positive and negative pressures inside a body opening which comprises a hollow bottle portion of resilient, yieldable material having an open mouth, a hollow head member of resilient yieldable material mounted in said open mouth, the bottle portion and the head member being of the same material, said head member including a skirt received inside the neck of the bottle portion, a dome-shaped outer wall extending upwardly from the skirt, there being an opening in the upper portion of the outer wall, the outer Wall being adapted to yield and conform to the contours of the body opening, the outer wall of the head member being substantially thinner than the wall of the bottle portion, whereby the outer wall of the head member is more readily yieldable than the wall of the bottle portion, and a second skirt mounted on the interior of the outer Wall surrounding the opening, and a tube attached to the second skirt and extending downwardly from the dome-shaped outer wall into liquid in the bottle portion, the wall of the bottle portion being deformable inwardly when the head member is inserted into the body opening in sealing relation therewith to induce a positive pressure in the body opening, the bottle portion, when released, tending to return to its undeformed position to induce a negative pressure in the body opening.

2. A device for inducing positive and negative pressures inside a'body opening which comprises a hollow bottle portion of resilient, yieldable material having an open mouth, a hollow head member of resilient, yieldable material mounted in said open mouth, the bottle portion and the head member being of the same material, said head member including a skirt received inside the neck of the bottle portion, an annular shoulder on said skirt overlying the mouth of the bottle portion, a dome-shaped outer wall extending upwardly from the skirt, there being an opening in the upper portion of the outer wall, the outer wall being substantially thinner than the wall of the bottle portion and being adapted to yield and conform to the contours of the body opening, and a second skirt mounted on the interior of the outer wall surrounding the opening, there being a space between the outer wall and said second skirt, a tube attached to the second skirt and extending downwardly from the dome-shaped outer wall into liquid in the bottle portion, there being a threaded portion on the exterior of the neck of the bottle portion, the, extreme diameter of the head member being less than that of the threaded portion of the neck, and, a hollow cap removably mounted on the bottle portion and overlying the head member, there being a threaded portion of the cap releasably engaging the threads of the bottle portion, and an inwardly directed projection on the interior of the cap engageable with the upper portion of the outer wall to close the open ing thereof.

3. A device for inducing positive and negative pressures inside a body opening which comprises a hollow bottle portion of resilient, yieldable material, a hollow head member of resilient, yieldable material mounted on, Said bottle portion, said head member including an outer wall extending upwardly from the bottle portion, there being two dome-shaped portions in said outer wall sufficiently spaced to be inserted in both nostrils, there being an opening in the upper portion of each of the dome-shaped portions, the outer wall being adapted to yield and coIIJfQIJm to the contours of the nostrils, and a skirt mounted on the interior of each of the dome-shaped portions; surrounding the opening thereof, a Y-shaped tube inside the head member and the bottle port-ion having a branch attached to each skirt and a lower branch extending down wardly into liquid in the bottle portion, the wall of th bottle portion being deformable inwardly when the dome shaped portions are inserted into. the nostrils in sealing relation therewith to induce a positive pressure i fiide the nose, the bottle portion, when released, tending to return to its undeformed position to induce a negative pres sure in the body opening.

4. A device for inducing positive and negative pressures inside a body opening which comprises a hollow bottle portion of resilient yieldable material having an open mouth, a hollow head member of resilient yieldable material mounted in said open mouth, the bottle portion and the head member being of the same material, said head member including an outer wall extending upwardly from the bottle portion, there being two dome-shaped portions in said outer wall sufiiciently spaced to be inserted in both nostrils, there being an opening in the upper portion of each of the dome-shaped portions, the outer wall being adapted to yield and con-form to the contours of the nostrils, a skirt member on the interior of each of the dome-shaped portions surrounding the opening thereof, tube means attached to each skirt member in communication with the opening associated therewith and extending downwardly therefrom inside the head member and the bottle portion, the wall of the bottle portion being deformable inwardly when the dome-shaped portions are inserted into the nostrils in sealing relation therewith to induce a positive pressure inside the nose, the bottle portion, when released, tending to return to its undeformed position to induce a negative pressure inside the nose, and a hollow cap removably mounted on the bottle portion and overlying the head member, said cap having a rib re? leasably engaging the upper portions of the dome-shaped portions to close the openings thereof.

5. A device for inducing positive and negative pressures inside a body opening which comprises a hollow bottle portion of resilient yieldable material having an open mouth, a hollow head member of resilient yieldable ma? terial mounted in said open mouth, the bottle portion and the head member being of the same material, said head member including an outer wall extending upwardly from the bottle portion, there being two dome-shaped portions in said outer wall sufliciently spaced to be inserted in both nostrils, there being an opening in the upper portion of each of the dome-shaped portions, the outer wall being adapted to yield and conform to the contours of the nostrils, a skirt member mounted on the interior of each of the dome-shaped port-ions surrounding the opening thereof, tube means attached to each skirt member in communication with the opening associated therewith and extending downwardly therefrom inside the head member 10 and the bottle portion, the wall of the bottle portion being deformable inwardly when the dome-shaped portions are inserted into the nostrils in sealing relation therewith to induce a positive pressure inside the nose, the bottle portion, when released, tending to return to its undeformed position to induce a negative pressure inside the nose,

and a hollow cap removably mounted on the bottle portion and overlying the head member, there being threads on the cap and threads on the bottle portion in releasable engagement, the dome-shaped portions being uniformly radially spaced from the axes of said threads, and an annular rib on the cap coaxial with the threads and releasably engaging the upper sections of the dome-shaped portions to close the openings thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 474,035 Vantwoud May 3, 1892 2,546,214 Curry Mar. 27, 1951 15 2,672,141 Filger Mar. 16, 1954 2,741,402 Sayre Apr. 10, 1956

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