Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-11
2001-09-18
Weiss, John G. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
C604S037000, C604S098020, C128S200220
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290667
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a nasal aspirator. More particularly, the invention relates to a nasal aspirator that does not create a chocking hazard and that generates greater suction.
Nasal aspirators have been used particularly with young children to create a partial vacuum for suctioning nasal discharge from the child's nostril. A typical nasal aspirator includes an oval shaped bulb, a tip, and a stem. The bulb is generally made out of a rubber type of material that has an opening into an inner hollow cavity. The tip is secured to the stem which extends into the inner hollow cavity through the opening in the bulb. The tip is generally glued to the stem and has a total length from a bottom of the stem to a point of the tip of approximately one inch. The tip typically extends approximately one half inch above the opening of the bulb so that the stem typically extends approximately one half inch into the inner cavity of the bulb.
The nasal aspirator is used by compressing the bulb which forces air out of the inner hollow cavity through an opening in the tip. The tip is then placed and aligned with the nasal passage of the child so as co create a seal between the tip and the nasal passage. Once in place, the compressed bulb is then released creating a temporary vacuum due to the pressure within the inner hollow cavity of the bulb being less than the pressure of the external environment. The pressure differential creates a partial vacuum causing a suction at the opening of the tip. The suction at the opening of the tip directs discharge within the nasal passage into the nasal aspirator. The nasal aspirator thus assists in cleaning and clearing the child's nasal passage.
The tip and the stem used with current nasal aspirators can be easily removed from the opening in the bulb. Once removed, the tip and the stem can become a choking hazard. Current nasal aspirators fail to meet the Toy Standards established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which require all parts of a device to conform to certain width and length restrictions to avoid choking hazards. Currently available nasal aspirators fail the standards due to their shorter tip and stem constructions.
The tip in known nasal aspirators is also glued to the stem that is inserted into the bulb. As a result of use and cleaning, the glued connection between the tip and the stem may loosen or fail causing the tip to separate from the stem and create an even greater choking hazard by the smaller individual component parts.
Current nasal aspirators also have a flat edge along their opening in the bulb that the stem is inserted through. The flat edge around the opening of the bulb tends to cause a loss of volume and pressure when the bulb is compressed and is used as a vacuum to suction discharge from the nasal passage. The loss of pressure is a result of air entering around the gaps formed between the flat edge opening of the bulb and the stem. These air gaps decrease the suction through the opening of the tip as the vacuum within the inner hollow cavity is neutralized.
The shorter length of the tip and the stern for known nasal aspirators also tends to cause discharge suctioned from the nasal passage to pass through the tip and stem and be deposited within the inner hollow cavity of the bulb. The opening in the bulb into the inner hollow cavity is typically only around a half an inch in diameter making it difficult to properly clean the inner hollow cavity of the bulb. However, with nasal discharge contained within the inner hollow cavity, continuous proper cleaning would be required to maintain the inner hollow cavity in a sanitary condition and avoid the spread of germs or undesirable biological growth.
There is no known nasal aspirator which is inviting to children, does not present a choking hazard, and generates greater suction.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a device and method for an improved nasal aspirator that is inviting to children and provides increased suction without creating a choking hazard. The nasal aspirator comprises a stem, a tip, and a bulb. The stem has an inner lumen from a bottom to a top and an outward radial flange that extends from the top of the stem to create a mounting surface. The tip includes a point that arches from a base and has an aperture at the point. The base of the tip is secured to the top of the stem at the mounting surface by an adhesive and then is ultrasonically welded together to improve the strength of the connection. The bulb creates an inner hollow cavity that is accessed by an opening. The opening of the bulb includes a series of ribs that the bottom of the stem is inserted into until the top of the stem is secured at the opening of the bulb. The stem has a length which is greater than the height of the tip so that the stem extends further into the inner hollow cavity of the bulb capturing the nasal discharge within the lumen rather than having it deposited along the inner wall of the bulb. The greater length of the stem also prevents the stem and the tip from becoming a choking hazard.
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Health & Technology, Inc.
Kinney & Lange , P.A.
Mitchell Teena
Weiss John G.
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