Surgery – Respiratory method or device – Means for preventing nasal inhalation
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-08
2003-05-13
Ruhl, Dennis (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Respiratory method or device
Means for preventing nasal inhalation
C128S858000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06561184
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a nose clip, particularly a nose clip that is clipped onto a swimmer's nose to prevent pool water from flowing into the user's nasal cavity. The innovative construction of the nose clip is designed ergonomically and has an appropriate clipping force to provide comfortable clipping effect.
2. Background of the Invention
Nose clips are often used by swimmers to prevent pool water from entering the swimmer's nasal cavity. In general, water ballerinas or begining swimmers who do not know how to control breathing while swimming often use nose clips. The construction of the nose clip is designed to provide clipping purpose. Meanwhile, the clipping force shall not cause discomfort. The conventional nose clips are designed in a U-shaped construction, which can be clipped on two sides of the nose. However, there are shortcomings in the conventional nose clips as follows: (Please refer to
FIGS. 1 through 5
.)
FIG. 1
shows a nose clip
8
as a single U-shape unit formed by one-piece plastic. The two sides of the U shape are the clipping arms
80
(
81
). The ends of the two clipping arms
80
(
81
) are designed in disk shapes that can be clipped onto the wings on two sides of the nose. Because of its U shape formation requiring sufficient clipping force for clipping purpose, the material to be used is quite rigid. As a result, the one-piece nose clip has a rigid clipping force with poor flexibility, causing discomfort when it is worn on the user's nose.
FIG. 2
shows a nose clip
7
that is made of metal material bent to a U shape, with latex rubber coating on the outside. Closing to the ends of the two clipping arms
70
(
71
) are vertical positioning posts
72
to fix a headband
73
. Though the construction of such nose clip
7
involves flexible latex rubber in contact with the nose wings, its formation of plate metal bent to form results in rigidity of the two clipping arms
70
(
71
). Therefore the nose clip becomes too stiff when it is worn on the nose. Furthermore, there is difficulty in stretching the nose clip and ill comfort when it is clipped on the nose wings.
FIG. 3
shows a nose clip
6
that is made of metal material bent to form. It is made of a fine metal strip that is bent to shape, having connecting part
60
and two J-shaped clipping arms
61
(
62
). On the two clipping arms
61
(
62
) is the coating of a larger area of latex rubber
63
. Such a construction is quite different from the two conventional types of nose clip
8
,
7
. In addition to some improvement on the rigidity of clipping force, they have better comfort. However, when the nose clip
6
is clipped on the user's nose wings, the connecting part
60
is located below the nostril. And because everyone's nose shape is different, the constant height of the connecting part
60
is different because of the different clipping positions of the two clipping arms
61
(
62
) to suit different nose shapes. If a larger nose shape is limited by the connecting part
60
, the clipping position of the two clipping arms
61
(
62
) does not provide better comfort. In other words, if comfort is required for the conventional nose clips to suit different nose shapes, there shall be various sizes and specifications, which will bring some problems in the management of supplies.
FIG. 4
shows a nose clip
5
having two J-shaped clipping arms
50
,
51
and connecting part
52
. However, its clipping method is the opposite of the above nose clip
6
. The connecting part
52
is riding across the nose ridge; the connecting part
52
is suitable for a larger nose shape, so it is designed to incline upwards to the front. Though the rubber cap
53
at the front ends of the clipping arms
50
,
51
can provide comfort when the nose clip is clipped to the nose wings, it can fall off easily. As shown in
FIG. 4
, because the rubber cap
53
is fitted downward to the ends of the two clipping arms
50
,
51
and the nose clip is put on in the direction opposite to the installation of the rubber cap
53
, it can easily be pushed out when putting on the nose clip, resulting in an inconvenience in its use. So it is evident from the above construction and shortcoming description of conventional nose clips that the shortcomings of conventional nose clips consist in the rigid clipping force and the discomfort to the nose caused by the clipping. Furthermore, due to the restriction in the structure of conventional nose clips, they are not suitable for different nose shapes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main objective of this invention of nose clip is to provide a nose clip with excellent clipping force and comfortable clipping effect. The specially designed arch of the nose clip provides the required clipping force, while the flexible material of the nose clip enables better contact with the nose, prevents it from falling off, and ensures comfortable clipping position on the nose wings.
Another objective of the invention is to provide an ergonomically designed nose clip, the configuration of the nose clip enabling natural contact with the nose ridge, therefore, one size will be able to fit different nose shapes of different users.
The invention of nose clip comprises two clipping arms and a connecting part joining the two clipping arms. There is one clipping part each of the two clipping arms which are shaped as inclined arches from the clipping part to the connecting part, so the connecting part can naturally be in close contact with the arch of the nose ridge.
Another characteristic of the nose clip lies in that: The clipping parts have an assembling groove that enables firm assembly of the flexible pads, and provide comfortable clipping effects of the nose clip on the nose wings.
Yet another characteristic of the nose clip lies in that: The clipping parts include the first end located on the side of the assembling groove, and the second end located on the other side of the assembling groove, where the first end extends in the direction away from the second end, providing the clipping parts with a larger area, so the contact area between the nose and the nose clip can be enlarged to provide better comfort.
Yet another characteristic of the nose clip lies in that: There is a locating groove on the rim of the flexible pad that can be fitted to the assembling groove to provide effective positioning effect.
REFERENCES:
patent: 598467 (1898-02-01), Carence
patent: 640629 (1900-01-01), Carence
patent: 690663 (1902-01-01), Pratt
patent: 2015617 (1935-09-01), Claudius
patent: 2274997 (1942-03-01), Thurman
patent: 2488616 (1949-11-01), Browne
patent: 2757665 (1956-08-01), Tanikawa
patent: 3802426 (1974-04-01), Sakamoto
patent: 4231360 (1980-11-01), Zloczysti et al.
patent: 5103813 (1992-04-01), Hart et al.
patent: 5533504 (1996-07-01), Stamos
patent: 5983898 (1999-11-01), Doyle
Ruhl Dennis
Troxell Law Office PLLC
Weiss Joseph F.
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