Nose sprayer

Details Nose sprayer Nose sprayer

2000-05-17

2003-02-11

Dawson, Glenn K. (Department: 3761)

Surgery

Liquid medicament atomizer or sprayer

C128S200220, C128S203120, C604S094010, C604S275000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06516795

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a nasal spray device, and more particularly to an improvement of the dispenser head of such a device.
Such spray devices are designed mainly for treating illnesses or conditions affecting the nasopharyngeal region (colds, rhinitis, sinusitis, etc.).
A conventional spray device comprises a container of active liquid, which container is equipped with pressurizing and/or measuring-out means serving to cooperate with a dispenser head. The head is provided with at least one expulsion duct opening out at its outer end in a spray nozzle and communicating at its inner end with the container via the pressurizing means.
Unfortunately, the head of such a spray device is provided with a single applicator only, so that, in order to apply the treatment, it is necessary to spray successively into each nostril while simultaneously blocking off the other nostril.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to solve that technical problem satisfactorily.
The invention achieves this object by means of a nasal spray device of the above type, in which the dispenser head comprises two juxtaposed applicators, each of which is provided with at least one expulsion duct, the ends of the applicators being separated by a distance that corresponds substantially to the mean spacing between the nostrils, and the applicators being fixed to a base for coupling them to the container.
In a preferred embodiment, the two applicators are identical, each of them being provided with a respective expulsion duct which extends axially at least in its end portion.
According to an advantageous characteristic, the expulsion ducts of the two applicators merge at the bottom to form a single feed duct.
In a first variant, the duct is constituted by a central bore in said base.
In a second variant, the feed duct is constituted by a central sleeve that projects into said base.
In an advantageous embodiment, said head is made up of a first part carrying the two applicators and designed to be assembled together with a second part carrying the base.
Preferably, the two parts then define between them the bottom portions of the expulsion ducts.
In another variant, the first part is provided with an outer bottom skirt serving to clamp radially and in leaktight manner onto a cylindrical inner bearing surface provided at the top of the second part.
In another variant, the bottom face of the first part and/or the top face of the second part is/are provided with a groove/respective grooves defining at least in part the walls of the bottom portions of the expulsion ducts.
According to another characteristic, said base supports two column-shaped cores serving to be engaged axially into the end portions of the expulsion ducts so as to define annular cross-sections.
According to yet another characteristic, the bottom portions of the expulsion ducts slope relative to the axes of the applicators.
In an advantageous configuration, the two applicators are of substantially frustoconical profile with curved end edges.
The spray device of the invention is particularly ergonomic and makes it possible to improve and to simplify the therapeutic treatment.
The two-applicator dispenser head is also suitable for use with conventional pressurizing means and containers without it being necessary to modify them in any way.
In addition, the embodiment comprising only two parts is particularly easy to manufacture and assemble, which makes it very reliable and very low in cost.
Thus, regardless of the form of the pressurizing and measuring-out means, the volume of active liquid delivered is divided into two flows via the two-applicator head, which makes it possible to treat both nostrils simultaneously.


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patent: WO-92/21404 (1992-12-01), None

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