Nasal devices

• US 20040112378A1
• Filed: 02/06/2004
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OptiNose, Inc.
• Original Assignee: OptiNose AS (OptiNose, Inc.)
• Inventors: Djupesland, Per Gisle
• Granted Patent: US 7,740,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/085 Measuring impedance of respiratory organs or lung elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/001 Particle size control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/006 operated by applying mechanical pressure to the liquid to be sprayed or atomised
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/007 Syringe-type or piston-type sprayers or atomisers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/02 operated by air or other gas pressure applied to the liquid or other product to be sprayed or atomised sprayers for horticulture A01G, A01H; killing insects A01M; air humidifying by nozzles F24F6/14, F24F6/18; cooling by spraying F28B, F28C
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/002 with air flow regulating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0021 Mouthpieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0065 Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0091 mechanically breath-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0098 Activated by exhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/08 Inhaling devices inserted into the nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/04 Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/071 hand operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/073 : Syringe, piston type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 : with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0668 : Middle ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/43 : Composition of exhalation

Abstract

A nasal delivery device for and a method of delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, the delivery device including: a nosepiece for fitting to a nostril of a subject; a substance supply unit for supplying a substance for delivery through the nosepiece; and a delivery prevention mechanism for preventing delivery of a substance through the nosepiece until the nosepiece is properly fitted to the nostril of the subject.

Claims

1. A nasal delivery device for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, including:

a nosepiece for fitting to a nostril of a subject;

a substance supply unit for supplying a substance for delivery through the nosepiece; and

a delivery prevention mechanism for preventing delivery of a substance through the nosepiece until the nosepiece is properly fitted to the nostril of the subject.

2. The delivery device of claim 1, further including:

first and second members movable relative to one another between first and second configurations, and a biasing element for normally biasing the first and second members to one of the first and second configurations, whereby a predeterminable biasing force provided by the biasing element has to be overcome in properly fitting the nosepiece to the nostril of the subject.

3. The delivery device of claim 1 or 2, further including:

a flow path fluidly connected to the nosepiece through which a gas flow is delivered to the nosepiece.

4. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the delivery prevention mechanism comprises a blocking element which is movable to block the flow path, and thereby prevent the delivery of the gas flow to the nosepiece, until the nosepiece is properly fitted to the nostril of the subject.

5. The delivery device of claim 4, further including:

first and second members movable relative to one another between first and second configurations, one of the members defining at least a part of the flow path, and the other member including the blocking element and blocking the flow path in one of the first and second configurations.

6. The delivery device of claim 5, further including:

a biasing element for normally biasing the first and second members to the one of the first and second configurations, whereby a predeterminable biasing force provided by the biasing element has to be overcome in properly fitting the nosepiece to the nostril of the subject.

7. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the delivery prevention mechanism comprises a vent which is openable to vent the gas flow from the flow path, and thereby prevent the delivery of the gas flow to the nosepiece, until the nosepiece is properly fitted to the nostril of the subject.

8. The delivery device of claim 7, further including:

first and second members movable relative to one another between first and second configurations, one of the members defining at least a part of the flow path and defining at least in part the vent, and the other member being configured such that the vent is open in one of the first and second configurations and closed in the other of the first and second configurations.

9. The delivery device of claim 8, further including:

a biasing element for normally biasing the first and second members to the one of the first and second configurations, whereby a predeterminable biasing force provided by the biasing element has to be overcome in properly fitting the nosepiece to the nostril of the subject.

10. The delivery device of claim 8 or 9, wherein the other member comprises the nosepiece.

11. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the delivery prevention mechanism is provided by the nosepiece which includes at least one aperture in the outer surface thereof, the at least one aperture being fluidly connected to the flow path and configured such as to be closed by the nostril when the nosepiece is properly inserted in the nostril of the subject, the substance supply unit being inoperable when the at least one aperture is open to atmosphere and operable when the at least one aperture is closed by the nostril of the subject.

12. The delivery device of claim 11, wherein the nosepiece includes a plurality of apertures disposed about the outer periphery thereof.

13. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the delivery prevention mechanism is provided by the nosepiece which comprises an outer member for engagement with a nostril of the subject, at least a part of which outer member is flexible, and an inner member configured such as to support the at least flexible part of the outer member when the nosepiece is properly inserted into the nostril of the subject.

14. The delivery device of claim 13,. wherein the at least part flexible member is a resilient member.

15. The delivery device of claim 13 or 14, wherein the outer member is a flexible tubular member.

16. The delivery device of any of claims 13 to 15, wherein the inner member comprises a tubular member.

17. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the delivery prevention mechanism is provided by the nosepiece which is expandable on generation of a pressure in the flow path to seal with a nostril of the subject.

18. The delivery device of claim 17, wherein the nosepiece includes an outer surface for engagement with a nostril of the subject, at least a part of which is flexible, and an inner surface in fluid communication with the flow path, at least a part of which is flexible, such that application of a pressure to the inner surface causes deflection of the outer surface such as to sealingly engage the nostril of the subject.

19. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the delivery prevention mechanism is configured to prevent delivery of a substance through the nosepiece until a predeterminable application force has been applied to the delivery device in fitting the nosepiece to a nostril of the subject.

20. The delivery device of claim 19, further including:

a biasing element for transferring the application force to the nosepiece.

21. The delivery device of any of claims 3 to 20, further including:

a mouthpiece through which the subject in use exhales; and

wherein the flow path fluidly connects the nosepiece and the mouthpiece, whereby exhaled air from an exhalation breath is delivered through the flow path.

22. The delivery device of any of claims 3 to 20, further including:

a gas supply unit for supplying a gas flow; and

wherein the flow path fluidly connects the nosepiece and the gas supply unit, whereby a gas flow from the gas supply unit is delivered through the flow path.

23. The delivery device of claim 22, further including:

a mouthpiece through which the subject in use exhales; and

wherein the gas supply unit is an exhalation breath-actuated unit and fluidly connected to the mouthpiece such as to be actuated on exhalation by the subject through the same.

24. The delivery device of any of claims 1 to 23, wherein the substance supply unit is actuatable to supply a substance, and the delivery prevention mechanism comprises an actuation prevention mechanism for preventing actuation of the substance supply unit until the nosepiece is properly fitted to the nostril of the subject.

25. The delivery device of claim 24, further including:

an exhalation breath-actuated trigger mechanism for actuating the substance supply unit.

26. The delivery device of claim 25, wherein the trigger mechanism is configured such as to prevent actuation thereof until a predeterminable application force has been applied to the delivery device in fitting the nosepiece to a nostril of the subject.

27. The delivery device of claim 26, further including:

a biasing element for transferring the application force to the nosepiece.

28. The delivery device of any of claims 25 to 27, wherein the trigger mechanism is configured to actuate the substance supply unit at a predeterminable pressure.

29. The delivery device of any of claims 25 to 27, wherein the trigger mechanism is configured to actuate the substance supply unit at a predeterminable flow rate.

30. The delivery device of any of claims 25 to 27, wherein the trigger mechanism is configured to actuate the substance supply unit at one or both of a predeterminable pressure and a predeterminable flow rate.

31. The delivery device of any of claims 1 to 30, wherein the substance supply unit includes a dosing unit for supplying at least one substance.

32. The delivery device of claim 31, wherein the dosing unit comprises a nebulizer for supplying an aerosol.

33. The delivery device of claim 31, wherein the dosing unit comprises an aerosol canister for supplying an aerosol.

34. The delivery device of claim 31, wherein the dosing unit comprises a delivery pump unit for supplying an aerosol.

35. The delivery device of claim 34, wherein the dosing unit comprises a liquid pump unit for supplying a liquid aerosol.

36. The delivery device of claim 34, wherein the dosing unit comprises a powder pump unit for supplying a powder aerosol.

37. The delivery device of claim 31, wherein the dosing unit comprises a powder delivery unit for delivering a powder aerosol.

38. A nasal delivery device for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, including:

a nosepiece for fitting to a nostril of a subject; and

a substance supply unit for supplying a substance, the substance supply unit including a trigger mechanism for actuating the same at one or both of a predeterminable pressure and a predeterminable flow rate.

39. The delivery device of claim 38, wherein the trigger mechanism is configured to actuate the substance supply unit at a predeterminable pressure.

40. The delivery device of claim 38 or 39, wherein the trigger mechanism is configured to actuate the substance supply unit at a predeterminable flow rate.

41. A nasal delivery device for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, including:

a nosepiece for fitting to a nostril of a subject; and

a flow path fluidly connected to the nosepiece;

wherein the nosepiece is configured to expand on generation of a pressure in the flow path to seal with a nostril of the subject.

42. The delivery device of claim 41, wherein the nosepiece includes an outer surface for engagement with a nostril of the subject, at least a part of which is flexible, and an inner surface in fluid communication with the flow path, at least a part of which is flexible, such that application of a pressure to the inner surface causes deflection of the outer surface such as to sealingly engage the nostril of the subject.

43. The delivery device of claim 42, wherein the at least part of the outer surface of the nosepiece is a resilient element.

44. The delivery device of claim 42 or 43, wherein the at least part of the inner surface of the nosepiece is a resilient element.

45. A nasal delivery device for delivering at least one substance to a nasal cavity of a subject substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 of the accompanying drawings.