Nasal devices

• US 20040112379A1
• 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 8,596,278 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 comprising: a delivery unit for delivering a flow entraining a substance to one nostril of a subject, the delivery unit including a nosepiece for fitting to a nostril of the subject; and a flow resistor unit for fitting to the other nostril of the subject, the flow resistor unit including a progressive resistor for progressively providing an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow.

Claims

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

a delivery unit for delivering a flow entraining a substance to one nostril of a subject, the delivery unit including a nosepiece for fitting to a nostril of the subject; and

a flow resistor unit for fitting to the other nostril of the subject, the flow resistor unit including a progressive resistor for progressively providing an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow.

2. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the progressive resistor comprises an inflatable member which provides a progressively increasing resistance to the delivered flow.

3. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the flow resistor unit includes a movable member which is movable under the action of a pressure developed in the nasal airway, and a biasing element for providing a progressively increasing resistance to the movement of the movable member.

4. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the flow resistor unit further includes a housing in which the movable member is movable, the housing including an aperture therein which is located such as to vent the housing when movable member is driven a predeterminable distance corresponding to a first predeterminable pressure, whereby the flow resistance decreases and the flow rate increases following the development of a second predeterminable pressure.

5. The delivery device of claim 4, wherein the flow resistor unit includes a filter for collecting any vented material.

6. The delivery device of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the delivery unit includes a substance supply unit which is actuatable to supply a substance.

7. The delivery device of claim 6, wherein the substance supply unit is configured to be actuatable by the progressive flow resistor unit.

8. The delivery device of claim 6 or 7, wherein the substance supply unit is configured to be actuatable to supply a substance at a predeterminable pressure.

9. The delivery device of claim 6 or 7, wherein the substance supply unit is configured to be actuatable to supply a substance at a predeterminable flow rate.

10. The delivery device of claim 6 or 7, wherein the substance supply unit is configured to be actuatable to supply a substance at one or both of a predeterminable pressure and a predeterminable flow rate.

11. The delivery device of any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the delivery unit further includes a mouthpiece through which the subject in use exhales.

12. The delivery device of claim 11, wherein the delivery unit further includes a flow channel fluidly connecting the nosepiece and the mouthpiece, whereby exhaled air from an exhalation breath is delivered through the nosepiece.

13. The delivery device of any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the delivery unit further includes a flow channel fluidly connected to the nosepiece through which a gas flow, separate to an exhaled air flow from an exhalation breath of a subject, is in use delivered, and a gas supply unit for supplying a gas flow to the flow channel.

14. The delivery device of any of claims 1 to 13, wherein the substance supply unit includes a dosing unit for supplying a substance.

15. The delivery device of claim 14, wherein the dosing unit comprises a nebulizer for supplying an aerosol.

16. The delivery device of claim 14, wherein the dosing unit comprises an aerosol canister for supplying an aerosol.

17. The delivery device of claim 14, wherein the dosing unit comprises a delivery pump unit for supplying an aerosol.

18. The delivery device of claim 17, wherein the dosing unit comprises a liquid pump unit for supplying a liquid aerosol.

19. The delivery device of claim 17, wherein the dosing unit comprises a powder pump unit for supplying a powder aerosol.

20. The delivery device of claim 14, wherein the dosing unit comprises a powder delivery unit for delivering a powder aerosol.

21. A nasal delivery device for delivering a flow entraining a substance to a nostril of a subject, including:

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

a flow resistor upstream of the outlet of the nosepiece to provide a predeterminable flow resistance to the delivered flow.

22. The delivery device of claim 21, wherein the flow resistor is a progressive resistor for progressively providing an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow.

23. The delivery device of claim 21, wherein the flow resistor is a fixed resistor for providing a predeterminable resistance to the delivered flow.

24. The delivery device of any of claims 21 to 23, further including:

a substance supply unit which is actuatable to supply a substance.

25. The delivery device of claim 24, wherein the substance supply unit is configured to be actuatable to supply a substance at a predeterminable pressure.

26. The delivery device of claim 24, wherein the substance supply unit is configured to be actuatable to supply a substance at a predeterminable flow rate.

27. The delivery device of claim 24, wherein the substance supply unit is configured to be actuatable to supply a substance at one or both of a predeterminable pressure and a predeterminable flow rate.

28. The delivery device of any of claims 21 to 27, further including:

a mouthpiece through which the subject in use exhales.

29. The delivery device of claim 28, further including:

a flow channel fluidly connecting the nosepiece and the mouthpiece, whereby exhaled air from an exhalation breath is delivered through the nosepiece.

30. The delivery device of any of claims 21 to 29, further including:

a flow channel fluidly connected to the nosepiece through which a gas flow, separate to an exhaled air flow from an exhalation breath of a subject, is in use delivered; and

a gas supply unit for supplying a gas flow to the flow channel.

31. The delivery device of any of claims 21 to 30, wherein the substance supply unit includes a dosing unit for supplying a 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 method of delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising the steps of:

delivering a flow entraining a substance to one nostril of a subject; and

progressively providing an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of:

decreasing the flow resistance on development of a predeterminable pressure.

40. A method of delivering a flow entraining a substance to a nostril of a subject, comprising the steps of:

delivering a flow entraining a substance to a nostril of a subject; and

providing a predeterminable flow resistance to the delivered flow.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the step of providing a predeterminable flow resistance to the delivered flow comprises the step of:

progressively providing an increasing flow resistance to the delivered flow.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the step of providing a predeterminable flow resistance to the delivered flow comprises the step of:

providing a predeterminable resistance to the delivered flow.

43. A nasal delivery device for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of FIGS. 1 to 3, FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, optionally taken in conjunction with FIG. 6, of the accompanying drawings.

44. A nasal delivery device for delivering a flow entraining a substance to a nostril of a subject substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of FIGS. 7 and 8, FIGS. 8 and 9, FIGS. 8 and 10 or FIGS. 11 and 12 of the accompanying drawings.

45. A method of delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of FIGS. 1 to 3, FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, optionally taken in conjunction with FIG. 6, of the accompanying drawings.

46. A method of delivering a flow entraining a substance to a nostril of a subject substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of FIGS. 7 and 8, FIGS. 8 and 9, FIGS. 8 and 10 or FIGS. 11 and 12 of the accompanying drawings.