BOTTLE FOR SINUS CAVITY RINSE

• US 20110139149A1
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: HAIR, KENNETH A., WILLIAMS, BRIAN R., CACKA, JOSEPH W., TAYLOR, KURT M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,888,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 35/04 for the nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0618 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0208 before use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/022 Volume; Flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0245 Containers therefor, e.g. with heating means or with storage means for cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0262 manually, e.g. by squeezing a bulb
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0279 Cannula; Nozzles; Tips; their connection means

Abstract

A vessel for use in rinsing a user'"'"'s nasal cavities includes a main body, a spout, a self-sealing nozzle, and a flow control valve actuable by the user. The spout extends off of the main body and the elastomeric nozzle attached to the spout defines an outer skirt having a deflectable free end upon contact with the walls of the user'"'"'s nasal cavity. A vacuum breaker valve is formed in a top portion of the main body for actuation by the user to control the flow of a fluid positioned in the vessel out of the nozzle. The main body may include gripping indentations along opposing sidewalls thereof. The spout may be integrally formed with the main body, and the spout and the nozzle may be detachably connected.

Claims

1. A vessel for use in rinsing a user'"'"'s nasal passage comprising

a main body;

a spout extending off the main body;

an elastomeric nozzle attached to the spout, the elastomeric nozzle defining an outer skirt having a free end and being deflectable upon engagement with the walls of the user'"'"'s nasal cavity;

said main body having gripping indentations along opposing sidewalls thereof; and

a vacuum breaker valve formed in a top portion of said main body for actuation by the user to control the flow of a fluid positioned in the vessel out of the nozzle.

2. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the outer skirt comprises a faceted outer surface.

3. The vessel of claim 2, wherein the outer skirt is comprised of at least two frustum sections stacked in series on top of one other, wherein the first frustum section has an average larger diameter than the second frustum section.

4. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the valve is in a closed position until actuation by the user.

5. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the valve comprises an aperture formed in the main body and a valve member arranged in the aperture.

6. The vessel of claim 5, wherein the valve member comprises a top flange that engages with an exterior of the main body to resiliently hold the valve member in a closed position.

7. The vessel of claim 6, wherein the top flange defines one or more openings proximate the aperture, and when the valve is actuated, air enters into an interior of the main body by passing through the one or more flange openings and the valve aperture.

8. The vessel of claim 6, wherein the valve member comprises a bottom flange arranged within an interior of the main body, wherein the bottom flange engages with an interior surface of main body surrounding the aperture and forms a seal between the valve and the main body in the closed position.

9. The vessel of claim 8, wherein the bottom flange disengages with the interior surface of the main body upon actuation of the valve and allows air to flow through the aperture into the interior of the main body.

10. The vessel of claim 5, wherein the valve member comprises a bottom flange arranged within an interior of the main body, and the bottom flange engages with an interior surface of the main body surrounding the aperture and forms a seal between the valve and the main body in the closed position.

11. The vessel of claim 10, wherein the bottom flange disengages with the interior surface of the main body upon actuation of the valve and allows air to flow through the aperture into the interior of the main body.

12. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the nozzle and the spout are detachably coupled.

13. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the spout forms a conical section that tapers down as the spout extends towards a spout portion forming a spout aperture, and the outer skirt free end is deflectable into a void space formed between the conical section and the outer skirt.

14. A vessel for use in rinsing a user'"'"'s nasal passage comprising

a main body;

a spout extending off a front portion the main body, wherein the spout is integrally formed with the main body;

an elastomeric nozzle detachably coupled to the spout, the elastomeric nozzle defining an outer skirt having a free end and being deflectable upon engagement with the walls of the user'"'"'s nasal cavity; and

a vacuum breaker valve formed in a top portion of said main body for actuation by the user to control the flow of a fluid positioned in the vessel out of the nozzle.

15. The vessel of claim 14, wherein the outer skirt comprises a faceted outer surface.

16. The vessel of claim 15, wherein the outer skirt is comprised of at least two frustum sections stacked in series on top of one other, wherein the first frustum section has an average larger diameter than the second frustum section.

17. The vessel of claim 15 wherein the spout forms a conical section that tapers down as the spout extends towards a spout portion forming a spout aperture, and the outer skirt free end is deflectable into a void space formed between the conical section and the outer skirt.

18. The vessel of claim 17, wherein the nozzle further comprises an inner collar for coupling to an external circumference of the spout portion forming the spout aperture, wherein the inner collar forms a nozzle aperture such that fluid positioned in the vessel flows from the spout aperture out the nozzle through the nozzle aperture.

19. The vessel of claim 14, further comprising an aperture formed in a back portion of the main body opposite the front portion and a cap configured to be received on the aperture, wherein the aperture is configured as a vessel inlet.

20. The vessel of claim 19, wherein when the cap is received on the aperture, the cap and the aperture form a water-tight seal.